After much pleading and begging, I finally found time to update this. I know many of you were waiting for this chapter anxiously as the Battle of Beacon is about to begin. I hope this was worth the wait. You really should be thanking my Beta Wishez. He kept bugging me on discord over and over to write this as he desperately wanted something to review to help inspire him to write again. Also special thanks to Healthcare for helping me with the fight scene to make it pop a bit more. Then there was Ursa who did a final review. Any mistakes are his fault.
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Disclaimer: I do not own Toaru Majutsu no Index or RWBY.
The crowd roared to life as the final match of the Vytal Festival began. All the animosity and fear from when Yang broke Mercury's leg was all but forgotten. Everyone was excited to see the two top students face off in a one-on-one match. Pyrrha was favored to win, but Penny was a dark horse no one expected. As the two girls stepped into the ring, chants were heard.
"PYRRHA, YOU GOT THIS!"
"PENNY, YOU CAN DO IT!"
The stadium environment was intoxicating in the best way possible.
However, for Pyrrha, it was always from the same angle every time she approached a fight. Pure focus from years of battle. She hardly registered the announcements or the crowd's roar, instead choosing to go over her circumstances. Penny was a tricky fighter to pin down, with a quirky personality and a style that matched in all the intricate ways. Even after watching her fights, the most that Pyrrha could decipher was her usage of her multiple floating blades. She wagered her own durability could take a hit or two, but if it came to an endurance battle, she was likely lost. Conversely, Penny also had tools to keep her at a distance, meaning Pyrrha would have to work harder to close the gap.
That was a lot to worry about on its own, not even counting the situation they would find themselves in.
"Salutations!" Penny piped up from across the way with a wave. She bounced about on her feet, almost off-putting in her enthusiasm. Pyrrha understood the enjoyment of a good match. She was a tournament fighter, after all. However, despite her understanding of the philosophy, she found it challenging to maintain the same enthusiasm.
Pyrrha couldn't forget about the extenuating circumstances surrounding the fight. There was someone in the stands who was more than likely going to try and show a hallucination. She had to figure out who it was, no matter what. She and Penny's lives were at risk, so she remained vigilant. There was no room to trip up now, not when the outcome of this fight could end in something much worse than lost pride.
Conversely, similar thoughts were running through Penny's processing unit. While she was earnestly excited for the opportunity to face off with the famed Pyrrha Nikos, she could scarcely calculate a scenario where one of them would walk away alive should the illusionist's plan come to fruition. She understood that her sensors wouldn't be affected, but the bigger question was whether or not the girl across the way could discern the difference the same way a machine could.
Oobleck's voice filled both ears as the crowd's roar dulled slightly, returning their focus as the countdown began.
"Three! Two! One! Begin!"
Immediately, Pyrrha made a move to close the distance. Penny's greatest asset was her ability to maintain pressure at all ranges, meaning Pyrrha's only way to make this an even fight was to dominate in close quarters. Penny, slightly shocked by her display of speed, could only manage a fan of three blades to counter a shattering strike from Milós as Pyrrha cartwheeled up and over into an overhead blow. Not letting up and firmly planting herself behind Penny, Pyrrha did away with defense and shifted Milós into its spear form, trying to target the spaces between Penny's barrier.
Meanwhile, Penny maintained an airtight defense, meticulously controlling her blades by twitching her fingers. They responded to the lightest stimulus, rushing upwards to answer Pyrrha's blows with her own. Despite their speed, both movements were highly efficient, using minimal movement to try and force the hand of the other. Seeing how Penny was adapting to her current course, Pyrrha collapsed her spear while reaching onto her back and retrieving Akoúo. She dropped low and made a sweeping motion. Penny read this as an attempt at a shield bash, going for the legs, but she was mistaken as the shield was hurtled past with the force of a cannonball.
The crowd erupted into a frenzy as Pyrrha launched a flurry of attacks, batting away Penny's attempts to counter. She kept the android girl focused on her, never giving her a chance to attack. Seeing an opening, Pyrrha struck with an uppercut slash that sent Penny stumbling. With her opponent now in the perfect position, Pyrrha activated her Semblance. Invisible whips of polar energy ensnared Penny's shield and pulled it back incredibly quickly, sending it flying towards her back. Penny's proximity sensors blared a warning, but it was too late.
Too late for a human, that is.
Quick to react, Penny had foreseen Pyrrha's aggressive stance and, prepared with a failsafe, deployed a strategic countermeasure. She emptied her remaining weapons into the air in that split second. Pyrrha couldn't afford to give her any space with her opponent now stuck in close quarters. Penny had the overwhelming advantage at range, and Pyrrha knew she had to end this fight quickly.
With a wave of her forearm, the blades formed a double-layered barrier that captured Akoúo in its grasp. Robbed of its momentum, the shield clattered lifelessly on the floor as Penny retook control of the position. Using both hands to control a mass of ten separate blades, she manipulated them to form a surrounding structure, barrels open and brought to bear on the redhead. Pyrrha quickly understood that her position was no longer winning, and it would be a quick win for Penny if she tried to push now.
'This is exactly where she wants me!' Whether or not she had been baited didn't matter. Penny's gambit would give her a winning hand if Pyrrha didn't retreat.
Extending her weapon to its spear mode once more, Pyrrha vaulted back by pushing the hilt into the arena floor, firing a shot and using the momentum to propel herself away to relative safety, kicking her shield up to her grasp as she did so. Using her Semblance, she retrieved her shield in the nick of time as a barrage of dust beams pummeled her guard. She winced as she was graced by a few bolts, biting into her Aura. With Pyrrha on her back foot now, Penny twirled a finger, pulling a blade into her waiting hand, the rest of her blades forming wing-like structures on her back and launching her forward to deliver a wide slash.
Sparks flew as Pyrrha did her best to parry with her shield as she continued to be pushed back. She tried to retaliate with a guarded slash but was forced to quickly skip to the side as a blade slid over Penny's shoulder to blast the spot she was standing in. Another strike swept in from her opposite side as Penny took full advantage of her unleashed arsenal, able to pursue multiple angles of attack from all ranges. Not only that, but she could enforce her attacks several times over by using the other elements of her array to strike the same spot consecutively, further sapping her Aura from the strain. Pyrrha attempted to redirect some of that force by sliding her shield into the impact, but the grinding procession of steel was more than she bargained for, wrenching her shoulder in its socket with every blow. One such assault sweeping from right to left ripped her shield arm away completely, drawing a sharp gasp from the crowd as she propped herself desperately on her spear.
