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 in the command center as Coal watches James order the Ace Ops and Winter to apprehend Penny. As he pushes them out and forces Harriet to bring Watts back to his cell, he groans. Walks up and punches Watts in the guts, who then drops the broken scroll he was snatching. Harriet glares at him/div
div id="djs-dpocd" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""What are you doing Argent!?"/div
div id="djs-584pp" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Your job apparently! Come on idiot, even I know you check a wizkid like him when you bring him back to his cell…what are you? Braindead!?", Coal groans. He also had a sneaking suspicion that Watts was the reason that Rouge had been put under such scrutiny. Like earlier when Coal was sent for to observe the plans and be privy to the message young Rose sent out, he had noticed that Rouge, who usually was his closest assistant, wasn't allowed in. Something was up./div
div id="djs-e6kl" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Careful, one day you might end up on the bad side of these jokers", Arthur smirked. Coal blinked. How is this man so relaxed./div
div id="djs-fbigl" 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-6hq2f" 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-c07" 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-9mgs1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Without you I am nothing…", Aschen's eyes shot open as she got up. When had she fallen asleep? How long was I out? She looked over her hands and body, examining for any spot of trickery from Salem. She sighed. So far she's clear. No leech yet. She relaxed and sighed. She then looked at her hands. Was that my dream? No, that was Cinder's. It was how she came to be here. Be the monster and the pretentious jerk she had become from the torment in that place, the Glass Unicorn. She had somehow felt the shocks around her neck. Like a bad fever dream. She shook her head. So it had been Cinder's backstory that gave her the first Semblance to steal and mimic. For reference she cracked her neck, as a slow metal coat crawled over her skin, covering her in organic steel armor, before she dispells it. She smirked. That final dream was the end of it. She smiled. "Thanks Cinder…see you never…again"/div
div id="djs-4c685" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""What?", Aschen turned her eyes back to the door and extended her arm, a small pilot flame in her hand before she was ready to jetstream burn anything in her path. But it was just Emerald, "You mean she's really gone?"/div
div id="djs-6l101" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Yes…sorry kid", Aschen said, she didn't need that puppy love dedication of Emerald. She wasn't here to make friends. She was here to get Salem off her back and then go and kill Raven./div
div id="djs-ejq2n" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Careful who you call kid, fresh meat", Aschen's eyes turned up and rolled her eyes. Mercury Black. He was a pain in the ass./div
div id="djs-2i3b9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Get OUT", Aschen hissed, the least she needed now was the two tag along left over toys from Cinder's past. She wanted to shed that skin and be her own person. Aschen Gwain./div
div id="djs-4aov1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""See? She doesn't care about you or me Em so give it a break. Also, fresh meat, no deal. Salem's got big plans for me in the new world order. Speaking off the big S, everyone needs to go to the bridge. There's gonna be an announcement", As he says that, he turns and leaves, which makes Aschen roll her eyes and follow him. Emerald is left behind to question her life for a few seconds./div
div id="djs-b290t" 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-8bofm" 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-57tkq" 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-6rqm3" 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-unkq" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Tyrian has heard of our dear friend doctor Watts", Tyrian smiled to himself as she caressed his cheek! Oh thank you my dear Watts, he might have been searched and caught by Coal when he was brought to his cell, but being a clever man that he was, while working on the Penny virus, he'd also been tapping his fingers to send Morse Code into a backdoor program he'd installed in one of their consoles. Reprogramming stuff while none of them were the wiser. Such simple foolish saps they'd been. So in a few hours he'd warned Tyrian about the plan, where he was held and how the good general was as dumb as he'd been stupid! "He remains in captivity, but has worked with Ironwood to gain control over the puppet masquerading as the Winter Maiden. He remains useful after all. Which brings me to Aschen.."/div
div id="djs-394tg" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"There was a gasp and silence from Aschen. She knew she'd been kneeling and disobedient about the Beetle, but she was also loyal. Or rather, loyal for now./div
div id="djs-1kl0c" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I see that after you obeyed, not thinking yourself smarter, you are indeed a worthy pawn in my game. I shall forgo the Beetle implantation, if you can go to Atlas, recover the Doctor and bring me the Staff. But..this is still a challenge. Lets see who is faster…You or my Hound. If my Hound can bring her to me…perhaps I can duplicate my experiment with a Maiden, making you dead weight, Gwain"/div
div id="djs-am05b" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Aschen flinched, but nodded. She would beat that thing, earn her space, and then kill Raven. She was hyper focusing on that!/div
div id="djs-1co73" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You'll only be helping her bring about the end for all of you!", Ozma spoke through Oscar, who was blasted on the floor, the impact shaking Salem's throne. Ooh, careful Hazel, don't want him to reincarnate too soon./div
div id="djs-fpvra" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You're to late"/div
div id="djs-d87ou" 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-akjjj" 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-81fjj" 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-cqrc1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Oh…great…the 'special' Operatives", Yang groaned as Winter and Harriet Brie disembarked from their ship. She rolled her eyes and gazed at Jaune, "told you that open broadcast was a bad idea"/div
