Volume CRBN!

by Dancesnapple

Four individuals. Four different people of different walks of life resulting in an adventure. Hopefully, a bond that can last. Team CRBN (carbon). Features: OC Main character, main team has two OCs alongside a lovable crime duo, and some family drama on all sides. Features a 'soundtrack' element for the fic. ENJOY! Story begins on third listed chapter. Very slow start.

55. 53 Where You Came From

Bit of a longer chapter, so sorry for the wait. Another reason for the delay is some news. One of my best friends has finally released his own book, a fictional fantasy series by the name of Archangel! Much of my time, in celebration for him, was spent reading his book and reviewing it on all platforms.

If anyone is interested in a modern fantasy story following a boy in a world of demons and angels, please look up the book title Archangel on Amazon, by Justin Crary. I'm seriously happy for him, and sorry to you guys for delaying my writing for it. But, hope you guys understand. It's seriously a fantastic book, and he's a far, far better writer than me!

On to the show.

Chapter Fifty Three: Where You Came From

The clatter of metal on rock echoes out a dozen rings in succession. Dozens of mine workers load dust deposits into trolleys before working together to heave them out. It's beyond sunset, time to pack in for the day. Each trolley is hauled out of the mine by the muscle bound workers, all the carts half filled have heavy duty plate lids lock over top. Deter thieves and the like.

"EVERYONE! AWAY FROM THE MINES!" A gun shot rings through the air, fired from Carmine's Heulin Noon. All attention of the town turns toward the mines. The sheriff marches onto the business property, Carmine following behind and lowing his smoking gun. "Hey! Vacate the property, double time! We got a Grimm attack incoming!"

The grim declaration and tone send the message loud and clear. Everyone in sight don't simply double their movements, they triple them! Many of the workers grab at various pickaxes and knife tools on their way out. The unified act of arming themselves comes next. Within five minutes, all the remaining businesses have shut down, houses locked, and young stowed away.

Left behind is what impresses Carmine. Over four dozen adult men of varying ages and look gather around. Their full attention is on Taylor as they appear locked and loaded. Dust rifles, shotguns, some load flare guns, nearly all of them are armed with hatchets and the odd machete.

Carmine can only blink. Yep, this is a wild west town ready for reign hell on the poor bastards that come. Unfortunate that they are outnumbered four to one bare minimum if that spy's report is true.

Taylor calls out to the large gathering. "Alright, listen up! Some criminals in Grimm trade are about to unleash some two hundred Grimm on us." An immediate tensing comes over the crowd. "Good news is, we got time to prepare! Two hours. The bastards are holed up deep in a man made cave on the opposite side of the mountain, and the Grimm will be entering through the southern shaft of the mine."

A chorus of mutterings rumble around. 'Who the heck would do that?' 'Are you for real?' 'Two hundred?! That's like a full horde.' The immediate sense of anxiety and fear hangs in the air. Able to drink it in with a breath.

"But we're not alone in this!" Taylor shouts to get them to silence. He looks around, sure to meet each man eye to eye. "Remember! Grimm are attracted to negative emotion. Doubting ourselves now of all times can risk other Grimm in the region catching wind to join them!" He cuts a glare to the right. "Every emotion, clamp it down. The only negative thing I want to hear is rage that these bastards would dare try this to us!"

The fierce nature of the speech earned sneers from the men slowly turning to heated agreement. One or two even smirk, Carmine notices. Dang, the sheriff is hyping them up!

Taylor waves his hand to the left. "I want you twelve to set up on the town walls. Anything that comes from the forest colored black, turn it red. Darren's in charge of you." A black man nods with the sheriff, presumably Darren, before signaling the twelve away towards the walls. Taylor looks to the twelve on the right. "Get everything flammable from the storehouses. We're going to set up burn traps around the mouth of the mine. You twelve, grab some shovels and dig one foot trench lines to place the flammables in!"

"On it!" A chorus sounds as the twelve in front of Carmine and Taylor run for the tools. The twelve on the right rush off for the supplies. Carmine is genuinely surprised.

He looks as the sheriff directs the last twelve. "I want you all to set up hunting boxes atop taller houses and on the mountain. You're our eyes, and you'll call out anything that gets through the front line." As they move, Taylor looks at Carmine. "And remember, the enemy behind the Grimm may appear as well. Only let myself and the kid here to fight them!"

Carmine sets his jaw as several of the men pause their looks at him. However, the expected response of 'he's a kid' doesn't come. Carmine sees Taylor nod to him to speak, though it takes a moment to understand. "Oh! Uh, there are four faunus among them!" Carmine starts. "A black bird faunus, a tan lizard faunus, and a shorter kangaroo faunus. Their leader is the outlaw Killian Gonzola."

The name pauses all the men's actions. They all share looks of shock. A soft 'shit' sounds from one. However, Taylor is on it. "The kid here has three teammates himself that are working on taking them out, or stopping the Grimm attack altogether! Don't wuss out here for the name of some two bit merc." Once more, the men nod in solidarity before moving back to work.

The boy and sheriff are left to ponder the situation. However, he can't help but ask to clarify. "So, the two of us are the front line?"

A nod answers. "Twelve eyes in the sky. A two dozen firing squad for an opening volley before they move back to the main road. Yes. You and me will hold the front here while they pick the ones charging past us."

Carmine narrows his gaze. "But, the mine entrance would be a perfect bottleneck for a kill box."

"And we lack the time to sufficiently build cover to set everyone up here." Taylor answers easily. "This way will be harder to keep the Grimm from damaging property, but the townsmen won't be left open for slaughter."

It makes some sense. Carmine grimaces, too used to having to organize for four people. This guy is literally organizing a whole damned town! "So, all the men out here. None of the women have guns?" The boy raises a brow.

That gets a grin from the man. "Nearly everyone in town over the age of 23 is married with at least one kid. Papas kill anything that approach the house. Mamas shoot anything they don't like that make it in." He nods his head to a house barely visible around the mine shacks.

Inside the window, Carmine makes out a woman hushing kids into a basement cellar... then sees the same woman produce a full boar rifle, loading it with scatter shot earth dust. Carmine's eyes widen impressed. "Ooookay! Bad ass moms for the win." He shakes it off and revives the heat in his own eyes. "Alright... What do I do?"

"You sit right there and look pretty." Taylor huffs. Before the boy can snap back, he's cut off. "You need to recover as much aura as possible if any of Gonzola's goons show. So..." Taylor places his hand on Carmine's shoulder, firmly directing the boy to sit on a bench. Taylor crouches in front of him and scowls. "Tell me what you know about each of them."

Carmine growls, but nods.

. . .

Roman huffs, pocketing another lightning dust claymore. He'd produced a small sack now stuffed to the seems with explosive charges of all elements and colors. Earth, fire, wind, water, he could assume at least one could be themed for heart. Whoever set these up was certainly a fan of the saying 'fire everything!'.

Neo comes from ahead of the adults, looking quite pleased. Blair perks beside Roman. "Are we officially through the traps?" The girl gives an emphatic nod. "Keep an eye out." Blair rolls her shoulder with a grimace. "I'm not keen on getting sniped again."

Roman hums, falling into step behind Blair. Something she notices after several seconds before pausing. She glares back, but he smirks. Raising the sack, he comments. "Hey, enough explosives to level several blocks. Maybe I shouldn't be the first target?"

She rolls her eyes and continues. "We're already lost an hour and a half. Cutting it closer than I'd like." A quick scan of the area reveals some tracks in the rocky dirt. Tracks means traffic. Traffic means a destination. "We're close. Stay silent."

The man tucks Velvet under his arm, then waves Neo over with his free hand. She approaches as he gestures above. The girl follows his gestures. Point up. Holds up an ice dust charge. Mimes something falling. She grins and nods. The girl accepts five charges before silently leaping up into the tree branches.

Soon as the teen is off, Roman smirks with his attention forward. Forward and slightly down. Directly down the figure of the certain blonde in front of him. "Anything yet?" He asks in a whisper.

"No." Blair shakes her head. Her eyes snap open. "I'm not detecting auras yet either. Perhaps if I extend my senses like before to their mac range."

Roman, still very much checking the blonde out from behind, nods as if in approval, but grunts in disapproval. "Would rather have your focus as much in the moment as possible."

"Agreed." The blonde responds, seemingly oblivious to the man's gaze. "Wait." Roman's full attention comes up and alert. Ready and tense! Then the blonde sighs. "A woodland animal... apologies." And she continues.

He sighs, then catches white in a tree. He looks to find Neo on a high branch. The girl's hand flicks into sign language. "Be more obvious."

"Hmm." Roman smirks before signing back to her. "That's the plan." He turns his attention back to Blair. "We're relying fully on you at this point. So dark, the only thing I can make out is an admittedly pleasant view- Oh, that's you."

Blair freezes mid stride. Her eyes twitch as the stone rigid woman cracks her neck to crane and look back. Her face is lit to take away the threat of a killing gaze. She grinds out behind tight teeth. "I-... You-!"

She blinks... her semblance catches a blip.

Her eyes trail to the distance as she focuses. A sigh escapes her lips. More of a seething groan, really. "An aura one hundred yards ahead, maybe fifty down. It's retreating." Her voice is done with today. She jabs a finger. "Your turn to go ahead."

Roman smiles proud, marching forward. "No problems, Barbie. Good work!" He pats her shoulder as he passes. Feels more like slapping concrete with how rigid frozen she is!

As Roman takes the lead, Blair's aura could chill the air as she stiffly walks after him. And yet... her eyes are forward. Then tilt down. Glancing down the man's form-

Neo pokes the blonde, jolting her. Blair sends a wide glance annoyed at the girl. Neo has given up. One hand face palms as she smirks and contains giggles. One eye looks at her, a clear unspoken 'really?'

The blonde sends a petulant stare, rapidly signing at the mute. "It's only fair!" Yet, the response makes Neo grin widely. Blair pales at the unintended admission of her actions, only getting redder.

Neo engages in a sign conversation. "Was it this bad with JD?"

Blair twitches and shakes her head. "No. I had full control of him before we did anything." She grumbles and shifts her shoulders. "Was less awkward."

"Roman can't let it be normal." The girl now has to find enjoyment in this. Being the third wheel was starting to make her want popcorn for this.

"Aha." Roman speaks a moment later. The girls join him to find the entrance of the cave. Roman smirks to Neo, who suddenly shatters. It was a shatter illusion the whole time. The real Neo is still in the trees, sneaking around. "So, anything we wouldn't want to mess with-" Roman's smirk falls. He gestures up the slope of the mountain.

The blonde follows the gaze, seeing a single low light blinking red coming from high. A steady blinking light with a lens next to it, only visible when the light flashes. A camera mounted high to cover the entrance.

With Neo's shatter, the camera has only seen Roman and Blair, but the blonde scowls. "Great. So much for sneaking in."

"Well, if stealth is off the table!" Roman transforms Velvet Valentine into gun mode. He aims up and fires into the cave. The fire dust bursts light the cave a sharp distance in until hitting a curve thirty yards in.

A silence fulls the air for a moment before Roman and Blair share a glance. The blonde senses out with her semblance again. "No response. They're not coming." Her eyes cut to the camera again. "Remind me. Killian's semblance requires line of sight? He warped through the ground earlier in a way that contradicts that."

Roman shifts his stance, disappointed. "I know it has a range, and that direct sight can assist with it."As he finishes this, Neo gently touches down behind the camera. The girl raises a brow. "So, if he had a camera monitor downstairs to see what color he needed to turn to faze up here, I suppose a camera might help him escape the cave."

Say no more! Neo cleaves the mount of the camera, collapsing it. She impales the device into the ground, surely cutting off any further feed.

Blair nods. "Now, they can't escape behind us." She takes the lead, Roman and Neo following her into the cave...

. . .

The camera feed cuts off. Killa, underground, scowls. "Oh, come o~n! Now, we can't escape behind them!"

His loud exclamation catches the attention of the kangaroo faunus, Don, down around stalagmites. The faunus was still digging, using his earth shifting semblance to dig further through the ground. Using no more than his fists, no less. The stereotypical calm mobster voices out looking disinterested. "I suppose that means dropping the cave on them while you warp us out is off the table then?"

