Trainer to Huntsman

by Kallerston

When a Pokémon trainer and his team wind up in Remnant: what adventures will he get up to, how will he adapt and survive, and how much of destiny could he change. A new piece has been added to the game, so... Let's play.

59. Chapter 56: The Last Wave

The previously crowded streets of early morning commuters in the city of Vale's Commercial District, were all but abandoned now. With most local residents having fled or been guided to the city's shelters. It was on nowhere near the same level as that of the ruins of Mountain Glenn. Though it perhaps served as an uncomfortable reminder of what could happen, should the unknowingly fragile peace continue to be chipped away at.

In one particular backstreet alley, shrouded in the shadow of dawn and hiding away a lone red dumpster covered in dusty graffiti, a dark crimson portal appeared. The rift in space momentarily whirring in isolation, where from the inside of its whirling abyss, Kai's black boot stepped out onto the pavement.

Immediately from the feel alone he could tell he was somewhere completely different. Unlike the crunchy, uneven dirt inside Mountain Glenn's cavern, the ground Kai was stepping on now felt completely smooth to the touch. The feelings of encroaching upon new terrain were proven as Kai stuck his head and upper body out of the portal next. Immediately he felt his person washed over with freshness. The previously stale underground air was replaced with a gentle morning breeze. The darkness of the underground city, disappearing with the sun rising over Vale's rooftops.

It was a moment of alleviation for Kai. One that allowed him to briefly forget the current circumstances. As an unbearable tension in his chest started to fade away, he inhaled a massive gulp of air as though he had been left parched for days.

Kai exited the portal completely alongside his Talonflame and Slurpuff. The three briefly taking in and recognising their new surroundings in their own way, before the crimson passageway left by the mysterious masked woman closed in on itself behind them.

"We really are in Vale." Kai murmured to his Pokémon in relief. "We're out."

"You almost sound surprised." Talonflame pointed out. "Don't tell me you actually had us go through there expecting a death trap on the other end?"

"I'm just relieved, that's all." Kai exhaled deeply before puffing in his chest, taking another deep breath before letting out a hearty sigh. "And glad that we're out of that underground ghost town. It felt like if we were there any longer, I was gonna suffocate."

"Speaking of." Talonflame started to say. "What was wrong with you back there?!"

"What? You know I don't like caves, or the underground in general." Kai answered half-heartedly. "It's dark, it's cramped, it's filthy, it's swarming with Zubat's-"

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!" Talonflame shouted. "You were on edge the whole time! And way more sensitive! When me and Slurpuff took a hit you acted like we were about to keel over! Do you think we're that weak?!"

"What?! No! It's not like that Talonflame it's just-just-" Kai stammered. "I just don't want to see my family getting hurt in a place like that."

"Don't see how fighting underground is different from fighting above it." Talonflame flapped his wings, bringing himself up to Kai's eye level. "You've always been skittish around caves, but there was something different this time. And I don't just mean because we're in a different world! So, what's going on?!"

"I…"

Before Kai could say more, he was suddenly cut off by Slurpuff stomping forward, with her eyes closed and her nose furiously sniffing the air. The sound of the Meringue Pokémon's aggressive sniffs distracting the trainer.

"Slurpuff, what's wrong?" Kai asked.

Slurpuff's eyes opened and she dramatically pointed her stubby paw out of the alley. "A friendly parfume approaches!"

"A what?!" Talonflame squawked.

Around the corner of the dumpster the trio started hearing two weary figures running into the alleyway and catching their breaths.

"I think we lost them." The first voice said. "Remind me again why you couldn't just shoot them."

"I don't know, remind me again why you kept strengthening their attacks?!" The second more female voice berated.

"Those voices?!" Kai murmured in recognition as he quickly turned the corner.

Around the dumpster he visually identified the two as none other than his Greninja and Yang Xiao Long. The two placing their backs against the wall to take a moment of reprieve, so they could argue about whose fault it was in their recent skirmish.

"Look, sometimes you win the dice roll. Other times you lose. It happens." Greninja explained.

"Or maybe you didn't need to roll the dice in the first place!" Yang complained.

"Greninja! Yang!" Kai called out as he walked towards them, alongside his other Pokémon.

The Pokémon and Huntress-in training heard their names called and looked behind them to see Kai and the others coming around the corner.

"Kai!" Yang cried in response.

"Ha! Took you long enough to find us!" Greninja joked as he looked behind his trainer to see an unconscious Xerosic getting dragged by the collar. "But you got us a present so all is forgiven."

"Is Ruby with you?" Yang asked.

Kai disparagingly shook his head. "Sorry, but no. She was teleported somewhere else at the same time as Greninja and the others."

As Kai spoke with Yang, Slurpuff waddled past her trainer and toward the Huntress-in training in question. Her nostrils flaring as she vigorously sniffed the young adolescent's leg.

"Um, do you mind? Getting a little too close there." Yang awkwardly said, using the sole of her boot to gently nudge the Fairy type Pokémon away.

"Hmm? Sorry blonde parfume but your parfume, its scent resembles…" Slurpuff trailed off as she didn't quite know how to continue.

"Enough with the yapping!" Talonflame suddenly squawked. "Or did you all forgot, we're in the middle of a battlefield?!"

"Talonflame's right." Kai listened to his Pokémon and nodded. "Just because I stopped Xerosic from commanding Team Flare there's still the White Fang, not to mention all the Grimm. If only there was a way we could rendezvous with the others."

"About that." Yang interjected. "It's just a hunch, but we think there's something big happening in the city square."

"What makes you say that?" Kai asked.

"Aside from the constant sight and sound of carnage that's been happening in that general direction?" Greninja rhetorically asked.

"Based on the way the Grimm have been moving, it seems they're all heading in that direction. There must be some sort of negativity attracting them, like how Doctor Oobleck said they were attracted to the White Fang's base." Yang compared.

"And unless the White Fang are in-fighting on whose got the creepiest mask, it's probably cause someone's fighting back." Greninja added.

"And let's face it, only someone we know would be crazy enough to try something like that." Yang concluded.

"Besides, even if the others aren't there right now. Chances are they've noticed like us and are on their way too. We figure we'll probably meet them there or on the way, just like we caught up with you Kai." Greninja summarised.

"I guess that makes sense. Heading towards the action definitely sounds better than just doing nothing. But just to be sure-" Kai looked to Talonflame and Slurpuff. "Talonflame! You take Slurpuff and fly on ahead to the city's centre! If it's nothing, then fly back and tell us, but if Yang and Greninja are right then you two try and help out until we get there!"

Slurpuff raised her paw and saluted. "You can count on our parfume!"

"You gonna be able to take care of yourself until then?" Talonflame asked.

"As long as I've got Gant Blindé I can handle the Grimm just fine." Kai pointed behind him toward Yang and Greninja, using his previously mentioned gauntlets. "Besides I'm not alone, Yang and Greninja are here too."

Talonflame gave his trainer a serious look. He still wasn't over the way Kai acted underground, at how overly-sensitive and distracted he was. But looking at him now, he seemed normal – well – what was normal for his trainer anyway. And he wasn't gonna lose faith in him just like that, though he still wasn't gonna forget what happened any time soon.

"If you say so." Talonflame finally uttered.

He came down to the ground, allowing Slurpuff to climb onto his plumage. Without another word, Talonflame flapped his wings and took off into the air with the Fairy type mounted on his back. Rendering the image of Kai and the others as nothing but small specs before he flew forward, travelling above the highest rooftops as he quickly headed toward the town centre.

The trainer, huntress-in training and Pokémon saw them off before looking to each other with a determined expression.

"Alright! Let's get going!" Kai said determinedly.

"Uh, what are we gonna do about that guy?" Yang asked.

The blonde pointed a finger behind Kai, making him turn to see the still unconscious Xerosic slouched on the ground.

"Riiight." Kai said as he realised the Team Flare scientist was in no position to move on his own. "I guess someone will need to carry hi-"

"Not it!" Greninja interrupted.

"Not it!" Yang quickly said in unison.

Kai just briefly looked at his partner Pokémon and friend before sighing, going over to the unconscious scientist and doing his best to lift him.

"Should have seen that coming." Kai sighed.

---

While Kai, Greninja and Yang began making their way to the city square, the destination in question was still heavily under siege. Whether it was from the initial crowds of people panicking when this security breach started, or the continuous fights for survival currently ongoing, the space had quickly become a gathering place for the various Grimm species and packs that had been teleported randomly across the Kingdom. Serving as a focal point of interest amongst the unfamiliar terrain. Wave after wave of Grimm continued to show up expecting a slaughter. But none of them having been self-aware enough to realise that they were not the ones engaging in it.

Ruby continued swinging Crescent Roses' curved blade through the Grimm. The first-year Huntress-in training mowing packs of them down like a lawn mower through weeds. Scattering the area with trimmings made from butchered Grimm parts and a spattering of blood red petals.

Robin kept holding the line despite her Aura being depleted. Using her years of Pokémon training to issue orders with stern authority to her team. Dispelling the dark intruders at every corner of the city centre with a serious of elemental attacks.

Crushing rock. Rushing water. Virulent poison. Searing flames. Chilling ice.

Her five Pokémon were making short work of the monsters, keeping them far away from their trainer who observed and positioned her team from afar. That was until a trio of Beowolves managed to slip through an opening. Running toward the seemingly alone and defenceless Robin. With her Pokémon and her Semblance unavailable, she seemed to lack any meaningful protection from the approaching threat. She was open and primed for takedown.

Or so the trio expected.