div id="djs-dn5pb" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Did you get our message…? It's right there!", Jaune ignored Yang's sharp tongue and pointed at the river of Grimm beside them. But just like before, in the cell blocks with Qrow, Harriet saw red! "Where's Penny!?"/div
div id="djs-aaq05" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Are you serious right now?! People are in danger!", Jaune said, flabbergasted by the lack of care in their eyes. All of the Ace Ops./div
div id="djs-8o2md" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""People are in danger because YOU kids are acting selfish!", Harriet hissed. Yang stomped her foot down./div
div id="djs-f1vtp" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""And you're acting like immature children, so don't call me kid, toddler!", Yang hissed. SHe felt like a volcano! Like erupting. She was shaking in anger. No wait, that wasn't Yang…that was the river!? As a geyser of Grimm shot up and broke through the Hardlight barrier, Grimm crawled into the solid earth and pulled down two of the generator towers, forever ruining the Hardlight protective shield. And effectively ruining James Ironwood's plan of running into the sky. Since the artificial climate couldn't be held intact anymore. Monstra had plopped itself down and was spawning Grimm at an alarming rate, both ground as airborne threats. Inside the command center, James began barking orders, sending soldiers beyond the wall. At that comment, as the world began going to absolute hell, Coal stepped in, he was tired of this idiot doing things wrong./div
div id="djs-4m5o0" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Send the Paladins and soldiers beyond the walls. We'll hold them in the agricultural field! Manta Squads Alpha, Gamma and Delta will provide cover and take on aerial threats. Beta Squad will focus on the creature and Omega will fight to keep the city's air space safe!"/div
div id="djs-e2v5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Oh come on you're smarter than that!", everyone in the command bunker turned and looked at Coal who stood there with his hands crossed, a look of disappointment and hatred on his eyes towards the General. A few military personnel trembled as the silence dragged. James raised his hand to his white revolver, glaring./div
div id="djs-3qr3i" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You wanna shoot me for insubordination or treason, at least wait till I've finished talking. You're gonna put soldiers out there, where they can be swarmed and killed by Grimm? Set your soldiers on the wall, have them use the high ground and put the Paladins near the wall. Form a literal rain of bullets and punishment on them. Saves you resources and manpower!", Coal said, not once backing down, glaring deep in Ironwood's eyes and hoping he sees reason. After a tense long minute, he puts his hand away from his revolver and nods./div
div id="djs-eplqt" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Good thinking…I dunno why I was putting soldiers out there. But don't ever speak to me in that tone again…got it?"/div
div id="djs-8bsv0" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"And so while Monstra kept spawning Grimm, most of the foot soldiers of Atlas were rather safe, firing death from above upon them. Turning the Battle of Monstra into a mock version of the Battle of Helms Deep, rather than the Battle of Winterfell, giving the soldiers of Atlas a better chance against the incoming unslaught of reckless death and hate. Hate that the Grimm carry for mankind, hatred Salem will use to drive forth more and more waves, as bullets rained and Paladins stood guard at the gate and wall./div
div id="djs-6vivo" 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-4fe8j" 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-34omb" 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-8dgd1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Do not let those fugitives out of your sight!", Winter closed her eyes and sighed, "Understood", Winter didn't like this at all, but she had almost no choice. As they flew over the besieged city of Atlas, there was a barking. She turned around and made eye contact with Yang, who was pretending to bark at her./div
div id="djs-3ro6t" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Good dog, heel and follow orders", she said, earning an angry growl from Marrow. There was a moment where several of the Ace Ops wanted to talk down to Yang, but before they could, Winter gasped. They cleared the central Atlas Academy spire and got full view of the massive creature that lay on the agricultural fields. Gravity Dust clusters sprang from the top and bottom of it's body. Salem had copied the legend of Atlas and turned it into a reality! What horrifying beast was that!? Jaune and Ren also had their hopes dashed. Jaune sighs: "It's even bigger than I guessed…the Grimm took Oscar there"/div
div id="djs-e862e" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Grimm don't take prisoners", Vine said, his voice stern as if they'd been lying about that./div
div id="djs-bunhe" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Grimm also don't become twice the size of a Leviathan, grow Gravity Dust, fly and spew a river of Grimm from their mouth", Yang hissed as she turned her eyes on Vine, who grasped his chin, as if sunken in thought, "If you'd just let us go"/div
div id="djs-8ig49" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Hold fire on the creature. Manta Squads, focus on secondary Hostiles. Science squad, with aid of the head weapon builder of Argent are working on a solution for that headache"/div
div id="djs-fgfb9" 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 have in mind sir!?", Winter asked over the com channel. She trembled, that thing was massive./div
div id="djs-60b4a" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Beta Squad revealed attacks from the outside are useless. But inside it might be vulnerable. We're putting together an explosive payload, which we'll deliver to your rendez-vous coordinates, transmitting now. Then it's up to your squad to deliver it on foot"/div
div id="djs-8m68i" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Off course sir…", Winter agreed, but deep down she knew exactly what that meant. She looked at her hands and sighed. This was a one way mission, a suicide mission that would cost lives. No matter the situation, "we will hold the point and get it done"/div
div id="djs-sr2f" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Oscar is in there…", Jaune felt his heart sink. This wasn't right./div
