div id="djs-foo" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"In the grand probability of endless potential and opportunity, there exists a timeline where everything goes right, rather than wrong. A timeline where events play out as close to the current one, yet key subtle differences alter and change the fates of those touched. Within the endless reaches of time, space and opportunity, we find ourselves inside the Atlas jail. The space where four of the most dangerous enemies of Atlas could be held. Or rather two, since the last inhabitants of this infamous floor, Arthur Watts, had been broken out by the woman identified as Aschen, well she screamed it at the top of her lungs, and ruined two of the cells. Still no one actually knew who she was. And Winter wasn't able to figure that out either. She had other priorities. As she gingerly put James on the spartan like bed, a small hope burning in her chest that this man, this father she had longed for, would come around in the end. Yet her actual father was barking and yapping at her, demanding to be answered. Still hasn't learned you can't brute force your way with people. In the middle of his ranting, the Scroll in her pocket gave a sharp beeping as Winter opened it. Appearing was Jaune Arc, awkwardly addressing the people of Atlas and Mantle. Weiss, your friends sure are unique, she thought with a smile./div
div id="djs-6qa1g" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Atlas..is falling. But the doorways-", the broadcast cut off rather unexpectedly. Something happen to the coms systems? Before Winter could further her thoughts, her 'father' spoke like a frightened chicken./div
div id="djs-c9bq" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""That boy said that Atlas is falling…is that true?!"/div
div id="djs-a7f6p" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Yes", Winter put her Scroll away and in a dark mirror, walked away from her father in a cold and uncaring manner. "We're using the Staff and evacuating. Salem can have the rest, while we're long gone"/div
div id="djs-bc546" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Are you-", he had touched the Hard Light field in his desperation and received a painful shock. Why was I telling him this? He doesn't know Salem or the Relics. He hadn't listened to the broadcast of Ruby Rose, since there'd be no connective tools inside this room. He'd have been in the dark. He'd probably not remember Rose from the not so cordial dinner party. So why? Because I know something he doesn't and that must eat him up, and made her feel powerful! Now she was the stronger one. "Are you going to leave me here!?"/div
div id="djs-dc8g7" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Winter heard him ask it, like a whiny spoiled brat. She smiled to herself. Refused to answer directly. Let the silence hang, marinating him in his worry. Would this even matter? He probably didn't remember this was how he had treated Winter way back when. She put her heels together, the clack echoing in the silent room. She sighed, disappointedly; "No…when we're finished…you and James will be moved to safety as well. Since we're better than you"/div
div id="djs-b40jn" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Oh Winter…thank you! Truly I-", Winter's hatred for him won out over her 'joy' of being in control over him. She was so done with this father of hers, this monster parading as a man. "Don't thank me. If it were up to me I'd leave you for dead along with the rest of Atlas! How you did it, I'll probably never know. But you somehow wormed your way into Weiss' heart as she proclaimed to save you"/div
div id="djs-9m9av" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Weiss…", Jacques stroked along the ridge of his mustache. A disgusting smirk on his face as he turned to Winter, holding that leering smile on his face; "off course. She always was the more…emotional of the two of you."/div
div id="djs-a4vtn" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""What's that supposed to mean!?", Winter stomped her foot and walked up towards the cage, standing face to face with her father, who only deepened his arrogant and provoking facial expressions./div
div id="djs-diqef" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Exactly that. You ran from home, broke your mother's heart and left your 'dear' sister behind. Found yourself a different father who is now out cold on the floor. Don't you see Winter? You tear families apart!"/div
div id="djs-6qrcm" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""SHUT UP!", Winter punched the barrier and glared at him. Her outburst made him flinch and step back, wiping the smile of his face. But it returned almost frustratingly fast./div
div id="djs-e0tr4" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You think you got away, that you broke free from me. But you're not, Winter. I can still make you do whatever I want"/div
div id="djs-fhk30" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I'll open this cell and show you just how free I am!", Winter said, her cheeks reddening in hatred for this man. She wanted to cut that split tongue from it's socket, make him shut up forever. But she had a job to do. She needed to meet up with the others. She turned around again and stomped off, in her frustration she forgot to take James' weapons, which lay on the floor outside the cell. Jacques simply smiled; "Still afraid are you, Winter?"/div
div id="djs-1lpds" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-coqg6" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Atlas was falling faster and faster. The structures of Atlas began to crumble as parts of the Gravity Dust started giving out. During one of those rather intense shaking and rubble falling from the ceiling moments, James Ironwood woke up with a start. Just like in the canon timeline, where he gets lucked out of his cell, takes Due Process and shoots Jacques. Jacques survives, but only temporarily until he encounters a fatal stabbing from Adam. Like a machine, mind focused on one single thing: ending the lives of those who stood in his way. While Jacques was just a waste of time, shooting him did feel amazing. His intense focus on revenge not even understanding that the weapon, while powerful, wouldn't be able to kill anyone, since it's a hyper focused thing on killing Penny. Yet he needs it, since he'd do himself the favor and kill that rogue machine. Because she turned on him and that wasn't allowed. Watts was right, Pietro's just a quack and a fat imbecile. He didn't rush, he marched. A death machine on approach. Ominous and deadly. Heavy boots of lead, barely any thoughts within his head. Has he lost his mind?/div
div id="djs-7tpg5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Winter looked over the no signal image on her Scroll. She had reached the vault but there was no one there, simply a doorway as they had planned it. She sighed. Would be stupid to call over the communication breakdown, but she felt uneasy. She had a bad feeling in her heart all of a sudden. What about the evacuation? She looked around, what do I do?! Head back for the nerve center and try to fix this blackout? Stay the course and remain here? She flipped on her heels, debating with herself. As she did, she noticed a small red dot on the floor. Along with a noise. One she didn't quite get. But Winter knew a laser pointer when she saw one! She turned her eyes towards the elevator entrance and dove to the side. A heavy beam of green energy soared past her, scorching her uniform, the lower left corner of her coat now black from embers. She patted them out, as a cold voice echoed in the wide expanse of the vault. "I chased a lot of shadows over the years…"/div
div id="djs-9n6hg" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Winter rolled the other way as the beam once more fired out from his cannon. Springing to her feet and diving for cover. Coal had said that thing would only harm Penny, but Winter wasn't gonna stick around and find out! She drew her sword behind her hiding hole. "Always expecting betrayal…"/div
div id="djs-5fosp" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"The elevator hit the floor of the vault. Winter sprang from her spot and pointed, ready to unleash a flock of Nevermores. But she was hit full on in the chest. An intense burning rocked her Aura. But the damage wasn't as intense as the beam would suggest. More scorch marks appeared on her brace and uniform, as she rolled backwards through the hit and rose to her full stature. James stood on a level playing field and approached her. "But never once did I ever thought it would come from you"/div
div id="djs-6hh4f" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"His eyes were cold, focused. Same way he had been when he ordered the bomb to be dropped on the warehouse district, same they'd been when he got the idea to use hostages to blackmail Penny. Or when he attempted to shoot down defenseless cargo ships just to prove a point. Oh how could I've been so stupid? "I know what's best for Atlas…"/div
div id="djs-f6q7f" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You threatened to bomb part of the city…how is that the best option available?", Winter asked, perhaps still hoping he'd see reason. After all, he was the first to ever praise her, after she ran from home and joined the Atlas Military. "Atlas had to be protected!"/div
div id="djs-av04o" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Atlas is done for! The rubble will be left for Salem to take as the people evacuate to Vacuo. It's over James. Please…see reason! We could still use someone of your caliber! The mission..", Winter pleaded. She got to her feet and watched as he stood there, emotionless. "I will get that Staff…Step aside…this is my final order"/div
div id="djs-5nbfi" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Winter's heart broke. SHe had never fled home. She had just traded one monster for another. The only difference being that Jacques had never lied about how vile and evil he was. Winter steeled herself as she pointed her sword and looked James dead in the eye. "I never once wavered in protecting this Kingdom from enemies…and I won't start now!"/div
div id="djs-4hit9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-7m7i0" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Winter dashed forwards. Not unlike she had done what felt like a lifetime ago, when Qrow provoked her at Beacon. In a split second she cracked a smile, who'd have thought that old drunk was actually right, even back then. She then banned distractions from her mind. She drove her sword forwards, at James' face. He flung the cannon around to try and clock her, but using the speed Winter rolled under his swing, as she did, throwing a cut at the general's side. She connected but he shrugged it off and turned around, once again swinging the massive and rather clunky thing. It was improper form! Winter jumped backwards, summoning her flock of Nevermores and sent it forwards, harassing and attacking him. In doing that, she outflanked him from the right, his left. Yet he merely slammed the ground with one hand, sending a small shockwave to break the summons, then raised his cannon again and deflected her blow. Winter was now pointblank with the weapon. Thinking quickly she generated a Gravity Glyph and pulled herself sideways, dodging the weapon as it blasted one of the four pillars, sending it crumbling to the floor. Reversing the Glyph, Winter catapulted herself towards James, once more aiming for his head! This time he stepped back, holding his arm out to haymaker her, use the momentum of the Glyph against her! Winter saw it and raised her sword. Closing her eyes she generated a Manticore from the left side, yet missed her timing as James threw his haymaker, slamming her in the chest and making her tumble through the air, falling over the edge. Once more she focused and created the Manticore to sit on and fly upwards. As she reaches over the ridge, she spies James pulling a revolver from his cannon and shoots at her summon. Jumping off, the creature vanished in white fractals as she landed on the platform again. Both staring at one another as he puts the weapon back together. Winter groaned. Why did this have to be such a close matchup? He had been there during every training session. Had schooled her in every step she took in combat. He knew her every move, every summon. Every weakness. And Winter knew most of his, but that cannon was throwing her off. His anticipation of her moves was throwing her off. Dammit!/div
div id="djs-3pri4" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""The fall of Atlas is your fault James!", Winter howls as she once again summons a set of Nevermores to offset his balance. Yet he merely bats them aside or tanks them outright as he aims for her. Winter acts quickly, she closes the distance and attacks by leaping overhead! Predictively he blocks. Winter pressures the handle of her blade and lets her parry dagger shoot out of it, as she reverses her hold on the blade and drives it towards his face for a third time. But he dodges once again, swinging that heavy thing around. Another Gravity Glyph pulls Winter up a secondary decorative pillar. This isn't working, I need something unexpected. Weiss, what would you do in this situation? "Winter, don't blame me!"/div
