Uploaded 08/08/2022
Nobody_/ ...
No-One At All_/ ...
Not A Single Soul_/ ...
A/N_/ Surprise
'thought'
Flashback
~Radio chatter~
"Speech"
*sound/action*
Chapter VIII: Combat Festival - Part 2
Pure, unadulterated, killing intent. It had bled out from the two combatants in waves, and it had attracted the Grimm. The negative emotion that filled the street was not fresh, but lingered strongly enough that they could sense it. It drew the Grimm like flies to honey, and they filtered through the streets as they rushed towards it. They spread out like a black plague, every single remaining Grimm on the island of Patch gathered in one place. They beelined for the source, several bodies laying still in the middle of a ruined street. Above them, Raven watched from her perch atop a streetlamp. Though she had come to slay the white cloaked man, she had been witness to an incredible display of skill and strength. Not that it mattered, the children had passed out and would die regardless of their effort now. There was no need to risk her life now that Entity was dead, but something tugged at her conscience and kept her from leaving. Was it that Tai had adopted the boy?
'Impossible,' Raven thought, 'this child's relationship with Tai has nothing to do with me.'
Perhaps it was his prowess in battle. If his talent was groomed and his aspirations manipulated, the boy could become a frightening addition to her family of brigands. Raven only entertained the thought for a moment, that wasn't her style and required constant effort with no guaranteed payoff. If anything, the boy was an opportunity to hold something over her brother. As tempting as that was, however... Raven ruffled her feathers. Qrow's smug way of showing gratitude wouldn't be worth the effort, and besides that Raven had a reputation to uphold. So then, was there any reason to stay at all? No reason to risk her life for these children?
'After all... why should I save them?' Raven thought impatiently. Below, the Grimm closed around the still children with salivating maw's. A Creep was the first to reach them, stretching its jaws forward to chomp down on-
-Red flashed and black miasma billowed past Raven as the Grimm hit the street, torn to ribbons by dust and Huntsman-grade steel.
Young Grimm, as brainless and predictable as they were, continued into Raven's uchigatana and joined their brethren in death. The more intelligent Grimm hesitated momentarily before the slaughter, giving Raven a chance to regard the forms of Entity and two unconscious children more carefully. Raven had nearly forgotten something important. John and the white-cloaked assassin could cast magic, unlimited by the elemental subtypes that Remnant was familiar with and unlimited by the rule of the Maidens. The implications were dizzying. Salem felt threatened enough to send assassins, and now a full-out Grimm assault, to kill the boy. They had ignored Ruby and her silver eyes, who Raven had initially thought to be the target. If both Ozpin and Salem recognized some great importance in the child, Raven would be a fool to let Salem get away with his death. Raven grit her teeth as she decimated an Ursa Major with a flick of her wrist. Something had drastically changed on Remnant, whether she liked it or not.
...
"For it is through power that we achieve immortality. Your enemies shall falter, and your allies shall rise. With love veiled by hatred, I release your soul, and by my hand empower thee."
...
...
"𝙹 ∷ ᓵ⍑𝙹ᓭᒷリ is dying,"
"His soul ᔑᓭ リ𝙹ℸ ̣ structured to handle aura; it is rejecting what was shared. His soul ꖎꖎ tear itself apart, リꖎᒷᓭᓭ ∴ᒷ intervene,"
"...⍊ᒷ∷|| ∴ᒷꖎꖎ, ʖ∷𝙹ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ∷. I will make an exception to our rule, ⋮ ᓭℸ ̣ ℸ ̣ ⍑╎ᓭ once."
...
...
John's eyes opened.
Immediately, the vast collection of pains and aches across his body assaulted his mind. The smell of sulphur, burning flesh, and blood invaded his nostrils. The sunlight peeking through the clouds scorched his eyes and forced John to squint. His ears still held a subtle ring from heavy combat. But all this told John he was alive, and more importantly, if he was alive then Frost probably was too. Black mist billowed across the street, the only remnants of what must have been a large group of Grimm. A strange feeling came over John, washing over his entire body and warming him as if he'd slipped into a hot bath. Simultaneously, the feeling invigorated him and made him feel like he was again in his prime. Immediately, the pain began to subside and the familiar sensation of his wounds stitching themselves back together hit his senses. John's surprise was almost tangible as he put two and two together.
'my aura-!'
"Tell Qrow he owes me one," A harsh female voice belted out, alerting John to her presence. With a groan, he rolled himself over in time to see a woman clad in black and red disappear into a swirling crimson portal. The portal dissipated behind her, leaving the children alone in the street.
John groggily turned over, eliciting a throaty groan of pain, and checked for Frost. She was still clutched safely in his arms, unconscious but looking far better than she had before. Something intangible seemed to reach out and connect with John's aura (at least he as far as he figured, it was his aura), easing his worries. Frost seemed to have had her aura unlocked as well. But she would likely be out for a while longer, John's experience in battle and infection healing made all the difference in his quick recovery. Sitting up slowly and bringing a hand to his aching head, John took stock of their surroundings. They were on a residential street, right at the edge of the commercial district where the town square was situated. Which was bad. Whether John took Frost to his home, to the hospital, or to Signal Academy, they would have to cut through the part of the commercial district where John could hear the fighting still happening. John checked his scroll hopefully, but his hopes were quickly dashed; the device had been smashed beyond usefulness in the fighting. John rose to a knee with a grunt, searching the headless body of Entity 303 for anything useful. Unfortunately for John, all the corpse had was empty potion bottles and a scrap of parchment. John stuffed the parchment in his pocket without reading it, and turned to Frost. A quick inspection revealed her injuries weren't life threatening, so long as he could get her somewhere with a medic soon she would be fine. But things just didn't make sense...
'Isn't unlocking someone's aura considered something intimate? And why just me? Why leave right away? Blast it, why can't things be simple for once...' John thought with no small amount of frustration.
John shook his head. Questions could be answered later, right now he needed to find refuge for himself and Frost. John vaguely remembered someone telling him that all businesses were required to have a stocked first aid station, so he would settle for hunkering down in a store or shop. John collected their weapons, sword and spear both, and then hoisted Frost up and over his shoulder. With that, John headed down the street towards the commercial district. It wasn't long before pristine lawns and residential buildings gave way to stores and restaurants, each marked with brightly coloured signs.
...
"Hold on just a while longer, Shay! We're almost to the medic!"
...
John blinked away the old memory, and refocused. Spotting a clothing store beside a collapsed building, he moved quickly to the door and kicked it open. Once inside, John made his way past aisles and circular clothing racks, grabbing a few articles of clothing as he passed. Once behind the counter, John set Frost down gently and placed a bunched-up shirt below her head, then looked around under the counter for first aid supplies. He found what he was looking for quickly, already opened and... sitting beside opened packages and freshly blooded gauze. Someone was here already, and they had left a trail of blood. John traced the droplets with his eyes, across the store floor and leading up to a janitor's closet. There was no trail leading out. They were still inside. John grimaced. If they hadn't immediately announced their presence when he entered, it was likely they were either dead, dying and scared, or dangerous. Laying a hand on the hilt of Custos Vitae, John quietly stood and took a step towards the closet. Nothing. John crossed the rest of the distance until he reached the door, trying the handle, and it was locked. The smell of blood was evident, but there was something else in the air John couldn't quite place, almost like a soap or cologne. Though his situational awareness skills were rusty, John still knew how to keep himself alive. He took stock of the situation. The lights in the store were all off. All stores had been open before the attack, and John doubted anyone would have stopped to turn the lights off while evacuating. There was someone injured or dead in a locked closet. And Entity 303 had been in prison before the attack...
John felt his blood run cold as he realized what was going on. He and Frost weren't alone here, and he had left her on the opposite side of the store. John spun around, unsheathing Custos Vitae with a crystalline ring and darting his eyes back and forth across the room. There were blind spots everywhere, racks with long articles of clothing that could hide a person, long and tall aisles of shelves that someone could stealthily navigate to avoid detection. The ceiling fans were still on, providing enough noise to cover soft footsteps, and the smell of battle wafting into the building from outside was just barely enough to cover whatever strange scent John was picking up. If sight and scent couldn't aid him, John's sight would have to do the heavy lifting. John took a deliberate step forward, angling his blade so it caught a beam of light from outside and flashed across the room. There was a flash of orange as the light passed over the pants section, and John knew he had found one. There was sure to be more than one, but they would reveal themselves quickly if fighting started.
John's first clue that it was a trap was the scuffle of feet behind him, followed by a metallic scrape that sounded suspiciously like the slide racking on a firearm. John pivoted with his sword already in motion when the footfalls burst towards him. Orange jumpsuits and mean faces that promised violence met John's gaze. The one in the lead, a bald man with rippling muscles, screamed as Custos Vitae took his hand cleanly off. That gave the others pause, but that pause gave them enough time to spot Frost... on the opposite side of them as John. John dashed forward, knocking the first man down with a murder stroke to the back of his head. The pommel of John's sword met the knuckles of the second person, a brunette with short hair and a dragon tattoo on her face. She hissed as her aura saved her from a broken finger and ducked back before it saved her from an amputation at the elbow. A gunshot rang out, from where John couldn't tell, but the sting it left as it grazed his side was obvious. John hissed in pain and sent a haphazard Sweeping Wave in the direction he thought the shot came from. As luck would have it, a man dove out from his cover to avoid getting shredded by the magic. John sent another arc of magic his way to keep him busy, then feigned left and darted right. The two people in front of him fell for the feint, but the man behind did not. John felt a sudden sharp pain as a crowbar struck him in the back, missing his head by a small margin, and had to pivot with his blade already in motion to deflect another swing. The deflected crowbar jabbed the dark-skinned man as he lunged at John, and a precise cut at the knee sent the man with the crowbar back to the ground.
"Ignesco!" John cried, flourishing Custos Vitae around himself.
The blue flames trailing his sword succeeded in getting the prisoners to withdraw their attacks before they burnt themselves, giving John the time to unleash a Flaming Wave at them. The two cried out in pain and surprise as the flames wrapped around them. John used the distraction to dash past, but he paid for it as a gunshot rang out and John felt the projectile pierce his shoulder. John gasped as the painful sensation shot down his arm and torso, and dove behind the counter as more gunshots followed. John quickly crawled over Frost to shield her, keeping low as the bullets splintered wood and shattered glass.