div id="djs-9lmes" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You can't do this! You heartless obedient bi-", Yang's face as smacked by Elm, who gave her a solid right hook, Yang spat out a droplet of blood as she glared at Elm, "feel strong, thunder thighs? Hitting a prisoner? Take these cuffs off and I'll show you a challenge you oversized wh-"/div
div id="djs-2nuf1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Another punch met Yang's face, her eye becoming a little blacker./div
div id="djs-e804k" 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-69k6d" 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-2qkkd" 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-d2dkf" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""...if you start telling the truth"/div
div id="djs-2lao9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I've been telling you the truth. Yet you never listen to me. Or wonder why she recruited you…you specifically…to help her find the relics"/div
div id="djs-c5sii" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""We share a vision. She'll create a new world order, no Kingdoms or Huntsmen Academies!"/div
div id="djs-3cpq9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Teh heheh. New world order? If she gets the Relics, Remnant will become a memory. Wiped from existence. Ironic isn't it? She's been alive longer than you realize, but all she craves is release…death"/div
div id="djs-30sj5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Stop LYING! She can't be killed!", the blow to his diaphragm caused Ozpin so much pain he almost vanished back into Oscar. He shook his fingers, forcing himself awake, it was his job to tank this, Oscar needed rest! My fault, my responsibility. "She can't be killed! When she came for me, I killed her, over and over again! The longest she was gone was only a couple hours. Before she put herself back together. When I couldn't lift my arms, so exhausted I couldn't move anymore, but through her, I could get the vengeance I needed"/div
div id="djs-9v16d" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Oh Hazel…don't you see she made you think that? That this is what you needed?"/div
div id="djs-3esp" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""It is what you deserve!"/div
div id="djs-abq5g" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Yes! I OZPIN. Oscar? THe people of Atlas? You know what Salem did to Mistral? How many Gretchens she made in that kingdom?!"/div
div id="djs-dc6la" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Don't say her name!", his fist was closing fast, Ozpin didn't falter, he continued./div
div id="djs-e6mkr" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You haven't done what you've done for justice, you only did it for yourself, because she made you think it would help you…so has it helped you?"/div
div id="djs-528o6" 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-6oh41" 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-31som" 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-8sbjd" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""This is chaos! We can't hold!", Fiona shot a few Grimm, the Crater was slowly becoming a death pit. Less and less people could hold the Grimm./div
div id="djs-b808e" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""We have to find a way! Hold strong Fi!", Joanna said as she stomped her foot down and splattered a Centtinel's head. Adam had been fighting for what felt like hours. Yet as he pinged the world around him, he was starting to run low on Aura. He could feel the empty voids around him. A black mass that washed over the world of red around him. He hated them. He hated Atlas! He hated everything around here. His rage and hatred was spilling outwards, drawing more and more of those black voids towards him. He sliced, Rebellion tasting their flash as he shot what few bullets remained in Jetstream. He groaned, if only there was a way to save his brothers and sisters here! His anger built. And that gave him an idea!/div
div id="djs-82r23" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Fiona, Joanna, take the refugees and head into the mining tunnels, don't go too deep, but deep enough. And try to keep them calm. I'll unleash my anger and hate, draw all of the Grimm towards me and me alone", he offered as she sliced a Sabyr in half, followed by after cuts that took down several others behind it. His Retribution Sever was losing power, but he had to try something!/div
div id="djs-cofhl" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""That's suicide!", Fiona said, but Adam held up his hand. Maybe that's all he deserves. He sheathed the blade and staggered to his knees. That's when Joanna claps her hand on his shoulder. She sighs and smiles./div
div id="djs-20sae" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Let me top you off", from her hand, a warmth spread through Adam as Joanna somehow restored some of his Aura. He turned his head towards her and nods, "thanks"/div
div id="djs-p1up" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Alright everyone into the mines!", she roars as the evacuation begins flowing. People go into the mines, with what little fighters standing guard at the edge. Yet for the moment, most Grimm stand and sniff the air. Anger, anger for the mother that gave him up as a slave for the SDC, burning through his mind and heart as Rebellion radiated with power. The metallic scent of blood thick in the air as a familiar bloodlust takes over Adam's mind. Hatred, it's cold fire puts ice through his veins and soothes the blazing fire of his bloodlust. Sharpening his focus and turning him into a hyper focused murder machine. Amidst the endless wave of black and empty Grimm, a single form of Red stood among them. Surrounded. Red like a single rose amidst a dead field. A drop of paint on a black canvas. Adam drew Rebellion and smiled. Before he went and unleashed the beast once more./div
div id="djs-7dev8" 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-9dc6h" 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-dcqrk" 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-f4ng" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""The Marigolds have Henry…yours have Whitley! So forget it"/div
div id="djs-1v67t" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Excuse you…my brother is nothing like Henry!", Weiss stood her ground on that. Whitley might have once been on her 'bad list' but she has grown as a person and realised he wasn't to blame. Once more it was the fault of Jacques!/div
div id="djs-2u6ju" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Who's side are you on anyway?!"/div
