Mama Yang
"Yahoo." Yang cheered, racing through the streets of Mantel on her new hover bike.
Yang was extremely happy with her new ride, and she was grateful to Pietro for keeping her old outfit as well. She like the outfit that complimented her totems powers and designs, but she liked the outfit she based off Natsu's, better then the others. Even Athena was back in the clothes she wore during her arrival and stay with Robyn and the Happy Huntresses. There had also been a box, labeled to Athena. She hadn't opened it yet, but the note Pietro left on it, said she could find a good use for it.
"She's pretty excited about those hover bikes, huh?" Oscar asked, riding on Kohaku's back with Athena.
"Yep." Athena said, as Yang drove off an upturned car, using it like a ramp, and hit a security camera with a shotgun blast, while doing a barrel role. "Be glad you chose to ride with me, instead of her. Otherwise you could have just gotten a mouth full of her hair."
"Noted." Oscar said.
"Yip." Kohaku chirped, looking at Athena.
"I don't sense anything Kohaku." Athena said, petting the side of her neck.
"What's wrong?" Jaune asked, riding up next to them.
"Kohaku said she senses something following us." Athena stated. "Oscar, mind hopping on with Ren of Jaune? If she's right, she'll have an easier time fighting with only one of us on her back."
"Right." Oscar said, before standing on Kohaku's back.
Before he could jump to Jaune however, Kohaku used one of her tails to grab his waist, before letting off another yip.
"Are you sure girl?" Athena asked.
"What'd she say now?" Ren asked.
"She said that we're being followed, and our pursuer is most likely targeting Oscar because of his connection with Ozpin." Athena said, her right arm taking on red and black cragged armor, looking like a sleeve tattoo.
"They might also be after you." Jaune said. "Which means she's wanting to keep you both together to keep you safe."
"Is that true girl?" Athena asked, to which Kohaku yipped in acknowledgment. "Okay, if you're certain Kohaku. Then if we do run into trouble, Oscar and I will hop down, once the fighting begins."
"We're coming up on the refugees." Yang said, before their bikes, and Kohaku, slowed to a stop.
"Huntsmen." One of the civilians said, before they gasped as they spotted Kohaku.
"Grimm!" One of them shouted.
"Whoa, no need to be alarmed." Yang said. "This isn't your typical Grimm."
"Hi." Athena said, standing up on Kohaku's back, allowing for the others to see her. "Hi everyone, this is Kohaku."
"You're… riding on the back of a Grimm?" One of the civilians asked.
"Uh-huh." Athena smiled, hopping down and petting Kohaku's muzzle. "Kohaku is nice, I created her myself."
"You can create Grimm?" Another civilian asked.
"Yep, best part of it is, I can create them with my morals and fragments of my soul imprinted on them. So they technically have souls of their own." Athena said, before her head was forced to the side, having been struck with something.
"Get out of Mantle you monster." An elderly woman stated, throwing another stone at Athena.
Kohaku got on the defensive, and used herself to shield Athena, as the child's aura hadn't been up, and caused her to bleed from a cut that came up on her forehead.
"Stop, mom what do you think you're doing?" A familiar woman asked, stopping her mom from throwing anything else at Athena.
"That girl is a monster, she's able to create Grimm. Who knows what she'll do to us if we let her live." The elderly woman said.
"Mom, she's the Hero of Beacon." The woman said. "I'm pretty sure she wouldn't do anything to anyone innocent."
"Who's to say she didn't have a hand in the Fall of Beacon, or the attack on Haven?" The elderly woman asked.
"HEY!" Yang shouted, jumping down from her hover bike, and marching up to the woman, with her eyes a blood red. "Throw one more thing at my daughter, I dare you to test me on this."
"Mom, don't." Athena called to Yang. "It's okay, I'm fine." She said as Kohaku cleaned her face of the blood. "My aura's already healing the wound."
"See mom, she has an Aura, which means she has a soul." The woman said. "Now stop, they came to help us."
The elderly woman huffed, before she lowered her arm, keeping the stone she was about to throw, within her grip, while her daughter picked up the snow shovel she had put down to keep her mother from throwing more stones at Athena.
