THICKER THAN WATER
The ambush was an absolute riot. We had no idea where the grimm suddenly came from. It was as if they were created out of thin air, and the chaos that followed was even more mind boggling, no thanks to the huntsmen that were assigned to 'defend' us. Even worse...
"TUNNNNNEEEEEELLLLLLL!"
Crap.
"Weiss, hurry!"
Weiss sprinted as fast as she could while trying to maintain her balance on her ridiculously high heels. For once, I agree with Ruby's criticisms about Weiss' choice of outfit, but there's no time to argue about it now, with a horde of grimm hot on our tails, and a cave closing in on us at the front, all we can do now is run.
"Wooooah, AHHHH!"
All I hear running through the cabin rooftops where the sound of Weiss slipping and falling, thankfully, Ruby was able to use her semblance to catch her.
"Thank me later!"
With Weiss secured, me and Ruby dashed towards the closest train window, smashing right through it into the safety of the train and the cave that's keeping the cave away.
"We have about five minutes before we're completely out!"
The huntsman named Dudley said, as he struggled to nurse his broken arm. Five minutes? That's not much time, and we need a plan fast. After Qrow was done harassing Dudley, Ruby was able to calm everyone down enough for us to think of a solution.
"Ren, could you use your semblance to mask everyone in this train?"
Ren furrowed his brows, and hesitated.
"I don't know. I've never attempted to mask this many people."
But Jaune was quick to intervene.
"You've never had my help before."
Weiss and Nora looked at each and smiled, convinced that the plan we concocted last minute will work.
"That's right!" Nora yelled. "He can amplify your aura!"
Even Qrow was excited.
"Yeah, yeah. That could work. Well what're we waiting for?"
Ren knelt down with Jaune right behind him, ready to amplify his aura, but not before Ozpin suddenly intervened.
"THERE's JUST... one complication."
He ominously raised his voice to catch everyone's attention.
"The grimm are also attracted to the relic."
Ozpin raised his hand and pointed at the Relic of Knowledge.
"Wha-what!? Why wouldn't you tell us that?"
Yang's eyes turned bright red in anger, and she has every right to be. This whole time, we've been putting a target on everyone's back wherever we went. Kind of defeats the purpose... besides, that's not really the bigger issue here.
We've just spent hours upon hours talking about this exact same thing, trust, and here's Ozpin so casually breaking it in front of us.
"IT DOESN'T MATTER RIGHT NOW!"
Ruby raised her hand in front of Yang, and tried to calm her down.
"Every second we're on board this train, we're putting everyone else in danger. Get the passengers to the front cars, Ren can still mask the emotions and kill the turrets."
She smiled at me and Jaune before continuing.
"We just can't come with you."
Hearing her say that made Jaune him worried, and frankly so did everyone else.
"Okay so the plan's set. Team RWBY, Qrow, and Oz will fight the grimm, Jaune and Ren will mask the passengers, while Blake and I sever the connection. Sound good?"
Everyone looked at each other long and hard before we all finally resolved ourselves to do what we were supposed to do.
"Weiss!"
Jaune raised his hand and stopped Weiss in her tracks.
"Yeah?"
Jaune looked like he was about to say something, but instead bit his lip as he dropped his hand back down. He closed his eyes and forced a smile towards Weiss as he opened them back up.
"Promise me you'll come back."
Weiss smiled back softly and nodded.
"I promise."
With that, Weiss and her crew was away. I place my hand on Jaune's shoulder and consoled his worried heart as best as I could. This plan that we're going for... I can understand why he's acting the way he is. We did just get everybody back after all, and yet here we are, leaving each other behind.
"You doing okay, fearless leader?"
Jaune chuckled then looked at me with defeated eyes.
"Yeah, it's just... Weiss. I really thought I was going to lose her too back in Haven. Seeing her life slip in between my fingers was absolutely devastating. It's riled up old memories when we were at Beacon. Every time I look at her now, I just have this urge to protect her."
He curled his brows and raised his fist and looked at me with a determined face.
"I don't want to see her like that ever again. I don't want to see anybody like that ever again."
The feeling of watching someone's life slip in between your finger, huh? Feels eerily familiar. I look back at him and nod, as I flip my helmet back on.
