Original upload date: 7/13/2020
Revised upload: 8/23/2022
Here's part two of this two-part update!
Please, feel free to follow and comment on predictions, thoughts, etc. I am always looking for new ways to improve my craft. Tell your friends!
Metal like Roses
By ReaderWarrior
I do not own Mistborn or RWBY.
Offense
It wasn't until noon the next day when Ruby woke up. And when she did, Vin had never seen someone get changed so quickly. It was as if a scarlet hurricane swept through the dorm. It only took a few moments for Ruby to swap her used clothes for a cleaner pair (though it was the same exact outfit) and gather her team in the forge.
The smithery was not one Vin would have recognized back home. This forge was clean and organized, instead of the messy area she was used to. Schematics and blueprints lined the walls, some were held in frames below the completed models as well as pictures of their users.
"Friend," Ruby called, "family, friend, and Weiss,-"
"Aw, come on!"
"-we are here today to join our friend in glorious marriage with the most perfect weapons and armor to ever grace her body!" Ruby pulled out a box, setting it in front of the young Allomancer. "Vin's own armor!"
Yang cheered while Weiss and Blake gave soft applause.
Vin slowly touched the box. My own armor… Trying to hide the wetness in her eyes, she grabbed the lid and started to open the container. Ruby stopped her and pointed to a section of the room dedicated to privacy and changing.
"Don't let us see until it's all on!" she smiled.
"Hurry up!" Yang cheered. "We wanna see!"
Unable to hold back her own excitement, Vin grabbed the box and ran into the room. Then, when nobody was watching, she opened the lid and gasped at the emblem on the front. It was exactly as she described.
"Wow," she whispered before attaching the different pieces to her person.
Ruby hadn't felt this excited since her first few days at Beacon. She and her teammates waited eagerly for Vin's return and, when Vin started to pull the curtain to the side, Yang started to slap a table to mimic a drumroll.
Standing proudly, yet still with her traditional shy glances, Vin stepped back out wearing her own armor. The metal, aluminum, was painted with gray and silvers, giving it a misty feel. It shimmered in the light, almost making Vin look like a mirage. Of course, Ruby accommodated it to fit under Vin's cloak, making it practically invisible beneath its shadow.
Her legs were adorned with shin guards that wrapped around her legs with leather and velcro (no metal!) to make everything snug. They were lightweight and incredibly durable. Underneath the shin guards were combat boots that were pretty standard for huntsmen and huntresses. However, along with the aluminum toes, Ruby made it so the heel would, if kicked into the floor hard enough, push out a number of spikes to drive into the ground and use as reinforcement for Vin's powers.
Since she wasn't wearing her cloak currently, Ruby and her teammates could see the last three additions she had created. The first was a simple leather belt around her waist with many slots for Vin's metal vials. The second was a pair of gauntlets on her arms with fingerless gloves. There was a secret slot in each metal piece that could store one vial in case of emergencies.
And, lastly, was the chest plate. Simple and snug, it fit over Vin's chest and wrapped around both her front and back. It was mainly there to protect her heart and lungs but allowed her to bend forward and backward easily. On the center of the armament, over the mist-like paint, was a black symbol - her emblem - that Vin had chosen and described. She had said it was the symbol for Alomancers, a crescent curve filled with 3 spikes [1].
Vin looked down at her armor and studied it in the light as Yang clapped Ruby on the back. Weiss remained seated but Blake had walked over to the girl and began to comment about how her armor allowed for complete rotation for every joint but still protected the most vital organs.
"How does it feel?" Ruby asked meekly, worried about how Vin would react.
The Mistborn looked down at her hand and clenched her fists. "It feels… strong." She looked up at Ruby and gave a rare smile. "Thank you."
A few tears began to roll down Ruby's cheeks. "Really?!"
Vin blushed and nodded.
"Then just wait till you see what the weapons are like!"
Using her semblance, Ruby turned into a blur of red and ran out of the room. She quickly returned with a second box, much smaller than its predecessor. The silver-eyed girl passed the box to Vin, who was quickly swarmed by the other members of their team as she took it.
Vin slowly lifted the cover off the box to reveal… knives? Inside were two large daggers that contained no blade. Only the handle and guard were there - along with a selection of vials of dust underneath them. Vin pulled out the daggers and looked at Ruby with a confused glance.
"Handles?" Vin asked.