div id="djs-7jrek" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""We heard those words before…", Blake reached for Pasion. She stepped from her position and walked towards Weiss, honoring her vow to protect her friends. May growled and also reached for her weapon. Ruby stomped her foot as she walked between them!/div
div id="djs-d3krd" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Stop that! There are no sides! We want to help Atlas and Mantle! It's how we'll deal with Salem. We're all in this together, and together we'll get out of it!", Ruby felt like she had no energy left. Why was it all just so much, endless and unstoppable. Was there no light at the end of this dark tunnel?/div
div id="djs-8upce" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""So how are we going to get out of it?"/div
div id="djs-1ipjs" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I'm still working on that"/div
div id="djs-ch2mk" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Whitley, who had been standing by the door, with an empty bowl of what was essentially just a hodgepodge soup, wanted to thank his sister, it had been the best meal he'd had since father's arrest, but when he heard how she stepped up to fight for him, something changed. He grabbed his Scroll and walked towards the balcony./div
div id="djs-dimrq" 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-1hfa2" 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-tv0j" 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-7r2s" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You can't blow it up with Oscar still in there!", Yang stood up, Burn giving her the strength to prevent Elm and Vine from pulling her down. So they rose with her. As Elm raised her fist to punch her again, Jaune had an idea!/div
div id="djs-12j80" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Wait! What if you use us as a decoy!?", his outburst caught the attention of all the people, including Yang and Ren. "You don't know what adversity is awaiting you. Especially inside. Let us go, we'll clear a path and draw attention away from you and the bomb. And while you plant the explosive, we can look for Oscar!"/div
div id="djs-92nlb" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You want to go into that thing alone?!", Marrow turned from the flightstick and looked Jaune dead in the eye, shocked that a kid would be this brave. Or foolish. Probably more foolish./div
div id="djs-4e04d" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""That answers my question about you all. You'd rather leave a teammate behind", Yang hissed as Elm shoved her against the wall. "We don't let emotion cloud our judgement!"/div
div id="djs-5pib9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Funny cause I have a black eye that says otherwise!"/div
div id="djs-3gmas" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Still, the right call wouldn't be to trade three lives for one. THat would be stupidity!", Elm hissed./div
div id="djs-6ujvo" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""No it isn't", up until this point, Ren had been silent. But guess he was done marinating and brooding, Yang thought. "He is our friend. And we'll do whatever it takes to save him"/div
div id="djs-2272a" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""And here I thought you were the quiet clever type. But you're just a naive kid, just like the rest of them. Feelings don't matter, the job matters", Harriet said, getting on Ren's case. Not wanting to have his brother be busted like that Jaune turns and glares a very angry and disappointed glare at her, "So why aren't you doing yours in protecting Mantle?"/div
div id="djs-5tbag" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Shut it Arc!", Elm bellowed!/div
div id="djs-cq7gf" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""As I was saying, when you lose someone on your team, you move on. Replace them. Like Marrow and TOrtuga, and Winter wi-"/div
div id="djs-326mj" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""NO!", Ren sprang up, causing the Ace Ops once again to fall silent. After all, he'd always been the quiet one./div
div id="djs-dkiks" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""No one is replaceable!", Ren thought about his father, his mother. Those who fell at Beacon. He glared, his anger, his emotional turmoil, the conflict. As he glared at Harriet, suddenly a clarity happened over him. Like the storm of emotions, the ones he had shot down and put away, suddenly cleared. Or rather, they were still there but he was standing at the clearing. At the eye of the storm he found his true tranquility. He could see the angered petals around Harriet. She was furious. Not at them, but…, "You…don't believe that. You can't move on. You miss Clover, you loved him"/div
div id="djs-4hpvn" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You don't know anything about me!", Ren barely registered her voice. He was sure of it. Seeing it plain in her petals! Marrow was conflicted, unsure about which side he was on. Using his morals to justify he'd rather fight for all, not just Atlas, but duty binding him in place. He could see less fury but still anger in Elm, the tranquil leaves of Vine who's made piece with his life. Yet as he looked down, he could only see the pit he'd carved for himself with Jaune. And Nora./div
div id="djs-f6h9s" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You…fight how you feel about each other and the orders. You'll never work as a team"/div
div id="djs-5ae62" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!", Elm raised her arm to try and punch Ren. Yang, thankful that Ren was finally talking sense again, stomped on Vine's foot and reared back before she crashed her head into Elm's skull! Aside from a good crunch, there was a loud impact as Elm was knocked on her knees, as Yang glared at her with a grin. Her face speaking all her thoughts for her; now we're even for the black eye!/div
div id="djs-ad6ol" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Calm down!", Winter ordered as she observed the steeled faces of Xiao Long, Arc and Ren. She then sighed. "Alright, we'll drop you off as close as we can before we head to our Rendez-vous point.", Winter said, signing their death warrants because regardless of feelings or not, this was a suicide mission./div
div id="djs-8cag6" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You can't be serious! They're fugitives, traitors!", Harriet walked up to Winter but she turned and glared at her, Harriet recoiled in fear for a split second, Winter's death glare was that powerful./div
