Jaune hadn't left Pyrrha's side since joining her in the small on-site infirmary at the stadium. His partner had barely been awake then, but Pyrrha smiled long enough Jaune knew she recognized it was him. He took her right hand and felt her squeeze it back before leaning back on the raised bed covered in sterile white linens and falling back into unconsciousness.
Nora and Ren showed up into the harshly lit suite after a few minutes, Jaune had not bothered to draw the curtain for privacy. The little pink clad ginger haired girl unusually quiet. And their green robed gunslinger unusually talkative and supportive.
"She'll be fine Jaune," Ren told his team leader, laying a hand on his right shoulder. "Her head's intact and there's no swelling."
Nora concurred, pulling over a vacant stool from a vacant space and placed it on the side opposite of Jaune. "Yeah the nice nurse lady out front showed us all the cool scans, and people say I've got a thick head."
The young leader answered neither of them, he didn't even look up from where Pyrrha was holding his hand when Ruby and Blake came in looking for their friends. The two girls of team RWBY silently looked to Ren and Nora. Ren shrugged his shoulders before he sat down on the vacant bed behind him. The two other girls stood at the base of the bed, Ruby held onto the railing while Blake stood slightly behind with hands folded behind her back
No one spoke.
With nothing more to say, and no one saying anything anyway Ren folded his hands on his knees and closed his eyes. Nora started spinning and humming on her seat. Ruby leaned in closer and shook Jaune's right arm gently to try and get some reaction out of him before she finally broke the silence hanging around them.
"Jaune, you can't worry too much about this." She told him, "Sure it's bad luck, but what else can you do?"
Jaune gripped some of the sheets in his empty hand, "I know that Ruby, but… I just don't understand. If this can happen…"
Blake spoke solemnly, "Things never go as we think they will. Did anyone else see how that guy beat her?"
Ren opened his eyes and looked at the cat Faunus. "What are you talking about?"
"It's like her polarity couldn't affect his gear." She explained,
"But it did before. Remember that training match Pyrrha had against him before."
"I know, and that's what worries me."
Nora spoke up for a moment, "That's the same guy that beat up Scarlet right?"
Blake nodded confirmation, "I think Kad knows him."
Silence settled over them, they realized her defeat was a mystery that could wait for another time. Sounds from the rest of the infirmary dealing with minor cuts and other injuries occasionally floated their way. But none of the young Hunters felt like talking anymore. There was nothing they could say that each of them didn't already know or feel.
But Ruby felt this mood was just becoming unhealthy, "Is anyone else hungry?"
"I could eat." Nora replied,
Ruby smiled, "Sweet, we'll be right back." She said before grabbing Blake's arm and pulling her off to find the food courts.
While they were traveling Ruby's thoughts began to wander, "Yang should be here, she knows how to cheer people up."
"Yeah, I know what you mean." Blake said,
But Ruby was far from the only one distracted. Blake could see a lot of people clustering in small groups, talking quietly and looking down at scrolls. Everywhere in the halls she looked there were clusters of them.
She began to wonder,
And a warning tone suddenly came through the loud speakers. She recognized the voice that followed it, General Ironwood from Atlas,
"Ladies and gentlemen. Please remain calm, we are asking everyone to remain in the stadium until the situation becomes clearer. If you have an emergency please speak to one of the security androids. Again, there is no need to panic…."
Ruby and Blake both stopped, looking up at the speaker over their heads as the message started to loop. Then glanced at each other wondering what in the world was going on. Up ahead another slightly larger crowd was pressing up against one of the full wall to wall windows, pointing and looking at something out in Vale. The two huntresses attached themselves to the side of this group, what all the fuss was about soon became obvious.
Two Atlas airships were moving into position by a cloud of dust floating up into the air in the middle of the cityscape. Other smaller gunships detached themselves from the cruisers and flew down out of their line of sight behind several buildings.
Blake blinked in surprise, "Wow…"
"You can say that again." Ruby agreed, turning to the closest man and tugging on his sleeve.
"What happened?" The red girl asked once she made eye contact.
His response was swift, "They say a street was just destroyed downtown. Couple think it was a gas line but I'm leaning to believe otherwise."
