Chapter 29: Dark
Thunder continued rumbling as the dark clouds started moving over Atlas. What should have been snow turned into light rain, due to the artificial atmosphere of the floating kingdom. The war raged on with no stop, soldiers ran forward as they held the frontlines, shouting and shooting at the Creatures of Grimm. Bodies of the fallen lay on the fields, being trampled by the massive nightmarish monsters. Young men and women continued running forward, gritting their teeth and ignoring the gore around them.
"The battle intensifies as the Creatures of Grimm continue pouring out of this monster. And this thing is massive, it is likely bigger than the largest buildings in Atlas. The Air Force has dropped a myriad of bombs and it has not taken a single scratch of damage. It seems the Atlas Army is now focusing on the waves pouring out of its mouth. For the time being, the land-dwelling Grimm haven't made it into Lower Atlas.
We have received reports from our correspondents in the Atlas Inquirer that a large horde of Grimm is currently moving northbound through Atlas Times Square. Near Pickens Station, Nevermores, Queen Lancers, and even Beringels have been seen attacking civilians trying to get to safety. We also got word that a young woman is leading the charge, seen sitting atop an Alpha Megoliath! Atlas Academy was also attacked by a glowing ball of flames but we received no confirmation of anyone being killed in Action. General Ironwood has claimed to be doing everything he can to make sure the Grimm do not push further north.
We-
GET DOWN!"
The camera shook as it fell to the ground, showing nothing but dirt and grass. A massive explosion rocked the area, accompanied by the hiss of jet engines and gunfire. The cries of soldiers came from the speakers for a moment, as the camera was lifted up, the cameraman began to run.
"Dear viewers, the mass of Grimm has broken through one of the lines of defense and is heading toward the wall. Soldiers are taking positions in nearby farmhouses and even using the equipment to tear the Grimm apart. Sweet… Gods, so many of them were sliced and half by that thing I… I don't know what to say anymore. We took an oath to provide you all with the latest during all this but… I'm not-"
The man was cut off by jettisoning rockets. The camera panned up, seven white rockets flew overhead, each one making contact with the ground, blowing apart Grimm, sending chunks of blood and body parts in all directions. Monstra let out another groan, another thick mass of liquid Grimm pouring out of it. The camera panned back to the reporter, who had a look of fear on his face. He shook his head.
"Cut to black, cut it!"
The feed cut back to the nervous-looking anchor, who was shuffling papers in her grasp. Distant explosions rocked the buildings, the phones were ringing loudly as she looked around. She took a deep breath, looking directly into the camera.
"Folks, I'm not going to sugarcoat it. Things are bad. I implore you to get to safety, if you didn't make it into the subway, then find the sturdiest part of the building you are in. Make sure you have enough food and water to last you the next few days, along with medicine and important paperwork. Tune into the Emergency Alert System for information as well, we don't know how long we'll keep broadcasting. I've made it my mission in life to bring you all the news as it happens and it is a position I will hold until the end.
To my children who are currently in Atlas Academy, don't worry, your mom is safe. We'll see each other again soon, okay? Remain strong, Atlas will survive."
The News feed cut to black, being replaced by colored bars. Levi frowned as he closed his scroll, pocketing the device. He had returned to Weiss's room, watching as Klein examined Nora. Weiss had said he had medical training, and though he had once been their personal butler, he was a certified doctor. The quiet was beginning to bother him, so he decided to speak.
"How is she?"
"The after-effects of so much electricity running through her system gave her a fever. Miss Schnee told me what her semblance is and what it does. Unfortunately, the amount she absorbed was far too strong for her, I'm surprised it didn't tear her apart." the man said, reaching into his bag. His eyes changed colors, chuckling a bit. "This wee lass is lucky, she is. A blast like that could have done more than jus scarrin' er."
"I'm… glad to hear that."
"Aye! A little bit of IV fluids and some medicines and she should be right as rain soon enough!" he said cheerfully, setting up the IV lines. He briefly looked away from Nora, giving him a once over. "So, the young miss fancies ya?"
"Ah… I uh…" he looked away, his ears flattened back, a look of embarrassment on his face.
"You know Jacques would be seething if he knew his daughter was consorting with a faunus. But eh, who cares right? That bastard needed a taste of his own medicine. Honestly, rigging an election, giving his credentials to someone like Arthur Watts of all people? I hope he rots in prison."
"Mr. Sieben I-"
"Klein, if you'd please," he stated, earning a nod from him.
"Of course, Klein, it seems to me like you really dislike the family patriarch."
"Dislike is a loose word, really. More like hate. I stayed because I was concerned for the Matriarch of the family, for the children. Young Winter left at the age of 15, heading straight to Atlas Academy, that in turn made Weiss the next in line, and Jacques was quick to mold her into what he wanted. She left for Beacon at 17 and well, what happened, happened…" he said, shifting his gaze back to Nora, rubbing her wrist with an alcohol swab. "Never sat roight what he did to er, and what he did to Young Master Whitley."
"He's a good kid, I can tell. But I can also see how he was groomed by his father, I sincerely believe that Whitley was always meant to be the heir to the S.D.C. Weiss and Winter were probably heiresses out of formality, he would have looked for a way to 'disinherit them'. Men like Jacques… I know how they work." Levi said, looking away from the man.
"Aye, I have a good understanding of them as well. Were Nicholas around, I doubt Jacques could have done much of anything. The second he set his eyes on Madam Willow, well… I think we all knew where it was going to end. He destroyed this family, and it's going to take a lot to fix it."
"I'm sure Weiss can handle it."
"And where do you fit into it all, hm?" Klein asked, chuckling a bit. "Will you help her mend things with them as well?"
His ears stood up a bit, cheeks flushing. "Well… if she allows me, then sure. I see a lot of my own mother in Willow, you know. In fact, I think if they had met, they would be great friends. They both enjoyed shit-talking idiots over vodka."
The young man closed his eyes for a moment, staring at the floor. "I just want her to get better, no one deserves to suffer with an addiction that destructive. All I know is that I will personally make Jacques pay for what he's done, to this family and to his company."
"Levi, we're coming up. We finally managed to get Penny under control, set up that cot, would you?" Weiss said, causing him to move away from the dresser.
"I gotcha, be careful on your way up, okay?" he said, unfolding the cot they had brought in from the Atlas Manta. He set it down a ways away from Weiss's bed, grabbing one of her spare pillows.
"Ah, it seems the medicine is working!" Klein said, giving Nora a smile as she regained consciousness, staring at her arm in confusion. "No need to worry, Miss! You and your friend are going to be just fine!"
