It was early morning with dawn just starting to peek it's beautiful light to this side of the world. As the light hits the side of the house, we can see a girl lying on the ground looking up into the sky. This young adorable girl is none other than Ruby Rose. She woke from another dream earlier that morning. Not a bad or unpleasant one. But one that was a bit bittersweet. Being able to say goodbye to her mom.
She just stared up into the orange and purple hue of the clouds. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she did not hear Yang approach her. All she saw of her was her leaning down over her head as she booped her with her hair. Ruby laughed and snorted as Yang's hair tickled her nose. Ruby sat up as Yang did the same.
" What are you doing up sis?" Ruby asked her.
" Couldn't sleep." was all Yang said as she looked out to the rising sun.
" Thankfully," a new voice started, " coffee is a thing."
Both girls looked and saw Weiss standing there with a tray with three mugs of steaming coffee. The girl walked forward and delivered the first mug to Yang who thanked her before she moved onto Ruby. Before Ruby could say or do anything Weiss said to her that she put in an unhealthy amount of sugar and creamer.
" Ahhh, nice Weiss strikes again." Ruby said with a smile.
" This is hot, and it will burn you." was all Weiss said as she retracted the mug letting her Ice Queen persona take over for a second or two before handing it back.
Ruby chuckled as she was given her mug as she took her sips with Weiss setting down the tray and enjoying the morning with the others.
The wind came blowing through rustling the hems of the girl's nightshirts or gown in Weiss's case. Each gave a small shiver with the morning chill but was outdone thanks to the coffee they were drinking. The three girls watched as the morning clouds rolled overhead in different shades of the morning spectrum. A clear beautiful morning.
" So beautiful." Weiss said commenting on the sight.
There was a pause before Ruby spoke.
" I just wish Blake was here. I am sure she would have enjoyed the sight."
" Yeah well, she made her choice." Yang said bitterly.
Ruby and Weiss gave one another a look.
" You don't want her to be here?" Ruby asked for clarification.
" Why would I want her here?"
" Yang, she is our friend and teammate." Weiss pointed out.
" Friends don't leave one another." Yang spat out with anger.
" Yang, I know you are upset but…" Ruby started.
" I AM NOT UPSET!" Yang snapped at her. Eyes no longer lilac, but red.
Both girls jumped back from her. " Yang!?"
Yang shook her head to clear it as she downed her drink before getting up and heading inside.
Nat was walking to the door to do both some PT and to recon the local area. She had a dream last night that she was hoping a run would help clear it up. It was a lot like a scissor real of memories that she hasn't lived. From simply walking around with a young blond girl to some strange moments with the man in a bedroom. It was all too confusing and as such, she was wanting to query ShadowHawk about everything. She was almost at the door when she saw an agitated Yang walk into her room with an attitude.
" You might want to talk to her. Something is bugging her. Plus you haven't got to take the chance to talk and get a feel for her." Shadow said popping up on her HUD.
She took his advice and approached the door. She opened it to see the blond sitting in her PJs looking at a photo. The sound of her heavy armor combined with the thunking of her boots caught the girl's attention. She looked up and just looked at her.
" Can I help you?" Yang asked.
" No. But I can tell something is bothering you. Care to share?" Nat asked.
" Why would you care." Yang said looking back at the picture.
" Number one: You are part of my team. We look out for one another. And two: you can't fight distracted. Sometimes you may not have a choice, but at this moment in time, you have a choice. You can tell me what is on your mind and have a clear conscious, or keep it bottled up and let it eat you alive and cause you to make mistakes. Your choice, but if I were you, I would take up the offer of getting something off your chest."
Yang looked at the towering figure. She took a breath as she looked at her right arm.
" When I was just a baby, my mother left me with my father. Shortly after he married a woman who was the perfect mom. It wasn't long before Ruby entered the picture and we couldn't be happier. Then Mom went on a mission and never came back. We were told that she died. Dad was broken with grief. He hardly left his room and when he did, it was normal to go to signal and teach before coming home and getting dinner ready for us. After that, it was back to his room." Yang said, " I had to pretty much raise Ruby by myself. Make sure she was entertained, learned how to walk and talk. I even had to clean her. I don't want to say that dad neglected us because he didn't. But he also wasn't there for us. Qrow helped when he could but we never counted on it. Just me, Ruby, and a father that just lost his second wife. I had to do it all alone. I was alone in that struggle. And with what happened at Beacon…" Yang stopped as she started to choke up as tears started to sting her eyes.
Nat strode forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.
" Loneliness is a tough thing to deal with. But from what you were saying about how your birth mother abandoned you, Summer dying and as a result, your father shutting down, I would say you have abandonment issues." Nat said to her with Yang giving a nod. " I take it this has something to do with a friend of yours?"
A new voice answered her however, " It does." Weiss said as she took a seat on the other bed.
" Weiss, I am not going to change my mind. You can try but I can't. You have no idea what all I had to go through growing up. You had a big mansion, dinner parties to attend, recitals to perform at. What do you know about being lonely?" Yang asked her.
" Kid listen. Everyone has a version of loneliness. Even the resident tank here has a version. Spartans are seen as military hardware or just machines without a soul. While they may inspire, they never get close. Never make friends with people other than another Spartan. Keep that in mind next time blondy." ShadowHawk chastised.
" He is right Yang. When I was ten, my father admitted to my mom that he only married her for the family name. It was actually on my birthday. He missed the big dinner. She got mad. He finally snapped. I think she knew and looking back on it, I think I knew too. But hearing him say it finally pushed her over the edge." Weiss strode over to Yang and sat next to her as the Spartan moved aside making room. " First it was separate lunches and dinners, opposite balconies at my recitals. A glass of wine here, a glass of wine there. Then it was no dinners, no recitals. And the glass became a bottle. It became routine. Each day I would see my mom in the garden drinking her life away."
" I am sorry. I shouldn't have assumed." Yang said to her.
" Well with the exception of this young snowflake here, most rich families are like that. Only marrying into a family for the wealth or what they can gain. They are snobbish and live in expensive houses and drive the most luxurious cars. Take a private plane to go to the damn supermarket for the rich. All the while boning someone behind their spouses back. At least with the middle and lower class citizens, they married for love and titles." Shadow said to the two.
Weiss gave a small smile. " I take no offense. I was a bit of a brat when we first started Beacon. Relying too much on my father for money and throwing around my name to get what I want. I am glad that Ozpin didn't make me team lead. I probably would have run us into the ground and drove such great friends away from me. I can honestly say that I needed this humbling. To see things from another's point of view." Weiss said to the AI.
" But in all fairness, your mother should just divorce him. If the courts here are anything like those on Earth then he may still walk away with half, but if he married into the name than a divorce will make him revert to his maiden name and as such, relief. You can take control and then do what you think is best. Just know if you try to kill us or take Noble's armor for yourself, she is going to kick you in the damn nuts." Shadow said partly joking at the end.
The two shared a laugh with the Ai as Nat just rolled her eyes behind the helmet.
" See you two are laughing. That is good. If you can't laugh at something even in the darkest times, you are lost. You always need something to help keep your spirits high."
Weiss took a breath before she addressed Yang again, " You are right though. I don't know loneliness as you do. I have my own version. And from what I heard from Noble, she has her own as well. And I am sure the same could be said for Blake."
" She doesn't have to be alone though. I was here for her, we all were. She chose to leave us." Yang said.
" Why do you think she did that?" Weiss rebutted.
Yang just looked at her.