"Good." Yang said, calming down. "Now, everyone listen up. You're not to gather anything too big to carry. Just pack up the essentials, and group up back here. We're heading to the crater."
"The crater? Are you sure it's safe out there?" The woman asked.
"Absolutely ma'am." Yang said, before there was panic.
Yang twisted around, just as civilians were running away from Sabyrs. The feline Grimm giving chase to their prey. Before any of the Huntsmen or Huntresses could do anything, Kohaku jumped into action, and shot the Sabyr's with lightning, before biting on their necks, one by one, Dusting them.
"Good work Kohaku." Athena smiled, before she was bent forward, as a large stone had hit her in the back of the head.
"You probably created those Grimm, just to cause a panic." The elderly woman stated, before she was knocked to the ground from a strong right hook, given to her by Yang.
"I warned you, not to throw anything else at my daughter." Yang growled, cracking her knuckles, before she took in a deep breath and calmed down.
"You had that one coming mom." The woman sighed, crouching down next to her mother. "She did give you fair warning, and you ignored it in favor of your own biased bigotry."
"Yang, have the Grimm already pushed this far in?" Oscar questioned.
"No, I think those were more from last night. August must not have gotten them all." Yang said. "Still… Ren, if Jaune hits you with his Aura Amp, think you can mask everyone? There are far less people here, then there were on the train to Argus."
"We can give it a shot." Ren stated. "But it is a lengthy trip through mantle."
"An' Kohaku won't have the room to grow big enough to carry everyone." Athena added. "At her current size, she can carry all the children plus myself, no problem."
"All the children? Are you trying to kill our futures?" The elderly woman asked.
"Mom." The blonde woman scolded.
"I invite any brave enough to come and pet Kohaku on the muzzle. She's super friendly, and loves children." Athena said, as Kohaku laid down on her belly next to her.
Many of the children looked to Kohaku, some of them skeptical, before one stepped up. It was the child wearing a beanie, standing next to the woman holding the snow shovel. The child headed straight for Kohaku, and with a bit of nerves wracking her body, crouched down before gently putting her hand out and petting Kohaku on the snout.
Seeing that nothing more then the kitsune purring was happening, the other kids were encouraged to go do the same, resulting in all of them fawning over Kohaku and her fluffiness, as well as how adorable her purrs sounded.
"Now that we've gotten the question of whether Kohaku is safe to be around, out of the way. Let's get moving." Yang said.
"We'll have a Grimm free journey." Jaune said. "Your idea will work Yang."
"Do we really have to shack up with those animals down in the slums?" The elderly woman asked.
"Excuse you?" Yang asked. "Faunus aren't animals. We're people too."
"I'd feel a lot safer being up in Atlas, then being surrounded by a bunch of flea bitten animals." The elderly woman countered.
"What a shocker, the oldest generation here, is completely racist and full of bigotry towards a different race then their own." Yang said. "News flash you old hag, I'm sure you would feel safer in Atlas, but guess what. Ironwood has abandoned Mantle, and has left it to die. Because all he cares about, is Atlas. The people up top, have decided you're not worth the trouble. The Faunus, on the other hand, have been more then willing to lend a hand, regardless of whether or not you deserve it."
"So, we'll just… we'll just go get our things then." The shovel woman said, before pulling her mother back. "Mom, stop pissing off the Dragon Faunus."
~Later~
Things were moving slowly, for the group. Kohaku was taking the lead, and moving at a slow pace as to not scare any of the children on her back, while keeping in sight of the adults, as she provided shelter and safety for those behind her. Ren was doing his best, to mask everyones emotions, but even with Jaune's Semblance adding to his own, he was having trouble maintaining it. Didn't help, that there were still some people, not all too cooperative, and were still griping about their current situation.
"I don't want to go to the slums." The elderly woman from before stated.
"Mother."
"General Ironwood said he would protect us, and that we were going to Atlas. But instead we're relying on this demon child, and her blood thirsty Grimm to protect us." The elderly woman stated.
"You're setting a bad example for your Granddaughter."
In the back, Oscar sighed as he rode on the third hover bike alone, while Ren rode on the back of Jaune's, hand gripping his leaders shoulder to obtain the Aura Amp.
"It should not be this hard to get people to cooperate." Oscar sighed in annoyance.
