RWBY: Bonds Between Hearts
Chapter 24: Tremors of Fury
WARNING: I own none of these characters sides from my OC(s). All rights go to their respective owners and properties.
This is nothing more than, well a fanfic, a story made up by a fan for entertainment and knowledge.
Everything in this fic is not canon and is only meant to give the audience a new idea of the works of each of the franchises in this story.
So please support me, my work and have some fun. Now enjoy the story. ^w^
Yang sat on the ledge of the Beacon Academy dorms, looking at the dragon plushie Cody won for her. A brightful and happy smile on her face as her heart raced with joy from it. Even after these past few months and days, she truly knew that continuing to reach out to help the experiment was a good thing.
He reminded her a lot of herself back then. Young, impulsive, self destructive in the search for their truth and place here. Yet unlike her, he had no family left. No friends other than the little dragon robot at his side. She just couldn't leave him as he was.
And now, he has changed from the cold, angry boy she once found into someone who can be a hero like them, but even more so the key to stopping this new threat of Evol. Yet even with that, her heart also had changed from just wanting to help Cody out, to now falling in love with the young boy.
One that she is cherishing well. Now if the said boy can get out of his shy stature and confess, she can feel more at ease when the Vytal Festival comes in two weeks.
"Hope dad doesn't get too protective like Qrow did." She muttered to herself with a slight chuckle.
Speaking of her uncle, where was he anyway? She remembered he got a message and left. His mood darkened as he told her and Ruby that he needed to talk to Ozpin. The brawler wondered what it was about.
"Qrow you can be serious about this!" That sounded like the strict Goodwitch. "What you said to him-!"
Yang slowly leaned down, seeing her uncle having to stop and turn around to look at Glynda.
"He lied to us, Glynda. Hid everything about it to all of us! I can't be with him anymore after this!" Qrow shouted, feeling hurt and angered what he found out. "I thought I could trust him… believe in him as he helped changed me from just another bandit wanting to learn how to kill, to a Huntsman. But now? I can't trust him anymore…"
"Where are you going?!"
"Talking to that saint. After that, my damn flask."
"You can't just keep running away and drowning out your problems with booze! You still have friends and family. Your nieces-"
Yang winced when her uncle shoved his device to Glynda who grunted and looked at the Scroll. "Listen to the damn recording and you'll get the bigger picture! Evol was right, our world hid more than just the truth…" He resumed marching off in anger.
"Qrow! Ugh… damn it, you drunken bird…" Glynda hissed with annoyance before she looked at the Scroll and played the audio recording.
"I am not blind nor deaf to see the cause of our changed world, Ozma." That was Vernage's voice.
"Trust me… I'm already fully aware of the reason for all of this." That was Ozpin's voice.
"Do tell? How the gods abandoned humanity because of the source of mistakes."
"Are you really here to chastise me for falling in love? Isn't that what makes us human?"
"No, what I am disappointed in is your lack of movement to even stop your former beloved. Or… is it because you still have what little emotions you have for her?"
"Let me tell you very clearly what I want to say. Especially to you, Ozma. Since our time, when the Brothers crawled our land we were blessed by their gifts." She started. "But when Evol came to the fold, I begged to the Light that he would do something but you know what both did? Nothing. Nothing but curiosity which gradually made me lose my faith in them. My own people too lost faith in the brothers that we as a kingdom chose to act on our own behalf. I even put a spell to my own soul that if I die, I will be reborn as an infant with a new mother. Live, die, a cycle of such suffering that I watched the darkness in humanity's hearts swell like a damn tumor. I learned various things as I grew again and again. I never lied to the families who birthed me. I fought because Evol is an imminent threat to all mankind. You Ozma hardly made any move whereas she has countless times."
"You don't think I tried that?" Ozpin frowned. "Like you, I too loved and lost many things. At first, I too tried being transparent… But in the end they betrayed or went to Salem on their own accord. I cannot be like that forever."
"Because she is immortal?" Ozpin stiffened. "Ever thought of tearing her limbs, sealing them so they never join? Or create a method as I did to Evol?"
"And how did that go for you with Evol? He still broke free, he still got what he wanted because your spell was breaking down."
"Because us humans have their greed, Ozma." Ozma was silenced. "It was during your age, an era after my time ended, your time as a Hero, humans chose greed over danger. To dig us out and cause their impending doom upon finding the Box." She glared. "You have never been honest to those who followed you Ozma. Goodwitch, Qrow, James. How many people did you hide the truth of your battle against your former beloved? How many died because of that?
"Oz…pin…?" Glynda gasped from what she was hearing, as was Yang. Did Yang hear that right? Vernage called Ozpin 'Ozma'? The Brothers actually ignored Evol out of curiosity/fear? That it was humanity's greed that caused Evol to be free from the box which in turn forced Vernage to endure endless suffering through reincarnation to stop him?