"Well, kinda." Ruby held a hand open, to which Vin gave her one of the 'knives'. As she did, Ruby also picked out a dust vial, red, from the box. She then inserted the vial into the bottom of the handle, then pressed a small button right between it and the guard.
And Vin gasped.
Out of the base of the guard formed a blade of pure fire. From its white base, the colors changed from blue to purple and formed a red-hot point. As she moved the fire-blade back and forth, it wavered slightly but, for the most part, kept its shape.
Vin's eyes were wide as saucers. "H-how?"
"It's called a dustpoint," Weiss whispered in awe. "They utilize the purity of the dust to form a blade."
Blake nodded. "They aren't rare, exactly. But it takes a great deal of skill to use on and not harm the user."
"Shiny," Yang mumbled, her hand reaching to touch the flames. Ruby quickly pulled it away and let go of the button, causing the flames to disappear and die instantly. With the fire disappated, she twisted the handle and a basic metal blade jutted out from the guard - forming a simple blade.
And it's all aluminum, Vin marveled.
Ruby turned to Vin and smiled. "Do you like it?"
Nodding ecstatically, Vin ignores the desire to put on her emotionless facade.
"I made it so that you could Pull on it in places that wouldn't make the blade come flying at you. Also, if you Push on the buttons, it'll activate the dust. If you want I can shave them off so only you can activate them."
Iron began to burn inside of Vin's stomach as she Pulled her personalized weapon. As Ruby said, the only iron-lines visible were ones pointing at the buttons. It jumped from Ruby's hand into Vin's and she was amazed at how light it felt.
"Amazing," she whispered. Then, looking up at Ruby she added, "impressive."
Weiss seemed to reflect Vin's reaction. "You really are a prodigy…"
"Yep!"
"But I do want to know one thing." Weiss' voice dipped slightly and her gaze turned cold. "Where exactly did you get this dust supply from?"
"From the SDC! Paid in full by the heiress."
"I see…" A small vein pulsed on her forehead. "And when we're you going to ask the aforementioned heiress about this purchase?"
Ruby carefully moved behind Vin, whose attention was still on her newest weaponry. "Ummm… now?"
It was said that the flames of the forge turned into blocks of ice that day. Team RWVBY spent the next few hours helping to clean up ice shards and chisel away at the ice and frost that formed practically everywhere. Vin, who could have easily snuck away at any point, decided to stay and help by using her dustpoint to melt some of the snow.
By the time they finished, the sun was setting and everyone had started to head home. Vin had, with Yang's help, messaged Pyrrha and asked for her to meet back at the arena for one quick lesson. Since yesterday was spent with Yang and Weiss, and today she spent all morning in anticipation of Ruby's awakening, she hadn't had the time to give the redhead any time.
But now she did.
Vin walked up to Pyrrha already practicing with her shield. To her surprise, Pyrrha was easily ducking underneath and jumping over the flying disc. And unlike when Vin did it, the shield wasn't just moving back and forth. It instead swung left and right each time it turned as if it was being pushed and pulled at the same time.
There was a rhythm to it. If Vin's Pushes and Pulls were like drum beats, then Pyrrha's movements were like…
A lyre or harp, the melody dancing higher and lower yet feeling like an entirely new song.
Vin waited until Pyrrha finished, who caught her shield with grace a few rotations later.
"You've been practicing," she said.
Pyrrha nodded and used her free arm to wipe away the sweat on her brow. "I'm sorry."
Vin shook her head. "It's fine. My fault I haven't been able to help after promising to teach you.
"No, no, no. I've learned a lot with just that one lesson. Are we continuing to practice with my shield?"
"Actually, we're going to head to the roof," Vin explained, patting a pouch on her belt - the third and last of Ruby's gifts to her.
Pyrrha raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?"
"I'm going to teach you how to fly."
After taking a quick shower, as well as storing her shield away, Pyrrha joined Vin at the top of the practice arena. Behind them loomed the walls protecting Vale. And, far off away, Vin could see (with tin) the city lights and even the other end of the wall. They were even taller than the ones that encircled the Final Empire.
Vin had already pulled out one of the metallic disks from the pouch. They were simple, finger-wide saucers made from scraps around the workshop.
Not boxings, but they'll do.
As Pyrrha joined her, Vin tossed two of the disks over the ledge and, with steel, watched their lines fall before they hit the ground. Thankfully, they were still solid. She burned iron and Pulled them back up into her palm. Then she grabbed a small handful and placed about six of them in a circle around her.
