The next morning, Ren awoke with a sense of familiarity. The first thing he did see was the remains of his home. For a moment, he had thought that he was in some terrible nightmare where he returned to the destroyed remains of Kuroyuri. He only remembered soon after when everyone else was sleeping soundly with the exception of Jaune who had taken the last shift, staying awake until everyone else did.
"You doing okay?" he asked.
"Yeah," Ren replied. "Just thought I was in a nightmare for a minute."
Jaune nodded in understanding. "You ever wish you could ever go back to this?" There was curiosity behind his voice. "You know, a home you could call your own and family?"
"There are times," Ren made no attempts at denying. "But I know I can't stay here forever. I wouldn't have met any of you guys if I did."
"Right," Jaune said, standing up. He put on his helmet. "We should get some wood, start a fire. A big one."
Ren tilted his head. In response, Jaune only pointed his sword at the sky. Ren had to squint his eyes just to get a look. When he managed to get a good enough view to make out the shapes that Jaune had pointed out, he exclaimed, "Airships."
Jaune nodded. "We'll need to get their attention somehow. By the looks of it, they wouldn't even be able to get here and even if Jeanne flew, it would take them hours. Thought that maybe we could just set a huge bonfire and grab their attention."
The two of them waited for the other members to wake up. When Jaune shared with them the news, each member was elevated.
"I'll go look for the wood!" Nora said as she rushed out of the town. There was an entire scary forest for wood. It was scary but the prospect of getting to Haven made them seem more appealing. The fact that there was nothing there in the first place meant that it should be alright.
"I'll see what I can gather here," Pyrrha said. "We'll start a fire early."
"Don't need a firestarter," Jeanne added. Within the palm of her hand, a fire was conjured. "You sure you don't want me to do this?"
"It should be enough, and it will take time before they get here anyway. Might as well conserve what we got."
Team JNPR got to work. The airships were still up in the air, Jaune guaranteed them that the airships had just begun as he saw them rise in the distance. However, even if the airships did return, there had to be some tower nearby that would be spotted by them which was Jaune's goal. Nora was gleefully tearing down the scary trees, all the while yelling out "timber!" as she did so. In an impressive but unsurprising feat of strength coming from her, Nora could carry two entire trees, one on each arm. What was surprising was that she was careful with it as well. Though much of the walls were destroyed, she was careful to not damage the town any further than it already had.
Jeanne aided them in the chopping of the wood and started the fire. They started out with a small ember but in time, it would grow to a roaring inferno that would no doubt gather their attention.
As they did so, the smoke was rising into the air. There would be no missing this even if the airships had already docked somewhere. All that they had to do now was wait.
Footsteps were heard. They were not alone. Something else had been drawn to the flame.
When they turned, it was Ren and Nora who had the widened eyes. The others were as well, but it was them who could recognize the Grimm the most.
Easily towering above them, the Nuckelavee was a Grimm that were the fusion of a humanoid-looking creature that was attached on top of horse like creature. Bones that had formed its rib cage were protruding outwards and there were massive horns growing out of the back of its head. The rider had elongated arms that were dragged along the ground. It moved by slumping itself from side to side with the horse dictating the direction. The rider had to break its own bones as team JNPR could hear each one cracking just so that the rider could get a good look at them.
At the sight of them, the Nuckelavee gave out a ghastly scream that caused all members of team JNPR to get on their knees and cover their ears. Only Jaune was the least affected since his helmet also muffled much of the sounds but he still got down due to how loud it was.
"It's aiming for the fire!" Jaune called out. "We need to get it away from it!"
Leading the charge, it was Jaune that made the first move by going after the Grimm. Jeanne followed suit, raising her flag. Ren and Nora came after that leaving Pyrrha behind. The Invincible Girl used the rifle form of her weapon to get the first shots. It was doing little as the Grimm's hide and armor was far too thick and tough for any bullet to go through.
Pyrrha ran to the side, if the Nuckelavee were to go after them, she would need to make sure that it was happening away from the fire. Slowly, she joined the rest of her team as she, along with Ren and Nora began to run circles around the Grimm, each one firing shots against them.
The Nuckelavee was the first to strike. By flinging its elongated arms, it sought to disrupt the rhythm that team JNPR was creating. The horse's hooves kept Jaune and Jeanne away as neither could get in close. Jeanne couldn't jump on it as the Grimm was moving too much for something so large. At times, the Nuckelavee had reached one of its targets only for said target to escape when another member of team JNPR increased their output to grab the Grimm's attention.