She engaged the firing mechanism on Milós' shaft, launching herself forward with a flying knee that made contact with Penny's face. Still, the blow lacked force as she was robbed of most of her momentum by the swathe of tempered metal that threatened to shred her face off lest she drop her shaky defense. Even so, Pyrrha wasn't doomed just yet. Retracting her blade again, she made herself small, tucking low and tried sweeping the legs. By remaining close, she could at least nullify her all-range attacks by increasing the risk of usage.
The pair continued to trade blows, wowing the crowd with their respective displays of skill. Despite her experience, Pyrrha had to respect Penny's understanding of her abilities. The inhuman strength behind her blows and parries meant that any unnecessary actions would prove quickly draining. In contrast, the sheer versatility of her skillset meant that close quarters was the only viable option to stay in the fight. Ironically, this was a fight where generating breathing space meant staying close.
At this point, Pyrrha didn't care if Penny was an android or a robot. She was a competitor and a very skilled one at that.
Attempting to take a better position, Pyrrha slipped a foot in sideways, angling her guard upwards and extending Milós once again, unleashing a bullet-powered thrust that scraped painfully against Penny's left hip, shredding clothing and Aura alike. Ditching her shield, Pyrrha used both hands to wield her javelin more efficiently, batting away Penny's defenses with the tip of her blade and taking whatever thrusts she could to fend off a riposte.
A shot to the face, one for the torso, a swipe at the throat, and a slash at the inner thighs, Pyrrha did everything she could to try and force Penny's hand, but despite her best efforts, it was like trying to find the cracks in an airlock door. While the crowd may have seen her as having the clear upper hand, both fighters knew they were getting nowhere, and unbeknownst to each other, both were spoiling for a climax to draw out the would-be illusionist. They had to make this real because if the culprit realized they were faking, they could avoid doing anything, and they would get nowhere.
Penny remained focused on defense but also understood what type of fighter Pyrrha was. It would be difficult to get away with a simple dash so she would need another avenue, and thankfully, she had a trick up her sleeve. The difference was that Pyrrha Nikos was simply human. Penny Polendina was the product of interdisciplinary scientific progress, the final position in every field involved. To properly succeed, she had to make use of that difference.
She brought all of her blades to bear to gain a few feet of space. Coming together in intersections of steel, they pushed and muscled against Pyrrha's guard, her spear only being able to take so much punishment before the Huntress was thrown back. Pulling the blades together on her back, she formed a pair of bladed wings, but instead of utilizing them for offense, she had them all oriented for pure movement. Others emerged from her backpack, forming an array of twenty blades, ten on each side. She sent herself careening skyward with one strong flap, defying all logic as she sailed up high. Really, she was using both her wires and the force of her blasts as thrust, but Penny had to admit, the winged look was intimidating, at least.
It would be a lie to say the white-haired boy and those mighty black wings of his didn't inspire her.
There was a trade-off, however. Penny was using an external power source in her pack to fight with her array, but to get this much power and sustained height, she was feeding her own internal power source directly into the blades themselves. Not only was it risky, but she wouldn't last longer than half a minute with all cylinders firing, a prolonged fight beyond this point would place her far beyond the point of disqualification.
Pyrrha looked up in disbelief as Penny fanned all twenty blades out and began to unleash hell upon her grounded form. Cartwheeling out of the way to avoid being toasted by a maelstrom of energy, she was forced to take refuge under her shield while rolling out of the way as the heat of recurring impact swept all around her. She knew she had to stall but at this rate? Her chances of surviving the next few seconds were getting slimmer with each and every bolt.
The crowd was roiling as cheers erupted from every part of the stands. Surely, it will come soon, right? The thought rattled in Pyrrha's head for a little as she tried to reason with the idea. Maybe losing wasn't so bad? Let herself go down, draw the illusionist out by using her downed form, and then the others in the stands can take care of the rest.
But that wasn't her.
Whether or not she lost, Pyrrha Nikos could never lay down and let fate take its course. It was never in the cards. If they wanted a climax, if they wanted a reason for her to go feral and rip Penny limb from limb, she'd give it to them. Quickly, she formulated a plan. While her Semblance could be seen as niche, it offered fantastic utility. If there was ever a time to use it, it was now.
First, she shifted Milós into its rifle form, taking aim through the notch in her shield. Even though it was like staring at the sun, Pyrrha had a trick. Engaging her Polarity, she was able to drag one of the blades right into her sights, squeezing a shot off to bring it low. Wobbling, the damaged blade provided a blind spot in Penny's barrage, one that Pyrrha took advantage of as she wove in and out of the lethal rain. Pulling the blade closer with her Semblance, she launched herself high with Milós' spear mode.
In the second miracle of the last thirty seconds, Pyrrha pulled the weaponry down and under her feet, holding it in place just long enough to leap off it, sailing through the open air. It was like lightning in a bottle, a royal fork, a flagship moment in tournament combat, as Pyrrha Nikos quite literally climbed her opponent's blades. Pulling another blade in close, she bounded off in another monumental step.
One second had passed.
Penny, laughing in a mixture of disbelief and genuine enjoyment, let loose another thrust that sent her sailing up to the ceiling of the stadium, high above the arena floor. The height and scale of the fight was dizzying now, the crowd's constant screaming not helping. A cacophony of cries for bloodlust buffeting as much as it was alluring. Penny could understand why people did this now.
It was fun.
Spreading her arms wide, she let loose a devilish grin and released a blistering hail of firepower with one-half of her stock, the other half of the array sailing in with the intent of reintroducing Pyrrha to the ground. The Spartan had her shield brought to bear, but within a moment of absorbing another hit, she had lost too much speed to continue flying. More drastic measures had to be taken.
Two seconds.
She dropped Akoúo, the extra weight had to be shed to keep moving. Even though she had lost her greatest defensive asset, it didn't really matter at this point. While Penny wasn't aiming to be lethal, Pyrrha knew that a fall from this height could prove to be fatal. Getting hit also wasn't an option. After reviewing footage of Penny's previous fights, Pyrrha had come to understand that the blades of her floating array were wire-guided. Thin fibers of transmitting lattice controlled them, but they were physical wires that led right back to the source. She could use those.