"Why?"
"Airships closing in," He explained, "Plus I heard some big shot was caught in the middle of it."
"Big shot?"
The stranger shrugged and turned back to the window. Ruby looked back at Blake.
"Hey could you call Weiss please?" She asked the older girl.
Blake obliged, but when she put her scroll up to her right ear all she heard was a dial tone. Their Heiress friend wasn't answering. Another television turned on behind the two Huntresses and the crowd. The opening words caught Blake's attention
"We're coming too you live from the scene of the incident where the sleeping gas cloud has finally dissipated and we are getting our first good look inside of the blast crater. Now you can see the Schnee limo that Atlas security forces believe was the intended target…"
The rest of what the reporter said flew over both of their heads.
Blake was suddenly cast back to all the times the White Fang had tried to get at the Schnee family. This was the most brazen they had ever been. Destroying an entire city block in broad daylight with potentially thousands of witnesses. Plus with the Atlas security forces they had to know were over their heads like a bag of hammers.
Ruby was beginning to feel sick to her stomach worrying about her partner. Weiss said she had family members disappear before thanks to the White Fang.
Blake looked down at her young leader, she could sense the anxiety coming off Ruby in waves and hear the quiet groans she was muffling while trying to come up with any sort of idea.
The Faunus couldn't stand it anymore, "Ruby, snap out of it and focus."
"Focus on what? What should we do?"
"I don't know, you're our leader… Think."
That simple little statement brought a little moment of clarity to Ruby's mind. She was the leader,
She had a responsibility to protect her team,
She had to react rather than just panic,
"Okay," Ruby took a deep calming breath then turned around to the window, "What do you think the kidnapper's plan is?"
The Faunus girl shrugged, "Hide and black mail Schnee with his daughter's lives most probably."
"Worst case scenario?"
Blake turned away, a pained expression across her face. Ruby frowned in understanding.
"Where do you think they'll be hiding?" Ruby asked,
"Sewer tunnels and substructures probably. I doubt they'll stay in the city for more than a day. Atlas is going to tear the place apart once they get organized."
"Oh boy… I guess subtlety isn't one of their strong points?"
Blake looked back up, "You could say that."
Her leader nodded. Ruby stood brain storming for a moment. She easily believed that the two of them could go rescue Weiss and her family before things got to out of hand.
"Do you have a plan Ruby?"
She smiled up at Blake, "Yeah, yeah I think I do. Quick go back and at least tell Ren and Nora what's up. Jaune's not going to be any help at the moment until Pyrrha wakes up. Get those two to watch over them."
"You don't think we need their help?"
"No, we'll be sneaky. Get in and out before any one even knows we were there."
Blake nodded, "Alright." And she jogged off back the way she came. Ruby needed to find a way underground. As she pulled up her scroll to find a map a familiar face from her contact list lit up the screen.
Yang.
Yang and Raven's entire subterranean world shook when unbeknownst to them the bomb went off beneath the Schnee car. Both of them stopped dead in their tracks bracing against the dark brick walls for balance far below the city streets. They had no idea which direction it had come from. Noise came down from both sides of what seemed like the hundredth narrow, dark, and dingy tunnel they had looked through that morning.
Up until that moment Yang had no idea if there really even were White Fang around. It felt like they had walked underneath most of Vale without any sign or scent of their quarry. The Faunus terrorists had hidden their tracks well and there were still miles of pipes and tunnels to check.
"That's it," Yang said after the echoes faded, disgust and frustration putting an edge in her tone.
"What?" Raven responded in question.
"I'm going to the surface. We need to know what's happening."
Yang couldn't see it but Raven's red eyes narrowed "We can't afford to waste any time."
"I am spending time, there's a difference." Yang replied as she turned around to go back the way they came. She knew there were some ladders to manholes not too far away.
Once Yang found one she ran her hands along the rusted iron then shook the bars to test the strength and found it was anchored well enough. She raised up a foot to start climbing, but Raven clamped a hand down on Yang's right shoulder. The blond huffed irritated, and glanced over to look Raven in the eyes.