Just before the Grimm reached her, their filthy paws treaded upon stealthily scattered Toxic Spikes. Their sharpened tips puncturing through their outermost layers of fur and injecting them with a noxious poison. The Beowolves lurched and howled in nausea, with sickly purple bubbles escaping their jaws. Dealing with the strange and unfamiliar status of being infected with Pokémon venom.

Hearing their whines and recognising that her traps had been set off, Robin turned towards the Grimm and pointed one of her left fingers toward them.

"Clawitzer, take them out with Venoshock!" Robin ordered.

From nearly half-way across the square, Robin's Clawitzer's felt her whiskers quiver when she heard the call of her trainer. The Howitzer Pokémon spun on her tail 180°, facing her so-called Captain and aiming her large claw at the enemies behind her. Three pressurised streams of special purple liquid shot out of the giant pincer in quick succession. Forming dense globs that travelled like bullets before blasting the Grimm with explosive force.

The Pokémon move's power doubled from the Grimm's sickened affliction, making them no match as their bodies fizzled away from within the attack's murky aftermath. Hearing the commotion, Ruby looked over her shoulder to see Robin staring towards three smouldering streams of smog, mixed with soot-like Grimm ashes.

"You, okay?" Ruby asked concerningly.

"Of course, I am!" Robin defensively exclaimed. "I've been baiting Grimm into beds of Beedrill's Toxic Spikes since I first got trapped on this stupid world!"

Ruby tilted her head in response. "Huh? I didn't know Grimm could get poisoned."

"Where I'm from Poison type Pokémon can inflict their status even on inorganic types like Rock and Ghost." Robin mentioned matter-of-factly. "I guess their venom is potent enough to even affect soulless monsters like Grimm too."

"What?! That's so dangerously cool! Imagine if people coated their weapons with it!" Ruby fangirled.

THUD!

Before the weapons nerd could continue theorising the applications of Grimm-designed chemical weaponry. The two girls were rudely interrupted when one more Paladin appeared around the corner of a street, charging towards the city square right for them.

"Do those things also happen to work on giant robots?" Ruby asked innocently.

Robin scowled. "Regrettably, no."

Ruby and Robin both turned to face the approaching Paladin. The two huntresses-in training preparing themselves to fight back as they were about to face another war machine.

When a jet-black silhouette swooped in overhead!

"Supersonic!"

The silhouette's maw opened, emitting an ear grating, high-pitched squeal that could be heard throughout the square. The air vibrated, being tinted a pinkish-purple hue to visualise the longitudinal soundwaves, as they focused in on the Atlesian Paladin. The supersonic frequency didn't make a dent on the outside but instead was absorbed inside, infiltrating its way through the machine and reverberating all the way to the cockpit – Where the pilot sat.

The White Fang member piloting the Paladin was assaulted by the bizarre noise. Its sound reverberating and echoing off the cockpit's interior walls, forcing the faunus to listen to it at maximum volume. A torture made even more agonising by the cruel fact that their extra animal appendage was a second pair of ears. Giving them extra sensitive hearing that was currently being exploited against them.

Confused and suffering, the White Fang member lost control of the Atlesian Paladin. Frantically putting his hands against the sides of his head and wildly flailing out of control. Bashing and shoving the mech's controls as he thrashed about, resulting in the Paladin acting and moving sporadically. Repeatedly being driven into the buildings, losing its balance and swinging its massive arms at nothing, and firing off any and all weapons in its arsenal indiscriminately. All of this before finally tripping up over itself and falling flat on its front, the sudden shaking throwing the pilot out of their seat and bashing their head against the metal insides. A blow which after having their head feel like it was drilled in, knocked them out cold, leaving the Paladin unmanned and immovable.

After witnessing the Paladin defeat itself rather than having to attack it directly, the silhouette gently fluttered down to ground level where the early morning light revealed them as Kai's Noivern. The Sound Wave Pokémon perched his red toes on top of the collapsed Paladin's metallic frame and stared down at it awkwardly.

"Sorry about that." Noivern apologised. "Except not really, because you kinda deserved it for trying to hurt a bunch of people."

Below the fallen mech, Ruby smirked at seeing Kai's team member dispatch another enemy before she looked to Robin who was being crowded by her own group of Pokémon. All of them having cleared out the most recent Grimm sightings, and giving them a chance to regroup with their Trainer.

"Do you think that's all of them?" Ruby asked, looking around.

"Looks like it for now." Robin answered seriously. "But without cutting off Team Flare at the source, there's nothing to stop them from dropping in reinforcements."

Suddenly Noivern's large, concaved ears perked up and he grew a worried expression on his face. "Um guys?! I hear something coming! Something…rumbling?"

"Rumbling?" Ruby repeated.

It didn't take long for Ruby to discover what Noivern truly meant.

She, Robin and all the other Pokémon began to pick up on a strange sound getting louder and louder, like thunder in an approaching storm. The tarmac roads and grassy field in the square lightly shook, making tiny bits of rocky debris and scrap metal shake and clink as they moved.

Then all at once a stampede of various Grimm species began flooding in from all sides. Storming through the streets, climbing over buildings, or in the case of the flock of mixed-sized Nevermore, flying down from above.

Appearing as though all of the randomly scattered and teleported Grimm converged all at once at the same negative-ridden location.

"We're surrounded!" Robin announced,

"More already?!" Ruby cried out.

Robin quickly looked to her team. "We need to get back in position! Tyrantrum charge forward and use-!"

"Wait! I hear something else! Someone else!" Noivern suddenly interrupted, perking his head up again as he listened more intently. "It sounds kind of like-!"

"Noraaaaaa-!"

The person's voice became audible to all, as Nora Valykrie announced her presence and soared into the heat of battle. Though unlike her namesake, instead of charging in upon a winged stallion, Nora rode, or rather propelled herself upon her signature war hammer – Magnhild.

"SMASH!"

Nora swung her hammer forward, her weapon's face colliding with the first object in its path; a King Taijutu's scaly head.

All of the huntresses' accumulated momentum was unleashed in one strike. Releasing a spark of pink Aura before Nora propelled herself back, letting the resulting force crush the serpentine Grimm against the concrete ground.

Ruby, Robin and her Pokémon watched the ginger haired Huntress-in training flip back through the air and land safely on her feet. Her weapon held defensively in hand as her teammates, Jaune and Ren appeared by her side. Followed immediately by Pyrrha arriving from above, using her fist to strike the earth and negate the recoil of her descent.

"Let's move!" Pyrrha signalled to her team as she got to her feet.

Ren and Nora followed Pyrrha as the three charged into the heat of battle against the creatures of darkness. Leaving their leader all on his own to sigh in exasperation at being left in their literal dust, before going in after them.

"Flare. Flareon. (Oh good. The help has arrived.)" Flareon sarcastically remarked. "Flareon Flare Flare. (About time really.)

"Clawitzer Claw. (Seems like they're bringing all hands-on deck.)" Clawitzer commented.

"Stop getting distracted!" Robin suddenly shouted as she snapped her fingers, catching her Pokémon's attention. "Just because help has arrived don't think I expect you to start slacking off. Now go!"

Responding to her command, Robin's Tyrantrum stomped his right hind leg on the ground. Making it momentarily tremble before the Despot Pokémon craned his head and let out a mighty roar. The call serving as a battle cry for the berry grower's team as they joined forces with Team JNPR.

Beartic and Clawitzer both covered themselves in water to use Aqua Jet simultaneously. Zipping across the Main Avenue in the blink of an eye, with the force of a raging stream. Any Grimm in their path were being effortlessly sent flying to the side, before the two Pokémon diverged from their combined stream into opposing directions.

One of which happening to pass directly behind Nora, who was winding up for a swing with her war hammer.

"Smack!" Nora called out, while batting away an approaching Creep.

In a flash of pink, the normally subterranean Grimm was instantly pounded into the sky. Ahead of Nora, her partner ran forward. Ren kicked off another Creep's head like a stepping stone and snap kicked a similar Grimm in the chin. Knocking them away before the Beacon student landed gracefully on a knee. Ren pushed himself up and lunged toward a Beowolf. Swinging Storm Flower's blades furiously to pressure the beast back away as he cut into them.

An upcoming army of Beowolf and Creeps charged towards Ren's left on all fours. He turned his head towards them, raising his twin automatic pistols and massaging his index fingers on the triggers.

However, he was beaten to action as two figures rushed past his sides. From his left, Robin's Flareon leaped over his head. Momentarily casting a shadow over him and obscuring his vision behind orange fluff. From his right, Ren heard an unnerving buzzing sound as Robin's Beedrill zoomed past him, the Poison Bee Pokémon's red eyes and lance-like stingers glistening in the early morning light.

Flareon's paws touched the ground and she immediately began running to intercept the oncoming Grimm. At her side Beedrill approached, hovering just over the ground and pointing his stingers forward at the enemy.

"Flareon. Flareon Flare Flare? (Beedrill. Be a dear and clear a way forward, would you?)" Flareon asked her teammate, just as her bushy tail began to dull and harden like iron.

"BZzzBZzzZ! (I don't take orders from you, you know!)" Beedrill's responded as his foreleg stingers began oozing with a thick purple poison. "BzZbzZ! BZZZBZZZBZZZZZZ! ZzZz! (You want a path then make your own! BECAUSE I'M GOING IN STINGER FIRST! Poison Jab!)"

Beedrill accelerated ahead of Flareon, catching up to the Grimm and jabbing with such speed that his stingers left behind afterimages that gave the impression he was attacking half a dozen times a second. Enchanted by Poison Jab, Beedrill stabbed through the line of Beowolve's, sinking his sharp, venomous stingers into their flesh and fatally repelling them back.