As a blade swooped in for a debilitating blow, she used her Semblance to alter its path just enough to have it slide by her cheek. Reaching up with her now-free hand, she gripped onto the translucent cable and pulled. Penny visibly lurched above as she was pulled down to meet Pyrrha's oncoming form. Using her remaining blades to reform her 'wings,' she was able to stay aloft while her opponent quickly raced towards her.
Three seconds.
Pyrrha used her Polarity again to freeze the blade in place. It took intense focus, the sweat on her brow caking and falling down in sheets while she kept the armament held in midair and positioned her feet on the wire. Pushing off with as much strength as possible, her legs quaking, she could still propel herself off and up to the next sword. Her ascent was as unbelievable as it was relentless, using a nearby blade as another foothold to send Pyrrha careening further into the sky.
Four seconds.
At this point, Penny had given up on the idea of remaining airborne. Instead, she retracted all her excess blades to conserve her energy. Only using a scant four to maintain her altitude briefly, she retrieved one in her dominant hand. If Pyrrha were going to go through all this effort to show her a good time, then she would have to oblige. The illusionist would likely take the bait this time.
Diving down to face the charging Spartan head-on, Penny had her blade pulled back to unleash a sweeping slash that could split boulders; she couldn't afford to hold back against her opponent's best.
The fifth second.
For a moment of absolute stillness, both swords clashed. The crowd held their collective breaths as both Pyrrha and Penny were suspended, slowly sailing past each other before tumbling towards the arena floor. Penny let out a cry of intense pain as Milós cleaved clean through her Aura. There was a crackle and crash as streaks of green energy enveloped Milós' blade, the soul fire clinging to its honed edge like dripping viscera. Now faced with the challenge of getting down, Pyrrha flipped once, twice, before she regained some semblance of direction. With a few precious moments before she was reduced to a paste against the arena floor, she desperately reached out with her Semblance at whatever she could find.
A wave of polar energy washed over the battlefield, pulling Akoúo into her grasp. Quickly refocusing with as much as she could muster, she utilized her Semblance again to try and counteract the forces of gravity just enough so that she landed on the floor in one piece. Sliding her shield under her feet, Pyrrha tried to keep upright, bending her knees and dropping her center of gravity, riding her shield like an awkward metal toboggan. With a solid clang, she did her best to absorb the impact but was thrown off her shield regardless, rolling to a stop on her back some feet away.
And in that moment, the world went quiet. Was it battle rage filling her ears? The blood roaring and her heart beating so hard that she couldn't perceive the world properly? Pushing herself to her feet, everything was swimming, her body struggling hard to maintain functionality. Her hair had long escaped the confines of her circlet as she stumbled to and fro trying to stay upright.
'Did I win…?' She looked upwards, catching a glimpse of downward motion. Between the bright lights, the pain in her head, the crowd's roars, and the shaking of her knees, she could hardly form a coherent thought. And yet, she could feel a burning well open in her gut, a strong feeling of unease.
Looking up, she could see Penny… floating? With what? All she could register was seeing the android girl perched in midair with arms outstretched, an expanding wall of blades encircling the arena in a massive panopticon of steel, with Pyrrha right in the middle of it all. Panic overtook her fatigued mind for a moment as she resisted the powerful urge to topple over.
Reaching out haphazardly with her Semblance, she tried to find Milós in a bid to protect herself at least. Waves of magnetism washed out as she searched for her blade. Finding it last under the wall of Penny's blades, Pyrrha began to pull her weapon back to her before she realized there were no other metal signatures near her.
Everything clicked at the moment.
Instantly, Pyrrha raised her shield and slammed it into the ground hard, as she simultaneously took a knee.
The crowd began to quiet down, the cheering turned into confusion as they began to mumble to themselves at the strange gesture. It didn't seem like Pyrrha was using some defensive stance or preparing to continue the fight. Yet no one believed she would just give up, so everyone tried to figure out what was happening. The only people who knew about it were a handful of Pyrrha's friends in the stands and her opponent. Penny was floating down, using minimal thrusters to conserve power. She saw what Pyrrha was doing and was scanning to determine if it was legit.
As far as Penny's sensors could detect, it was.
Landing in the arena, Penny recalled her swords and stood there, refusing to do anything else.
"What in the world is going on?" Peter's voice boomed from the announcer's stand.
Touma's eyes swept the crowd as he looked for his green-haired target.
The fight between Pyrrha and Penny was growing fierce, and he didn't have much time. All it would take is a single illusion at the right moment for them to misjudge an attack and seriously harm the other. Maybe even worse. Thanks to Neo, he knew who was responsible and what her Semblance was. The problem was the huge stadium with thousands of people cheering, standing, and blocking his view. Luckily his target had unusually colored hair.
There she is!
Touma saw Emerald sitting in the stands, staring intently at the fight before her. This wouldn't have been unusual, even if she was oddly quiet and focused. One could assume she was just transfixed on the fight. After all, Penny had become a sort of metal angel with wings made of swords, but Pyrrha was managing to jump up from sword to sword in midair. Shaking his head, Touma focused on the true target. No matter how amazing the fight was, he couldn't let himself get distracted. Lives were on the line. Hopping down the stairs between rows of seats, Touma was quickly drawing closer to Emerald.
Focused on her task, she didn't notice him approaching either. None of her team was there either. Mercury had to fake being injured, even if his legs were fake for some reason. Neo didn't tell him why because of lack of time. Cinder was off, setting her plan in motion once everyone was entirely distracted with Emerald's mission. Ilia… Touma had no idea what she was doing, but she was Blake's friend and he found it difficult to swallow that she was involved.
Everyone else in the stands just ignored him, as plenty of people were moving around.
With no one to warn her, Emerald couldn't imagine she would be picked out from the crowd by anyone. No one outside her group knew about her power. It probably never crossed Cinder's mind Neo would betray them. Which showed how much Neo had changed since arriving at Beacon. Touma wanted her to continue this route to be a Huntress over a criminal, and it wouldn't succeed if Cinder succeeded in her plan. Drawing near, Touma reached out a hand, vaguely aware people around him were confused at what was happening in the arena.
The fight seemed to have stopped with Pyrrha on one knee, her shield slammed into the ground in front of her. Penny was landing in front of her but seemed to have stopped fighting. Touma was instantly worried they were stuck in a hallucination and sped up. Reaching Emerald from the row behind her, his hand pressed down on her shoulder.
The sound of glass shattered and she jumped up in alarm.
"What… what did you do?!" Emerald screamed at him before she could control herself.