Over a drop off, deep into the darker recesses of the cavern, Ezra the black bird faunus calls out. "Nah, we still have your fists, man! You can collapse it and dig us out."

The man is surrounded by cages. Massive cages disappearing into the darkness. All that's visible are dozens upon dozens of red eyes glare luminescent in the shadow. A Beowolf slinks enough into the light and bashes at the cage. The bird faunus ignores it entirely, save from gripping the corner of the metal container to prevent the rattling noise.

"You collapse this cave and make ME dig us out after all of this..." Don huffs, wiping sweat and gesturing to the gigantic broken into wall. The rocks were broken off and jagged, broken as unnatural angles. "... then I'm getting myself out and ditching you three."

Killa rolls his eyes. "Oh, come on! Please?" He grovels for the kangaroo in an obvious fake act.

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Are you completely sure you're not gonna not leave us behind?" He almost childishly throws in the negatives, making the question nearly unintelligible.

"Yes." Don glares at him. "Your two negatives cancel and translate into leaving you. Nice try."

Killian scowls and huffs. "Well, fine. Ez, are the electronic locks good to go?"

Ezra grins, holding up a remote. Instantly, all the cages containing the well over one hundred Grimm all have their locks beam and blink with a green light. "Good to go, baby!" He then sighs. "Although, under ground, I can't get farther than twenty yards behind more rock. Else, the remote may as well tell me to shame the Brothers."

"I'M going to tell you to shame the Brothers. Come on! Kallen already got his ass handed to him! The two of us by ourselves shouldn't be doing the grunt work alone!" The chameleon stews and shakes his head, seeing no other way. "Ah... FINE! I'll do it myself." He marches by Kallen, who scowls and fixes a component of his tech rifle. "Come on, or I'm not voting for you for the Academy Awards."

The actor looks back at him offended before huffing and following.

Only a few seconds of the two walking does Killa suddenly brighten and smirk. "Well... I have a new idea."

. . .

Carmine grimaces. Two hours had passed. He and Taylor were currently sat in wait with eyes locked on the mine entrance. The trap trenches were set, flammable materials laid about in them with small ignition markers. Markers that could be ignited by shooting them. The boy had to admire how the town's men all came together. The walls were secured, the hunter perches were set up higher on the mountain side, and a two dozen man firing line was set up a hundred yards behind the sheriff and boy.

Speaking of the sheriff, Carmine gave a detailed description of each member of Killian's entourage: The actor snake who favored a high tech sniper. The priest who used an augmented whip and rope dart. Finally, the kangaroo who was surely their digger with his earth shifting semblance.

From there, the boy divulged that Killa's team had been hired by AZRL, which somehow wasn't news to Taylor. That answers whether Ozpin was finally spreading and acting against the organization with more than a select few actors. About damn time, if you ask him.

Taylor then asked how the two could fight together if needed. The sheriff's lever action rifle can transform into a melee mode. By locking the stock lever forward and into the barrel, the mechanism triggers an large blade to stick up from the stock. This allows Taylor to spin the rifle around and use it as a pole arm. A glaive to be specific. It was attuned to fire dust to ignite the blade as well with a button! It's name was Gilded Ashe.

'Sweet!' was Carmine's reaction with a bright grin. He'd demonstrated his semblance and his armor variations as well. This led to Taylor declaring that he would be the primary fighter, and Carmine would adapt to the needs of the situation.

That had been five minutes ago. The two sat awaiting to see if the Grimm attack was coming now, five minutes from now, or if Carmine's team successfully stopped it. If they had, they were to contact him by any means necessary. However, he was starting to get worried.

As he waits, the sheriff couldn't help but cast glances at the boy. A strange curiosity was clear on him. He hadn't hesitated to ask all his other questions, but his clear apprehension brought a chill to the boy.

Best to get it over with ahead of time. "If you're concerned over how young I am, can it. I've been at this for three years already."

"I'm sorry?" The man raises a brow.

"You keep looking worried over something." Carmine raises his own brow, keeping a calm expression. "I assumed it had to do with fighting alongside a kid or something condescending like that." He then mutters and looks away. "I get enough condescension from my own annoying team partner."

Taylor's eyes were frozen, watching every feature on the boy. His jaw line, cheek bones, and the tone of silver ending at each lock of hair. Literally all of it screamed at the man, but none nearly as loud as those eyes. The deep blue.

"Your name is Carmine."

It wasn't a question, but he doesn't elaborate. A pregnant pause brings Carmine's attention to him. "Y-yeah?"

"Named after the color of a deep red." Taylor continued.

That makes him hesitate. "Uh... yeah. Aren't a lot of people named after color and seasons?" Carmine cracks a grin, nervous. "I swear, doesn't Ozpin call it something?" He contemplates for a second before recalling the words.

"Those who stand against tyranny began naming their children after one of the core aspects of art itself: color."

Both Carmine and Taylor recited the same words, paraphrasing the Beacon headmaster. Taylor crosses his arms, still looking curious as the boy looks away. "You've heard the speech. You know Ozpin." Again. Not questions. He's stating facts. "Who were your parents?"

He tenses. Why was this former huntsman so curious? Did he know his parents, maybe? But, all the way out here? That's absurd. He's too young to have been at Beacon with his mom and dad, either. Still, if he's fishing for information, a morbid thought leads him. Dead people aren't great for investigating him now. "I'm the son of former Sanctuary Chief Inspector Jared Uhlric and Hallowed Heart Chief Surgeon Senaya Uhlric."

Those names... they rang a bell. Taylor slowly blinks, looking down. Were they..?

Yeah. Yeah they were. "They were trusted by Ozpin. I remember." He muses. "Ozpin has his operatives today, but people tend to forget the operatives of the past, or of Beacon's former headmasters. Yeah, I recognize the name Uhlric." He takes a silence, frowning. "Good people."

"They were." Carmine answers in a frown. It was a plain fact. They were great. Past tense, the man caught.

Rather than pointlessly console, Taylor presses. "You were adopted." Carmine tenses, a heated look flashing over him for just a second. "Change a few visual cues and remove that scowl, and you'd be the spitting image of your actual father."

The mention of Ozpin brings a growl out of the boy. Even worse was that this man seemed to gleam his connection to the headmaster in casual observation. "How the hell can you be sure of that?"

Taylor smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. He eyes the mine, a faint crack sounding in an echo. "Tell you what. We make it through tonight, and I'll tell you why." His smile is hurt, a fondness mixed with something akin to loss. He spares one last glance into Carmine's blue eyes, then up to the boy's crimson hair roots. "Yeah... I know all I need to know, but maybe I'll know something you don't."

Carmine can only narrow his gaze confused. He hated cryptic answers. Reminds him of his father. Still, the two remain ready for the Grimm to attack. First and foremost, that has to remain their focus.

. . .

The CRBN members continue inside, finding the descending caverns to have large gaps of darkness with small respites of lit torchlight. Each and every turn was taken slow, checking for hidden cameras or more traps. Thankfully, the hideout must have been treated more as a vacation retreat, the interior of the cavern left fairly open.

Their path winds quite a bit at first, but Blair halts them at the mouth of an open area. She scowls. "Round two, is it?"

Before her, the cavern opens wide, a pit splitting the cavern into two sides with sub tunnels on each side. Most natural... but it's in front of a roughly cut man made one that Killian Gonzola rises from the earth, colored a stone gray. He recolors and grins at her. "Hey, baby! We've got to stop meeting like this."

Blair wrinkles her nose in disgust. "Allow me to take your head. That will stop it." The response, while seeming appropriate to sober the conversation, causes Roman to grimace and resist facepalming, muttering about a 'mistake' in phrasing.

Killa grins wide. "Oh, you can take it and more, sweet cheeks." Blair twitches before freezing rigid.

"Glad we keep you around for looks, Barbie." Roman smirks.

The blonde snaps at the man. "I will NOT spend this entire night getting sexually harassed by both you AND the enemy."

That gets a smirk from the conman. "Be honest. Which is worse-"

"YES!" She snaps back at him, directing Fluorescent Finish forward and activating lightning dust. The energy lights the shadows in strobe effect blue. "The snake is in the shadows of the cavern twenty meters ahead. Neo, take defense."

Killa cracks a wide grin as Blair charges forward, an arc of electricity zapping the ground along her trail. From the darkness, a high power dust shot fires from Kallen at the woman! However, the air in front of Blair cracks apart before the shot is redirected into a stalactite! Neo lands as Blair blitzes around her.

Killian aims both arms up, using his mounted guns on his forearms as shields. The lightning charged blade explodes against his arm!

Her blade bites into the armored plating of the man's left mount gun. Blair's eyes narrow on the damage of the blow, the full length of Fluorescent pierced through... now stuck in the plated device!

Killa grins as he ejects the left gun off his arm, shoving Blair back with the gun. The remaining lightning of her dust sparks to leave her sword... Blair's eyes widen in horror at the trap. The gun, while large enough and shaped to double as forearm armor, housed dozens of small caliber dust rounds.

Dust rounds sparked by the last touch of lightning dust from Blair's weapon.

The faunus shifts gray and morphs down into the ground to warp. The dust in his discarded weapon ignites! Roman sucks in a breath. Killa is using HIS tactic! "BLAIR!" He shouts, uncharacteristic concern laced as the weapon detonates in Blair's face!

The blast erupts and knocks the blonde back. Blair scrapes back along the path, Roman sliding in her trajectory to catch her! The impact slides him back, but he halts her, assessing the damage. It was textbook. Just like when CRBN used one of his drum mags as a bomb. Blair's aura shield broke from the explosion, light burns marred her skin. Her eyes were closed, though she thankfully wasn't dead.

Roman directs a glower up, eyeing Killa rising before him. The faunus chuckles. "Ah. Now that the bitch is dealt with, we can finally get down to settling some old business. Eh, buddy?"

The conman rests Blair back, Neo landing and taking defense over the blonde. He remains crouched by the blonde and teen. "Jokes on you. After all these years, you're in the back of a very long line." He flippantly rattles off. He can eye the glint in the darkness telling him where Kallen is.

He evaluates his situation. The faunus advantages: Experience. Defensive position. Greater striking power with the sniper. Greater movement with Killian's semblance. Greater base senses for the dark environment.

Hmph. His advantages with Neo and a downed Blair: Greater fire rate for a gun fight. Illusion distractions courtesy of Neo. More suited to close combat between himself and Neo... Hopefully, more surprise and subtlety. A greater variety of dust on Blair-

He blinks. Killa isn't the only one that can have epiphanies in the moment. He smirks wide. As he stands, his hand paws a dust vial off Blair and pockets it. Neo raises a brow seeing the choice he makes. However, she rolls with it.

Wordlessly, Neo and Roman step up ready. It was always easiest with him. The girl somehow could get a feel for what Roman's minuscule gestures could request. Now to test if their teamwork can match these two faunus!

A small shimmer of the sniper sight in the dark catches his eye. His left hand flicks, signaling Neo. The girl flashes forward as the shot sounds. A bright blast blows off as Hush deflects the sniper shot! Neo thrusts through the debris cloud at Killa.

The chameleon cackles as he ducks and dodges back. Neo flourishes three slashes at him, missing each attempt. The faunus drops, sweeping his spiked tail at the girl's legs. She short hops the lash, then opens Hush to shield. Killa spins into a full swing punch into the parasol-

Shatter! Neo's image and open weapon breaks apart!

Roman kicks through the dispelling illusion, catching Killa mid punch and knocking him off balance! Roman dodges a counter lash from the man's tail and uses Velvet in hand to strike Killa's footing back further. Killa stumbles back and jabs his tail into the ground to balance himself. He blocks Roman's weapon with his right mounted gun and throws a left elbow.

The conman catches the faunus by the elbow, both then striking their knees up. The strikes cancel, Roman pulling back and wrenching Killian with him. He swings Killa into the ground, but the man shifts gray and warps into the ground.

Roman grimaces as he dodge rolls right! Kallen fights another sniper shot, blasting the spot he'd just been! Rising, he freezes as Killian rises from the ground in front of him! The faunus grins and aims his right arm.

With a blink, the conman's eyes change from green to mismatched pink and brown. Killa fires, and Roman's image shatters! A full foot shorter, Neo lashes out from the breaking image, once more pressing against Killian.