div id="djs-8rh67" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"In a split reaction she leapt upwards to avoid the heavy exploding blast that hit the pillar she was taking refuge on. It shattered to pieces. Well damn. Best avoid those blasts from now on. She soared towards the platform, same level as James, who's cannon was already trailing her and charging again. She generated another Gravity Glyph as she descended, intent on dodging away. "I have sacrificed everything for Atlas!"/div
div id="djs-a2t0o" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""No!", As she landed, she pulled herself to the sides as she shot ice shards from other Glyphs, distracting Ironwood as she shot forwards, blades drawn and ready to strike. "You have sacrificed everyone ELSE!"/div
div id="djs-jh8o" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"She swung both blades, knocking the cannon aside. It's large bulk and mass getting in the way for James to move fast enough. "You closed the borders", with the cannon batted aside, she lunged, trying to run his head through once more but he flexed his neck and escaped death once more. "You squeezed Mantle until it broke", Winter ducked under another massive swing from the general, jumped upon his body and used him as a springboard to propel her backwards, trying to summon once more. "You lost your mind!"/div
div id="djs-6pan9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"His cannon fired, half charged but Winter didn't know that, she dodged aside, right in his attack vector, as he closed the distance and swung again. Still recovering from her dodge, Winter crossed her blades and threw her weight forward, blocking the strike, partially. It's strength was higher than her guard as it crossed over her head. She gulped as the attack was pressed, another Gravity Glyph pulled her out of the way. How is he so fast with that heavy thing?! As in training, he anticipated her usage of the Glyph and struck where she was going to be, not where she was and once again Winter had to throw all she had into a two blade defense. This time she wasn't blocking, she was deflecting. Catching the cannon on both edges, guiding it to miss her body while the steel sparked and screamed, biting into the weapon. He pulled downwards, using the momentum to bring the heavy body of Due Process upwards and dropped like an ax on Winter, who sidestepped. Which was her mistake! As the weapon wooshed past her head, Ironwood let the momentum carry over as he guided it down, swung in a circular arc and brought the thing back upwards for a follow up drop attack. Winter had seen Qrow use that a few times on footage, it's always easier to let your weapon drop down than raise it, and by using one strike to feed another, the power amplified. As well as the speed. Winter crossed her weapons and blocked, catching the attack as her arms and legs shook from the force, pain in her wrists proving just how strong Ironwood was, physically./div
div id="djs-96gv9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I've only done what's best for Remnant!", as he roared in anger, the weapon began buzzing and glowing green. A beam attack was coming and with her arms and legs locked in protecting from the overhead strike, Winter was going to take it head on. She had to do something, and fast! "And NO ONE IS GRATEFUL!"/div
div id="djs-aclvo" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-18ir6" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Epiphany! During training Weiss had proven just how clever she was! And in this bind was similar to what happened during training! A small Manticore appeared behind James' leg and bit hard into his achilles tendon. Startled more than he was in pain, despite his left ankle still being flesh and blood, gave Winter just enough leverage to throw the weapon aside, it's beam shooting harmlessly into the distance, breaking another wall. James didn't let her one up him, however. Pulling his revolvers out of the cannon, he shot the Manticore summons with the black weapon, before pistol whipping her in the face twice, with the white weapon. Winter staggered backwards, now he was faster, for sure. And her little trick wouldn't work a second time. A crack of the sound barrier broke her focus as intense pain staggered her backwards. Her left hip had been shot. While her Aura did absorb the blow, the pain demanded her attention as she lowered her offhand to check. Nothing broken but that would bruise, for sure. She saw him raise the black weapon up and shoot once more. Winter didn't hesitate. SHe generated a time dilation Glyph and sliced the bullet, clean in two. Taking another step back. James didn't let up. He took a step, pointed his revolver and shot. Then another step and fired the other one. Winter's arm moved like a blur as she cut through five more bullets, before another smack in the face threw her balance out the window. Swinging at his black revolver, she blocked the blow, but was shot in the leg by the left one. With a sharp metallic 'shing' the black revolver flung into the air, spinning around it's axis as Winter for a split second followed it's trajectory. A heavy knee hit her stomach. As she toppled over, the wind knocked out of her, her Aura shimmering from the punishment she had received, the black revolver was caught by Ironwood by the barrel. His prosthetic hand didn't feel the intense warmth of the barrel as he held on with an intense grip and slammed the handle into Winter's chin with an uppercut, using the weapon in a hammer grip. Winter's feet were lifted off the ground by the blow and then she was blown backwards with a massive body kick to her center frame. She stabbed her weapon into the floor and skid to a halt as James reinserted Due Process into the cannon frame. As he walked over towards her, the weapon powering up for the finishing blow, the room around Winter turned white./div
div id="djs-232pv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"She stood in an empty white void. James was gone, there was no identifying features. Only a soothing and silent empty void of endless white. She felt a small cold wind blow around her. Not uncomfortable. Actually rather welcome due to her aching muscles and painful leg. Those bullets had eaten her Aura, not doing lasting damage but she appreciated the icy feeling. Like a solid patch of ice on a bruise. Slowly she started walking, not sure which direction, but she didn't wanna stand still. She felt compelled to move. Hoping that something might happen, since the last thing she did, was getting stared down by the barrel of a gun. But perhaps she had been shot. With the white light here, maybe she was dead…/div
div id="djs-ll4i" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""SALUTATIONS! You made it!", Winter saw a shape appear, a girl. A girl smiled and waved at her. Penny Polendina. She had been made a real girl. The plan had worked! It was…not right that she'd be dead now./div
div id="djs-6om3u" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Penny…what is this?", Winter asked, as she walked closer towards her friend. At least, she always saw her as a friend, something she was too afraid to name, too busy with the life she was forced to life./div
div id="djs-3fslc" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I thought of you..and here we are!"/div
div id="djs-5umt2" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Winter took a second to realize what that meant. Then she gasped in shock. The passing of powers?! "Oh Penny…"/div
div id="djs-4vf8q" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""It seems fitting that it should be you, it was your power after all"/div
div id="djs-ebu57" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""No…you were always the real Maiden at heart. I was just a machine. Following orders", Winter looked away in shame. Weiss had been right, Jacques..had been right. She had never been free. Never once achieved that which she hoped Weiss had. Genuine friends, who transcended that bond and became family. Winter had been jealous of her sister's achievements in life. And her levelheadedness at it all. Something she never had. She looked back at the girl once she took Winter's hands, smiling warmly. Ear to ear./div
div id="djs-9f1gv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You are my friend! And I'll always be a part of you!", Winter was touched by the words of her friend. A real friend! This is what Fria had gone through with the redhead standing before her. Oh this had to be a dream. A bad one. But wait, if she thought of me, who wasn't much of a friend compared to the others! Why hadn't she passed the power to Rose, Belladonna…WEISS! WInter's eyes widened. Horrified as Penny's golden glowing person faded and became a part of Winter. But that warm smile, as it faded and the area around her also faded and the vault rematerialised before her, Winter's heart was cold and icy. Something absolutely horrifying must have happened. She staggered to her feet, a surge of power as she could feel her Aura becoming stronger. A second wind hit her, eyes flaring in a cold fury as she had the most baddest of feelings. Wondering about her sister./div
div id="djs-3lkef" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""And so…the destiny I chose for you is finally here"/div
div id="djs-e560b" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You…chose NOTHING…this was a gift!", Winter's eyes radiated in a bluish light as she rose from the ground. Carried on a gale of Solitas frozen winds, biting at everything around her, yet leaving her unharmed. No more cold could ever hurt or touch her. She flashed a righteous and furious glare as James lifted the cannon once more. Now that Penny was a part of her, she doubted a blast would be survivable. But it was made of energy, and crystals can refract and rebound that. As she maintained her flight thanks to the nordic howls of arctic cold, she manifested a block of ice from her Glyphs. As the beam shot into the formation, it dissipated across the many frozen fractals making up the ice block. Until the bundle reunited and reflected back at James. Winter hissed: "consider this my resignation", before James Ironwood, the tinman without a heart, was engulfed in the explosion of the weapon. Its esoteric payload overloading the cannon and blowing up in his face. But the newly born Maiden didn't stick around. She had a dangerously bad feeling and needed to know for sure. She sped off towards the portal door and crossed over./div
div id="djs-cd7qm" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-2shc" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Entering was a weird sensation. Like walking through a decontamination field and still feeling the water hit you once you're through. Yet what she saw wasn't at all what she expected. A vast expanse of a bluish dark void. Golden pathways that were guarded by a safety railing as well as the center exit that led to Vacuoan desert space. Yet as she gave a quick glance around the area, she found only three people remaining. She saw Penny, dead on the floor, surrounded in a puddle of blood as a makeshift dagger penetrated her heart. Yang Xiao Long, who was on the floor, desperately trying to hold off an attack as Jaune Arc ran forwards and sliced at Aschen Gwain. Yet she barely acknowledged him as she threw an arm made of solid steel that clashed with Arc's weapon and breaking it in half. Winter acted with a violent reaction as she flew at the woman attacking her allies and drove her sword in her side. Slashing aggressively! Aschen screams in pain./div
div id="djs-3ro11" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Winter couldn't glare more intensely. Aschen looks at her, with her Aura now broken from the punishment she had endured. But her eyes barely acknowledge her. Yang is barely conscious and Jaune pulls her away. the Relic lost in the chaos. Which is when Aschen begins to understand she'd need a final ace up her sleeve. The relic! With a quick snap of her fingers, she vanishes, turning invisible, using the magic she had become proficient with. Winter's eyes widen. How do you fight something you cannot see? She spins her sword around and stabs the floor, summoning the biggest flock of Nevermores she ever summoned. And sends them out as a scouting net. They soar and fly, hunting and searching, forming a buzzing net of attacks. Trying to find the vanished girl. Walking closer towards the Relic, Winter picks it up, looking around. A cold fury makes itself master of the new Maiden. Ruby Rose, Blake Belladonna and Weiss Schnee were nowhere to be seen. As she gazed at Jaune and Yang limp away, the girl passed out in his arms, her heart tells Winter what should not be said. "You killed my sister didn't you?!"/div
div id="djs-5o2ji" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""She got in my way. All I want is my half sister, and that staff of yours", the voice of Aschen says as she appears a bit further away, sending a heavy plume of fire towards Winter, who scoffs and dodges it by jumping up. Yet the intent was to get those summons away, which were instantly destroyed. Winter aims her weapon mid air at Aschen and gives a very loud scream of rage. Her sister was dead after all. Hovering, Glyphs appear as they shoot out a rain of razor sharp ice shards, while another white Glyph appears and begins spawning medium sized Manticores. All rushing for Aschen./div