This meant not only did he somewhat know of Evol, but there was yet another threat known as 'Salem' revealed to the blonde! Now who was this 'Salem'? Was the Salem the same one Vernage once mentioned that Ozpin told her and her team to disregard? How is she immortal and not the bigger threat? Just what is Ozpin even hiding from anyone now?!
What on Remnant did the world hid from them? Was Evol right? The world hid more truth than they realized?
More questions were starting to stir as Yang now needed her own answers. Especially what Ozpin now wants with Cody? Her eyes red with anger as she worried he too is just using him like a puppet.
She won't let him do that to her crush.
XXX
Ozpin was not having a good day. With the festival nearing its official start he thought things would quiet down just for a little but no, he was wrong. Qrow had confronted him earlier and demanded answers. Answers to the truth. Qrow had the recording of the conversation between Vernage and Ozpin himself. He heard it all.
It was evident Vernage's warning came true. She gave him a day to be honest to them and never chose to abide. Now he had to see the reality of it.
Qrow, someone he trusted the most next to Glynda… had left him. He didn't know what to do now. It seems Qrow didn't tell anyone else yet…. But now he worries Glynda and Ironwood leaving, he worried his school would leave him. He was scared of being alone…. Again…..
"I… just wanted to help…" Ozpin muttered to himself, as for once in a long while, he was feeling tears build up within. Truth can hurt but as the Saint told him, lies can dig deeper and fester like a beast digging into flesh. Lies hurt more than the truth does.
The elevator rang as he looked up, soon seeing the angered red eyes of Yang Xiao Long, already able to tell what she was here for.
"Miss Xiao Long… Take it you're here to 'talk' to me too?" Ozpin questioned the blonde brawler.
"Is she right?"
"Be specific."
"Vernage." She clarified. "That everything about us, about Remnant… about you. About… Salem."
"It is…" Ozpin sighed, his head lowered.
"How much….? How much were you planning to lie not only to us, but use Cody for whatever this goal is?!" Yang demanded the head master.
"I have not once ever considered doing that to him. I simply saw a boy in need of help as you did… I just wanted to give him a place to be at peace…"
"How can it be peace when this Salem is out there? What of Evol?! Just because they beat him once that was just that! He is waiting to achieve his Black Hole power to eat us! And you think Salem is a problem?!"
"Miss Xiao Long… please… I… I can't answer all of your questions right now…" Ozpin sighed as he was truly overwhelmed right now and unable to truly give a proper answer to everything.
"Who are we supposed to trust then? You? Or Vernage?"
Ozpin simply remained silent, simply staring down at the floor with a confused and scared expression on his face. He truly couldn't answer anyone right now.
The silence was enough for the blonde. "So it's Vernage then…" She murmured. "Thanks."
With an annoyed punch at the wall she headed back down through the elevator, leaving Ozpin to wallow in his thoughts. The headmaster just pressed his head against the cane he held.
'I…. don't want this anymore…'
XXX
Lily took a sip of her drink and set it down. Her lilac eyes glimmered emerald, displaying the flicker of reaction. Vernage and Lily shared the same body thus equal sustenance. Alas Vernage had the greater effect given Lily's life was just a hair away from death due to what happened in the past.
'I still can't get over the changes Remnant has had with their products… What was this drink called again?' Vernage asked her surrogate daughter.
"Cola."
"It does hold such a bubbly sensation on the tongue yet a bit too sweet for my taste."
"You indulge yourself in sweets in the past as a princess didn't you?"
For a second she thought her lips nearly twisted to a pout as if Vernage was making the reaction. Yup, she definitely pouted.
'T-That doesn't mean anything!' Vernage pouted.
"Oh so you are pouting."
'Don't change the subject, my little flower!'
Lily laughed, garnering confusion from those who heard her but ignored it given who she is. The only reason the diner hasn't dismissed her from it was given her history. Even if denied, her former murderous yet dangerous behavior would give them other options to not do so.
The buxom bluenette softened her gaze, her thumb spinning around the rim of her glass. "Vernage…"
'Hm?'
"How many times… did you died… and was reborn as a baby?"
'… Far too many to count. There were times I died in battle against Evol but I was an adult each moment I died. Live. Die. Repeat.'
Live. Die. Repeat. Vernage's quote in regards to her being. A cycle of suffering that never ends until Evol is gone.
"Do… you think we can still win this?" Lily asked as some doubts did fill her mind. "I know you and him are equals but you said so yourself, if he reaches Black Hole, you lose that equal weight."