"An' yet, it's something I'm becoming increasingly concerned about." Ozpin's voice echoed in his head.
"You know, I really don't need your additional commentary right now." Oscar said.
"You all have every right to be upset. Especially Athena, and yourself Oscar." Ozpin stated. "I'm sorry I left you."
"I'm not upset that you left." Oscar said. "I'm upset you came back." He stated, gripping the rev handle tighter. "I started to feel like me. Not the same me from before all this started, but the me I always wanted to be. I felt, like I was actually part of the team."
"I understand." Ozpin said, as Oscar grabbed his cane. "But even though it may not have felt, like I was with you, I was never truly gone. You're gaining control over my remaining magic, recollecting my longest held memories. Which means, our two souls are still on the inevitable path, to becoming one."
"But… I don't want that." Oscar said.
"Neither do I." Ozpin said.
Oscar just looked at Ozpins cane, before his attention was drawn to the flickering of Ren' Semblance.
"Hey, you good?" Jaune asked.
"It's just a lot to focus on." Ren said.
"You can do it Ren. We're almost to the crater." Jaune said.
"I don't need a pep-talk." Ren stated. "I need to focus."
"Right." Jaune sighed, before looking ahead as the march through the city continued.
"We need to find a way to work together." Ozpin said, bringing Oscars attention back on topic. "Not just the two of us… All of us."
~Ruby's Group~
"Alright, come on." May said, opening the gate as Blake had cut through the lock and chains keeping it closed.
"Thanks again for coming." Nora said, as she went through the gate.
"Don't mention it. Once Robyn learned about Amity Tower, she wouldn't shut up about it." May said.
"I'm intrigued by the towers concept myself." Wendy stated. "Sounds like it could be revolutionary to global communications."
"It is." Blake said. "Right now, our objective is to get the clearance set for the launch sequence."
"Wherever Robyn is, I'm sure she'd want us doing everything we can, to get it up in the air, and get the world talking again." May said, closing the gate behind her. "Besides, Fiona's got your friends helping out in my stead."
"Yeah." Nora said, with some hesitation.
"Are you sure this is safe?" Ruby questioned, as they went through the entrance to the tubes connected to Atlas.
"Snow Shoe Shipping, is an SDC Subsidiary. Meaning all the drones here, report to the company, and only the company." Weiss said. "The General has no control over them."
"So how does this work?" Wendy asked.
"The pneumatic tubes allow for Dust, refined in the crater, to be sent straight up to Atlas." Weiss said. "We just need to find the one for the military base."
"Are there any buildings in Atlas, that your family doesn't own?" Blake questioned with a smirk, causing the others to laugh.
"That… isn't relevant at the moment." Weiss stated, with a minor blush, causing Blake to laugh a bit.
"I'm gonna go out on a limb, and say no." Wendy chuckled.
Penny walked around the numerous control panels, before she stopped at one, that was labeled for the Atlas Academy. It was clear to see, there was something on her mind.
"Hey." Ruby said, coming up to her.
Penny looked to Ruby, before looking back to the terminal.
"I do not like it, when friends fight." Penny said.
"I know." Ruby sighed. "Yang and I might not agree on how best to save Mantle, but…"
"No." Penny stated, stopping Ruby. "I mean Winter, the General. They were our friends, but then the Ace Ops attacked you, and the General. He said people were going to die, because of me, all because he thinks I have the Winter Maiden Powers."
"No one is gonna die." Ruby said, grabbing Penny's shoulders and turning the copper haired girl to face her. "That was a lie, and he was only saying it to hurt you. If he knew Athena had the Winter Maiden Powers, then he'd have told her the exact same thing."
There was a moment of silence, as Penny thought over the current situation.
"I was the protector of Mantle. But now, I am much more then that." Penny stated.
"That's right." Ruby said. "You are a Huntress, strong enough to fight against Salem and Acnologia."
"But I wish, I was not more then just Mantles protector." Penny said.
"You're still you Penny, and Athena may not have asked you to become her decoy, a position forced on you by Winter and the General, but that doesn't matter, because you're still our friend. Our family." Ruby said, taking Penny's hands into her own. "Any with Athena becoming the Winter Maiden, and the General's attention lead away from her, you did protect Mantle."