"Ready?"
Pyrrha cocked her head to the side. "For what?"
Pushing against all the coins, and with a quick flick of her ankle, she slowly lifted off the ground and hovered in the air. "If I Push against something that can't go anywhere, it means I get Pushed back." She fell back onto the roof and noted the shocked expression in Pyrrha's eyes. "But with your semblance, you can control metals in any direction you wish. It's not limited to straight Pushes or Pulls like me. If you focus on your armor, you should be able to lift yourself upward."
Collecting her thoughts, Pyrrha slowly stepped next to Vin and closed her eyes. Her armor briefly flashed with black highlights before sputtering out.
"I can't," she whispered. "It's too much."
"That's because you've never tried. You've used smidgens of your power throughout your victories. But now, with the full capabilities before you, there is so much more you can do. So much you haven't even dreamed of."
Vin remembered the girl who once relied on the tiniest of a fraction of Luck to survive. Brass, she would later find out, to help crew leaders ease a mark's suspicion. Or even to lessen their anger as they beat her. Then, Kelsier showed her the true power she had been born with. It was difficult to imagine going back to that. Surviving off metals from water, restoring it after weeks.
Being alone.
Nodding, Pyrrha squeezed her eyes shut and tried once more. This time, the highlights stayed black and, to Vin's amazement, she slowly began to rise up into the sky.
It's like when Zane moved around by Pushing and Pulling in every direction, Vin realized.
Pyrrha opened her eyes and gasped. "By the Gods!" Though she hadn't floated up all too high, she was out of reach from Vin to grab her. Unless…
Vin used steel to once again Push herself upward to join Pyrrha. For once, she could hold herself at eye-level with her. "How do you feel?"
Looking down at her armor, each bit of it cast in an ebony glow, the Invincible Girl clenched her fist and smiled. "Light. But strong."
"Good." She nodded to the wall. "Try to get up there." She then Pushed harder and flew past Pyrrha, bringing her higher and higher until she could Pull against one of the railings. She did so and carefully flipped over the ledge.
While Pyrrha took her time getting used to using her semblance in such a way, Vin looked up to the sky.
Stars. Hundreds if not thousands of them glittered above her. And while the shattered orb - the moon, she had been told, was a supernatural sight to her, there was something about the other lights in the sky that seemed to draw to her. It wasn't all black, there were purples and blues, and even a red area that resembled a tear.
It was… beautiful. More beautiful than anything I've seen before.
Standing here, underneath the stars atop a wall, Vin remembered that first night when she became a Mistborn. That first night she burned all ten metals and Pushed her way up over the city.
How ironic that she would be doing the same now, teaching someone else.
Pyrrha landed next to her, her armor clanking as she fell to her knees with a few heavy breaths. "That… was… amazing !"
Unable to hold back a laugh, Vin smiled as she offered the girl her hand. "It's not over yet."
She smiled back and took it, pulled to her feet by Vin's pewter-enhanced strength. She took a few moments to get her breath back before asking "what's next?"
"A challenge," Vin answered, reaching into her bag and pulling out another set of disks. She pointed to the center of the school - Ozpin's office building - and said, "the goal is to get there without touching the ground. Only use your semblance, no direct attacks."
"Understood."
Vin nodded and held up one of her coins. "We'll go when this hits the ground." She flicked it up in front of them as Pyrrha crouched slightly. Her armor pulsed once more as Vin already flared steel and iron. She wasn't going to use zinc or brass this time.
The coin hit the ground and both girls burst forward.
Vin and Pyrrha, at equal speed, lept off the edge of the wall and fell toward the ground. However, unlike Vin, Pyrrha only fell for a few moments before she was carried forward by her armor. The Mistborn had to wait a few moments as she neared the solid cement before using steel to Push a few disks below her and, with incredible trajectory, she kept her arch low as she flew towards Beacon's tower.
Though she had to continually fly up and fall down, Vin easily kept up with Pyrrha. Even though this had turned into a competition - and she was no doubt taking it very seriously - Pyrrha was obviously still enamored with her new skill. She flew in spiraling patterns and spun her body in twirls through the air.
Vin threw down another disk and, as she Pushed off of it, Pulled it back towards her. Twisting her body, she caught it in the palm of her hand just in time to throw a second down and resume the practice.