'I know. It is why you and I haven't been idle. The Fullbottles are to remain away from the Box that we hold." With her Semblance active, a metal claw appeared and presented the Pandora's Box. 'Evol's power is still within this artifact. During your sleep, I checked its panels and saw one panel was full of Fullbottles. They cannot be removed…"
"Until all are in each panel to open up and free his Trigger."
"Yes…"
"Then we keep fighting to protect this Box. Just as you did before." Lily gripped the box tightly with the metal digits. "And we keep making our moves unlike Ozma."
'Precisely. Have you noticed it too?'
"… Yeah. The Hell Bros were in Beacon, including that Cinder harlot."
'We must be prepared for surveillance and be ready for a potential fight once doing so.'
Lily couldn't agree more. Just as she was finishing her swig, she set the glass down and idly ignored a few Atlas soldiers who walked by her and took their seats and made orders. She ignored it at first but her eyes flickered to emerald and gently turned the empty glass cup to display a brief reflection. The gaze sharpened and briefly saw a mark on the neck of one soldier.
'Lily.'
"I know."
She closed her eyes and sighed. "Just cuz I have my back turned on you three on the table over there…" She gripped the glass. "I know a Faust Agent when I see one." It was eerie silence before one soldier quickly grabbed a gravity wristlet and went for the wrist but she bashed the glass cup against his helmet. The man staggered before she manifested the metal being via Technomancy. It grabbed the second by the torso and threw her out the window. The other patrons took cover before Lily felt another disguised soldier grab her from behind.
She gritted her teeth before flames shrouded her hands, and gripped the wrists. The soldier screamed, waving his arms, trying to put out the flames. Lily fiercely turned around, grabbed the soldier's helmet and yanked it aside.
The soldier rammed her to the wall, punching her in the abdomen. The former experiment's Aura flickered before she hooked her arms around his neck. She felt the man squirm before she tugged and tugged. It was resisting before she planted a hand on the back and with her Aura and magic…
*SNAP!*
The deadly sound of the neck being snapped. The disguised soldier's arms drooped, allowing her to release her grip as the lifeless body dropped to the ground hard. She stared blankly before hearing the click of the gun.
Her lilac eyes boredly peered at the female agent who looked at her gun, trying to get it to work. Looking at Lily, she saw her raise the firing mechanism hanging between her fingers. "Technomacy does wonders, you know?" The Maiden encased it in ice and threw it, impaled the agent in the torso.
She stepped out of the diner, ignoring the fear and removed the helmet from the dead soldier. The former vice commander turned the corpse's head to see the marking. Just as the other two, she too had it.
"Freeze!"
Lily groaned. "Ah crap." Those were the voices of the real Atlas soldiers.
XXX
Within Cody's apartment, he laid on his bed staring at the ceiling. Having not moved much upon coming back from the date with Yang, even more so sleeping where he was at. His mind still raced around over the date and him talking to Lily.
He knew he had to follow Lily's advice. To tell Yang and the best way was to tell her in the tournament. He heard a knock, making him blink and walked to the entrance. He took a peep through the peephole and felt his skin run pale.
'Oh shit.'
It was Yang's overprotective uncle!
Cody fumbled the door and open it but slightly due to his fear of the man. Yeah he may be stronger genetically but the fact the man was willing to maul him just because of him and Yang? Yeah that's a big deal. "U-U-Um… you're Yang's uncle. The one who chased me last time."
The man scratched his head. "Yeah, I kinda did. Have you seen that girl by any chance?"
"Uh…"
"Vernay… what was her name again?"
"You mean Vernage…?" Cody corrected though confused.
"Right. Right. Her. Where is she?"
"Vernage is at the diner last I remember to eat brunch." He recalled. "Er, well, to be more exact, Lily being the one to eat brunch. Why ask me anyway?"
"I just need to talk to her. It's… important."
"... You're not going to chase and try to hit her too, right?" Cody questioned the older man, as his glare made the boy flinch.
"As much as I want to, it's another matter."
"Then I'll call-" The Scroll rang, making Cody reach in his pocket. "Oh speak of the devil." He tapped the green symbol and moved the Scroll close. "Hey sis. Good timing you called, can-"
"This is Harriet. I am calling from the girl's scroll because your friend has gotten herself into an incident at the diner."
Cody remained silent for a little bit before sighing heavily, "I'll be there in a bit…" He finished before hanging up.
"I take it she got herself in a pickle?"
"Yeah. I can take you to her if you want so you can talk to Vernage."
"Ugh… why are you kids such troublesome?" Qrow groaned out.
Upon leaving the apartment and with Qrow in tow, the two made their way to the shopping district of Vale. Cody felt tad bit nervous given he was walking with Yang's uncle. "S-Say um… Mr. Qrow?"
"What?"
"Um… w-well you see I um…" The blonde felt the pit of his stomach become more and more deep that it felt like an abyss.