"DIE already you little bastard!" A gruff voice shouted over the gunfire. Meanwhile, the burnt and sufficiently aggravated prisoners from before put out the fires on their clothing. John glanced to his left at the ajar door to the 'employee only' section. With a grunt, he kicked it open, wrapped his arms under Frost, and rolled into the room. The gunfire stopped, and John scrambled up to slam the door shut. No sooner had he clicked the bolt lock into place, John felt someone slam into the door from the other side. They cursed, and John let out a breath.
"Dust, what are they feeding these bloody kids?" The woman spat, flaring her aura to heal the burns and massaging her sore knuckles. The dark-skinned man beside her grunted as if to say 'beats me'.
"Lapis, you okay brother?" The man with the crowbar asked the hysterical man clutching his stump. His whimper was enough of a response. The woman scoffed.
"Suck it up, a real Huntsman would've taken your head off instead. Coal, get 'im patched up, yeah?" The woman asked bemusedly. Coal, still clutching his crowbar, nodded and helped Lapis to his feet. As the two moved further back in the store, the woman turned to the dark-skinned man beside her.
"Do a walkabout will ya, Tar, make sure there's no more stupid kids in this store!" She commanded. He left immediately, never managing to make eye contact with the woman. The man with the gun, still pounding on the door to the break room, was next on her list.
"Greed, chill your shit out," She chastised, giving him a firm kick in the rear. He cried out, more in surprise than pain, and moved away from the door while maintaining an annoyed glare at his fellow escapee.
"What for? They'll put me away so long if I'm caught again, what's one more felony huh? I wanna kill that damn kid!" Greed hissed. The woman turned her nose up at him.
"Talk back at me again and I'll really show you a felony! Get your sorry skin to the front and keep watch," The woman commanded, eliciting a scowl from the man.
"Yes, ma'am," Greed grumbled, getting up and moving to the front.
Still scowling, the woman grabbed a chair and propped it against the door handle. There was no other way out of the break room, not even a window. Ash Larynx, former Valeian crime lord, smiled to herself. Hostages would make the escape from Patch much smoother.
Gunfire reached its crescendo as the Huntsmen released their ordnance, dispatching the last of the Grimm outside. A Huntress peeked her head over the counter of the bar, double-checking that they had killed everything, then waved for the other Huntsmen and civilians to follow. As the people began to leave, Qrow hung back and subtly grabbed a bottle off the wall. Quadruple distilled Atlesian vodka. He tipped his head back and took a generous swig, and he savoured the burning sensation at the back of his throat. Qrow toyed with the bottle for a moment, trying to recall what he'd been so focused on doing earlier. In the end, Qrow took another swig and dismissed it as unimportant, since it couldn't be all that urgent if he'd forgotten it. As he moved to drink again, a familiar face turned the corner frantically.
"Qrow, where- ARE YOU DRINKING?" Winter cried indignantly. Qrow, to his credit, didn't spill a drop despite the scare she gave him. He rolled his eyes and tipped his head back again as he finished his swig.
"Damn, that's smooth," Qrow purred. Winter did her best not to kill him right then.
"YOU REALIZE WE'RE IN COMBAT, YES?" Winter practically screamed.
"Were in combat, ice princess. The few Grimm that are left in the city are being mopped up, and the civilians are all out of the danger zones now. I am going to sit right here and drink until the recovery crews show up," Qrow offered with only a slight slur, taking one of the few seats still standing.
"YOU INSUFFERABLE- Ugh! Does code of conduct mean nothing to you?" Winter hissed, snatching the bottle from Qrow's hand as he was about to take a sip. He stared at the empty space where the liquor had been moments before, taking longer than he should have to figure out where it had gone.
"...give it back," Qrow demanded.
"I refuse! You are supposed to be a world-renowned Huntsmen, and so you will conduct yourself as such!" Winter commanded. Qrow grunted with frustration. He was starting to be reminded of Ironwood...
"Conduct. Why don't you conduct yourself back to Jimmy and give him your report. I'll be here, enjoying some peace and quiet," Qrow countered, pulling out his flask. The flask, too, was snatched from his hand. Qrow frowned. now he was upset. He whirled around, his newfound intensity matched equally by the fire in Winter's eyes. Qrow got an inch from her face, but she didn't back down.
"What the hell is your problem, woman? Just leave me here and do your duty!" Qrow spat, wrenching the flask from her hands. Soot and blood stained every inch of white; her hair, her uniform, even her usually immaculate complexion. She looked like hell. When she spoke, she sounded like it too.
"My duty is to protect the public from threat!" Winter spat before her voice began to shake, "I failed my duty twice today already, I-... I-"
Qrow eased off, and put a hand on her shoulder.
"We can't save everyone," Qrow said plainly.
"...I froze. And my partner died because of it. I couldn't incapacitate the cloaked fugitive, I was nothing compared to Gemini, and people died because of it. And you expect me to ignore protocol, and leave you behind too? Not a chance in hell you drunken dunce, you're coming with me and that's final." Winter said, her voice somewhere between demanding and pleading. Qrow sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Yeah, alright. Lead the wa-"
~SOT Schnee, SOT Verte, this is Frozen Actual please respond~
Winter immediately straightened up, pressing a piece in her ear to open communications from her end.
~This is SOT Schnee, responding~
~Received. We have lost vitality readings from yourself and SOT Verte, what's the sitrep?~
~SOT Verte and I engaged the fugitive, but were attacked by a man named Lucien Gemini. My transponder was damaged in the fight, and Verte... he didn't make it. Huntsmen Qrow Branwen assisted in dealing with Gemini, and since then the civilians have been evacuated from the hot zones~
~...Understood. Is Gemini still active in the area?~
~Negative, Gemini was caught under a collapsing building~
~Understood. Patch is still too hot for the recovery team to insert. Manta-4 has spotted small groups of Grimm entering the city from the East side of the island, but you are to leave the Grimm to the local Huntsmen. Patch Penitentiary is reporting residents unaccounted for. You and Branwen are being assigned to search and detain - Manta-4 will act as your eyes in the sky. Report back at regular intervals. SOT Schnee, please confirm~
Qrow mumbled something along the lines of 'arrogant Atlesian's' and 'not your jurisdiction'. Winter shot him a glare, then responded.
~Orders received, Frozen Actual~
Winter took her finger off the earpiece and took a steadying breath, before looking at Qrow expectantly. Qrow groaned.
"Yeah yeah, I'm coming, keep your cheeks cool princess,"
Greed sighed deeply and took another drag from his cigarette, earning a sidelong glance from Tar. Since Ash had stuck him with lookout duty, he figured he may as well enjoy it.
"Should you really be smoking inside?" Tar finally asked. Greed scoffed, puffing smoke out his nostrils as he did.
"Why do you care? Weren't you in for arson? Hypocrite," Greed retorted, not noticing a shadow pass by the store window. Tar, now properly offended, turned to face his fellow escapee and missed the sound of the door opening as he snapped back.
"I'm worried about the smoke alarm, dumbass. Every Fauness in the neighborhood would hear it!" Tar growled. Greed rolled his eyes and plucked the roll of spiced tobacco from his lips, turning for the first time to face the other man.
"They're probably broken man, the little bastard used fire and that didn't set them off," Greed countered with an annoyed tone. Tar shook his head.
"Didn't let off enough smoke to trip the alarm. That little death stick, on the other hand-" Tar began, before Greed interrupted him.
"-Look, why don't you piss off to the other window if it bothers you, huh? Ain't no Fauness freaks living around here to give us away and the Fire Department has bigger fish to fr-"
Greed went silent as something cold and metallic wrapped around his face and corkscrewed his neck, and Tar went limp as a dagger sank into his forehead. A thin wire wrapped itself around each corpse and lowered them to the ground silently. The attacker spared no time hiding the corpses, instead opting to kneel down and search their pockets with one hand. A scroll vibrated in Tar's pocket, drawing the man's attention. He slipped his hand into the orange jumpsuit pocket and pulled out the device.
Unknown - Is everything clear?
The man fumbled with the device in his hand, trying and failing to type back a message. He gave up, and maneuvered to the alert app. He only needed a few moments here, and then he would be gone. No need to put up the facade that the lookouts were alive. He checked that there was a strong signal, and once verifying that there was, pressed and held the Citizen Distress Signal. Satisfied that he had alerted any nearby Huntsman or first responders, the man dropped the scroll and melted back into the shadows.
John hissed as he roughly closed another drawer, devoid of anything useful. Frost stirred slightly at the noise, but didn't wake up.
'The fridge, the drawers, the cabinets..! Nothing useful! One would think an island under constant threat of monsters would have emergency supplies more readily available!' John thought angrily.
There was a pounding at the door suddenly, startling John.
"Hey kid! You and I both know you only have one way out of this, yeah? Come on out peacefully and I promise we won't kill ya's," A female voice shouted. John scoffed.
"And I'm to take the word of a criminal? You would only let us live if we were useful," John responded angrily.
"Ha! I like your gumption, you little bastard. As it happens, we need a way off this doomed rock and two brats could be our ticket. The Bullhead security won't be looking for a family of refugees with two kids, will they?" The voice called back. John narrowed his eyes at the door. So, the escaped convicts wanted hostages to sneak off the island with?
"And if we refuse to come out?" John asked. The woman chuckled.
"The girl looked rough when you two came in; just had had her aura unlocked, I bet. I've seen it before, aura can't handle her injuries so her body is shutting down to compensate. If she's out too long... well, it usually ends with a permanent coma," The woman said with a cackle. John grit his teeth. He hadn't heard of newly unlocked aura's inducing coma's before, but would he have? Was it a bluff? Could he risk it? John glanced back at Frost, laying still on the floor. Her wounds were mostly closed and her bruises mostly faded, but it was true she had been out for an abnormal amount of time. Shuffling on the other side of the door brought John out of his thoughts. Something slammed against the door and the female voice from before cried out. John reacted a split second early, and dove beside Frost. The door was blasted off of its hinges with a deafening boom, flying into the room along with the smoldering body of Ash Larynx.