"There not that much more to search," Raven said, "If you leave…"
Yang cut the dark Huntress off, "Then I'll have a better grasp on what we're walking into. Damn it Raven, whatever that noise was the situation has changed."
"No…"
Yang stopped her again, "Yes, it has. And I don't like not knowing things. Get off, and either come along or get lost." With that the blond wrenched her shoulder free and started to climb.
Raven fumed for a heartbeat before stamping her boots together in frustration accented with a growl then climbed up after Yang.
Sirens were everywhere,
Yang moved the heavy manhole cover up to make sure the coast was clear. Only to drop the metal disc back down as a police cruiser drove right over her head. Next time she pushed up with all her strength and vaulted up onto the street. It was deserted aside from a few shocked civilians giving her stunned looks.
Raven climbed out after her and the two of them moved over to the sidewalk cornering a man to ask what had just happened. Of course he didn't know anything except something exploded and madness was approaching. And the two of them could see the Atlas airships moving down so they had a good idea where to head off to.
Raven crossed her arms, making it known she wasn't happy through her tone, "So what now Yang?"
"Alright look," she replied "It could only be the White Fang right?"
Raven shrugged a little but nodded, Yang continued, "Whatever they're planning we know they're underground. So we find what's at the bottom of that," the blond pointed up at the pillar of smoke and dust.
"Then we start our search again at the closest subway entrance or something, their trail should be fresh enough."
Raven lowered her arms and struck off in the indicated direction. Taking her silence as an agreement Yang followed. But as they moved towards the blast sight Yang was struck by a sudden thought.
Ruby must be panicking.
She let Raven gain the lead once they began nearing their destination. When her rogue companion crept off to listen in on some newscasters Yang pulled out her scroll and called her sister.
Ruby answered almost immediately,
And she wasn't scared,
She was pissed.
"Where have you been Yang!?"
Yang was a little taken back, Ruby never raised her voice to anyone
"It's all right Ruby," she tried to explain,
"No, no it's not!" Ruby interrupted. "You take off, Pyrrha gets conked out, Weiss gets kidnapped,"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa back up. What happened?"
"Stuff you should have been here for!"
"How was I supposed to know things would start flying fan-ward?" Yang asked raising up an exasperated arm.
"Mrrrhgh…" Ruby grumbled,
Her own emotional storm took a brief but well-worn backseat in Yang's mind, "Ruby I need your help."
"Really?"
"Do you want to help Weiss?"
"…Yes."
"Alright, tell me what happened."
"Someone blew up her car and then took her plus her dad and sister."
"The big boss himself are you kidding?"
Silence was Yang's only answer. The blond continued.
"Come meet me down at Burn's bridge, bring Blake and anyone else if you like. I'm with that girl I told you about, we'll find the ice queen in no time."
Ruby sighed, "Alright…We'll be there in five. But you've got some explaining to do."
Her scroll blanked out and the call ended. Raven returned to her, rubbing her gauntlets in a gesture that Yang was starting to realize was one of the dark girl's few habits. One that told Yang that she was thinking about something.
"What did you find out?" Yang asked
Raven ran through what she heard word for word, "Weiss, Winter, and Jacques Schnee have all disappeared from the wreckage of their car. Atlas authorities have taken over the emergency clean up and have refused to comment on their next course of action."
Yang nodded, she wasn't sure if Raven had heard her talking with Ruby. Or how she would react at her bringing some more people in. But Yang decided to just let her deal with it when they reached the bridge.
This was one of the few places big enough to support cars and trucks on their way to either side of the river. Yang had driven over it plenty of times on her motor cycle, and she knew one of the biggest discharge tunnels for reclaimed city water was directly below it. A couple of times a day it would fill up and thousands of liters of processed water would rush back into the river to be used by Vale once again. You could reach anywhere in the underground eventually from that spot.
She leaned over the wrought iron railings by a bend to see if that was happening now. The water was low enough that she could see the smooth river rounded rocks piled up in the bed making a shallow pad.
And her two fellow Beacon class members down in the shadows, and shallow water.