The Creeps seemed to ignore their fellow Grimm's plight, instead continuing forward only to be met by Flareon standing her ground and swiping her Iron Tail.

"Flareon… (How mundane…)" Flareon sighed, swinging forward with her metal coated tail. "Flareon! (Iron Tail!)

The hard appendage bashed the leading Creep's bone encrusted face in, launching them into the others and knocking them off their feet. Gracefully leaping up into the air, Flareon's tail continued to shimmer like metal as she swung it down on top of the Grimm. Using the resulting action and reaction to hammer them to the ground and propel her from one Creep to another, dispatching the enemies with ease.

Although, while Flareon kept hopping off Grimm to keep her momentarily above ground, a more immediate airborne threat swooped in. A black volery of smaller Nevermore, with sharp gazes and sharper beaks pointed toward the Huntsmen and Huntresses-in training defending the point below.

From up-high the avian Grimm went to divebomb the defenders from outside their point of view, when another, much larger, black flying creature cut them off.

"Not so fast!" Kai's Noivern interrupted.

Noivern quickly flew up and intercepted the flock of Nevermore, his large concaved ears beginning to glow with sonic energy.

"Boomburst!"

An explosive blast of compressed sound tore through the bird-like Grimm. Crumbling their bones and breaking their body's apart, as the vibrations reduced them to dust and dispersed their remains into nothingness.

The sound of Boomburst quickly died down, allowing more delicate sounds to be heard. Sounds such as the flapping of grey feathers. Feathers that left a trail of embers in the wind.

Kai's Talonflame appeared above the Vale city centre battlefield. On his back, Slurpuff poked her head over the side of the Scorching Pokémon, taking a whiff of the war-torn air to gain an insight as to what happened below.

"Hmm, it appears blonde parfume was correct in her assumption, no?" Slurpuff pointed out.

"Looks like it." Talonflame grunted to his passenger, before his eyes narrowed down at a certain blonde-haired, armour wearing teen. "Wait? Is that-?"

On the ground Jaune Arc ran forward to battle with sword and shield in hand, unaware he was being monitored from afar.

"Okay, who's first?" He rhetorically asked.

As though the world was responding to his question, a loud heavy thud abruptly answered him from behind. Jaune instinctually stopped as he felt a dark looming presence behind him, a feeling that was accompanied by a grizzly growl that made the Huntsman-in training blink nervously. Mustering up the courage to turn around, Jaune's jaw dropped as he found himself staring into the screaming maw of a giant Ursa.

"Oh-oh-okay, you're first, huh?" Jaune trembled as he gave nervous laugh. "Ha-ha-okay, no, that's-that's fine."

Help seemed unlikely as the others were currently indisposed with their own fights. In particular Pyrrha found herself surrounded by several Grimm in the middle of a road.

The Beacon prodigy stabbed a charging Creep with Miló's tip, then pivoted off her left heel and struck the lower jaw of another attempting to flank her. Twisting on the spot she repositioned herself so she could accurately thrust her javelin into a leaping Ursa's chest to impale it on the weapon's end. Pyrrha kept the Grimm aloft and lifted her weapon over her shoulder, flinging the three-hundred-kilogram beast over the rooftops and far into the distant sky. Not taking a moment to breath as she twisted and shoved her javelin down a Creep's throat. The sound of sheathing metal overshadowed by the gargled cry of the monster's dying gasp.

Sliding her weapon out of the Creep's dissolving corpse, took in a brief moment of peace before looking out in worry at her partner, team leader, and friend up against a familiarly dangerous foe. Jaune carefully stepped backward, as the ursine Grimm lumbered forward on two legs toward him. Though it was not quite the same as the Alpha he had stared down in the Forever Fall last semester, it was still certainly much smarter and deadlier than the average bear. Which was more than enough reason to take it seriously.

Meanwhile in the air above, Talonflame kept his eyes fixated on young knight. His wingbeat slow and methodical to keep him in place as he flexed his talons in preparation, their sharp tips poised and ready to act if needed.

"Totally fine, done this before, done this before…" Jaune reminded himself.

His gaze shifted down, exhaling to release the pressure and tension he felt in his chest. Taking a brief moment to psyche himself up before raising his sword and letting out an adrenaline fuelled scream. He cleaved Crocea Mors blade into the Ursa's side, making the Grimm pull itself back from the attack. Without hesitation Jaune swung his sword's edge into the Ursa again and again. Furiously cutting into the evil beast over and over with a flurry of attacks. Brutally knocking it all over the place without a moment of respite from the Huntsman's assault.

Finally, Jaune came to a stop. His shield raised, his sword poised, his footing balanced as he prepared himself for the Grimm's counter-attack. The Ursa stood motionless, eying the fledging warrior; his gaze unwavering. Until finally, with a low growl, the black beast lost its footing and fell harshly on its back.

Killed without managing to land a single blow against Jaune Arc.

Pyrrha's concern quickly transformed into relief and pride at her close friend's growth. While higher above, Kai's Talonflame relaxed and let a brief smile form at the sides of his beak.

"Not half-bad Jaune…" The Scorching Pokémon complimented from on-high. "Not bad."

On his orange and grey plumage, Slurpuff chuckled mischievously at her teammate's moment of emotional. "Ah, proud of your hatchling's parfume are you?"

Talonflame craned his neck toward Slurpuff, with any sign of emotional vulnerability sizzled away and replaced with his usual brand of rage.

"Say this to anyone, especially Greninja, and I'll turn you into toasted meringue!" Talonflame threatened.

Slurpuff chuckled at Talonflame's defensive response, putting a paw over her mouth to hide her laugh. "It'll be our parfume's little secret."

"It better!" Talonflame groaned in embarrassment before he focused his attention back at the city square siege. "But enough spectating! Now it's our turn!"

Talonflame flapped his wings and shot skywards just as Slurpuff jumped off his back, spreading her paws and feet out as though she were skydiving. Sparkles of light started glimmering off her body before she hit the ground. Using Dazzling Gleam and erupting in an explosion of light, as though she were a living hand grenade.

The Beowolves and Creeps that were in the nearby vicinity were incinerated instantly by the pure fairy light. Whereas the Grimm that were a safe distance away had their attention drawn by the twinkling dome that had suddenly appeared and threatened their kin.

One particular Ursa was distracted long enough that it didn't register Talonflame coming down on top of him with Fly until it was too late. The black bear-like monster getting its head caved in by the scorching Pokémon's razor-sharp talon's, as Talonflame smashed the Grimm into the pavement with great enough force to indent and form a splintered crater in the terrain.

Noivern heard their arrival and turned his head toward his teammates. "Bro! Sis! You're here! Does that mean Kai's nearby!"

Talonflame flapped his wings to lift himself off the ground as he looked at Noivern. "He's on the way! Along with Greninja and the punchy hairy one!"

Upon hearing reference to the rough description of her older sister, Ruby turned around to speak to Talonflame.

"He's with Yang?!" Ruby exclaimed. "What about Blake and Weiss?"

"Haven't seen 'em!" Talonflame bluntly answered, as his feathers started to shimmer.

The Scorching Pokémon's wings turned metallic and he quickly swung them to his side, smacking an oncoming Creep with Steel Wing. The Grimm was knocked into another group, splitting them apart like a messy band breakup, before Talonflame chased after them to finish them off.

Ruby looked away from the Scorching Pokémon, disheartened after receiving no further news regarding the condition of her teammates and friends.

Stepping in front of the young Huntress, Robin snapped her fingers in front of her face.

"Focus!" The Pokémon Trainer snapped. "They're your team, aren't they? If you don't have faith in them, then what sort of a leader are you?!"

Ruby was momentarily taken aback but Robin's harsh words. Yet after recovering from the initial shock, she realised the truth in the Pokémon trainer's words. Even apart they were still Team RWBY, and Team RWBY could handle anything. At least, that's what she's had to campaign for as their leader to follow her.

The silver-eyes huntress smiled. "The leader of the best first-year team in Beacon!"

Nora suddenly rocketed in behind Ruby, shoving a Creep out of view with a swing of her hammer.

"Eh, more like second best." Nora corrected.

Putting aside her concerns for now Ruby charged back into the fray. As she stood representing her team in battle until the rest of them could arrive.

---

Two of those missing teammates; Weiss and Blake were still continuing to carry the White Fang Lieutenant on their shoulders.

Having used Aegislash's cover effectively enough that they seemed to be in the clear, the two had managed to get themselves and the White Fang Lieutenant away from the action; at least for now. Though they were concerned about the Royal Sword Pokémon's safety, they also knew that they couldn't afford to turn back or stop now.

Approaching a light at the end of the narrow passageway, the Huntresses-in training carefully took their first steps out of the winding alleyways and onto the footpath of a wide street. Looking down the road, the two saw the path they were on lead to a crosswalk that linked four different pathways, the one they were currently on included.

"Looks like the path's clear of Grimm." Weiss pointed out.

"For now." Blake pessimistically reminded. "Come on we need to keep moving."

"And just where exactly are we going?" Weiss asked. "We can't just keep carrying him until this all blows over. We need to take him to the proper authorities."

"They're going to already be overwhelmed with everything else going on right now." Blake reasoned. "And besides-"

"Hold it right there!"

The clacking of cocked guns followed the sudden instruction coming from behind the two. Both teammates flinched at the sudden command, though neither of them needed to guess just what or who it was that was calling them.