As if on cue, the rest of the team stepped into the room, carrying an unconscious Penny. A trail of green liquid was dripping onto the floor as they walked forward, smearing all over their clothes.
"It took everything we had to restrain her. She finally lost consciousness and now she's leaking." Blake said.
"Set her down, set her down," Klein advised, gesturing to the cot. They carefully did, backing away from the cybernetic girl. Whitley looked at his hands, sighing audibly as he noticed the green liquid all over his clothes. Ruby and Weiss shared the same look, unbothered by it.
"Can you help her?" Ruby questioned. Klein didn't say anything, holding his scroll over Penny, scanning her body. His eyes were glowing red as he looked at the readings he was being presented with.
"Even based on what you've told me, I hardly know what she is," he said, coughing, his tone of voice once again changing. "Ahem, but! It seems her basic anatomy seems similar enough. The least I can do is stitch up that wound."
"Alright, I'm all set up in Jacques's office. I'll be able to start reprogramming those droids and sending out mission orders to S.D.C. World HQ and Snow Shoe Shipping." Stella said, as she entered the room, eyes widening. "What the hell happened to her?"
"We're not sure, she slammed into the ground just outside. Whatever Watts downloaded into her, it's making her act weird." Ruby said, making the silver-haired woman walk forward. She reached into her pocket for her scroll, scanning her systems.
She connected directly to her processor, seeing the screen turn red. "Shit… that bug Watts made… It was a damn virus. This thing is eating away at her core, adding new things to her A.I. It's like a damn cancer."
"Can you fix her?" Weiss questioned, making Stella sigh.
"Breaking into her programming was hard before, we had access to Pietro's lab, all of his schematics and plans. The original basis of this bug was using a recent firmware update to her programming. It's likely my access has been cut off by this virus, so hacking into her to delete is going to take days, weeks, even."
"You're gonna have to set a record, then," Levi said.
"Well excuse the fuck out of me, you want me to not only reprogram thousands of S.D.C. drones and ships to pick up people at the Crater, but also hack into Penny and try to delete this virus, all while the Kingdom of Atlas is being fucked in the ass by Salem, and at any point the Grimm could invade this house?" she asked, an exasperated look on her face.
Ruby stepped in front of her, taking a hold of Stella's hand, squeezing it tightly. "I know it's a lot but… can you?"
"I stopped a Thanatonium missile from destroying my home city, this should be a cakewalk," she said, looking at Whitley. "But you, you'll handle everything else."
"I-"
A crack of thunder filled the room, causing everyone to look toward the windows. The lights flickered for a moment only to go out seconds later. The only remaining light was coming from the fireplace and from the window. Whitely let out a sigh.
"Fantastic, just what we needed."
Their scrolls beeped, May's voice coming through. "Is everyone alright back there? Just saw another bombing run light up the Kingdom."
Ruby frowned, peering through the window, noticing an entire section of Atlas had gone dark. She leaned against the wall, eyes narrowed as she looked around. "It looks like part of the city has lost power. We're okay, though."
"That's good to hear, you figure out what's up with Penny yet?"
"We're working on it, Stella gave her a scan, turns out that bug she made for the General was turned into a virus by Watts. We're gonna see if we can get rid of it for her. We'll let you know when that happens." Blake added, glancing at her friend.
"Keep in contact when you get to Mantle, alright? Sorry that we couldn't go with you, Sonata is in the kitchen preparing stuff for the refugees. We'll send those ships as soon as we can," Levi said, briefly glancing at Whitley who had been staring out the window.
"Don't beat yourselves up over it. Your friends are hurt and there are too many things to take care of. At this rate, I don't know how much there is left to be done." the woman said, ending the call. Ruby sighed, sitting down at the foot of Weiss's bed, holding her head in her hands.
"It's all just… too much. The Grimm, the Crater, Nora, Penny. How do we fix all of it?" she asked, drying the tears running down her face. Weiss sat down beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist. Klein sneezed loudly, his eyes flashing blue as he brushed his nose.
"One step at a time, my dear," he gently replied. With another sneeze, his eyes changed colors, adopting a softer expression. "You can't worry about fixing everything. Simply focus on what's in front of you. If you'd like someplace to start, I'd be able to work faster if we could bring the power back on."
"He's right, I can only do so much with my scroll. Getting the lights running is priority number one." Stella added, rising to her feet.
"Well, how would we do that?"
"We have a generator near the edge of the estate."
Weiss's gaze shifted toward her mother, who was leaning against the door frame, a bottle of vodka in her grasp. She frowned a bit, looking away in disappointment. Crossing his arms, Whitley let out a huff.
"How kind of you to join us, Mother."
"Believe it or not, Whitley, even I'm above drinking in the dark. Besides, I was helping Sonata in the kitchen when the power went out. I came up here to let you all know, just in case you needed it." she said, glancing at the unconscious Penny. "And by the looks of things, you certainly do need it."
She stepped into the room, noticing the look of disappointment on Klein's face. She looked away from him, taking a swig from her bottle. "Hello, Klein."
"Good day, madam."
Weiss shook off the awkwardness in the room, turning to her friends. "S.D.C. executives have their own auxiliary power supplies in case of a city-wide blackout. It's extremely unfair, but perhaps now isn't such a bad time for company perks."
"We don't just have perks, we have the company," Whitley said, a small smile on his face as he turned to Stella. "You hooked all of your stuff to Father's computer in his office, right?"
"Yeah? I was planning on hacking into the systems, but if you are willing to cooperate, then it makes things faster."
"Great, it's going to take a lot of planning as well as mapping the entirety of Atlas, but once I'm done, we can order as many drones and as many ships as we need. I'll need to program the orders for them all, but it should be easy," he said cheerfully.
"Then we need to get the power back on," Ruby said, grabbing her weapon. She tossed Gambol Shroud to Blake who caught it with ease. "Weiss, you stay here with Klein, Nora, and Penny, Levi, if you could help Stella and Whitley, that would be swell."
"Sure, if anything I can use my glyphs to give Stella and Whitley a little boost." the silver-eyed miqo'te said. "Okay then, Team RWBY, let's get shit done."
The group split up, going about their tasks. Bright flashes and cracks of thunder echoed through the manor, as another bombing run struck the kingdom.
xxx
Ruby and Blake sprinted across the courtyard, heading straight toward the outside of the mansion. They stopped in front of a large black gate, the red-cloaked girl fiddling with the keys she had been given. Blake held Gambol Shroud tightly in her grasp, looking around for a moment. The gate behind her creaked, the pair stepping inside. She threw the door open, grabbing the generator's handle, pulling it down.