" The entire time Blake was at Beacon, she was afraid to open up to people. She tried to keep her past separated from us. She tried to protect us. Eventually, those walls she put up came down. And the moment they did, the one thing she was afraid of actually happened. The universe proved her right." Weiss told Yang trying to get her to empathize with Blake.
" No one blamed her for anything though. If she just talked to us, she would have known that!" Yang exclaimed.
" I am going to stop you right there." Nat said getting the girl's attention. " When one leaves a group that deals in shady areas or straight up terriszom, they often are a straight-up paranoid of everything. They often have seen or done some real evil acts and know that when the people they worked for find out that they are gone, they send out spies to find them and kill them. And they don't go out in uniform. They go out in something you would not look twice at. I have seen and heard it. So ask yourself. If you were in her position, what would you do? Tell the first people you see? Or hide and hope to go unnoticed?" She asked.
" I see what you mean, but she has bonded with all of us! She should have talked to us! How can I be there for her if she is never around? What if I need her here for me?" Yang said breaking down.
" Yang. She only knew us for a few months. While friendships can be formed, deep ones even, it's not a lot of time for us to earn her full undying trust. She trusted us with her past. She let herself be happy, have friends and be vulnerable, and look at what happened. The White Fang attacked the school. They let Grimm invade. They killed every student weather they were armed or not. Faunas or not, they cut them down. That has to weigh heavily on her." Weiss said setting an arm on the blond's shoulder. " That is why when she comes back, I am going to welcome her back with open arms."
The two girls looked at each other before Yang brought Weiss into a hug. Nat stood back up and walked towards the door as Ruby tentatively opened it.
" Yang?" She asked peeking in. She saw Yang look at her and smile before it was another threesome hug.
Once everyone had breakfast, Nat took both Weiss and Yang aside to see what they brought to a fight. Weiss was more of a support role, where Yang was the heavy hitter. She sparred with each of them to gauge their abilities and skills. Yang was strong but a bit of a brute. Favoring strength and heavy hits while just tanking the damage. Weiss, on the other hand, was the opposite. She was precise and was always looking for the weak points to stab her rapier into. She was quick but could not tank the hits like Yang.
" Yang. You and Ruby are sisters, yes?" She asked the blond as she took a swig from her water bottle.
" Yea. Why do you ask?" She asked.
" Have you two ever sparred? Have you ever tried to teach her any hand to hand?" Nat asked her.
" Of course we have sparred. Both with her and my father and uncle. It was always a good idea to have a spar at least twice a week. And as far as hand to hand goes, we try and try. But no matter how we teach her, show her, help her, she can never seem to get it. All of us have tried, and all of us have failed." She said as she whipped her forehead with a towel.
" Ok, have you dumbed it down for her? I only ask just to rule it out."
" Yup. We have."
Nat stood there for a second to process. " Then we got our work cut out for us to get her up to snuff before the next fight."
" How are you so sure we are going to get into a fight?" Weiss asked.
" Aside from a sixth sense that this badass has, I have planted bugs in the headmaster's desk." Shadow said sitting on top of the Spartans head with his legs swinging over the edge of her visor, " It turns out that our dear old Lionheart is in a meeting with someone. Someone that is wanting him to lure us into a trap."
Yang sprung to her feet as Weiss stood up straight.
" Then why are we here?! Shouldn't we be telling the others about this instead of sparring!" Weiss cried in alarm.
" I will. But right now we don't know their strength nor how they are planning it. Plus I want to make sure your sister and two of the boys know how to fight hand to hand. This will give me time to do so. It will also give me time to think of a way to spring the trap." She told her.
" But shouldn't we be telling the others?" Yang asked not sure if she liked the idea of withholding this kind of information.
" And we will. But not in the open." Nat told her.
Nat was in her makeshift workshop looking over the parts that she threw into a duffle bag. She had heard Qrow and Ozpin talk about current events. Qrow received a call from a much chipper Lionheart compared to the one that was unsure if he can convince the council to lend him huntsmen for the bandit raid.
Qrow repeated to Ozpin and Nat what he was asked. That he wanted to meet the group tonight with the counselors to formulate a plan. She voiced her opinion as well as relaying the info from shadowHawk. All that was left was informing the teens and getting herself ready. She already had an idea as to a loadout she was going to go with. An M45 tactical shotgun to go on her back with the battle rifle taking up the other side of her back. She slid onto her thigh plate an M6g magnum. All the weapons, however, were on the table to get inspected before she slid them onto her person. The reason why she was waiting? She had stripped off most of the armor. Both shoulders were stripped down to the bare plate that the attachments would be slid onto, her chest that normally had pouches for ammo and alike were removed.
To put it simply, aside from her Mjolnir Mark V helmet, she was in a default armor. Why strip everything down you may ask? Well if you know that you are going into a trap, wouldn't you arm up for it? That is what she is doing.
She looked at the parts she removed. From her left shoulder was one that Carter had on his shoulder: Comando with her right ODST shoulder sitting next to it. Her forearm datapad was disconnected and powered off and set aside with the pouches and cases removed from the hardpoints on her armor.
On the other side of the room was another table with the armor components and weapons she was going to put on. Only the left shoulder was missing. She grabbed the commando shoulder from the table and set it with the other parts. Among the armor was a security shoulder with a kukri mount, the commando shoulder she just put there, the chest was going to be beefed up with security armor with a belt of grenades, her left wrist would be mounted with shotgun shells.
Shadow Hawk was 'standing' on a datapad and watching her while he did something with that guitar of his. He was sitting on a chair with the musical instrument in his hands with a cord running from it to a box that he called and AMP. He strummed a few chords tuning it.
Then he started to play gaining the attention of the other occupants in the house. He wasn't playing anything in particular but was just strumming away.
The others stood in the doorway and watched. They saw the AI with the guitar but never assumed that he did anything with it. Even if he wasn't playing anything, just the soft notes from the guitar were enjoyable and set them at ease.
They also saw the Spartan standing in front of a set of armor components waiting to be slapped into place.
" What are you planning Noble?" Qrow asked.
" We are going to be walking into a trap. I intend to be ready for whatever they throw at us." She said approaching the table.
" What do you mean by a trap?" Ruby asked.
" IT'S A TRAP!" Shadow Hawk exclaimed in a gravelly voice. Almost as if he was trying to quote someone in their dialect.
" Shadows bugs have picked up a conversation between him and someone else about setting us up for the kill. When was the question. But it is tonight. Qrow received a call from Leo saying he made headway with the council. A complete 180 from when we met him a few days ago. Conclusion. He is setting us up." Nat said as she grabbed the composite non-reactive utility armor. She braced her leg and removed the soft case and placed the composite in its place.
" Then why go if we know it is a trap?" Weiss asked.
" Because it would look suspicious if we didn't show up. And I would rather take them on in an area we know then out there in the woods where they have the advantage," Qrow said, " Plus we need to secure the relic."
" But since you know it's a trap, you can go prepared." Shadow said as he now had his arms draped over the guitar, " And not be shocked when it is. The question is, how are they going to spring it."
" He is right. We know its a trap. We will be on our toes." She said as she finished the integration of the thigh armor.
" Ok so, what is the plan?" Ruby asked.
Shadow Hawk watched as they planned out what they were going to do. He on the other hand had some work to do. As Nat was sliding her other armor components on and running a diagnostic to get them ready for shields, he looked at the nearly completed reconstruction of Project: Vale video Natsukie was wanting to see. Hell he has had it stored in his files, so he has seen it, but since it has been corrupted, he needs to reconstruct it to remember it.