"That's what I'm talking about."
Not wanting to waste anymore time, I swiftly made my way out the window and back through the roofs, running as fast as I can to meet Blake at the rendezvous point.
"Took you long enough!"
She jokingly yelled.
"Hey, somebody needed a little pep talk."
I shrugged my shoulders and pulled my scarlet blade out, setting it on fire. Blake loaded an ice dust cartridge on Gambol Shroud and froze the coupler and drawbar that connected our cars together.
"I'll see you in Argus, Blake."
With one smooth stroke, I swung my scarlet blade down, and severed the connection between us. Blake looked back and winked at me as we both faded away from each other's view. I put my hand on my ears and linked my earpiece with the rest of the team.
[Ezra: Jaune, this is Ezra. I'm in position.]
[Jaune: -Bzzzt- Copy that, how about you Nora?]
[Nora: Ready -Bzzzt- Wheneve-]
"OOOOOOWWWWWLLLL!"
[Jaune: Team, did anybody just hear that?]
[Nora: Sure did.]
[Ezra: Yeah.]
Dammit. It wasn't really hard to figure out who that was that yelled my name, but why does it have to be now?
[Ezra: Jaune, it's Swan]
[Jaune: ...]
[Nora: What? Why now?]
I hate that this is what we're forced to do, but you play with the hand you're dealt with, no matter how crappy that hand is.
[Ezra: I have to go.]
[Jaune: I know. You too, promise me you'll come back.]
Of course.
[Ezra: Haven't let you down yet!]
I look behind me and saw Nora up top on the rooftops with me. With a single nod and smile, she sent me off as I fire off my grappling gun to the face of the mountain, dragging me forward with incredible speed, and launching me far enough for me to glide back to the other side of the train.
"WHERE IS HE!?"
I look down only to see Team RWBY fighting as hard as they could to fend off the grimm, while Qrow ferociously fought Swan. I tuck my cape in, and swoop down towards them as fast as I could, flipping my entire body at the last second and pointing my the sole of my boot towards Swan's back.
"RIGHT HERE!"
Before I could kick her, Swan jumped backward and landed on all fours behind Qrow.
"What are you doing here!?"
Qrow protested.
"Passenger safety is still our priority right? The longer I stay with them, the higher the chance Swan would have come after us. Better to lump her together with the grimm while he have the chance."
At least that was the logic I came up with, and so far, I think it's the right choice after taking a look at her. Her usual plump bob cut hair was scattered and messy, her porcelain skin was covered in dirt and grime, and her mask and clothes were littered with rips and tears.
"You've seen better days."
But the insult I sent her way did nothing to sway her abnormal enthusiasm that quickly took over her body as soon as she saw me.
"I tried being patient Ezra, tried waiting for an opportunity for you to be alone, but I couldn't any longer."
She raised her dagger close to her eyes, that are now glowing silver. Fighting her at full strength with her silver eyes was hard enough, but between me and Qrow, and her obvious fatigue, we should be able to win.
"Alright kid, are you ready?"
Qrow and I readied our weapons, bending down and prepared to launch ourselves towards Swan, but suddenly, a manticore popped out of nowhere, causing me and him to take our eyes off of her. The two of us quickly dispatched the grimm, but Swan was nowhere to be found.
"Where did she go?"
Me and Qrow swiveled our heads, desperately trying to look for her, till all of a sudden, Qrow pushed me out of the way.
"Watch out!"
It was Swan, riding another manticore with a metal wire wrapped around its neck. With all her strength, she yanked the wire towards Qrow and me, forcing us to separate. Swan threw three feather kunais at Qrow's feet, instantly detonating them and freezing his legs on the spot, leaving him to fend for himself against a horde of grimm that began to flock around him. Just his luck.
"QROW!"
Before I could do anything to help, Swan slid in between the two us.
"You're not going anywhere, Ezra."
It took me a second to realize, but Swan has pushed me back all the way to the very end of the train. With a grimm blocking the path in front of us, and a forest behind me, I was left with no other choice but to fight my way out of this situation.
"Damn you're persistent."
To which she could do nothing but scoff.