"Just spit it out kid. What's the worst that can happen?" Qrow stated.
"I… I want to tell Yang about how I feel about her…"
Qrow soon stopped in his tracks. He said nothing as he took a swig of his booze, "May I borrow your Scroll for a second?" Cody shakingly handed the man his Scroll.
He typed away at a few keys before handing it back to him before continuing onward, leaving the boy confused as to what he just did.
"Uh… what did you do?"
"Oh just texted somebody you'll meet someday." Qrow answered.
He… did not like the sound of that.
The two soon arrived at the diner as the Ace Ops assessing the damage were there, along with Lily in cuffs who sat on the curb.
"What happened this time?" Qrow questioned the girl.
"Your friend killed three Atlas soldiers as there were witnesses who saw it all go down."
"If she killed them, most likely they were Faust Agents." Qrow shook his head.
"That-"
"He's right." Harriet looked over to notice Clover observing the body of one. "I don't recall anyone in Atlas having this tattoo on their neck."
"See? I told you!" Lily snapped at Harriet.
"Lucky or something to figure that out?" Cody asked the man.
"Heh, something like that." He smiled, soon walking over to uncuff Lily, "I do apologize for my subordinates… rashness."
The metal talon materialized behind Lily's back and flipped Harriet off. The speedster felt a vein in her head pop by the gesture.
"Lily…" Cody groaned from her action with his own head shaking.
"They started it."
"Still, can't blame them for taking action, right?" Cody pointed to the bystanders.
Lily crossed her arms.
"But you did have a right to act to protect yourself." Qrow glanced at the three bodies. "Who are they if they're Faust?"
"Assassin Units. I'm familiar with them." Lily spit to the side.
"Could Evol be finally taking action?" Clover asked the ex-agent.
"Unlike Cody, Evol sees no use for me as death is the only penalty. It goes to all agents as Trust is his creed. You stab him in the back…" she made a slit across the throat. "He sinks his fangs into your throat for it."
"Like a snake as always…" Qrow huffed with another booze swig.
Clover also knew that they now had proof of any spies within Atlas's rank, something he'll be looking into himself. But before anything he looked to Cody as he walked over before surprising everyone as he bowed to him.
"Before we leave, I'd like to fully apologize for what we did last time we met. I was only doing my job… I do hope you don't hold a grudge over simply us doing what we were told?" Clover said, apologizing to the young boy for their old 'kidnapping' they did before everything changed for them all. Something that shocked the other Ace Ops and Atlas soldiers nearby.
"It's…" Cody's eyes looked at Lily who nodded. "It's okay. I forgive you."
Clover straightened himself as he smiled, holding out his hand before the two shook. "I wish you the very best with your battle against Evol."
"Thanks, Mr. Clover."
"Heh, better than some weird nickname, I guess." Clover chuckled, knowing the boy was trying to be polite.
"Mind leaving one of the corpses?" Lily requested.
"Uh, pardon?"
"The body of one of the agents."
"What do mean? I don't see any agents. Just another criminal left for Beacon to handle." Clover smirked softly, playing as if the corpses were already out of their jurisdiction.
Lily stared as the Ace Ops left while the others cleaned up the mess of the diner.
"Well, color me impressed. Figured those lap dogs of James would be all about taking his side. Guess one of them isn't so bad." Qrow said with some delight, knowing not everyone was blind to Ironwood's odd tactics and orders. "Still, why want a body?"
"Assassin Units usually come in six, not three."
"Six? The hell kind of death squads did your snake coop up?"
"They are not like other assassins. They were raised and trained by the arts of such. I was one of them before being given vice commander." Her lilac eyes lingered. "However, these Assassins are composed of the 800 group."
"By Brothers…"
"And there are two who are the worst of the worst. Demons clad in human skin. Just because one acts lazy while the other rebellious, they are cruel. Ruthless. They are kept on a metaphorical leash to ensure they don't go all out on a blood fest."
"Who are the two?"
"898 and 899. They are dubbed the Hell Bros because they are twins. Psychopathic twins who I bet anything did not give a rat's ass about being kidnapped and had no family because they were already killed before then."
"So 100 bred assassins? The hell kind of sick show did Evol do to them?"
"Kill or be killed. Either be a snake or its prey. Devour or be swallowed. Strong or weak. Choose your answer." She quoted the words she remembered. She knelt down to the corpse and reached into their gear. "The only reason they would send a mere three is because they wanted something and it's not the Box they wanted. Nor my death."
"How can you tell?" Cody jumped when Lily tossed something. He fumbled it and noticed what it was. Gravity poleros and sedatives. "Restraints?"
"To extract answers…" She gritted her teeth and bashed her fists against the concrete.
"Lily?"