" Ok let's see what you have for me to do this time." he said as he cleaned and reconstructed the code.
He was still working on it when Nat completed her suit up with Ruby and Yang helping her out. "Shadow. You ready to go?" Ruby asked the AI.
" Slot me in kid...In the tank, please. I don't think you can fit me into your brain without a Neural Lace. Plus I think I might get lost in that adorable mind of yours." Shadow said to her, " Never grow girl. You are too precious to grow up. STAY YOUNG AND PURE FOR EVERRRRR!" He droned on as she handed him to Nat who just slotted him in with an eye roll.
Once inside the Spartans helmet and mind, he went back to work. The flow of data surrounded him as he sifted through the data he was looking for from the jumble of randomness. In AI terms, it was an hour or so later when he got the video and file debugged, but for the others, they were just walking up to the gates of Haven.
"OK. So let's see what you hold. Give me your secrets." He uttered as he accessed the file.
A screen popped up in front of him asking for authorization. He inserted the master lock that was him. It granted him access and he sifted through the detailed reports of when Summer was found. Debriefings and biological data found from her. Height, hair color, eye color, skin tone, estimated weight, blood type, the condition she was in when she was found.
He saw a video of the team that brought her in as well as medics fighting to keep her alive.
Her face was bruised and had cuts on it. Wait. He looked at the images of Summer when she was found and one of her uninjured. He paused and looked at Nat's CSV. He pulled a picture and compared it to the one of Summer. It was damn near a match.
He went to the video and watched.
" Oh my God." Was all he said as the group walked into Haven and up to Leo.
When the group entered the building, Nat was already scanning for hidden threats. False panels that could be removed to admit the combatants mostly. She didn't see anything that could be removed, but then again that was what good concealment was for. Leo was standing on the balcony waiting for them.
" Why hello. Thank you for, uh, coming...oh my there are more of you than last time. And is that the same soldier from before?" Leo greeted and asked about the lone Spartan in the room.
" You know what they say, the more the merrier and yes this is still the same Spartan. She decided to be ready for the trek and fight at the camp." Qrow told him, " So. What is going on with the council?"
Leo was looking at each person and seemed surprised to see something. Noble would bet that he was surprised to see everyone armed and ready to fight. She noticed a bracer on his left arm. 'Must be what he uses as a weapon.' She thought remembering when Yang's bracelets turned into shotgun gauntlets. 'Damn this world is weird. Too bad we didn't have any of these cool toys back home.'
" Mom?" Yang questioned looking to the side.
Almost immediately Qrow had his sword drawn with the blade swinging down to expose the gun behind it and fired causing a raven to take flight. It few to and behind Lionheart, and vanished as a woman appeared there.
" Ok. I want you to learn that trick." Shadow said to Noble in her helmet.
" If you are going to shoot me," the woman said walking down the steps while taking off her mask to expose a face that was an almost exact match to Yangs except her hair was black with a shall and had red eyes, " Then shoot me. Otherwise it was a damn insult." She finished with a bit of a haughty tone.
As Raven finished talking her eyes looked over the would-be raiders. She would not say it out loud or to anyone, but this group of teens impressed her. Taking this long trek after such a blow that was the fall of Beacon, was admirable. Hell, she would have offered them all a spot in the tribe. Even Ruby. The girl she was going to offer to Cinder on a silver platter. Mentally she was beating herself up. She tried. She tried to find a way to tip them off. She tried to keep her promise to Summer that Ruby would not be harmed in any way.
Her daughter, Yang, just looked at her not sure what to do yet. But one could tell that Yang was prepping for a fight. Her brother was shocked to see her here. But the real eye-catcher was the armored behemoth standing amongst them. She, if the slimmer build was anything to go by, just seemed to draw her eye. Something about the soldier was screaming at her that she was more than meets the eye. Whether or not she was a threat was not clear yet.
" What are you doing here?" Qrow growled.
" I could ask you the same thing." She replied.
" You have been sceaming little brother. Planning to attack your own sister." The now named Raven said to Qrow.
" Leo. What have you done?!" Qrow demanded with both shock and anger.
Leonardo tried to respond and defend himself, but he couldn't. One could see the despair hopelessness in his eyes mixed with pain.
" He did what any sane person would in his position. He looked at the facts and information in front of him, assessed the situation and made a choice." she said with Lionheart turning his head away in shame, " And it seems you have to." Raven finished while directing her stare at Yang.
" You have the Spring Maiden." Qrow stated.
" I do."
" Then hand her over and work with us. Then together we can beat Salam. We can win this." Qrow said sheathing his weapon.
" All that time spent spying for Ozpin and you still have no idea what you're dealing with. There is no beating her!" Raven exclaimed.
" THAT'S ENOUGH!" the commanding voice of Noble ordered as she got in between the two. She looked at both to make sure neither would try anything before looking back to Raven.
" You haven't even put into consideration of your tribe and myself against this Salam charter you all seem so afraid of. I have seen things that one would think is impossible to kill, and killed it. Salam is no different. Her crew is no different. The UNSC had to forgo its civil war to fight against a common threat. A threat that I honestly hope this rock never has to face. A threat that had us outgunned, outnumbered, and outclassed. We are constantly on the back foot. Hell for all I know, we lost. But if we did, I bet we went down swinging. We have made deals with rebels to fight the Covenant. Even they knew that together we are stronger. Together we will win." she addressed Raven, " And those that tried to make deals with them, were killed. Is that how you want to be remembered? A traitor and a coward for not sticking to those that want to end this threat?"
Raven looked at the armored giant. She didn't even know what she can fully do. All that Lionheart said was that she can turn invisible and was pretty damn sneaky in that armor. Her thoughts were cut short by Ruby.
" She is right. We have done things that some would consider impossible. Noble for sure has. She has shown us." Ruby spoke, "And we were able to do them because we didn't have to do it alone. We had people to teach us, help us, be there for us, but most importantly, we had each other."
Each word was like a knife that struck.
``How can she be so naive and childish, yet be so right? Summer, I am so sorry.'
" So work with us. At least then I know we will have a better chance together." Ruby finished holding her hand out to her in offering.
Raven closed her eyes and mentally screamed that she was sorry over and over again at what was about to happen. She opened her eyes and looked directly at the girl.
" You sound exactly like your mother." was all she said as, in a single, fast move, she drew her sword and slashed a portal into being with a fireball coming out just as fast.
Noble may not have anticipated Raven to draw her blade, but the adrenaline from seeing such an action mixed with the reactive circuits in her armor and with ShadowHawks extra processing, she was able to see the fireball exit the portal in slow motion as she pivoted on her right foot. Putting herself between Ruby and the ball of fire as the said ball hit her left shoulder and back. The force behind it made her lose her balance but she used it to spin her around with her right hand snagging the magnum from her thigh mount and had it pointed at the portal.
A woman was walking out of it with an arrogant walk and sway in her hips. She wore a red dress with a slit on the right side that started at her hip with two gold cords keeping them together, as well as a gem of sorts resting on the nylons she wore underneath. Her left arm was hidden, possibly gone, with the sleeve remaining. Her right arm, in contrast, was bare with elbow-length gloves and decoration. Her hair was choppy and black with it covering her left eye. If the scarring was anything to go by, she may have been in a fight and lost that eye.
Her voice held nothing but a smooth, smug arrogance. " Hello children." her voice rang out as four others appeared behind her. A girl with brown skin, red eyes, and oddly enough, green hair. She had white pants hidden underneath brown leather chaps with heels on her feet. What is the deal with women on this planet always wearing heels in combat? Her shirt, if you could call it that, was a green deep cut wrap that would probably bounce off with a white shirt like thing over it.