Just because they aren't boxings doesn't mean I should leave them everywhere, she thought. Though the idea of planting anchor points around the school did appeal to her. She glanced up at Pyrrha's dark red form and a smirk tugged at her lips. Let's see how you really handle things.
Waiting until they were coming up to the spire's base, Vin carefully held back until she was coming down from another of her arches. Just as she was Pushing her disk, she also Pushed up against Pyrrha's armor. The girl let out a loud gasp as she was suddenly thrown to the side. As Vin bounded upward, she watched as Pyrrha shook her head and stopped before glaring down at her.
Pyrrha's revenge was almost instantaneous. As Vin threw down another disk, it suddenly stopped and froze in midair. Black energy surrounded it as Vin, unable to Push against it unless she wanted to send herself smashing down, fell towards the ground. Her routine was thrown off.
But a Mistborn couldn't survive just off of Pushing. With the coin held frozen above her, Vin flared iron and Pulled her back towards it. Her breath hitched as the momentum of her body suddenly reversed and she felt her ears pop as she flung herself backward. Thankfully, the coin remained still as she moved closer toward it.
Vin let go of her Pull every few moments to allow her to swing around the disk, rather than colliding directly with it. And, as she Pulled herself above it and faced the tower, she Pushed down and launched herself up.
Her mistcloak billowed as she flew up past Pyrrha. Realizing she wasn't going to make it high enough, she mentally grabbed the closest anchor - Pyrrha.
She must have been expecting a Push or Pull because she somehow kept herself from being moved in either way. Luckily, Vin didn't need nor want her to. She acted as a perfect anchor for Vin to Push against. With one final flare of steel, she careened up to a small viewing platform near the top of the building and landed.
Even though victory was hers, Pyrrha's smile was as bright as ever as she landed a few seconds later.
"That was… I can't believe… wow!" Pyrrha gasped and whipped away some sweat from her forehead; apparently, this exercise took a lot out of her. "When did you first start learning to do that?"
Vin shrugged. "When I first learned about my powers."
"Really? That seems dangerous for someone so inexperienced."
That was Kelsier. Always taking the hazardous path that would get the quickest result…
Pyrrha frowned at Vin's sudden silence. "I'm sorry. Are you fine?"
"Fine?" Vin chuckled softly. "I think the fact that I'm 'fine' is a testament to how wrong it feels."
"What do you mean?"
"Win or die. No honor. Just success. That is how I was raised. If you don't spend every second fighting for your next scrap of a meal, you'll die."
Pyrrha shook her head. "That may have been how you were raised, but that is not how you should live. Always expecting betrayal or to fight every day just to survive until the next… that's wrong. And if you truly felt that way, you never would have taught me how to further better myself."
… why did I help you? Even our game of chase probably taught you everything you needed to know about how best to defeat a Coinshot or Lurcher. So why did I tell you?
"Here, with us, you will be loved."
"I'll offer my help."
"I promise you'll be safe."
"I'll protect you too."
Vin tried to ignore the need to burn a new set of metals in her stomach as steel and iron finally burnt away. "I… I wanted you to help me. You taught me more than I taught you.
"You told me to open up to team RWVBY. And in that short time with them… I've felt things I haven't before. At least, not in a long time."
"And what is that?" Pyrrha asked.
"… Home." Vin reached to her belt and pulled out a vial, swirling its contents and watching the dust flakes inside. "Trust."
Family.
Vin tossed its contents down her throat and, instinctively burned the basic eight metals. Zinc, brass, iron, steel, tin, pewter, copper, and bronze. Like always, they made her feel warm and real. Like mist condensed.
She turned to Pyrrha. "I-"
BUM BUM. BUM BUM.
She froze.
No… that's not impossible.
Without giving Pyrrha any warning, Vin threw herself over the ledge and Pushed back the way they came.
Bronze and copper could be considered the most useful of the basic eight Allomantic metals. Sure, steel and iron were more deadly, and zinc and brass required incredible skill, but no Mistborn - or misting - could deny that without bronze or copper, they could survive for long.
Copper, for instance, shielded the user from emotional Allomancy as well as hid their pulses from any enemy Seekers. Having a Smoker, an Allomancer who could burn copper, was especially necessary for hiding bastard mistings from the Steel Inquisition. It created an invisible cloud which no pulsations could escape from.
The pulsations which could be sensed with the burning of bronze. Seekers could 'sense' when an Allomancer was burning a metal through the pulsations that were given off by the act. Especially skilled Seekers could even tell which metal was being burned.