Standing in an organised row, was a squad of White Fang Goons. With more than half of them aiming a firearm at the girls' backs.

"Release the Lieutenant. Now!" A goon with ram-like horns protruding above his mask demanded.

He started taking steps towards Weiss and Blake, not letting his weapon down for a moment as he made his approach. The two teammates briefly looked towards each other warily, hoping one of them would come up with something to get them out of this.

Normally, taking out a group of goons like this wouldn't be cause for such alarm. After all many of them - while radicalised - were just ordinary people with very little combat training, aside from unlocking their Aura's if that. However, taking into account how all the constant fighting has whittled down their stamina and Aura levels, as well as the Lieutenant who had just recently depleted those reserves even further was also quite literally weighing down on them. It meant that even a group like this currently posed a serious threat to them.

Running out of time and options Weiss uncurled the fingers of her free hand, creating a bright white glyph bearing her family crest over her palm. The heiress nodded at Blake who nodded back in confirmation, preparing to use her own Semblance as it seemed conflict with them was inevitable.

"Freeze!"

For the second time, Weiss and Blake had been interrupted by a sudden voice calling outside of their view. But this one also stole the attention of the White Fang.

This one sounded much more familiar.

Leaping down from above and standing in-between the girls and the White Fang members was the unexpected arrival of partners Sun Wukong and Neptune Vasilias. The two extended their arms toward the White Fang in unison, holding in the palms of their hands a pair of identical golden badges. Their surfaces inscribed with the kingdom of Vale's signature emblem and the words 'City of Vale' above and 'Junior Detectives' below.

"Nobody move! Junior detectives!" Sun declared, flashing his badge.

"We have badges so you know it's official!" Neptune exclaimed.

Recovering slightly from the shock of their arrival, Blake looked over her shoulder at Sun's back. The cat faunus secretly smiling to herself, knowing he wouldn't be able to see her.

"For the first time in my life, I think I'm actually happy to see the cops." She said to herself and her teammate.

The ram-horned White fang member stared at the two in disbelief. Especially at Sun when he noticed his blonde monkey-like tail poking out of his lower back.

"You dare side with the enemy, traitor! Don't you realise that this human society is only using you?! That we are the only ones with the best interests of the faunus in mind!" The White Fang goon exclaimed.

"Hey! I didn't ask to be represented by a bunch of mask-wearing weirdos!" Sun argued back. "Besides, plenty of my best buds are humans too! Ain't that right boys?!"

At that moment two more figures leaped off opposing rooftops. One of which landed with a dramatic thud, the other elegantly gliding down without a sound. Up close there were revealed to be Sage Ayana and Scarlet David, standing alongside Sun and Neptune to complete Team SSSN.

"Did you really need us to give away our position like that?" Scarlet critiqued.

"Come on dude! You gotta admit that entrance was killer!" Sun answered in proudly.

"Still not worth giving up our tactical advantage." Sage responded, before giving his leader a smirk. "But it was pretty killer."

"Don't worry ladies." Neptune looked over his shoulder, flashing Weiss a wink. "Just sit back and enjoy the show."

The Schnee heiress felt her cheeks flush and a slight blush take form as Neptune looked back around to face the White Fang goons alongside his team.

"So, Sun. What exactly is the plan now?" Neptune asked his partner.

"Arrest the bad guys, duh." Sun answered simply.

"Uh huh." Neptune responded unconvincingly. "And how exactly do we-?"

Before Neptune could finish, he watched his partner charge forward with reckless abandon toward the White Fang goons.

"…do that?" Neptune finished.

"There he goes, going off all on his own." Scarlet sighed, rolling his eyes at his team leader. "As usual."

"No use complaining about it now. Let's back him up!" Sage decided.

The three remaining members of Team SSSN put aside their feelings of their leader's leadership for the moment and charged in after him.

Two of the goons raised their guns toward Sun, ready to pull the trigger when the monkey-tailed faunus reached them first. He twirled his staff in his hands before aiming low and sweeping one of the White Fang members of their feet. Planting his heels into the ground, Sun spun in place, dragging his staff up and slamming it into the second goon's hip. As the faunus extremist was sent flying to the side, three more sword-carrying goons approached Sun from all sides.

The Haven student shifted his gaze toward them and smirked, sprinting to catch up with them. As the three White Fang members prepared to swing, Sun planted the end of his staff onto the road's surface, planting the soles of his sneakers on its long frame as he turned the weapon, causing it to rotate. Sun allowed his staff to position him in the direction of an approaching goon as he leaped off it. Grabbing the top of the staff, Sun carried it as he spun through the air toward the White Fang member, bringing down the weaponised pole on top of them, felling them in an instant.

Picking up his weapon, Sun twirled the staff over his upper body while using his power to kick himself off the ground and twist in mid-air. Perpetually building up speed and power into his strikes, as he continued beating White Fang members down. However, with his focus on those in front of him, Sun failed to notice others further back. One of which currently had him lined up in their firearm's sights.

Suddenly, a bolt of blue electricity crackled through the air into the White Fang goon. The extremist convulsed as high volts electricity coursed through him, before collapsing onto the road as a steaming, twitching mess.

Sun finally took notice of his surroundings, noticing Neptune place his gun back on his back, while pulling out a pair of handcuffs from his jacket's pocket.

"Sir!" Neptune held the White Fang member down as he started applying the hand restraints. "You have the right to remain-!"

"A loser!" Sun interrupted.

"Nice!" Neptune turned to look back at his partner, his enthusiasm quickly fading and turning into professionalism. "But now legally I have to start over Sun."

As Neptune re-read the White Fang member his rights, his teammates continued rounding up and taking down the remaining goons.

Scarlet stretched his arms out to his sides and used his Semblance – Gliding – to, as the name suggested, glide over the White Fang members heads. Not thinking to look up, Scarlet secretly landed behind them, whipping out his signature weapons; a cutlass and pistol – Hook and Darling.

"Hands up boys!" Scarlet instructed, prodding his weapons in the extremist pairs backs.

The White Fang goons weren't willing to surrender so easily, that was until they noticed Sage swinging the edge of his great sword into a group of small White Fang members, the weight and power behind the attack flooring all of them and sending them flying with ease.

The two goons, not wishing to end up as beaten up as their compatriots, sighed and did as instructed.

With Team SSSN on hand, Weiss and Blake stood back watched confidently as their ambushers were rounded up and detained. However, the two's moment of reprieve of was quickly interrupted by the load they were carrying starting to stir.

"Urrghh…" The White Fang Lieutenant slowly stirred awake as he regained some form of consciousness. "Wha-? My men-?!"

Weiss, concerningly looked to her teammate. "Um…Blake?"

The Lieutenant wrestled himself free of the two teenage girls, pushing them away as he fell onto his feet. He growled and went to charge, when the tips of two different swords appeared in front of his mask, stopping him in his tracks.

"Don't you know when to quit?" Weiss rhetorically asked.

"Don't make me do this." Blake implored.

The Lieutenant stared through the slits in his mask, catching the intense stare of Blake's amber eyes. The same look of conviction and rebellion she had once had working in the White Fang, now being leered against its high-ranking lieutenant. It seemed as though the world around them, fraught with violence and terror had vanished into white noise, as the two were waiting. Trying to gauge each what other would do, though deep down knowing how it was going to play out.

But the white noise grew louder.

"Giant Nevermore!" Scarlet cried out!

"Get down!" Sage warned.

The two faunus were taken out of their trance by the impulsive warning. Their sights suddenly drawn to the giant Grimm hovering in the skie's above. With a wingspan that spread across rooftops that eclipsed the streets below in a blanket of shadow, the Nevermore opened its beak and gave a shrill caw that rattled glass and sent shivers through bone, as the creature bared its talons.

Those on the ground had no time to fight back as they all rolled, ducked and dodged for cover, as the Grimm swiftly glided over them. Blowing forth a gust of wind that seemed to blow away its shadow as the light of the early morning once again dawned. The Grimm seemingly passing them over towards the rising smoke and alarm in the city square.

Sun was the first one to unbrace himself and stand back up. "Phew, close one. Guess it didn't spot us."

Weiss was the second, turning towards the monkey faunus with an annoyed frown. "Really? We were almost ambushed and that's how you choose to respond?!"

"Hey! We lived, didn't we?" Sun pointed out. "That makes this a win, so lighten up."

Weiss sighed, her posture slouching as she looked over to Neptune. "How do you manage with someone like him as your leader?"

"He's not that bad once you get used to him." Neptune answered.

"Yeah, when he's around." Scarlet chided in.

"Wait a minute." Sage suddenly interrupted, looked all over before fixing his gaze toward Weiss. "Where's your teammate?"

The Schnee heiress immediately stiffened. She straightened up and looked past Neptune and the other members of Team SSSN. Looking for any sign of her partner, looking to see if Sage had been mistaken.

But what she saw was worse than just her friend missing.

What Weiss saw was a large, black feather lying still on the spot where Blake had stood last. Its outer vane starting to disintegrate as trails of smoke rose up. Leading Weiss' trail of sight to the sky where she could only watch, completely powerless as the giant Nevermore shrunk smaller and smaller as it flew higher and further away from where she stood.

---

The high-altitude winds whipped away at the Giant Nevermore's massive body. Its sharp beak and streamlined wingspan cutting through the air without the slightest bit of effort. The same thing could not be said though, for the captives within its grasp.

Blake's amber eyes squinted and strained as her face was pelted with a continuous rushing gust. Both her human and cat ears getting whipped relentlessly, with the faunus' black bow doing very little to help ease her covered auricles.