John froze as he heard noises approaching from outside, one normal step followed by a dragging sound like flesh against gravel, alternating slowly and getting closer. Laboured breathing became audible as well, and John's hand found Custos Angelus on the floor beside Frost. With a grunt of effort and no small amount of pain, John got up to a standing position and placed himself between the open door and Frost, risking a look into the front of the store. The figure was concealed still by the dark store, and John's vision was still re-adjusting, but it was clearly humanoid. It moved with urgency towards them, despite a severe limp on a leg that moved at an odd angle. Once the light from the break room hit the figure, John resisted the urge to curse. It was a man, but hardly recognizable as such. The flesh of his hip was torn and shredded from something explosive, and something jagged jutted out from his abdomen. The man left a trail of ichor as he walked, some amalgamation of blood and other fluids from what looked like cybernetics in his arms and shoulders. Scrapes and gashes were commonplace along the length of the right forearm, while the bicep had dust leaking and electricity sparking up where entire chunks were missing. The man's right shoulder was deformed, looking more like a chunk of raw iron than muscle and sinew, and blood mixed with dust leaked from cracks in the cybernetics. A a rebar rod protruded from the chest, where it must have either grazed the man's lung or pierced it. The left arm was mangled so badly that it looked closer to a piece of modern art than part of a person, and it leaked fluids that changed in colour. The man's chest and neck were burnt badly, the skin starting to ripple and peel, and his face was badly bruised and lacerated. The man's speed suddenly increased, crossing the distance between them in a second, and a hand missing a finger came quickly for John. Custos Vitae flashed-
The hand caught it with a metallic crunch.
"I am... not here... to fight..." A voice gargled. The egregiously wounded man fixed his gaze on John's, and John gasped.
"It's you-!"
"-Not your... enemy. For now... at least," Lucien Gemini managed with shallow breaths. John had initially recognized Lucien as the man that fought with Qrow in the forest back in January. But after spending so much time with Frost, and on Remnant in general, he knew those ruby eyes weren't common. Neither was it common for a man so badly injured to seek out a child, for that matter. This man was related to Frost somehow.
"Not enemies," John repeated slowly as he processed this turn of events, "...So a temporary truce then? How can I trust you?"
"Protect family... first. Kill you... later. Grimm... coming... I can... get you past," Lucien offered with urgency. Salem's purge of Patch was about to commence, and Lucien was not capable of protecting Frost and Jewel in this sorry state. At least, not while also fighting off anything more threatening than a Creep. He couldn't afford to be making more enemies while Branwen was probably actively hunting him, even if he was sure he could still kill the boy. John nodded as his theory that Frost and Lucien were related was confirmed. Likely a father or uncle... John shook his head. He was getting off topic.
"Fair enough, I suppose," John conceded. A temporary truce was alright with John if it meant no more casualties today. Noticing Lucien didn't have a weapon, John picked up Entity's spear and handed it to him, then picked up Frost in a fireman's carry.
"I'll be expecting that spear returned. By the way, what did this to you?" John asked, letting his curiosity get the best of him. Lucien stood straighter, using the spear to steady himself, and began walking away with a severe limp.
"Branwen," Lucien said with a grimace, motioning for John to follow him. John shuddered, remembering how he had squared up with Qrow when he first arrived on Remnant.
'Note to self; never make an enemy of uncle Qrow' John thought as he followed after the injured Gemini. They moved quickly past the dead convicts and out the store. The two moved at a slow pace from there, ducking into alleys and fenced yards as gunfire occasionally rang out from around the city. Plumes of smoke rose from the commercial district (thank Oum it wasn't the residential district on fire), and it served as a compass for Lucien as he lead John towards Signal. If anywhere on this island would be safe as Salem's horde of mostly airborne Grimm descended upon Patch, it would be Signal Academy, past the commercial district and on the far East end of Patch.
"Where are we going?" John asked.
"Signal... safe there... medics there," Lucien answered. The two walked in silence for another minute before John spoke again.
"...Does Frost know? that you're alive, I mean," John inquired. Lucien stopped momentarily, regarding John with scrutiny.
"How much... you know?" Lucien breathed harshly.
"You're her father, aren't you," John guessed. Lucien's silence was answer enough.
"Can I ask why?" John followed up. Lucien's good eye narrowed.
"Why... what?"
"Why did you leave?" John pushed. His own father had disappeared, and John couldn't fathom why any man would purposely leave. Lucien looked away.
"Anything... to keep... her safe," Lucien said. He offered nothing else and started walking away. John followed, deep in thought.
Then a man in a suit stepped into their path.
Signal Academy, the pride and joy of many on Patch. Located at the opposite end of the residential area, the recently renovated Signal Academy sat in the center of the Combative district in the East end of the city. As the closest to the border of the city where secluded forest met city on the island, Signal was always the first to notice if there was a creature of Grimm straying too close to the city. Although the students were not ready for actual combat, there was no shortage of retired Huntsmen, campus security, and active-duty instructors to deal with the threats before they reached the school or the city. But today, there wasn't anybody. Every Huntsman in the building had left for the city immediately when the fighting started, leaving a few security guards to protect the students (the few which hadn't gone to the festival). Coco Adel, only a month away from graduating to a third-year student, was one among the students that had elected to stay behind, in her case to get in some practice with her latest version of Gianduja.
Then the Grimm came.
Signal, being the first line of defence before Patch city proper, had hi-tech turrets. Napalm flamethrowers would set the black horde ablaze and melt their flesh. Tesla towers would fill the air with the scent of ozone as they slung bolts of lightning into the surging monsters. Chainguns would rise from the ground to pepper the Grimm with .50 caliber high-explosive armour-piercing incendiary rounds. AA guns positioned across the campus would open fire on Gryphons and Nevermores. At least, that would have been the case months earlier. The turret systems had been dismantled due to being 'unnecessary' and 'expensive to maintain'. The budget had been reassigned to school supplies and miscellaneous city projects, certain emergency procedures were dropped, and the requirements for building security was reduced. It was primarily due to these reforms by the Valeian council, paired with the absence of seasoned Huntsmen, that Signal was quickly overrun. Faculty were forced to seal every entrance to the building, while staff and students alike fired on the masses of Grimm from windows and ledges.
They wouldn't last.
"Brothers..." Jewel breathed, left nearly breathless at the sheer number of Grimm. How had so many appeared on the island so quickly? Tai clenched his fists tightly, and his face clearly showed the stress he was under.
Tai and Jewel could see it from their position in Patch. The acrid smell of smoke stung their nostrils from the fires that burned within the city, where Grimm, escaped prisoners, and undead still roamed and kept Huntsmen busy. Their hearts raced as they were faced with a terrible choice; their children, or dozens of students and staff.
"...I have to go," Tai said with a shaky voice. Jewel looked at him incredulously.
"Oum, why did I have to see this! My daughters alone, my son fighting for his life, and I have to go!" Tai cried out, shaking his fist at the sky. Jewel felt his pain, truly she did. She had seen the same look on Lucien's face before. But her decision would be different. Jewel would not leave Frost in the city.
"Go. I will stay, and look for our kids. I'll keep John safe if I find him, I swear," Jewel told Tai. Tai gave her a hard look, but didn't say anything. He couldn't bring himself to judge her for the same decision he wished he could make. Instead, he turned and dashed towards the school with white-knuckled resolve.
"...Not good," Lucien observed.
"An apt assessment," Arthur Watts said coolly, "I came here to assist, but it seems you've found new priorities,"
Lucien grimaced. He should have expected Salem to send her little scientist to babysit him. John brought Custos Vitae to bear, sensing a fight was about to break out. He didn't like their chances.
"I take it... Her Majesty... sends regards?" Lucien spat venomously. Watts' lips upturned slightly, and his hand fell to the revolver at his hip.
"Indeed, neither you nor these children will be allowed to live. I suppose I could be convinced to spare your wife and daughter, if you grovel enou-"
Arthur was cut off as a powerful sweeping wave came hurtling towards him, only stopping when his rings flew from his fingers and formed a protective barrier. Arthur flicked his dust cylinder and pulled the trigger, sending two fire and lightning infused slugs at the offending boy. Lucien swatted the rounds away with unprecedented speed, considering his condition, and lunged at Arthur. Watts scoffed and activated his other set of rings, attacking the kill-switch in Lucien's cybernetics and- Arthur's brow rose as he dodged the spear. As it seemed, Lucien had been so badly damaged that the kill-switch for his cybernetics was broken. How utterly obnoxious. Next time, Arthur decided, he'd have a virus prepared. Light dust activated in Watts' rings once again, providing platforms that lifted him into the air and away from-
"Pente Spathia, Scopa Ruens!"
The intoned words preluded five bursts of energy that barreled towards Arthur, forcing him to defend with his remaining rings. His response was immediate, a double-shot of fire and magma aimed for the building at the precipice of the alleyway. The dust would exploded, throwing superheated brick and rebar flying into the enclosed space. Lucien would mindlessly jump between the shrapnel and his daughter. Unfortunately, a filament wire wrapped around Arthur's wrist and tugged, throwing his aim off. The rounds exploded elsewhere, and another Sweeping Wave forced Arthur to deactivate his light dust and fall to the ground. The wires tugged again and he didn't resist, allowing Lucien to pull him close. Watts' dexterously weaved around the spear as it was thrust at him, and his rings released a blast of gravity dust point blank. Lucien was sent reeling, and Salem's agent turned to deal with John. Ideally, his rings would activate around the boys neck and instantly kill him, but Custos Vitae was falling long, long before Arthur turned around. The boy sidestepped as his sword was parried by Elementary, dodging the bullet it fired as it passed. The sword came around with surprising speed, however, even more shocking to Arthur was that the sword aimed to cut his throat. Light and gravity dust activated simultaneously in Arthur's hand to safely catch the blade, while his other hand worked to fire two lightning-infused bullets into the boys' stomach. Arthur growled as the boy kicked him off, and instead of gaining distance, renewed his assault and forced him to defend.
'It is no wonder Salem voiced caution, this boy is infuriating!'
Arthur feigned a shot from his revolver, but instead used his rings to send the boy flying with a blast of gravity. He crashed through a storefront window and Arthur doubled down, using a blast of wind dust to turn the shattered glass into projectiles. Then, for good measure, he used Elementary to send two explosive rounds into the store. Arthur turned to deal with the girl, lying mostly unharmed in the alleyway, only to let out a cry of surprise when his aura stopped a brick from splitting his skull. His glare turned to the boy, aura flickering out of existence and glass embedded in his shoulder.