In the shadow, Kallen flinches up. He checks his sights... The girl is attacking Killa... where is Roman-

The conman lands on another ledge within the cavern, higher ground than the sniper. He shifts Velvet in gun mode and unloads a full stream of shots! Kallen yelps out as fire dust shots explode on his ledge, getting blasted off and deeper into the cavern pits! Roman smirks. The snake can't have much aura given his fighting style and lack of melee skills... He maintains fire on the faunus, the blasts rattling the entire cave!

Meanwhile, Killa catches Hush by the blade. He hisses in pain as the blade bites into his palm. He wrenches the little girl closer, then forward kicks her in the gut. Neo is launched tumbling back. She rolls and recovers to a knee, scowling at the man.

This was the man. The one responsible for everything Carmine has ever dealt with... A sadistic smile comes to her face. If she can take him down, maybe that could help ease Carmine's conscious, right?

The smirk remains, but her eyes turn wary. She needs an opening to land the blow. What kind of image can give Killian Gonzola pause? She only needed a second of thought for the perfect image.

Roman ceases firing upon Kallen, smirking as the dust clears. The snake faunus groans and collapses onto the ground, out cold. He turns his attention to Killa, aiming.

Killian grimaces as he notices Roman, moving into a sprint. Fire dust shots trail at his feet, and Neo keeps pace running a distance alongside him. She attempts to cut him off, but Killa slides under the swipe. He strikes her back with his tail, knocking her prone.

Grimacing, Roman ceases fire with Neo so close. He leaps across the gaps to try and close the distance, but he's too far. A flick of the arm up and Killa unloads into the girl-

Shatter!

Neo falls apart, Killa grimacing. "Getting tired of your tricks, girly!" He snarls.

Roman stops, seeing a new illusion appear behind Killa. He blinks, mouth parted before letting a small whistle out. He decides to let this play out, removing his drum magazine from Velvet into his right hand. His left hand produces the dust vial he'd removed from Blair.

Killa snaps around, gun arm raised! He freezes, eyes widened. He flinches back, blinking. "Whoa, what are you doing here?!"

There in front of him stands Professor Ozpin. The headmaster of Beacon Academy! Standing right in front of Killian Gonzola in some cave by some stupid small town! The image of the most powerful man on the continent short circuits the criminal.

That is, until the silver haired man's eyes flash pink and brown. His entire image shatters! Hush thrusts forward from the image's chest, catching Killian off guard! In a flash, he barely uses his right arm gun to deflect the thrust from a chest shot to the left shoulder! Still, the attempted impalement strikes his aura shield and propels him onto his back!

From the breaking image of Ozpin, Neo stops. A proud smirk comes from landing the clean blow. It's reflected in Roman as he leaps onto their ledge of the cavern and steps between her and the faunus. He claps with restrained amusement. "Amazing job, Neo, but I'll take it from here. Before you get too big a head."

Killa snarls, picking himself up and glaring. "What is today? Some holiday for cheap shot lovin' pricks and bimbos?!" Frustration showed, but he breathes out to center himself. His skin changes to gray. "Whatever. I've done enough today." His eyes catch Kallen stumbling to his own feet down the ledge of the cavern pit.

The two catch sight of one another, the snake's eyes widening. Killa can only smirk and shrug. As if to say, 'What do you expect?' He cracks a grin up at Roman.

"With that, I'm out!" He starts to sink into the ground. Slowly, telling of his lessened aura reserves.

Roman's eyes cut at him. Show time! Roman pitches his drum magazine like a baseball! Killa smirks, ducking back as the dust container soars just over his head and hits the wall directly behind him.

Perfect. Roman smirks and brings the dust vial in his left hand up! It's dark, almost black and tinted violet. Gravity dust... A grunt of effort echoes out as he aims his left hand to the sinking man! Roman casts the gravity dust forward.

Projecting from his hand, a dark energy warps and pulsates directly above the sinking faunus. For just a short few seconds, he can cast and control the pull of gravity. Ever slowly, Killa's eyes widen in horror as the center of gravity draws him back up out of the ground.

Directly between Roman and Roman's discarded drum magazine.

"Neo! Shield Blair!" Neo jerks back before turning tail and sprinting for the downed blonde! Roman smirks after the shout. "Casting isn't my cup of tea, but..." He trials off and gives a smarmy grin to Killa, the faunus now fully exposed above ground. "Any last words?"

Killa spooks, a genuine look of worry meeting the eyes of the human. Still, a sweaty smirk meets the conman. "Well played. I knew I liked you." His right arm jerks, bringing his mounted gun up. "But too slow!"

Roman snaps as the shots hit his shoulder! His semblance sparks friction in the air of his drum magazine behind Killa...

Killa snarls as his skin starts to change color-

BOOM!

The blast of flames erupt out, engulfing Killa and blowing Roman back! The cave rattles and rings in a deafening roar! Neo barely reaches Blair, ducking and opening Hush over the blonde as the flames spread near and over her!

Stalactites rumble and break off, falling around Kallen as he moves into a sprint in fear. The cave ceiling cracks and begins to shatter, collapsing down!

The cave fully collapses in on the spot Roman ignited the magazine. Roman is launched along the ground, barely avoiding getting smashed by the tumbling boulders. He hisses in pain as he hits the ground.

Neo closes Hush, looking to find the man while looking over Blair. A pained grunt comes from the blonde, Blair shifting and opening her eyes. "Ah... What... was that?!" She croaks out painfully. The mute sends an equally incredulous glare at Roman, echoing the sentiment.

The man grins back and wheezes. "Just making sure Killa is down for the count." He groans out a pained grunt. "And if we're lucky, Killa was killed." He looks to the collapsed cave entrance, then grimaces. "Although... The only way out of here now is through the exit they're making."

. . .

On the other side, the dirt cloud clears in the darkness, Kallen knocked prone just out from the rock. The snake faunus grits his teeth and leans up. A sigh of relief escapes his lips, heart racing. The snake dwells on the life or death moment just then and clenches his fists.

He catches the sound of pained wheezes and grunts. Kallen glances over, finding something he didn't expect. It looked like... Killa? Kallen cranes his neck up. It IS Killian. He's recolored by his own semblance... colored a bright flaming orange.

Killa chokes out in pain, his coloration dulling back to his natural hues. All over him, burns and injuries litter his skin. His teeth clench in pain and anger. "That... Roman..!"

"How did you..?" Kallen's question trails off. He shakes his head and reformulates his thought. "Did you... transfer yourself through fire?!"

The chameleon tries to laugh, making it two huffs before choking in pain. "Seen it enough to know its color- AH!" He whines out in pain as he tries to put both hands under him to push up. "Granted, fire shifts- Eck!- shifts color, so doesn't exactly- Hn!" He grunts every few words, the burns on his chest screaming with each inhale and exhale. "Doesn't exactly pass through all of it, but enough!" He lets out a pained smirk. "Cause I'm the... gr-greatest!"

He finally collapses and rolls onto his back, head back as he gasps and breathes. Even Kallen has to look at the man wondering if he's even mortal at this point.

Still, Killa's expression sours, dwelling on the conman that set off the explosion behind him! "Still only the second time I've done it for real, though." He grits his teeth in pain and grinds out attempting to sit up. "Roman Torchwick can bite- ugh- my glorious, now charred ass!"

Kallen catches his breath and scowls at the fellow faunus. It comes back to him at that moment that Killa had been intending to transfer away and leave him for dead... "Yeah..." Kallen adds, unsure.

. . .

Neo and Blair follow his gaze to the collapsed end of the cave. Blair grits her teeth to sit up. "Do we have a means of contacting Carmine through the stone?" She meets a glance with Roman. Both the adults struggle to sit fully up. "I somehow doubt we're going to manage defeating the OTHER two faunus on our own."

Rumble.

All three of them stare wide eyed at one another. Neo blinks twice wide before deflating. She stands, holding hands out for both the adults. Roman takes the right, Blair accepting the left. Neo pulls both to their feet.

Roman winces and holds Velvet in his left hand. His right shoulder is injured from the gun shots Killian landed just before the blast. Blair winces with her numbed right side. The explosion point blank from Killa's weapon leaves her right arm darkened in burns and soot.

Neo nods to them before taking point ahead of them. No time to waste.

. . .

The rumble echoes out of the mine. Both Carmine and Taylor perk up at the minor quake. Less than a second, Taylor is on his feet, rifle transforming out and ready. Carmine trains Heulin Noon on the mine opening. All the townsmen take notice of the two suddenly moving. A cloud of silence overtakes the entire town, sweat permeating each man as rifles and guns train on what is the town's main source of life.

"Go time." Taylor speaks low.

A faint shriek sounds from the cave. Everyone tenses. Animal snarls and howls and snapping echo out, getting louder. Every so often, a vibration would trail into his legs. At least some of the Grimm are big... and they're loose. The clatter of insect carapaces on rock sound, the rustling of rapid movement as well.

Taylor scoffs and aims. He cocks the lever action on his rifle, ready.

A bellowing shriek rings out as a massive white snake head slinks out from the cave! The white Taijitu coils up in a lightning reflex and missiles forward! Not a second of the lung passes as a dust charged shot blows into the beast's mouth. Bright white lights the Grimm's throat, pulsing its body before blowing out from the coiled body!

The Taijitu hits the ground, insides hollowed out, dead. Taylor recharges his gun with a lever action and calls out in a war call. "Light them UP!"

From the darkness, black bodies pour out to the open like a geyser! Grimm take off in a full sprint charge at the two. All twelve perched riflemen above open fire down, chipping away at the numbers! Two Beowolves, an Ursa, and a Boarbatusk all go down with the fire volley fire. A spider Grimm leaps over the charging force into the air, getting shot down by Carmine.

Carmine unloads two double shots, blowing away two Ursa, then another single to blow out a Beowolf leg. He snap reloads as Taylor rapid lever fires, blowing away four more. He nods to Carmine, who aims for the filled trenches in the dirt.

Boom! The boy shoots the ignition pile, setting off a line of flammables and encasing the mine in a flame wall! The initial Grimm charge halts, the beasts sniffing and snarling at the harmful hazard. The riflemen above continue to fire over the flames at the Grimm the see.

The relief and smirk from Carmine doesn't last long. "DEATHSTALKER!"

Its golden stinger flicks over the height of the fires. The armored Grimm's claws slice into the dirt before blowing through the flame line. The beast shrieks, hulking up dirt over the wall of fire and creating an earth split in the wall. The scorpion Grimm stalks through, shots ricocheting off from the elevated riflemen.

Carmine raises his gun, but Taylor holds his off hand out. The sheriff smirks. "You know the weak spots of a Deathstalker?"

"Joints?" Carmine chimes in, but the sheriff hums.

"Half right." He aims up. "It's main weapon." He fires, the powerful dust shot striking the joint connecting the golden stinger to its tail! He lever actions to recharge and fires in a split second, striking the tumbling stinger mid air to propel it back! The stinger impales the Deathstalker's own tail, pinning it to the rock above the mine opening. The yelps and struggles to pull away from the mine opening, but the stinger keeps it in place. A bonus is half plugging the mine entrance.

"Nice!" Carmine smirks, firing down two more of the Beowolves. "I'll have to remember that one."

"You can try on the next one if there's more in there." Taylor smirks. Both freeze as another tremor rattles their feet.

The tremor continues as Carmine looks up with pursed lips. "... Meep..." He mutters quietly.

Like a blast, the Grimm horde bashes the Deathstalker clear off the mine entrance! The crippled scorpion is toppled over as the next wave tramples over it, crunching carapace under the monsters' stomps.

"Round 2!" Taylor shouts and fires.

. . .

Neo lands within the pit. The three CRBN members finally arrived in the main chamber of the cave. Small commodities are scattered in cut out sections on higher levels, including bedding, food, and surveillance equipment. Down here, the girl finds dozens upon dozens of open cages. All the Grimm had been released...

A medium level of the area shows the man made hole trailing into the underground. Innumerable chips and scrapes in the rock show of all shapes and sizes. All lead to that hole. With a grimace, the girl leaps back up the ledges to the main lit area. She finds Roman with his left arm in a tied sling using his ripped coat.

Blair is also present, tying a bandage wrap around her right hand. "No sign of the other two faunus. They must have led the horde into Fairmare." Gripping Fluorescent with her wrapped hand, she suppressed a pained wince. "The fight's surely begun, and those two will be targeting Carmine."