It all happened so fast. The Lieutenant waking up. The Nevermore coming down at them. It's attempt to skew her within its talons. Blake had nary a moment to act, let alone think, and through instinct she had managed to avoid the Nevermore's strike but not the Nevermore itself.

So here she was, clinging onto its plumage for dear life. Hoping that it wouldn't notice the young huntress-in training before she had a chance to safely find a way to jump off. At its current speed, jumping off now would send her flying wildly out of control. And with so many enemies on the ground, she needed to make sure that her landing spot wasn't also her final resting place.

Blake waited, trying to remain calm and collected despite the circumstances. Remembering her rather extreme 'landing strategy' and preparing to take a leap of faith. She slowly moved her leg into a more comfortable position.

When a hand suddenly grabbed it.

Blake instinctually let out a panicked cry as she felt something grab just above her boot. Her grip on the Nevermore tightening out of reflex as she sharply turned her head below. To her horror, but not quite her surprise, she could see the White Fang Lieutenant pulling her in.

"When will you learn that you can never run from the White Fang forever?!" The Lieutenant threateningly asked.

"When will you learn to just leave me alone?!" Blake lifted her free leg and began kicking it toward the Lieutenant. However, in the air, with the gushing wind her kick was reduced to a weak flail.

The Nevermore continued to pick up speed, causing its body to move more unsteadily and make stronger gusts of wind blow into Blake and the Lieutenant. The two of them starting to shake and their grips on the Grimm become looser.

"If you don't let go then we'll both fall!" Blake warned desperately.

"Unlike you, I'm no coward! I know what it means to sacrifice something for the greater good!"

"Greater good?!" Blake cried out. "Faunus, running for their lives as their homes are under attack! Humans, using this act of aggression to justify their discrimination against us! The Grimm, laying waste to one of our only safe refugees?! How is any of this for the greater good?!"

"A deserter like you could never understand!" The Lieutenant spat back.

"Then help me understand!" Blake desperately pleaded. "Why were you willing to work with a human criminal?! Why were you willing to destroy the kingdom and all the faunus who live in it?! Why do any of this?!"

For the first time, something Blake had sent to the Lieutenant had managed to cut through.

"Why?!" The Lieutenant angrily repeated.

It seemed almost funny that Blake was the one asking this question. Because she would know if she hadn't been a deserter. She would know exactly who approached himself and her former partner in the Forever Fall the same day she had ran away. Right after he had sworn to find her himself!

Blake would have seen their base camp left in smoke. Their comrades taken down more viciously than any Grimm could have done. Those flames.

And that voice.

"We could've gone to anyone for help. But we chose you, Adam Taurus. Our plan will be beneficial for both of us."

He still remembered the heat of that fire. How she effortlessly made the flames rise and fall with a wave of a hand. Her weapons freely discarded. Yet as he faced her, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was severely outgunned.

"Or one of us."

He remembered a series of clicks following the thinly veiled threat. As a pair of suitcases were unlocked and opened. One containing Dust crystals and collection canisters, the other stacked with enough Lien to fund their branch's rogue operations without the aid or authority of the greater White Fang organisation.

"So, which will it be?"

The White Fang Lieutnenant grew silent.

This one question asked by Blake at this exact moment, amidst the White Fang's plan's having been changed over, and over again by how many different humans. These plan's amounting to nothing but a disorganised lashing out, had shook something in his conviction. More than Blake or himself thought the question would.

The still, unmoving expression of his mask painting a more dire expression of fear and submission than anything that his face could show. As he gave his answer.

"…Because she told us to."

The Giant Nevermore suddenly made an abrupt manoeuvre.

Without warning the giant Grimm that the pair of faunus were clinging onto suddenly halted and rotated. The jarring movement causing the Lieutenant to lose his grip, falling off the giant bird. The only thing stopping him from plummeting to the ground being his grip on Blake's leg.

With an ounce of fear in her expression, Blake released her left hand's grip and quickly lowered it as far down her body as she could.

"Take my hand!" The Huntress-in training compassionately offered.

The White Fang Lieutenant remained completely motionless. Whatever unease he felt from that sudden memory, instantly vanished upon seeing Blake reaching down toward him. Seeing his enemy, a deserter, a servant of the oppressive regime that was the oppressive society, offering him mercy.

The absolute gall.

He raised his remaining hand up towards Blake's extended arm, before pulling it back and swatting it away with his palm. Blake's eyes widened in shock from the force of the slap and from seeing the Lieutenant violently refuse her offer to save him, as his seething eyes glared at Blake through the slits in his mask.

"Better to die free then live in a cage."

As the message parted from his lips the Lieutenant's grip on Blake released. The invisible force of gravity immediately taking over as he plummeted toward the ground. Blake could only hang there horrified as his figure immediately shrunk as the distance between them widened, before finally disappearing. Vanished without a trace amidst the black stampede as though he never existed.

The Lieutenant's sacrifice for his cause as unknown as he ultimately was.

---

From the sound of a thousand trampling footsteps to only three.

A trio of footwear made their way through one of Vale's hastily damaged streets. The sounds of rubble being brushed aside and broken glass getting crushed following them with each step. Stepping into the low morning light; Cinder Fall, Emerlad Sustrai, and Mercury Black basked in the threat that they helped cause.

They all soon came to a stop though, when they stood before the approaching sights and sounds of conflict before them. Making their way through the streets were an assortment of Grimm, made up of Beowolves, Creeps and Ursa, when all of a sudden, a blue streak blurred past all of them. In its wake the streak left behind a series of slash marks as dark as night. Each creature cut down, as they collapsed on their sides.

The blur came to a halt revealing itself to be Kai's Greninja, landing on a knee as the energy of his Night Slash attack started fading.

Following after him in a somewhat agitated state was a Yang. The blonde sighing heavily both as a sign of annoyance and to catch her breath.

"Hey, would it kill you to slow down?!" Yang groaned.

"Considering all the flesh-eating monster's everywhere, I'd rather not find out." Greninja answered before his triangular ears picked up on something. A low growl could be heard, as even more Grimm started to tread over the fading remains of their former kin.

"See what I mean." Greninja stated.

He slapped his front feet against the shuriken pattern on his legs, collecting two large dew droplets that the Ninja Pokémon compressed into throwing star weapons. While beside him Yang cocked both her gauntlets, prepping Ember Celica as the two started slicing and scorching the enemy threat.

Cinder watched the two continue on ahead, distracted by the Grimm, before her leer looked over to what something else that was following them; Kai. Lumbering the still unconscious Xerosic over his shoulder as though he was carrying a burlap sack.

With the Kalos trainer who had disrupted so many of their plans in her sights, Cinder looked to her two accomplices. Signalling the two of them with a nod, Emerald walked up first, reaching into a pair of leather holsters attached to the back of her waist, she pulled out a signature pair of jungle-green revolvers.

She aimed them in Kai's direction, just as the Kalos trainer turned his head to face them. He barely had a second to register their presence when Emerald pulled the trigger, firing an Aura-encased bullet out of the right weapon.

In less than a second it had caught up to Kai with no sign of slowing down, getting closer and closer…before continuing past him. Going over his shoulder and piercing the head of an approaching Creep behind him.

Kai looked behind him to see the smoking shell of a bullet, lodged within the Grimm's underside. Its movements still and its body slowly disappearing. Kai's gaze turned back around to meet Emerald's, the Haven Academy student giving him a coy look.

Kai returned the favour with an earnest grin, before being distracted by the growls and scraping sounds of another dozen Grimm closing in.

Mercury sprinted forward, performing a flying kick directly into a nearby Ursa's face. Striking with the force of a gun-shot and knocking it back. Emerald looked away from Kai as she turned toward the approaching pack. Sauntering forward with her personal weapons by her swinging hips as she confidently to meet the pack of monsters.

The various Grimm species charged toward her all at once as she aimed her guns at them and began opening fire. Her weapon's ammunition strong enough to blast one of them down with a single-well placed shot to the head. Drastically reducing their numbers by the second with each pull of the trigger.

All except for one resilient Ursa Major.

Mint-green Aura-coated bullets bounced off the Alpha Grimm's thick skin and protruding spikes, making Emerald cease her firing as it reached her. As it reached her and drew back its claws, Emerald backflipped to avoid its sweeping attack. Rolling onto a knee and pressing her heels against the road. She carried her momentum upward to acrobatically backflip through the air, gaining some distance and avoiding another vicious swing at her.

Needing to approach her again the Ursa Major charged on all fours, with Emerald being given enough time to reconfigure her revolvers before it got close. Unfolding a long-curved blade under each of her weapon's barrels, turning them into a pair of sickles.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she dashed past the Grimm. Swiping them with her sickle's edges twice in quick succession, before twirling around and furiously cutting the Ursa Major's back. Looking back to see the monster was still standing, Emerald reconfigured her weapons again. Extending her curved blades from chains, in a fashion reminiscent of a kusarigama.

With her weapons now extended range, Emerald lashed away at the Ursa Major. Whipping her weapons around and lacerating its exposed black flesh. Roaring in pain, the Ursa Major desperately swung its arms around to slash Emerald. Only for the covert operative to flip over the massive beast, spinning like a cartwheel overhead and catching the Alpha Grimm over and over again in her blades.

Emerald landed on a knee, facing the Grimm. The Ursa Major collapsing in front of her, as it raised its shaking head and growled, before finally succumbing to its injuries and going limp.