It was Jeanne that got the first strike. Circling enough times while slowly closing the distance had allowed her to impale the spearpoint of her banner between the ribs of the horse Grimm. Another ghastly wail filled their ears both rider and mount felt that pain. Jeanne had to cover her ears the most with how close she was. The moment's distraction had cost her for the Nuckelavee moved to be in front of her, smacking her hard with the back feet of the horse.
When everyone had recovered, the rider of the Nuckelavee began to spin. Using its elongated arms, it made sure that no one would go near it. Even as it reached its limit, the arms continued to swing and stretch until there was nothing left. It immediately spun in the opposite direction, preventing any of team JNPR to take advantage.
Afterward, there was a moment's pause. All members of team JNPR stood up and readied their weapons. Neither side was making a move as they observed one another. The rider of the Nuckelavee was limping from side-to-side as it observed each member before it could respond.
Each member of team JNPR were thinking up of their own plans. Their eyes darted towards whatever object or area that they could use or to one another for some team attack. Right now, the space that they were in was wide enough to allow a freedom of movement but the structures were close enough that some of their members would be able to leap across and make use of the terrain as well.
Ren was the first to act as such, he ran up the tree and began firing, resuming the fight. From the corner of his eyes, he could see that the fire was still generating smoke. However, the battle with the Nuckelavee was generating its own dust clouds that he was certain that some airship may have detected something. Whether that was to send aid or simply investigate, he was uncertain. All he knew for certain was that airships may be coming soon. He leapt to the next building, resuming fire.
The Nuckelavee had predictably chose him as the next target. The stretchy arms went for him, destroying stone and wood as Ren leapt across them. With each leap however, the Grimm was able to catch up as he needed seconds to get the best footing. Seconds that had cost him as the Nuckelavee managed to grab Ren's arms and pinned him to one of the walls.
"Nora! Pyrrha!" Jaune cried out. "Pomegrenade!"
Without much thought, Pyrrha readied her shield, launching Nora who leapt on it. The target? To intercept the other arm of the Nuckelavee who was targeting Ren. Nora managed to get there on time and redirected the arm towards the portion of the wall next to Ren. It came at a cost of Nora's hammer being stuck though.
The two blondes went in for the melee while Pyrrha fired using her rifle, getting the attention of the Nuckelavee and bringing towards them.
"Knight War Order!" Jaune ordered. It was Jeanne who nodded; it was their team attack.
Jaune was the first to meet with the Grimm. With his shield out, Jaune took the first strike of the Nuckelavee's front hooves. An impressive feat of strength considering that the Grimm had equine-like features and was charging at them. Jaune managed to stop it in its tracks as he did so. Jeanne, with her flag raised, leapt off of Jaune and began to thrust the Nuckelavee multiple times. Jaune didn't allow her to do all the work as he then pushed the hoof aside and began swinging wildly at the bottom of the Grimm.
The Nuckelavee was panicking. Being attacked both on the rider and the mount meant that it had to focus on something. Only the durability of its hide was able to give it the advantage of enduring such an assault.
With the Grimm's attention now diverted on the two blondes, Ren and Nora managed to get down. At the sight of the Grimm fighting back however, Ren's pupils dilated. Right before him was the same monster that had destroyed his town, he had been given the chance to finally kill it and avenge his family. He stopped however and breathed. He couldn't let himself be consumed by his own anger less he be a burden to his allies. The sight of Jeanne's flag waving in the air gave him a morale that was calmer and less driven by hatred.
"Ren?" Nora asked. She had concern written all over her face.
"I'm okay," Ren assured her.
Jeanne had been knocked back. Being in the air meant that she had no ground to push her feet against.
"Arkos!" Jaune ordered. Pyrrha was with him forming a two-man shield wall. She had been impressed by Jaune's strength since she had to supplement her own by using her semblance to keep her bronze shield in place.
"We need to pin it down." Jeanne got up almost immediately. "I can take one of the arms. Jaune and Pyrrha can take the other. Nora, can you handle the horse?"
"I can." She nodded.
Jeanne then turned to Ren. "This is your fight to have. Could you do it, Ren?"
Ren gave her assurance. "Not just for my friends but for myself." Before Jeanne could speak, Ren added. "Thank you, Jeanne."
She gave him a smile. "Martial d'Arcs," she ordered.
Ren and Jeanne's combination wasn't as flashy and didn't end with a big bang. Martial d'Arcs emphasized speed and precision. A pincer attack that involved the two spreading out and attacking from the sides. It was meant to twist the body with Ren aiming high, using his daggers and weight to pull the Nuckelavee in one direction while Jeanne uses her spear to push the Grimm in the other. They twisted the rider and Jeanne used this moment to conjure an ice spear to impale the arms. It was temporary placement for Pyrrha recognized the move and used her javelin to take the place of the icicle for a more permanent solution.