Roman snorts. "Cause he's the only one of us there." He leans on Velvet, actually using it as a functional cane for once. He opens his mouth, but a skittering clacking of legs on rock echo. "And getting to the brat will take a while."

From the shadows above, three spider Grimm skitter about among the stalactites above. They drop down, attempting to pounce upon the three! Roman staggers, whirling Velvet in his good arm and bashing one aside!

He stumbles from the follow through, the second beast coming from the side. Blair slides it to block its fangs with her sword. However, her wrapped hand tenses against her will before suddenly losing grip. She narrowly swaps to her left hand to grip the blade and knock the Grimm back. Her dominant hand twitches painfully.

The third spits out a bundle of web, splashing the back of the man. Roman finds himself pinned to the wall by the web, grimacing. The spider lurches at him, only for the air to shimmer and shatter. Neo opens Hush, the spider splashing its body over the parasol. Neo closes the weapon as she jabs the blade through the top, slicing down the Grimm's gut!

She knocks the dying beast onto its back, then glances to see Roman slowly burning the webbing away with his semblance. He scowls angry, but keeps his whits about him. A quick glance up, he sucks in a breath. "Barbie, duck."

Blair crouches low, the spider Grimm jumping from behind and missing. She stumbles back, rotating her left hand grip to reverse. She tries to interact with the hilt mechanism to load dust, but her right hand twitches, dropping a vial of ice dust.

Focused on casting, Blair jabs her sword down through the vial, activating the dust! She channels it forward, blasting a wave of frost over the second spider Grimm. The beast freezes solid mid leap, cracking apart into the ground.

She backs off, the last spider creeping towards her. Neo slides in, slashing one leg out. The spider thrashes back and forward, attempting to pin the girl with its legs or clamp her in its mouth! Neo easily ducks and weaves in fluid movement. Ease miss from the beast is countered with another slash of a limb.

After several swipes, the beast is imbalanced and left with two legs. Neo swipes once more, lopping off its head. Neo backs off the dead monster, looking back to the adults. Roman is free as Blair stands fully.

"This is going to take a while to work our way to town." Roman grumbles. "Anyone up for just letting Silver Streak and Super Cop deal with it?"

Blair is shaky on her legs, but takes a centered breath. She looks to Neo. "Go ahead of us." Neo flinches, double taking. "We can cover each other and move slowly from behind, but you can make it in time to help Carmine against the bird and kangaroo faunus." Her tone leaves no room for argument. "Your semblance can get you by most of the Grimm, too. Go. We'll catch up."

Neo looks at the blonde favoring one side and looks disgusted. She waves up and down the woman, eyes wide. Livid! She then points at Roman before gesturing to her own shoulder. The girl then glares at Roman, waving at Blair wide.

Roman snorts. "Neo is right. The two of us alone behind Grimm lines is near suicide." Neo huffs and nods, stiff and as tall as she can. "Near suicide." He smirks at Neo's dumbfounded look. "It's stupid, but we lose Silver Streak, things might not be as lively." He gestures to Neo. "Plus, I'm a gambling man. Play hero like the idiots. I'll keep Barbie on her toes."

Neo purses her lips, glaring at both adults. She sighs, annoyed. She signs for them. "We'll come back in for you." The girl turns heel and runs down the dug hole in the cave.

Soon as she's gone, Roman and Blair share a look, each looking nothing but tired. "One of those days, eh?"

Blair raises a tired brow, breathing hard. "We will most definitely need a drink after." She winces as she moves next to him. "Come." Roman steps to her as he lets her loop her right arm over his shoulders. His right arm holds Velvet, using it as an actual cane, while Blair keeps Fluorescent in her left grip. "Keep us balanced. I'll defend."

Roman snorts, rolling his eyes. "Great. A team building exercise. What's next, trust falls?"

"I'll bring it up to Carmine."

"Don't you dare." He snaps back the moment she mentions the nightmare. He doesn't miss her smirk.

. . .

Carmine dashes, tucks, and rolls away as an Ursa slams on the ground on his tail! It snaps at his feet, but the boy bashes the bear head aside with a pistol whip of the large revolver. He quickly jump steps back as a Beowolf misses a swipe! The beast's jaws expand to chomp down!

The boy's arm raises, the Grimm's teeth clang and chip off as they clamp his metal armored arm! His left hand drops Heulin Noon, right catching it and firing a shot into the Beowolf's neck. The hole blasts through, killing the canine beast. Carmine jerks the dead jaws off his arm.

He jumps with a gasp, a Boarbatusk missing a roll out under him! Mid air, he's open. A spider Grimm jumps at him. "Shi-" He warps out, recalling with his semblance out of the air! The spider Grimm whiffs its leap and hits the ground confused.

Carmine flashes into place behind the Ursa. He aims up and blows a hole through the Ursa with a double shot! He snap reloads as the other Grimm gather and peer at him. Two Boarbatusk, a spider Grimm, another Ursa, and four more Beowolves.

"Tch!" He scoffs, glancing to see a Taijitu slinking off to the right side of the mine compound. To the right, there are multiple Grimm moving to climb the mine storage shack. He aims to one side. An ignition marker in the center of another set of trenches is in sight. He fires.

Hitting the marker, the boy lights a fire wall trench extending all along the right side of the mine property. The Grimm are cut off from entering the shack or climbing the buildings! He then aims to the left, spotting another ignition marker. He fires to ignite another fire wall lining the left side! The Taijitu hisses in pain as it recoils from the fire.

Good. Keep the Grimm contained to the mine property. Keep them in the kill zone. Speaking of which...

He turns tail and sprints, the half dozen Grimm giving chase. The only part of the compound not blocked by fire walls is the main road! Carmine smirks as he charges to the entrance of the mine property.

Rounding a corner, he waves an arm. "Give them hell!" He slides to a crouch as all the Grimm round the turn-

-directly into line of sight of two firing lines, twenty four guns trained. Kill zone. The air rings in two dozen triggers pulling and firing. The group of Grimm get riddled with the shots, all but the Ursa getting dropped dead! The injured bear Grimm staggers until Carmine raises and executes it with another shot.

Carmine smirks back at the townsmen and salutes them. Several of the men wave back, getting a chuckle from the boy. "Awesome. Love having backup for a change." Carmine charges back in against the next Grimm heading this way...

Deeper into the mine property, flame walls spread about, a roaring Ursa is bisected by a charged dust shot! Taylor Stands over the body, snapping his attention up at the sound of shouts!

Up the slope of the mountain, spider Grimm and Beowolves climb fervently towards the hunting nests of the riflemen! "Tch!" The sheriff scoffs and aims up. He rapidly switches the lever while firing, blasting four shots in two seconds. Four of the climbing monsters at blasted to drop their climb, one of them being the spider Grimm closest to a rifle shooter.

The men give a quick cheer of appreciation, granting Taylor a proud smile and nod. He waves a mock salute back before another tremor rumbles. The vibration pulls his attention to the mine just as a new body exits.

Bristling with plated muscle and black fur patches. It's skull mask is cracked on one side, with the other having a glowing red eye. The beast stamps over the crushed corpse of the dead Deathstalker from before. The gorilla like structure teems with brutish hulk power as it snarls!

A dark look comes over the man. That's gonna take his full attention.

A Beringel. A two story gorilla Grimm denser than metal!

With a quick lever charge, Taylor fires at the gorilla. The blast hits true, but the beast tanks the explosive force, merely knocked upright to a standing position. The Grimm eyes the sheriff and roars out, pounding its chest in building rage! It thrashes and charges directly at the man.

Taylor quick fires twice more, striking the same spot, the left pectoral plate. He grits his teeth, knowing he doesn't have anyone to distract him while he chips away at the beast's layers. He cocks the lever forward, locking it into the shaft of the gun barrel, where it sinks in perfectly. He twirls his gun as the stock transforms into a large mixed ax and lance head!

He flicks the trigger, igniting fire dust around the head! The man meets the gorilla's charge. With a whirl of Gilded Ashe, Taylor parries the first swinging fist aside! He then swings the flaming halberd head into the Grimm's left pectoral! The chest plate cracks under the pressure of the hit as Taylor slides past.

Taylor leaps away, leaving a scorched scrape across the Grimm's chest. He lands and dodge rolls, the beast swiping after him in a pained rage! The Beringel lurches after the former Huntsman.

Carmine sucks in a breath witnessing the fight start, almost too distracted to blast a lunging Beowolf. Almost. He double shots the beast into pieces, clearing the way as he charges towards the sheriff. After all, what works? Teamwork!

But he merely makes it two strides before a golden lash strikes his side! Carmine is thrown prone, gritting his teeth in pain to see what hit him. Glancing up, he sucks in a gasp while unable to stop himself muttering. "Oh, come on..."

Ezra cracks the golden whip with his right hand, yellow sparks of lightning dust arcing with the ground. His violet robe was undone at the top, leaving the black bird faunus topless showing muscle. His rope dart is tied in place around his left wrist. "Why hello there, my child." He smirks, the priest's ankh necklace hanging at the neck. "I'd like to spread the good word for you."

Carmine's eye couldn't resist twitching irritably as he stands. "Oh yay." He sarcastically drawls. "A witness." He growls and aims at the faunus. "Listen, I'm sixteen, now. It's a little late for priests to take an interest in me, and where's your backup dancers?"

The bird contains a sneer, nose wrinkling in disgust. He refuses to dignify the first half of Carmine's response. "Don't get too arrogant, boy! Killa already told me how he smacked you around earlier, yet you still get uppity." An angry tick forms on the boy. Ezra snickers. "No nuns around, so I guess I'll have to discipline you."

He fires two shots at the faunus, but the man ducks and weaves them. Mid dodge, he twists and lashes the golden electric whip at the boy! The two trade chances at medium ranged attacks, both dodging the whole way.

Over with Taylor, he ducks back as the Beringel brings both titanic arms crashing into the ground. The beast advances, swiping wildly. However, Taylor twirls his weapon to building momentum. He ducks the next swipe, planting his feet and swinging Gilded Ashe!

The flaming ax head bashes into the left plate of the chest, right in the existing damage from before. As if like glass, the dense bone plate breaks apart. The flaming metal burns into the chest, digging into the inside of its inner cavity.

The Beringel lets loose a pathetic whine in pain, feebly swiping once more. Taylor rips the halberd from the beast, pulling back and unlocking the lever from the weapon shaft. The blade cools, withdrawing back into the stock. Back in gun mode, Taylor twirls the weapon around, lever reloads, and fires directly into the Beringel's exposed inner chest!

The blast blows black essence out the Grimm's back like a geyser! The Beringel gets one choked whine out before collapsing. Taylor pulls back, smirking. Quickly, he takes two more shots at Grimm threatening the firing line outside the mine property, then another at the Grimm climbing towards the riflemen above.

It's only when he sees the boy facing off with a faunus that he tenses. He sucks in a gasp before moving into a sprint!

RUMBLE!

The ground erupts in front of him, prompting him to stop. From the hole, the kangaroo faunus Don lands. He fists his gloves together and enters a brawler's stance. "Stay right there, sheriff. We got business with the brat. Why don't you stick to protecting your own, and we call it a day?"

His eyes narrow. He sizes the faunus up, lever recharging Gilded Ashe. He tilts his head, challenged. "If I did that, I might as well spit on my teacher's grave." With a wrinkled nose in disgust, he aims his gun. "No thanks." He fires at the faunus, the two engaging.

Back with the boy and bird faunus, Carmine notices that the Grimm around seem to ignore him, honing in on the teenage snack in their sights. Two more Beowolves charge right around the bird faunus, directing their aggression solely on the boy. "Jager!" He flashes his armor to his legs, power jumping away to dodge. He shoots both Grimm before he lands. "How aren't they attacking you?!"

Ezra snickers, dodging another shot as a Boarbatusk spin charges ahead of him. "Dark beasts with a penchant for smelling fear. Pulled to it in compulsion." He watches as the boy dodges around the Grimm. "Call it faith." He says plainly, arms widening in presentation. "No fear, and they suddenly find themselves less curious bout you."