Yang's eyes went wide as she recognized the massive crouching orange and black figure of Kad Amaranth. Along with his Faunus teammate in blue Co'Balt to his left, who was finally at eye level with his leader. Both studying the scroll in Kad's hands.
It was hard for them to miss the sudden appearance Yang's practically glowing mane of blond hair as well as the white on her outfit which brightly stood out against the storm grey skies. Both boys looked up simultaneously and Kad stood up to his full height, the top of his head and the hilt of his sword just barely below the bridge.
The two of them silently stared at her for a few seconds before Yang walked down to base of the crossing and leaned against the railing once again.
Kad stepped over beneath the Huntress. His chin nearly level with the pavement making conversation not a problem. Co'Balt crept close but stuck to the shadows with his back to the artificial river bank. She was surprised to see the sword Myrtenaster stuck through Kad's chain belt, but decided to touch on broader subjects first.
"What are you two doing here?" Yang began,
"I could ask you the same thing." Kad countered.
"You're the ones down in the river, who's more out of place here?"
"Well I heard you were AWOL, not that it's my problem, but…" Kad held up his right palm, waiting for Yang's response.
"Long story," She explained, "Weiss and her family have been abducted,
"We know."
"We're going to rescue them."
Co'Balt looked up for a moment, "Who's this we?"
"The rest of my team," Yang said, "And…"
She turned around to introduce Raven, but much to Yang's surprise the renegade huntress was no longer behind her. Yang spun around looking up both sides of the street, up to the roof tops and then back across the river just in case. Her mouth dropped open in shock and outrage.
Kad raised an eyebrow, "And who?"
"That bitch," Yang muttered to herself.
"Weird name, but alright." Kad quipped.
Not feeling the levity Co'Balt stuck his horned head out of the shadows, "Seriously, who?"
Yang flung her hands up and then down again, with a small gasp "Apparently no one!"
"Right," Kad scratched his chin for a moment, "Any way, I know stuff went bad. Jaxon and Alicia are missing to."
Bad news just refused to stop raining down on Yang today. "Oh, damn…"
"Yeah." Kad agreed with her sentiment. "Come on,"
He held up his hands, Yang swung over the rail and grabbed Kad's wrists. He took her by the waist and effortlessly lowered her down to the stones. The giant spoke again while he pulled out his scroll.
"There are a couple of big tunnel junctions under the city. Plenty of space for a hide out." He offered the map and scroll to Yang who took the tablet and saw what he was talking about.
Kad leaned close and touched a point on the screen, "I'm betting this is where they are."
Yang nodded in agreement, the space was fairly far away from the blast sight but that didn't matter. There were fewer tunnels and pipes running into this place. It was probably older and in disuse anyway. The White Fang could have easily diverted any flow of water and sewage. Plus it was relatively close to the service tunnel she had spent the night observing.
"Do you have a plan?" Yang asked looking up.
"No." Co'Balt answered for his leader.
"Sort of," Kad corrected him.
"Sorta isn't good." Yang said,
"I know but this can't wait for any detailed plan."
"Did you have anything in mind at all?"
"Observe, evaluate, and act." The giant said, "The kidnappers aren't going to expect any sort of response so quickly. Least of all from a couple guys like us."
He waved his left hand low indicating Co'Balt. Yang nodded, "Well we're coming with you."
"Broken record here, who is we?" Co'Balt asked getting irritated.
Two shadows fell across the three of them. Yang immediately knew who they belong to.
"That would be us." Blake told the other Faunus.
Ruby looked down at her older sister, frowning and crossing her small arms. Blake quickly glanced over the two others before turning her attention back to the exchange she knew was about to take place between Ruby and Yang.
Yang started with an apology, "Ruby, look I'm sorry. I'm sorry for running. I'm sorry for not talking with you face to face. I'm sorry I didn't see your tournament match, I'm sorry I wasn't there for JNPR and Pyrrha, and I'm sorry I wasn't there for all of you and Weiss."
Or a great deal of apologies.
Ruby was silent. Yang scratched her head hoping for any sign of acknowledgement or forgiveness.
"Did I miss anything?" She asked.
"How about how you just assumed I couldn't understand what probably could have been a simple explanation?"
"What?"