"You seem an intelligent man, shame you act the fool and coward. " John called out, eliciting a scowl from Arthur.
"You do not know the forces you toy with, boy," Arthur said, aiming his revolver.
John darted forward in a serpentine pattern, evading the first shot by luck. The second shot missed thanks to a sweeping attack to the back of Arthur's knee. Elementary cocked and fired again, this time into the chest of the offending attacker. Lucien staggered back as the wall behind him was coated with blood and mechanical grease. Arthur adjusted his cylinder to fire a gravity-infused bullet, but the revolver was knocked down by John. The round impacted the asphalt and threw a shockwave, sending Lucien, John, and Arthur tumbling. Lucien didn't stir, but John and Arthur both eyed Elementary as they recovered. Both knew that whoever could pick up the gun and get distance first would have the advantage. They both scrambled for the revolver in tandem, John diving and grabbing hold of Arthur's ankle as he got close. Salem's agent kicked out, striking the boys shoulder and driving a glass shard deeper in, but he refused to relinquish his grip. Arthur resorted to his basic knowledge of the arm bar, wrapping his legs around the bandaged arm. As he sat up and moved to increase his leverage, however, John curled his abdomen and sprung forward with a powerful kick. Though Arthur's aura absorbed the attack, it knocked him back, allowing John to flip over and leverage with his hips. John's opponent quickly switched gear, trying to transition to a kimura bar. Though he managed to hyperextend John's shoulder, the boy managed to get his feet under him in time and let out a great cry of effort. The next thing the Atlesian scientist knew, he was being lifted from the ground like a sack of potatoes. Before he could be thrown or slammed, Arthur used his rings to release another blast of gravity into the boys shoulder. John cried out in pain and Arthur grunted as the shockwave also injured his leg, but he dropped and rolled away from the boy.
"Not what I - expected from - a mere boy," Arthur gasped between heaving breaths. No matter, the fight was over now that his opponent had what was at least a broken shoulder blade.
"Stick around... you'll love my personality!" John taunted suddenly as he lunged at Arthur. The man ducked away in shock. The two opponents adopted wildly different unarmed stances, and glared at each other.
"...You are the anomaly the Entity spoke of," Arthur suddenly realized. John gave him a pained smirk.
"So, you're another of my would-be killers. Fancy a day of relaxation? I took a load off your compatriot's shoulders today," John taunted. Arthur gave a non-committal grunt as a response.
The opponents circled each other awkwardly. John saw flaws in Arthurs form; standing too tall, shoulders and hips too tense, stance not wide enough, slow footwork - but with his extensive injuries, John lacked the dexterity or strength to capitalize on them. Arthur was cautious now, faced with an unfamiliar opponent in an unfamiliar stance, he couldn't take risks. John's form had obvious openings to Arthur's eyes, but it was clear that the boy was more than he seemed, and a trap was probable. John took a probing half-lunge forward, learning a great deal from the way Arthur tensed and drew back. John pulled back, and as he did, the scientist made a probationary feint of his own. Instead of ignoring the feint like he normally would, John took a full step forward and struck Arthur in the jaw with a right cross. He sent John a push kick as he recoiled from the strike. A rookie mistake. John sidestepped the kick and hooked his leg behind Arthurs, then gave the scientist a firm shove. The two fell back to the ground with a 'thud', and grappled together for a moment before John mounted his opponent. A hard-light-dust barrier appeared just in time to protect the Atlesian from a punch, but it also trapped him on the other side. Without having to worry about an attack of opportunity, John dove off Arthur and lunged for the revolver. As the boy grasped the pistol and rolled over to aim at the man in the suit, he heard a sigh of relief.
"Imbecile, do you think I wouldn't take precautions against my weapon being stolen?" Arthur said. Sure enough, when John aimed and pulled the trigger, nothing happened.
'Just as well,' John thought, 'I've never used a firearm before anyway. I doubt I'd have hit him.'
With a hard-light-dust barrier still in place, Arthur Watts leisurely got to his feet while nursing his sore jaw. His pride hurt too, but that could wait. He watched with veiled interest as the boy retrieved his sword without looking away.
"...You have great potential. You could do well for yourself if-" Arthur began optimistically.
"-No shot, captiosus stultus," John interrupted, mixing in some Galactic Dialect. Arthur frowned at the foreign-sounding words, and John happily translated.
"It means smartass." Despite the insult, Arthur kept his wits about him.
"How unfortunate. You are quite young and talented to throw your life away," Arthur reasoned, "We could satisfy any need, protect anyone you care for, achieve any of your ambitions. My Master's power is nothing to be underestimated."
"Your silver tongue won't convince me. I know the path that your sweet nothings will lead me down, and I've no desire to entertain the thought of it," John refuted. Arthur scoffed.
"Impudent child. I do not make offers like this lightly, and you are naive if you think you can survive after refusing," Arthur spat. John rolled his eyes.
"Notch above, spare me the rest of your villainous monologue. I'd be rich if I had a Lien for every time I've heard a 'join us' speech," John mumbled. Arthur narrowed his eyes. Not long ago, he had thought that the turmoil caused over this boy had been baseless and ultimately fruitless, a product only of the fanatical Entity and his foolish obsession. Now, however, it was clear why so many resources had been poured into the endeavor.
"So are we gonna fight, or are you going to keep standing behind your little shield trembling and waiting for back-up," John asked impatiently. Arthur was incredulous. He was hardly injured, and at 6'2" he stood a head and a half above the young man, but here he was getting provoked. By a half-dead child with a simplistic weapon and an incapacitated ally, no less.
"Hmph. Your arrogance will be your end," Arthur said simply, before pointing a finger to the sky. His ring activated and fired a bolt of fire and light dust into the sky, covering half of Patch in an eerie red glow. There was an ear-piercing screech as airborne Grimm responded to the flare, diving from altitude with folded wings. John immediately became serious, further infuriating Watts, unleashing a Sweeping Wave into the sky. The cutting arc tore the wing from a Gryphon, sending it careening into a two-story building across the street, then collided head-on with a small Nevermore. The predatory bird-Grimm dropped into the street like a stone, shooting black feathers and mist into the air between John and Arthur. It only obscured Arthur's vision for a second, but it allowed John to duck away. The Atlesian attempted to follow, only to find an empty alleyway. He had miscalculated.
'No matter, the Grimm will hunt them down and overwhelm them. My objective is complete,' Arthur resigned, retrieving his revolver and leaving. Salem would be pleased.
John moved as quickly as his aching body would allow, carrying Frost over his shoulder and dragging Lucien by the shoulder. He moved between buildings, staying in tight alleys or under stairwells as he moved. Shadows moved across the floor like waves in an ocean, a constant reminder of the overhead dangers.
'Have to keep moving,' John thought desperately.
The more distance he put between the Atlesian in the suit, the better. Although John had talked a big game, the depletion of his aura had left him with almost no energy. He could thank his lucky stars that his Infection and aura had managed to heal enough for him to fight, but his chances of surviving another extended fight were null. There was a screech from above as John momentarily passed through an opening in the rooftops, and the distraction made him stumble. A gryphon swooped between the small gap, claws outstretched.
"Ignesco!" John spoke raggedly, igniting his blade. As Custos Vitae cleaved a line through the abdomen of the passing Grimm, it also set the creature ablaze. John watched the smoldering beast nosedive into the ground and tumble into the street, then let out a raspy breath. After sheathing his sword, John grabbed Frost and Lucien and pulled them into a tighter portion of the alley. There was a basic roof over this section, providing full cover from the monsters above. John slashed through the supports of a stairwell as he passed, collapsing the structure at the entrance and barring the Grimm out.
"Brothers, this whole day has just completely ruined festivals for me," John muttered. He sank to the ground and positioned his sword across his lap. There was no more running.
John sat Frost against the wall opposite of him, then pulled Lucien close to check his wounds. It was one of the worst puncture wounds John had ever seen. The bullet had punched a quarter inch hole below Lucien's lower right rib, and left an exit wound nearly the size of John's fist. A mix of flesh and metal augmentations were warped and tangled with each other, preventing healing from even a greater healing potion, and various liquids leaked into the wound from the mechanical parts on Lucien's body. He wouldn't make it even with an experienced surgeon. John grimaced, and checked for a pulse. It was weak, but miraculously, Lucien's heart was still beating. His eyes were glazed over, constantly coming in and out of focus, and a dribble of discoloured blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.
"...Can you hear me?" John asked quietly. Lucien's eyes flicked in John's direction, and he opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Lucien continued opening and closing his mouth in a vain attempt to speak for several moments, before his head shook slightly and he settled back into an unresponsive state.
"...I'm sorry. We were enemies, but no man deserves to go out like this. If... If Frost ever finds out about your identity, I'll make sure she knows you fought for her until the end," John offered sorrowfully. Lucien's face was graced with the ghost of a smile.
Tai burst from the smog like an explosion, golden aura trailing from his arms. His charge was steadfast and powerful, his fists poised to strike and his hair whipping in the wind, his silence carrying more menace than the fiercest war-cry. The flabbergasted students watched with reverence as their CQC professor tore into the ranks of Grimm like a scythe, drawing all attention from the school. His first strike caved-in the skull of an Ursa Major, and his second decimated a Creep. The eldest of the Grimm faltered despite themselves, but the younger Grimm only saw a new target. As the horde tried to swarm him, however, no opponent slowed his momentum. An aura-infused hook kick removed a Beowulf's lower jaw, while claws slid harmlessly across Tai's abdomen. An Ursa clamped its jaws around his forearm, only for Tai to punch a crater into its sternum. Creeps tried to trap his footing, but Tai held them at bay with powerful kicks.
Grimm swarmed the professor in threes and fours, each falling to his blows, but steadily draining his already strained aura. Tai clenched his jaw painfully hard as he realized his aura wouldn't outlast this horde, even with covering fire from the students in Signal. The duel against the white-cloaked fugitive had cut his aura reserves in half and his semblance, Dragonforce, wouldn't be ready again for hours. Still, Tai refused to retreat. It wasn't until the Elder Beringel appeared that Tai's resolve wavered. The massive armoured gorilla appeared from nowhere, shrugging off many of the Xiao Long's attacks and responding with incredible strength and speed. Tai tried to defend against a wide swing, only for an Ursa to knock away his guard at the last moment. The bony knuckles of the Beringel closed in, and Tai knew his aura wouldn't hold this time.