He can barely pay attention to the priest's boasting as he faces the charging Boarbatusk. The boy sucks in a gruff breath, waiting for his perfect timing. "Zero!" The armor reforms on his arm, so he plants his feet, grits his teeth, and braces his arm up!

The rolling Grimm's tusks bash down into the armored limb, a heavy clang ringing his ears as he redirects the boar off the ground! Though, it knocks him on his own back foot. Off balance, he manages to aim Heulin Noon up, double firing into the beast's exposed stomach!

Before he can right himself, Ezra's shock whip lashes into his leg. A stunning shock runs through his system as he's tripped to the ground. The numbing pain lingers as he struggles to sit up, eyes wide.

Ezra is ready. His left weapon, the rope dart, hazes in heat from a coating of fire dust. The bird jabs his left hand flat forward, launching the dart in a direct line towards the boy. In flight, the dart burns and forms a flaming trail! Carmine brings his armored arm up to block, but it's too late.

The dart closes in as an exploding collision erupts over him! A dirt cloud obscures the boy from Ezra's sight, the faunus reeling the rope dart back to his left arm. His gleeful grin grows, flashing teeth. Then, as the seconds pass, the curl of lips erases.

A flap sounds in the dust, the small cloud blowing out. Revealed within is a closing parasol, Neo standing over the boy. Out of breath as she is, she smirks and glances at the prone boy. The girl gives a small wave and wink, just happy to have made it in time.

Carmine blinks away the shock and matches the smirk. "Hey, yourself." He allows her to pull him up. The teens form up, ready to tackle the current obstacle together. "Hmm... The two of us against an older asshole of an enemy. Usually doesn't turn out well."

The girl chuckles, recalling all the times the kids barely manage to survive until the adults could come. Her face tenses, smile strained as, with a blink, her eyes swap colors. "Hmm." She grunts.

The boy shakes his head with a laugh. He eyes Ezra, the faunus gritting his teeth and preparing himself. "Yeah. Let's break the streak." Carmine raises his right hand with a smirk. The girl grins, her left hand, clasping their hands.

Ezra bristles annoyed, popping his neck with a twist. "Have it your way, kids." With a shout, he lashes the shock whip at the two. With a crack, it impacts on the two. Or rather, it breaks through them! Neo's shatter image of the two breaks, Ezra's eyes wide and alert.

Ducking left, Neo's blade misses by inches from behind. The girl ferociously slashes at the faunus, who dodges side to side. He grips his whip with his off hand, pulling a foot of the length taut and blocking the girl. Twisting the cable, Ezra coils Hush and jerks her in.

The girl grunts out, bringing up one leg to block Ezra's own knee strike. Pushed back, Neo jerks herself to the side, exposing Carmine behind her aiming his revolver! He fires a double shot over her shoulder at the bird!

Ezra contorts back, the double shot zipping over his frantic eyes. The blast hits an Ursa lurching towards the scuffle. Two Beowolves howl and charge at the three. Ezra needs to use them. He uses superior strength to jerk himself and Neo standing, then step kicks the girl.

Neo one arm blocks, but the force throws the girl back off her feet with her weapon free. Carmine curses under his breath, sprinting forward. "Jager!" He shouts as he reaches out. Neo's and his off hands catch, halting her as she twists and throws Carmine at the faunus! Carmine's armor flashes to his legs, boosting him mid air! A Boarbatusk closes in to fight the girl while the boy focuses on the faunus.

He strikes Ezra in a flying knee. Both himself and the faunus steady themselves, Carmine throwing a high kick. Ezra twists and wraps the leg with his whip and jerks up. However, the boy flickers away. Recall. The boy appears one step back, boosting forward with two spin kicks.

The faunus ducks back under one kick then blocks the next. His left hand flicks the rope dart out like a hidden blade. His left hand clenches the dart blade in a reverse knife grip. The blade burns with fire dust as he swipes twice at the boy!

Carmine twirls Heulin Noon in hand, deflecting one slash, then counter pistol whips Ezra in the jaw. Shrugging it off, the faunus coils his shock whip around his right fist. As Carmine dodges a left swipe, he opens up to punch the teen with the sparking right hand.

The shock knocks the wind out of Carmine, dropping him to a knee. Ezra braces his left arm and attempts to stab down into him! "Zero!" Carmine grits out, bringing his left arm up as the armor forms around it. Bracing it, he winces as the dart blade slowly lowers towards his eye.

The first of the two Beowolves closes in from the boy's left. The air shimmers and shatters as a bloody slash rips its head in two. Neo appears, leaping off the beast's mid fall body. The girl missile kicks Ezra off Carmine, sending him tumbling right.

As the second Beowolf closes distance, Carmine raises a double fires center mass. Neo charges Ezra, who recovers and lashes his whip at the teens. Carmine raises his left arm to block, but the shock line coils around it. Pulsing electricity courses through his body, getting a cry out.

Ezra jerks in, reeling Carmine directly into Neo from behind-

Shatter. Another illusion.

Neo appears crouched directly by Ezra. She rising cuts the shock whip, slicing the weapon clean! The disconnection frees the tumbling Carmine from the stunning shock! He rolls onto his back, aiming up with his right hand and fires! The shot hits Ezra in the shoulder just before he can jab the girl with the rope dart.

Knocks off balance, Ezra stumbles back, defending against two slashes from Neo. Each strike lands enough force to further stumble him. Neo moves into a full flurry of lightning quick cuts. Each swipe is barely deflected by the short rope dart blade in his left hand, accompanied with another stumbling back step.

The girl slides forward, hooking Ezra's arm with Hush and jerking him to lean forward. The much taller man is slouched over and past Neo. Face open...

Carmine's running superman punch collides with Ezra's jaw. The armored knuckles of the left arm cracks the faunus out of Neo's grip, further back. The rope dart blade drops from his hand, released in his daze. Neo uses a swift cut, severing the man's other weapon from his hands!

Ezra barely collects his senses. Just in time, he knocks Heulin Noon aside as Carmine aims for a point blank shot. The shot looses over his shoulder. He throws a punch at the boy, who blocks. Carmine snaps the gun downward toward the faunus thighs. Ezra palms the gun off point, the shot blasting the dirt by his feet.

The two continue. Carmine redirect, aims for another point blank shot, then is redirected by a last minute save. Ezra frantically keeps parrying, struggling to counter punch!

He does so! Ezra lands a forearm strike to Carmine's jaw, but his armored arm snatches the offending wrist! Carmine tries another pistol whip with his revolver, but Ezra catches the boy's wrist.

Neo sprints in from behind, twisting around Carmine using him to steady herself. She slams both boots into the faunus man's cut. Ezra is sent back again, dropping to a knee and gripping his gut. His aura flashes, a faint shimmer around him.

Threatening to break...

Neo lands, catching Carmine's hand as she throws him in an Irish whip. The boy full sprints at the faunus. "Schneider!" The armor flashes to his arms, blades forming out. He slashes the faunus, striking hard!

He slides by Ezra in the follow through, Ezra twisting and spinning with the hit. Neo charges from her side, Carmine from the other! Both teens crisscross through and around the faunus, synchronized slashes battering their opponent!

Carmine issues a final uppercut slash, shattering the man's aura shield and sending him stumbling back. A gash shows up the length of his torso, blood trailing down. As he slouches back, Neo hooks Hush under his jaw from behind. Neo throws the man over her shoulder. He slams back first into the wall of the mine shack.

He collapses down, shaking and struggling to get back to a standing position. He chokes out in pain as the teens form up a distance off from him.

"YEAH!" Carmine cheers, beaming a grin. "Zero!" His armor flashes back to his arm and chest. He looks to Neo, finding an equally enthusiastic smile. They share a high five before Carmine aims his gun at Ezra. "Give up already. You've lost."

Ezra pushes himself up fully, slowly allowing a grin as his choppy breathes rasp out. "Oh, please, baby. I'm a man of faith." He lets out a small chuckle. "My guys'll be here any second once they finish with your other friends elsewhere."

The declaration has its desired effect on Carmine, dropping his mirth. However, Neo can't help squeaking out a chuckle with a condescending look. The boy sends a confused glance her way.

"Laugh it up." The bird grins wider. "Killian will be here any second." Still, Neo's smile widens. Her face relaxes, a mask of no emotion save for amusement. The faunus's own grin slowly uncurls, confusion setting in.

Carmine seems to pick up on this, asking simply. "Did... Did you guys already run into Killa?"

Neo flicks a gaze to the boy, then back to the faunus. Her nod is slow, unblinking eye contact made.

Ezra's eyes widen. "No. I don't believe you." Snarling and rumbling of Grimm sound out nearby, the teens taking notice of them heading towards them. The tricolor girl keeps her attention on him as Carmine counts the Grimm closing in. "You're lying, girl!"

That catches the boy's attention, recalling the man's use of the Grimm... Then he notices that the Grimm aren't just closing in on them... Carmine glances at Ezra, raising a brow. "Is that fear I hear?"

Ezra freezes in place as Beowolves and Boarbatusks close in from all sides, the odd Ursa lagging behind them! A single rasping breath, eyes contracting in shock.

Carmine flinches before aiming Heulin Noon up. The Grimm are honing in on negative emotion. However, he expected the monsters to rush for them as well. They're only gunning to the faunus! He fires on the first two Beowolves nearest to Ezra, downing them. The Grimm are recognizing the injured, easier prey!

"Shit! Save him! He has info we can use!" He commands Neo, the girl realizing the problem as well. She dashes forward as Carmine continues to shoot at the Grimm. Finally, several of the beasts turn their full focus on the teens. Neo dodges a Boarbatusk and slashes an Ursa across the neck mid stride.

Ezra finally moves, stumbling left to dodge a Beowolf. With no aura, and injuries felt full force, the faunus makes only two strides before collapsing onto the ground. A shot strikes the beast in the head, downing it. Followed soon after is a double shot blasting a Boarbatusk through the gut.

However, the second the boar drops, Carmine whips around to dodge a Beowolf from behind! He begins picking off Grimm around him as they attack him.

Neo power slides underneath a Beowolf. A spider Grimm lands in front of her, spitting out a spread of web. She slashes through the webbing, but the act sticks her blade to the ground. Held up, Neo notices an Ursa approaching Ezra from the left side.

Ezra pushes himself to his feet, breathing out painfully, but only too late sees the shadow loom over him.

The spider leaps at Neo, so she kicks the beast away and twists Hush in one move. She wrenches the weapon free of the webbing, only to freeze at the next sight. Too late. The faunus screams... Only to be muffled and choked out as the massive bear Grimm proceeds to maul and tear at him.

The screams catch the ears of the other combatants. Don is thrown back, skidding to a halt. He rubs at his arms, a clear burn showing. However, he spares one look towards Ezra before grimacing. Taylor, holding his weapon in melee form, glances at the result of the other battle.

Seeing the two kids still alive, he returns his attention to the mobster, undeterred. "Submit to arrest, or end up like him. It's you're choice."

Don scowls at the sheriff, not overly concerned. "Let's call it a wash and go with option three." His aura gathers in his hands. He brings both gloved fists down, smashing into the ground. His earth manipulation semblance warps the dirt and ground, kicking up an entire haze over the area of the two.

Taylor slashes the haze away with his weapon, but finds no purchase. The cloud settles around him, and the faunus is gone. No trace of where he went. Taylor curses under his breath, realizing he'll just have to let the kangaroo go.

Neo flinches away, eyes clenched closed for a moment. They were too slow. Not that she feels too badly over it, but it still counts as a loss. She opens her eyes, shattering from her placement as the spider Grimm tries and fails to jump her again!

Carmine punches another snarling Beowolf away, then empties three shots into its gut. It falls dead, so he turns back. He scowls, seeing the result. "Damn it-" He looks quickly to find Neo appear beside him. The Grimm in the area divide between charging them and joining in on attacking the silent bird man.

Before the remaining Grimm can close on the teens, pulsing dust shots rip through each Grimm in a sequential order. Closest to farthest, Taylor's gun shots down them all. The man closes in on the teens. "Are you alright?"

Carmine and Neo share a glance, nodding to one another before giving him the same. "Yeah. That's two down, and Neo says the other two won't be an issue either."

"It's down to just the Grimm then." Taylor summarizes. He glances back to the rifleman high hides on the mountain. The dozen men appear to all be accounted for, through several have holed up together on specific perches. He notices many others have been torn into.