"Come on, come on!"
"Don't worry, Ruby, it'll work," Blake said, causing the girl to deflate.
"I know, it's just… with everything else going on."
"Listen, I know you don't always know what to do, but that's never stopped you from doing something. I was like that as a girl, but time and… a lot of other things took their toll on me. Then I wasn't sure if that kind of girl could actually survive in the world," she said, glancing away for a moment, memories of their first day at Beacon filling her mind. "And then I met you. It was a little strange at first because you were younger, but I've always looked up to you, Ruby, and I still do."
She teared up a bit, hugging her friend tightly. "Thanks, Blake, for always believing in me."
They turned back to the Generator, seeing it had finally started up. She pressed the button, bringing up the lights. She turned back to Blake, who had a look of sheer fright on her face, her ears standing straight.
"What?"
As lightning flashed outside, the silhouette of a massive beast became visible.
Back in Jacques' study, the power finally returned, shedding light in the darkened room. Within seconds, the man's personal computer started up, along with all of Stella's gear. She cracked her neck as she sat down on a nearby ottoman, glancing over her shoulder. "Alright kid, it's gonna take the two of us to plan things out."
She glanced back at her screens, opening several windows. She instantly connected to the network, finding herself within the S.D.C. welcome page, which asked for her credentials. She typed them into the prompt, having read them off the sticky note Whitley had handed her moments after they entered the study. "Speak to me, how many droids do we have access to?"
"About 100,000. I don't think we need that many. We have a fleet of 200 cargo ships all with the capacity of carrying 300 tons of refined Schnee Dust Company Dust across vast distances. If we can get a headcount from May, I can calculate how much space is in each ship. That way, we'll know exactly how many we need to send down there."
"I'm on it," Levi said, reaching for his comm. "May, do you read me?"
"Loud and clear kid, what's up?"
"You're gonna hate me for this but I'm gonna need you, Fi, and Johanna to run a headcount. We need to know how many people are in the Crater," he said. The sound of gunfire echoed through the receiver for a moment before she spoke.
"It's gonna be a little hard to do that, given the fact we're fighting this river of Grimm," she announced, making him cringe. "I'll see if I can get one of the kids here to run through the shafts and compile a list."
"Shit… can you guess? It doesn't have to be exact."
"Kid, we took several groups from every sector across Mantle, if I were to guess, I'd put us at about 10,000 people," she said, the call ending shortly after. Levi looked at Whitley and Stella, who had similar looks on their faces.
"Please tell me you have space for 10,000 people aboard that fleet."
"We do but… it's gonna be at least several trips. We can't overfill those ships because of the weight difference. We can get away with 500 people per ship, 1000 if we squeeze them tightly." the young man said, sighing. "Thankfully, we have plenty of ships for a constant flow of people, we're gonna need a place to put them all though."
"We can figure that out after we get them here first. Alright, I got through to the droids, I'll start programming the orders. You map out the route and take care of everything else." Stella said, returning to what she was doing.
Something shattered in the distance, causing Levi to whirl around. He narrowed his eyes a bit, focusing on his surroundings. He didn't hear anything, becoming nervous. "Weiss, did you hear something?"
"I did, it sounded like a broken window. Ruby, Blake, can you hear me? What's going on?"
"Guys! There's a Grimm that- LOOK OUT!"
The communication cut off, Levi's face going pale. "Weiss, I'm gonna-"
"You stay where you are, I'll go check it out. Keep my brother safe, okay?" she said, ending the call. Whitley rolled his eyes.
"As if I couldn't defend myself."
"It isn't about that, kid. Creatures of Grimm are serious business. Levi, watch our asses, would you?"
"Respectfully, I can't do that. The only ass I'm allowed to stare at is Weiss's."
"Ew gross, can you not?"
Levi bit back his laughter, Whitley's expression burned into his mind.
xxx
Ruby cried in pain as she was flung back by the Hound. She activated her semblance, sliding across the ground. She pulled Crescent Rose's trigger, shooting herself forward, swinging the massive scythe with all of her strength. It caught the weapon in its grasp, snarling at Ruby, blackened slobber dripping from its maws.
"What the heck is this thing?!"
Blake fired at it, sending a gravity infused aura-slash at it, sending it sprawling back. "It's just a Grimm. Focus, Ruby!"
While the feline faunus kept it distracted, Ruby took a deep breath, steadying her breathing. Her eyes flashed for a moment as she prepared to blast the creature. Blake jumped off the wall, pulling Gambol Shroud back to strike, only for the Grimm to punch her across the field. The Hound stood on its hind legs, arms disjointing in odd angles as he looked at Ruby.
"Take the girl!"
Before she could get her silver-eyed blast out, the beast grabbed Ruby by the neck, pinning her to the ground. She gasped as it lifted her up, slamming her hard to the ground, her aura shimmering as it took the hit. Blake rapidly got up, grabbing Gambol Shroud from the floor, taking aim at the beast.
"Ruby!"
The Hound let out a roar, the screeching snarling howl caused the faunus to cringe, holding her hands over her ears. Its back bubbled as it sprouted wings, and with a single flap, it lifted itself off the ground. She rapidly stabbed her sheath into the ground, throwing her weapon at its leg, wrapping the ribbon around her wrist.
"You aren't going to take her, you bastard!"
As if on cue, several shards of ice struck the beast. Weiss leveled her sword, glaring at the beast in front of her, hand on her communicator.
"Klein, there's a massive Grimm out here, there could be more. If you see any, call me or Levi, we'll be right there."
"Understood, Miss Schnee."
The man nervously looked away from the window, checking over Nora, who had regained consciousness, looking around in confusion. He heard something break, head snapping toward the sound. Willow was shaking, a look of panic on her face. He reached out to her, trying to remain calm.
"Madame, please, try to calm yourself."
"I can't do this. I can't do this!" she exclaimed, darting out of the room. Klein tried to follow her, stopping in the middle of the room.
"Willow, please come back!"
Lightning flashed outside, illuminating the room, a massive shadow looming over him. His eyes widened when he noticed Penny standing behind him, her eyes glowing red. "Oh Goodness, try not to-"
She threw the man aside, stalking forward with a blank expression. Her eyes flickered for a moment, her body stopping as she clutched her head. "No! Stop!"
"Miss Polendina, please sit down, you shouldn't be standing."
"I can't control it, it's fighting back!" she exclaimed, her eyes flashing red. "I must open the- Gaaahh… Help me!"