"Come on, Ezra. Bring it."
"As you wish!"
I threw my shield at her which she easily parried, bouncing it back my way. I twisted my body sideways, kicking the incoming shield and launching it back towards her, but Swan instantly created a thin pillar of ice in front of her, lodging the shield in it.
"Enough of this child's play! Give me everything you've got!"
Swan sprinted at me at full speed, as I did the same. I ignited my scarlet blade and swung it as hard as I could as we pass by each other, melting the pillar of ice and creating a thin cloud of mist that we both quickly tried to utilize.
Me and Swan both raised our hand and pointed it at mist, vying for control, till the pressure from our semblance compressed the mist so hard it exploded. And from the dust that was only starting to settle, out came Swan, who ferociously started hacking her blade at me.
Before I knew it, my eyes started to glow as well.
"There he is."
Once more we rushed at each other, and once more, our blades collided with such force that we sent each other flying. The force of impact was so powerful that it disarmed us both, forcing us to draw bladeless hilts.
Swan arrogantly opened up her arms, as she gripped her hilt tightly.
"So, have you figured it out yet? Or are you content on lying to yourself?"
Shirayuki... mother.
"Silence huh? I'll take that as lying to yourself then."
Somehow, this woman knows which buttons to press to really tick me off.
"Shut up! It doesn't matter who you are! All of this ends now!"
I raise my hilt and pointed it straight at her. I spread my feet apart, and balanced myself as best I could atop the speeding train. I gathered all my strength at the tip of my weapon and took a deep breath as I yell.
"DANCE! SHIRAYUKI!"
The mist began to gather around arms at first, before slowly making its way towards my hilt, elegantly creating a blade of ice, coated in a thin layer of frost. A beautifully crafted blade created with the image of MY mother in mind.
In the face of my resolve, Swan could do nothing but laugh like a maniac. She raised her hilt and pointed it at me, and spread her feet apart the same way I did. This is it, she's going to summon Shirayuki to mock me, or so I thought...
"If you still don't want to open your eyes to the truth of who I really am, then let me force them wide open for you. Behold! My true power!"
Swan furrowed her brows and took a deep breath.
"SCREAM! BANSHEE!"
As soon as those words left her mouth, the mist around her began to solidify, causing a multitude of ice rocks to orbit her, before suddenly crashing against one another. Their collision created a sound mimicking a blood curling scream that was terrifying enough to stop me in my tracks. When the dust settled, all that was left from the ice rocks clashing was a blade in the shape of a katana, though hers was rugged, full of cracks, and serrated.
"Banshee?"
Where have I heard that before?
"You remember don't you? The stories our tribe elders would tell about the grimm, Banshee?"
Of course. Stories the elders would tell us to keep us from straying too far from tribe territory... only when the elders started talking about Banshee, I was a little older than most children, so I knew that the story about that grimm was recent, and more importantly...
"Real. The folklore about the grimm."
Swan placed her blade on top of her shoulder, as she tilted her head sideways.
"Oh you do remember. So then, you remember how the story ended? Not the folklore, but how the grimm actually died."
I do.
"The Banshee killed our most experienced fighters, almost killed my father too. The Tribe lost all of hope, and thought the grimm was unkillable. Till a young woman felled the beast."
Swan nodded, satisfied with my recollection of the story.
"Then you know who that young woman is?"
The Tribe has always taught us the power of a name. The significance of it, and what it stands for- to recall a moment in time, the name of a person or place most important to you that evokes such strong emotion that it brings the power of your semblance at its peak.
For her to name her semblance Banshee...
"It's you."
All of a sudden, the smile on her face vanished, and all that was left was the face of somebody that I used to- still know.
"Say my name."
The grip on my blade started to loosen, as the realization of who she is began to over take me. No, that's not right, I've known since she showed me her semblance who she really is. The reason why I'm struggling to accept it all is because I refuse to believe that this person is...
"Eliza..."
My older sister. The person everyone in my tribe touted as a prodigy, a hero to many, our strongest fighter, our savior. The very reason why we were so confident into moving to Mountain Glenn was because of her, because of her strength.
She was the light of everyone's world. Our hope.
"Hello, Ezra."