So focused on its prey, the Beringel did not react to the flashing of a red blade. The Huntress' uchigatana did not pause at the bony armour at the monster's shoulder, amputating the limb with frightening ease. Tai was shocked speechless as the limb flew past his face, and Raven finished the Grimm with a single thrust.
"...R-Raven-" Tai exclaimed breathlessly as she killed a cluster of Grimm.
"Shut up and fight," Raven deadpanned. The cold words sobered Tai, and he refocused on the black horde. The two settled into a rhythm quickly, covering each other's blind spots and weaknesses with old familiarity. Sustained gunfire from Signal reduced the horde to a manageable flow, and the Grimm fell in droves at a time to the old couple. Still, they came too quickly for Raven's liking.
"Cover me," Raven asked. Tai nodded, and placed himself between her and the Grimm. While he held the line, Raven sheathed her sword. The mechashift activated, cycling to a different dust-infused blade. Raven shouted at Tai to duck, then released the shift trigger and unsheathed. Lightning trailed her blade as it slash cleanly through the air, leaping out from the uchigatana to the Grimm as she channeled aura into the blade. The smell of ozone filled the air as Raven repeated the attack, chaining more lightning across the horde with loud crackling and bright yellow flashes. Raven retrieved a wind-dust crystal from her hip satchel and threw it in the air, only to slash through it with the lightning blade. The two dust magics combined shot into the air and formed a storm cloud, which began throwing bolts of lightning aimlessly. Raven quickly re-sheathed and switched blades again, this time pulling out a blade that was bronze in colour. She dragged her sword through the dirt then flicked her wrist towards the Grimm, and chunks of earth ripped themselves from the ground and flung themselves towards where her blade pointed. The Grimm faltered at the combination of the elements and gunfire, their advance coming to a standstill for the first time.
"BRANWEN, YOU DUNCE!" A voice cried out from behind, moments before a wicked scythe cut a swath through the horde on the opposite side of the battlefield.
Qrow spared Tai and Raven only a surprised glance before he became reaper incarnate, hewing his way through the Grimm like a man possessed. A blur of white followed behind, cutting down stragglers and supporting Qrow with blasts of ice dust. Raven scoffed and switched back to a fire-dust blade, while Tai rushed to meet his brother-in-law. Raven followed with a sigh, fiercely covering their rear as the pairs moved toward each other. Tai and Qrow met at an Ursa Major; Qrow severed an arm that swiped at him while Tai jumped on the creature's back, grabbing its head by the chin and twisted violently.
*CRACK*
Bone plates around the Grimm's neck sheared apart as Tai broke its neck, almost ripping the head off altogether. Qrow pivoted around the father of his nephews and disemboweled a Beowolf, meanwhile, Raven and Winter caught up to the two. Winter's face strained with effort as she focused a gravity glyph between the group and the main group of Grimm, then released it, sending a shockwave through the horde that killed most of them instantly. Qrow caught Winter as she stumbled, while Raven and Tai took a breath of relief. That took care of most of the Grimm on the ground.
"You good, snowflake?" Qrow asked, helping Winter steady herself.
"Y-yes... yes, I am fine. Just... I've never used my semblance so much in one day," Winter mumbled. Qrow nodded in understanding, then turned to Tai and Raven. The two men grasped forearms and exchanged tired smiles.
"Good to see you're still alive, you old crow," Tai teased.
"I can't let you outlive me can I, you overgrown lizard," Qrow poked back. The old nicknames brought the two back to their Beacon days for a moment, before reality set in again and Qrow regarded Raven with a look of distrust.
"Here to loot our city while it burns, sister?" Qrow accused. Raven scoffed behind her mask.
"I am here to ensure my family's safety, nothing more," Raven replied coldly. Qrow snorted.
"Didn't know you cared-" Qrow started before Winter interrupted them.
"-I don't mean to interrupt your reunion, but we have a mission to carry out," Winter cut in. Qrow rolled his eyes, and Tai regarded the Atlesian carefully. Though her uniform was torn and stained with a mixture of blood and soot, she was obviously military. If Tai didn't know any better, he might also think she was a Schnee.
"You have a mission, and you can feel free to carry it out. I have family business to attend to," Qrow grumbled. The Huntsman and the Specialist recruit stared each other down, and Tai laughed bittersweetly. It was almost like team STRQ was back on one of their training missions, although this woman's similarities with Summer seemed to stop at her stubborn nature.
"The Grimm are coming," Raven deadpanned from behind Tai. The group looked back to the battlefield with shock, as a new horde amassed in the forest.
"Brothers... where the hell are they coming from? Patch isn't big enough even for that first group!" Tai exclaimed. Raven pointed to the sky.
Sure enough, up in the sky, giant Nevermores circled. They had strange lumps on their backs, which at closer inspection, were other Grimm riding on the backs of the predatory birds. Qrow swore loudly, and Winter blushed at the expletives.
"Professor Branwen! Professor Xiao Long!" A girl cried, drawing the group's attention. Raven rose a brow below her mask.
"Professor's?" Raven mumbled. Her brother and ex-husband were perhaps the two biggest idiots on Remnant, and they were teaching? No wonder Patch was under invasion.
Coco Adel rushed to the group, looking stylish as ever, and hauling Gianduja MK.3 along with her. Behind her several other students followed, each carrying a crude weapon prototype. Tai and Qrow approached the group, leaving Winter and Raven standing awkwardly beside each other. The students looked reasonably shaken up, but they put on brave faces.
"What are you kiddos doing out here? This horde is too dangerous even for Beacon freshmen," Qrow chastised. Some of the students shrunk back, but Coco only seemed encouraged.
"We organized a group of senior melee fighters to come help! As for myself, I just don't feel right hiding in the school. Please, profs, let us help? I for one won't stand by!" Coco pleaded. Pride swelled in Tai and Qrow, and after sharing a look, they nodded their heads.
"Very well, we'll welcome the help. I want Jean, Ora, Nova, and Grey shadowing Qrow. Don't get in his way, he can handle the brunt, just cover his six and pick off the stragglers. Blair and Rey with me, we're going to put ourselves between the Grimm and the city. As for you, Coco... take those birds out of the sky," Tai expedited. Coco grinned, and pulled her hair into a ponytail.
"With pleasure~"
As Frost came to, her first feeling was a migraine. She groaned and tried to bring a hand to her aching head, only to discover that her arms felt even worse. She cracked an eyelid, and recoiled when the sunlight assaulted her cornea.
"Frost? By Jeb, you're awake! You had me worried," John said from somewhere nearby. Frost grimaced as the words pounded inside her ears. Her throat was dry, but she summoned the energy to speak anyway.
"Hey, John... Dust, everything hurts," Frost mumbled quietly, frustrated at her state. How on Remnant had she managed to get up and attack an Ursa with these injuries? Frost opened her eyes and tentatively pulled her shirt up, and her heart sank. There was a myriad of dark purples and yellows colouring her skin, from her chest all the way down to her stomach on the left side. A large gash was decorated with dried blood just below her rib cage, where Entity had kicked her. Frost gave it an experimental touch, but the spike of pain it sent into her abdomen made her regret it. Frost had a sinking feeling, but tried to shift position despite that. She hissed and fell back again as the movement shifted her ribs. Something was definitely broken. John exhaled slowly.
"Yeah, you should've seen the other guys though," John joked. Frost smiled at his words, equally encouraging as they were amusing. How many kids her age could say they killed an Ursa? The thought gave Frost renewed strength, and she tried to sit up.
"AARGH!" Frost cried out, grasping at her aching abdomen. The shooting pain didn't pass this time, only getting worse the longer Frost stayed up.
"Stay down, Frost! Your body needs rest," John said urgently. Frost didn't need to be told twice, gently laying back into her awkward position against the wall.
Frost let out a breath and looked around. The two of them were sitting against opposite walls of a narrow brick alleyway. Mossy stone brick ran between red brick walls, and overhanging rooftops cast a shadow over most of the alley. Frost paled when she noticed flashes of pitch black through the gaps in the roofing. She quickly looked down, preferring not to think about the Grimm at the moment. A rebar stairwell had collapsed at the precipice of the nook they sat in, a complete mess of steel that wouldn't let anything through. Beside John, his sweater had been sliced into a long piece of fabric and cast over... the torso and head of a person. Frost felt a brief rush of nausea when she realized there was a dead person with them.
"W-who is t-that?" Frost asked meekly. John's expression fell.
"A Huntsman. He saved us from an attack, but... he didn't make it," John explained softly. Frost took in an unsteady breath.
"...Are we gonna die too?" Frost asked with a shaky voice. John smiled and made a thoughtful hum.
"That depends. I'd say our chances are favourable, though," John lied. Frost visibly relaxed. John turned his attention back on himself, gingerly reaching up and plucking a small piece of glass from his shoulder. Frost watched in wonder as there was a subtle purple shimmer around the glass, stopping as quickly as it started once the shard was completely removed. John tossed the shard away disdainfully, then grit his teeth and started tugging at another piece in his shoulder.
"You have aura-!"Frost exclaimed. John met her gaze with a small smile.
"I'm not the only one, Frosty," John revealed. Frost gasped. She did feel strange, but she had chalked most of it up to side effects of her injuries.
"H-how do I use it?" Frost asked excitedly. John abandoned the shoulder full of glass and focused fully on Frost again.
"It's hard to explain... its mostly passive, but maybe that's because I'm accustomed to gathering Soulka. Trying to use it in specific ways has been... unfruitful. Like trying to flex muscles I don't have. That shimmer is the most I've managed," John explained. Frost smiled with renewed vigor, but blushed as she realized something.
"Erm.. w-who unlocked it? Did you-" Frost began. John interrupted her with a shake of his head.
"I don't know. It was a woman, a Huntress probably, and she knows Qrow somehow. That's all I know," John said. Frost averted her eyes, feeling extremely vulnerable.