"Stopping you," Touma answered. "I know everything." A few people near them turned to stare due to Emerald's shouting, but quickly turned back to the arena when Penny raised her hand and waved to Peter and Bartholomew in the announcer's box.
"It seems as if Miss Polendina wants to say something." Peter's voice sounded just like the confused crowd felt.
"Indeed, this is highly irregular, but Miss Nikos is also refusing to fight so there must be a reason." Bartholomew agreed. "Look. A mic is being brought out to them."
An Atlas military personnel was running out to the center of the field and handed the girls a microphone.
"You… you didn't…" Emerald's eyes widened in shock.
"We all know." Touma replied, crossing his arms. "We were waiting for you to reveal yourself." Well, the others didn't know Emerald was the culprit, but they at least knew the person existed.
"How..?" Realization flickered in her eyes. "So Neo really did betray us, didn't she?"
"She chose a better path," Touma countered. "You still have a chance too."
"You really have no idea what's about to happen, do you?" Emerald smirked at him.
"If I can have your attention please!" Penny's voice echoed across the stadium as she spoke into the microphone. "Pyrrha and I have an announcement to make. We are sorry to stop the match without a proper conclusion, but there is something everyone needs to know. It turns out that in the last fight, Yang did not willingly attack Mercury."
The crowd began murmuring as Penny passed the microphone to Pyrrha.
"I can explain," Pyrrha's words carried much weight as a famous celebrity. When she spoke, people listened and the crowd went silent. "What we all saw was a terrible event, where Yang struck Mercury in the leg after the match had concluded, but she didn't do it on purpose. There is someone who was using their Semblance to mess with our senses…"
"What are you talking about?" Touma asked Emerald, not paying much attention to Pyrrha and Penny's comments now that he knew they were okay.
"...Yang warned us and we made sure to take precautions in case it happened." Pyrrha continued, her words were strong and ringing with truth. "I'm sorry it interrupted the fight and left an unsatisfying conclusion, but at that last moment, I found myself seeing things that were not there due to this person's Semblance."
"We figured something like this might happen, so Cinder had a back up plan." Emerald answered.
A loud static rippled through the megaphones across the stadium and Pyrrha's mic was no longer working. Another woman's voice came over it, echoing above all the onlookers in the stands. This voice wasn't one trying to calm or explain anything. It was a cold, calculating voice designed to cause trouble. One voice that Touma recognized.
"It seems as if Yang Xiao-Long's friends are coming to her defense, how admirable. But it leaves the question, can they be trusted? Of course they would declare their friend innocent, but how do we know? They admitted themselves the fight was staged when they talked before the match and prepared a reaction. Could this entire tournament be rigged? Was the winner decided ahead of time? Where are the people in charge who are running this event?"
Ironwood stood up and looked around before heading out as if he was about to go find who had hacked the system. Ozpin didn't move, but his hand gripped his cane tightly. Sienna seemed the most confused, a scowl forming on her face as she crossed her arms.
"The same people who failed the kingdom are now attempting to distract us with a joyous occasion." Cinder's voice continued from wherever she was. "Do you remember when the Grimm invaded our streets? The destruction that could have been stopped if our leaders were competent. The repent discrimination they say they oppose, but do little to stop it? Sure, they tell us sweet idealistic words of equality, of welcoming others into the tournament, but if it's rigged, could they just be using this to show the might of humanity?"
There was a pause. No one said a word. Everyone was just listening.
"I know that the existence of peace is fragile, and the leaders of our kingdoms conduct their business with iron gloves. It takes just one spark, one small trigger for them to show us who they really are. Incompetent, ruthless, and only caring about themselves. They will do anything to stay in power, including removing all obstacles to that goal. The pain they caused others will return a thousand fold, and we will show them they are not free from their sins. How their poor decisions affect each and every one of you."
BOOOOM!
The entire floating stadium rocked in the sky as explosions. Screams erupted among the crowd as everything descended into anarchy. People were running toward exits, climbing over each other, and getting pushed down to the ground as everyone tried to get to a shuttle to escape before they crashed down into the ground. A few security guards were trying to maintain order, but nothing worked. Pitch-black smoke was wafting up from the stadium's gravity engines down below the crowd. It was coming out of hallways and vents, causing people to cough, blinding them, and only increasing panic. The stadium began to descend as power was lost.
"EMER-!" Touma yelled out, but he was cut off as Emerald kicked him in the gut, sending him sprawling back into other people. The green-haired girl raced off, pushing civilians out of the way as she disappeared into the throng. "Get back here!" The boy tried to follow her, but to no avail. It was as if she was used to running away and escaping into crowds.
Above them, Cinder's voice rang out one last time.
"Your leaders failed you. Be sure to remember that… if you survive that is."
Cinder looked up from her Scroll and smiled from the roof of Beacon.
The smoke rose in great pillars from the stadium as several Atlas ships began to draw closer to help the citizens escape. The original goal was to have Pyrrha Nikos kill Penny and cause havoc before giving her speech. Then, she would use the virus to hack Atlas' robotic soldiers and send them to attack those they were supposed to guard. It would be a bloodbath, and Atlas and Vale would separate, ending any chance of an alliance. Of course, Cinder would then head into Beacon to get what was rightfully hers. All part of a perfect plan.
Until that fool, Roman Torchwick lost the virus he was supposed to plant in Atlas' ships. Emerald snuck him in since he hadn't been able to be captured while making it look natural, but he said the virus was missing. Cinder thought he was getting cold feet for a moment, but she realized someone else might have gotten in the way—someone who was getting a little too close to their enemies.
"Neo…"
That girl was a liability. She was in a great position to help CInder achieve her goal, but she fell for that boy. Touma Kamijou was getting in her way over and over. It would be best just to get rid of him if given the chance. Right now, he was in the Amity Colosseum and would soon crash with the rest of the fools there. Not only that, the Atlas ships wouldn't get there in time. After all, since the virus wasn't available, she and Emerald had strategically placed a few more bombs.
Cinder pressed a button on her Scroll.
Bright explosions were seen in the sky as several large Atlas Warships lost their engines. Explosions chained on the airfield, preventing most of their reinforcements. From Cinder's view, they just looked like marvelous fireworks. Smiling to herself, she turned her attention to the distance where dozens of smaller ships were flying toward Beacon. They might have been mistaken as support if she didn't know better.