But this…
BUM BUM. BUM BUM.
Vin had only felt a pulsation like this before. It, like Alendi before her, drew her to a pool of great power. The pulses would echo in her mind every time she burned bronze until she finally followed them.
All the way to the Well. The Well of Ascension. The pool of Godhood that not only made the Lord Ruler the most powerful Allomancer ever seen but also sent Vin here.
BUM BUM. BUM BUM.
If the Well was back… I could go home. I could leave this world of emotion and find my way back to Elend!
Vin's Push faltered.
But…
Did she really want that anymore?
It had only been a few days since arriving in Remnant and the bonds she had formed here, while fresh, were ones she wasn't ready to give up yet.
BUM BUM. BUM BUM.
But I can still find out where it is!
Flaring steel, she Pulled herself towards what she felt to be the source of the pulsations. To her surprise, she noticed a familiar building at its epicenter.
Beacon's dormitory.
Vin frowned as she noticed something orange shining on the rooftop. Flames that would spark to life before disappearing suddenly. With tin, she could hear a voice, female, grunting with exertion with each flash. As well as each-
BUM BUM. BUM BUM.
The echoes rattled in her mind. Carefully, Vin Pushed and Pulled her way onto the building's rooftop.
BUM BUM. BUM BUM.
Another fireball slammed into the brick chimney she hid behind. Vin winced and remembered how Pyrrha and Jaune practiced up her when she first met them. Perhaps they aren't the only ones… but that power…
BUM BUM. BUM BUM.
That can't just be a semblance. I should-
Like a complete and utter fool, she accidentally let her feet drag against the ground as she tried to peer around the corner. Gravel shuddered and, while minute, a sharp new note pierced the silent night.
BUM BUM. BUM-
"Who is there?" a voice whispered. The pulsations suddenly disappeared. "I'll have you know I am a student of Haven and-"
Pulling up her hood, Vin didn't give her enough time to finish. Flaring pewter, she crouched and jumped over the chimney. As she spun down, she threw a small handful of disks at her target and Pushed.
BUM BUM. BUM BUM.
Another spark lit up the area. This time, a turret of flames burned through the night sky and met the coins head-on. Vin dodged to the side as the flames hit the brick behind her and, to her surprise, melted the disks. As the flames died, Vin got a brief study of her opponent.
The woman was fair-skinned with ashen-black hair that mostly covered her left eye. However, her right was clearly amber. She wore gray pants and boots, a beige leather sleeveless jacket with light-beige details, brown gloves, a sarashi tied around her chest (and another around her hips), and a pauldron on her left shoulder. She also had a belt around her waist which had multiple brown pouches attached to it. Her fingernails were painted with tan nail polish.
Most confusingly was the wreath of flames around her right eye.
Wasn't she the third teammate for Emerald and Mercury? What was this team up to?
The girl snarled as the flames died - both around them and on her face. She raised her hand and a small knife of obsidian glass formed in her palm. The bronze pulsations Vin felt told her this was her semblance. Whatever the flames were, they were something different.
With skill and accuracy akin to Vin's own, she threw the knife straight at Vin's chest with a flick of her arm and wrist. Pewter flared ever higher as Vin dodged to the side and raised her hand. The glass dagger stopped as Vin wrapped her fingers around it.
Never throw your weapon unless you can Pull it back.
Vin watched the surprise in the girl's eyes and mimicked her throw. Instead of trying to dodge it, she simply brought her other hand up and formed a second dagger. The two smashed into each other and shattered instantly.
As the girl winced, Vin used one of the melted disks, now permanently fixed on the floor, to Pull herself forward. By the time her opponent formed a new dagger, Vin was already directly in front of her. She swiped and Vin caught her hand. The last tidbits of pewter burned as Vin used her other hand to throw a punch.
Sadly, she caught that.
"You!" the girl hissed. She studied Vin's cloak and her hands shook in rage. "You're that new girl!"
Instead of responding, Vin simply slammed her forehead into her. She frantically flared the rest of her pewter, dulling the pain of her hit. With her opponent off balance, she grabbed her arm and flung her over her shoulder.
The girl let out a sharp cry as she hit the floor. She growled and that strange flame around her eye formed once more.
Vin, noticing how the girl's palms were also beginning to glow red, quickly pulled her up and twisted the girl's arm around her own neck, placing the palm on her back.