From what Noble could make out, she had two weapons strapped to her lower back.
The two men were more simple. One in grey and black, with the other being Tyrian. The burning hatred and thirst for blood in his eyes as his tail swung behind him. Its metal stinger being held next to his face as he took up a position to be right in front of her as he squatted down.
The last was in what Nat would describe as a ' Rebel' Uniform. Sleeves tore off, part of a leg exposed gloves. You get the idea.
" Cinder." Ruby growled out. Probably one of the only times Ruby showed complete hatred for someone.
Everyone had looks of shock at the new arrivals. With the grey boy even going as far as to ask it the shock, horror and hatred were any way to great an old friend. Qrow told everyone to stay calm and break them out of their spells of anger and hatred when the door opened and a mountain of a man walked in. He had a green duster on with a black shirt underneath as well as black pants and boots. He had brown hair and a beard with scarred arms. He shut the doors.
" The White Fang are preparing demolition charges and securing the school grounds." he said turning to the group. " No one is getting in. Or out."
" Raven. Tell me. How long have you been with them?" Qrow demanded with barely controlled fury.
" Ahh don't take it personally little birdy. Your sister was a recent addition." Cinder said stepping forward with a smug arrogant tone mixed with a voice of that of an older sister talking to a baby brother. " The lion on the other hand? Entrance into the Vytal Festival was a real treat. But Leonardo has been sending Salem all sorts of information for a very, very long time. Isn't that right Professor?"
" I only have known this chick for a few minutes and already I want to see her put up in a Covenant torture chamber. Or better yet, the Grunt Mating Chambers." Shadow said.
Leonardo looked away in shame pleading with her to stop twisting the knife.
The realization came to Qrow then. Why know huntsmen were in the Kingdom.
" It was you. You hold a seat on the Mistral Council. You had information on every huntsman and Huntress in the Kingdom. And you gave it all to her." Qrow addressed Lionheart. Before he could respond or defend himself, Qrow continued, " I couldn't find any of them. Because you let her kill them." Qrow's venom only grew.
The shame and guilt in Lionheart only grew with that statement.
" Aw now, don't beat yourself up about it Lionheart. I am sure Hazel and Tyrian would have found them eventually." Cinder said.
" Lionheart. Under the UNSC War Articles, you have abandoned your post and defected to the enemy. As such, your punishment is a lifetime in prison or death." Noble said to LionHeart as she kept her magnum at the ready.
"Oh, when did Atlas put a conscious in its machines? It's so adorable. Just as adorable as watching that android getting ripped to pieces." Cinder sang out.
Shadow suddenly appeared on Noble's shoulder with a shocked face.
" Uh-oh. You shouldn't have said that." He said to her.
" And why? I can do whatever I want. And you can do nothing to stop me. Not you or these children, not even this robot can even hope to stop me." Cinder said smiling.
" Aaaand now you have done it. Noble. When you ready." the AI said before weanking out.
" What is wrong with you?" Jaune said catching their attention. He was looking at the ground trying to hold back the anger and sorrow he was feeling. " How can you be so broken inside...to take so many lives and then come here and rub it in our faces like it's something to be proud of?!" He stopped to try and get his emotions under control with everyone else looking at him wondering if he was finally going to snap. " ALL WITH A DAMN SMILE ON YOU STUPID FACE!" He finally yelled.
Cinder only gave him an unamused look like she was only seeing him for the first time.
" Who are you again?" She asked with a laugh.
Before Jaune could make a move, Noble barred him with an arm.
" She is goading you. She probably outclasses you. The only thing you can do is play smart and not fall into her trap." She said the distressed knight.
Jaune only shook with barely controlled anger. The bitch that took Phyraa away from him was standing right in front of him mocking him. Tempting him to a fight.
" You better listen to the machine Jaune, I can easily take everyone here no problem." Cinder smuggly said.
*BANG*
The single shot from Noble's Magnum rang out as the room just looked to where the shot went. Cinder had a look of disbelief as the shot hit her straight in the head. She thanked her lucky stars that she saw the thing shift its aim on her ever so slightly and had her aura up. It held however. But still that thing has some knock down power.
The moment she was distracted, and Noble didn't have an arm blocking his path, Jaunes drew his sword and charged in. Cinder saw this and made a sword of her own and charged as well.
Ruby went to help, but as she was soaring through the air, she was wrapped in chains and brought back to the ground.
" You are not getting anywhere near her." Emerald told her with a smirk.
Yang went to help Ruby but was stopped by the grey boy, Raven told her person to take on Weiss but to not use her power. She then blocked a strike from Qrow.
" Running away was one thing. But what you did is crossing the line." He spat.
" Sometimes family disappoints you like that." she replied. And their fight went off-screen.
Noble caught the strike meant for her from Tyrian. He roared and cackle with laughter.
" My Mistress is going to show me favor once again once I bring her your head!" he shouted.
Tyrian swung with his other hand aimed for Noble's neck. Noble in turn raised her shoulder enough to let the strike hit the shoulder pad on her left side. Tyrian kept talking about how he was going to kill her and present her head to Salem. And how his standing would be increased.
' Damn does this guy ever shut up?' she asked herself as she threw him out of arm's reach.
He rolled and skidded to a halt as Noble withdrew the shotgun from her back. She jacked a round into the chamber and shouldered it.
Tyrian charged in again with the guns in the bracers deployed and fired a long burst into her shields. She waited until he was within range, and pulled the trigger sending the slug into his chest. The slug staggered him back a few steps, ceasing his fire.
She pumped another round into the shotties chamber and strode forward. Tyrian dove forward and under the shot. He sprung up with an uppercut meant for her chin but was met with her arm coming down and stopping his fist.
" When I am done with you, I am going to through your dead, headless carcass in the same pit that I threw that stupid, slutty bitch into, and let the animals and Grimm feast on your body. Then I am going to skin the brat and feed her to the Grimm. And Salem will look favorably on me again!" he cackled.
" Not if I kill you first. And unlike the others, that is a promise. Not a threat." She said as she bashed him. On and on they traded blows with her getting another shot or two on him getting his aura to just about the breaking point.
That is when she heard Ruby scream with a blinding light filling the room. Tyrian took the time to wrap his tail around her helmet and pulled hoping to break her neck in the process before he could not see.
Noble fumbled with the neck seal to get the helmet off and keep this guy from breaking her neck. Her hands found the catch and pulled breaking the seal. The helmet slid off with a pop with Tyrian stumbling forward as the light hit them, just to fade a second later thanks to Emerald Knocking out Ruby, just for the light to come back with full force as the helmet hit the ground with a thud, causing everyone to shield their eyes again.
Snow. That was all Noble could think of. The place she was in was so white that Nat thought she was in a field of snow. Odd because she didn't feel any cold air on her face. The whiteness wasn't blinding like the sun reflecting off of snow either. It was just white. Where was she? She did a full 360 to see if she can find any details that would tell her where she was.
She jumped when she felt a sudden tapping on her shoulder. She spun getting into a fighting stance and was met with a woman.
She was on the shorter side of average with a petite figure to match. Aside from the hair and color scheme, she was the spitting image of Ruby with her hair long and tied back with a braid with white trim and hood instead of red as well as a breastplate.
She smiled as she cupped the Spartans cheek in a kind and motherly fashion.
" What? Can't even smile?" The woman asked.
" Who are you?" Nat asked.
The woman's face fell into a ' really ' look.