"Thank you Ruby." Penny said, before Ruby hugged her.
"I found it." Weiss called to them.
"I suppose there's no turning back now." Blake said.
"Not unless we wanna take Tsuki and just storm the castle." Wendy joked.
"Between our secret weapon, and my Semblance, you all couldn't be in better hands." May stated, gesturing to Wendy, before turning herself invisible.
"I am not anyones secret weapon." Wendy stated.
"So how do we use this thing?" Nora asked.
"It should be relatively simple." Rogue said. "Ms. Schnee, if you would lean into the tube for me?"
Weiss just looked at Rogue, before she shrugged her shoulders, and leaned back into the tube's entrance.
"Ms. Valkyrie, if you would hit this button right here." Rogue smiled.
"Wait a minute, you're not gonna…AAAHHHH!" Weiss cried out, as the instant Nora slammed her fist in the button, she was pulled into the tube, with the top closing over her, before she was sent straight up to the tubes destination.
"That looks like so much fun." Wendy smiled.
~Crater~
"No, Crimson. I need you and your team over in Sector11." Fiona said, directing troops from her tent. "Mantle police are helping us clear the hospital, but they're gonna need backup." She stated, before ending the call, and sitting back with a groan.
"You're doing great Fi, Robyn would be proud." Joanna said, throwing some Burn Dust into the furnace.
"I feel like you should be doing this, after flexing on the news like that." Fiona said, storing the map in her Semblance.
"How else was I supposed to get the word out?" Joanna asked with a chuckle. "Besides, it seems to be working." She said, leading Fiona out of the tent, just as a new group was coming in. "Where's this group coming from?"
"That would be Sector7." Yang said, showing they were there.
"Whoa, is that a Kitsune?" Joanna asked.
"Those are like, ultra rare Grimm, considered to be nothing more then myth." Fiona stated.
"That's what I based Kohaku off of." Athena said, showing she was riding Kohaku's back.
"Athena?" Joanna asked.
"Could you take a look at her?" Yang asked. "One of the residents from this group, threw multiple rocks at her, with a couple causing some damage."
"I can take a look at her." Joanna said. "C'mere kid."
Athena directed Kohaku forward, as the Grimm shrank, to being just big enough to allow Joanna to examine her.
"What, don't feel like coming down?" Joanna asked with a chuckle.
"Kohaku's worried I've got a concussion, so she's refused to let me down ever since I got back up." Athena said, as Joanna lifted her off the Kitsune and sat her on a crate. "It's annoying, but Kitsune's are known to be maternal creatures towards young ones and lost souls of children, unlike their Grimm counterparts."
"You cleared Sector7 already?" Fiona asked, walking up to Yang. "To be honest, I wasn't sure how you'd be doing without all of your teammates."
"Well as you can see, we're doing just fine." Yang said.
"Mom's a little angry, because the old hag hit me with rocks, and Mama chose to follow Aunt Ruby on the other thing." Athena said.
"I don't see any injuries. If her aura took care of any physical wounds, then it's probably safe to say it took care of any brain damage as well. She should be good to go." Joanna stated, after looking Athena over. "But you both look good, back in your old threads. They suit you."
"Better then those outfits I designed, right?" Athena asked, hopping down. "To be honest, not my brightest spark of inspiration. But I'm sure I'll get another shot." Kohaku shrank in size and went right under Athena, between her legs, before instantly growing to a larger size, lifting Athena off the ground, like a steed. "Oh c'mon Kohaku." She groaned in annoyance.
"Where are you putting everyone?" Oscar asked.
"We're working to get most of them settled in houses or other shelters." Fiona said.
"Aren't old mine shafts an option?" Athena asked.
"A large portion of the community are trying to get the dried out old mine shafts into livable conditions." Fiona acknowledged.
"We've got a lot of people to keep warm." Joanna said.
"Well, it's nice to see that the kids are at least being friendly with one another." Athena smiled, seeing how a Faunus child with fox ears, ran up to the child who first came up and began petting Kohaku.
"Looting the SDC Refineries is our best source of Dust." Joanna stated. "Fortunately, no one's getting arrested during the apocalypse."
"It won't be the end of the world, if I have a say in it." Athena said, putting her right hand on the hilt of the blade that was planted on the small of her back.