"They are looking for the children. The children we freed…"
"Aren't they in some orphanages around the city?" Qrow asked.
"No…" Lily murmured.
"If we did that, they wouldn't be here trying to ask for answers. We knew fully well Evol could find them again." Cody pointed out but noticed Lily's ominous silence. "Right Lily? … Sis?" He noticed her bitter look. "Lily, what isn't you are telling me?"
"Tell him."
"All the children we freed… the same children who Atlas had to put into orphanages. They aren't in those places… they're safe."
"Safe?"
Qrow frowned. "You took them in, didn't you?"
"What I will show you… do not speak of this to anyone. Leave your Scrolls behind and do not speak to anyone of this, clear? That includes you old man."
"Old man?! Like hell I am old!"
"You are."
"Tell that to the old hag possessing you!"
"Did you just call me a hag?" The temperature dropped drastically and Lily was no longer in control but Vernage with a chilling smile, magic slowly building up in her palm. "Can you repeat that little bird?"
"Qrow… take my advice… Shut. Up." Cody glanced at the Huntsman.
"U-auh… no?"
The temperature returned to normal as Vernage clasped her hands. "Excellent. I'll let Lily lead you to the place she mentioned!"
"You almost became frozen food…" Cody sighed with relief.
XXX
Following Lily was almost awkward given the young woman hasn't said a word. Whatever Lily said before was definitely important, especially with Qrow's assumption.
"They are still wary of people who aren't like them."
"Like them how?"
"Because we hold Nebula in our systems."
"And… that is what exactly?" Qrow inquired.
"Some kind of unique gas-like substance that Evol can create. It infuses into any living object and either boosts their bodies beyond what could be considered our limits… or turn us into monsters that become unsaveable…" Cody answered the question, being one of the few to survive the Nebula Gas.
The two makes suddenly felt a harsh slap to the face, allowing Qrow and Cody to notice the path. Cody tapped it but saw the faint glimmer.
"Ah right… forgot it was still active." Lily rubbed her nose. "It keeps the Grimm and unwanted guests away." She flicked her wrist, dismissing the transparent barrier.
"A part of your Technomancy?"
"Yes." She motioned them as they walked, allowing the barrier to reactivate. Progressing they stopped in place to a surprising sight.
It was a collection of houses made of metal, wires and other techno-created items.
"Lily… what… is this…"
"Shh." Lily hushed before she took a deep breath and cupped her hands. "Glory!"
"Man!"
One by one little heads poked out and beamed. "Big sister Lily is here!"
Like a swarm, they all gathered around the bluenette. It was like a village full of children that had gathered around her, a few dangling from her arms as they held on. The former teenage experiments waved to Lily.
"All the orphans… are here?" Minus the teenagers, the children all saw Qrow and Cody. Immediately they hid behind Lily in fright of the two unfamiliar males.
"Guess they don't recognize me without my armor." Cody noted with a slight chuckle, but understood their worries. "Lily, mind explaining this?"
She wanted to speak but one of teenagers volunteered. "She had thought it was best to not be in the orphanages because of the possibility of Faust Agents in hiding being the ones to take us in. Instead, she sought us out to take the young children with us and well, here we are."
"Hmm… I can understand that. Given all we know now." Qrow nodded, as it seemed he wasn't here to judge such a decision.
"Whenever Lily is gone, we try to use what skills we have to support the kids. It's… not easy trying to raise them since some of us are just teenagers, a few barely."
Cody noticed the familiar young siblings he and Lily saved in the facility in her arms. The two are nuzzling against the maiden. "You really went all out for them, Lily…"
"I know what it was like growing up alone, Cody. I lived in Mistral, barely knew my own parents. To live in unforgiving conditions, none of them deserve it." She looked at one of the teenage experiments. "Get the kids into the bunker. They sent the Assassin Units to find all of you."
"Wha-What?"
"Just get them in there and stay with them until I resolve it."
"I believe it would be best to move them. If anything them trying to get info out of you, now means they're doing their best to find any trace. I'd suggest finding a way to move them to a new location would be safer for them." Qrow offered the idea to the bluenette. "No offense but you know how Faust does their dirty work." He still felt sick to his stomach and it wasn't from the alcohol.
Asides from the teens ranging from 15 to 18, there were more children than he could count his fingers and toes together. Some looked to be past six years of age while the only youngest of children were the two who were clinging onto Lily. They look to be barely 5. Children raised for the sake of becoming spies.
"I have to agree with Qrow. As far as we know? They may have somehow tried to follow us." Cody agreed with the Huntsman. "Lily I know you want to shield them from Faust but…"
"I am not abandoning them, Cody." The blonde winced at the specific word. Given what happened to her back then, the abandonment was something that still lingered in her. He may have done that out of his fear, Lily wasn't willing to do the same. "Look at them. Look at them."