"Neo, help the men up there." Carmine directs the girl. Wordlessly, she follows his order, sprinting for the mountain. Before the remaining two speak further, shouts and screams come from the town. The spare a glance before sprinting for the edge of the mine property.

They find the first open section of the town in chaos. Ten of the men from the firing line back off from an Ursa, pelting it with shots until it drops. Many of the other men appear to have run out of ammo, using their side arms and melee weapons.

A Beowolf knocks a man to the ground, moving to maul him, but another man leaps onto the beat. He hooks a machete under the Grimm's jaws, a mock choke hold. As the Grimm thrashes to get him off, two more men drag the prone one off. This is followed by a faunus man using a large knife and jabbing it into the monster's jugular.

The two men wrestle the struggling Grimm to the ground, waiting for it to bleed out. Similar stressful encounters are scattered about.

"They broke through the line while we were occupied!" Taylor points out before blasting the nearest Grimm. He then pushes Carmine forward. "Go for the houses to protect families. I'll reestablish the line." Carmine snap reloads and peels off left.

Running down the dirt road, he makes it to the residential homes. True to his observations earlier, the Grimm weren't having an easy time invading the homes. A spider Grimm breaks into the outer wall of a two story home before getting blasted off by a shotgun load!

Carmine stops at the house, peering through a broken window. "Everyone okay?!" The woman inside flags him down.

"The small ones aren't the issue! There's a Taijitu down the street, as well as a gat-" She's cut off by the screams from another house. A roof begins to cave as a great large white Taijitu snake coils a blue one story home.

"I see it!" Carmine leaps into the street, firing three shots into the snake and getting its attention. The snake hisses loudly at the boy, but only after a fourth shot to its head does it bother to uncoil from the house!

The cracks in the hovel show the family still inside, safe. He lets out a relieved breath at that. The massive snake slithers into the street to loom over the boy. Carmine smirks. He takes three strides forward.

The Grimm strikes, mouth open smashing into the road attempting to bite into the boy! However, the boy is no longer there. He flashes into place three strides back, less than two feet from the top of the Taijitu's head. Recall.

He aims Heulin Noon, barrel touching the scales of his target's head. He fires a double shot, blasting a hole clear through the snake's scalp! The coiling tail of a body reels and twitches about as the beast's brain has been erased from existence. Eventually, the snake settles dead in the street.

Carmine snorts. "Alright! Any others?" He calls out, hoping for direction. He takes a brisk pace jogging on the street, head in a swivel checking each corner. "Seriously, unless a Nevermore spawns out of the ether, think I'm ready for-"

A crash blasts out from the Fairmare department store, a mass of white bone and black scales comes out. It has small spinal spikes, a flat triangular head with an armored thick top. Its tail has spikes as well... Carmine recognizes it well.

A Termigator...

The chilling dead stare, half lidded, bore out from the boy. Slowly, he turns his neck, popping it to release tension. Like a war veteran, he remembers. Oh, he remembers. "Ready. For. Anything." He grinds out lowly. "But you. I'm done with you forever."

The Termigator hisses and directs itself toward the boy. It tilts its head down as a shield and begins to advance. Really? He's going to go for a tank approach.

A sick chuckle comes out dark from the boy. "Oh! Hell nah." He raises Heulin Noon. "Panzer!" His armor flashes onto his weapon, forming its unwieldy cannon form. The boy grins at the charging gator Grimm...

. . .

Taylor assists a man to his feet. "Alright, reform the firing line. I'll push back into the mine-"

BOOM!

The single rumble and echoing blast catches all their attention back towards the center town. Taylor squints his eyes to look into the distance. "Right... Back to business! There won't be much more! Come on!"

Inside the mine property, Neo lands on one of the shredded hunter perches. She slashes another spider Grimm, sending its body tumbling down to the mine entrance below. The riflemen around her all look in the direction of the blast, a few impressed whistles. Neo rolls her eyes with a smirk.

She leaps to the next perch, landing with two riflemen as one shoots a Beowolf point blank. Neo slices the canine Grimm and kicks it off. A quick survey of the area shows Grimm have stopped flooding out of the mine.

In fact, no new Grimm have exited for a while. Did they really defeat them all?

Neo shrugs, moving on to continue killing the climbing Grimm.

. . .

Carmine can't help the dopey grin on his face as he wags the cannon hanging from his left arm. "Heh heh!" He chuckles in front of the blown hole in the road. The only evidence of the Termigator left is a single chunk of the bone head. "There's no kill quite like overkill." He presents proudly. "Zero." He flashes his armor back on, turning away and returning to the mine.

Returning to the firing line, he finds Taylor slicing through an Ursa with his melee form weapon. The firing line had all run out of ammo, forming a defensive group with their melee side arms. Carmine moves to snap reload Heulin Noon... only for nothing to come.

Well, it would seem he's out of dust. All the extra pockets lining his pants are empty of ammo packs. That's what happens when one uses Panzer twice in one night. "Crap." He holsters Heulin Noon and sprints in.

Approaching Taylor, he hears the sheriff call out. "Was the big gun necessary? We heard it from here."

Completely serious, Carmine dead stares him. "When I see that Grimm? Yes. A thousand times yes." He glances around. The barrier fires around the mine property had died, but so too had all the Grimm. The field was coated in sprayed red, decaying black, and stiff white.

One of the few stragglers is an Ursa major, larger and more armored than the standard bear Grimm. More mature and older. The beast snarls as it approaches the two, ready to pounce. Carmine and Taylor widen their stances, ready for the inevitable charge.

It snarls, thrashing its head before moving into a burly lunge! It makes it only a few feet before it stops.

A pained whine sounds, punctuated by a clicking sound. A fog of ice dust blows out behind as the whole Grimm hazes and coats in ice blue. The beast is frozen solid before a crack splits in two. The Grimm sculpture blows apart, pieces and chips scattering about.

Carmine and Taylor shield their eyes before spotting the newcomer. Newcomers, Carmine mentally corrects with a grin. Blair stands with Fluorescent in her off hand. The baby blue white blade fades to gold from dust usage. Roman is beside her, keeping her steady.

The brilliant smile wipes, seeing their condition. Carmine bursts towards them, slowing only to gently accept Blair leaning into him. He supports her and looks questioningly at Roman, seeing he's not any better. "Are you okay? What happened to you two?"

"Killa." Blair grinds out through her teeth.

"Killa." Roman manages much more relaxed and conversational. "Granted, he's far worse off than us." He manages a smirk. The flap of Hush sounds, Neo hovering down and dropping to them gently as she moves up to the conman. Like Carmine for Blair, Neo steadies Roman. "Ah, there you are."

Everyone looks about the area. No more black bodies moving. Blair closes her eyes, focusing her semblance on a cursory scan of the area. Exhaling slowly. "No more of Killa's men remain." Carmine and Neo share a terse glance at that. "Also, no other auras appear to be under threat."

Taylor smirks at the group, then bobs his head back. "Go round up the wounded. Take them to the bar. Stay there. We got a lot to go over once we know the Grimm are gone."

The four release a simultaneous sigh of unbridled relief. Finally, this night can come to a close.

. . .

Donatello finds himself back in the rocky ravine within the forest. Despite exhaustion, the only evidence of being even slightly weary was the raspy breathing through his nose. The no nonsense look remained ever present. If he recalled what Killa had said, this was around where he, Kallen, and the human brat girl had tussled with CRBN.

As one of the few landmarks in the woods one can find even at night, this was one of their proposed rendezvous points for after the plan went off. Sure enough, he finds two silhouettes in the dark, licking their wounds. It's only upon close inspection he notices just how bad off Killian is. Burns mark his whole body.

"You look like you've gone a run through in a toaster." He comments on approach. He looks expectantly towards Kallen. Usually, the snake faunus would have something artistic to say as a means of downplaying injuries, be they physical or otherwise. However, the snake is uncharacteristically quiet.

Killa's smile brightens. "Ignore the look of medium well. How'd it go? Did the plan work? We kill the bastards, yet?" The chameleon's smirk drops slightly, checking around Don. "Aye, Donny... Where's Polly? Off to get crackers?"

Don's eyes narrow slightly, but he remains even. "To answer your questions in order. Terribly and no. The sheriff organized the whole town and fought off the Grimm. All the wannabe hunters are still alive. I told you three hundred Grimm would have been better."

The look in the chameleon's eyes darkens, a sneer coming on. "You're kidding me." He looks between Don and Kallen, almost snarling. "What the hell did I even bother paying you people for?!" He winces through the pain and stands, first looking to Kallen. "First this one can't support me for two seconds without getting flanked... when he's the SNIPER!" Then he looks to Don. "And you assured me the bird would do his job with handling the Grimm. We limited ourselves based on HIS ability to keep the monsters in line? Where is that chump?! I want my money back."

"I doubt he'll be in a position to pay up." Don sighs, almost growling as he speaks.

Killa glares at the kangaroo, snorting. "What? Did he decide to run off with my payments?"

"He's come down with a sudden case of death." Kallen snaps a look up, having the decency to look perturbed. "Local sheriff was too good. I had to hold him off while Ez got double teamed. He's dead."

Their leader didn't look the slightest bit sympathetic. In fact, he almost looked amused. Though, the expression failed to reach his eyes. "What's this? Dejavu? Last time I organized a group against this brat, I lost all the muscle I thought I ever needed!" He lets out a wry chuckle. "And here I am again, losing both another paycheck AND a bird to the same PISSING brat stone."

Kallen snorts. "You assured us that this would be easy!" He stands, an indignant look coming on. "Here we are, years into the job, and we've not only crossed no less than three governments, but come face to face with real huntsmen left and right!" He puffs his chest out. "Face it! You're a short sighted leader only good for a quick buck and zero planning!"

Killian steps back, positively offended. "Excuse me? What's with the third degree all the sudden?!"

The snake gives a telling glance over Killa. "I'd say it alternates between second and third degree." The chameleon bristles, fury pulling into his features. "How can you blame us for what's happened when you're the one sitting here half dead on your feet? Hell, that's on top of you doing NOTHING to get me out of that explosion in the cave!"

This raises Don's brow as he looks to Killian's retort. "You think you're worth risking my hide for? Then pull your own damned weight." The chameleon is almost seething, but pulls himself back. "In fact, do us both a favor and screw off if you're not man enough to do your job!"

The silence fills the air as Kallen uses it to gather himself. "I think I will."

"Excuse me?" Killian recoils in a sneer. He double takes before stepping into Kallen's personal space, nose to nose. "You wanna run that by me again?"

Kallen snarls his response, tone dripping in malice. "I'm out. I'm going back to my job, and forgetting that I ever wasted career time on you." He leans in, glaring in the man's eyes. "Unless you're in any position to stop me right now."

Killa's sneer twitches in disgust, holding the glare with the fellow faunus. However, he caves, looking off. "Whatever. We don't need you. Donny and me will find two much better chumps to do the heavy lifting." He flicks his hand away. "Off with you. Who needs ya?" He then turns to Don. "Hope you got some better contacts."

"If I do, you won't meet 'em." Don finally adds. Kallen catches it first, shock turning to a respectful nod. Killa takes a moment to register the response.

"Yes, I- wait, what?!" Killa snarls out at the kangaroo.

"I'm out." Don narrows his gaze on Killa. "The job is too risky. I'm pulling out before I get killed just like Ezra. It ain't personal. Although..." He looks to the snake before meeting Killa's eyes again. "I suppose there's not nearly as many benefits to this gig as I first thought."

"I... You-" Killa isn't able to choke out his response, heat burning behind his eyes.

Seeing that the great Killa Gonzola doesn't have a counter offer, Don nods. "Take care." He looks to Kallen. "Come on. I got a guy that works the nearest ocean harbors. He can get you to Atlas."

Kallen nods, respectfully. "Thank you." He spares one last glance to the chameleon. "Good riddance." The two faunus turn away from their leader, departing into the dark.

"Hey! Hey, get back here you- AH!" Killa tries to stomp after, wincing in pain and collapsing to a knee in pain. He can only watch as the two leave him in the woods. He can't believe this! Again. Again, he's left battered, beaten, and alone.

All because of some snot nose, idealistic brat...

. . .