Weiss darted to the right, avoiding the Hound's punch, deflecting its shadowy fist with her rapier. She fired more ice shards at it, but it dodged it with ease. As she created a glyph beneath herself, a pair of Centinels burrowed in front of her, causing her to scream as they blasted her back with Acid. She shook off the hit, running her fingers over her sword, and with a grunt, she stabbed it into the ground, a pair of white wings erupting from beneath her.
The Centinals attacked once more, causing her to cut off her summoning, the Nevermore fading into white snowflakes as she slashed the spiraling Grimm in half. The Hound finally shook free of its anchor, holding Ruby tightly in its grasp, about to fly off when a distant green glow caught its attention. Ruby noticed it as well, her eyes widening as she looked at her clothes.
"It's not here for me. It's here for Penny!"
She let out a scream as the beast tossed her aside. Weiss summoned a glyph beneath her but she shattered clean through it, her aura shattering as she hit the ground. She darted to her side, kneeling down beside her. "Ruby!"
Blake glared at the retreating beast, squeezing her weapon tightly. "Go back to the others, I've got her."
She stared into her amber-colored eyes, clenching her fist tightly. She sprinted away from the shed, heading straight toward the front door. Blake moved toward Ruby, only for the ground to shake. A massive, disgusting-looking Grimm erupted from it, towering over her. It let out a slithering hiss, its maws glowing green with acid. Her ears folded down, an angered look flashing onto her face.
"Fuck you, Salem."
Back at the manor, Penny was breathing hard, holding her head tightly in her grasp. Her eyes were glowing brightly, a swirl of green flashing around the room. Tears fell to the floor, freezing before they could even stain the carpet. Klein was standing in front of her, coaxing her back.
"It's alright, sweetheart, it's alright. You're okay."
"I-I don't want to do it!"
She felt someone grab her hand, her eyes slowly shifting toward Nora, who was giving her a bright smile. Though the storm raged on, she wasn't at all bothered by it, instead keeping her focus firmly on Penny.
"Hey… no one's going to make you do anything you don't want," she said, the girl clutching her hand tightly.
"I know! But there's something, a part of me… It's making me…"
"It's just a part of you! Don't forget about the rest!"
The storm around them calmed down. Penny's eyes returned to normal, her legs falling out from under her. She held Nora's hand tightly in her own, tears running down her cheeks. She sniffled a bit, drying her face with her sleeve.
"Nora… why am I leaking from my eyes?"
"You aren't leaking, those are tears. When you are sad, angry, happy, or scared, your body makes them. You have nothing to be scared about, we're here for you." she replied in an encouraging tone.
Within seconds, Stella burst into the room, carrying one of her PC's in her grasp. She hastily set it up on one of the night tables, using her semblance to form several screens around herself. She turned to Penny, a serious look on her face.
"Penny, if you want to shake this thing off, I need you to interface with me."
"C-can you help me?"
"I can try to. I'm responsible for what you are going through. General Ironwood was the one that made me make that virus. It didn't start that way, he just wanted to get you to go back to the Academy. It was Watts who changed it, turned it into a cancer that's eating away at you." she said, looking away from the screen. "I'm so sorry, Penny, I didn't want to do it, but he made me."
"It's okay, I forgive you, Stella. All of us are victims of the General."
She shook her head. "No, he realized his wrongdoings after that message was broadcast. He's fighting Salem, just like us, and he's going to need the Winter Maiden by his side. Just relax, I'll take care of it."
"Klein?"
"Yes, Miss Schnee?"
"That Grimm is coming inside. Stay quiet, I'm on my way."
"Do hurry, Whitley and Levi are on their own. Miss Stella is helping Penny and your mother hasn't returned. We haven't heard from Miss Piccolo either."
"What? Shit! I'll be right there just… stay calm, okay?"
"Understood, be careful Weiss."
Willow burst into her bedroom, shutting the door behind herself. She looked around, panicked for a moment. She spotted a bottle on her dresser and moved toward it. She shakily grabbed it, about to take a drink from it, shaking her head.
"No, that's what it wants. You told yourself you'd quit, stop acting like a child, Willow," she told herself, setting the bottle down. She knelt down, pulling the bottom drawer of her dresser, removing the box she had put there a long time ago. Reaching inside, she pulled her old weapon, her multi-action dust spear, Poisoned Apple.
She didn't recall why she had named it that, but it hardly mattered at that point. She slid her thumb over the button, the weapon extending. In her delirium, she always drifted back to this weapon. She kept it clean, sharpened and ready in case she needed it. Her skills were rusty, but she wasn't going to let anyone or anything hurt her kids. A crashing sound filled her ears, causing her to turn around.
Willow picked up the scroll, searching through her cameras until she found the beast. It was a ghastly, horrid-looking thing, enough to make her want to scream in fear. She took a deep breath, steeling herself as she observed it.
Weiss slowed down as she approached the front entrance, noticing the stained glass windows above the doors were broken. "Levi, this thing is in the house, get ready."
"Already am, babe," he replied as she entered the foyer.
The lights were off, the only source of light coming from the top of the stairs. She held Myrtenaster tightly in her gloved hand. With every step forward, the glass underfoot crunched loudly. She shifted her eyes, looking up for a moment as she kept moving toward the stairs. She jumped a bit when she heard rattling pots in the kitchen. She stepped toward the corridor, feeling a shiver running down her spine.
"Above you!"
Weiss moved back, avoiding the hulking beast, raising her sword to attack. The beast was faster, slamming its arm into her. She cried in pain, her aura shimmering as she struck the piano behind her. She got back to her senses, swiftly firing a stream of ice shards at it. The Hound leaped over the railing, moving toward the right wing.
"Mom?"
She didn't get a reply for a moment, as she headed up the stairs. "I… I can see it. It's outside Winter's old room. You can kill it, right?"
"What's it doing?"
"I… I don't know, it's just, sniffing around. It's acting strange, it isn't like anything I've seen before. Why is it even here?"
"That doesn't matter right now. Just keep an eye on it so I can track it down, okay?" she replied.
"Right. Right. Okay, it's moving again… it's heading towards… Oh dear, no."
Levi was pacing the floor, tapping his finger on his arm as he walked. Whitley was typing away behind him, shifting between Stella's setup and his father's PC as he managed everything. Stella had taken off so fast that he didn't even have time to say anything. He had tried talking with Sonata but hadn't heard a thing, and Blake hadn't replied. He was growing worried, especially with whatever this thing was moving throughout the house.
"I really hope Weiss can handle that thing." he thought to himself. He heard a groan behind him, causing him to stop mid-stride.
"Can you please stop doing that? You are distracting me."