div id="djs-9m4s7" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""So I'm using them as canon fodder. They'll clear a path, we'll capitalize, they'll most likely die so that we can live. I outrank you. Now shut up and fall in line…soldier", Winter hated what her father had taught her. But every now and then it was useful to know how to verbally break someone. Harriet growled but did as she was told, zipping her lips. Winter continued, addressing the friends of her sister: "You go in, it's all on you, no back up or extraction. We drop the bomb as soon as we have it. Is that understood?"/div
div id="djs-7occq" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""We understand…", Jaune nodded. And so the Ace Ops Manta sat down at the fields, opened the hatch doors. Jaune left first, drawing his sword and charging forwards. Winter, like Marrow, had to admit, he had bravery, and foolishness a plenty. Yang followed soon after, but not before promising to reward Elm with a concussion. Before Ren jumped out however, he turned to Marrow, but being a bit more clever he won't expose to the obedient Harriet that Marrow has doubts, wanting to stop being a part of James' lunacy, yet when he turns to Winter; "I know you don't want to be a part of this anymore"/div
div id="djs-f1qm2" 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-8ttmg" 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-6e7ok" 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-6i92j" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Thanks Blake…", Ruby smiled and felt tears in her eyes at the kind words of Blake, but there was a negative sting to it. Sure she looked up to her, she had said what she did out of a kindness, an attempt to help. And while it did feel like a peptalk, some part of her wasn't sure. She recalled being optimistic at Beacon, be a Huntress from the books. A hero who fought for what was right and believed in the good of everyone. Well, here they were, fighting against two enemies at once, with her team split unevenly. And two of her friends were severely injured. Do something, yeah but was that the right thing? Am I living up to the expectations? Blake unknowingly had put even more pressure on Ruby. Yet as the light went back on, it wasn't the happy face that kicked Ruby into action, it was her gasping look of shock. As the glass broke behind her, Ruby sprang forwards, evading the massive paws of whatever new enemy of the week was attacking her. She Petal Burst through the door and appeared outside the shed, Blake reaching for her Scroll to call for back up!/div
div id="djs-drk6t" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Weiss there's a Grimm-", before Blake could finish speaking, she left a Shadow behind and dove through the door as the Hound attacked her and Ruby outside. Willow reached for a bottle, the fear and panic driving her to find a solution, even if Klein's disappointed gaze was hard to bear./div
div id="djs-5bigb" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""You going to be safe if I check that out?", Weiss asked, putting a hand on her brother's shoulder. Affectionately he squeezed it as he looked up at her and smiled, "I'd tell you to be safe, but something tells me you'll do great"/div
div id="djs-eb54e" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Good luck Whitley", Weiss said as she left the Office of Jacques and ran for the outside shed./div
div id="djs-f1jqc" 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-53igu" 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-3thr1" 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-699su" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Ruby had to evade more than she did versus any Grimm! This thing was different. As Blake tried to get a strike in, she and Ruby were both not the best for a fight like this, it turned and tracked her while also keeping an eye or whatever awareness on Ruby. As she attacked with a wide long range slash, the Hound simply evaded by jumping back. Using that, Blake tried to dash in and strike yet before she could get close, it tilted it's head and swung a paw, wouldn't sound too illogical for a Grimm just to attack. But the swing was different. As if it was anticipating her jumping it! Because as it moved it's arm, Blake lept upwards, which caused the Grimm to reverse it's swing and knick Blake on the counter attack. Ruby dashed in, plucked Blake thanks to Petal Burst and pulled them both out of it's range. Or so she thought! As she appeared back in human form, holding Blake, she felt the Faunus girl shove her aside as a Shadow of fire remained. The Hound had tracked her movement and jumped at the location they appeared at, not where they'd vanished. THis thing was smarter than even the older and wiser Grimm. Sure they'd learn by surviving, but this thing was highly intelligent. Ruby collapsed her Scythe and dashed up the shed, Blake having drawn the attention of the Grimm thanks to the 'blowing up clone trick', yet the moment she cocked the sniper rifle and aimed, it instantly turned towards her, ignoring Blake and leapt up towards the shed! Ruby hesitated a moment, if this thing crashed into the shed it'll break the generator. Penny! And Nora. Ruby's eyes flashed, the damage from Salem undone, as she propelled herself into the Grimm, using the high caliber blast of Crescent Rose and planted both her boots against it's head. Unable to anticipate this weird behavior, gave her and Blake, who threw the permanent compact Gambol around the Hound's leg and pulled. As she did, Ruby kicked off, spun in mid air and slashed at the Hound's face. She connected! The blade biting in deep into it skin as it withered, screaming in pain as Blake pulled it back down. It roared in hatred: "Take the girl!"/div
div id="djs-4q94k" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""It speaks!?", Ruby gasped, before she steeled herself, pulled Crescent Rose against her body, holding it out perpendicular, like her Uncle had taught her, and began spinning! Blake saw it, she shot Gambol and drew Passion, the purple steel shimmering with anger, equivalent to Blake's desire to help and protect Ruby. Blake sliced at it's back! Expecting it to draw attention on her, but again it merely tracked Ruby's spiraling death whirling before it leaned back, pushed itself to full length, tanking a slice or two before it put it's massive paws on Ruby's body as she passed in front of it and slammed down. Ruby gasped, let go of her weapon and blasted out of the way with Petal Burst. Crescent Rose sank two inches into the ground and stuck there. Blake was trying to get this thing's attention but it's head turned towards her, then the ears perked up and it swiped in a weird way. And just as it seemed random and impossible, Ruby appeared and was tagged on the back of her head, it's arm extending just enough to hit her. Ruby felt the air knocked out of her as she was knocked face fist into the fence. Her Aura tanking the blow but still making her see dots before her eyes. Not missing a beat, the Hound spun on it's axis, turned both arms out and hit Blake, knocking her back as well, continuing to spin into a single three sixty, as it gave a small leap and slammed down on Ruby, putting it's weight on her Aura full force. Blake wouldn't know hwy, but this move was a slower yet still effective attack that the Nucklavee had used. Blake coughed as she felt the air return to her lungs and gasped, "What is this thing!?"/div