" why don't you use that supper Spartan-III brain of yours and tell me?" She asked.
Nat thought about it for only a second before she realized who she was talking to.
" Summer Rose."
" Bingo. Now was it really that hard?" Summer asked with a smile.
Nat just looked at her not knowing what to do or how she was even here.
" How." was all she asked.
" That is easy. When Ruby went silver, and you had to claw your helmet off, you were hit with the light she produced. And as such, you can say you were mentally sent here. A limbo state of mind. If you will." She said.
" Ok, then why?"
" Well. You do have silver eyes. And, well, let's just say that you and I are one in the same." Summer said. " Also. My middle name was Natsikuie. Keep that in mind. And hug my daughters for me. I miss them so much."
" What do you mean?"
Summer just smiled as she embraced the Spartan and seemed to be absorbed into her as the light started to fade.
A scream could be heard by the crowd from both Cinder and where the Spartan was. It felt like an eternity for the light to dissipate but was only a few seconds. When it did fade Cinder was holding her arm in pure pain as Noble clutched her head as she dropped to a knee with her back facing the group.
Jaune took the opportunity to strike at Cinder with a thrust aimed for her head. She saw it however and shifted just enough for the blade to chip her glass mask hiding her missing eye and covering her disfigurement. She then tripped and pinned him under a foot and was about to address him and put him in his place.
Noble on the other hand, herd Tyrian laughing his head off like he was the damn Joker.
" Hahahaha, Nahahaha, HHAHAHAHAHAHAH! I AM GOING TO FINALLY KILL YOU! Slowly and painfully. I may even kill the brats you seem so keen on protecting while you watch. Then I am going to skin you alive and drain you of life. Oh, my mistress will take great pleasure in your suffering." He was saying insanely.
Once the pain in her head subsided and she was able to take a breath, she took a deep breath to calm herself as she opened her eyes. She saw black hair fall around her face.
' How did my hair get so long? I never let it grow that far.' she thought as she stood. And turned.
Tyrian's laughter halted as he had a look of complete confusion as his eyes landed on her face.
His stop of laughing and exclamation caught everyone's attention.
Qrow managed to get a look over Raven's shoulder and had a look of complete and utter shock as the face of Noble was revealed. Raven saw the shock and was going to capitalize on it, but wanted to know what had his attention. She had to take a moment to look at the face. Her face was young, much to her surprise but had scars of battle. It was when she saw that the woman had silver eyes that she started to realize who it was. When she did, it hit her like a freight train.
Both brother and sister lowered their weapons in shock, with Raven covering her mouth in shock.
" Summer?"
" I-I-I killed you. I I threw your dying body in a pit for the worms. I saw the light drain from your eyes. I saw you die!" Tyrian exclaimed.
" Die?" the Spartan asked as she chuckled, " Don't you know? Spartans never die." was all she said as her silver eyes landed on Tyrian who was shaking in fear and rage.
That seemed to be his snapping point as he charged in with a right slash followed with a straight left thrust. She blocked both attacks and moved her head out of the way of his tail as it sailed past.
Noble, in turn, struck him dead in the gut followed with a kick to the face throwing him back a good distance. Tyrian rolled before he found his footing. He could feel that his aura was only a paper ball hit away from breaking, but that did not matter to him. This woman that he killed so long ago was here taunting him with her very presence. His pride would not let that go. He had to kill her. It was personal.
Noble drew both the Kukri and her knife and waited for him to charge in again. This would be the last time he would try and harm anyone here. With a blind fury, Tyrian ran in again. He used his gauntlet guns to spray her with bullets as he came in again.
Yang watched as the woman that was a mother to her went to town on Tyrain. She was so caught up with the revelation that she forgot about Mercury.
Mercury took Yang's distraction as an advantage and sent a roundhouse kick to her side sending her flying.
" That was for my leg. And now I am going to take your life because I just feel like it." he said walking up to her. Yang shook her head cursing herself for getting distracted. She got back to her feet and shot a glare at him as she got into a ready stance.
" What, got nothing to say blondie? That is the first." He said with a smirk as he ran in with a high kick hoping to cave in her skull. Yang dove out of the way and turned, just to get a kick to her stomach sending her back. When she got up, she was met with five Mercurys.
She had an alarmed look and started to fight all five with the real Mercury just standing back and watching yang make a fool of herself while warring herself out to make it easier for him to kill her.
Jaune watched as Weiss was thrown to the ground and Cinder let the presser off of him and walked towards where the heiress layed struggling to get up. She formed a spear and threw it.
The spear sailed through the air...just to get caught by Noble.
Noble caught the spear that was meant for Weiss and threw it with augmented force right back to Cinder. Cinder watched as the spear came back at her at triple the speed and force. She mentally freaked and made the spear disapear so the only thing that hit her being the force of the air hitting her face.
Noble then turned around and punched the knife stuck in Tyrian's shoulder. The hit both knocked him down and caused him to scream out in pain He got back up and went for a tail whip and try to poison her.
She caught the stinger with her free hand and with the other deployed the energy dagger and sliced off the stinger. He howled again in pain. As he was scrambling around on the ground she walked up to him and withdrew a sticky grenade. She activated it and slammed it into the back of his head and grabbed his tail and hammer threw him towards the door as the grenade exploded.
Raven had been following Summer's movements since she removed her helmet. She was so in shock that she did not realize that Qrow was in the same stooper. Both siblings watched as she kicked Tyrian's ass. Vernal was the one that came up and grabbed her as Cinder got Lionheart's pocket watch and placed it in the statue's hands. The three got on the elevator with Raven being more on autopilot. The realization of the tank was Summer. Her little sister.
The whole ride down was just her wrapping her mind around it.
The trio walked forward towards the vault taking in the majesty of the chamber as they strode forward.
With crazy now dead or at least out to the fight, she could now turn her attention to Hazel as he took to fighting Ren and Nora with Weiss, Jaune, and Oscar trying to wake Ruby up. She saw Qrow in a daze over something that she could not tell yet. She strode forward and caught Ren as Hazel threw him with Nora sailing past to hit a post. She turned her head and saw Yang fighting no one. But she was still fighting something. She spotted the green-haired girl just looking at Yang with concentration.
' A semblance based on illusions?' she thought as she drew her sidearm and sent a round her way breaking her concentration and snapping Yang out of her shadow fight. She snapped her head around and saw the girl and the boy turning around to face her.
The boy ran forward and kicked. She felt an impact hit her chest as a gunshot rang out from where his boots were.
" Hasn't anyone told you to wait your turn? I am not done with this braud yet." He said as the girl tried to get Yang back under her spell. But Yang was able to see right through it and sent her a punch to the face. It sent the girl flying back into the boy, crashing the two into the ground.
Ruby opened her eyes slowly as she heard the sound of fighting. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was both Jaune and Weiss looking at her.
" Ruby! Your up! You had us worried. We need as much help as we can get. Cinder took Raven and her tribe's person to the relic vault! It is weird. After Emerald hit you, another light flashed and Noble took her helmet off, which got the attention of your sister and Uncle as well as Raven." Jaune was telling her as she looked over to see Yang was fighting Emerald and...her mom fighting Mercury.
" Mom." was all she said catching the attention of the two.
" What do you mean by mom Ruby?" Weiss asked as the girl started to tear up at the sight.
" But she died. How?"
" Ruby, I am sure you can tell us what you mean when this is done, but right now I think you should get into the fight!" Weiss told her as she helped her to her feet.