div id="djs-e6kq1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-7dv4j" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"The Fall Maiden glared up at the onslaught of Manticores and held up both hands, rooting herself on the platform and smiled. Red disk-like openings appeared around her, slowly a variety of swords appeared from them, all seemingly made of molten glass. As the blue and white eye colored Gwain threw her hand forwards, those many blades shot out in an intense rain of death that clashed with the Manticores, killing them and sending powder snow scattering about. The blades sung as they were shot forwards. Aschen's focus was intense and focused. Aiming at Winter, sure, but more blades were actually shot at Yang. Winter's eyes flared in rage as the Manticores were resummoned. They began opening their maws, and blasted cold beams out that froze the blades and shattered them. Aschen's 'Cinder Gate' attack was countered by a different endless wave of attacks. And these summons had magical powers, extended from Winter herself. Aschen gave a loud scream as Winter's attacks blasted into her. But there wasn't any damage./div
div id="djs-86q20" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Aschen stood, her skin organic steel. Her go-to defensive trick. A solid good idea but one that Winter had a plan for beating. Extending a gloved hand, a beam of cold blasted from her and the many Manticores, slowly coating frost and ice along the steel skin. Aschen's movement slowed. Desperately trying to crawl away. Without Aura to teleport, she was stuck tanking it. If only she had a way to get something to overpower this monster and then finally kill Yang. As her feet froze to the floor, Aschen was running low on ideas. I can't use magic without stopping the steel skin, and I need the Steel Skin to survive this cold. And Getaway isn't working since she broke my Aura. Wait. That's it! A moment her skin turned to a normal sheen, the frostbite already hurting her massively as she vanished from the position she was in. In shock Winter rushed forwards, her sword lunging for the heart as Aschen appeared near the Staff of Creation and touched it. Then Winter's blade deflected from a solid round shield that knocked her backwards. Aschen had used the staff to create a defensive tool. And as she did the floor beneath them started to vanish. Winter quickly flew upwards, turned back and saw Xiao Long and Arc beginning to lose ground. Literally! She forgot her rage, Weiss would have wanted her to save her friends! She shot forwards, reaching out her hands for them both. But taking her eyes off of Aschen had been a mistake. Extending her hand, a plume of jetfire extended and soared across Winter's frame, scorching her uniform and burning part of her white hair. Winter couldn't handle the heat and duck down a little, giving Aschen just enough wiggle room to strike at both people, knocking them into the void! Triumphantly Aschen, who was still holding the staff, flew away cackling like a mad woman! Winter, defeated yelled that she'd kill her, shot herself towards the door and made it through, just before the window closed. Aschen and Winter had escaped the Inbetween's unmaking./div
div id="djs-qo6j" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-dob6q" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"…/div
div id="djs-6evbv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You've gotta be kidding me", Emerald said as she, Lie Ren and Oscar managed to cross the Inbetween. They should have reached the outskirts of Vacuo and call for back up. Yet as they appeared, Emerald had to pull a cloth from her pocket and cover her mouth with it. "Is this always how it goes for you people?"/div
div id="djs-3ni8p" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Bad luck in our plans? Yeah pretty much", Ren roared back, a massive sandstorm was encompassing the doorway and they had appeared in the worst time ever. "Which way's the city?"/div
div id="djs-hceq" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""-Has to be here somewh-", Oscar's voice was eaten up by the sand. Barely any sound broke free from him as he also raised his hand to protect his mouth from the coarse and rough sand blasting them all at once./div
div id="djs-8jren" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""And on top of that…", Emerald groaned as she checked her scroll. No signal. This thing was killing communications. This wasn't good! They needed to get help fast or they'd all be easy pickings for the Vacuo Grimm. And Wildlife, which also was nothing to scoff at, according to some. As the first few people started to appear around them Ren sighed. Better start masking. Oscar observed it happen as more and more people appeared, all being covered and made invisible for Grimm. Welcome to Vacuo indeed. As more and more people began amassing, Oscar stepped towards Ren and put a hand on his shoulder./div
div id="djs-8hgrs" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Don't overdo it. You'll drain faster than the water in this weather. We best start getting a perimeter going!", As Oscar says that, the Happy Huntresses cross over, smiles fading in the harsh weather. What timing! As Ren drops the masking, Oscar already asking and subtly demanding people to huddle together so the Huntsmen and Huntresses can protect them better, a roar of airborne origin startles everyone. Kids cry in fear, parents try to soothe their kin but everyone is aware of their fate: the creatures are coming. Joanna, May and Fiona help put people together, the cry of some about all of them just being a big dinner plate now, get shut down by Joanna who barks that this is the only solution for this problem for now. So take it or leave it! Is it any surprise that it's an Atlas elitist that says that? Ravagers begin swooping in. Young ones as well as the fully grown adult versions. Winged batlike Grimm swooping through the sand battering winds without a care. Leathery wings giving strong beats to carry them across the intense desert danger. Ren doesn't hesitate, shooting Stormflower at the leathery wings causing the creature to plummet and sink half a meter into the sand, stuck, defenseless and useless. The Happy Huntresses begin firing bolts at the others, killing a few as the Grimm begin swarming. Oscar deals with a few stragglers, but the refugees are starting to get larger and larger. With more negativity. A few times Ren used his Semblance to mask a few people that were being picked up and Emerald was doing well in the new 'hero' role. But they did start to see an issue."Where's Penny? Couldn't she deal with the storm?!"/div
div id="djs-5f1cc" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Wait…something's wrong. Penny should have been here by now!"/div
div id="djs-9e6pq" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-di136" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Oscar ran for the portal yet like a door it refused to open as he bounced back into the sand, getting some in his coat and boots. "What?! Why can't I…"/div
div id="djs-50jk4" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Oh dear…Ambrosius…"/div
div id="djs-astem" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""What do you mean?! Did something happen?"/div
div id="djs-iki9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I did warn you all. He gives us exactly what we ask. Somehow he found a formulation in the words to make it…inconvenient"/div
div id="djs-2vhst" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""we can't go back, the portal won't let us!", Oscar said as he ran back towards Ren and Emerald. More and more Grimm where appearing and attacking. Not enough to overwhelm them yet, but enough to start making more panic appear. This plan wasn't going fully well as planned. And more and more refugees came rushing out of the portal, all screaming in fear and terror. Something was terribly wrong inside the Inbetween space. A couple had lacerations and bruises all over their…/div
div id="djs-2rrle" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""AHHHHH"/div
div id="djs-b38kp" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"A loud scream woke Oscar from thought as he saw Ren explode in a flash of motion as he open palm struck the Silver Fish Grimm, pouring some Aura into it as it exploded and saved a refugee from being mauled. But there were more coming. Oscar looked at Long Memory, debating on using the power stored in there for this moment. When suddenly a friendly face appeared through the door. Nora Valkyrie appeared with a worried expression./div
div id="djs-aljlm" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Oscar! Thank goodness…I need-"/div
div id="djs-d8m3l" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Nora, where's Penny!? We need the Maiden!"/div
div id="djs-csqu9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""That's the thing, Aschen attacked. We need to head back into the portal, reinforce our friends!"/div
div id="djs-atj0v" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Nora…we can't go back…", Oscar said, defeated, Nora's eyes widened. For a second she thought he was joking. But as she saw the situation, the endless blasts of sands accompanied by numerous flying monsters of Grimm as well as those skittering nightmares across the sand, Nora turned to the gateway and placed her hand on it. Yet instead of passing through it like one would a veil of water, she felt a solid surface. Warm to the touch, but cold as it looked. Nora's eyes broke as she started crying. No! No, I have to save Jaune. Yang and Penny. Now I failed just like I did in the inner sanctum of Atlas. Except that door I could overpower with my hammer. Driven by hopeless despair Nora gave a wild scream as she slammed Magnhild into the barrier, but there was no breaking through. She sank to her knees, yelling Jaune's name. Oscar turned around, people were starting to break formation. Running into the sand storm, brave and stupid few, before they screamed one final loud time, eerily their death scream was carried towards them all before they were silenced. Emerald's chained blades were whipping around, protecting what few she could as Ren was knocked backwards and plopped an inch deep into the sand. SLowly he crawled to his feet, heaving with exhaustion. "I'm spent…"/div
div id="djs-tkv2" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Oscar takes a moment to focus. He would have to use the magic. No other option. As the sound of more Grimms appearing, Dromedons, Ziraphs, Jackalopes and Deathstalkers, never mind what more dangers lurk beneath the sands, all seemed hopeless. Until a Silver Fish suddenly just exploded into messy bits. Through the gales of sand, screams of terror and the growling and cries of Grimm, came a confident female voice, as through the sand blasting winds an airbus appeared. Standing in the open boarding door is a rather short girl with sunglasses and a barret. "See this needs a little less kiss kiss and more bang bang!"/div
div id="djs-7f16l" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-2mius" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"…/div
div id="djs-5f27a" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-6orru" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"span style="font-style: italic;"Are we sure this is a clever idea?/span For anyone who knew, it was not a surprise that Coco Adele, leader of team CFVY, wasn't even required to talk to her teammates. Even if the ginger partner of hers was already boarding the airbus along with the rest of the team. Fox' Telepathy was an exceptionally handy tool, especially when you're trying to sneak your team out of the Vacuo hanger. Ditching team SSNS wasn't a good look, never mind the others of the Beacon Brigade, but with the distress call, it felt right. span style="font-style: italic;"Yes! Our friends need help and we're not gonna sit around and-/span/div
div id="djs-1pmja" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Didn't I say you can't ditch a ditcher?", Coco rolled her eyes and stopped moving. Her shoulders tensed as she looked around and saw not just the monkey Faunus Sun, but his entire team as well as the others of the Beacon Brigade, "In Vacuo we protect our clan. And RWBY belongs to all our clan"/div
div id="djs-2c6vo" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Look, it's not that you don't make a good point it's just-", Velvet tried to soothe the situations until a loud roaring laughter made all of them, every single nearly graduated Huntsmen and Huntress of Shade Academy look up at the entrance door to the School Hanger bay. Standing there was him. Putting his 'chiseled from stone' body on display, sharp wiry frame and muscles, a cape that reminds of a bluish storm which would be a blessing in the Vacuoan desert reaches towards his silver boots, white slacks with deep pockets, silver belt and chain as well as clasps for his cape, checkered jacket and nearly shaven dark hair, red gloves. Theodore's outfit just drew your attention and despite the odd colour scheme and age of the man, as he was the oldest of the Headmasters yet looked the youngest, made it work somehow. Coco still hadn't figured it out how he pulled it off. "So you can't even give me one day, can you?"/div
div id="djs-bt6t5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Professor…", a stern voice accompanied the Shade headmaster as Rumphole stood besides him, barely half his size at a mere four feet tall, yet she was an exceptional fighter and demanded respect. Coco once more had to akin her to Glynda./div