She went missing years ago, around the same time the accident on Mountain Glenn happened. I thought she was dead... but I can't believe that...
"What happened to you?"
Eliza raised her hand and gently placed it on her mask, slowly pulling it down, but before she could, a familiar voice knocked me back to my senses.
"EZRA!"
That's right, the passengers, Jaune... promise to return... BLAKE!
Hearing Blake's voice jolted my senses and my body to launch my self towards Swan, but she easily blocked my attack with Banshee.
It's a weird sensation, usually Shirayuki is fragile, only lasting long enough for a single strike. She was forged that way, to be fleeting, powerful in a single elegant stroke, but now something about my blade feels different, like it's refusing to lose.
"You know who I am, yet you still fight?"
She asks, but the answer to her question is simple.
"Right now, you are not Eliza, and I am not Ezra."
I flip my helmet back on and stared her straight in the eye.
"You are Swan and I am OWL!"
Swan gritted her teeth and pulled her blade back, holding it with both hands and swinging it downward as hard as she could, the same way I did. As soon as our blades collided, it created torrent of mist around our feet that instantly froze the roof of the car we were fighting on.
"Don't be an idiot and come with me!"
The constant downward pressure from the buildup of ice began to weigh heavily on the back car, causing the train to sway slightly off track, though at the moment, none of it mattered.
"Why? What do you want from me?"
Swan raised her head, and her mouth opened slightly in confusion.
"You're still asking that!? Ezra, I AM YOUR SISTER! It only makes sense that you're with me."
Why would she bring that up now? The concept of family is the crux of what the Nest has taught me, but at what point does one draw the line?
"Eliza, the things you've done, the people you've killed-"
Eliza gritted her teeth and sharpened her silver gaze at me, as she cut me off.
"All for the benefit of the Tribe! Your true family! Come home, brother!"
I tilt my shoulder down, breaking her balance as she leaned against her weapon, sliding Shirayuki up and freeing myself from our standoff. Almost instantly, I spin my body out of the way, kneeling down and throwing a pair of kunais at the same time, but Eliza quickly parried them with a single stroke.
Shirayuki began to shake in my hand, like it was attracted to Banshee. Soon, the force pulling our blades together forced me and Eliza to swing at each other again, with each strike producing a mist that instantly froze our surroundings.
"NO! I have a job to do, people to care for, people to protect."
Eliza twirled her blade in the palm of her hand, then pointed it at me.
"I am the person you should be caring for, the person you should be protecting. Don't you see? Look around! See what we can accomplish together?"
She was right, the tracks behind the train, the car itself, even the mountains beside us have suddenly sprouted stalagmites of ice.
"D-did you do this? Are you a maiden?"
Eliza smirked, as she bent her knees, readying herself to fight me once more.
"Maiden? No, even better. A Snow!"
The instant Eliza jumped at me, I swung my blade, forcing her to parry, but before my blade could make contact, I turned it back to mist. I slid down and used the momentum to roll up, swinging my blade and turning the mist into a barrage of icicles that shot towards her.
But to my surprise, she didn't move, not even an inch. She simply stood there and stared back at me menacingly as the icicles evaporated back to mist before it even touched her skin.
"What?"
The blade of her katana slowly began to crumble till only the hilt was left. She took a deep breath and sighed while she looked at me with a blank stare.
"We are cut from the same cloth, you and I. We share the same tribe, the same parents, the same semblance, the same blood. It only makes sense that your semblance can never truly hurt me. If you needed more proof of our bond, then let this be it."
That doesn't make any sense.
"What do you mean!? My power- our power! It drains your body heat till it kills you."
But after hearing what I said, Eliza just stood there dumbfounded.
"Huh, you don't know the true nature of our semblance..."
What? Know what? Oh for crying out loud.
"All the more reason for you to come with me."
Eliza reached out her arms, begging me to come with her, and a part of me wanted to. Sure she was crazy, even a little psychotic, but image I had of my older sister when I was young wasn't this. She was kind, brave, and strong. I looked up to her. That's why looking at her now like this is almost unbearable.
"Eliza. What happened to you?"
Eliza's mouth started to open, like she was about to say something, but for some reason, she held back.