However, the young girl was so focused on the Grimm she had just defeated that as she got back up on both feet, she failed to take account of a trio of smaller Nevermore dive for her from above. By the time she had heard its caw and turned around, their shadows were cast on her face as their talons prepared to plant themselves in her.

Outside of Emerald's view, two concentrated beams of Lightning Dust shot forward. Zapping the small flock and incinerating them in a violent flash of light. Emerald winced from the sudden brightness, only to open her eyes in relief to realise she had been saved.

Looking over in surprise to see Kai with his arms outstretched and both of Gant Blindé's metal hands aimed just in front of Emerald. The dome-shaped dial glowing with Yellow Dust, and sparks of electricity crackling out of the weapon's palm-located muzzle.

Kai gave Emerald a coy smile. "About time I got the chance to watch you behind your back."

Emerald was left momentarily stunned by the person she was meant to spy on protect her, but quickly regained composure and smirked at him.

"Don't get too used to it." She retorted playfully.

Before the two dance partners could catch up further, large shadows were cast over them. Everyone looked up to see dozens upon dozens of Atleisan dropships flying over the city. The fleet being led by the large Atlesian flagship.

The airship's hulls began to open up, providing an exit for the new army of Atlesian Knight-200 units to skydive out from. Pouring down into the city like a metallic rain, the Grimm's numbers advantage exponentially dwindled as each knight joined in on the fight.

Following their programming, each machine recognised the enemy and aimed its rifle, taking fire against the Grimm. Even if the Grimm could resist their gunfire and trample one or two of them, even their hides couldn't protect them forever against their co-ordinated assault.

As the military droids started to flush the Grimm out of the streets, Kai just stared at the massive armada with a wary expression.

"Looks like the cavalry's here."

---

Dozens of feet above the ground and amongst the clouds, General Ironwood stood in the middle of the flagship's bridge. Standing firm as the soldiers around him were monitoring the situation at their workstations. Each of them efficiently communicating with those already on the ground while controlling the directives of the Atlesian Knights.

"Blue 3 is in position above the drop zone. Awaiting confirmation from Blue 4."

"Blue 4 is also in position. Atlesian Knight-200 units have been deployed and are making rounds."

As the air force communicated with one another, the main screen in the middle of the bridge lit up. With images and detailed diagnostics of the hijacked Paladin's popping up one after another.

"General! Wireless connection with the Prototype Paladin-290's has been successfully secured!" One solider explained.

"Then do it." Ironwood ordered calmly.

"Sir!" The solider acknowledged.

The soldiers on the bridge began furiously typing away at their stations. Inputting a series of characters and commands into the control console before pressing a single key to input the directive.

Following the confirmed input, all of the images on the main screen showing the Paladin's were replaced one-by-one with the symbol of the Kingdom of Atlas.

---

At that same moment dozens of feet below, a radicalised White Fang member in a stolen Paladin went to attack Team SSSN only for the machine to seize up. In a frustrated panic, they attempted to brute force the controls back into doing what they wanted, only for their response to be the war machine powering down and leaving them trapped inside. The only form of power remaining being a single monitor displaying the symbol for the Kingdom of Atlas.

Outside the mech, Team SSSN along with Weiss just stared at the offline Paladin standing immobile in the street. Sharing a cautious sense of relief.

"Did it's batteries just run out or something?" Sun pondered.

---

That Paladin wasn't the only one. All over the city, every single Paladin prototype that hadn't been damaged beyond operation was having their pilot's control overwritten. Becoming inactive and reduced to nothing more than metal statue that doubled as a temporary containment cell for the extremist goons locked inside.

As one last Paladin shut down near the city square, the area around it was eclipsed by another aircraft approaching the area.

The Beacon Huntsmen-in training as well as Robin and Kai's Pokémon looked up to see the vehicle, one that wasn't part of the Atlas military. Instead, it was a Vale Bullhead with its doors open to reveal what it was carrying; Professor Port alongside all four members of Beacon Academy's second-year superstars; Team CFVY.

The Bullhead's jets tilted downwards, aiming their thrusters toward the ground and steadying itself in mid-air. As the air machine hovered in place Team CFVY looked down below at the situation below. Velvet and Coco briefly turned to each other and nodded in understanding before the two of them jumped out alongside their teammates.

Each member landed on a knee or a heel, before immediately preparing for battle. Velvet and Fox immediately dashed off into the fray, while Coco confidently walked after them. Only Yatsuhashi stayed behind, slowly getting up as he was quickly surrounded on all sides by Beowolves. The stoic student remaining calm as all signs of escape were cut off from him, while he unlimbered his weapon of choice of his back. A large dual-edged and two-toned, copper-coloured broad sword named Fulcrum.

He gently held the lofty weapon with one hand on his right side, before bringing it in and swinging it around. The Beowolf pack all pounced at once toward the swordsman, only to act too late. Yatsuhashi smashed Fulcrum's golden edging into the ground, shredding the concrete into fragments and forming an ever-expanding crater. The force exuding such a shockwave that the bulky Beowolves were blown flying back.

The two in the front were flew past Velvet and Fox who were currently holding their own against the Grimm in close quarters combat.

Fox slashed the side of a Beowolf with his bladed tonfa, leading into Velvet following up with a flying kick to knock it back. As a Creep charged up to them, Fox waited until it got close before he brought down his elbow onto his head, his tonfa positioned just so that it stabbed through the back of its neck. Just as Velvet delivered a falling axe kick on top of an Ursa's face, before using it as a springboard to gain some distance while kicking the Ursa into the ground.

As Velvet landed behind him, Fox stared straight ahead, scanning the environment. Despite the second-year's eyes being completely blank, he seemed to recognise his surroundings extraordinarily well. Turning his head left and right he seemed able to differentiate the various Creeps, Ursa's and Beowolves in front of him, choosing to focus particularly on the hulking Ursa Major in-between them.

As though he was picking it out of a line-up, Fox sprinted up to them and caught it off guard. Using his weapon to leave a gash in its body, immediately following it up with a somersault kick to the Grimm's jaw, knocking it skyward. Before its body fell back to the ground, Fox intercepted him with his tonfa's. Gritting his teeth, Fox viciously cut into the Grimm's black flesh over and over again with no pause. Refusing to let up as the bear-like Grimm was unable to act, before Fox knocked it back up into the air with an uppercut.

As the Ursa Major's body loosely flipped skyward, Fox brough his arms in close. He channelled his Aura into his knuckles, while the Grimm was dragged belly first by gravity. Waiting until it was at eye-level, when the second-year Beacon student thrust his fists into the Ursa Major's head.

The blow sent a pulsating wave throughout the advanced Grimm's body, before it shot backwards like a bullet. The Ursa Major collapsed on his front behind the wave of Grimm, but before it had a chance to dissipate the energy stored inside of it forced its body to swell up.

Its body inflated, the pressure reaching a critical point. Then the Ursa Major's corpse burst like an overinflated balloon. Its skin and innards becoming a black smog, but its bony protruding spikes shooting out in all directions. Each one a high-velocity spearhead that impaled everything in the blast-radius, including all the nearby Grimm who quickly fell once their bodies had been pierced.

As more bony spikes shot toward Team CFVY, Coco casually swatted them away with a swing of her handbag. The deflected passing past the others as Velvet and an approaching Yatsuhashi raised and arm to brace themselves.

"Nice hustle, Fox." Coco complimented as she passed him, taking the opportunity to playfully spank him on the butt. "Good job."

Coco continued strutting forward on her own, as Fox backed off. She finally stopped in front of a towering Beowolf, growling over her. Despite that, the team leader showed no fear of distress.

With one hand on her hip and another lowering her sunglasses under her eyes, showcasing her dark-brown eyes.

"You just destroyed my favourite clothing store." She pushed her sunglasses back in place and spat to the side. "Prepare to die."

The Beowolf drew back its arm, swinging it down over Coco. The second-year responded by casually backhanding the claw away with her handbag. Stepping in closer, she kicked the Grimm directly in its crotch, dealing enough force to launch it. As though she scored a Critical Hit the Beowolf was knocked into the air, its claws embarrassingly covering the affected area before falling to its knees.

Bending her back to look down on the Beowolf, Coco watched the Grimm lift its head and snarl at her. The teenager lacking any patience, slammed her studded bag directly over its head. Driving it into the ground so hard that concrete shattered and scattered upon its chin making contact.

The monster was slain; her clothing store avenged.

But that Beowolf was not the only shop destroyer out there. As Coco looked back up, she noticed three Beowolves and a Death Stalker all charging right for her. As Coco went to swing at them, a purple beam of draconic energy shot overhead. The beam travelled as straight as a laser into the ground, travelling across it in a line that left a trail of explosions in its wake. Walling the Grimm off from Coco and sending the Beowolves flying back, while forcing the Deathstalker to halt and brace itself with its pincers.

As the explosions began to clear and smoke started to trail up, Coco looked behind her to see Kai's Noivern flying in closer. The Flying/Dragon type looking at the second-year sheepishly as though he felt the need to apologise for something.

"Hey, um…you're uh…not mad at me about last time, are you?" Noivern nervously asked.

Coco stared up at Noivern, remembering how the Pokémon and his trainer had bested her in a sparring match earlier that semester. Turning what should have been a lesson in humility and how far the first-year Huntsman had left to grow from Coco, and instead throwing it right back in their senior's face.

Despite the innocence of Noivern's question though, the thought of her defeat that day still hurt her bruised ego. Especially since she had only just returned to Beacon, after experiencing the tragedy that was her team's mission in Lower Cain.