div id="djs-6mk19" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Right…So, students…while I understand your eagerness to go and help, we can't leave the Academy defenseless. However, I also understand the sentiment of wanting to help. And while the idea of seeing my former friend Ironwood again, is alluring and I'd prefer to let my actions speak. I have to stay behind and defend Shade", Theodore spoke. And as he did, a collective sigh went through the Beacon Brigade, the company of students that had fought in the Vytal Festival and protected Beacon as well as they could, forging a bond forged in battle that not many Huntsmen had ever seen or heard off. Yet before protest could break out, Theodore raised a red gloved hand and smiled at them all, "I won't stop you from going. But I will urge you to make haste. And hurry back"/div
div id="djs-14lnl" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""The Busses are fueled and ready to go. Make us proud and don't make us regret trusting you with this", Rumphole smiled at them, for a moment Velvet felt like she was back at Beacon. With these two sharing a similar relationship as Goodwitch and Ozpin had. The students broke in a cheer and all thanked Theodore as he raised his hands again, urging for silence as Rumphole opened the rooftop door./div
div id="djs-61jje" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Sandstorm's heading in from the west, make sure you stay clear of that"/div
div id="djs-5q308" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-9gd5r" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"With renewed vigor fourteen people board the airbus and take up their positions. While it's a little cramped, they have a new spark in their hearts. Coco puts Velvet in charge of flying this thing, since she was the most qualified with her skill sets and the abilities at her disposal. As Velvet slowly pilots the ship into the air and begins navigating towards Atlas, everyone, with the exception of Fox and Coco, stare through the windows and see the structure of Shade Academy appear and then shrink as they fly over towards the north. Coco looks around the people here. Velvet at the helm, Yatsuhashi meditating in a corner, Fox tapping his ADA unit, also focusing and centering himself as they prepare for a voyage, Arslan joining Yatsu with a meditation to calm her mind as she also was eager to fight, Bolin and Reese are talking and discussing a game plan with Nadir and Iris, Nolan and Scarlet sit a little back and are looking at one another, Sage partakes with team ABRN's battle discussions, Sun and Neptune stand with Coco near her team and look at the horizon. They are ready! Prepared to show the world that the Beacon Brigade, and mostly team CFVY, is back in action and out for payback! They all look at one another as Coco raises her fist! "For Beacon!"/div
div id="djs-c35m4" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""WAIT VELVET!", Fox, who had been silent during the cheer, suddenly sprang from his seat as he turned his head into a weird angle. Vel nearly jumped from her seat. They had just reached the City Limits and the sandstorm had hit a few minutes after they had taken off. "What!? Don't scare me like that!"/div
div id="djs-8o6pl" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Ok…guys…this is gonna sound crazy…but I can sense Ren and Nora!", Fox had barely said that, or Coco, Yatsuhashi, Sun and Neptune pressed their heads against the windows and scanned the horizon. Looking down. Velvet, who trusted her teammate with her life, didn't ask what he meant and instantly turned the vessel in the direction Fox had turned his head. "Look!"/div
div id="djs-9m4oj" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Through the heavy brown fuzz of the sandstorm, the Beacon Brigade could see a vague light through the sands. A large oval shaped light. They all looked at Coco, who grabbed her Scroll. Perhaps because they are above the sand, perhaps an act of the Two Brothers, but she could send one message through with destination Theodore: 'situation at the city limits. Might need help'. Velvet proves how skilled a pilot she is as she maneuvers the vessel through the punishing winds. Soft tinks as the sand blasts against the steel hull, she slowly descends near the light./div
div id="djs-1q1s4" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Are you all seeing this?", Neptune asks out loud as a large door of Light just manifests right there. This hadn't been here yesterday. Right?/div
div id="djs-b2gt4" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Totally, saw a similar one just outside my dorm room in the Academy", Fox joked./div
div id="djs-ft7a6" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""A single doorway…how can this be?", Yatsuhashi wonders as he comes and watches. Fox gasps. "Down there, Ren and Nora. Along with a mass of Aura signatures!"/div
div id="djs-dd99b" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Are those…", Sun begins, with Neptune slapping his shoulder, "Atlas Refugees! Look, they're not dressed for the dry sandy weather!"/div
div id="djs-e4mbd" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""How are they here?", Scarlet wonders, caressing Darling./div
div id="djs-8rkpj" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Whatever the deal, we have to help! They're unable to handle that many Grimm. Come on, this is what we've trained for!", Coco orders as Velvet opens the bay door and blasts a single Grimm that was getting close to a small kid, dressed in a green coat and black hair. It suited him, even if it wasn't the most 'stylish' of outfits. "See this needs a little less kiss kiss and more bang bang!"/div
div id="djs-1udhk" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Coco jumped from the vessel and shot Gianduja, its rotary barrel spitting bullets with excessive force, slowing her descent until she landed like a superhero with style! Her massive gatling gun collapsed into her stylish handbag which she then used to turn a Silver Fish into a stain on the desert sands. Oscar, who was poking a Dromedon with Long Memory, looked at the landed Huntress. Coco Adele, stellar and stylish leader of team CFVY. He knew her. Or rather, he knew her thanks to the merging of himself and Ozpin. "Heads up kid"/div
div id="djs-5vv23" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Her voice was solid and carried authority, but also friendly and protective. He smiled at her and slammed the cane on the Grimm's head, fracturing the skull and causing it to die. He felt confident. "I can take care of myself…Miss Adele"/div
div id="djs-813cd" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I meant for…wait how do you know…"/div
div id="djs-7aa37" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""RAAHHHHH", Yatsuhashi landed in a small cloud of sand and dust, Fulcrum's blade half submerged in the sand, a Ziraph Grimm sliced to bits and dissolved, saving three children in the process. With a loud bellowing roar, he swiped at a few Silver Fish and killed them as well! A different roar mirrored Yatsu as Sage landed on top of a Ravager and guided his descend down to the sands by using its dying body as a glider. Ren, who was being charged by a Deathstalker, saw a blur of copper until the creature was dead. Appearing from it's corpse was Alistair Fox who smiled at him. "Hey Ren, long time no see…or hear rather", Ren's face flashed a smile, as he sank to his knees, reinforcements! Yes, a spark of hope! "Hello Fox"/div
div id="djs-da0g6" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Several other Ravagers were shot down as a few ranged Huntsmen landed. Key among them is Neptune, who was basically helped to land from Scarlet, since he could fly. As Tri-Hard fires off salvo upon salvo, dealing with whatever comes close to attacking the very lovely looking mothers among the refugees, Darling provides a few auxiliary shots as well. Scarlet kicked the sand, still not having found proper boots that could keep the sand out of his shoes, while running Hook through a Jackalope, as Nolan protects Scarlet's rear from a Silver Fish with a wink. The rallied aid dropping in, inspires the valiant Happy Huntresses to double their efforts as they rush forwards and charge alongside team ABRN who were busy dealing with a King Taijitu who had appeared from the sands towards the edge of the refugees. Sensing the mixture of despair from the refugees along with the new burning spark of hope, the Grimm become indecisive. Until another wave of Ravagers appear and swoop in. Another hail of bullets echo through the air as Velvet, having put the ship in 'hover mode', copies Gianduja and shoots her way down to the battlefield! Sun also spinning and walloping Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang in their bo staff configuration. When everyone lands and stares at the Grimm, who circle and hold for a split second, before engaging in the attack./div
div id="djs-aovdc" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Sage, Yatsu, Arslan and Bolin; Front line duty! Velvet, Fox, Sun, Ren; midrange formation. Neptune, Scarlet, Reese, Nadir; shoot those pests from the sky! Iris, see what's up with Nora", Coco barks the orders. And within seconds everyone falls in line. taking positions as they all work in unison to form a cage of defense around the refugees. Joanna, May and Fiona put themselves in the plan and accompany the ranged group in shooting down the Ravagers pestering them from above. Oscar joins the midrange team and spring left and right, clearing and dealing with those pesky mobile or annoying Grimm that outmaneuver or dig under the front line. All the while Yatsu, Sage and Arslan stand their ground like wavebreakers, tanking and dealing with the dangerous creatures at the front. Bolin standing back a little and having their backs. Coordinated and unified. Iris, the least combat effective of them all, checks on Nora who's just been banging the doorway, unable to go back and blabbering in her sorrow. "Hey…Nora..you alright? What's-"/div
div id="djs-c64ar" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-brqo1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"The doorway flickers for a moment. Nora gasps, falling back on her butt in the sand as a single final shape comes through, Winter Schnee. Hovering mid air as she feels the sand sting her eyes and gives a loud mournful wail. A cold Solitas gale blasts away the Grimm, freezing them all solid and shattering them like a mirror. Her Maiden powers break the sandstorm away and for the first time since they all arrived, the sky is clear. A bright pre midday sun boiled sky. The heavy structure of Shade off to the right. Winter's cheeks are wet with tears as she finds the faces of her mother and brother in the mass. She lands nearby and hugs them both for an instant, silence and sorrow making her fight the urge to break down and cry like a little girl. The same little girl that once longed for her mother to protect her. Willow, who was still struggling with the withdrawals from having sworn away alcohol, shivers. "Winter..what…where…where is-"/div
div id="djs-aqf79" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""JAUNE! Where is JAUNE!", Nora roars in shock, drops of her tears evaporating before they can even touch the sands. Oscar also notices, his eyes wide. "Winter…you have…the powers…Penny…"/div
div id="djs-5jpn0" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Where's team RWBY?", Velvet, who had expected to see her dear friends again, was left with a sharp pain in her heart when the doorway vanished. Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna, Weiss Schnee and Ruby Rose. They weren't here. Jaune wasn't here. Where they…/div
div id="djs-farrg" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Fallen…in battle", the words from Winter were soft, her face steel and cold, the meaning hitting like a hammer on an anvil. The pain and sadness of losing a friend and ally. It sparks into a cascading wave of negative emotions, causing Joanna to gasp. As everyone turns into the direction of a new sandstorm. One that's far smaller and moves towards them, the Grimm following behind it showing a larger force. Coco swallows hard. "Blind Worm…"/div
div id="djs-1v6if" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Good…I need something to kill", Furious and vengeful, Winter springs into the air, gathering her Maiden powers and drawing her sword. Through the sand a large black worm body appears, a single massive maw of black and boned teeth as it's massive red eye turns towards and looks at Winter. She holds her ground, her fury brighter than a supernova. Yet they weren't alone. Other ships in the air swarm towards them, every single airbus that Shade had, leading the helm, was Theodore's personal ship as he leaps from it with a mighty roar and slams his red Dust gloves into the Blind Worm. The force so great it clears the sandstorm as he is joined by Professor Rumphole./div
div id="djs-9ft2h" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Honestly Theodore…"/div
div id="djs-46gqn" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""How can I not take this chance!? The Great One is the stuff of legends and now I can fight it!", Theodore, headmaster of Shade smiles ear to ear in the face of this behemoth of murderous energy and power. The Great One was a Vacuoan legend: the biggest and strongest Blind Worm to roam the desert. Many a huntsman had been claimed by this thing. Yet he wasn't worried. Something Rumphole also noticed. "Why are you so calm?"/div