The White Fang cell under Adam was arriving. In those ships were his troops and large metal cages containing Grimm. As they flew over Beacon and parts of Vale, they pushed out the cages, releasing the monsters to distract Huntsmen and security forces. Attacks from all directions would slow down any possible response with the remaining troops. Students who stayed at Beacon would be busy dealing with the Grimm and couldn't do anything to help stop the stadium's descent even if they wanted to.
Speaking of Grimm, the sheer mass of negative emotions like terror from the large crowd of people and everyone watching the Vytal tournament from their homes was overwhelming. They saw the explosions from their TV sets and knew something was happening. Their fear of what will happen kept them glued to their screens. With such an appetizing smorgasbord, the horde of Grimm outside the city walls couldn't resist. Even Goliaths, who normally stayed away, were moving closer, feeling the chance to cause destruction.
After a short time, what Cinder had predicted finally came to pass.
In the distance, a mountain near the ruins of Mount Glenn rumbled to life like a volcanic eruption. However, an even more perilous and colossal entity emerged instead of spewing lava. A gigantic Grimm, towering over most Bullheads, unfolded its massive form. It possessed imposing red bat-like wings, formidable legs with large claws, and a tail tipped with a menacing claw. The translucent red membrane of its wings allowed glimpses of the ominous internals. The Grimm's exterior featured rough black skin adorned with white bone-like spines, including an external skull, rib cage, and rows of dorsal spikes. The creature's skull boasted prominent horns, and its six yellow-red eyes resembled an intimidating gaze complemented by a dragon-like maw.
A Wyvern.
It was a Grimm that was only noted in history books and so rarely that its existence was disputed. That would occur no longer. Everyone would understand the true terror of this ancient Grimm. Unlike other Grimm, this one could summon its brethren.
"Make sure to record it." Cinder told Mercury, who was standing near her. "All of Remnant needs to see this."
"No problem, boss." Mercury held up his Scroll and waited for it to draw closer. "Ilia's picking up Emerald as we speak."
"Good, have her pick you up and wait for my orders." Cinder replied. "I'm going to go wait for Ozpin. After all, there's no way he can leave his Fall Maiden alone."
"What the hell is going on?!" Yang shouted as she and Blake rushed out of their dorm room and through Beacon's hallways. The school was pretty empty, with most students at the colosseum or Vale. "Was there an explosion at the arena?"
"It had to be sabotage!" Blake called back over her shoulder as she took the lead. "That voice on the speaker before the attack, it sounded like Cinder."
"I can't reach Ruby or Weiss!" Yang was in full-blown panic mode as she kept calling her sister and teammate. Her Scroll shaking violently in her hands.
"They probably have their hands full." Blake tried to keep her voice calm. "We need to see if we can do anything to help on our end."
"How?!" Yang skidded to a stop and pointed out toward the sky. "Neither of us can fly! Are we going to steal a bullhead or something?" No answer immediately came, but Blake looked thoughtful. "Blake…" A warning tone found its way into her words.
"I'm thinking!" Blake growled. "I know we can't get up there! We just need to have faith in them."
She paced back and forth, finally calming down enough to think. They couldn't grab a Bullhead, but there were reports that Grimm were approaching. They should probably head closer to the Arena to face any monsters that tried to get near, but if they got too close, they would be in the blast radius when the stadium finally crashed into the ground. It was still in the air, barely. Several Atlas ships seemed to have had engines explode too, but several were trying to evacuate the citizens before swarms of flying Grimm drew closer.
So what could she and Yang do to help? What would be the best choice?
"Er… Blake?" Yang's words interrupted her thoughts.
"What?!" Blake didn't mean to snap and sound… catty.
"Look…" Yang pointed out the window and Blake's eyes widened.
Several smaller ships hovered around Beacon, with some veering towards Vale. Large metal cages were ejected from the rear of these vessels, crashing forcefully onto the ground. Angry Grimm emerged from the cages, undoubtedly upset about their less-than-graceful descent. The release of Grimm from a ship was unlikely to boost anyone's mood. Beowolves, Ursas, Sabyrs, and various other Grimm types began to prowl around Beacon, attuned to the prevailing negative emotions of fear and anger in their surroundings. Amidst this chaos, Blake was particularly fixated on the individuals responsible for unleashing the Grimm.
"What are they doing?!" Blake cried out in horror. "The White Fang is still working with that group? And attacking Beacon and Vale again? Are they insane!"
"Do you think it's because of that guy you mentioned… Adam?"
Yang realized that was a mistake the moment she said his name.
"Of course it is!" Blake punched the closest wall as hard as she could. "He's so blinded by hate and rage that all he can think of is hurting others! Sienna was actually doing something beneficial to Human-Faunus relationships, and he's going to destroy everything in an instant! No one else is that stupid or pig-headed!" She turned around. "I'm going to find him!" A strong hand grasped her shoulder before she could take more than a single step.
"No you're not!"
"Yang, do NOT try to stop me!" Blake pulled herself out from her partner's grasp, pure venom in her words.
"Blake, didn't you damn near die the last time you said that?!" Yang demanded. "I know he's an asshole, and I want to punch his lights out, but you need to stop being so reckless!"
"I'm not!" Blake protested. "If I go and stop him I can save people!"
"If I'm calling you reckless, do you really think you're being rational?!"
Blake froze as her brain processed Yang's words.
The crowd around them was screaming and running around frantically as Weiss tried to push through them. Her hand firmly gripped Last Order's, ensuring the small girl wasn't trampled. Accelerator was just ahead of her, looking around and pushing his way through effortlessly, but he made sure not to hurt the innocent people. Weiss would have been proud of him, but her focus was on everything that happened.
Who could have predicted the people messing with the fights would have set explosives in the flying colosseum engines? Did they have a death wish? It almost felt like they were trying to send a message. Yet somehow, they also seemed to have caused damage to multiple Atlas warships. These people were definitely familiar with the colosseum. It ruled out any average criminal. With the Stadium beginning to fall, as one engine wasn't strong enough to support the massive weight, they only had minutes, at most, to come up with something.
"I don't think the transport ships can get everyone in time!" Weiss yelled to Accelerator, over the frantic crowd. A few smaller transport ships had managed to dock and were taking as many people as they could before the fall. Ruby had disappeared, and Weiss didn't have time to look for her. "We need a plan!"
"I'm thinking!" Accelerator snapped back with a growl.