"...Oh. I just... I always thought it would be you or my mom. For a stranger to look into my soul feels, I don't know, weird. Uncomfortable," Frost muttered. John nodded, he had suspected as much.
"I'm uneasy about it too. I'm just glad you're okay," John said. Frost blushed again and tugged at a strand of her hair.
A piercing screech rang out, accompanied by the sound of talons raking across metal roofing. Frost flinched back and wildly searched the air above them for Grimm. Only wooden rafters met her gaze, as well as the underside of the roof. A dent formed suddenly as a Gryphon pecked at the roofing, eliciting a soft gasp from Frost. She looked to John for comfort, only to find he was also anxiously watching the roof. The two stayed deathly quiet as the creature of Grimm clawed at the steel tiles, trying to find a way past. The talons finally found purchase at a seam, and with a great squawk of effort, the monster peeled the metal back. A loud caw left its beak as it peered in at John and Frost, signaling the other Grimm that it had found their prey. John panicked and drew Custos Vitae, drawing a slice across his forearm. Frost watched with wide eyes as purple-tinged blood spilled from the wound, and John flung his wrist up at the Grimm. The dragon blood in his veins steamed as it burned the Gryphon's face, and the Grimm screeched in agony. John and Frost watched with dawning horror, however, as the Grimm recoiled and another immediately replaced it. More caws rang out as Gryphons swarmed the growing hole in the roof.
*SHINK*
Both John and Frost stared slack-jawed as a spearhead that glowed like pure light impaled a Gryphon and pierced the steel roof. Dozens more followed, turning the flock of Gryphons into pincushions. A flash of light preceded agonized screeches as the remaining Grimm were turned to ash, and then there was silence.
"In here!" John cried. There was a scuffle on the roof, then Jewel's face appeared through one of the holes in the roof.
"Mom!" Frost cried emotionally. A strained expression of relief passed over Jewel's face as she confirmed John and Frost were alive, despite their appearance.
"Hold on, sweetheart, don't move! I'm going to get the relief team!" Jewel cried, suddenly disappearing. John chuckled dryly.
"Hehehe, looks like we'll... make it out of this after all..."John mumbled quietly.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
"...I can't believe any of this really happened; It's so surreal," Frost said, still looking up where her mom had been. John's smile faded.
"I know what you mean. I remember the first time, when my village was invaded... it took Shay and I a long time to come to terms with everything that happened that day," John muttered, eyes becoming distant. Frost looked back down at him with a slight frown.
"...Didn't you say Shay died too?" Frost asked. John suddenly snapped back, laser focused on her, and Frost regretted saying anything.
"...I did say that, didn't I? Truth is...-" John began, before the roar of a bullhead filled their ears.
"COVER YOUR EYES!" Someone shouted from the roof. John and Frost both covered their faces, and moments later sparks showered over them as a plasma torch cut a large hole into the steel roof panels. A magnet held the circle of metal in place as the hole was finished, and once the relief team had pulled it away, a single black cable with a clip on the end was lowered. Jewel followed, sliding down like Lucien had taught her many years ago, and rushed to Frost's side the moment her feet were on the ground.
"Brothers, I was worried for you! Are you okay? Where does it hurt?" Jewel immediately fussed. Frost gave her mom a strained smile.
"I think I'll be fine... John took a much worse beating than I did," Frost said. Jewel glanced back, and cringed at John's appearance. John gave her a sad smile and waved.
"Hey, Mrs. Gemini. I hope you're not too upset with me for dragging Frost into all this..." John began, trailing off as Jewel turned around with her hands on her hips. Frost gulped. She knew that stance well. John was about to get chewed out.
"M-mom, maybe this isn't the time to-" Frost began quietly.
"-Don't you dare blame yourself for this, young man! A fugitive and the Grimm have nothing to do with you, and I'm just happy you two are safe," Jewel said sternly. John blinked.
"Well... if you say so," John conceded, thoroughly unconvinced.
"I do. Now, I'll need both of you to put an arm around me and hold on tight," Jewel said, offering a hand to her daughter. Frost braced herself, then clasped her mothers arm. Everything burned hotly in her mind as Frost was pulled from the ground, groaning in pain despite her best efforts to play it cool. Jewel didn't say anything, only wrapping an arm around Frost's waist to keep her steady. John pulled himself from the ground, holding Custos Vitae and the netherite spear in one hand, while draping the other across Jewel's shoulder. Jewel gave the cable a tug, and the three slowly began ascending. As they crested the rooftop, men dressed in bright orange and yellow suits helped Frost and John into stretchers, already prepped to be raised into a hovering Bullhead.
"Was there anyone else? We only have room for two right now," A man yelled over the roar of the Bullhead. Jewel nodded.
"Take them to the hospital, I'll keep the area secure until you return!" Jewel yelled back, sliding back down the cable once the man gave her an affirmative nod. The crew raised the stretchers, then followed on their own cables, and the bullhead sped off like a bat out of hell. Jewel knew the man still in the alley was dead or dying from a glance, but moved to render aid as best she could.
It was Frost's mother that removed the torn sweater from the dead Huntsman.
It was Lucien's desert flower that fell to her knees, sobbing.
"RRAGH!" Tai cried, hurling a boulder at an Ursa.
Thunder resounded and lightning cracked past, filling Tai's nostrils with ozone, and tearing through a Beowolf. Bullets whizzed overhead as Coco pulled lead on a diving Nevermore, eventually hitting the Grimm and tearing a wing off. It crashed somewhere in the forest ahead, but the sound of its impact never made it to Tai's ears. The ground had turned grey with ash and overturned dirt, sprinkled with the browns of torn-apart trees. At least four acres of forest had been completely reduced to a smoldering battlefield. An Alpha Beowolf made it past the frontline and Tai grabbed a partial tree trunk, using it like a club to smash the Grimm away before its claws could reach him.
"INCOMING!" Coco screamed.
Sure enough, razor-sharp Nevermore feathers flew like missiles toward Qrow, Raven, and the shadowing students. Winter was on it, however, already focusing glyphs into existence above the endangered combatants. Although she fell to a knee from the continued straining of her semblance, the feathers snapped and sheared apart harmlessly on impact with the glyphs. The Grimm flowed like water, constantly trying to push around and flank, or seep through cracks between Signal's front line. They refused to budge, however. Those with low aura or injuries had been sent back to Signal proper, with the exception of Tai and Winter, who were far too stubborn not to help in some capacity. Raven was fresh, and Qrow had become famous for slaying hordes like this. Other Huntsmen had arrived to help as well, rushing into battle with the reckless abandon of Haven graduates. The fighting was slow, but the Grimm thinned.
Patch would not fall.
A cheer rang out from Signal behind him, and a moment later, Tai heard why. The scream of jet engines. Tai turned to see two aircraft in the distance, leaving contrails as they came out of afterburner and broke away from each other. One dipped down towards the ground, while the other rolled and climbed to engage the airborne Grimm. The cracks of bullets going supersonic rang out as the main rotary cannon fired, followed by a secondary sound like an intense buzzing. Tai felt his jaw drop as he saw the incendiary rounds impact a Nevermore, turning it to mincemeat instantly.
"Dust, how do I get one of those?" Coco exclaimed.
The second aircraft flew low and made a strafing run on the forest, tearing Grimm apart and cutting down trees. Tai got a good look as it circled around to do a second run. They were sleeker and thinner than Bullheads, with sloped cockpits and forward-swept wings. A small engine at the base of each wing, and a third larger engine at that ran the span of the aircraft; its intake above the cockpit, and the exhaust at the rear. They were alien-looking, and they moved like no other aircraft Tai had ever seen.
"Are those... Jaegers?" Winter asked incredulously.
Jaegers were a large point of contention in Vale, and in Atlas as well. They were a product of Valeian engineers trying to adapt the Atlesian Manta design into an interceptor. Atlas was upset that they hadn't been brought into the project, seeing as it was partially based on their aircraft, and Valeian politicians were split on it because of the staggering cost. It was the most expensive single-seat aircraft to ever fly, not including fuel and ammunition. If you listened to the engineers, however, the Jaeger made up for it in capability. Seeing them in person, Tai was inclined to agree.
"SOT Schnee to Frozen Actual, have you picked up anything new on radar?" Winter spat into her radio.
~Frozen Actual responding, that's a negative. All we have are the Grimm that were here to begin with and the relief team bullheads~
"Be advised we have two Valeian fighters in the Signal airspace," Winter responded. There was a pause.
~...are you positive, SOT Schnee?~
"Absolutely. Tally two Jaegers," Winter reported.
~Copy that, we will update the IFF. Frozen Actual, out~
Winter huffed, and Tai rose a brow at the exchange he'd witnessed.
*BRRRRT*
Tai and Winter both involuntarily covered their ears as a Jaeger passed right overhead, decimating Grimm with the main cannon. a panel opened up on the belly of the aircraft to reveal missiles, and one came off the rail before the panel closed again. The missile flew up and turned almost one-hundred-eighty degrees to destroy a Gryphon that had dropped behind the aircraft, leaving the smoldering corpse to crash to the ground. Winter shook her head at the display. Stealth capabilities? High off-boresight missile tracking? The Atlesian Science Division was going to be pissed when they read her report. Qrow and several students came running up, and Tai frowned when he realized Raven wasn't with them.
"...She left, huh?" Tai asked, feeling his old heartbreak return. Qrow scowled.
"Yeah... she left a message though. 'The children are safe'," Qrow conveyed.
"So the girls are safe, at least...but John and Frost are still out there," Tai breathed. Qrow shook his head.
"I'll move the fastest out there. Will you trust me to find them? Someone will need to do a headcount and coordinate rescue efforts here," Qrow said with conviction. Tai nodded and gave a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"I won't be any help out there in this state. Bring them home, Qrow."
"This has gone awry." A man in a black cloak boomed.
"Oh? You think so?" A woman clad in a hooded longcoat asked.
"The boy lives, and Salem has lost valuable assets," The man stated the obvious, inclining his head to peer at his shorter compatriot.
"Perhaps if you phrase it that way; from my perspective, I see this as an absolute win. This will stir unrest in the people, and cause political fallout in Vale, providing suitable distractions from our movements," She began listing, "Lucien was a traitorous dog, Entity 303 was unhinged, and the boy can always be dealt with later. Have we truly lost when we have gained more than the enemy?"