She still looked at the Spartan not believing what she was seeing. Noble six, Natsuki, a woman who had amnesia had the same look like her mother. With some scarring from near hits of course.
She watched as she threw Mercury into Emerald, just to get bulldozed by Hazel.
"Help Mom with Hazel, I will go and help Yang." She said getting Crescent Rose out and ready.
She dashed in and smacked Emerald with the flat of her blade before striking a pose.
" Sis. You OK?" Yang asked.
" No Yang. I am not ok. I am angry." was all she said as Mercury got back up.
" Oh, and what are you going to do shrimp. You won't even be able to touch me." He said shooting her scythe out of her hands. He ran up for a punch as Yang went back to dueling Emerald.
Ruby ducked under the punch and used the crown of her head to head butt him in the nose. He reeled back in surprise and shock at the fact that she hit him without the use of her garden tool.
She looked at him with disdain as she picked her scythe back up, " Whatever it takes."
Hazel threw the Spartan into a colm, cracking it.
" I may not have been the one that killed you. And I am sorry that Tyrian had to take you away from your children, but you should not follow Ozpin. He would send them to die for no reason." he said to her. She noticed that he shoved a couple of dust crystals into his arms as his voice seemed to have an echo to it.
" You haven't given me a reason to trust you or join your side. And dip shit over their attacked an innocent girl for no other reason than because he wanted to." she responded.
" That may be. But if what he said is true, then you should have stayed hidden."
" I don't even know what you are talking about. I came from a doomed planet hoping to warn this rock of a possible threat that they probably are not ready for."
Hazel threw a punch that she dodged. It was obvious that he did not want to fight someone who is a mother. She could see it in his eyes.
" You lost someone haven't you?" She asked.
" I lost my sister to that monster." was all he said as he went in again.
She stepped inside his reach and stabbed his side. He didn't even grunt in pain as he swatted her away. She skidded to a halt but used the momentum to roll backward and even further out of his way. She drew her BR and sighted him...just to see him go sailing out of the room through the door.
She looked and saw Weiss with a big hornet like creature behind her. She looked back outside and saw a bunch of people in white robes and masks, all with weapons in a casual position. Suddenly spotlights were shown on them as Hazel stabbed two more crystals into his arms as he said something to the leader by the looks of him.
She heard the sound of fighting and looked to see Yang give a haymaker to the green-haired chick as Qrow took on the grey-haired punk. The sound of boot steps was herd as she spun and saw Ruby approach with her helmet and shotgun. She looked up at her with tears as she sniffled and offered the two items to her.
" When this is done, we need to have a long talk. Ok, mom?" She asked.
Noble just nodded as she slid her helmet back on and with a sudden pop of energy, the shields came back online.
ShadowHawk popped up on her HUD with a look that showed his relief and that he was troubled.
" Kid, when we are done, I got something to show you." He told her with an unnatural forwardness.
" Yea. Me too." she said to him
The ground shook from something happening down below.
They turned to the elevator as Hazel jumped back in standing between them with Mercury and Emerald took up positions.
" You are not getting past us. Cinder will return victorious and kill you all." Emerald said with glee.
" Does this chic even know who she is talking to? You could go through her like and energy sword through soft butter." Shadow said with his sass returning.
Noble looked at her assembled group and the line of people in front of her. She took in each person, their size and how they could stop her. Where would the weakest link be? Probably between the two children. Sliding her BR back onto her back and took the shotgun off, and charged. By the time they realized what was going on, she had the barrel stuck in the boy's gut and fired shattering his aura. And by the time Emerald was able to wrap a chain around her she was plummeting down the elevator shaft.
Raven slammed her blade into Cinders. Everything was going well all things considered. No scratch that. Things took a turn when the soldier's helmet was ripped off to reveal her face. Summer's face. A face she should not be seeing. A face that held the marks of battle and war. A face that she longed to see again. And since then, her mind has been everywhere. She thought about her, the soldier, her daughter, her husband, and the mission.
Of which was another thing. Her and Vernal were going to ambush Cinder and take the relic, but Cinder beat them to it. She froze Raven before her right arm shot forward and impaled Vernal. Telling her that the power that she had would be put to better use through her and that she was unworthy of the power of a maiden.
That was when the truth was revealed, Raven broke through the ice and told it to her face that she was the Spring Maiden. Not Vernal.
And from there it was a contest of wit, strength, and endurance. The fight displayed the power of a Maiden as each pulled out all the stops as the ceiling shook and by extension, the floor of the academy shaking stones lose and making some temporary fighting ground.
Each one stood across from each other ready for another go.
Raven clashed her blade again with Cinders. Each could tell that this was going to be the last bout before one gave out. Cinder was confident that she would be the one on top of this, with Raven thinking the same thing. As she was looking at her opponent over, she saw something from the corner of her eye. A white figure dropped at high speeds towards the ground. A cloud of dust was thrown up as it landed.
' Maybe. Hopefully, she can help throw the fight further into my favor.' Raven thought parrying another hard strike. All she had to do was to hold on.
As Noble landed she had to wait a couple of seconds to let the pressure bleed off. That impart was hard. She dropped a good hundred meters before she hit dirt. Once she felt the pressure bleed off she got up with her BR out and at the ready. She pushed the brush out of the way and saw Cinder and Raven fighting. A coss maybe. But who was the one to betray the other?
" Ok kid. I suggest helping Milf Yang with black hair. Teach the one with a frostbit arm a lesson in humility. Knock her down a peg or twelve." Shadow said putting a kill marker on Cinder.
She told Shadow to give her the cloak as she walked out turning invisible.
She snuck up to the two combatants as Raven managed to give a good kick to Cinder sending her back into Noble. She grabbed Cinder dropping her cloak and threw her headfirst into the ground behind her.
Cinder flopped onto her back with her looking blankly up at the ceiling as Raven and Noble held weapons at the ready.
" Give me one good reason I should not shoot you." Noble said to her.
Raven just looked at her blankly.
" Summer. I" She started but could not find the right words, " I did what I had to do to survive. But how did you survive? I heard that you died?" Raven asked her.
" I don't know how you knew Summer, but you must realize that I am not her. Or maybe I am? I don't even know right now. Am I my own person? Or am I just a shell for something else?" She asked more to herself than to Raven.
Cinder managed to get her wits about her as she moved her fingers and toes. No spinal damage thank god. She could hear the two talking. Those insects. She scowled as she shakily got to her feet summoning two swords.
" You nuisance of a woman. You and this toy of yours have nothing more than a death wish. Who do you think you are to through me around like a rag doll." She demanded.
Both women looked at her as she ran forward with a downward slash towards Noble and a pillar of flame from the other side towards Raven. Both moved with Noble deploying her energy dagger from her forearm and stopped the blade from hitting her as Cinder spun and used the second sword to try and stab her in her side.
Raven then slashed her back sending her forward as Noble slid her rifle onto her back and gave her a hard punch to the side of her head making her stumble as her aura shattered. She powered up and made another sword that would cut through Noble's armor as if it was an energy sword. Cinder went for a horizontal cut followed by vertical cut hoping to spit her skull in half.
Noble dove out of the way as the blades sunk into the earth. With the blade still out she sunk the blade into her Cinders shoulder earning a howl of pain as Raven slashed her back. Noble then planted her knife into Cinders' side earning even more screams of pain.
Cinder tried to keep fighting. She was promised power from Salam. Power to rule the damn world after she can put Salam down for good. She had to win, she will win. And when she was done, she was going to humiliate these to pests. And that girl upstairs. She was going to take the eyes of both Ruby and this woman who was taken care of from Tyrian and leave them broken and in tatters. With the image in her mind, she fed more power to her maiden powers and made a flame twister with her in the center.