With her signature sunglasses hiding the insecure look in her eyes, Coco placed a hand on her hip and cheekily feigned a smirk toward the Sound Wave Pokémon.

"Over that? Nah!" Coco's smirk suddenly turned to a serious frown. "Though I am a bit peeved you stole my kills just now."

"Oh! U-Uh-!" Noivern stammered. "Sorry! They just looked like they were trying to kill you!"

"Yeah, trying." Coco responded confidently.

The last of the smoke cleared away, revealing the Beowolves fizzling away to nothingness and the Deathstalker – the lone survivor – letting down its guard.

Velvet ran up to her teammate, standing by her side as she hovered her left hand over a box strapped to her hip. The design of which being a small brown chest with gold metal bands and her personal emblem – a stitched heart – on the front.

Noivern looked down at the box quizzically as right when Velvet was about to open it, Coco stepped forward and turned to her, raising her arm out to stop her.

"Hey, come on, you just spent all the semester building that up." Coco reminded, getting her teammate to back down as she walked forward. "Don't waste it here."

Coco's weapon started to unfold and transform as she approached. Her stylish bag opening up to reveal her signature golden minigun; Gianduja.

The Second-Year Huntress came to a stop, grabbing hold of her massive weapon with both hands as she planted her feet. The six metallic grey gun barrels started revving up, making a whirring sound as it rotated, building up speed before Coco let loose.

Dozens if not hundreds of Aura encased bullets fired out of Gianduja. Leaving a trail behind a trail of destruction through the ground, as its line of fire tore through anything and everything before it.

The Deathstalker did not even process the imminent threat until it was caught in its crosshairs. Its arachnid-like body being instantly shredded into misshapen chunks that were forcibly blown away by the sheer intensity of the bullets impact.

Coco dragged Gianduja to the side, having the gatling-style weapon continue firing without pause. Shredding every single Grimm caught in its movement and mowing them all down like weeds in a garden.

Coco then tilted her weapon up towards the sky, the recoil from it making her wavy caramel locks whip wildly at the side of her face. At first the bullets only pierced the air, but as she continued rising her weapon they finally hit their mark; the flock of Giant Nevermore soaring above.

With a concentrated line of bullets, Coco shot through the leader of the Nevermore. Cleanly cutting it in two, as though the edges of her bullet casings were a finely honed blade. Both halves of the Nevermore split apart and fell like rocks, as the two Nevermore behind it followed suit as they were shot down by Coco as though they were nothing more than clay pigeons on a shooting ground.

As the corpses of the massive bird-like Grimm crash into the city streets, Kai's Noivern just hovered over in the air in shock.

"Eh?!" The Sound Wave Pokémon squeaked in shock. "Could you always do that?"

"Kind of." Velvet answered for her leader. "Coco's Semblance let's her build up and use her Aura to amplify the effects and power of Dust. It's pretty hype!"

"That's…not what I'd call it…" Noivern nervously commented with a gulp.

Robin stayed quiet, choosing to simply look over at Coco instead of responding to Velvet. Her years as a Pokémon trainer rationalising the power Coco's Semblance had unleashed.

'From what I've learnt, Aura normally empowers weapons and Dust in this world but it seems her Semblance can boost that effect even further.' Robin thought as she evaluated Coco's abilities. 'Just like Clawitzer's Mega Launcher and Tyrantrum's Strong Jaw abilities boost the power of certain moves they can use. With power like that behind her it's no wonder her team has a reputation.'

Hearing her teammate talk about her, Coco looked over her shoulder at her and Noivern as the rest of Team CFVY approached behind them.

"Come on, you didn't seriously think I'd give away all my secrets just for a bunch of freshmen, did you?" Coco rhetorically asked.

"Well maybe if you cared less about your secrets and actually took your opponent's seriously, you might not have lost against Kai." Robin pointed out as she stepped up to the leader of Team CFVY. "Of course, considering Kai was holding back as well, it probably wouldn't have made that much of a difference."

Coco looked intriguingly toward Robin, lowering her sunglasses to get a better look at the Kalos trainer.

"Girl's got spunk." She remarked as she pushed her sunglasses back up her nose. "I like that."

"Hmph!" Robin turned her nose up at Coco. "If you have time to flirt, you have time to fight."

"Heh, don't flatter yourself. You're not exactly my type." Coco's eyes drifted away, drawn by the approaching sounds of heels clicking and a riding crop snapping. "I'm more into women with experience."

Coco's gaze continued to linger at the sight of a familiar teacher's bronze heeled boots. With each step taken through the damaged streets of Vale giving off an intense air of authority. Glynda Goodwitch shoulders raised; the stern look on her face showing even less patience than she would normally have.

Which considering her existing position reigning in an entire academy of rowdy teenagers with ready access to firearms, was already incredibly short.

Creeps and Beowolves charged at her from behind, but the Beacon teacher didn't give them even the slightest bit of her attention. Swiping her riding crop at her sides, and using her Semblance to telekinetically flick the creatures of Grimm away with bone breaking force. All without pausing or breaking her stride.

As Goodwitch continued exerting minimul effort to wipe up the remaining Grimm attacking one side of the city square, her fellow Huntsman instructor was taking care of another side.

Having exited the Bullhead with Team CFVY, Professor Port was blowing down enemies left and right. Reliving – and perhaps adding to – his long list of epic stories to wow his students. Sinking his weapon's sharpened axe into a nearby Grimm's soot-coloured flesh to crack through its bones. Then sending them flying with brute force, before twirling the weapon in his hands to clasp hold of the blunderbuss' barrel and trigger.

But before he could pull it, a whip-like stream of fire snapped toward him. Flicking away at a hidden Creep Port had missed that was prepared to pounce. Port looked in the direction of the flame, to be greeted by the barking of a familiar corgi as Zwei lead Doctor Oobleck to him.

The two colleagues did not need to exchange words of gratitude or relief to one another in the midst of this Grimm attack. They were professionals, who simply gave one another a nod of acknowledgement before turning toward the last wave of Grimm storming their way.

With nary a hint of hesitation behind spectacles nor squinted eyes, the two professional Huntsmen began firing at the hoard. Unloading a barrage of concentrated fireballs and propelled Aura enhanced shot pellets onto them. Passing through Beowolves, Creeps and Boarbatusks with the ease of a passing breeze, to lay out a trail of dissolving carcasses, littered atop the city's tarmac roads.

With the Beacon Academy teachers started cleaning up the last wave, and the Beacon Academy students handling the remaining stragglers, that just left Robin to continue standing around and watching from the sidelines.

Sure, she had trained and strategically commanded her Pokémon to handle the threats. Taking down Grimm, White Fang and Team Flare alike. Even using control of her developed Semblance to assist in her Pokémon's efforts. Yet she could not help but compare her efforts and combat prowess to those around her. It was beginning to weigh on her again. Of how someone who desired strength and aimed for the top…was only serving as an onlooker who needed to be protected.

Robin then started to remember everything that had happened in the last few days. From fighting the masked intruder at the CCT Tower during the school dance. To the brief in Ozpin's office where Ironwood commended her and Ruby for doing exactly what a Huntress should do. To all the students of the four academies being allowed to take on jobs from the Huntsman board and act in the field. Before finally reaching Oobleck's talks with members of Team RWBY and her on why they were here and why they were training to become a Huntress.

Up until now she saw studying at the academy as a means to an end. A way to keep herself safe and educate herself on where she was until she could finally find a way back home. But after all of this…she was starting to gain an understanding and a respect for Huntsmen and Huntresses. For what they did.

For how strong they were.

And with her rival working just as hard to be like one of them, and was likely out there fighting as well for a place and a people he didn't even belong to.

So, why wasn't she out there with them?

Her being from another world was no excuse anymore. Especially as her rival working just as hard to be like one of them, no doubt pulling his weight out there right now. Somewhere.

But Robin was not the only one thinking of where Kai could be at this moment. There was another in the square keeping eye and especially ear out for them. Hoping that after the sounds of violence quietened down, that the Kalos trainer would be easier to find in the coming peace. Although for one who had sensitive hearing – such as Kai's Noivern – it would never be quiet enough for them to be at peace.

The Sound Wave Pokémon, anxiously stood perched on a nearby roof's balcony. Having observed the recent reinforcements, he felt comfortable to leave the battle for now to prioritise finding his missing family. He found himself tilting his head in different directions while raising his large concaved ears, as though he were adjusting the angle of a radio telescope in hopes of receiving a better signal.

Following the central square clearing out the last of the Grimm, there was a lot less interreference tuning out the rest of the city. Aside from the chit-chatting banter coming from the students and Pokémon down below, gunfire was the most prevalent sound at the moment. No doubt coming from the Atlesian Knights General Ironwood deployed. Aside from that there were a few alarms going off in places. The sound of various aircrafts flying across the sky at various speeds, such as Vale airbuses carrying passengers in one direction and aid in another, as well as Atlas dropships co-ordinating and assisting Atlas' soldiers.

Then Noivern picked up on something else travelling through the air. Something close, and approaching fast! Something flapping…with something sniffing riding on top of it.

"Ah, there you are Noivern parfume." The familiar sound of Kai's Slurpuff greeted her fellow party member.

Noivern momentarily turned his attention away from keeping an ear out, and looked over towards his surrogate siblings.

"Oh, hey bro! Hey sis!" Noivern greeted. "Have either of you found Kai, bro, or the others yet?"

"Depends. You managed to hear em' coming yet?" Talonflame questioned back.

Noivern lowered his head shamefully and shook his head. "Nuh-uh."

"Then no." Talonflame bluntly answered.