"Well, can you blame me? My teammates are out there fighting the Grimm, my close friend is fighting the monster inside her, and my girlfriend is tracking this beast down. Forgive me for being worried." he snapped, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry okay? I'm just… so damn stressed."
"I understand, I'm sorry too. I've never been put in this situation before. Honestly, it's kind of exciting." he replied, his eyes glued to the screen before him. "I've been training for this day for a long time. Having full access to so many things… I can probably get the Heating Grid back on if I put my mind to it."
"I don't think that matters anymore. Mantle's been abandoned, if the Grid ran into the Crater, well…" he leaned back against the edge of the desk, eyes firmly on the door. "So, you like video games?"
"What 15-year-old doesn't?"
"True… the only thing I've played recently, besides Super Smash Sisters, is Pocket Monster Collector Topaz. I got an emulator on my scroll so… yeah." Levi said, earning a look from the boy. "What?"
"You know Pirating is illegal, right?"
"Who's gonna arrest me for it? Not like Human NextWorks is going to care, I know the CEO," he said with a shrug.
"Whitley."
"Ugh, you are the last thing I need right now," he muttered, hanging up the call. Levi frowned, turning to face him.
"You know, you shouldn't treat your mother like that. She really cares about you."
"Pfft, yeah right. If she did, she'd quit drinking."
"She's getting there. Believe me kid, these moments are the ones you want to cherish forever. Once your mom is gone, you'll regret not spending time with her. You'll miss her a lot, eventually, you'll forget her mannerisms, her voice, even her hugs." he said, looking away in disappointment.
"I doubt that."
"Levi, can you hear me? It's Willow."
"I can hear you ma'am… what's-" his words hung in the air as he heard a snarl just outside the door. He leaped over the desk, pulling Whitley down, the boy protesting. He pressed his finger to his lip, peering around the edge of the desk, eyes widening. "What the fuck is that?"
Whitley had the same reaction as he pulled his legs closer to himself. Levi slowly drew Overture from his holster, placing it down beside him. He kept his ears up, listening to every one of the Grimm's movements. His hand moved toward Shiva, pulling it from his leg. He quietly cocked it, shoving it into Whitley's hand. He just looked at him, as if asking him what he wanted to do with it.
"Credentials verified, click to proceed."
Levi stiffened a bit as he heard the monster sniffing the desk. It opened its mouth, snarling a bit as he got closer. "I know you are here."
"It fucking talks?" Levi screamed in his mind. He tried to remain calm but even he was fearful of the thing.
The door shot open, a glowing Boarbatusk pinning the creature to the wall. Levi moved away from it, stumbling onto his feet.
"Run!" Willow shouted.
Whitley paused for a moment, hitting one of the computer keys before darting toward the door. The miqo'te faunus turned around, leveling his rifle as he shot at the Grimm, striking it in the shoulder, causing it to howl in pain. He slammed the door shut, using a glyph to freeze it closed. He pushed the pair forward, eyes trained on the study's door.
"Go!" he barked, opening fire the second the Hound burst through the door, having destroyed Willow's summon. He flicked his wrist, sending a blast of fire forward. The Hound blocked the attack with its arms, slashing at him.
He somersaulted out of the way, using the wall as a springboard as he delivered a pair of slashes at its back. Using a glyph, he shot himself forward, throwing an electrified jab at its back. The Hound groaned as the electric shocks spread through its body. Levi landed in a roll, cocking Overture as he aimed, firing an energy bullet at its forehead, its head snapping back. He took a step back, loading more bullets into it.
The Hound merely moved forward, body contorting for a moment. It spat the bullet to the ground, crimson eyes flashing brightly. "Take the Girl."
It slashed at him, forcing him to dodge. Levi used a vermillion glyph, shooting himself forward, sprinting toward the door at the other edge of the door. Willow slammed it shut the second he ran through it. It didn't stand a chance, the wood exploding outward as the Beast slashed it in half. She screamed, pulling Whitley along with her.
He planted his feet firmly on the ground, tired of running. With a snap of his fingers, he summoned four glyphs, swirling around the creature. Ice, Wind and Fire shot out of each one, taking the beast by surprise. The final one exploded, sending it flying up into the air. He caught the Grimm with a Gravity glyph, slamming it hard against the ground. Kicking off the nearby window sill, he flipped through the air, bringing his mechanical leg down hard on its back, a sickening crunch filling his ears. He flipped around, twisting his body as he threw several Hard-Light slashes at its back, flipping back several feet.
His eyes flashed bright silver as he started running forward, pulling his arm back, blade glowing violet. He let out a cry as he pulled the trigger, the recoil sent him into a death spiral as he darted past the beast, slamming his estoc into the creature's side, tearing a large chunk of blackened flesh from its side. A trail of glyphs appeared beneath his feet, allowing him to skate around the floor.
Against all odds, The Hound managed to pick itself up, its grotesque body snapped and popped as it fixed itself. The chunk of flesh he had cut out of its side sealed itself up, ribs cracking and breaking as it repaired the damage. It slammed its clawed hands onto the ground, back bubbling as two more arms sprouted from its shoulder blades.
"Take the Girl!"
"What the fuck is this thing made out of?" he growled, taking aim at the beast. "Willow, get Whitley out of here now. Meet up with Weiss, I'll cover your escape!"
"And leave you here alone? Are you insane?"
"Do you wanna die? Because if you do, then feel free to stay here!" he replied, shooting himself forward. He swung at the Hound, delivering a powerful downward slash.
It slammed its fist into him, sending him off course but he was quick to fix himself. He backflipped over another strike, delivering a pair of slashes on its head. He threw a hard kick at its chin, its neck snapping back. He fired a volley of ice shards at its legs, sending it off balance, cylinder spinning, stopping on his newly acquired Plant Dust.
He aimed a thrust to the center of its chest, aiming to pierce its heart. The beast shifted, just enough that Overture bounced off its bone plate. He let out a gasp, trying to jump back. The creature was faster, grabbing Levi by his arm, flinging him up into the ceiling with all of its strength. The air left his lungs, body sparkling as his aura took the hit. The beast pulled its arm back as he fell, swinging it full force. The miqo'te's limp body flew through the window, being sent flying across the courtyard.
"Levi, no!" Willow cried, a horrified look on her face. Whitley growled as he rose Shiva, pulling the trigger. The beast shrugged off the bullets, stalking forward, raising its clawed arm at the boy, only for a wall of ice to separate them.
They turned around, seeing the tired sweat soaked look on Weiss's face. "I didn't forget you."
"Weiss, that thing shot Levi out of here. He was doing pretty badly, I think his aura broke." her brother cried, making her go from tired to angry.