" Kid, that thing is burning as hot a foundry furnace. You are not going to be able to get a bullet through to hit her. Do you have anything that can get through that?" Shadow asked.
" Nope. I do not." She replied.
Raven, on the other hand, did have a counter. She channeled her power into her hand and shot an intense beam of ice into the tornado that cooled it down immediately.
" Summer take it!" she shouted as the water was being thrown into all directions soaking Raven and drenching Noble with water as she fired.
" AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Cinder came flying out of the tornado with blood flowing out of her wounded shoulder. She hit the ground with her mask shattering to reveal that she was missing an eye with hideous scarring. She pushed herself up and glared daggers at the two.
" You will not win. I will kill each of you, but not until after I break you." She said spitting out blood.
Noble just looked at her and pulled the trigger. The three rounds buried themselves into the stone next to the gate. Cinder's eyes rolled to the back of her head as she dropped off of the edge.
Raven looked at Noble in pure shock. Never. Never has she seen Summer kill anyone. She has always tried to talk people down and avoid a fight. Summer was a sweet person, not a killer.
" Summer. What happened to you?" She asked her with shock.
Nat just looked at her. She looked around to make sure the area was clear and secure before she took off her helmet as she looked at her.
" I am assuming that we knew each other at some point?" She asked her.
Raven had a hurt look on her face.
" Summer, we were teammates. You were like a kid sister to us. You had the energy and spirit that kept us going," Raven said sheathing her blade and turning to face her, " you had the innocence of a child and would never kill someone. You always tried to talk people down and avoid needing to draw your weapon if you could. Well unless it was against Grimm. Then you went nuts. But that is beside the point."
" Raven, there's a lot that has happened. And a good portion of it is classified so I can't tell you all of it. What I can say is that Summer is dead. She was somehow teleported to Reach in a critical state. She was stabilized and a clone was made from her. She died shortly afterward." Noble told her.
Raven still just looked at her. " Are you the clone then?" She asked.
" I might be. I don't know. I had an interaction with someone that is making me rethink a lot as well as a video that needs to be cleaned up." She told her.
Raven took the time to study the face. The silver eyes that had a mix of caution, steel and at the same time she could see a warmth even a smile hidden behind the soldier. The face of a kind woman marred with scars and near misses. A scar that ran from the bottom of her right eye to her jaw, another one that ran down the left side of her lips. The hair was the same length tied back into a braid. The black fading into red towards the end. She looked just like Summer, sounded like her as well. But at the same time, she had that air of a veteran soldier who has seen in all and done it all.
" Now open the gate. Let's get this relic and get it out of here and in a more secure area." She said turning around and moving towards the fan-shaped door. Raven followed and stopped at Vernal's body.
" Thank you, Vernal." Raven said holding a moment of silence for her fallen friend. She stood back up and walked to the door and opened it. The fans folded up as it opened up the room to reveal a desert beyond with a lamp floating over a pedestal.
Before either could make a move forward, the sound of a shotgun going off was herd as both turned to see Yang drop and land in front of Raven and Noble.
" Mom." was all she said while addressing Raven standing up. She then turned her attention to Noble with her eyes lighting up a little bit.
" Everything upstairs going well?" Noble asked.
" More or less. Blake and the White Fang of old came in and started to round everyone else up. As for Emerald, Hazel and Mercury, they are on their last leg. What happened to her?" She asked spotting Cinder as she started to turn green as she saw the pool of blood spreading around her body.
Nat looked back at her and simply said that she got what she deserved. Yang still looked queasy as she turned back to Raven.
" Is that the relic?" She asked pointing with her left hand as her right prosthetic was absent.
Raven just looked away as she said it was.
" Are you going to take it and run like you always do?" she asked.
Raven took a breath. " I left for a reason."
" What? Like abandoning me and dad for a sense of freedom? Not needing a child to look after or a husband to be with? Not needing to settle down and live like a selfish teenager?" She asked, " Or are you scared of the challenge it brings?"
" You speak of challenge and fear to me? While you tremble like a leaf?" Raven shot back.
" Yea, I am scared. I am terrified of what Salam could do. Which is why you are going to let me take the relic." Yang said as her hand shook but the confidence in her voice held strong.
" And why would I let you do that?" Raven shot back.
" BECAUSE YOU ARE AFRAID OF SALAM!" Yang exclaimed, " If you think that being a Maiden didn't put a target on your back then being a Maiden and having a relic will. But if I take it, then she will come after me and leave you alone." Yang told her walking into the desert-like realm.
Raven held her forearm as she cried. " Yang I-I…" She didn't finish as she shifted and flew into the portal she opened before Nat could grab her. Yang just walked forward into the desert and claimed the lamp she walked back out to see Noble and black feathers lying on the ground.
She dropped to her knees and cried. The woman who carried her, who birthed her just left again. Just like the first time. A coward. A woman who did not want to be with her daughter and would leave her out to dry instead of being with her.
As her sobs were heard, Nat knelt in front of her and placed a hand on her shoulder. Yang looked up with tears trailing down her face.
" Why did she leave me again mom?" She asked.
Nat just looked at her not knowing what to say. She just said the first thing that came to her mind. " Some people just don't know what to do when they have conflicting feelings. So they flee."
Yang just fell into her chest as Nat patted her head and held her as she let it out. And that is where they knelt for a good couple minutes as Yang let the hurt out.
" Yang, we should head back up. The others may need us to back them up." She told her.
Yang nodded as she stood up wiping the tears away from her eyes. She followed the giant armored woman to the platform with it starting to rise shortly after they got on.
Back up stairs, it was three on five. Emerald and Mercury were breathing heavily with Hazel just looking pissed off more than anything.
" Just stop already! It's over!" Ruby said breathing heavily as well.
" No. Cinder will return and we will be victorious! You are nothing compared to her. NOTHING!" Emerald yelled at Ruby as the sound of the platform coming up. Emerald smiled ready to see the woman that gave her purpose and reason. She had great respect for the woman to the point where she wants a deeper relationship with other than a subordinate.
What greeted them was Yang holding the lamp and Noble fully ready to go as she had her weapon trained on the three. Emerald's eyes widened in shock as she dropped to her knees with tears.
" Emerald, we need to get out of here. You mind doing your thing and get us out of here?" Mercury asked sliding next to her. He tried a couple of more times before Emerald managed to snap back use her semblance on the assembled teenagers. The illusion was of Salam. A Salam that grew to the ceiling and was disjointed before she soared into the teens just to vanish as Emrad passed out due to shock and grief...and you know, Hazel grabbed both children and ran.
After the reunion and rounding everyone up, everyone decided to head back to the house for some much-needed rest and recoup. And for some questions that must be asked and answered. Ruby and Yang linked their arms with Noble's like they thought that she would disappear if they let her out of their sight. They were so afraid that their mom would vanish just like last time.
As they started to make their way back, a new voice yet at the same time familiar one was herd.
" Ok, who are we taking down here? What ass hole do we need to put six feet under here?"
Everyone turned and saw...Red standing there armed and ready to go for a war.
Noble turned with the others with Weiss, Blake, and Yang drawing their weapons.
" Wooo. Easy there you three. He is...friendly? He at least is not on our kill list." Noble and Shadow said.