"Still, just knowing those Grimm are circling out there, doesn't feel great." Joanna added. "What are they waiting for?"
"Fi." The old mole Faunus said, running up to the commander in charge of the evacuations. "We've got another fight breaking out."
"Crap." Fiona groaned. "Thanks Uncle, we'll handle it." She said with a dejected sigh.
"I'll handle it." Joanna said, putting a reassuring hand on her friends shoulder. "You've got enough to worry about."
Fiona smiled as Joanna cracked her knuckles and neck, before heading to where the fight was breaking out. With the Huntress handling that, Fiona's attention was drawn to her communicator.
"Fiona? Crimson again. We've spotted a descent sized horde of Grimm, moving in from the east. Can't take 'em with all these civies."
"Oh for crying out loud." Fiona groaned, taking out the map again.
"Did he say east?" Athena questioned, popping her face in front of Fiona with a smile. "I could go for a good fight."
~Sector11~
Athena was smiling, and cheering with joy, as she rode on Kohaku's back, with the Kitsune Grimm leading a flying Teryx down the emptied streets.
Quickly getting to her feet on Kohaku's back, Athena turned around and fired multiple shots from her Ember Celica functions with her Nanites, and hit the Grimm with multiple shotgun rounds, while cheering with joy.
Leading the Teryx under a bridge, Athena used the Nanites Gambol Shroud function to hook onto the bridge, before sending herself looping through the air. Going all the way over the bridge to the other side, Athena slammed both her feet on the Grimm's head, sending it to the ground, as she activated the Gravity Dust in the spring loaded soles of her boots. While still pinning the Grimm down, Athena powered up with Saffrons strength, and caved the Grimm's skull in with a double punch, before cheering out in victory, as the Grimm was Dusted.
"That felt great." Athena cheered.
"Should we be concerned with how much she's enjoying this?" Jaune questioned, as he watched the spectacle with Ren, Yang, and Oscar.
"Just let her have this." Yang said, spotting the eyepatch, as it peeked out from under Athena's bangs. "She's still upset about losing her eye to Cinder."
"I guess that makes sense." Jaune said. "So, everyone in Sector11's been evacuated right?"
"Okay Fiona, Sector11's all clear, everyone's evacuated, and all the Grimm in the area are neutralized." Yang said, contacting Fiona.
"Good, because we're getting reports of more Grimm coming in from the West." Fiona replied. "The Huntsmen there, could really use some backup."
"An' Athena could stand to blow off some more steam." Yang said. "We're gonna be there as soon as we can."
"It's all the negativity." Oscar said. "Salem and Acnologia's forces aren't moving in, but it's enough to bring in the stragglers."
"Guys… we're not finished." Ren said, directing their attention to three Sabyrs that were making their way there.
"I've still got some fight left in me." Athena smiled, biting down on a shard of Burn Dust. "C'mon."
Athena was excited to start fighting, as she crouched down and went running to the Sabyrs. She was moving so fast, she wasn't aware of the Grimm sliding to a stop in fear, right before she zipped past them, while having created dual sickles with her Maiden Magic, and decapitated all of the Grimm, instantly Dusting the tundra Grimm. But their sudden change in behavior didn't go unnoticed by Yang.
"Did you guys see that?" Yang asked.
"See what?" Ren questioned.
"The Grimm. They just stopped, as if scared by something for some reason." Yang said. "An' it happened right before Athena, Dusted them."
"What could be so powerful, the Grimm would be afraid of them?" Jaune asked.
"Not just a what, a who." Oscar said, looking up at the bridge Athena had swung over.
The others followed his trail of sight, before they gasped.
Standing atop the bridge, was the resurrected Alexis, wearing her dark Grimm armor, with what looked like a new species of Grimm they'd never seen before, standing next to her. Without a word, Alexis and the Grimm jumped down from the bridge, and landed with a heavy thud, building up a cloud of dust, while Alexis's boot Dusted the last of the Teryx's remains. They all looked at one another, before Alexis looked over her shoulder, turning around to fully look at Athena, as Kohaku had come up from behind her, and took a defensive position behind her creator, while the hound continued to stare at the four on the hover bikes, on the other end of the road.