Cody bit his lip and did as was told. The children number in enough to fill a village. They had no home. No parents. They were found and brought to be experimented on to become worthy soldiers. The eyes that were once full of emptiness were vibrant with emotions because it was Lily and Vernage's efforts to reignite the spark of life in their lives. The teens looked barely unscathed yet they no doubt held the trauma from their days in Faust.
"Tell me what you would do, like you did years ago?"
Cody remained silent, already remembering that day of escape, "... you didn't have to bring that up again…" He said softly to her.
"They have no one Cody. As did we. Who else would they turn to to live? Who would raise them when their very bodies are already altered by Nebula? Would their lives be the same? Difficult? Treated like monsters?" She adjusted her hold on the two young siblings. "I took an oath. A promise to Vernage that I have to do whatever it takes to stop Evol just as you do. I may be stuck between life and death but Vernage is the reason I am alive and I owe her to finish what she wanted done for eons - Evol's head mounted on the wall so no man, woman, and child would have to suffer anymore of Evol's mechanizations to this world's oncoming doom the second he obtains his Trigger. Salem is the least of our worries when we have a celestial lifeform hungry to devour this world. Playing with it like a child."
"Yet we're still not evenly matched with him! What can we even do right now that would actually hinder him enough to stop him?" Cody snapped at Lily, as while he understood her, they're still nowhere near as close as to defeating him than before, even with them both now having magic. "Unlike me! Vernage has been at this for what? Thousands of years and stalled him whereas we can't do shit! You said so yourself, Vernage has been his only equal! No one else has!"
"Your Bottle."
"… Eh?"
"Where did you leave your Obsidian encased Jelly?"
"Well, with Dr. Polendia… he has been studying it. But he's in the Atlas airship at the moment with Penny"
"We're going."
"Huh?" Cody blinked with confusion.
XXX
The blonde followed Lily towards the doctor's office in the airship, fully separate from the other airships and even the head one, just for safety precaution. Cody is unsure what Lily is even planning to do this time. While they were glad they were given permission to enter the ship to speak to the scientist, they still had rules. Qrow on the other hand took a brief swig of his flask.
"Do you seriously have to drink?"
"After the shit of a conversation I had with Ozma, it's what I need. You have your method of coping, so do I." He responded with a huff.
"So you got Vernage's message." Lily spoke, not giving a glance.
"I still want to talk to her after we are done with whatever we are doing here."
"She said okay but only if you cut the alcohol for a moment. She says you remind her of the blacksmith who made her weapon Virtuous Steel."
"Sheesh. Always the slave driver…"
"Little bird." Qrow grumbled at the nickname.
The trio jumped to the sudden puff of black smoke leaving the crevices of a door. It slid open, allowing the familiar man to wave his arm and cough whereas Penny was smiling despite being painted in soot.
"Uh… hi?" Cody greeted the two.
"Cody!" Penny smiled brightly, swiftly rushing before she pulled him into a powerful hug. "It's good to see you!"
"You're crushing the kid… not that I mind." Qrow grunted when Lily slammed an elbow against his stomach.
"Oh you're right! I'm sorry!" Penny gasped, letting go of him.
"It's still good to see you too…" Cody groaned out but smiled.
"So what brings you here, my boy?" Pietro asked them, curious to know.
"The Obsidian Jelly Bottle. We need to see it."
"It's right here." The man gestured to the interior. "Er, pardon the mess. I've been trying to key into the components of the Bottle but throughout each moment, it keeps releasing blasts of smoke. I swear I thought it was burning my good brows."
Lily stalked over to it, noticing the said bottle. She plucked it, staring sharply at it. "What did you do to cause the fumes to explode out of it?"
"Father was using his tools to possibly extract anything but the contact of the tools caused a spark that led to this, I believe it was seven times now?"
"It's truly baffling… It's like the bottle is alive and refusing to be tampered with." Pietro noted with confusion yet intrigue.
"Like a volcano that wants to go boom but can't!"
Lily stared at the obsidian bottle. Just as she planned to create a device, the doors suddenly shut. "What the?" Qrow tugged but couldn't. "It won't open."
Pietro was confused as well as he attempted to type, only for his own console to zap him.
"What in blazes-" They stopped when the sound of gunfire echoed across outside. "That's the sound of gunfire…"
Lily created a holopad and slid out a flat device. Outside, it folded before becoming a small box-like drone. Back inside the lab, the five saw the footage before noticing three gray-armored individuals scouring the hall of the ship, motioning another to drag the corpse away.
"Those must be the other three Faust assassins…"
The footage wobbled before they saw the visor with glowing red slits and the sharp and toothy yet sadistic grin. "Look bro, we are on camera."