"I don't get it." Noivern said discouragingly as he lifted his head back up to face the Pokémon. "You said that Kai and bro were following you, didn't you?!"

"Yeah! 'Cause they are!" Talonflame aggressively insisted. "Not my fault those two are showing up too late!"

"Try not to worry, Noivern parfume. It's okay." Slurpuff comforted. "Kai parfume's scent is not one of a liar, no?

"Well…what about Aegislash and Lucario? They're not here either!" Noivern pointed out. "And I've not heard them anywhere since we all got separated! We don't know if they'll even think to come here!"

"Pssh!" Talonflame scoffed insultingly. "If a dumbass like Greninja thought heading this way was a good idea, I can guarantee those two would have figured it out."

"Language Talonflame parfume!" Slurpuff chided. "There is no need for such a foul scent to come off your breath in front of Noivern parfume."

"Seriously?! You know with hearing like his he's overheard worse!" Talonflame argued back.

Slurpuff shook her head disapprovingly as she berated her fellow party member's choice in vernacular, while he retorted back in his usual aggressive tone. While the two surrogate siblings bickered in their attempts to console their third, Noivern's ears started to pick up.

He got distracted from the familial sounds of Talonflame and Slurpuff, letting them fade into the background like white noise as he raised his head and stared off into the distance. Where, upon scrunching his yellow eyes, the Sound Wave Pokémon saw three yellow figures of different sizes, levitating in mid-air. And more accurately…he could hear them.

"Abra…(I'm tired…)" One of the figures – a Team Flare grunt's Abra – yawned. "Abra Abra bra? (Can we go back to sleep now?)"

"Ala. (Soon.)" The largest figure – a skinny, bipedal fox-like Pokémon – answered. "Alakazam Ala Alakazam. (We have but one more of those demons to deliver.)

"Kadabra. Kada bra bra Kadabra bra? (I must ask, is this really necessary?)?" – "Kadabra Kadabra bra dabra ka da bra Kadabra? (Have we not already done enough to plague this settlement?)"

The leader and tallest of the three looked toward Kadabra. "Ala kazam Alakazam Ala kazam? (Are you experiencing feelings of remorse for our actions?)"

"Ka da Kadabra Kadabra. (I have no strong feelings regarding the affairs of these humans in this foreign land.) The Kadabra then gave a sorrowful expression. "Kadabra, Kadabra Kada bra Kada? Kadabra ka da bra Kadabra Kada Kadabra? (But even still, have we not already fulfilled our Trainer's wishes? Must we take such an extreme option after all the discord we have already sewn?)

The Alakazam's eyes closed as he let out a sigh from his nostrils.

"Ala, Ala Alakazam Ala. Ala Ala Alakazam kazam Ala Alakazam, kazam kazam Alakazam Alakazam Ala Ala. (In truth, I also do not see the logic in what we are about to do. But that is not for us to decide. For if we do not follow our trainer's instructions, then they will most likely see fit to release us, and we shall lose any chance to return to the familiar region which we call home.)" The Alakazam reasoned.

As he spoke the Psi Pokémon briefly recalled his history as an Abra, thanks to his eidetic memory. Feeling a tinge of nostalgia as it remembered the feeling of tall grass, the sight of Pokémon Trainers passing into and out of its territory with intent to capture or train, and the humans who had

That was until the Trainers in red appeared in great numbers for them.

The Alakazam did not wish to relive any more of what happened since then, opening his eyes and looking toward his compatriots.

"Alakazam. (It must be done.)" The Alakazam gravely acknowledged. "Ala, Alakazam? (Now, are you both ready?)"

Both the Abra and Kadabra remained silent as they both looked to each other before back to the Alakazam, responding with an affirmative nod. Alakazam returned the nodding gesture and straightened his arms, wielding a seemingly ordinary tablespoon in each hand, as his focused his mind on them, as did his brethren.

"Alakazam! (Teleport!)"

All three Psychic type Pokémon were momentarily outlined in a psychedelic glimmer, before disappearing in a brilliant flare of light.

Kai's Noivern continued to watch the spot nervously. Not really understanding what he heard the three Psi Pokémon talking about, but getting a horrible feeling in his gut that it wasn't going to lead to anything good.

"Kai…bro…please come out soon…"

---

Little did the nervous Noivern know that his Pokémon Trainer just so happened to be closer than he had expected.

Travelling along a straight tarmac road that was approaching the city square, together alongside Yang, Greninja, the trio of Team CME and an unconscious Xerosic. Where they were all slowly being greeted to the declining sounds of growls and gunfire, and the rise of celebratory cheering and comradery.

"From the sounds of things, it looks like everyone was able to handle things just fine without us." Kai optimistically pointed out. "Thank goodness."

"Probably a bit early to say things are fine." Mercury pointed out. "You know, what with all the property damage, the injuries, the de-"

"Merc." Emerald interrupted, looking over her shoulder to give her partner an annoyed frown. "You know what's really too early to say? All of that."

"What?" Mercury questioned as he nonchalantly shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not wrong."

Emerald rolled her eyes and looked back over to Kai lugging Xerosic around. "Sorry about him. He…doesn't know how to read a room."

"It's fine. He does have a point, it's not like things will just clean up overnight." Kai admitted before looking quizzically at Emerald. "By the way, I've noticed you've been looking back quite a lot since we joined up. Is there something wrong? Well, something wrong besides the city having been under siege."

While it was true that Emerald had been looking in Kai's direction a lot as their party made their way to the City Square, it was not looking toward him. Rather it was to the slumped over scientist that Kai had apprehended. Emerald and her team had many questions they needed to ask him. About the sudden change in plans. About what information he might have revealed to Kai before he was defeated. About why they shouldn't toss him into the Grimm-riddled streets right this second.

Of course, he wasn't exactly able to answer anything in his current condition. And it wasn't as though Emerald could exactly tell Kai that was the reason. So, she had to improvise.

"Oh, no reason." Emerald lied. "Just, making sure you're keeping up okay. Seems like you've been put through the ringer."

"Oh! Yeah, I'm fine!" Kai reacted in surprise. "Running on only a couple hours of sleep, but considering what we had to deal with on that field trip to the Eden reserve, I'm well rested in comparison."

"Well good to know…" Emerald feigned interest. "I'll just leave you-"

"Especially knowing I've got someone as incredible as you looking out for me." Kai finished.

"Huh?" Emerald reacted, being taken off guard by Kai's sudden comment.

"Seriously, Emerald. I owe you guys for showing up when you did." Kai earnestly thanked. "Plus, the way you took out those Grimm before was awesome! You were so cool! When this is over, I'd love it if you could share some tips on how you use those, chain…bladed…thingies…It'd really help me use my weapons better."

Realising how much he was complimenting Emerald, Kai's face suddenly flushed as his social anxieties took over. "Uh, y-you know? If that's okay with you. I don't wanna force you or anything if you'd prefer not to."

Still rather taken aback by Kai's unconditional and genuine appreciation of Emerald, something that she very rarely has received – even from Cinder, whom she owed everything to – Emerald was left momentarily quiet.

"…Oh…Uhm. Sure Kai." Emerald agreed as she turned her head and returned to looking straight ahead. "But later. Much later. I'm still recoiling from an early start too y'know."

"Right, right. Of course." Kai agreed.

This time it was Mercury's turn to roll his eyes. If it wasn't for the fact that they needed to keep their cover, there would be absolutely no way him or Emerald would be entertaining Kai like this. Honestly, a Grimm breach like this seemed like the perfect opportunity to finally get rid of him, but in Cinder's profound wisdom, she had decided that it wasn't the right time to do so. Yet.

Though as Mercury was keeping those thoughts at the back of his mind. An unsettling feeling in the air was beginning to be pick up behind the party. A sensation that was followed by a strange sound in the distance.

Almost like rustling grass. But crunchier. Alongside a nearly unnoticeable thudding. That progressively grew more and more noticeable as it repeated in time with their heartbeats. Each repetition increasing in amplitude and sensation, until the vibrations started to raise tiny stones and rubble bounce in time with it. Leaping up and dancing through the street with an intrusive clicking, that drilled into the Huntsmen academy students' brains like nails on a chalkboard.

And when the suspense of the situation and their morbid curiosity reached its zenith. All six of them suddenly turned around.

Looking up towards the horizon. However instead of seeing the bright orange glow of the rising sun. They saw something that applied more tension than everything else they had experienced so far that day. Something that made even Emerald and Mercury look as if they were about to panic, and made Cinder break her careful façade with a frown. Something that cause Kai and Greninja to look toward each other with understanding and worry.

They saw something that eclipsed the sun. They saw something big. They saw something black. They saw something ancient. They saw something that put all of their lives in imminent danger.

---

It's been a while hasn't it.

The 9th Generation of Pokémon has come out. Volume 9 of RWBY came out. Pokémon: Legends ZA is looking to return to Kalos and to Mega Evolution. RWBY has been picked up by VIZ Media (after RoosterTeeth shut down) giving hope for new Chapters.

Not to mention all the spinoff stuff like: Ash becoming World Champion and retiring from the anime to pass the baton on to Liko and Roy, the release of RWBY: Arrowfell and the two Justice League Crossover Movies. As well as a plethora of other news and releases (good, bad, and everything else in-between) that would take too much time mentioning here.

I certainly picked an eventful period of time to sort of...disappear for a bit. But I've been steadily writing and planning future chapters of Trainer To Huntsman, so hopefully the gap in time for the next chapter to come out won't be as long (hopefully...)

But until then, this is Kallerston signing out!