"Don't try it," Vin whispered. The girl struggled for a moment but ultimately let the flames die. "Who are you?"
"Who am I? I'm just a student practicing her semblance somewhere quiet. You're the Beacon huntress that assaulted a Havenite for an edge in the Vytal tournament!"
Vin's grip slackened. "What are you talking about?"
Instead of explaining further, she took advantage of Vin's confusion and flipped backward over her. Suddenly, she was behind Vin with her own arm bent around her back.
Foolish! Vin grunted as she tried to pull her arm free, to no avail.
"Now… I think it's time you answer some of my questions."
Staring at the melted coins, Vin Pushed against them and shoved both her and the girl backward into a wall.
Her opponent grunted and her grip loosened. Vin quickly Pulled herself away and spun around, ignoring the sharp pain in her shoulder.
"Tell Ozpin that his bird in the sky will meet the same fate as Amber," the girl snarled, flames once again bursting to life.
BUM BUM. BUM BUM.
"Ozpin?" And who the hell is Amber?
The two women glared at each other, studying the other.
BUM BUM. BUM BUM.
BUM BUM. BUM BUM.
Tap tap.
Both of them froze as another set of footsteps suddenly birthed behind them.
"Vin?" Pyrrha asked. "Where are you?"
Her opponent dropped her hands and the flames around her dissipated. "This is far from over," she warned.
I doubt it is, Vin thought as Pyrrha grabbed her shoulder.
"Are you okay?" the redhead asked. "Why did you fly off like that?"
"It's nothing. I thought…" Vin glanced back at the girl. "I heard something. But it was nothing."
Pyrrha nodded and looked over Vin's shoulder. "Is that Cinder?"
Vin frowned. So that's her name. She shrugged. "It doesn't matter. That's the end of it for now."
But as she walked away, her tin-enhanced ears could hear the girl chuckle. "We shall see about that."
Before returning to her room, Vin asked if Pyrrha could get her team and their weapons ready.
The redhead frowned. "Why? What happened?"
"It's what will happen," Vin frowned. "And I'm not sure. But just to be safe…" She looked up at Pyrrha and noticed the worry in her eyes.
"Vin, you're our friend. Please talk to us."
"I'll explain everything in a moment. Please, just listen."
With a confused nod, Pyrrha disappeared into team JNPR's room. Vin slowly unlocked hers.
"What do you mean it's tomorrow?"
"I'm telling you, Dad wanted it to be a surprise!"
"At five o'clock in the morning?!"
"So we could be there for the sunrise!"
Ruby crossed her arms and glared at her sister. "But someone needs to stay here in case something happens to Vin!"
"Weiss and Blake will be here, along with JNPR," Yang countered. At her feet were two backpacks, one red and the other yellow. "Besides, how much trouble can Vin get into in one day?"
Well…
Vin closed the door behind her. "What's going on?"
"Yang and Dad apparently wanted to surprise me by having us come home for a bit before the Vytal Festival began," Ruby explained.
"They've been arguing for the past thirty minutes," Weiss sighed. "Apparently Ruby is worried some assassin is going to try to kill you in our sleep and without her, you might end up hurt."
"That's… unlikely," Vin muttered.
"But still not possible!"
Vin studied her teammates and mentally sighed. Was she just being paranoid?
No.
Should she tell them about what she saw and the danger she now feels is coming closer?
Maybe?
Did Ruby and Yang deserve to have their own lives upended just because of her?
Absolutely not.
"Why don't we spend the night with Pyrrha and her team," Vin offered. And even though it felt like a betrayal, she burned brass and zinc. "If anything happens I'll have them to back me up. You should go visit your father."
This specific metal and alloy helped her survive for years in the Final Empire. With the exception of Breeze, no one was better than her. She mixed emotions, dampening worry and replacing it with longing. Homesickness.
Yang and Ruby's eyes slowly looked down at the bags. "I guess one day couldn't hurt," Ruby muttered sheepishly. "I mean, how much danger can you guys get into in one day?"
"Exactly!" Yang cheered, wrapping her sister in a hug. "And I'm sure if anything happens, Blake will let us know."
On her bed, with a book in her lap, Blake looked up to give a small nod. She slowly grabbed a few extras and headed toward the door, quickly followed by Weiss. As Vin moved toward it, Ruby grabbed her arm.
"Are you sure you are okay?"
Vin nodded and gave a small smile, patting her team leader on the shoulder. "Enjoy your time with your family."