The Nuckelavee tried to retort by using its other arm. It reached out for Pyrrha for being the one to throw the javelin. However, Jaune was the first to respond by using his shield to slam against the arm. Pyrrha, with her semblance again, used Jaune's sword to impale the remaining arm, holding the Grimm in place.
From above, Nora slammed down on the horse, bring the rider down to their level. There was a clear crack on the ground as the horse's head was flattened and lifeless. The rider struggled to have the rest of the body move but it would seem that the two bodies are independent of each other while being attached. Since the horse had been dealt with, the upper half could only struggle fruitlessly while the lower half is unmoving.
Ren moved to face the rider. The Nuckelavee's remaining body wailed at him, one last attempt at instilling fear. When Ren stared it in the eyes, the memories of everything it had done to him came flowing back.
He remembered the screams and shouts of the people panicking as they went out to save themselves and whoever they could. Ren could hear his father telling him to run while he fought hopelessly against the Grimm. He remembered being underneath that one building where he had discovered his semblance, Tranquility. He had the capacity of disguising himself and others from the Grimm. Since Grimm were drawn to negativity, by disguising any sense of emotion, he essentially becomes invisible for the monsters.
None of that was present here. Ren wasn't using his semblance and so the Grimm could see him clearly. But there wasn't as much anger in there either. The only feeling he had was that he was finally facing against the very cause of his suffering. He felt on a hand on his shoulder.
Nora, always at his side, was there with him. With her other hand, the two of them brought up the dagger that Ren had held. It wasn't just his pain that the Nuckelavee had caused but also hers. It was just as much Nora's as it was his.
"For everyone that it slain?" Nora asked.
Ren nodded. "For us."
Thusly, the children of Kuroyuri thrust the dagger deep into the head of the Nuckelavee. The blade penetrated deep from the chin as the Grimm gave one last final scream of before it fell limp to the ground, permanently dead.
It had taken time for them to dissipate but it had begun immediately after the Grimm died. Team JNPR were successful in their skirmish.
"Oh look," said Jeanne, pointing above. "Seems like we got their attention."
Above them, airships were making their descent in Kuroyuri. The amount of destruction that was happening in the area must have caused them to investigate. It was either that or the fire.
One of the crew members called out to them when the doors had opened. "You kids doing alright? We saw the smoke and the commotion."
Nothing had sounded better for team JNPR. None of them really bothered to clean up after themselves and just stepped into the bullhead. As Kuroyuri was being left behind, both Ren and Nora looked out the window just to get one last look of their childhood home. For Ren, there was a wave of emotions that washed over him.
There was the nostalgia of having visited his home. A reminiscing of when he was younger and even moments of training before he had ever chosen to become a huntsman.
A sadness brought tears to his eyes as Kuroyuri began to shrink. This was going to be the last time he would ever see his home. Maybe someday he would return and rebuild it if no one else did it first. As it is now though, it will be a long time before he would ever return to the area.
Vindication made him stand straighter. Finally, the Nuckelavee had been slain. All those deaths and the chaos that it caused was not in vain. Much of what he had prepared, trained, and practiced, for himself for had paid off. He didn't do it alone as he had his team but still, he managed to accomplish that which he set out to do.
Uncertainty. Now that everything was done, what was next for him? Ren felt like he had a direction before the Nuckelavee and now that it had been done, what was he to do next? He would still continue to being a huntsman. It is his profession now but other than that? What else was he supposed to do.
He felt a head on his shoulder. Nora had placed hers to rest. There was no joyous bounce neither is there any sort of jolly nature. To be honest, Ren had gotten accustomed to an energetic Nora. An upward curve shaped his lips. Perhaps that time will come. Whatever would happen will happen. He had a new family now in JNPR. Ren would make sure that this family would not be lost like he had the last.
Peace. For once, it wasn't because of his semblance. Ren could honestly say to himself that he felt at peace. A body of water is clear when it is calm and still. If he were to describe it, it was like that body of water.
Ren then felt a sudden weight on him. It was followed by sounds of snoring that was definitely Nora's. He laughed and rolled his eyes. Gently, he put her down and made sure that she was at her most comfortable. Blankets and sheets were provided which he covered her in to keep her warm. Sleeping Nora rolled herself into a potato as she slept soundly.
He heard the sound of his fellow teammates scurrying out of the room. Ren caught sight of Jaune giving him a thumbs up. Ren shook his head. He and Nora aren't together-together. Not yet anyway.
AN: What would a Jaune and Jeanne team attack name be legitimately called anyway? For this one, I just decided to reference another fic instead.