"Come with me, and find out."
She really isn't giving me much of a choice here. The more I look at her, the more the image of Swan began to fade away, and the image of my sister slowly took her place. Slowly, my legs began to drag me towards her, like I was in some sort of trance. My hands began to shake as I raise my hand up, desperately reaching for her...
My sister.
But just before I could touch her fingers, a golden glimmer out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. It was Pyrrha's golden shield, spinning like a boomerang up in the air, making its way towards me. All of a sudden, the memories of my promises began to flood my mind, the memories I cannot betray no matter what.
"Eliza, I'm sorry, but... I can't."
Instead of reaching for her hand, I raise my hand up to catch my golden shield, quickly mounting it on my bracer and slapping Swan across the body.
"GAAAAH!"
With Swan reeling on the ground, I make a beeline for my scarlet blade, igniting it as soon as I held it my hand, and sending a torrent of flames towards her.
"Fourth Movement: Spit Fire!"
The flames instantly morphed from a crescent wave into a ball, before quickly exploding, knocking the train we were on loose from the main body.
"EZRA!"
Yang yelled as loud as she can from the other end of the train, beside her was Blake, Gambol Shroud in hand.
I quickly sheathed my scarlet blade away and pulled out my katana, summoning a stream of water that I flung upwards, creating a small wave. I sprinted at the wave and jumped on it, using my golden shield as a surf board to launch myself towards Yang and Blake.
"Catch!"
With all her strength, Blake threw her weapon at me, extending it just enough for me to latch on to it.
"GOT YOU! YANG, PULL!"
As soon as Yang pulled the tether, Blake dropped Gambol Shroud and opened up her arms. Before I knew it, me and Blake were locked together in an embrace, as we slid against train's rooftop.
"Nice catch..."
I pulled my helmet back and smiled at her.
"You know I always got you."
Blake blushed for a moment, before giving me a kiss on my forehead. Unfortunately for us, our romance was poorly timed, as the grimm called Sphinx suddenly landed in front of us.
"BLAKE! EZRA!"
All we could hear was Yang's screams and her heavy footsteps, as she sprinted towards us, but it was too late. Me and Blake stared at the Sphinx's mouth and the ball of flame it generated to incinerate us. I close my eyes and hugged Blake as tight as I could, hoping for a miracle to happen.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!"
When I opened my eyes, all I could see was Eliza, dropping down from the sky with Banshee pointed down on the Sphinx's neck. Just in the nick of time, she landed on top of the grimm, causing it to wince in pain, and diverging the fire ball up towards the mountain.
"Blake, get up get up get up!"
The sight of the avalanched caused the grimm's blast set our gears in motion, as me, Yang, and Blake sprinted towards the front of the car, where Weiss was waiting with her gravity glyph. Before I could make it there however, Swan grabbed the back of my cape, slamming me against train.
"No, Ezra! Leave him alone!"
Blake ducked down and slid, as she made a u-turn towards me, but in doing so, allowed the avalanche to catch up to the car she was on.
"Blake!"
Soon, the avalanche would catch up to me and Swan, slamming against our car and sending us flying up in the air.
"Eliza, LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Swan opened up her wings and flew towards me with arms wide open.
"NO! I'm done talking, you're coming with me, whether you like it or not!"
I waited for the moment where she's close enough before I threw my shield towards her, bouncing it back to me and keeping her away at the same time. I turned my body around mid fall, and spread my wings wide open, hoping to glide back down on the ground smoothly, but Swan was persistent.
"COME HERE!"
All of a sudden, I felt this massive weight land on my back, as she latched the talons on her gauntlet deep inside my shoulder armor. I struggle for a moment, trying to my best to knock her loose, but she has her claws in me way too deep. Left with no choice, I severed the strap on shoulder armors, finally knocking her off.
"Crap, this is gonna hurt."
I pull out a dust cartridge that's labelled as 'Fire' and loaded it unto a spare bladeless hilt. I turn around to see Swan, swooping down towards me, the sight of which made me throw my hilt towards her, and using my semblance to cause an explosion.
The shock from the explosion sent Eliza flying further away, and me towards the snowy forest floor. That was last thing I remembered before vision went blank.