div id="djs-ba126" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Because we have her…a vengeful Maiden to back us up! HAVE AT YOU!", as Theodore charged at the monster, his confidence working addictive, Rumphole pulls her string from her hair and begins joining his attack, as a bellowing Winter slams herself into the Blind Worm and the fighting resumes full force. Nora sits at the back, Ren falls to his knees, Oscar lets out a pained scream. They had won, saving so much. But in victory, they had lost so much more…/div
div id="djs-6qa1g" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Atlas..is falling. But the doorways-", the broadcast cut off rather unexpectedly. Something happen to the coms systems? Before Winter could further her thoughts, her 'father' spoke like a frightened chicken./div
div id="djs-c9bq" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""That boy said that Atlas is falling…is that true?!"/div
div id="djs-a7f6p" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Yes", Winter put her Scroll away and in a dark mirror, walked away from her father in a cold and uncaring manner. "We're using the Staff and evacuating. Salem can have the rest, while we're long gone"/div
div id="djs-bc546" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Are you-", he had touched the Hard Light field in his desperation and received a painful shock. Why was I telling him this? He doesn't know Salem or the Relics. He hadn't listened to the broadcast of Ruby Rose, since there'd be no connective tools inside this room. He'd have been in the dark. He'd probably not remember Rose from the not so cordial dinner party. So why? Because I know something he doesn't and that must eat him up, and made her feel powerful! Now she was the stronger one. "Are you going to leave me here!?"/div
div id="djs-dc8g7" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Winter heard him ask it, like a whiny spoiled brat. She smiled to herself. Refused to answer directly. Let the silence hang, marinating him in his worry. Would this even matter? He probably didn't remember this was how he had treated Winter way back when. She put her heels together, the clack echoing in the silent room. She sighed, disappointedly; "No…when we're finished…you and James will be moved to safety as well. Since we're better than you"/div
div id="djs-b40jn" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Oh Winter…thank you! Truly I-", Winter's hatred for him won out over her 'joy' of being in control over him. She was so done with this father of hers, this monster parading as a man. "Don't thank me. If it were up to me I'd leave you for dead along with the rest of Atlas! How you did it, I'll probably never know. But you somehow wormed your way into Weiss' heart as she proclaimed to save you"/div
div id="djs-9m9av" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Weiss…", Jacques stroked along the ridge of his mustache. A disgusting smirk on his face as he turned to Winter, holding that leering smile on his face; "off course. She always was the more…emotional of the two of you."/div
div id="djs-a4vtn" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""What's that supposed to mean!?", Winter stomped her foot and walked up towards the cage, standing face to face with her father, who only deepened his arrogant and provoking facial expressions./div
div id="djs-diqef" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Exactly that. You ran from home, broke your mother's heart and left your 'dear' sister behind. Found yourself a different father who is now out cold on the floor. Don't you see Winter? You tear families apart!"/div
div id="djs-6qrcm" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""SHUT UP!", Winter punched the barrier and glared at him. Her outburst made him flinch and step back, wiping the smile of his face. But it returned almost frustratingly fast./div
div id="djs-e0tr4" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You think you got away, that you broke free from me. But you're not, Winter. I can still make you do whatever I want"/div
div id="djs-fhk30" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I'll open this cell and show you just how free I am!", Winter said, her cheeks reddening in hatred for this man. She wanted to cut that split tongue from it's socket, make him shut up forever. But she had a job to do. She needed to meet up with the others. She turned around again and stomped off, in her frustration she forgot to take James' weapons, which lay on the floor outside the cell. Jacques simply smiled; "Still afraid are you, Winter?"/div
div id="djs-1lpds" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-coqg6" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Atlas was falling faster and faster. The structures of Atlas began to crumble as parts of the Gravity Dust started giving out. During one of those rather intense shaking and rubble falling from the ceiling moments, James Ironwood woke up with a start. Just like in the canon timeline, where he gets lucked out of his cell, takes Due Process and shoots Jacques. Jacques survives, but only temporarily until he encounters a fatal stabbing from Adam. Like a machine, mind focused on one single thing: ending the lives of those who stood in his way. While Jacques was just a waste of time, shooting him did feel amazing. His intense focus on revenge not even understanding that the weapon, while powerful, wouldn't be able to kill anyone, since it's a hyper focused thing on killing Penny. Yet he needs it, since he'd do himself the favor and kill that rogue machine. Because she turned on him and that wasn't allowed. Watts was right, Pietro's just a quack and a fat imbecile. He didn't rush, he marched. A death machine on approach. Ominous and deadly. Heavy boots of lead, barely any thoughts within his head. Has he lost his mind?/div
div id="djs-7tpg5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Winter looked over the no signal image on her Scroll. She had reached the vault but there was no one there, simply a doorway as they had planned it. She sighed. Would be stupid to call over the communication breakdown, but she felt uneasy. She had a bad feeling in her heart all of a sudden. What about the evacuation? She looked around, what do I do?! Head back for the nerve center and try to fix this blackout? Stay the course and remain here? She flipped on her heels, debating with herself. As she did, she noticed a small red dot on the floor. Along with a noise. One she didn't quite get. But Winter knew a laser pointer when she saw one! She turned her eyes towards the elevator entrance and dove to the side. A heavy beam of green energy soared past her, scorching her uniform, the lower left corner of her coat now black from embers. She patted them out, as a cold voice echoed in the wide expanse of the vault. "I chased a lot of shadows over the years…"/div
div id="djs-9n6hg" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Winter rolled the other way as the beam once more fired out from his cannon. Springing to her feet and diving for cover. Coal had said that thing would only harm Penny, but Winter wasn't gonna stick around and find out! She drew her sword behind her hiding hole. "Always expecting betrayal…"/div
div id="djs-5fosp" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"The elevator hit the floor of the vault. Winter sprang from her spot and pointed, ready to unleash a flock of Nevermores. But she was hit full on in the chest. An intense burning rocked her Aura. But the damage wasn't as intense as the beam would suggest. More scorch marks appeared on her brace and uniform, as she rolled backwards through the hit and rose to her full stature. James stood on a level playing field and approached her. "But never once did I ever thought it would come from you"/div
div id="djs-6hh4f" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"His eyes were cold, focused. Same way he had been when he ordered the bomb to be dropped on the warehouse district, same they'd been when he got the idea to use hostages to blackmail Penny. Or when he attempted to shoot down defenseless cargo ships just to prove a point. Oh how could I've been so stupid? "I know what's best for Atlas…"/div
div id="djs-f6q7f" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You threatened to bomb part of the city…how is that the best option available?", Winter asked, perhaps still hoping he'd see reason. After all, he was the first to ever praise her, after she ran from home and joined the Atlas Military. "Atlas had to be protected!"/div
div id="djs-av04o" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Atlas is done for! The rubble will be left for Salem to take as the people evacuate to Vacuo. It's over James. Please…see reason! We could still use someone of your caliber! The mission..", Winter pleaded. She got to her feet and watched as he stood there, emotionless. "I will get that Staff…Step aside…this is my final order"/div
div id="djs-5nbfi" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Winter's heart broke. SHe had never fled home. She had just traded one monster for another. The only difference being that Jacques had never lied about how vile and evil he was. Winter steeled herself as she pointed her sword and looked James dead in the eye. "I never once wavered in protecting this Kingdom from enemies…and I won't start now!"/div
div id="djs-4hit9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-7m7i0" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Winter dashed forwards. Not unlike she had done what felt like a lifetime ago, when Qrow provoked her at Beacon. In a split second she cracked a smile, who'd have thought that old drunk was actually right, even back then. She then banned distractions from her mind. She drove her sword forwards, at James' face. He flung the cannon around to try and clock her, but using the speed Winter rolled under his swing, as she did, throwing a cut at the general's side. She connected but he shrugged it off and turned around, once again swinging the massive and rather clunky thing. It was improper form! Winter jumped backwards, summoning her flock of Nevermores and sent it forwards, harassing and attacking him. In doing that, she outflanked him from the right, his left. Yet he merely slammed the ground with one hand, sending a small shockwave to break the summons, then raised his cannon again and deflected her blow. Winter was now pointblank with the weapon. Thinking quickly she generated a Gravity Glyph and pulled herself sideways, dodging the weapon as it blasted one of the four pillars, sending it crumbling to the floor. Reversing the Glyph, Winter catapulted herself towards James, once more aiming for his head! This time he stepped back, holding his arm out to haymaker her, use the momentum of the Glyph against her! Winter saw it and raised her sword. Closing her eyes she generated a Manticore from the left side, yet missed her timing as James threw his haymaker, slamming her in the chest and making her tumble through the air, falling over the edge. Once more she focused and created the Manticore to sit on and fly upwards. As she reaches over the ridge, she spies James pulling a revolver from his cannon and shoots at her summon. Jumping off, the creature vanished in white fractals as she landed on the platform again. Both staring at one another as he puts the weapon back together. Winter groaned. Why did this have to be such a close matchup? He had been there during every training session. Had schooled her in every step she took in combat. He knew her every move, every summon. Every weakness. And Winter knew most of his, but that cannon was throwing her off. His anticipation of her moves was throwing her off. Dammit!/div
div id="djs-3pri4" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""The fall of Atlas is your fault James!", Winter howls as she once again summons a set of Nevermores to offset his balance. Yet he merely bats them aside or tanks them outright as he aims for her. Winter acts quickly, she closes the distance and attacks by leaping overhead! Predictively he blocks. Winter pressures the handle of her blade and lets her parry dagger shoot out of it, as she reverses her hold on the blade and drives it towards his face for a third time. But he dodges once again, swinging that heavy thing around. Another Gravity Glyph pulls Winter up a secondary decorative pillar. This isn't working, I need something unexpected. Weiss, what would you do in this situation? "Winter, don't blame me!"/div
div id="djs-8rh67" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"In a split reaction she leapt upwards to avoid the heavy exploding blast that hit the pillar she was taking refuge on. It shattered to pieces. Well damn. Best avoid those blasts from now on. She soared towards the platform, same level as James, who's cannon was already trailing her and charging again. She generated another Gravity Glyph as she descended, intent on dodging away. "I have sacrificed everything for Atlas!"/div
div id="djs-a2t0o" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""No!", As she landed, she pulled herself to the sides as she shot ice shards from other Glyphs, distracting Ironwood as she shot forwards, blades drawn and ready to strike. "You have sacrificed everyone ELSE!"/div