This was true as he was running through multiple plans in his mind as fast as he could. Obviously, he would survive if the arena fell out of the sky; that wasn't an issue, but he had people he cared about also at risk. There was no way he was letting Weiss or Last Order plummet to their doom. Then there were those other people who considered him a friend. Red, the knight, the amazon, and others. Not only that, there were thousands of innocent bystanders.
Before Remnant, worrying about people outside his small family would never have occurred.
No matter what he thought, nothing in his body allowed him to leave alone.
Weiss and Last Order would be upset if they survived and others didn't.
That's what he tried to tell himself, but even he knew deep down that it was a lie. Accelerator had changed a lot since ending up in another world, healed with their weird Dust, and navigating through his changing body and high school. Before, he would have just used his ability to carry Weiss and Last Order off the coliseum and let others worry about the people left inside. Now, just thinking that left a bitter taste in his mouth. Accelerator now had to come up with another plan as soon as possible before things reached a critical point.
Think it through logically, what's the end goal, and work from there.
Obviously, for the stadium not to crash and to save the people onboard. Explosives destroyed the engines, so fixing them at the moment was out of the question. Keeping the stadium in the air wasn't going to be practical. It would need to land on the ground, but with only one engine, the impact upon crashing would destroy it and kill everyone on board. The impact would have to be decreased significantly to avoid that scenario. Reducing the gravitational force on the stadium might work…
Accelerator's eyes widened as the idea came to him.
"Weiss!" Accelerator turned to his girlfriend. "I need you to watch Last Order. No matter what happens, keep her safe!"
"What are you-...HEY!" Weiss held up an arm as wind whipped around Accelerator. Tornados of wind whipped out from his back as he lifted himself into the air. Several nearby people who had been panicking froze for a moment and gaped at the spectacle before them. It wasn't every day people got to see Accelerator take off. Weiss didn't know where, but her hand tightened around Last Order's. "Argh! You could have told me!"
"Accelerator is going to do something to help our situation, MISAKA says seriously as MISAKA tries to help calm you down in the face of an emergency." The girl looked up at him with complete trust and her face was incredibly calm for the situation, as if she had been in dangerous predicaments before.
"You're… You're right." Weiss took a deep breath to steady herself as the stadium lurched back and forth. "Let's see what we can do to help and get you to safety."
Accelerator streaked through the air at maximum speed, tracing concentric circles around the stadium as if it were a spherical object. Navigating through the floors was out of the question, as it posed a risk to the structural integrity crucial for his plan's success. The entirety of the arena needed to remain intact for his strategy to unfold seamlessly. Unfazed by the Atlas ships, none of which paid him any attention, Accelerator wasn't a Grimm investigating negative emotions, nor was he a civilian needing rescue. As the last engine appeared on the brink of failure, he realized he couldn't inflict much more damage. The roar of the weakening flame beneath the failing engine filled the air, and the colosseum began to plummet rapidly. Accelerator, with his superior speed, positioned himself directly beneath the central lowermost section. Raising his hand, he began to focus.
This wasn't just reflecting the giant structure away from him.
It was more like setting up his automatic reflection. Rather than just deflecting everything, he had to create a formula designed only to reflect certain things. He wouldn't be able to see if he deflected all light, but he could deflect harmful UV rays to prevent himself from getting sunburned. Same with gravity. Deflecting all of it would make him float away, so he made a formula that would only dismiss harmful gravitational forces above a certain threshold. In a sense, Accelerator was doing the same thing here. Once he touched the stadium, he had complete control over its vectors. Slowly, he started weakening the gravitational vectors on it.
His head hurt.
This was a lot harder than just pushing it away in a straight line. It had to keep adjusting as ships landed and took off with civilians. Weight disbursement changed as people ran around looking for a way out, along with wind, Grimm, and whatever else decided to rock the floating structure. A small gust of wind could interfere with calculations without the stadium being firmly on the ground. When he was at full power before the incident that damaged his brain, he had just started to be able to calculate the world's wind vectors. So Accelerator tried to make a formula to figure everything out while all the parameters kept changing.
The last engine suddenly failed, and the entire colosseum in the sky lurched…
… but it didn't fall.
Very few people noticed or had time to notice. The civilians in the arena were trying to evacuate and didn't care what was happening below the stadium. It was the same with the Atlas airships trying to get everyone out before it fell. They weren't going to finish getting everyone with the number of ships taken out by the terrorists, but they had planned to save as many as they could. The Grimm were beginning to swarm, and all the combat ships were forming a line to try to slow the neverending tide.
One battleship overseeing the Atlas evacuation did notice something.
"The last engine has failed at the Amity Colosseum!" One tech announced, typing frantically on his keyboard in front of multiple monitors. "It's going to fall, Specialist Schnee."
"It's not falling." Winter Schnee, Weiss' sister, was in charge of said battleship. The woman stood up as she watched the stadium slowly descend. "It's descending at a controlled speed. Why is that?!"
"I don't know!" The tech shook his head. "All the readings show the engines have failed. It should be crashing to the ground."
"Specialist Schnee, I think I found the reason!" Another man said. "Zooming in."
A monitor lowered in front of Winter's position and flickered to life. The woman's eyes widened at what she saw. Beneath the massive stadium was her sister's white-haired boyfriend, the rude and foul-mouthed boy. Four tornadoes were swirling from Accelerator's back as he pressed up on the stadium with his hands. Weiss had always said he was powerful, even if he didn't look it, but this… this wasn't in the same realm as strength. For a moment, she could only stare at the picture as Accelerator was single-handedly safely lowering the structure to the ground.
"That's impossible!" The first tech gasped, echoing everyone else's sentiment. "If he pushed up with enough force to hold the entire coliseum in the air, he would go through the metal plates with just the area of his hand."
"It's not impossible." Winter cut him off, finally snapping herself back to the moment. "I know that boy and he's been working with General Ironwood. His Semblance is Vector Manipulation and he's slowing the coliseum down before it crashes." Her military mind instantly thought of what to do next. "Alert all combat ships to hold the line and don't let any Grimm approach him. If his concentration is disrupted, he might drop everything!"
Thanks to Winter's quick grasp of the situation, the remaining Atlas fleet managed to get into position to hold back the initial tide of Grimm. However, when they saw the Wyvern begin to approach, even the hardened military veterans found themselves shaken. Winter had to grasp the metal railing near her seat to steady herself. The Amity Colosseum was getting close to the ground, and the moment it did, they would have to evacuate everyone remaining to Vale. She already had transport trucks converging on the location. It would all be pointless if the Wyvern attacked.