"He's too stubborn to die, so I'm not worried, but this thing has royally pissed me off," she said, Myrtenaster's cylinder spinning rapidly. "Go, I've got this thing."
Willow gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek, pulling Whitley along. She smiled, returning to the Hound, who managed to punch a hole through the wall of ice. She spun on her heel, driving her rapier into the ground, and summoning her Armored Knight.
xxx
"God, why did they have to get so gross?!" Blake exclaimed, ducking to the right, avoiding another glob of acid. She climbed up onto the fence, launching herself forward, throwing a spinning slash at the Grimm.
It was a cross between a fat slug and a praying mantis with bone scythes. It was stationary but that didn't mean it couldn't throw heavy attacks. She flicked her wrist, throwing Gambol Shroud up at the roof of the shed, pulling herself up to it, avoiding another acid ball. She opened fire on the monster, leaping over it, emptying the last of her magazine into its head, only for it to deflect each bullet with its scythes.
"I don't know if you can hear me, but I need you, Ruby! We all need you!" she cried, ducking under the Grimm's attack. She parried each attack, using her Semblance, leaving behind a flaming copy, which exploded in its grasp. She took aim at its face, gasping as she was pulled off her feet.
Her pupils shrunk as it tried stabbing her in the face, ducking right and left to avoid it. It hissed, mandibles opening as it prepared another attack. With the aid of her semblance, she darted away, the creature shooting its attack at the ice clone left behind. Blake shook her head, moving back a bit. The sound of glass shattering caught her attention, eyes widened as she saw her teammate rolling across the courtyard.
"Levi!" she cried, stepping forward. She found herself flying back, striking the wall behind her. She shook her head, staring up at the monster in front of her. "Ruby… please get up!"
The cat faunus tried to get up, only to be grabbed by the Grimm, who held her by her throat, its blade dangerously close to slicing her neck open. She struggled to free herself, hands grasping at its arm. She tried getting away, its mandibles opening as acid swirled in its maws. She closed her eyes, tears running down her cheeks.
Suddenly, she found herself falling to the ground, a look of surprise on her face as she saw the Grimm bursting into ashes and darkened whisps. Ruby let out a cough, blowing the smoke away with her hand.
"I could hear you."
Blake let out a relieved sigh, only to shoot to her feet, grabbing Gambol Shroud from the ground. She slid across the soil, rolling Levi onto his back. "Levi, are you okay?"
"Hgn… Weiss… she's… in danger," he muttered, forcing his eyes open. "Go."
"But we can't-"
"Just go… Ruby." he hissed, falling still. She was about to say something when Penny's screams echoed through the courtyard. Ruby looked at Blake, who had a panicked look on her face.
"What do we do?"
"They need us, Levi will be fine. He's too stubborn to die, remember?" she said, voice sounding dejected. Blake looked back down at the unconscious faunus, biting her lip. She dashed away, brushing the tears out of her eyes as she ran.
Moments passed, Levi groaned as pain shot through his body. He tried sitting up, finding his body in too much pain to do so. He reached for his scroll, noticing his aura was only at 2%. His arm fell limp as he looked at the sky, the rumbling clouds finally broke, cold rain began to fall over him. He let out a laugh, ignoring the continuous bombing runs across the edge of Atlas.
"What the hell did we get ourselves into?" he mumbled, closing his eyes.
"Oh come on, Levi. Don't tell me you're gonna give up now." a familiar voice asked. He opened his eyes, seeing Aria standing over him, hands on her hips. "This is not the attitude of a Fully Fledged Huntsman. Now get up, it's time to fight… you gotta help your friends and save your girl. Go on, git."
He coughed loudly, forcing himself to sit up. He stuffed his hand into his holster, pulling out an auto-injector, which he stabbed into his leg, hissing from the pain. His body glowed brightly as his aura covered him from head to toe. Looking at his scroll, he saw it going from 2% to 50% and rising. He tossed the injector aside, finally getting up to his feet. Pain shot through his body, but he didn't care.
"I need to get back to the foyer," he said, racing forward.
Penny let out another frightened scream as she stumbled around, her eyes glowing. Klein held her down, trying to keep her still. "Miss Polendina please, you are making this process harder on us."
"I can't! I'm sorry!"
She gave another helpless cry as the virus took over, fully controlling her. Klein did his best to stop her, but she pushed him away. Stella growled angrily, slamming her fists on her keyboard, grabbing Sylvie, and taking a hold of Penny's hand. "Stop!"
"I cannot, I must open the vault and self-terminate," she said, turning to look at Stella, her eyes red and devoid of emotion. She grabbed a hold of her hand, almost crushing it as she wrenched herself free.
"You guys, be careful. Penny was overtaken by the virus and we couldn't stop her. We need to make sure she doesn't leave the manor!"
"I got a situation in the kitchen so I won't be able to… whoa! Goddamn Centinals, where do you all keep coming from?" Sonata cried, her call ending.
"We're on our way, Stella. Just try to hack into her while we stop her." Ruby said, making the woman sigh.
"If only it were that easy."
Whitley and Willow finally made it to the foyer, away from the monster. The teenage boy leaned against the banister, clutching Shiva tightly in his grasp. He panted, looking up at the ceiling. "I hope he's okay."
"He'll be fine, he's a good fighter."
"Yeah, no, not everyone can just shrug that off. He was sent flying through a window, Mom," he replied. As he opened his mouth to speak, he spotted Penny, walking forward, her methodical movements taking him by surprise. "What are you doing?"
"I must open the vault and then self-terminate," she answered in a monotone.
The window shattered behind her, causing her to turn around. The Hound let out a roar as he threw a slash at her. She grabbed his clawed hand in her grasp, her eyes flickering between red and green as she held the beast in place. It hissed angrily, a third arm erupting from its back, grabbing a hold of her head.
"Take. The. Girl."
With every word, it slammed the cybernetic girl onto the ground. He lifted the limp girl up, letting out another ear-shattering roar. Ruby and Blake burst through the door, gasping as she saw the monster holding her friend in its grasp. "Penny!"
It smirked at her, holding its clawed digit to her throat. Blake's hands shook as she gripped her weapon, planting her feet firmly on the ground. Weiss raced in from the opposite hall, pointing Myrtenaster at it, stance unwavering as she channeled her aura through her blade.
"That's enough."
Her eyes erupted, a brilliant silver light pouring into the room, with enough force that it sent the creature flying through the windows, screaming in agony. Penny fell down the stairs, rolling down them until she stopped at their base. Blake and Weiss knelt before her, checking her over for injury.