"Really?" The footage of the drone was moved to reveal the eyes but he wore a mouthplate that was shaped as demonic teeth. "Oh hey! We are!"
"This must be one of Lily's doohickeys."
"Guess so." The footage cracked before it became static.
"Shit." Lily grimaced. "Evol sent the Hell Bros with the three assassins."
"Seems like Evol's no longer playing around…" Qrow noted. "He really wants to cut loose ends with those kids you are hiding."
"Shut it." She brandished Virtuous Steel. "Old man, you and Cody help the doc and get out of the ship."
"But Lily that would mean you will be on your own!"
They heard the bashing against the metal door.
Lily ripped the golden hairband and placed it on her wrist, allowing Vernage to take over. "Those two little devils want bloodshed. If they find those children then bloodshed is what they find. Go."
"Please… don't do anything reckless…" Cody pleaded with worry in his heart.
A metal claw was punched through, slowly ripping open a gap. "Here's~ Johnny!" 898 was punched in the face, sending him back due to the metal fist that materialized. "Oww…" 898 rubbed his face to see two large metal claws rip open the metal doors and there stood Vernage, her eyes blazing with magic. "Oh… you're not Lily. You're cute though."
Vernage rolled her eyes and kicked him straight to 899 and the three Faust Assassins.
"Come on, let's get them out of here before this place goes down." Qrow said, as Cody and Penny nodded, with the android picking up her father as the group began to head off to escape the airship in the other direction.
"Oi, oi! You can't run from us!" 899 barked but paused upon Vernage in their way.
"They will." She twirled the large katana. "Who wishes to dance with the guide of my blade?"
"At least our job will be easier, since you're the prime one we were sent to kill." 898 noted.
"By all means… entertain me… maggots."
She dashed forward and slid with her large katanas as the skate. 898 caught her boot but felt the gravity around him and was crashed into the ceiling of the ship. The Saint ducked from 899's kick before swerving from the knife of the assassin with him. Two claws appeared and stopped two more whereas she used Virtuous Steel to block the kick. With a grunt, she shoved the leg down and brought her knee up.
"GUH!" 899 squealed, falling to the ground.
"Ahahahaha! You got your boys crushed!" 898 laughed despite being pinned in the ceiling. Vernage merely flicked her wrist, causing her created entity to slam its metal fist upward. "GAH!"
"Boys will be boys." The metal claw grabbed the third assassin by the head and tightened the hold. The assassin squirmed before a crack echoed and was dropped. The skull beneath the helmet was crushed.
Then she thrust her large katana into another, leaving one assassin left and the Hell Bros left.
"Seems like we may have to use it, brother…" 898 grunted with annoyance.
"I agree…. Ngh…." 899 squeaked a grunt before the two held up their Nebula Steam Gun, a weapon that neither Lily nor Vernage knew about as the two inserted their bottles.
GEAR ENGINE/GEAR REMICON!
"Jissou." The two said in unison before pulling the trigger.
FUNKY!
As the black smoke filled around the two, the maiden took notice of their armor as it was much different from that of the previous Steam Gun that Lily used as their armor formed on them.
REMOTE CONTROL GEAR/ENGINE RUNNING GEAR
"Time for our hunt…" They said in unison, getting into position to fight the maiden.
Vernage frowned before she whispered, "Assimilating."
The metal being she created latched onto her body, once again the large metal claws covered her arms entirely whereas it attached to her torso and covered the lower half of her face.
"That's… new…" 898 noted, as they were not informed she could do this, yet it mattered not to them. As soon 898 took fire as his brother charged in with the Steam Blade in hand, ready to slash down the maiden.
The left claw was raised, serving as a large shield before she climbed across the ceiling with the other before spinning around and releasing shards of ice.
899 pointed his gun at the incoming shards as he pulled the trigger and let out some steam, quickly evaporating the incoming ice into water before 898 took aim at Vernage, sending several shots her way.
"You two are thousands of years behind." She leapt back, her talons scraping across the walls of the ship to slow down. "Now we-" The trio stumbled.
"Oh right… I forgot the pilot…"
"Don't tell me you silenced him too?!" 899 barked at his brother.
"We were told to kill everyone but Evol's favorite!" 898 noted, confused by his brother being angry.
"The ship was supposed to fly normally, not fly down you idiot!" The three slid, forcing Vernage to use her talons to remain where she was. The Bros slid but both tackled her, the three now descending through several metal walls and crashing against the controls of the main room. The two raised their fists but she forged teo more metal claws to stop it. The maiden casted Gravity around herself and stabled her balance.