They weren't prepared for it.
Atlas had taken massive damage to their fleet due to the terrorist attack. Vale's Security forces weren't equipped for these numbers, and there was no time to request help from other kingdoms. They were in a very precarious position. Calming her mind down, thanks to her extensive Atlas training, she gritted her teeth at what she was about to order. General Ironwood was currently in the coliseum and hadn't evacuated yet, so she was in charge until he returned.
"Once the colosseum lands, we're drafting all available students from every Huntsman Academy to act as guards for the civilians. All of our ships will form a blockage and prevent any Grimm from approaching. Once the civilians are safe, we will draw back to Vale to have their automatic turrets fortify our position."
"Yes, ma'am!" Her men saluted and went to work, relaying her orders to all personnel.
Accelerator's head was throbbing as he descended slowly toward the ground. Every calculation he made was slowly wearing down on his psyche. If he were at full power, this would be cake. Shoot, if he was attached to the Misaka Network, he probably would have been fine, but no. Ever since he was healed by the quack Tsune in Beacon, his power hadn't been operating like it used to. Somehow, whatever Dust was in this world that simulated 'magic,' it had connected his ability to his stamina. Using his power constantly was tiring, physically as well as mentally.
And he was reaching his limits.
He saw the airships fly past him out of the corner of his eyes. They formed a wall around the stadium, shooting down any Grimm that drew near. Without meaning too, Accelerator found himself smirking at the bit of good news. Someone in the military had a brain on them and knew he was the only one keeping the stadium afloat. Glancing down, he was almost close enough to let go finally. Though as he looked down, his vision blurred, as his head felt like it was going to tear open.
The tornados on his back began to flicker.
For the first time in his life, Accelerator had truly reached his limit. The colosseum began to speed up as his calculations failed, and he was about to let go. Moments away from passing out, the boy felt weak, like the moment when he had protected Last Order and was shot in the head as a result. Even when unconscious, he managed to protect that woman who had only tried to help them. This was why he didn't like getting involved. Every time he did, it just ended up with suffering.
Several faces popped into his mind, and Accelerator's red eyes opened wide.
"Fuck this!" The boy yelled, turning his mind back to the task at hand.
Last Order was on this structure, and he would never let her come to harm. He would always be the strongest for her. However, that wasn't the only face he saw. His girlfriend's pale face and snow white hair flashed through his mind. Weiss… the girl who stood by him even after seeing him lose control and at his worst. She was the one to whom he could tell his past and didn't flee from him. Then, face after face continued to appear. Red, the amazon, the knight, the ninja boy and girl, the girl on a permanent sugar high, and even the blonde brawler he liked to tease.
How had all of them wedged themself so deep into his thoughts?
The strangers from a world not his own had become vital to him.
Accelerator would not let them down. No matter what happened, he would protect them. That was the one good thing he could do with his power. Not save them, but protect them from harm. No matter how much it hurt, the pain was nothing compared to the thought of losing them. Blocking out all other distractions, Accelerator put his entire mind to work on safely lowering the arena to the ground. Anything not related to that task was ignored.
He almost didn't register when his foot hit the ground. Blinking, Accelerator stared for a moment at the ground around him. Without realizing how much time had passed, he had reached his goal. Kicking back, he let the Arena collapse while he moved far enough away to avoid being squished, the pointed bottom being crushed as the entire structure weighed down on it. The people inside the arena were probably falling over from the impact, but they weren't going to die. Atlas might also be upset with the damage, but it's not like Accelerator purposely broke the engines.
That made him smirk for a moment. With everyone safe for now, he could finally relax. His mind was cloudy, and it was hard to think. Lights in the distance from random vehicles were drawing near but Accelerator couldn't be bothered to focus on them. He heard dull shouting that continued to fluctuate between loud and soft, like a badly tuned radio. There was loud banging as all the people inside the arena realized they were on the ground and trying to escape.
"So loud…"
Accelerator's legs gave way as he collapsed next to the structure, glad he wasn't near one of the entrances. He laid back against the metal and looked up at the sky.
"I'll leave the rest of the work to you idiots…"
Accelerator closed his eyes, and the world went dark.
"WAKE UP!"
A sharp pain seared across his cheek, and Accelerator found himself opening his eyes. The world was fuzzy, but with every blink, the face looking down on him, only a few inches away, began to come into focus. One that Accelerator was glad to see.
"Good… you made it." Accelerator mumbled.
"You can't sleep here!" Weiss lifted him onto his shoulder. "Everyone's evacuating. You're lucky Last Order saw you or you might have gotten left behind."
"MISAKA hacked the video cameras and told the others what you were doing, MISAKA states proudly as MISAKA shows that bending the rules can help people." Last Order was on his other side, looking up at him with admiration.
"You lifted the entire stadium by yourself!" Ruby gasped, almost tackling the injured albino.
"I didn't lift it, I just slowed it down." Accelerator mumbled, his body feeling like lead.
"Guys, we need to get going." Touma looked around. "The Grimm are getting closer and my hand will only project a small repelling field."
"Didn't that field get bigger the longer you were in a spot?" Ruby asked. "It's why it was so hard to find Grimm near Beacon."
"Yes, but I doubt that big Grimm… Pyrrha called it a Wyvern?... is affected by it. It's heading toward Beacon." Touma's eyes narrowed as he looked into the distance. "And it's brought friends."
"We have to stop it!" Ruby declared, holding her weapon close. "But how?"
"I'll take care of it." Accelerator struggled to step forward, but Weiss stopped him. "Where are the others anyways?"
"NO!" Her stern voice she saved for Ruby, and sometimes Yang, was directed at him. "You are in no condition to fly to Beacon and fight that thing. I'm taking you with us to Vale. You need rest! Jaune and Pyrrha went with Ozpin and Goodwitch back to Beacon for some reason, so they will be there to help kill it."
"Ruby…" An idea came to Touma as he turned to the young girl. "Can you use your Semblance while carrying someone?"
"Oh, yeah." Ruby nodded, rubbing her arm. "It's pretty easy. People always feel lighter to me than normal when I use it, but only one person. Two tires me out."
Touma looked at Weiss and Accelerator and then back at Ruby.
"Take me to Beacon." The spiky-haired boy said.
"HUH?!" Ruby and Weiss blurted out together.
"I thought you would want me to transport Accelerator to Vale!?" Ruby gasped.