Hours later, the crack of dawn begins to peek out over the mountain. Townspeople were kicked into overdrive in the aftermath of the attack. The remains of the Grimm, what hadn't decayed, was set about a massive bonfire along with any debris and damage.

Looking over the result, two dozen of the men, along with all four members of team CRBN, gathered for medical attention at the Mare's Share. Outside of one family's dog and another's cat, no casualties. Granted, Carmine didn't like hearing about pets falling prey to the monsters.

Nor did he take allowing Ezra to fall to the Grimm well. Not that he felt bad about his death, but losing the potential claim to information to help more people hit hard.

So, the four of them were currently slouched over at different tables inside the bar. Roman has ditched his coat and shirt, bandage wrapping enclosing his ribs. Various patches cover scrapes over his body, but he still persists on wearing the hat.

Across from him, Blair sits. Her shirt is rolled back to the right shoulder. Cloth wrapping shows under her shirt, and her right arm is wrapped to the fingers. She had to admit, seeing the bartender girl Tam once more sputtering to give good service to her and Roman was a touch entertaining. Though, the ordeal of her home being assaulted tempered any grudge the scientist had prior. Now, it was purely entertainment.

Especially after the girl now seemed distrustful of him. That was due to learning he'd given her a false name to start.

Either way, the owner, Dominic, also runs a newer small inn nearby. He had informed the team that, as thanks for defending the town, they would be granted a free night's stay and any food or drink they wished. While most of their remaining time would surely be spent sleeping, Roman and Blair were of one mind on taking full advantage of the hospitality.

So long as Carmine doesn't let the town know Killian set up the trap just for them to begin with...

The blonde eyes the other side of the room. Taylor, it would seem, has organized a rotation of town guard, allowing the men to start getting rest. The sheriff himself had finally gotten to his own rotation, entering the bar and moving towards Carmine.

It would seem to her that he wished to speak with Carmine alone, but the authority figure would have better luck nuking Atlas before getting Neo away from his side. "I cannot believe you're okay with working so openly with that cop."

Roman snorts. "I'm not the one working with him, and so long as Silver Streak keeps the guy enthralled with us, we should be fine." He resists a twitch of the brow in pain as he takes a drink of another beer. "Besides, no bulkhead transports til tomorrow. We humor him until it's viable to run."

Blair raises a brow, humming. "How often did you do that with police in Vale before meeting us?" The smarmy grin that meets her is answer enough. "Never mind. I doubt you can count that high."

"Doesn't make me appreciate you so graciously getting to know me more." He teases lighthearted. "It's a telltale sign of interest."

"Quite the opposite. Each new detail further cements the revulsion." She quips back without missing a beat. It only makes his up curled lip stretch higher. "Careful. You keep smiling so much, might trick people into assuming you have a heart."

He gives a mock scoff, flippantly flicking his hand to dismiss the comment. "For the scientist to impose feelings upon me. Either the world is a larger joke than I thought, or she's running out of reasons to deny what she wants."

Blair's left eye twitches, but she continues to drink. "What I want is a worthwhile drink before sleeping today off like the hangover that'll follow." She gives a haughty huff. "Besides, for a thief who takes what he wants in the world, you're awfully passive about this sudden interest I think you have."

Finally, a smile that shows his teeth. The blonde feels her hairs stand, feeling like she's waltzed into the exact topic he wished. He schools himself, leaning back. "Do you know what makes a proper target as opposed to, say... the playboy bunny, Sam, over there-"

"Tam." Blair corrects before scolding the man. "You forgot her name?! She was your informant target just yesterday!"

Roman flicks his hand before continuing. Not even addressing the admonishment. "All it took to get a back woods valley girl to swoon was some vague mystery and modicum of shown interest." He leans back, sending an amused look towards said bartender.

The faunus girl had started the night using her father's med kit to tend to several people. Since running out of supplies, she and her father, as well as some family mothers, had been working to prep food for everyone after all the work.

"Person like that is easy, so they're worth exactly what they get. A short stint, because anything further isn't interesting in the slightest." Roman then meets Blair's gaze, green to amber. "An actual worthwhile... 'partner' as some would put it, is able to contend, compete, think!" He taps his head mocking. "If I simply engaged with you as I have others, that would be disrespectful to your capabilities. I just have to get you willing to stake a claim yourself to prove it." He ends proud, downing the remainder of his drink.

Blair dead stares the man, remaining silent. She follows his lead, downing the remainder of her drink.

Over with Carmine, the teen boy looked skeptical. Neo sits beside him with a narrowed gaze, scrutinizing the man across from them. "So, you're sure about not talking to Ozpin?"

Taylor gives a solemn nod. He huffs on a cigarette before speaking up. "I've already had one of my deputies use the CCT to notify Vale about Killian. Put a BOLO out on his whole team in the surrounding areas. But, yes. I'll wait until after you leave tomorrow to let Beacon know you were here."

"Any reason for you to be so generous?" Carmine cocks his head, unsure of the sheriff. "You already know Ozpin wants us pinned down."

"A warrant for your team's arrest for impersonating huntsmen and huntresses." Taylor corrects the boy. Hearing it from an authoritative town sheriff hits the boy's gut.

"Yeah, that..." He trails off. Neo nudges him, pulling his and Taylor's attention to her. Her cutting glare at the man tells the boy all he needs as he calms. He lightly pats her head, making her freeze with wide eyes. "Down girl. Don't kill him." He orders her playfully, like she's a dog.

Neo blinks, eye colors swapping as a sweet smile answers the boy. He freezes, seeing the sadistic edge behind her eyes... promising death if he doesn't stop petting her like a dog.

"S-sorry..." He withdraws said hand.

A chuckle comes from the man observing them. Getting their attention again, Taylor nods. "Don't worry. Your father's a forgiving guy. I've kept my fair share of goofs under the rug from him."

The casual mention of his relation brings the mood down. Neo double takes between the two, but Carmine sobers and nods. "That... reminds me. You know about me. Why?" The suspicious tone was clear.

Taylor's amusement leaves the second the boy is direct. "You're rather impatient, aren't you?"

"That's a matter of perspective. I think I've been astoundingly patient." Carmine retorts. "What's your connection to Ozpin? You said you were a graduate of Beacon, but it seems to be more than that. Infinitely more if you knew about me after hearing just my first name."

A short pause comes over them as Taylor appraises the boy. Taking a sip of a coffee, he hums. "Indulge me just a bit more. Let me ask you something. Have you ever heard the phrase, 'Victory is in the simpler things you've forgotten. Things that require a smaller, more honest soul'?"

It rings a bell to Carmine. Something familiar in the verbiage, but the name escapes him. However, Neo swats his shoulder with a smile. Both men look to her, the girl conjuring a shatter illusion. In her hand forms a book, hard cover green and brown. The title is 'Bygone Fables'.

Taylor's smile grows back at that. "Required reading in combat school, there. You know, in literature." The man chuckles. "And was required by my teacher when I was young."

"Yeah!" The boy lights up more, recalling it. "Blair has a copy of this back home. Made us read it a few years ago." He thinks back on it, calling up the messaging. "A collection of myths and fairy tales across all cultures of Remnant, collected by one of Vale's founders and first Beacon Headmaster! It's been revised with new fables every century or so, but they all are themed after the struggles of heroes encountering the various problems that stand between them and a better world."

Neo purses her lips, shattering the illusion book and signing with a slightly embarrassed look. "The pictures were more entertaining than half the book."

Taylor chuckles at that. "What did you think of the book's outlook? The message towards unity? I'm curious."

Confusion came back in the boy. A casual glance to Neo told him she was confused as well. "Well..."

Neo shrugs. "People have free will. So long as that exists, people will always have the option to choose to be bad. That can't change. Though, some people think that can be controlled." Neo signs out her answer. She ends her signing with a sly smirk towards Carmine.

He pouts in response. "More good people exist than bad people. We know this because criminals," He pointedly narrows a glare at the girl. "- are much rarer than an average person on the street. Some of those criminals may need better circumstances, but if we all work together, I don't see why we can't at least make a world where those that choose bad can be contained and controlled."

Taylor nods, humming. "Neither are bad answers. Much better than I had at your age." He snorts. "I was a defeatist when my school teacher here made us first read the book." With a shake of his head, he can't help the smile that comes. "Told her that the entire message was a load, that people don't help others out of the good of their hearts. Do you wanna know what changed my mind?"

Carmine sits back, seeing that this is a ride down memory lane for the man. Neo seems to have the same takeaway, so she nods for him to continue.

"Exactly that happened." He chuckles. "Professor Ozpin, Beacon's star child turned prominent teacher and philosopher just showed up out of the blue. All at the beck and call of a letter asking for help. From my own teacher, no less." Carmine instantly tensed, focusing the moment Ozpin's name came into play. "He cleared out the bandit troop that thought they could set up here, but for no real gain to himself, organized a supply chain creation that led to us growing to where we are today."

When it becomes clear Carmine won't respond, Neo gestures towards the sheriff. She points deliberately to his level action weapon slung over his chair.

"No. At least, not yet." Taylor chuckles. "See, after that, my teacher was swept off her feet with the guy. She became one of the main people organizing trade between here and Vale, so me and the other students began chipping in here and there. Even as cynical as I was, I still loved her. She was our teacher, and looked after us." His smile remains bright as he glances up. Even with only a wooden ceiling above him, he could almost see clearly into the clouds.

He continues. "After a while... I started finally opening myself to volunteer work. I thought I would go slow with it. Make it look smooth so she wouldn't think I'd fully let her know she was right, but she wasn't one for half measures. It was all or nothing with her." He chuckles and looks to the kids. "She pulled some strings and used her own personal money to get me into Signal Academy combat school. Wanted me to see more of the world as its possibilities..."

Taylor looks away then. "She promised me a present if I made it into Beacon. So, there I was. A sixteen year old graduating Signal and getting an acceptance letter into the most legendary Academy of heroes in the world."

A silence envelopes the table, but not a frozen silence. He wordlessly reaches up to his collar, pulling his shirt out at the neck before reaching inside. The man reveals a necklace from underneath. A silver chain link line with a pendent in front.

Carmine sucks in a breath, recognizing the pendant's symbol. At least... mostly. A green cog inside a larger green cog. That much was recognizable. "That's..."

Taylor's smile remains. "You recognize it. Ozpin's personal crest." He pulls the pendant necklace off, holding it up for the boy to see better. "However, it's more than that."

Yes... it was. The background of the pendant was black. Intermixed with the symbol are runic writings on each of the cog teeth of both tools. Each runic symbol is colored crimson red. Inside the inner cog, a runic curve leads into a symbol of a quill, a writing tool.

A second personal crest.

"Do you recall this practice from Bygone Fables?" The man inquires softly.

He does. The tying of ones ancestry and soul to another. A crest represents you. Your being. Your essence. Your history. Thus, the act of combining symbols was often used to represent greater ties forming. Even Beacon periodically has teams that combine all four of their member crests into a unified symbol, devoting themselves together til their end of days.

But for civilians, the practice is much more common for one thing.

Betrothing.

The boy's voice is hoarse, barely croaking out. "Who was your teacher?" Neo already puts the pieces together, suddenly feeling very much like she doesn't belong here. And yet, she can't bring herself to move. She senses it. This sheriff might indeed mean well, but by now she has an idea of where the boy's head will go.

"Vanessa Maxwell-Ozpin: Teacher and Principal of Fairmare schooling, Trade master with Vale... wife of Professor Ozpin, and... your mother." Taylor places the pendant on the table between the two. "She'd been so happy, hearing that she'd bring a boy into this world. Ozpin wasn't the only one who loved the history of colored names. So excited for her sweet child, named for her family's red hair, Carmine Ozpin."

The sounds of the bar and people nearby drowns out from the boy's world. His eyes remain locked, entranced by the pendant on the table. A numb, cold feeling weighs on him. And yet, he somehow feels like he should feel more. That only drops his psyche even further, spiraling as a thousand questions rapid fire through him.

First and foremost is why. Why in his sixteen years alive had he never once bothered to ask about his birth mother? He never once questioned it! He was Professor Ozpin's son, and that alone should have ticked the box to ask how that relationship would have started. Yet, this wasn't just some lover, a one off partner that left him. This was the man's wife! Wife?! Ozpin had been married?!