div id="djs-jh8o" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"She swung both blades, knocking the cannon aside. It's large bulk and mass getting in the way for James to move fast enough. "You closed the borders", with the cannon batted aside, she lunged, trying to run his head through once more but he flexed his neck and escaped death once more. "You squeezed Mantle until it broke", Winter ducked under another massive swing from the general, jumped upon his body and used him as a springboard to propel her backwards, trying to summon once more. "You lost your mind!"/div
div id="djs-6pan9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"His cannon fired, half charged but Winter didn't know that, she dodged aside, right in his attack vector, as he closed the distance and swung again. Still recovering from her dodge, Winter crossed her blades and threw her weight forward, blocking the strike, partially. It's strength was higher than her guard as it crossed over her head. She gulped as the attack was pressed, another Gravity Glyph pulled her out of the way. How is he so fast with that heavy thing?! As in training, he anticipated her usage of the Glyph and struck where she was going to be, not where she was and once again Winter had to throw all she had into a two blade defense. This time she wasn't blocking, she was deflecting. Catching the cannon on both edges, guiding it to miss her body while the steel sparked and screamed, biting into the weapon. He pulled downwards, using the momentum to bring the heavy body of Due Process upwards and dropped like an ax on Winter, who sidestepped. Which was her mistake! As the weapon wooshed past her head, Ironwood let the momentum carry over as he guided it down, swung in a circular arc and brought the thing back upwards for a follow up drop attack. Winter had seen Qrow use that a few times on footage, it's always easier to let your weapon drop down than raise it, and by using one strike to feed another, the power amplified. As well as the speed. Winter crossed her weapons and blocked, catching the attack as her arms and legs shook from the force, pain in her wrists proving just how strong Ironwood was, physically./div
div id="djs-96gv9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I've only done what's best for Remnant!", as he roared in anger, the weapon began buzzing and glowing green. A beam attack was coming and with her arms and legs locked in protecting from the overhead strike, Winter was going to take it head on. She had to do something, and fast! "And NO ONE IS GRATEFUL!"/div
div id="djs-aclvo" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-18ir6" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Epiphany! During training Weiss had proven just how clever she was! And in this bind was similar to what happened during training! A small Manticore appeared behind James' leg and bit hard into his achilles tendon. Startled more than he was in pain, despite his left ankle still being flesh and blood, gave Winter just enough leverage to throw the weapon aside, it's beam shooting harmlessly into the distance, breaking another wall. James didn't let her one up him, however. Pulling his revolvers out of the cannon, he shot the Manticore summons with the black weapon, before pistol whipping her in the face twice, with the white weapon. Winter staggered backwards, now he was faster, for sure. And her little trick wouldn't work a second time. A crack of the sound barrier broke her focus as intense pain staggered her backwards. Her left hip had been shot. While her Aura did absorb the blow, the pain demanded her attention as she lowered her offhand to check. Nothing broken but that would bruise, for sure. She saw him raise the black weapon up and shoot once more. Winter didn't hesitate. SHe generated a time dilation Glyph and sliced the bullet, clean in two. Taking another step back. James didn't let up. He took a step, pointed his revolver and shot. Then another step and fired the other one. Winter's arm moved like a blur as she cut through five more bullets, before another smack in the face threw her balance out the window. Swinging at his black revolver, she blocked the blow, but was shot in the leg by the left one. With a sharp metallic 'shing' the black revolver flung into the air, spinning around it's axis as Winter for a split second followed it's trajectory. A heavy knee hit her stomach. As she toppled over, the wind knocked out of her, her Aura shimmering from the punishment she had received, the black revolver was caught by Ironwood by the barrel. His prosthetic hand didn't feel the intense warmth of the barrel as he held on with an intense grip and slammed the handle into Winter's chin with an uppercut, using the weapon in a hammer grip. Winter's feet were lifted off the ground by the blow and then she was blown backwards with a massive body kick to her center frame. She stabbed her weapon into the floor and skid to a halt as James reinserted Due Process into the cannon frame. As he walked over towards her, the weapon powering up for the finishing blow, the room around Winter turned white./div
div id="djs-232pv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"She stood in an empty white void. James was gone, there was no identifying features. Only a soothing and silent empty void of endless white. She felt a small cold wind blow around her. Not uncomfortable. Actually rather welcome due to her aching muscles and painful leg. Those bullets had eaten her Aura, not doing lasting damage but she appreciated the icy feeling. Like a solid patch of ice on a bruise. Slowly she started walking, not sure which direction, but she didn't wanna stand still. She felt compelled to move. Hoping that something might happen, since the last thing she did, was getting stared down by the barrel of a gun. But perhaps she had been shot. With the white light here, maybe she was dead…/div
div id="djs-ll4i" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""SALUTATIONS! You made it!", Winter saw a shape appear, a girl. A girl smiled and waved at her. Penny Polendina. She had been made a real girl. The plan had worked! It was…not right that she'd be dead now./div
div id="djs-6om3u" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Penny…what is this?", Winter asked, as she walked closer towards her friend. At least, she always saw her as a friend, something she was too afraid to name, too busy with the life she was forced to life./div
div id="djs-3fslc" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I thought of you..and here we are!"/div
div id="djs-5umt2" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Winter took a second to realize what that meant. Then she gasped in shock. The passing of powers?! "Oh Penny…"/div
div id="djs-4vf8q" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""It seems fitting that it should be you, it was your power after all"/div
div id="djs-ebu57" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""No…you were always the real Maiden at heart. I was just a machine. Following orders", Winter looked away in shame. Weiss had been right, Jacques..had been right. She had never been free. Never once achieved that which she hoped Weiss had. Genuine friends, who transcended that bond and became family. Winter had been jealous of her sister's achievements in life. And her levelheadedness at it all. Something she never had. She looked back at the girl once she took Winter's hands, smiling warmly. Ear to ear./div
div id="djs-9f1gv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You are my friend! And I'll always be a part of you!", Winter was touched by the words of her friend. A real friend! This is what Fria had gone through with the redhead standing before her. Oh this had to be a dream. A bad one. But wait, if she thought of me, who wasn't much of a friend compared to the others! Why hadn't she passed the power to Rose, Belladonna…WEISS! WInter's eyes widened. Horrified as Penny's golden glowing person faded and became a part of Winter. But that warm smile, as it faded and the area around her also faded and the vault rematerialised before her, Winter's heart was cold and icy. Something absolutely horrifying must have happened. She staggered to her feet, a surge of power as she could feel her Aura becoming stronger. A second wind hit her, eyes flaring in a cold fury as she had the most baddest of feelings. Wondering about her sister./div
div id="djs-3lkef" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""And so…the destiny I chose for you is finally here"/div
div id="djs-e560b" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You…chose NOTHING…this was a gift!", Winter's eyes radiated in a bluish light as she rose from the ground. Carried on a gale of Solitas frozen winds, biting at everything around her, yet leaving her unharmed. No more cold could ever hurt or touch her. She flashed a righteous and furious glare as James lifted the cannon once more. Now that Penny was a part of her, she doubted a blast would be survivable. But it was made of energy, and crystals can refract and rebound that. As she maintained her flight thanks to the nordic howls of arctic cold, she manifested a block of ice from her Glyphs. As the beam shot into the formation, it dissipated across the many frozen fractals making up the ice block. Until the bundle reunited and reflected back at James. Winter hissed: "consider this my resignation", before James Ironwood, the tinman without a heart, was engulfed in the explosion of the weapon. Its esoteric payload overloading the cannon and blowing up in his face. But the newly born Maiden didn't stick around. She had a dangerously bad feeling and needed to know for sure. She sped off towards the portal door and crossed over./div
div id="djs-cd7qm" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-2shc" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Entering was a weird sensation. Like walking through a decontamination field and still feeling the water hit you once you're through. Yet what she saw wasn't at all what she expected. A vast expanse of a bluish dark void. Golden pathways that were guarded by a safety railing as well as the center exit that led to Vacuoan desert space. Yet as she gave a quick glance around the area, she found only three people remaining. She saw Penny, dead on the floor, surrounded in a puddle of blood as a makeshift dagger penetrated her heart. Yang Xiao Long, who was on the floor, desperately trying to hold off an attack as Jaune Arc ran forwards and sliced at Aschen Gwain. Yet she barely acknowledged him as she threw an arm made of solid steel that clashed with Arc's weapon and breaking it in half. Winter acted with a violent reaction as she flew at the woman attacking her allies and drove her sword in her side. Slashing aggressively! Aschen screams in pain./div
div id="djs-3ro11" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Winter couldn't glare more intensely. Aschen looks at her, with her Aura now broken from the punishment she had endured. But her eyes barely acknowledge her. Yang is barely conscious and Jaune pulls her away. the Relic lost in the chaos. Which is when Aschen begins to understand she'd need a final ace up her sleeve. The relic! With a quick snap of her fingers, she vanishes, turning invisible, using the magic she had become proficient with. Winter's eyes widen. How do you fight something you cannot see? She spins her sword around and stabs the floor, summoning the biggest flock of Nevermores she ever summoned. And sends them out as a scouting net. They soar and fly, hunting and searching, forming a buzzing net of attacks. Trying to find the vanished girl. Walking closer towards the Relic, Winter picks it up, looking around. A cold fury makes itself master of the new Maiden. Ruby Rose, Blake Belladonna and Weiss Schnee were nowhere to be seen. As she gazed at Jaune and Yang limp away, the girl passed out in his arms, her heart tells Winter what should not be said. "You killed my sister didn't you?!"/div
div id="djs-5o2ji" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""She got in my way. All I want is my half sister, and that staff of yours", the voice of Aschen says as she appears a bit further away, sending a heavy plume of fire towards Winter, who scoffs and dodges it by jumping up. Yet the intent was to get those summons away, which were instantly destroyed. Winter aims her weapon mid air at Aschen and gives a very loud scream of rage. Her sister was dead after all. Hovering, Glyphs appear as they shoot out a rain of razor sharp ice shards, while another white Glyph appears and begins spawning medium sized Manticores. All rushing for Aschen./div
div id="djs-e6kq1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-7dv4j" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"The Fall Maiden glared up at the onslaught of Manticores and held up both hands, rooting herself on the platform and smiled. Red disk-like openings appeared around her, slowly a variety of swords appeared from them, all seemingly made of molten glass. As the blue and white eye colored Gwain threw her hand forwards, those many blades shot out in an intense rain of death that clashed with the Manticores, killing them and sending powder snow scattering about. The blades sung as they were shot forwards. Aschen's focus was intense and focused. Aiming at Winter, sure, but more blades were actually shot at Yang. Winter's eyes flared in rage as the Manticores were resummoned. They began opening their maws, and blasted cold beams out that froze the blades and shattered them. Aschen's 'Cinder Gate' attack was countered by a different endless wave of attacks. And these summons had magical powers, extended from Winter herself. Aschen gave a loud scream as Winter's attacks blasted into her. But there wasn't any damage./div