" Oh! Noble! Shadow! It is so good to see you two again. You have no idea how much I have been cockblocked. First, it was Gaul, then the Fanatic, Ezio just offed the templar pope, Trigger took out Huggin and Munnin, and the MechWorrier just kill Blake, all on top of the knights winning the crusade. So please tell me that I can get some action here!" he pleaded.
" Dude, I would love to tell you that we still have Leo Lionheart to deal with but he was strangled to death and Cinder is also six feet under, courtesy of yours truly here. So I had to tell you this but...we took care of everyone. I am sorry but you just got cockblocked again." Shadow told him.
Red's eye twitched a couple of times. " Your joking right? Please tell me you are joking." he pleaded.
" I am afraid not." he said.
Red started to giggle. Then laugh as he started to cry, " WHY MUST MY LUCK BE SO HORRIBLE?" he shouted as his shoulders slumped.
" I am sorry but we are on our way back to the house if you think you can stick around for a meal and explanation." he said hoping to cheer the warrior tech up.
" Your best man." Red said.
" Yea I am. And don't you forget it." Shadow said as they all started to walk to the house.
We find it to be a day after the battle of Haven and at the house that held the group. In one particular room, we find Noble out of her armor as she had Shadow in a data pad. He was sitting on a chair with his arms hanging over the back.
" So. You cleaned the video up?" She asked.
He nodded.
" And I met Summer Rose." she said with a shake of her head. She then looked up at Shadow and asked only one thing.
" Show me."
Shadow got up and clapped his hands as a video popped up and the video began to play.
Ok, so I am ending it here. It is long enough so I am sure you all can agree that it needed to end. We just covered the entire battle of Haven witch was three to four episodes. And who could forget the reveal? Gasp! Shock! I knew going into this story that any sense of mystery would be weak at best but ehh. I know a number of people figured it out and I have asked that you keep it to yourselves on the off chance someone doesn't get it or is just playing ignorant. The next chapter will go into the video that Noble downloaded.
But that is in the future. In the now though...It was just Christmas and we are coming into the new year! I hope you all had a good Holiday season.
And with this chapter is done, I will be going back to The Huntress and The Spartan. I did two chapters of that and this would be two chapters here, so it will be back to our normal schedule of an on-off chapter...you know. One chapter here and then another in the other one. So yea I don't have much.
Reach is out on MCC and PC, Season of Dawn is out and boy do I have words to say on both. Good and bad.
So let's start with Reach. It is good. A good port. Everything is running smoothly and I could not be happier. The only gripe I have is the leveling system. It is so linear and tedious. No unique armor sets to mix and match like it did in the original. I liked how you earned credits to buy armor and that made your spartan unique to others. You can buy what you want to make your own badass. Some pieces of armor cost more and you had to be a certain rank to unlock. Now? I had to wait till I was on the second tree to get shoulder armor. Shoulder armor to make my spartan start to stand out. Do you guys remember when the original Reach gave you like 10,000 credits? That was enough for a couple of shoulder pieces as well a helmet and some attachments if I remembered correctly. Could be a couple more things but eh. So to wait until my second tree to get shoulder pieces, as well as chest pieces, sucked. Aside from that, I got one more thing to gripe about...why the hell is there no XP given for playing Campaign or customs? In OG reach you always made credits no matter what you are doing. Some granted more credits than others but still. You never felt like your time was wasted.
Not onto a funny thing that happened, so I was playing a limited FireFight on Installation 04 and when the AI took the man canon to the back platform they would just slide off like the had wheels or grease on the bottom of their feet. Nothing funnier than to see a Hunter get shot from the man canon just to slide off the edge of the platform like a loony toon.
And no I got some things to say about Destiny 2 season of Dawn. I loved the story of saving Saint-14 and who can forget those cutscenes. But it sucks that it will be going to be gone in three months and I know I probably never will get the season ornaments for the armor. The sundial is ok but like Vex offensive, you can tell there was no longevity to it. Which sucks because I like the quest of finding Saint-14 and then saving his ass.
But I got nothing else to say. So what do you guys think of Reach and the season of Dawn?
Now let's get to the Reviews!
Jack Redhawke
Needs a lot of revising for spelling and grammar
Isn't qrows sword named harbinger
Pretty sure that beam wouldn't hurt a Spartan in full MJOLNIR armor regardless of armor lock
Very nice, some grammar and spelling issues, but overall well done
Ok, so I hope you don't mind but I put all your comments into one. Way easier to handle on my end. So with that said, Yea I know I got spelling and grammar issues. But it just reminds me that I am human and that even technology can screw you over. Believe it or not, I do a spell and grammar check and even then I miss stuff.
For Qrow's weapon. When doing research I never found one way or another if it was confirmed. Yes, there is a wiki page but when looking it over I never was able to find the name for his weapon. I am under the impression that Harbinger is just a fan name for it that stuck. IF it is the weapon's then, well, shit. Oh well. I haven't heard it spoken in the show and I haven't heard it get confirmed by one of the producers. If it was confirmed then please share with me where it was. I don't watch any of the podcasts or really anything other than RWBY, RWBY CHIBI, and RVB. I just am not that big into seeing the behind the scenes or much else they make. Camp Camp, GENLOCK, just does not catch me.
And your question on Armor Lock, you are probably right. But this is also a twelve-foot long 4x4 that fell from a roof. While at first, it may not be much, you add in the fact it was dropped, you got a projectile that could and probably would bend or puncture metal. Physics is such a wonderful concept.
So I thank you for the support and comments and hope to see you again in the comment section
PerseusRex
*Deep inhale*
I am so glad you're back! (For real)
This chapter was amazing and I love that Mando Reference.
Shadow was a personality I didn't know missed. I also secretly wonder if he already knows who Nat really is.
I just really enjoy the whole dynamic between SpartanAI, Spartan and Huntsmen, and AIHuntsman. Its hilarious!
I eaglerly await the next installement!
Well, thank you. I saw a number of memes of the Mandolorian and had to see what the deal was. So I watched it and had a blast. But why oh why put baby Yoda in danger right before Christmas? How am I supposed to enjoy a Christmas like that? Oh well. He came out fine at the end as well as a foundling. MandoYoda. The way, This is. - Yoda noises-
NEXT TOPIC! I modeled Shadow off of my best friend. In fact, he was going to be my original Beta and editor. So when he found out that he was the AI, he decided to spice him up a bit. All the sass was from him. You can tell when he had to drop out. A good portion of CH1 is his work.
Yes, it does grow on you and I guess you can say he is in the early stages of Rampancy. Not a big of a problem. Calmia was fifteen when she was terminated in White Glove. So Shadow will be around until I say otherwise...which won't be for a while. So yea I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
I guess this is it. We are going to be heading into season 6. The Mistral arc will be coming to an end. I know some people have asked if the Covenant will be showing up, and I think I have a good idea that you will just need to wait and see. I am not sure when I will start planting seeds for it but we will get there eventually.
Aside from that, the last thing I have to say is that I got a new book up. It is nothing much, just a book for one-shot stories, holiday specials, and things that did not make the cut, and AUs of stories. It is in the RWBY section because most of what I post is going to be RWBY crossovers. So that is where you will find things I had to cut, slight AU's to stories, Holiday specials, and maybe some one-shot stories with the occasional second part if need be. So an example of a slight AU would be something along the lines of if John got together with Raven, Summer, Willow, and Glynda. That is an example, not a thing… or could it be? I don't know, it is something to think about.
But I am sure you all want to rest your eyes and brain. Thanks for being such wonderful people. Now go rest your brain.
So Fly Fast, Check 6, and I will see all you wonderful people in the new year and on the virtual battlefield.