div id="djs-7stp6" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Weiss arrived across the grounds, sprinting from the double doors leading into the gardens. She watched as the Hound grabbed Ruby from the floor, sprang wings from its back and begin taking off. She gasped, as Blake rushed in, Centinels burst from the ground and attacked her. Weiss put her feet together, generated an ice Glyph and skated over the floor in a break neck speed and ran one of the Centinels through. She generated more Glyphs and shot the creature, shards of ice catapulting at it. Weiss reached for her Scroll and stabbed another Centinel. "Klein, there's a Grimm here, keep everyone close together, more might be on the way"/div
div id="djs-15mds" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Understood", Klein said. Willow, under the stress, drops a bottle and glass and runs away, Penny wakes up, performs her Maiden magic. Causing the Hound to look at the victim it's carrying, sniffing it. Has the smell, but far weaker. The radiant showing of power roused it. Ruby gasped: "it's after Penny!"/div
div id="djs-8puur" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"The Hound dropped Ruby and went flying towards the entry hall. Ruby's sudden lack of lift made her gasp before she impacted the ground hard, knocking her out. Blake and Weiss look at one another. A silent understanding as Blake nods and holsters Gambol, using Shroud and Passion in a dual wield, attacking and killing Centinels. Weiss looks back, hopes she'll be safe and runs back towards the doors and hunt in pursuit of the Grimm./div
div id="djs-4raiv" 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-ebtso" 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-2picl" 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-cq1ck" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Rest. Not thinking for a moment. She was at peace. For a long time it had been hard to feel this 'content', free of doubt and worry. It was peaceful. The eye of an emotional Storm, no responsibility to take. Hard decisions to force and own up to. No denying your self worth because a sister that once championed you as one who always knew what was right disagrees with your plan. No tower high expectations placed upon your person, pressure building. But it can't last. Slowly Ruby stirred, there was no time for peace. Her friend and ally Penny was in danger. And it was up to her to save the day, once again as always. She groaned as she became aware of a voice./div
div id="djs-1roqg" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I don't know if YOU understand me, but hear me as I say…you won't get her!", the sound of steel biting into flesh. Followed by a belch? No it was spitting. Ruby's eyes fluttered open as she saw the Centaur hiss and spit acidic saliva at Blake. She smirked, vanished behind a Shadow and shot at the thing's eyes. Irritated it recoiled, then as a spring, shot itself forwards in an unexpected burst of speed, Blake swung Passion, slashing aside the claws, she flung Gambol up towards the shed in an attempt to get distance and altitude, but in her haste to get away from the thing, it swiped again and caught her by the throat. Blake hisses in an angry fashion, jabbing Passion into its acid sack, letting it fizzle and burn it's way to the outside. A moment she was afraid it would dissolve her blade, but as with Wilt before, her Aura and vow made this edge sharper than ever before and unbreakable. Ruby grabs her Scythe and sneaks up behind the creature of Grimm, opening it's jaw to bite Blake's head off. With a roar she swings Crescent Rose upwards and jams it deep into the palate of its maw. In her swing, Ruby catches the arm that holds Blake restrained and as she falls to her knees, turns around, leaps upon the Centaur's face and drives Passion deep into it's skull. Ending it's life. Ruby giggles as she looks at Blake, a moment she truly felt like a friend again. With Yang having ran off, saying she'd made too many mistakes, it was refreshing to have someone at her back, still. "I could hear you…thanks Blake"/div
div id="djs-d2bnf" 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-3la3f" 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-371ts" 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-43na" 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-frv4t" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Ragged breaths. Shallow gasps. Panic! This can't be happening. I always knew they'd come for me and my family. Except unlike the horrendous and pathetic man that was Jacques, Willow never expected her death would come from nameless entities like the Grimm. Usually Atlas was protected. Many soldiers, the many staff. Even a private security force, all company perks. But those were all gone. After the call came from her daughter, she ran off, the stress and fear gripping her as they have had ever since Jacques beat her the first time she stepped out of line after Nicolas passed on. She looked at the secret stash of bottles she had in her room and grabbed one of them. Yet as she did, she didn't see a bottle. She saw Weiss. Ten years old, her blue and white dress stained in red that pooled beneath her, sitting in a pool of her own blood. The laceration on her eye was serious! Different superficial cuts also aided in the intense visual. Jacques hadn't reacted in anyway. ANd Willow was too shocked to act. Luckily the family Butler was not just an excellent baker of cakes and cookies, but aside from being a former elite in the Atlas Military, the concept of the Ace Ops were inspired by his many achievements, as well as being a doctor. A medical trained specialist even. He had removed the glass, stitched up the scar on Weiss' eye and did all he could. Yet that scar was a painful reminder of what Willow had done. She shook the memory from her as she saw the bottle. The Bottle that had pushed her to turn her back on her daughters and son. A son she had barely acknowledged since the arrest of Jacques. She had roamed the halls, in the depths of night, barely maintained enough of herself to at least buy bread, if by means of a few of the staff that she basically overpaid for it./div