"Holy crap guys, you wouldn't believe what I just dealt with in the kitchen." Sonata cried, sliding to a stop in the foyer, piccolo clasped in her hand. She looked around for a moment. "What the hell happened here?"
A shadowy arm shot up, grabbing the edge of the window sill. Sonata's voice caught in her throat as she brought her piccolo to her lips, ready to attack when she saw the monstrous Grimm pulling itself onto the landing, its contorted head hanging from the side. Carolloo slipped from her grasp, a sick feeling flowing through her when she saw what she was staring at.
"Take. The. Girl."
There was a man in the center of the beast, his face had been scarred over as the Grimm clung to its body. With every step it took, it snarled the same words. "Take. The. Girl."
Ruby's throat became dry as she backed away from it, Crescent Rose almost slipping from her grasp. She looked at the man's features, brown spiky hair, feline-like ears, and a striking silver eye. A streak of black dripped down its cheek as it reached for Penny's unconscious form.
"Take. The. Girl!"
His bones seemed to snap as the Grimm started overtaking him, like some sick suit of armor. Weiss and Blake moved Penny out of the way, weapons held out to fight it. They were speechless, just staring at the beast. Whitley studied its movements for a moment, his eyes falling on Penny. He looked at the giant suit of armor beside them and pulled on his mom's shirt, grabbing her attention. He waited for the right time, pushing against the statue.
"TAKE THE GIRL!" The Hound shouted, about to lunge at Penny when the suit of armor fell on top of it, crushing it under all of its weight. As the dust settled, the armor's giant sword became visible, having pierced through the Hound, pinning it to the floor. It hissed loudly as its blackened body slowly turned to smoke, disappearing into nothingness.
"What the hell was that?" Weiss asked as Ruby fell to her knees in disbelief.
"It was… a person."
Lightning flashed filling the darkened foyer with a brief flash of light, revealing the skeleton of the man beneath the Grimm. Footsteps filled the room as Levi stepped closer to the statue, his clothes partially soaked from the rain.
"He was… a miqo'te… a silver-eyed…." he said, looking at his hands for a moment. "Salem has been killing them… my family, my tribe… this is what she's…"
Weiss was instantly at his side, hugging him tightly. She gave him a kiss on the lips, holding it for a moment before pulling away, taking a hold of his face. "Look at me, Kitten. She couldn't have done this to every one of your tribe. She-"
"Don't," he said, stepping away from her, a dark shadow looming over his eyes. "Don't do that, don't try to comfort me with a lie. She's been doing this for a long time. My tribe, all of Eorzea…"
His ear perked up, a loud screech came from the front courtyard. Several Grimm were racing toward them. Teryx's, Sabyrs, Beowulves, Ursai, and Beringels. They were drawn here due to all the fear and negativity flowing through them. He clenched his fist tightly, grabbing his rifle out of Weiss's grasp, reaching into his pocket for some bullets.
"I'm so tired, so fucking tired of these things killing people. I'm so sick of Salem, thinking she can do whatever she wants! I'm not letting you motherfuckers set a foot in this house!" he shouted, his eyes flashing brilliantly. His mother's voice filled his mind, a small smile flashing onto his face.
"You have to put yourself into a trance, thinking about those who you care about the most. Then you can blast the hell out of the Grimm. Make them go, poof!"
Everything seemed to stop as a bright silver light erupted from him, crackling like thunder. The Grimm that were racing at them howled in pain, blasted by from the devastating attack. The brilliant light died down, revealing the aftermath, a collection of stone Grimm that all turned to ash the second they touched the ground. One of them had been blasted back, twisting the Schnee Crest near the edge of the fountain. But that hadn't been enough, the Grimm were still running at him.
He snapped his fingers, Grav-Con sparking to life as he leaped forward, swinging his sword at an incoming Teryx, slicing its head clean off. He used a glyph as a platform, jumping higher until he threw himself into a flip, smashing his knee into an Ursa's head, the Gravity-infused strike crushed its bone plating as if it was made of paper. His ears folded back, the man throwing himself into a somersault as he avoided the slash of a Beowulf. He stared right at it, turning it to stone with his eyes, punching it into dust.
Levi cried in pain as a Sabyr bit into his shoulder. He growled angrily, grabbing the beast by the scruff of its neck, pulling it off of himself. He slammed it onto the ground, stabbing his estoc clean through its eye socket. The rain had intensified, the darkened clouds overhead churning as the water pounded the city of Atlas. He flipped back, avoiding several slashes from some Beowulves, which he quickly took care of. With a snap of his fingers, a pair of Brown glyphs appeared beside him, firing a barrage of stone spears outward, but it wasn't enough to bring down the incoming horde.
"Goddamn it, where did so many of them come from? It must have been that… that thing. It summoned them here." he thought to himself, as he killed another Sabyr. He flung a set of thick thorny vines outward, pulling them back, using a vermillion glyph to shoot the Ursa into the air before smashing it down with a Gravity glyph, its body being stabbed into the spikes of one of the Schnee Crests.
A loud roar filled his ears, causing him to turn around, just in time to deflect a punch from an Ursa Major. He flipped through the air, stabbing Overture into the ground, a brown glyph flashing beneath it. He drew his blade from the ground, swinging it to and fro, Earth-Dust infused aura slashes slicing into the beast's skin. He cocked his rifle, ending its life with a final round.
"Ruby, you have to go out there and help him," Weiss said, glancing at her friend. "Blake and I don't have much aura left after dealing with this thing, and someone's gotta restrain Penny. You're the only one who can help him."
"I… but-" she paused, grabbing her scythe. She flipped it around, replacing the spent magazine with a fresh one. "You got it."
Using her semblance, she shot out of the house, swinging Crescent Rose downward on a Teryx, using it to swing over to another Grimm. She cut its head off, using the recoil to stab her blade through the Beringal's orbital bone. She spun her scythe around in swift sharp arcs, cutting through the Sabyrs like a hot knife through butter.
Levi watched her for a moment, their eyes locking. They nodded to each other in acknowledgment and continued their fight. The miqo'te faunus channeled his aura through his weapon, flinging a Time Dilation glyph to Ruby, her body glowed gold as she shot forward, zooming around like a crimson blur.
Despite their efforts, the Grimm still kept coming. Another flash of lightning illuminated the area, the air around them crackling with electricity. Levi took the chance to reload, shouting as he cut a Beowulf into fourths, jumping back to let Ruby cut an Ursa Major down with a single swipe. He used her scythe as a platform, she pulled the trigger, launching him forward like a rocket. Firing Overture, he spun like a helicopter blade, cutting down the remaining Beringals. He caught himself with a Vermillion glyph, shooting himself back, spinning through the air as he landed on the base of the destroyed Schnee Crest.