div id="djs-86q20" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Aschen stood, her skin organic steel. Her go-to defensive trick. A solid good idea but one that Winter had a plan for beating. Extending a gloved hand, a beam of cold blasted from her and the many Manticores, slowly coating frost and ice along the steel skin. Aschen's movement slowed. Desperately trying to crawl away. Without Aura to teleport, she was stuck tanking it. If only she had a way to get something to overpower this monster and then finally kill Yang. As her feet froze to the floor, Aschen was running low on ideas. I can't use magic without stopping the steel skin, and I need the Steel Skin to survive this cold. And Getaway isn't working since she broke my Aura. Wait. That's it! A moment her skin turned to a normal sheen, the frostbite already hurting her massively as she vanished from the position she was in. In shock Winter rushed forwards, her sword lunging for the heart as Aschen appeared near the Staff of Creation and touched it. Then Winter's blade deflected from a solid round shield that knocked her backwards. Aschen had used the staff to create a defensive tool. And as she did the floor beneath them started to vanish. Winter quickly flew upwards, turned back and saw Xiao Long and Arc beginning to lose ground. Literally! She forgot her rage, Weiss would have wanted her to save her friends! She shot forwards, reaching out her hands for them both. But taking her eyes off of Aschen had been a mistake. Extending her hand, a plume of jetfire extended and soared across Winter's frame, scorching her uniform and burning part of her white hair. Winter couldn't handle the heat and duck down a little, giving Aschen just enough wiggle room to strike at both people, knocking them into the void! Triumphantly Aschen, who was still holding the staff, flew away cackling like a mad woman! Winter, defeated yelled that she'd kill her, shot herself towards the door and made it through, just before the window closed. Aschen and Winter had escaped the Inbetween's unmaking./div
div id="djs-qo6j" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-dob6q" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"…/div
div id="djs-6evbv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You've gotta be kidding me", Emerald said as she, Lie Ren and Oscar managed to cross the Inbetween. They should have reached the outskirts of Vacuo and call for back up. Yet as they appeared, Emerald had to pull a cloth from her pocket and cover her mouth with it. "Is this always how it goes for you people?"/div
div id="djs-3ni8p" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Bad luck in our plans? Yeah pretty much", Ren roared back, a massive sandstorm was encompassing the doorway and they had appeared in the worst time ever. "Which way's the city?"/div
div id="djs-hceq" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""-Has to be here somewh-", Oscar's voice was eaten up by the sand. Barely any sound broke free from him as he also raised his hand to protect his mouth from the coarse and rough sand blasting them all at once./div
div id="djs-8jren" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""And on top of that…", Emerald groaned as she checked her scroll. No signal. This thing was killing communications. This wasn't good! They needed to get help fast or they'd all be easy pickings for the Vacuo Grimm. And Wildlife, which also was nothing to scoff at, according to some. As the first few people started to appear around them Ren sighed. Better start masking. Oscar observed it happen as more and more people appeared, all being covered and made invisible for Grimm. Welcome to Vacuo indeed. As more and more people began amassing, Oscar stepped towards Ren and put a hand on his shoulder./div
div id="djs-8hgrs" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Don't overdo it. You'll drain faster than the water in this weather. We best start getting a perimeter going!", As Oscar says that, the Happy Huntresses cross over, smiles fading in the harsh weather. What timing! As Ren drops the masking, Oscar already asking and subtly demanding people to huddle together so the Huntsmen and Huntresses can protect them better, a roar of airborne origin startles everyone. Kids cry in fear, parents try to soothe their kin but everyone is aware of their fate: the creatures are coming. Joanna, May and Fiona help put people together, the cry of some about all of them just being a big dinner plate now, get shut down by Joanna who barks that this is the only solution for this problem for now. So take it or leave it! Is it any surprise that it's an Atlas elitist that says that? Ravagers begin swooping in. Young ones as well as the fully grown adult versions. Winged batlike Grimm swooping through the sand battering winds without a care. Leathery wings giving strong beats to carry them across the intense desert danger. Ren doesn't hesitate, shooting Stormflower at the leathery wings causing the creature to plummet and sink half a meter into the sand, stuck, defenseless and useless. The Happy Huntresses begin firing bolts at the others, killing a few as the Grimm begin swarming. Oscar deals with a few stragglers, but the refugees are starting to get larger and larger. With more negativity. A few times Ren used his Semblance to mask a few people that were being picked up and Emerald was doing well in the new 'hero' role. But they did start to see an issue."Where's Penny? Couldn't she deal with the storm?!"/div
div id="djs-5f1cc" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Wait…something's wrong. Penny should have been here by now!"/div
div id="djs-9e6pq" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-di136" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Oscar ran for the portal yet like a door it refused to open as he bounced back into the sand, getting some in his coat and boots. "What?! Why can't I…"/div
div id="djs-50jk4" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Oh dear…Ambrosius…"/div
div id="djs-astem" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""What do you mean?! Did something happen?"/div
div id="djs-iki9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I did warn you all. He gives us exactly what we ask. Somehow he found a formulation in the words to make it…inconvenient"/div
div id="djs-2vhst" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""we can't go back, the portal won't let us!", Oscar said as he ran back towards Ren and Emerald. More and more Grimm where appearing and attacking. Not enough to overwhelm them yet, but enough to start making more panic appear. This plan wasn't going fully well as planned. And more and more refugees came rushing out of the portal, all screaming in fear and terror. Something was terribly wrong inside the Inbetween space. A couple had lacerations and bruises all over their…/div
div id="djs-2rrle" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""AHHHHH"/div
div id="djs-b38kp" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"A loud scream woke Oscar from thought as he saw Ren explode in a flash of motion as he open palm struck the Silver Fish Grimm, pouring some Aura into it as it exploded and saved a refugee from being mauled. But there were more coming. Oscar looked at Long Memory, debating on using the power stored in there for this moment. When suddenly a friendly face appeared through the door. Nora Valkyrie appeared with a worried expression./div
div id="djs-aljlm" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Oscar! Thank goodness…I need-"/div
div id="djs-d8m3l" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Nora, where's Penny!? We need the Maiden!"/div
div id="djs-csqu9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""That's the thing, Aschen attacked. We need to head back into the portal, reinforce our friends!"/div
div id="djs-atj0v" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Nora…we can't go back…", Oscar said, defeated, Nora's eyes widened. For a second she thought he was joking. But as she saw the situation, the endless blasts of sands accompanied by numerous flying monsters of Grimm as well as those skittering nightmares across the sand, Nora turned to the gateway and placed her hand on it. Yet instead of passing through it like one would a veil of water, she felt a solid surface. Warm to the touch, but cold as it looked. Nora's eyes broke as she started crying. No! No, I have to save Jaune. Yang and Penny. Now I failed just like I did in the inner sanctum of Atlas. Except that door I could overpower with my hammer. Driven by hopeless despair Nora gave a wild scream as she slammed Magnhild into the barrier, but there was no breaking through. She sank to her knees, yelling Jaune's name. Oscar turned around, people were starting to break formation. Running into the sand storm, brave and stupid few, before they screamed one final loud time, eerily their death scream was carried towards them all before they were silenced. Emerald's chained blades were whipping around, protecting what few she could as Ren was knocked backwards and plopped an inch deep into the sand. SLowly he crawled to his feet, heaving with exhaustion. "I'm spent…"/div
div id="djs-tkv2" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Oscar takes a moment to focus. He would have to use the magic. No other option. As the sound of more Grimms appearing, Dromedons, Ziraphs, Jackalopes and Deathstalkers, never mind what more dangers lurk beneath the sands, all seemed hopeless. Until a Silver Fish suddenly just exploded into messy bits. Through the gales of sand, screams of terror and the growling and cries of Grimm, came a confident female voice, as through the sand blasting winds an airbus appeared. Standing in the open boarding door is a rather short girl with sunglasses and a barret. "See this needs a little less kiss kiss and more bang bang!"/div
div id="djs-7f16l" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-2mius" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"…/div
div id="djs-5f27a" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-6orru" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"span style="font-style: italic;"Are we sure this is a clever idea?/span For anyone who knew, it was not a surprise that Coco Adele, leader of team CFVY, wasn't even required to talk to her teammates. Even if the ginger partner of hers was already boarding the airbus along with the rest of the team. Fox' Telepathy was an exceptionally handy tool, especially when you're trying to sneak your team out of the Vacuo hanger. Ditching team SSNS wasn't a good look, never mind the others of the Beacon Brigade, but with the distress call, it felt right. span style="font-style: italic;"Yes! Our friends need help and we're not gonna sit around and-/span/div
div id="djs-1pmja" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Didn't I say you can't ditch a ditcher?", Coco rolled her eyes and stopped moving. Her shoulders tensed as she looked around and saw not just the monkey Faunus Sun, but his entire team as well as the others of the Beacon Brigade, "In Vacuo we protect our clan. And RWBY belongs to all our clan"/div
div id="djs-2c6vo" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Look, it's not that you don't make a good point it's just-", Velvet tried to soothe the situations until a loud roaring laughter made all of them, every single nearly graduated Huntsmen and Huntress of Shade Academy look up at the entrance door to the School Hanger bay. Standing there was him. Putting his 'chiseled from stone' body on display, sharp wiry frame and muscles, a cape that reminds of a bluish storm which would be a blessing in the Vacuoan desert reaches towards his silver boots, white slacks with deep pockets, silver belt and chain as well as clasps for his cape, checkered jacket and nearly shaven dark hair, red gloves. Theodore's outfit just drew your attention and despite the odd colour scheme and age of the man, as he was the oldest of the Headmasters yet looked the youngest, made it work somehow. Coco still hadn't figured it out how he pulled it off. "So you can't even give me one day, can you?"/div
div id="djs-bt6t5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Professor…", a stern voice accompanied the Shade headmaster as Rumphole stood besides him, barely half his size at a mere four feet tall, yet she was an exceptional fighter and demanded respect. Coco once more had to akin her to Glynda./div
div id="djs-6mk19" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Right…So, students…while I understand your eagerness to go and help, we can't leave the Academy defenseless. However, I also understand the sentiment of wanting to help. And while the idea of seeing my former friend Ironwood again, is alluring and I'd prefer to let my actions speak. I have to stay behind and defend Shade", Theodore spoke. And as he did, a collective sigh went through the Beacon Brigade, the company of students that had fought in the Vytal Festival and protected Beacon as well as they could, forging a bond forged in battle that not many Huntsmen had ever seen or heard off. Yet before protest could break out, Theodore raised a red gloved hand and smiled at them all, "I won't stop you from going. But I will urge you to make haste. And hurry back"/div