div id="djs-5bv77" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Whitley, who was saved by starvation by Weiss. Weiss, who had returned, hadn't forgotten about her family. Even Winter hadn't been checked in. So she had fully accepted her family was gone, broken beyond repair. And yet there was Weiss, showing she could do the things that she, as her mother, failed at! Caring for her brother, providing food and drinks to the girls now taking refuge here, even patched up the redhead with a skill that wasn't on par with Klein but seriously higher than Willow had, who needed to send Winter and Weiss off to Klein when they had booboos in their childhood. She felt shame. Shame that turned to anger. She threw the bottle against the wall, her body trembling as it was craving the substance she had conditioned herself to be reliant on. But no more. If Jacques hadn't been mean to her, if she hadn't fled into the confines of a bottle she might have been able to keep her daughters and son close to her, instead of having one leave a cold home for the military, another becoming the splitting image of their father in hopes of being praised. And the middle kid to flower into a powerful and impressive huntress, far away from home. She took a few breaths, to get control over the shaking, before she gasped. A breaking of glass had echoed throughout the empty mansion. Curious but also terrified of what she'd see, Willow opened her security camera app and checked the entry hall. Her blue eyes widened in horror. Sure she had seen the Grimm before, she even had a summon of her own. But that thing was massive! Enormous! It moved so alien-like, standing bipedal, but also moved it's head as it sniffed the green blood on the floor. Oh no, she recalled Weiss and Whitley covered in that stuff. Before she could act, it lifted it's head, looked straight into the camera and began climbing the walls. Willow's heart froze. Was it aware she was looking at it? She was so grasped by fear, she barely noticed Weiss appearing in frame. Only when the snap and cracking of glass roused the Hound's suspicion, did Willow react! She pressed the call button as she found her voice, shaky and terrified: "ABOVE YOU!"/div
div id="djs-fje3o" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"For a moment Willow wanted to slap herself! The startled Weiss at hearing her voice didn't react in time and was thrown back against the piano. Sorrow and grief, tears stinging her eyes, Willow feared she had caused harm to Weiss once more in an act of stupidity! But she merely staggered once and drew her sword. And while Willow wasn't a trained fighter, she had to admit that seeing her youngest daughter dance and weave, her sword a wisp of colour on the low res screen, driving the Hound into a corner, she was momentarily mesmerized by her. She had seen her and Winter train in the backyard just before Winter left for Atlas Academy, and even then Weiss had a grace and proper form to her But she had only grown in her craft! Nicking the Grimm here, stabbing it's paw, catching it with ice shards there. It was good to see how capable she had become. Then, unsure why, the Hound simply sniffed the air and leapt up the walls./div
div id="djs-o8u5" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Mom?"/div
div id="djs-fa91e" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""I..I can see it!", Willow said with her voice shaky from all the emotions. She moved her finger over the cameras, catching glimpses of the catgirl fighting a disgusting insect Grimm right near her favorite drinking spot in the garden. Perhaps for the better, since she wanted to give up on the bottle. "It's outside Winter's old room. You…you looked phenomenal…darling"/div
div id="djs-c6bu8" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""What is it doing?!", Weiss' voice came through, Willow sighed, suppose that's fair. She hadn't called a performance of Weiss phenomenal since that tenth birthday. She took a deep breath, her voice becoming a little more steady. "I'm not sure…it's acting irregular. Almost like…like the hunting Hounds Father used to bring along on his hunts."/div
div id="djs-c6qs4" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Tracking…looking for Penny. Keep an eye on it in case it changes it's direction, I'll head for my room since Penny's there. And mom…thanks…for liking my performance", Willow felt like her heart swelled five times. She wanted to hug her daughter so badly. But simply nodded to no one seeing it as she took a few breaths. "Yeah, sure…you're welcome. Ok wait it's moving again…heading for Jacques'...oh no…"/div
div id="djs-1po19" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Quickly Willow called for Whitley's Scroll but he refused to pick up, she could see it in the cameras. Come on my dear boy, I understand your feelings on the matter, very clearly so! But this is…he wasn't picking up. SHe saw flashes of Jacques Schnee after Klein was busy stitching up Weiss from back then. His nasty smirk, his gloating glare. His vile and horrible words: 'a mother harming her kid through such vile actions? And they say I'm the bad guy'. Willow stomped her foot, no! No longer! I will no longer be bound by my shackles and restrained by fear! She turned on her heels, and sprinted for the door of her husband's office. Praying to the Brothers that she wasn't to late!/div
div id="djs-7uuhp" 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-57nbo" 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-acai3" 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-3tjfd" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""PENNY!", Ruby's heart sank. She could see the Hound, having beaten the stuffing out of her friend, holding her, a claw on her throat, a single very subtle green line indicating it's razor sharp tip had pierced skin. She saw Weiss and Blake, as well as the other members of the Schnee family stare at the beast. SPeaking, thinking, taking hostages. She flashed it an angry glare as the words of Maria returned to her mind. 'Life is beautiful, it is precious and must be protected', Pietro had treated Penny like a device, calling in and stripping her free will. Jimmy had seen her as his property, something to control, now I'm even thinking about him like Uncle Qrow does. And Mantle saw her as merely a mechanical protector. A tool. But she was Penny Polendina! And despite having metal, bolts and green fluid instead of squishy guts and blood, she was alive. A soul was in there, more so than in the General or even some of the Huntsmen she had seen during her travels. Ruby lowered Crescent Rose as she focused on the task, her duty, to not only protect the life of her friend. But to protect her friend in general! She growled, angry, an emotion she was feeling more and more and it wasn't something she liked. "That's enough!"/div