He looked back at the worried faces of his friends, his gaze settling on Weiss, who was holding her hand over her heart. He tightened his grip on Overture, his eyes swirling with light. He swiveled around on his foot, lightning streaking across from him, wind billowing his cloak. He stared at the enemies ahead of him, his face free of emotion, none other than calmness. Everything seemed to slow down, even the falling rain became nothing more than slow-moving droplets of water. Overture's cylinder clicked loudly, finally stopping on Ice, his estoc illuminating as the designs of the blade started glowing brightly.
Levi fell almost into a trance as he shot himself forward, throwing a frost-strike at an Ursa, freezing it in place. He quickly turned around, shattering it with a kick. He angled his blade, parrying an incoming strike from a Beowulf, grabbing a hold of its arm. He threw it over his shoulder with ease, drawing his 5/7 from behind his back, blowing its brains out with a single shot. Time almost slowed down for him as he jumped back, narrowly avoiding the fist of a Beringal. Landing in a crouch, he extended his estoc, delivering several speedy fire strikes, jabbing it in the center of the chest before stepping back, firing a Gravity bullet through its face.
His ears perked up as a pair of Manticores swooped down on him, maws wide as they aimed to bite him. He waited for the right moment, shooting himself back with a glyph, allowing Ruby to slice the pair in half with Crescent Rose, their bodies turning to ash before they hit the ground. Levi turned around, crying in surprise as a Beowulf slashed at him, sending Overture flying.
"Fucking bastard." he thought to himself, using his pistol to block the attack, he quickly flipped it around, striking its chin with the butt of it. He shoved the barrel into its mouth, pulling the trigger. Its head froze instantly, and with a single punch, shattered like glass.
Levi moved back, sliding on some ice glyphs, spinning himself around until he came to a stop. He held his hand out, activating the device Stella had given him earlier. It glowed a brilliant violet as Overture was drawn back to him, being pulled by Gravity Dust. He caught it with ease, cycling through his remaining Dust, cylinder stopping on Lightning. He let out a cry as he flung his Lightning Glyph up high above him, the disc expanding far larger than he intended. The electricity shot out from it, striking Overture as if it were a lightning rod.
Ruby stepped back, shocked by what she was seeing. Levi's eyes were aglow, unlike anything she'd ever seen. Her silver eyes usually stopped glowing after she used them, but his kept their silvery sheen, almost reminding her of the Maiden Powers. Was this the true potential Ironwood had spoken about? Lightning seemed to be pouring from him as he sent a slash forward, arcing like a lightning bolt, blasting the incoming Grimm apart.
The man stepped forward, disappearing in a flash of lightning, slashing at the Beringal so fast she could hardly see his blade. He kicked himself back, bringing his sword down on an Ursa, stabbing it clean through the side of the head. Another Beringal tried its luck against him, but he was faster, swiveling on his foot, he transferred Overture to his opposite hand, landing a devastating Lightning strike on the Grimm, causing it to howl in pain before its demise.
He darted around the courtyard, thick bolts of lightning trailing after him with each and every slash he threw. He finished them off with ease, darting back and forth between enemies. He stopped for a moment, staring at the massive Alpha Megoliath racing toward him. He flexed his fingers, shooting himself into the air with a vermillion glyph. His eyes glowed silver as he swung his sword at the creature, blasting it with a bolt of lightning so massive it seemed to come from the heavens. With a final blast of his silver eyes, the creature was no more fading into dust.
Levi looked around for a moment, seeing all of the Grimm were finally dealt with. He spun Overture around his wrist a couple of times before sheathing it, brushing his hair out of his eyes. The glow coming from them finally seemed to disappear as he looked up at the clouds, the rain continuing to pound the land around them. His cloak billowed in the wind, causing him to shiver a bit from the cold.
"Whoa… that was so cool," Ruby said, causing him to look at her.
"What?"
"You! You were here, and then you were there, and then zap, you killed all of those Grimm like it was nothing! You were like… summoning bolts of lightning and everything!" she said, making him blink. He looked at his hands for a moment, seeing a few traces of lightning still moving through them.
"I did? I'm sorry, I sort of fell into a trance back there."
"Well, it's clear to me you finally tapped into that potential General Ironwood was talking about," Weiss said, giving him a smile. "Thank you… for protecting the mansion."
"Of course, I'm not letting any harm come to you, my friends, or your family," he said, glancing over his shoulder, cringing when he saw all of the destruction he had left in his wake. "Oh… jeez. Um… Madam Schnee?"
"Just call me Willow dear, you've earned that right, I think." the woman in question said, standing at the edge of the stairs. "What's the matter?"
"I'm sorry for destroying your courtyard."
Her eyes grew wide for a moment, a smile on her face. "Oh darling, after all of this that's what you are most worried about? Forget about it, I always thought those statues were gaudy. Now come inside before you catch a cold. This rain isn't good for anyone."
The moment he stepped into the house, he moved toward Penny's unconscious form, a look of worry on his face. Stella was already with her, her PC in her grasp. She looked away from it for a moment, shaking her head. "This thing is too deep, there's nothing I can do."
"Can't you try?"
"I did… but Watts was as cunning as I expected him to be. He likely expected me to try and stop him, so he put a code in this thing specifically to deal with me. And to add insult to injury, he modified my digital signature and attached it to that strand." she said, shaking her head. "There's nothing I can do to save your friend, I'm sorry. For now, I'll return my focus to evacuating Mantle… it's all I'm good for now."
She hastily made her way up the stairs, being followed by Sylvie. He sighed as he let himself fall back to the floor, staring at the chandelier above him. "What else could possibly go wrong?"
A/N: This is my favorite episode in the series, the dark ambiance, the fight against the Hound, and the discovery of it being a Silver eyed faunus, it was one of the most brilliantly written episodes of the series, one of the few I don't have issues with. So of course, it became a focal point for the characters. I think Levi seeing what was done with his tribe was a perfect moment of growth, both for him to see the truth of what Salem was doing, but also to tap into his true potential, that of the Miqo'te ancestors. They had the ability to use Dust to make attacks akin to magic. It was a true potential that was lost with the fall of Eorzea, and one that not many are able to tap into anymore. Hopefully, he doesn't die before he can master it, lol.
Well, that's it from me for some time. I think my next update will be in September. The final chapters of this arc have been finished since around June but I'm keeping updates slow so I can edit and change a few things. I've been very busy IRL so yeah lol.