Ruby scowled, "Your letter, the one you left. You don't think I can understand?"
Stunned, Yang tried to form a reply "Ruby, I…"
But was silenced abruptly,
"I've known you all my life! You practically raised me, we've never kept secrets from each other. We even ended up on the same team. You said you were," Ruby raised her arms and hands and twitched her middle and index fingers making air quotes. "So proud. And you don't think I'd be grown up enough to understand you were having an off day?!"
"Where is this coming from?"
"Yang! I'm grown up enough, and I think I'd understand if you actually tell me what is going on…"
She couldn't believe her little sister, but she was wrong on one point. They did keep secrets from each other, no Ruby would never understand.
She would never understand what kept her up late at night, what always sat at the back of her mind. Feelings and needs she never told anyone about because she was the one who was supposed to be there, not the one who might actually need someone to tell her why things were the way they were.
Yang's hair started to spark and glow, along with her violet turning red eyes and she just snapped. At the person no one in a million years would have guessed she would have,
"Fine Ruby! Fine!"
With fire in her eyes and fire in her voice Yang cut loose.
"I didn't think that you understand what it meant that I might have finally caught a break looking for my real mother. I didn't think you would understand why that is such a big deal. What's been eating me alive ever since that day I found that fucking photo, took you in the wagon. And went to find the woman I knew nothing about but hoped to God would have some clue on how to help a little girl being thrown into adulthood looking after you, because Dad was turning into a deadbeat. And I'm sorry that I felt there was enough shit going around here, and that I still felt responsible enough to take this on the chin and sort shit out myself. Just like I've always done."
She took a deep shuddering breath, "I'm, sorry."
Ruby and Blake were too shocked to respond, Kad cast a glance at Co'Balt who looked just as stunned. The bull Faunus took a few steps back towards the water pipe. Kad looked back up to the other two huntresses.
Half a whimper died in Ruby's throat, "Yang… If…"
Yang could barely even think.
She turned around, threw Kad's scroll back and ducked down into the tunnel without another word. Blake called out for her partner, but Yang ignored the darker girl as well. The blond slowly crouched in the darkness, hugged her knees and leaned back against the damp stone work. Eyes shut and trembling with fury.
Ruby stepped and jumped over the railing to the ground below. Blake quickly copied her leader's movement hitting the stone bed seconds behind her. Blake, Co'Balt and Kad stood back a bit in the dimming sun. Giving the sisters room,
Ruby slowly approached Yang, whose eyes were shut and looked ready to scream or take a swing at something.
The soft voice of Ruby broke through the pressure and anger in her head.
"Yang?"
She looked up at the sound of her name, eyes rimmed red and watery. This time it was Ruby who apologized, "Yang, I'm sorry. I… I had no idea."
Yang sniffed a little bit, then wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve. She managed to find her voice
"I don't think I really did either," she paused and took a breath, "Not until, you know..."
She choked down another rack of sobbing, "Just…"
Ruby bent and wrapped Yang in a hug. She pressed her face down on the side of her long blond hair. Yang managed to reach up with her left hand and grip Ruby's shoulder finding solace in her presence.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" Ruby asked quietly,
Yang shook her head, "We'll talk about it later." She stood back up, shook Ruby's arms off briefly then folded Ruby in her embrace again. "But the ice queen needs us now."
Ruby took a step back, but still held her sister's hands, "Where do we start?"
The elder sister looked up to the other team leader. Kad took that as a sign they were ready to get to work.
He raised his right hand and gripped the long hilt of his sword. The red Dust steel glowed with his touch and he walked to the mouth of the underground.
Kad looked back at his four companions, they all met his pale eyes. Set to go and get their friends.
The dry parts of the tunnel were only about half his considerable height. There was a small walk way a few steps wide on both sides of the manmade shaft. But instead Kad slowly dipped his left foot and boot down into the murky standing water. He hit a slab of something when the water reached his knee. Cautiously he took a few more steps and soon the water was up to his waist but rose no further. He held Ignis high somewhat illuminating their path ahead, then looked back over his shoulder.
"Alright, follow me…"
And so they did.
Down into the dark.