div id="djs-14lnl" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""The Busses are fueled and ready to go. Make us proud and don't make us regret trusting you with this", Rumphole smiled at them, for a moment Velvet felt like she was back at Beacon. With these two sharing a similar relationship as Goodwitch and Ozpin had. The students broke in a cheer and all thanked Theodore as he raised his hands again, urging for silence as Rumphole opened the rooftop door./div
div id="djs-61jje" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Sandstorm's heading in from the west, make sure you stay clear of that"/div
div id="djs-5q308" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-9gd5r" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"With renewed vigor fourteen people board the airbus and take up their positions. While it's a little cramped, they have a new spark in their hearts. Coco puts Velvet in charge of flying this thing, since she was the most qualified with her skill sets and the abilities at her disposal. As Velvet slowly pilots the ship into the air and begins navigating towards Atlas, everyone, with the exception of Fox and Coco, stare through the windows and see the structure of Shade Academy appear and then shrink as they fly over towards the north. Coco looks around the people here. Velvet at the helm, Yatsuhashi meditating in a corner, Fox tapping his ADA unit, also focusing and centering himself as they prepare for a voyage, Arslan joining Yatsu with a meditation to calm her mind as she also was eager to fight, Bolin and Reese are talking and discussing a game plan with Nadir and Iris, Nolan and Scarlet sit a little back and are looking at one another, Sage partakes with team ABRN's battle discussions, Sun and Neptune stand with Coco near her team and look at the horizon. They are ready! Prepared to show the world that the Beacon Brigade, and mostly team CFVY, is back in action and out for payback! They all look at one another as Coco raises her fist! "For Beacon!"/div
div id="djs-c35m4" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""WAIT VELVET!", Fox, who had been silent during the cheer, suddenly sprang from his seat as he turned his head into a weird angle. Vel nearly jumped from her seat. They had just reached the City Limits and the sandstorm had hit a few minutes after they had taken off. "What!? Don't scare me like that!"/div
div id="djs-8o6pl" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Ok…guys…this is gonna sound crazy…but I can sense Ren and Nora!", Fox had barely said that, or Coco, Yatsuhashi, Sun and Neptune pressed their heads against the windows and scanned the horizon. Looking down. Velvet, who trusted her teammate with her life, didn't ask what he meant and instantly turned the vessel in the direction Fox had turned his head. "Look!"/div
div id="djs-9m4oj" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Through the heavy brown fuzz of the sandstorm, the Beacon Brigade could see a vague light through the sands. A large oval shaped light. They all looked at Coco, who grabbed her Scroll. Perhaps because they are above the sand, perhaps an act of the Two Brothers, but she could send one message through with destination Theodore: 'situation at the city limits. Might need help'. Velvet proves how skilled a pilot she is as she maneuvers the vessel through the punishing winds. Soft tinks as the sand blasts against the steel hull, she slowly descends near the light./div
div id="djs-1q1s4" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Are you all seeing this?", Neptune asks out loud as a large door of Light just manifests right there. This hadn't been here yesterday. Right?/div
div id="djs-b2gt4" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Totally, saw a similar one just outside my dorm room in the Academy", Fox joked./div
div id="djs-ft7a6" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""A single doorway…how can this be?", Yatsuhashi wonders as he comes and watches. Fox gasps. "Down there, Ren and Nora. Along with a mass of Aura signatures!"/div
div id="djs-dd99b" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Are those…", Sun begins, with Neptune slapping his shoulder, "Atlas Refugees! Look, they're not dressed for the dry sandy weather!"/div
div id="djs-e4mbd" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""How are they here?", Scarlet wonders, caressing Darling./div
div id="djs-8rkpj" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Whatever the deal, we have to help! They're unable to handle that many Grimm. Come on, this is what we've trained for!", Coco orders as Velvet opens the bay door and blasts a single Grimm that was getting close to a small kid, dressed in a green coat and black hair. It suited him, even if it wasn't the most 'stylish' of outfits. "See this needs a little less kiss kiss and more bang bang!"/div
div id="djs-1udhk" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Coco jumped from the vessel and shot Gianduja, its rotary barrel spitting bullets with excessive force, slowing her descent until she landed like a superhero with style! Her massive gatling gun collapsed into her stylish handbag which she then used to turn a Silver Fish into a stain on the desert sands. Oscar, who was poking a Dromedon with Long Memory, looked at the landed Huntress. Coco Adele, stellar and stylish leader of team CFVY. He knew her. Or rather, he knew her thanks to the merging of himself and Ozpin. "Heads up kid"/div
div id="djs-5vv23" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Her voice was solid and carried authority, but also friendly and protective. He smiled at her and slammed the cane on the Grimm's head, fracturing the skull and causing it to die. He felt confident. "I can take care of myself…Miss Adele"/div
div id="djs-813cd" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I meant for…wait how do you know…"/div
div id="djs-7aa37" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""RAAHHHHH", Yatsuhashi landed in a small cloud of sand and dust, Fulcrum's blade half submerged in the sand, a Ziraph Grimm sliced to bits and dissolved, saving three children in the process. With a loud bellowing roar, he swiped at a few Silver Fish and killed them as well! A different roar mirrored Yatsu as Sage landed on top of a Ravager and guided his descend down to the sands by using its dying body as a glider. Ren, who was being charged by a Deathstalker, saw a blur of copper until the creature was dead. Appearing from it's corpse was Alistair Fox who smiled at him. "Hey Ren, long time no see…or hear rather", Ren's face flashed a smile, as he sank to his knees, reinforcements! Yes, a spark of hope! "Hello Fox"/div
div id="djs-da0g6" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Several other Ravagers were shot down as a few ranged Huntsmen landed. Key among them is Neptune, who was basically helped to land from Scarlet, since he could fly. As Tri-Hard fires off salvo upon salvo, dealing with whatever comes close to attacking the very lovely looking mothers among the refugees, Darling provides a few auxiliary shots as well. Scarlet kicked the sand, still not having found proper boots that could keep the sand out of his shoes, while running Hook through a Jackalope, as Nolan protects Scarlet's rear from a Silver Fish with a wink. The rallied aid dropping in, inspires the valiant Happy Huntresses to double their efforts as they rush forwards and charge alongside team ABRN who were busy dealing with a King Taijitu who had appeared from the sands towards the edge of the refugees. Sensing the mixture of despair from the refugees along with the new burning spark of hope, the Grimm become indecisive. Until another wave of Ravagers appear and swoop in. Another hail of bullets echo through the air as Velvet, having put the ship in 'hover mode', copies Gianduja and shoots her way down to the battlefield! Sun also spinning and walloping Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang in their bo staff configuration. When everyone lands and stares at the Grimm, who circle and hold for a split second, before engaging in the attack./div
div id="djs-aovdc" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Sage, Yatsu, Arslan and Bolin; Front line duty! Velvet, Fox, Sun, Ren; midrange formation. Neptune, Scarlet, Reese, Nadir; shoot those pests from the sky! Iris, see what's up with Nora", Coco barks the orders. And within seconds everyone falls in line. taking positions as they all work in unison to form a cage of defense around the refugees. Joanna, May and Fiona put themselves in the plan and accompany the ranged group in shooting down the Ravagers pestering them from above. Oscar joins the midrange team and spring left and right, clearing and dealing with those pesky mobile or annoying Grimm that outmaneuver or dig under the front line. All the while Yatsu, Sage and Arslan stand their ground like wavebreakers, tanking and dealing with the dangerous creatures at the front. Bolin standing back a little and having their backs. Coordinated and unified. Iris, the least combat effective of them all, checks on Nora who's just been banging the doorway, unable to go back and blabbering in her sorrow. "Hey…Nora..you alright? What's-"/div
div id="djs-c64ar" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;" /div
div id="djs-brqo1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"The doorway flickers for a moment. Nora gasps, falling back on her butt in the sand as a single final shape comes through, Winter Schnee. Hovering mid air as she feels the sand sting her eyes and gives a loud mournful wail. A cold Solitas gale blasts away the Grimm, freezing them all solid and shattering them like a mirror. Her Maiden powers break the sandstorm away and for the first time since they all arrived, the sky is clear. A bright pre midday sun boiled sky. The heavy structure of Shade off to the right. Winter's cheeks are wet with tears as she finds the faces of her mother and brother in the mass. She lands nearby and hugs them both for an instant, silence and sorrow making her fight the urge to break down and cry like a little girl. The same little girl that once longed for her mother to protect her. Willow, who was still struggling with the withdrawals from having sworn away alcohol, shivers. "Winter..what…where…where is-"/div
div id="djs-aqf79" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""JAUNE! Where is JAUNE!", Nora roars in shock, drops of her tears evaporating before they can even touch the sands. Oscar also notices, his eyes wide. "Winter…you have…the powers…Penny…"/div
div id="djs-5jpn0" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Where's team RWBY?", Velvet, who had expected to see her dear friends again, was left with a sharp pain in her heart when the doorway vanished. Yang Xiao Long, Blake Belladonna, Weiss Schnee and Ruby Rose. They weren't here. Jaune wasn't here. Where they…/div
div id="djs-farrg" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Fallen…in battle", the words from Winter were soft, her face steel and cold, the meaning hitting like a hammer on an anvil. The pain and sadness of losing a friend and ally. It sparks into a cascading wave of negative emotions, causing Joanna to gasp. As everyone turns into the direction of a new sandstorm. One that's far smaller and moves towards them, the Grimm following behind it showing a larger force. Coco swallows hard. "Blind Worm…"/div
div id="djs-1v6if" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Good…I need something to kill", Furious and vengeful, Winter springs into the air, gathering her Maiden powers and drawing her sword. Through the sand a large black worm body appears, a single massive maw of black and boned teeth as it's massive red eye turns towards and looks at Winter. She holds her ground, her fury brighter than a supernova. Yet they weren't alone. Other ships in the air swarm towards them, every single airbus that Shade had, leading the helm, was Theodore's personal ship as he leaps from it with a mighty roar and slams his red Dust gloves into the Blind Worm. The force so great it clears the sandstorm as he is joined by Professor Rumphole./div
div id="djs-9ft2h" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Honestly Theodore…"/div
div id="djs-46gqn" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""How can I not take this chance!? The Great One is the stuff of legends and now I can fight it!", Theodore, headmaster of Shade smiles ear to ear in the face of this behemoth of murderous energy and power. The Great One was a Vacuoan legend: the biggest and strongest Blind Worm to roam the desert. Many a huntsman had been claimed by this thing. Yet he wasn't worried. Something Rumphole also noticed. "Why are you so calm?"/div
div id="djs-ba126" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Because we have her…a vengeful Maiden to back us up! HAVE AT YOU!", as Theodore charged at the monster, his confidence working addictive, Rumphole pulls her string from her hair and begins joining his attack, as a bellowing Winter slams herself into the Blind Worm and the fighting resumes full force. Nora sits at the back, Ren falls to his knees, Oscar lets out a pained scream. They had won, saving so much. But in victory, they had lost so much more…/div