The two brothers charged from the left and right. She looked down then at them. "By Mankind I can't believe I am doing this." She raised both claws and bashed the glass. It trembled before she rapidly repeated it, creating cracks. With one fist raised she said, "Through the looking glass we go!" She bashed it, shattering the glass, forcing the three to fall through together. Vernage's magic formed but gasped to see the brothers hold onto her, causing a struggle as the descent was now erratic.
"Even if we fall to the depths, we will complete our mission." 899 stated.
"Yeah! This is nothing more than a simply tumble down the stairs for us!" 898 grinned.
Vernage grunted as he felt the blows to her armor. She grabbed their helmets and slammed their heads together. Alas she felt their hands whipped onto her neck.
"We go to hell together!"
Vernage wheezed through her breath, tightening the grips in an attempt to crush their heads. They were willing to die in the fall with her.
"Sal~u~tations!"
The three blinked and looked to the left to see several blades that scraped across 898, causing him to release Vernage. With the opening, she quickly casted her magic on 899 and pried herself free.
She watched the teens plunge into the water. She turned her gaze to see Penny. "Android? What are you doing?"
"I helped you, because you're my brother's friend after all! And if you're his friend, then you'e my friend too." Penny smiled sweetly, leaving Vernage a bit speechless that this android was given life…. Is truly more human than most others.
"You jerk of a woman!" The two looked down, seeing 898 with his waving arm. "Just because you are cute doesn't mean you leave a guy in the water like this! At least leave a raft!"
Vernage facepalmed.
"Oh, I didn't know you were dating the enemy." Penny responded with her innocence, not knowing of the word 'flirting'.
XXX
Vernage nursed a bruise to her rib as Atlas soldiers were picking up the wreckage of the ship that was in the water.
"Are you sure you don't need help with that, my dear?" Pietro asked, as he was worried for the maiden, seeing her just as innocent as anyone else. He truly was a kind person.
"I will be fine, this is not the first time I've dealt with such injuries." Vernage reassured him.
"Still… It pains me to see someone so young be on such attention. Even though you're possessing her, I always hope there could be a way for you two to live in peace." Pietro noted, his kindness still as abundant as ever.
"Were it so easy…" She murmured softly. She yawned slightly. "Lily, I return the body back to you…" she removed the bracelet and tied her hair into the familiar wild ponytail.
"Seems like we're going to have to keep our guard up with such brats like that running about." Qrow huffed with annoyance as he downed another small swig of his booze.
"I have already started analyzing their appearances, hoping to find something that can match them for us to take precaution." Penny saluted with pride and a smile. "Hell Bros right?"
Upon the ponytail put up, Lily regained control and grimaced, clutching her ribs. "Yeah. Those two really didn't hold back in their punches…" she looked at Qrow. "Vernage will talk tomorrow because right now I need a good rest… guh…" She stood up but wobbled. "This is why I hate dealing with those two jerkwads."
"Seems they were given special attention." Cody noted, looking over the footage Penny sent him just to see if he could spread it in Beacon. "They updated that Steam Gun… Didn't expect them to do that."
"Evol is improvising…. And preparing."
"Lily, are you sure you are okay?"
Lily covered her mouth and knelt down, coughing a harsh fit. This caused Cody to rush to her side, worry showing on his face.
"Maybe you should go to that hidden base and rest with the kids. Wouldn't be a good thing to just be out in the open or even within Beacon. Who knows who else is working for them?" Qrow suggested to the girl, already able to tell that those twins did a much rougher job on her than she would admit.
"I said…" Lily was silenced when she heard Vernage's whispers. "Fine… Fine I'll rest… but only for a few hours…. Okay, a day…"
Cody chuckled. Seems Vernage scolded Lily to get much needed rest as the two share the same body.
Cody sighed in relief, "Good… I'll help you up. Easy does it." He supported Lily as he and Lily walked.
Qrow stared at Cody and Lily before noticing the Clover guy. "Any sight of those two demon dogs?"
"No. Most likely they escaped."
"Hrm…" The scythe user grumbled.
"Something wrong Mr. Qrow?"
"It just doesn't feel right… for those Hell Bros to assault a ship and outright fight? The girl said they were bloodthirsty teens who are assassins and demons in the battlefield." Qrow remembered. "The fact they still lost upon the gap of experience between them and Vernage? I smell something fishy. And it ain't the fish in the lake."
"Think this was just some set up trick?" Clover pondered.
"Whatever it is… it ain't good."
XXX
Cody held onto Lily as the two made their way to the hidden location as much as they could, the blonde truly worried over the bluenette but as long as she recovers then it'll be fine for them both.
Unbeknownst to them, a small device quietly glimmered a faint light in the seams of Lily's signature jacket. One that was sending a signal to someone, but small enough for even Lily not to notice it.
A shepherd protects the sheep.
For the wolves will prowl and slaughter those sheep.