"Your outlook is certainly... blithe," The man commented uneasily, looking back over the city.
"I prefer 'pragmatic', but whatever floats your boat," The woman responded cheerfully, stuffing her hands in her pockets.
"...Should we interfere? Signal can still fall," The man asked, already leaning forward to strike. The woman harrumphed. He was restless, understandable for a warrior of his calibre. He wasn't the type for this kind of mission, but The Master had insisted on sending someone to protect her.
"I think not, Master would be displeased if we act. Our role is to observe," The woman discouraged, smacking the larger man on the shoulder. He growled.
"Her Majesty will not be pleased," He grumbled.
"See if I care, this island is a mere distraction from the plan. I just can't wait to have some real fun!" The woman said excitedly, bouncing on her heels. The man sneered at her energy, though nobody could see it under his cowl.
"...Shall we leave then? Things are wrapping up here, so the Master likely isn't interested in watching anymore," The man prodded. She sighed.
"I guess. Back to boring old Blakviir Castle," The woman resigned. She pulled a bronze orb from her cloak, adorned with blinking lights and shining gems. With the press of a button, the two disappeared.
...
"-n a hospital? Unbelievable,"
John's eyes opened.
Immediately, the familiar and somewhat nostalgic feeling of waking up after a battle assaulted his senses. Rather than being discouraged by the pain, however, John felt encouraged. With the injuries he had sustained, he had expected to wake up feeling much worse. If he woke up. John's memory slowly caught up to him, the duel and the battle with the Grimm- Frost! John did a quick scan of the room, and to his relief, Frost was fast asleep in a hospital bed on the far side of the room. That's right, they had put the two to sleep for surgery. Qrow was here too, busy bickering with someone over by the door. John relaxed, and took stock of his own condition. There were an abundance of wires coming from underneath his hospital gown, connecting to many more machines than Frost had. X-rays hung on the curtain by his bedside gave John a pretty good idea why.
"Humour me, would ya? My nephew is half dead and comatose," Qrow grumbled. John turned his head to regard his uncle and the woman that was scolding him for having his flask out. The same Atlesian from the festival demonstration.
"Leave the old man alone, he can drink if he has good caws," John butted in, unable to give up the opportunity for a pun. The two Hunters were startled by his scratchy voice, but recovered quickly. Qrow grinned widely, and Winter immediately adorned a more professional stance.
"It's good to see you're awake, brat! How are you feeling?" Qrow asked.
"Decent enough, all things considered," John started happily, "Where are we?"
"You are in the ICU," The woman answered this time. John glanced back at her curiously.
"I see. And you are..?"
"First Gunman, Winter Schnee. At your service," Winter introduced with a small smile. John opened his mouth slightly as if to say 'ah', and sent Qrow a glance that said 'does she know?'. Qrow shook his head almost imperceptibly, but Winter still took notice.
"I have been ordered to guard this particular room. However if it would make you more comfortable, Mr. Rose, I can-"
"That's quite alright, Gunman Schnee. Actually, I'd like it if you could sum up my injuries and overall condition. I'm not so sure my uncle would give it to me straight," John asked. Winter seemed surprised by the formality, but pursed her lips when asked to report on his condition. She glanced at Qrow, and he waved it off nonchalantly.
"Go for it. If the kid is healthy enough to make puns, what's the worst it could be?" Qrow said with a chuckle. Winter picked up the chart on the bedside table.
"Your chart indicates that you're likely to make a full recovery; in six months. You will be required to stay here under careful watch for at least three weeks longer, due to a high risk of complications, followed by one to two months of physical therapy," Winter began. Qrow choked on his drink, and John let out a thoughtful hum.
"Better than I'd hoped," John said happily. Qrow gave him an incredulous look, and even Winter couldn't help but give him a strange look.
"That's better than you expected? What the hell..."
"Better than I hoped. I expected to be dead. Go on, Miss Schnee," John prompted politely, while Qrow began to grimace deeply.
"...your injuries consist of four subungual hematomas, a sprained wrist, a fractured wrist, a sprained ankle, three broken toes, five fractured ribs, a compound fracture in your leg, multiple third degree burns, multiple contusions and lacerations across your upper body, 14 puncture wounds, and... I won't be listing your internal injuries, but there are a lot of them," Winter finished, clearly regarding John with pity now. John just smiled.
"Huh. Neat. How many were lost in the attack? Is Frost going to be okay? Is Patch safe?" John asked worriedly. Winter and Qrow stared at him for several minutes before answering.
"...Approximately sixteen people have succumbed to their wounds, that we know of. The girl you were found with, Frost, has a much better prognosis than yourself. The Valeian military responded and beat the Grimm back at Signal. Otherwise, the recovery team's search is still ongoing. Exactly... who are you?" Winter asked John, who regarded her with a bittersweet smile.
"Snow white finally wondering why Jimmy stationed her at some kid's room, huh?" Qrow mocked from behind her. Winter turned only long enough to give him a scathing glare, then set down the patient chart.
"...Well, I'd hate to undermine this 'Jimmy' fellow, but if you're wondering who gave me all these injuries then you have the white-cloaked assassin to blame. Bastard put up a hell of a fight, but he won't be bothering us again," John briefed. Winter opened her mouth to say something, but Qrow beat her to it.
"You sure, John? That's what you said the last time," Qrow asked skeptically. John nodded.
"I made sure of it this time," John said, explaining no further. Winter looked between Qrow and John inquisitively, suddenly feeling extremely out of the loop. Qrow only shrugged, and John offered only a smirk. Winter huffed.
"Well, I best report to my superiors that you have awoken. It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr. Rose. I hope we can meet again, under better circumstances," Winter said, offering John a respectful nod.
"Likewise," John replied. Winter turned to Qrow.
"And Qrow... farewell," Winter said stiffly, before marching out of the room. Qrow snorted, and John rose a curious brow at him.
"Women," Qrow said with a shake of his head. Though John wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean, he took it as lighthearted banter.
"...So, what happens now? If the Atlesian military posted a soldier here, I'm obviously in some sort of trouble," John asked.
"I'd hardly call the snow princess a soldier, kiddo, but you're right. A lot of heads have been turned your way, and not all of them want the best for you. The Atlesian entourage is here to ensure your safety and privacy," Qrow finished wryly. John rose a brow at that.
"My privacy? Qrow, what aren't you telling me here?" John queried. Qrow chuckled dryly.
"All of Patch wants to know who the heroic young Huntsman is that stopped the invasion. Welcome to the club, kiddo, you're a folk hero,"
"Notch, not this again..." John muttered, paling ever so slightly. Qrow laughed.
"Not a fan of fame?" Qrow asked sarcastically. John let out an arduous sigh.
"Being famous is one of the things I miss least about my old life," John groaned. Qrow smirked and opened his mouth to say something, but hesitated. John looked up to see a man in a long white coat bursting into the room.
"Ah, I'd heard you were awake! How are you feeling, Mr. Rose?" The man asked with poorly hidden excitement. John regarded him with keen eyes. Blue scrubs and a long white coat clearly identified him as a doctor. A bald head bordered grey eyes with an intelligent spark to them, which regarded John curiously.
"Like a creeper blew me a new orifice," John joked dryly, "so pretty good, all things considered."
The doctor rose a brow at the strange turn of phrase, but didn't say anything about it. He scribbled a note on the patient chart he was cradling in his arms, then spoke again.
"And if you were to put that on a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst you've ever felt…?" The doctor asked. John only had to think for a moment.
"A seven maybe? I've had much worse," John said, shuddering for a moment as he thought about the feeling of dragons blood melting his skin. The doctor made another note, then put the chart down.
"My name is Doctor White. I received you and your friend in the ER, was involved with your surgery, and I'll be in charge of your caretaking from here on out," Doctor White explained, putting on a charming smile. John returned the smile, as best he could with the bandages around his chin anyway.
"A pleasure. So, how bad is it doc?" John asked. The doctor remained professional, but John didn't miss the subtle changes in his composure. It was bad. He gave Qrow a pointed look.
"...Oh, right. I'll excuse myself," Qrow grumbled, before stepping outside and closing the door. Doctor White continued as soon as the latch clicked shut.
"There were a lot of complications. You have a great deal of scarring tissue around your body, and you lost a lot of blood before you came to us. It's a miracle you survived. Although, there were a few… contributing factors to your recovery that we don't understand, but we'll get to that."
"Your internal injuries were numerous, but individually, none of them were life-threatening. Regardless, I would recommend eating lightly but consistently. Carefully keeping to a healthy diet - without overeating - for the next month is essential. All of your fractured and broken bones have been properly set and pinned, so as long as you don't do anything strenuous in the foreseeable future, they should have no problem healing. As far as we can tell you haven't suffered any brain damage, although we will be monitoring your brain activity regularly for a few days just to be on the safe side. Your blood work, however, has come up extremely abnormal," The doctor explained. John took a few moments to process it all, then spoke.
"How abnormal are we talking? Is it bad?" John asked tentatively. Doctor White hesitated.
"…not necessarily. Mr. Rose, before we continue, allow me to explain that nothing you tell me will ever leave this room without your consent. According to doctor-patient privacy laws, the only people who can read your file are you, myself, and the headmaster of any combat school you might choose to attend in the future. Of course, until you turn combat age upon your next birthday, your legal guardian will also have access. Anyone else would need permission from myself and also you. Now, is there anything you want to tell me?" Doctor White said. John sighed. Obviously, modern medicine meant there were no secrets between patient and doctor.
"I may as well come clean, then. Erm… I have something of an infection spreading from my arm," John offered. Doctor White nodded.
"Quite. My colleagues and I had first assumed a botched dust infusion when we saw it. Further inspection during our pre-surgical tests, however, revealed it was biological. Do you know what it is?" Doctor White asked. John resisted the urge to rub the back of his neck. He couldn't exactly tell Doctor White that he'd had an unorthodox dragon's blood transfusion.
"No clue. In fact, I know almost nothing about it. A little insight would be great," John said uneasily. The doctor hummed.
"Well, what I can tell you is that it has spread through your entire body. Whatever it is has greatly affected the rate at which your body regenerates dead and damaged cells, and reacts strongly to any form of dust. I won't be able to tell you if it's dangerous or not until I can do further testing, but I would highly recommend avoiding bodily dust infusion and overuse of your aura. We DO know that it isn't contagious, so quarantine won't be necessary," Doctor White explained briefly. He opened his mouth to continue, but a beep from a small device on his belt interrupted him.