"If you want, you can join us," she offered.
"Maybe."
"Oh, and take these!" Ruby grabbed the box of knives she had shown earlier today. "I sanded the buttons and made a few quick fixes. These should only work for you. But try not to sleep with them. Weiss gets angry when we do."
"Of course," Vin chuckled. She turned around and opened the door, looking back briefly to watch as Ruby and Yang started to get ready for the evening.
And for once, Vin felt a desire to join them. But her fears were too strong and she slowly left the room and closed the door behind her.
"What's going on?" Blake asked, noticing that their sister team was now fully geared up with weapons in hand.
"Vin," Pyrrha explained. "She fought with Cinder from team CMSN (Crimson). And she's worried that something is going to happen."
Weiss groaned and rubbed her forehead. "Why is it I'm not surprised… What happened?"
"Pyrrha and I were training together when I heard a bronze pulsation. It was stronger than any semblance I have felt. And when I followed it, it led me to Cinder who attacked me." Vin closed the door behind her.
"Wait, what pulsations?" Jaune asked.
"One of her semblances lets her sense other semblances," Blake explained.
"That's not fair…"
Vin frowned at the boy. "She attacked me. And unlike any of you, she did so with the intent to kill. I had seen too much. And… I'm worried something might happen. Maybe not tonight, but soon."
"So you called us to be bodyguards?" Nora asked with a squeal. "I've always wanted to be a bodyguard!"
Weiss mumbled, "more like meatshields."
This is too much for them, Vin realized. I should have gone to Ozpin.
However, before she could leave, Ren placed a hand on her shoulder. "Our friend asked us for help. How can we say no?" He turned to her and added, "you are more than happy to stay here with us as long as you feel it is necessary."
"Thank you."
"What about Ruby and Yang?" Jaune asked.
Blake, and Vin, shook their heads. "They had plans," the Faunus explained. "And even if they didn't…"
"I don't want them to worry about me every second of the day," Vin added. "Especially if I'm just being paranoid."
"But what if something does happen?" Weiss asked.
"Then perhaps we keep this adventure between us until they return," Pyrrha said. She nodded to Vin. "Thank you for coming to us. We'll do what we can."
Vin nodded. Thank you.
Blake was on watch when it happened. Though Vin was the first to react. Before it happened, Vin suddenly jumped up from her sitting position and moved towards the door.
"Six men," she warned. Blake nodded and nudged Weiss, who opened her eyes groggily. She in turn woke up Ren. Then Nora. Then Pyrrha and Jaune. By the time something pounded against the door, all seven of them had their weapons out.
"Who is it?" Jaune asked.
Nora slapped him upside the head. "Are you crazy? Never ask who is it!"
"Mistralian security. We heard Vin Venture is here."
Everyone shared a confused glance before Vin moved to open the door. She cracked it and asked, "what do you want?"
The six men shoved the door open and marched into the room. Their brown vests, goggles, and masks hid their faces. As they entered, the leader gripped a pair of chains while the other five held rifles.
"Vin Venture, you are under arrest for the attempted murder of Cinder Fall and Mercury Black. Do not resist."
Before anyone could think, Vin Venture, wanted criminal, acted. She didn't fight or use her powers to make Mistralians run away in fear.
She simply jumped out the window and disappeared into the night.
The soldiers rushed forward and leaned out, pointing their rifles but finding no target.
"Damn," one whispered before reaching for his scroll. "This is Leutenant Sani. Target is attempting to flee. Target with extreme prejudice."
[1] Yes, I made it the symbol for Harmonium. I couldn't really find a good emblem for Vin, so I decided to make the symbol for Harmonium having represented Allomancers. Which makes sense due to its nature. Sue me.
Anotha' one! I had a tough time writing this near the end, that's why I ended it so short this time. I almost forgot that Vol. 3 opens with Ruby at her mom's grave. So, I apologize for being so unprepared.
This chapter had a lot of interesting moments. Vin now has her own weapon, instead of always relying upon hand-to-hand and coins (excuse me, discs).
We also got our first look at Cinder and Vin's fighting prowess. They seemed evenly matched, don't you think? Imagine if Vin had atium or her weapons and Cinder had the full might of the Fall Maiden.
Please, feel free to follow and comment on predictions, thoughts, etc. I am always looking for new ways to improve my craft. Be direct if you must, but try not to be rude.
Thank you for reading my story!