"Hell Hound…" Alexis said, before a mouthless helmet formed over her head, shaped similarly to a Beowolf, with the black eyes glowing red, and her voice becoming somewhat distorted. "Fetch."
The instant she said that word, Alexis and the Hound ran for both their targets. Alexis went after Athena, while the Hound went for the others.
"You're coming with me, little sister." Alexis stated, rushing Athena.
The child jumped back, as Kohaku jumped forward, biting down on Alexis's arm. Her teeth dug into the limb, before Alexis backhanded the Grimm, and knocked her away, revealing no damage had been done.
"Kohaku." Athena called out. "Don't worry about me, help mom and the others." She stated, before evading Alexis's grab. Kohaku yipped in disagreement, wanting to fight by Athena's side. "Don't argue with me, and just go."
The Kitsune had no choice but to listen to what Athena was saying, and went to help Yang and the others.
"It's just you and me now Alexis." Athena said, creating weapons with her Maiden Magic.
"That it is." Alexis stated, blades of her own magic forming over her hands.
Alexis and Athena ran to one another, their weapons clashing with Athena's falchions pushing back against Alexis's sickles.
"Why would you follow Salem and Acnologia's lead?" Athena questioned, pushing back and flipping over Alexis, her blades slicing through her back. "They're tyrannical, murderous, and worst of all, genocidal maniacs."
"They're our parents." Alexis stated, twisting around, the injuries not even showing, or affecting her, as she struck Athena with the back edges of, sending her through the wall of a building. "We have to listen to what they say."
"They murdered, dozens of our siblings." Athena coughed, getting up from the rubble. "All so that they could create me."
"You think I don't know that?" Alexis questioned, rushing Athena, and hitting her with an endless barrage of strikes. "I'm the oldest of their children. I was forced, to throw my siblings, to the Grimm."
(Cue Music… Surface Pressure: No Resolve)
Alexis swung down hard on Athena, their weapons clashing once again, while resulting in Athena's shattering.
Moving fast, Athena created a barrier with her magic, blocking Alexis's next attack, before she jumped out of the way, evading the strike from her older sibling that destroyed the barrier. Activating her Nanites, Athena activated their Ember Celica functions, and charged at Alexis, managing to slide right under her, before hitting her with a punch to the gut, empowered by a shot gun blast.
Alexis was pushed back, before Athena came under her again. The child kept hitting her elder sibling with punch after punch, until Alexis was literally driven into a wall. The punches didn't stop, even as Athena ran out of shotgun rounds, she kept punching.
Alexis was getting annoyed with this, before she grabbed one of Athena's arms, and threw her into the air.
With Athena air born, Alexis jumped into the air, over Athena, with her arms ready to strike her down. Acting quickly, Athena used the Gambol Shroud function on her multi weapon tool, to hook onto the ledge of a nearby building, and pulled herself away, with Alexis barely grazing her side.
"You have no idea, the pain I've had to endure, just to get mother and fathers approval." Alexis shouted, landing on the ground, before leaping towards Athena. "You have no idea the torment, and pressure, I've been put under, with mother and father always expecting me to do what they ask of me."
"That's the burden of any eldest sibling." Athena stated.
"But I'm different." Alexis stated, her fist slamming Athena to the ground. "I had to earn their love, I had to earn their respect, while giving my respect to them, unconditionally. So what the hell, made you so special that it wasn't required? What the hell made you so unique that they cared and loved you unconditionally?"
"You think they actually love me?" Athena questioned, rolling along the ground, and evading being stomped on by Alexis. "If they actually loved, any of their children, then they wouldn't have tried so hard, to create the perfect weapon to end Remnant."
Alexis just glared at Athena, as the smaller child got to her feet, and looked right back at her.
"Salem and Acnologia never actually cared about me. All they cared about, was their perfect weapon, to absorb the Goddesses, and recreating the world, in their image." Athena stated. "If they actually did love me, they wouldn't have decided to toss me aside like yesterdays garbage, once they learned about my connection to the Goddesses as their Champion."
(End Song…)
Alexis looked at Athena, before she gripped her fists, and lunged at the child. She moved too fast for Athena to react to, before the older woman grabbed Athena by her face, covering her mouth, and silencing her.