"We can trust Weiss with that," Touma answered, looking at the sky in the distance where the Grimm horde was beginning to bypass the Atlas barricade. "Listen, that Wyvern is calling other Grimm and creating them. That needs to be our first priority. The battleships didn't even dent the thing with their weapons, but I might be able to." He held up his right hand, already curled into a fist. "If you can get me near it, Ruby, I'll handle the rest. Somehow…"
His last word wavered as he didn't quite have a plan. However, the girl next to him didn't seem to hear that. Her silver eyes were shining with admiration at him. Without warning, she grabbed his left arm and looked up at him.
"We'll do this and save Vale!"
The next moment, they vanished in a flurry of rose petals as Ruby ran like the wind toward Beacon.
"Fine, don't get our opinion or anything!" Weiss shouted after them.
"If it's that guy, he'll do it." Accelerator pushed himself off Weiss and onto his shaking feet.
"MISAKA doesn't think it's wise to try to go off in your condition, MISAKA warns as MISAKA can see your injured position." Last Order didn't stop him, but did look at him worriedly.
"Quiet, brat." Accelerator's voice didn't even have the strength to snap at her. His short rest calmed him down a little, but he couldn't use most of his ability in his current condition. "It's better if he goes. I can fight larger groups than he can." His red eyes focused on the black mass in the air as countless Grimm began to attack the Atlas ships.
"You can't be serious!" Weiss stomped her foot. "After that last stunt of yours, you aren't in any condition to keep fighting!" Last Order bit her lip but remained silent.
"So?" Accelerator raised an eyebrow. "I'll just attract them to me and let them kill themselves without issue." With his mental state, that shouldn't be too hard. The only question was how long he could do it.
"Stop being stupid!" Weiss grabbed his shoulders and spun him to face her. "If you were at full strength, I would say go for it, but right now… you're barely standing. You've told me your ability drains your physical stamina after being healed, so I know you can't be in fighting shape. Let's get back to Vale and you can get some rest for a bit before rejoining the fray."
"Aren't you Huntresses supposed to put yourself on the line to protect people?" Accelerator looked directly into her eyes. The eyes filled with anger, but not directed at him, but the situation. Behind them were worry, worry for his health. "Do you just stop fighting when you're tired?"
"No… but this is completely different!"
"Is it?" The boy gestured to the Grimm racing toward the turrets and Atlas droids holding the line not too far away. Gunfire echoed and grew louder as the line was pushed back. "Every moment we sit here arguing, is another moment more people die." In the past, that wasn't a big deal for him, but he's changed since meeting Team RWBY and JNPR. "I can still take out a bunch of them as you get everyone else to safety."
"You!" Weiss' face reddened as she struggled to find words.
"I'm going." Accelerator gently pushed her arms off him and turned around, only to be grabbed again and pulled back to face her. "You're just being stubb-... eh?" Weiss suddenly pushed her face close to his and for a wild moment, Accelerator thought she was about to kiss him good luck. Instead, she placed her forehead against his. "What are-...?"
"Shut up and let me help you." Weiss cut him off, her voice stern. Taking a deep breath, she began to recite something that sounded like a chant. "For it is in passing that we achieve our dreams…"
Something in Accelerator began to well up from deep within. A warmth that soothed his tired and aching mind and body.
"Through this, we become a paragon of strength and hope to rise above all…"
Accelerator looked down and saw his hands begin to glow. His eyes widened in disbelief at what Weiss was doing.
"Infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul, and by my shoulder I believe in you."
A well of fire erupted from within him as rays of silver wrapped out his body.
Since he had been healed on Remnant, it felt like a piece of him had been missing. Like when you couldn't find that last piece of a jigsaw puzzle: two cogs that wouldn't quite mesh and just ground on each other. Now Weiss had shaken that last piece out of the box, pushed the cogs together, and ignited his very being. Once more, he felt complete, just like that time in Russia. Clouds over his mind parted as light pieced them like daggers. His gaze fell on Weiss.
That girl looked even more beautiful now, even if she looked tired. He had heard releasing someone's Aura was taxing. Taking her hand in his, he stared into her blue eyes.
"Don't worry, I'll be back." Accelerator rarely made promises like that, but for her, he would. It gave him a reason to return.
"You better." Weiss wanted to glare at him. "If you don't I'll find a way to bring you back and kill you again."
A smirk tugged on the boy's lips as he stepped back.
"I owe you more than you know." Accelerator muttered as he took a deep breath. Deep within him, he felt that power once more. The power that let him stand against adversaries that defied reason. As he began to use his ability, the ease at which he could surprise him. This Aura seemed to have meshed with his own ability nearly flawlessly.
Weiss' mouth dropped open, and Last Order giggled.
"He's back! MISAKA cheers as MISAKA recognized the light on his back."
Beams of white light had emerged from Accelerator's back. Pure light that seemed to have emerged from nothing. Yet the more Weiss started, the more she thought she saw the outline of real wings—white feathery wings that birds might have, or if she had been religious, angels. For a brief moment, Weiss considered those myths might have a basis in fact. That light was the exact opposite of the black wings she had encountered before. They were no longer radiating a feeling of despair and sadness.
Warmth, serenity, hope, protection, all of those feelings washed over her.
Accelerator didn't seem to notice as his feet left the ground.
"Keep an eye on Last Order."
Then, at speeds that might have made Ruby jealous, Accelerator flew into the air effortlessly.
It took Weiss a moment to gather her senses before turning to Last Order.
"What was that?!"
"Hehe, that's what happens when Accelerator is honest with himself, MISAKA giggles as MISAKA watches her hero fly off to destroy the darkness." The girl stared at the speck high above them like Ruby had stared at Touma. "He's going to win!"
At that moment, Weiss was inclined to agree.
Feel free to leave a review, comment, suggestions, or ideas; I love reading them. If you have a question you wish I ask and would like a quick answer, feel free to message me directly. I try to respond to those within a day or two. Comments I tend to respond to in the next chapter.
Wishez: The White Wings are here, and we will see what happens next. Dark brought me out of the shadows for this chapter. I was a freshman in college when I started editing this story. Now I'm a college graduate. Maybe that's a sign Dark should hurry it up.
UrsaMJR: I was a highschooler. Now I'm finishing my last year of college. As stated in previous notes, being an editorial slave is a taxing profession. Especially when certain stories take years to even get halfway through *cough* Dark *cough*.