Why had it never once occurred to him? Somewhere, a rational part of his brain reminds him of just how much the boy has been through. How much he's lost. Yet, that small voice of coping was drowned out further at the complete and utter contempt that began to engulf him. Contempt of himself.

Because the tone. The tone Taylor spoke of this woman who Carmine didn't even know exists told him something he didn't need to know. And yet, he already knew it. Already knew it. He already knew exactly what came of it. No other scenario satisfies this result.

His thoughts numb as a hand finds his shoulder. Neo's hand. A pensive look on her face was knowing. This wasn't something he was ready to deal with, and she prays to whatever god that what comes next isn't what she thinks it is, or what he knows it is.

Taylor continues softly. "She gave me this pendant when she was seven months pregnant. Sponsored me for Beacon literally making it seem to others that she was my own mother." He snorts. "Granted, she kinda was. I'd been raised only by my dad, bless his heart. So, she was always keen on giving me more family. She just gives me this. To tie myself forever to her, should I feel I have no one left."

He gives the boy another look of sympathy. He can tell the kid is shell shocked, but he needs to finish. "And it worked. I've never felt disconnected from her for all these years. Even after she passed giving birth to the boy she always wanted, and gave all the love in the world for."

Neo grimaces... shit.

Carmine doesn't react at all. His body had become stone by this point. The confirmation burns him now.

"I knew who you were the moment I heard your name was Carmine." Taylor smiles wide for the boy. "Your eyes alone bring me back to her, kid. Even the same shade of hair. Well-" He shrugs, sending a cheeky glance at the boy's head. "Half of it anyway." He chuckles at the joke at Carmine's silver hair tips. "It's kept me connected to her, so..."

He slowly presses the pendant forward, directly in front of the now startled boy.

"Let it connect her to you. You could use it a lot more than me." Taylor smirks as he finishes his coffee. "That and a day lead before telling Ozpin about ya isn't even half of what I'd be she'd want, but it's a start. For her." He ends before nodding to Neo. Carmine's face remains directed down at the pendant directly between his elbows on the table. "Take care and rest up. Keep up the good work, and be sure to reconnect with Ozpin after you finish taking down these guys you're after."

No soon that Taylor has loosened the words from his lips than had he soaked in the sight before him. The white lighting breaking through the windows barely act as a haze. A snow of light reflecting off aerial dust particles flows off the little flicks around the table. Something as insignificant as that held like life than the paled skinned face locked squarely on the table center.

The man could only smile and hope the same life brought to him by that pendant could reach the boy. Taylor gets up from the table, shoulder his rifle, sparing a last nod as he begins a stride away from the table. He passes by the adults, letting a grim bob of the head to convey hopefully everything to the blonde.

"That can't be good." Roman muses. Soon as the super cop exits the room, the conman soaks in the image boy's image across the room. "Why do I feel like we just witnessed a complication we never asked for?"

Blair's own glare turns back from the boy, moving to meet the man. On the one hand, she could try to move to comfort Carmine. On the other, nothing said for the rest of today is likely to hold any impact, given the drainage of life the boy exerted. She doesn't know what's said, and if she's lucky, it doesn't merit her finding out.

"He should learn to compartmentalize family business." Roman speaks off hand. The blonde's eyes can't help rolling as she turns a glare on him. He huffs once and shrugs. "What? It's true."

"And you're such a good role model for him." Blair groans out. Still, she needs to put it out of mind. Perhaps if she relaxes, herself, Carmine will follow suit. Maybe whatever just shook his core can, as Roman says, be compartmentalized as trivial, and he can properly work through it slowly?

Little does she know, the loosening of her shoulders is noticed as said boy spares a desperate glance from across the room. He furrows a brow back to the pendant before him. Ever slightly, his posture loosens. Not by much, but enough.

Blair sighs, turning her attentions back to Roman and away from the boy. She cannot do anything more about it for now. "Besides, I doubt he's anywhere near as bad as you with issues of family. You never did talk more to us about your rather... extensive family."

"That's not true at all." Roman smirks, willing to turn an annoying weekend in memory into a short term win. "Silver Streak knows all about my family." When Blair double takes between him and Carmine across the establishment, he snorts. "Perhaps I can regale you if you have something equally important to share."

"There, I have a disadvantage. I don't lie about myself enough to have worthwhile secrets."

"You should up your game on that, then." He chuckles. "I'll shoot a question. Regarding relationships, even, so I know you don't talk about it much." His grin was almost predatory. "Exactly who DID take the first step when you dominated that doughy Pooh bear back in Sanctuary?"

Resisting the instinctive urge to both retch and blow up on the man, Blair contains herself. Fine. Just answer. "Well, I-"

"Oh, who am I kidding?" Roman interrupts. "Of course you took the step. Can't believe that's the type you fancy." He mocks openly.

Glaring through narrow eyes, Blair clears her throat for attention. "As a matter of fact, JD did make the first move on me." At Roman's incredulous look, she clarifies. "I may have... misinterpreted one of his awkward work related invites, but it did lead to him making the first move, yes. What? Did you take me for the clown makeup wearing bimbo wearing crack whore red?"

Roman barks out a laugh at her downright slanderous opinion of party girls. He lights up in a grin. "Ah! So, he technically took the first move from a point of view. Very important since-"

"Being technically correct is the best kind of correct." Blair finishes with him, both speaking in unison. Green eyes meet amber once more. The response is unsurprising. He's a wormy conman, so twisting words for verbal victories is common. Then there's her, a scientist who praises accuracy above all.

Roman smirks. "Well, perhaps I misjudged you then. Maybe you aren't really the take the lead type." His brow arches, challenging. However, he doesn't wait around for a response. He opens up a new beer, going ahead for the drink. The entire action, Blair stares back at the man.

Wordlessly, she reaches for a side chair, containing Roman's weapon and coat. Her hand slips into the pockets, withdrawing a small key card. A key card to one of the two Inn rooms Dominic gave to the CRBN team. Specifically, the key to Carmine and Roman's room.

He catches the action, face scrunching in genuine confusion. "Uh, Barbie? You miss the fact that THAT key card is to mine and Silver Streak's room?" He then sees her slowly stand up, making him nod. "Oh, I see. Taking away my bed for the day to get back at me for my words." He smirks. "I mean, not that I blame you. Few can match wits with me."

Still silent, Blair walks away from the table, moving over to Carmine and Neo. Roman watches as Blair gives the key card to Neo. Carmine seems off, but he responds to her. Though, he still looks as the lost dog.

The blonde returns to Roman's table and calls to Tamera, the hare faunus bartender. "One full bottle of Southern Sanusean Greene. On HIS tab." She finishes, pointing to Roman for emphasis. Roman perks, noticing she's placing a full expensive bottle of the brandy. Her favorite drink, he recalls.

Blair receives a large blue bottle with the glowing green liquid barely shimmering through the tint. She pauses in place, setting a hard stare on the conman. For once, Roman feels like he might actually be in danger from the woman.

"Okay... I'll bite. What horrid thing are you planning, woman?"

"Such a charmer." Blair drawls out sarcastically, her face remaining unreadable. "Also, I'm the only one allowed to feel it may be horrid." Roman's odd look is met with an unblinking stare. The woman places a wine glass and pops the cap off her large drink bottle. She pours a full glass of the green brandy.

Roman feels unnerved. She's not biting his jabs. Something is off... "Come on. What are you doing? What did I say to piss you off?"

Her brow raises, a small smirk at having managed to get the man off quilter. "You've only given me inspiration." She leans down, over the table. If not for her burning stare, he'd be tempted to glance a bit lower than the eyes. "As for what I'm doing... How did you put it? 'Staking a claim." She leans further just out of his periphery. He feels a breath on his ear. "My room. Ten minutes."

Roman remains frozen in place as Blair stands up straight, bottle in one hand, wine glass in the other. She walks past him, exiting the bar. The man blinks once. Twice. His head tilts, gaze moving up as a small smile forms. "Huh..." The conman hums chipper. "How bout that?"

From the other side of the room, Neo stares wide eyed at the conman. She can't believe it. Just-... Okay, let them do them. Well, they will be doing them- Sh... Her inner thoughts screech with the mental images.

Ordinarily, she'd be all in on scandalizing the moment, but her attention is demanded beside her. Carmine had yet to move. He hadn't even reacted really to Blair telling them they were swapping room partners. The pendant still sits no less than a few inches between each of his hands. The limbs tries to cup around it, only to retract each time he tries.

Neo frowns, looking around for anything she might be able to use to pull him out of the funk. Finding nothing, she tries the old reliable. He double nudges his side. Tap tap. Tap tap. Tap tap.

The boy's brow furrows lightly, and his eyes give her a side gaze, but the usual light of annoyance and mirth he'd have doesn't show. The two maintain eye contact, Neo frowning and shaking her head. Translation: Stop. It's not what you think.

Ever slightly, his eyes narrow, glancing away. Translation: Isn't it?

Losing focus on him, she watches him turn back to the pendant. With such an object comes a metaphorical stone that refuses to settle in his gut. He knows why. He wonders just how long it'll be before he starts seeing her again.

That thought causes both hands to instinctively clench with force until he makes them relax.

Neo frowns, looking at the pendant... She can't simply distract him from this, so what can she do? An idea pops up. Rather than distract... use it. Her mouth opens, moving awkwardly. Unused. Years gone by since she had to think about something as simple as forming shape for sound.

She knows she can't truly voice, but given shape and breathing out, maybe she can make SOME form of sound. "Ha...Ah...Ha.." She breathes out. Her throat rapidly dries with each breath, almost hoarse. She closes her mouth, swallowing the lump before focusing. "H-hey..." The word comes, only as a breath, with no intonation of a natural voice. Barely a broken whisper.

It was near silent. In the active bar, the boy almost misses it. Almost, as his eyes widen, lit up as he gasps. He turns his head back to her.

The girl smiles at him, a bit of a coy look, but she softens soon after. Neo reaches her hand forward, sliding between his own to gently clasp the pendant in her hand. Her left hand supports Carmine's own, turning it palm side up. She keeps eye contact with him as she places the pendant into his hand before clasping his fist closed around it.

She smiles at the boy and nods. Pulling one hand up, she signs out. "I promise not to take it."

His mouth opens, brow furrowed in doubt. Her pushing him through the simple action, yet saying something so silly was successfully snapping him back. He settles on rolling his eyes and looking away. "Yeah, that's asking for the impossible..."

Neo chuckles, putting a finger up in mock thought. When Carmine suspiciously glares back, she snaps her finger in an epiphany. She reaches back towards his hand.

Carmine inches his hand away, glaring at her. "What did you JUST promise?"

She shakes her head in a laugh and moves for it again. Against his better judgment, the girl opens his hand and pulls the pendant up. She unhooks the silver chain. Carmine freezes as Neo opens the necklace up, looping it around his neck and clasping its hook.

Pulling back, Neo mimes a picture frame with a smile before nodding in approval. Carmine can't help pulling at the pendant. The unsettling feeling it brings him is slightly placed in the back seat to the discomfort of having something around his neck. It's a weird sensation. "So... good?"

Neo chuckles and decides Blair isn't the only one that can make power moves today.

The girl leans in, planting a feather light peck on the boy's cheek. His world freezes again with a sharp gasp. He simply stares back at the girl, who simply gives a coy look. Though, it's slightly less controlled with the light blush. The girl then fumbles lightly, giving a thumbs up.

Carmine blushes furiously, the girl successfully taking his attention and mind in the moment. "Y-yeah... Thanks. Um..." He glances around, confusion settling in. "Wait, where did Blair and Roman go?"

Neo's grin grows wide. Oh... this is beautiful. She nudges him for his focus, then forms a sign depicting exactly what she thinks is happening with their adult teammates...

. . .

"WAIT! WHAT?!" Carmine's voice shrieks through the town.

And we are done with Fairmare! Killa has once again gotten away, but his team as a threat is dealt with. Will Killa return? We shall see. Also, hey, at least two of our team members have worked out a relationship of sorts... Carmine seems happy to find out, I'm sure! But, problems need a solving still. The story goes on.

Which means next time, it will be time to... Patch things up. (Guitar riff!)

I apologize for nothing.

Join next time in chapter fifty four: An Island Bash!