"Listen to me, and listen good." Alexis stated, her helmet removing itself.
Over on the other end of the street, the others were doing their best to hold against the Hound. Yang's magic gave them a fighting chance, but things were starting to look dire. The Hound leapt at them, targeting Oscar, while biting down on his arm, and throwing him around like a rag doll.
"Oscar." Jaune cried out.
The Hound dropped the boy, as Kohaku bit down on its neck. The Grimm roared in pain, before it twisted around and clawed at the Kitsune's face. With Kohaku letting go of the Hound, the Kitsune Grimm was vulnerable to attack, as the Hound bit down on its neck, and threw it into the side of a building.
"Kohaku." Yang gasped.
With the Kitsune Grimm dealt with, the Hound returned its attention to Oscar, slamming its front claws on the boys stomach, causing the farm boy to kick at its legs in panic, before the Hound grabbed Oscars ankle in its jaw, and swung him around, slamming him into the ground, before breaking his aura and knocking him out, with another stomp of its claws.
"Hound!" Alexis called out.
The others turned to see Alexis, and gasped when they saw Athena, slung unconscious over her shoulder.
"Athena." Yang gasped.
"No, Yang don't." Jaune said. "It's too dangerous, we don't know what this Grimm is capable of, or what she's able to do, now that she's been revived."
"Grab him, and let's move." She stated, spreading a pair of dragon wings, as thrusters formed on the back of her armor, between the wings.
Acknowledging the order, the Hounds body began to change. It's near liquid for, shaking and echoing with bone chilling cracks. The Hounds hind legs arching, allowing for the Grimm to walk on two feet, while its front legs and claws, extended to arms and clawed fingers. This horrifying sight shocked the Huntsmen and Huntress, as the Hound reached down and grabbed Oscar, by the head.
"Let them go!" Yang exclaimed, racing towards them.
The moment the Hound saw this, it did something that surprised the blonde, and used the boy as a meat shield. Using Ember Celica, Yang quickly changed her trajectory, to avoid hurting him. But she was within the Hounds reach, and was thrown into a wall, when it grabbed her.
"Yang." Jaune called out.
"The hell?" Yang questioned.
"What just happened?" Ren asked.
"This isn't your typical Grimm." Alexis said, the thrusters on her back, taking her into the air. "Mother just loves her experiments. Especially with living test subjects."
"Let Athena and Oscar go." Yang shouted, as she got to her feet.
"Give him back!" Ren shouted.
That's when the Grimm surprised them, with something else, they weren't expecting it to do.
"No." The Hound said, in a deep gravely, pain filled voice.
The Grimm actually speaking, took them by surprise. They were familiar with the Amazonians guarding the Goddess Temple near Argus, but this Grimm was feral, wild, and didn't even look like it was completely solid. This was something, they'd only ever seen in their nightmares.
With their silence and shock in effect, the Hound put Oscar on the ground, before its body began to pulse, with whatever was happening, causing it to howl in pain, before one after the other, the Hound spread a pair of draconic wings, similar to Alexis's, and grabbed Oscar in its mouth, taking to the air as they both flew away.
"Kids, what's your status?" Fiona asked, taking them out of their shock. "West side's taking damage."
"What do we do?" Ren questioned.
"We go after them." Yang said, as they hopped back on the hover bikes.
"Kids, what's your status?" Fiona asked again.
"We've got an emergency." Yang said, as they began following Alexis and the Hound, with Kohaku right behind them. "We're not gonna make it."
"What? What kind of emergency?" Fiona questioned.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Yang said. "But all I can say is, Athena's in trouble, and we're going after her."
"Understood." Fiona responded. "I'll try to divert some forces to the west in the meantime. Good luck."
"Yang, are you sure we'll be able to do this?" Jaune asked. "You saw how Alexis had Athena over her shoulder like she was a towel, right?"
"We don't have a choice." Yang said. "She's my daughter, and I am not, gonna let anything happen to her. I promised her, I'd be there to protect, my baby girl."
~A/N~
For anyone who might be wondering, yes I based Alexis's armor off the same powers and abilities of the Beetle Armors exploited by the Reach, in DC Comics. But rather then a beetle design, I gave the armor more of a Beowolf/Hell Hound design.