"I have to go, We'll talk more later. If you need anything, the nurses will be happy to help, Mr. Rose," Doctor White said before he rushed out of the room.
John tried to relax, even though his thoughts swirled like a maelstrom.
"The three-hundred-thirty-third Entity of The Nameless King..." John whispered to himself, "...and Hiro Blakviir,"
"I want to know who this bastard is, then I want his head on a pike!" Darien shouted from the command tent. The squires pretending to be busy with camp duties while they eavesdropped flinched back.
"...I don't blame him. You wouldn't know it since you and Shay were on assignment in Terra Tehn, but an entire village was replaced with undead overnight. Men, women, children..." Steve gossiped quietly to John. John's expression turned dark, and his polishing of the armour became erratic.
"Necromancy?" John asked.
"That's what it sounds like. In my last scouting sortie, we saw undead women and children travelling with the Outrealm fiends. Someone is helping them bolster their forces," Steve murmured darkly. John growled.
"I can't imagine... I'll kill them myself if we ever meet," John spat. Steve regarded him with a disdainful look.
"Don't be arrogant, John, necromancers are more powerful than you realize. I've seen what they can do... just be careful,"
Highpixel burned.
The capital city, legendary for its impenetrable walls and bustling economy, crumbled. Undead washed over the land around it, filtering in through splintered gates and gaping openings in the walls. Every human they killed joined their ranks, every defender felled a crushing blow to humanity. Their goal was single-minded; Kill.
John, and the rest of The Order, had heard the screams and smelt the smoke before they crested the hill. The sight was nearly unbearable. They had come to pincer the attackers and break the siege. Instead, they simply watched in slack-jawed horror as the pride of Minecraftica became a festering graveyard.
A cloaked man stood on the only remaining beacon tower. His features were impossible to distinguish from such a great distance, but he held aloft a gnarled staff that emanated an eerie green glow and a black wiry crown sat atop his head.
He turned his head as if to look smugly upon the arriving Order of Rose. Mockingly, he outstretched a hand and motioned for them to come.
He never moved after that. He stood silently, a king of the dead.
"Nameless King..." John murmured, lost in old memories. Hiro Blakviir sounded oddly familiar but eluded John's memory. The Nameless King, however... John had a sneaking suspicion, and it frightened him.
"Sounds ominous," Qrow said, snapping John out of his head.
"Ah! Apologies, I didn't notice you return," John apologized. Qrow leaned against the wall, giving John a knowing look.
"You don't have to pretend for me. We all have our demons," Qrow offered. John smiled bitterly.
"Is that why you drink? Does it help?" John asked. Qrow looked away.
"Yes... and no. My curse follows regardless," Qrow spoke softly, "What do you do?"
"I dedicated myself to knighthood. I figured if I was always busy saving lives, I'd have no time to dwell on the people I've failed. Since arriving here, I figured I'd dedicate myself to being a Huntsman," John replied.
"Heh, how's that working out so far?" Qrow asked sarcastically. John smiled, genuinely this time, and glanced over at Frost.
"...I've found the people around me have been far more effective," John said. Qrow mulled the words over, then gave John a sly smirk.
"Aren't you a little old for-?"
"-Sorry about the sudden intrusion, Mr. Rose, but there is someone here to see you! Ah... did I interrupt something?" Doctor White announced as he burst into the room. Qrow and John both shook their heads, prompting the man to continue.
"Right. Well, you don't have to see him if you don't want to, however, I'd highly advise it. Also, he would like to speak with you privately," Doctor White explained. John raised a brow.
"Um... yeah, sure. Send them in," John consented. Doctor White looked back at the door and gave a wave, then Qrow sighed and once again vacated the room. A man with platinum hair, not neatly combed but not altogether messy either, stepped into the room with purpose. A green turtleneck with a silver brooch, paired with a black blazer and slim-fitting suit pants, brought the ensemble together.
As their eyes met, John immediately went on guard. Intelligent emerald eyes regarded John with intrigue, but also seemed to size him up. Something in his gaze unnerved John, though his look revealed no malicious intent. The man adjusted his wire frame glasses, then approached the doctor. His cane clicked on the ground as he walked, although he didn't have a limp. It was ornate and not suited for holding a man's weight, so it must have either been vanity or a Huntsman's weapon.
'Judging by his build and stature, almost certainly a Huntsman,' John observed silently.
The man exchanged a few hushed words with the doctor - during which the doctor's gaze flicked uneasily between the man and John himself - and then the doctor drew the curtain around Frost's bed and hurriedly exited the room. Emerald orbs locked gazes with hazel and violet again, and the man smiled.
"Good evening, Mr. Rose. My name is Ozpin," The man introduced politely. John smiled. He of course knew who Ozpin was by name (how could he not, with Ruby being such a big weapons and Huntsmen geek) but didn't know what could have warranted a visit from the man.
"A pleasure, Headmaster. My name is John, but I'm sure you knew that,"
"You know who I am, then. Good, that saves us the usual introductions. How are you feeling? Doctor White insisted you were doing well, but I wanted to ask personally," Ozpin inquired. John blinked in surprise.
"Erm, I'm doing well enough I suppose. I mean no offence, Headmaster, but I'm sure you could have gotten a detailed report on Patch from your office in Beacon. Why visit me personally? And… in private?" John asked suspiciously. Ozpin chuckled lightly.
"Straight to the point, I see. I can respect that. I am sure you have answered many intrusive questions today, and regrettably, I am here to ask many more. This attack has thrown many things we thought we knew into question, you see, and I think you can clarify a few things," Ozpin explained vaguely. John shifted uncomfortably in his bed.
"…What do you want to know?"
"Let us begin with the fugitive in the white cloak. Eyewitnesses reported that you seemed familiar with each other. Can you elaborate?" Ozpin asked. John only nodded.
'I can't let on too much here, but I can't outright lie either. I'll have to be careful,' John thought, his mind working overtime to find a balance between truth and fiction.
"He's tried to kill me a couple of times before today. Can't say I know who he is or how he uses the elements without dust. If I could wager a guess, I'd say he wanted to steal my sword," John half-truthed. Ozpin rose a brow.
"You believe someone would do all of this for a sword?" Ozpin asked incredulously. John shrugged, wincing when it unsettled his broken ribs.
"It's only a guess. It's a priceless family heirloom, wouldn't be the first time someone tried to kill me for it," John half-truthed again. Ozpin hummed thoughtfully. Whether he bought the story or not, he didn't let it show.
"I see. On the subject of your sword, how did you learn to fight with it? I have seen many boys your age fight, but none quite like you. Who did you learn from?" Ozpin asked.
John tried not to let it show, but the question distressed him. If he lied and said he was self-taught, someone as esteemed as Ozpin would surely call him out on it. However, if he gave Ozpin the truth, he might find it suspicious that he didn't recognize the name of an experienced Huntsman. Suspicion would be aroused no matter what he said, so John decided to deflect instead of digging his hole deeper.
"I'm afraid my tutors aren't around anymore. I'd… prefer not to speak of them," John muttered, letting genuine hurt show. No matter how many years passed, the losses still felt fresh when he thought about them. A look of understanding passed across Ozpin's face.
"I understand, Mr. Rose. It wasn't my intention to reopen old wounds. May I at least inquire as to where you met them?" Ozpin pried, though with a gentler tone. John resisted the urge to groan; the headmaster was awfully persistent.
"I grew up in a small village, fairly remote. We saw the odd trader caravan or retiring Huntsman arrive, but we mostly kept to ourselves. After it-" John shuddered, "-Excuse me,"
"Take your time," Ozpin reassured. John nodded, then continued.
"…After the village was razed, I wandered aimlessly for… Dust, I'm not sure how long. It felt like weeks before I was rescued. I really couldn't tell you where it used to be, only that it existed," John explained, hoping to stop this line of conversation. Ozpin tilted his head ever so slightly.
"Razed? As I recall, your record says it was overrun by Grimm," Ozpin commented. The inconsistency was small, but John wasn't surprised that the headmaster had latched onto it. When he and Qrow had first met, the Huntsmen had scrutinized over EVERYTHING.
"The Grimm came second," John mumbled, his eyes hardening. Ozpin seemed to catch the meaning, and didn't comment further on the matter.
"…you mentioned earlier that the fugitive used the elements without dust. How can you be so sure?" Ozpin asked pointedly.
"It could have been a semblance I suppose, but there was no sign of dust in his weapon or clothing. Most of what he did was activated verbally or somatically, and it was rarely elemental in nature," John explained. Ozpin hummed thoughtfully.
"That does sound like a unique semblance," Ozpin said with a hint of amusement. He obviously wasn't convinced.
"...Why are you here, Headmaster?" John asked tiredly. Ozpin raised a brow.
"As I previously stated, I-"
"-Forgive me, but it has been a long day and I have no more patience for politics and games. Be blunt with me," John requested firmly. Ozpin blinked in surprise. Then, something sparkled in Ozpin's eyes and he smiled widely.
"Qrow was right about you, John Diamond. Tell me, do you believe in magic?"
Ike_/ Well, we have almost reached the Signal Arc. Childhood arc ended up lasting longer than expected, but I'm quite happy how it turned out-
Ryan_/ I'm stealing the A/N. Cry about it.
Ike_/ What? Ryan, no! You can't just appear after a nine-month silence and steal the Author's Note!
Ryan_/ Why not?
Gizmo_/ I mean, you can. But... Ike is scary!
Ryan_/ ...I'm not convinced.
Gizmo_/ He's the author...
Ryan_/ What can he do? Stea-
Ike_/ *Takes A/N and skedaddles*
Ryan_/ HEY!
Ike_/ Anywho, I hope this chapter doesn't feel rushed. I was extremely eager to get it out and cut a few scenes for the next chapter, hopefully it doesn't affect the flow too much... In any case, thank you for reading! We would love it if you would consider showing support with a favourite/follow or review, or if you're into that sort of thing, we have a Discord!
Ryan_/ The population is eight...
Ike_/ Shoo! My A/N!
discord dot com / se8dBMU
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