div id="djs-fli4o" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"For a moment the room fell silent. Then, a blinding silver light flooded the space from Ruby's eyes. The Hound dropped Penny, who tumbled down the staircase and came to a halt at Ruby's feet, while the Hound reared back, overcome in destructive pain that meant to destroy it's body. Shattering the glass as it fell out of view, Blake and Weiss checked to see if Penny was alright, yet there was a cold shiver that ran down Ruby's spine. Something didn't feel right about this. Faintly she heard the snapping of bones. SHe looked at the hole in the glass. She wasn't sure, but she raised her weapon, her breath beginning to pick up. More snapping of bones, a heavy thud, one that also seemed to catch Blake and Weiss, as they stared from Penny up to Ruby, following her ragged breaths and intense gaze. Blake drew Gambol in one hand and held Passion in the other, a shiver running over her spine. Weiss reversed her sword and began her summoning. As the heavy sword of her Armagigas appeared, all three of them stepped back. A paw appeared, the Hound's paw! But it was skinny, it looked like Cinder's hand had been back in Haven Academy. Ruby froze. A chilling voice crippling her resolve. Not that deep disembodied and discombobulated voice the Hound had before, no. It was a human voice./div
div id="djs-3gki9" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Take…the girl"/div
div id="djs-c7d82" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"The massive body mass of the Hound pulled itself through the window, yet where once had been a massive maw with fangs and menacing Grimm bones and mask, was now a brown haired head. Two canine ears and a face that was covered in the most horrendous scars and wounds. A disgusting white formation from one eye. As it glared at the girls, the one eye that remained shimmered in the moonlight, catching Ruby's eye. "TAKE the girl!"/div
div id="djs-84nhk" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"It stepped into the hallway again, at the top of the stairs, Ruby stepped back, still keeping a firm lock on the Hound with her weapon, she couldn't stop staring at it. AS it's biomass began bubbling and boiling, it's arms snapping into place, with that sickening sound of bones snapping, the words lost their meaning in regards with Penny. Its eyes…were silver! Ruby's heart stopped beating as she felt an intense pain. Pain of the heart. "TAKE the GIRL"/div
div id="djs-c2s19" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"It began walking down the stairs, it's eye fixed on Ruby who stepped even further away, the first gunshot of Gambol made no impact as the Hound extended a hand out towards her, Ruby. Another step, the hand reached further, extending. Ruby's fear grew even higher. 'My dear Rose, I'm here to whisk you away with me', the words had sounded trivial, creepy maybe but not as threatening. Suddenly Ruby understood, deep in her core, this thing wasn't just after Penny. It's eye was as silver as Ruby's. SHe gasped as the Armagigas slammed it's sword on the thing, yet it kept looking at Ruby, eyes primed on her, as the biomass began enveloping it's face once more, the spines and bones returning as Ruby's fear spiraled. Salem had wanted her as well. Was this to be her fate if Qrow hadn't saved her back in Oniyuri. Her eyes blinked. This time, what Salem had tried a mere twenty four hours ago, the light in Ruby's eyes turned off. Her silver eyes dulled. She gasped as it became fully Grimm again and barked at her. "TAKE THE GIRL!"/div
div id="djs-at30h" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"Ruby's back hit the wall. She was frozen in fear. SHe wanted to scream but her voice was gone. She saw that thing come closer to her. Blake and Weiss attacked it still but it didn't even react to them. A groaning sound of metal stirred Ruby as she looked up and saw that Blake and the Schnees had formed a plan. Weiss Gravity Dust Glyphs appear beneath the Hound, Blake had tossed Gambol around a gigantic suit of armor that Willow and Whitley were also pushing against. Survival instinct kicked in as Ruby ran for the legs of the suit of armor and swung Crescent Rose. With the heavy volume of a few tons of steel slamming down the Hound was buried under right before the Armagigas drove it's sword into the spot where the Hound had vanished. Everyone took shaky breaths as Ruby fell to her knees, her eyes drawn to the blackened arm that stuck out from the debris, slowly disintegrating. Yet where normally only dust remained of the Grimm, there now was a blackened skeleton./div
div id="djs-5ll8s" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""What…who…was that?"/div
div id="djs-e3348" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""It…was…", Ruby didn't even register who's voice had spoken that. She also didn't wanna put to words what she thought. So instead of mentioning it had silver eyes, she deflected it, because if she was to acknowledge that now, she would break and scatter like a frozen rose, "..a person.."/div
div id="djs-1s1c1" 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-619qp" 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-4b4b4" 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-a3fiv" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Hello my dear Watts…", Aschen said as she pulled debris away from the good doctor and helped him to his feet./div
div id="djs-66en1" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Not to be rude or ungrateful or anything…but with whom do I have the pleasure?"/div
div id="djs-8q60c" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""So easily you forget? We met before, the Branwen camp", Aschen said as she supported Watts and dragged him towards the opening she had created by blasting a hole thanks to her fire magical abilities, a holdover from Cinder she was thankful for, maybe./div
div id="djs-d6so8" class="daeditor-paragraph" style="margin: 24px 8px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.3px;""Brawnen..? Wait…aren't you..", she put a hand on his mouth. He knew who she once was, that's more than enough. When she turned to walk him towards the edge, three soldiers appeared, aiming at her and Watts. She grinned looked at the three of them and whispered, sinisterly, before her and Watts vanished from sight as she teleported him and her away with her Semblance, the three soldiers looked at one another and took out their pistols. "Shoot yourself"/div