Chapter Seventeen
The Devilray was an oversized, sleek, silver and black Manta purpose built for transporting larger squads of soldiers, with bays for two Paladin mechs or Knight squads. There were a pair of large mini guns mounted on either side of its nose, and it had a retractable energy cannon mounted on its roof. Ciel was piloting the aircraft, her Paladin snugly secured in one of the spacious bays. The other bay was ready to receive whatever salvage the Hunters managed to find in the fallen city.
Teams RWBY and JORNE were relaxing in the crew compartment, chatting and joking with each other as the Devilray ate the miles between them and Atlas. They were all in high spirits as they talked.
"So do I have any takers on whether or not Qrow and Willow will be official when we get back?" Yang was asking, playful grin on her face.
"Gods, I hope not," Weiss said with exasperation.
"Aw, c'mon, Weiss, we'd be cousins!" Ruby exclaimed brightly. "That's a silver lining, right?"
"Maybe for you, Ruby, but that means Qrow would be my step-dad. And I am not into that."
"Wait, I thought Qrow stood her up," Nora said, puzzled. "I remember Winter being all mad about it."
"He didn't stand her up, he had to reschedule. Big difference. Theo sent him on a mission the day they were supposed to meet up," Yang said.
"Are you sure he didn't ask Theodore to send him out? He seemed pretty panicked about it when we saw him last," Emerald added.
"Nah, Qrow wouldn't do that. He's just worried because he thinks Willow is out of his league," Ruby said, waving one hand dismissively.
"That's because she is," Weiss said, arms crossed. Yang scoffed and imitated Ruby's dismissive gesture.
"I think they make a good couple," Blake said with optimism. "They have more in common than some of you think. It might not look like it on the surface, but the similarities are there. They both had family betray them, and they both have a lot of personal heartache. Jacques only married Willow for her family's company, and Raven ran out on Qrow and tried to kill him at one point. They've both had problems with alcohol, and they both went through similar grief when we fell into the Ever After. I think they can find some common ground."
"Ooh, good points from Blake," Nora said, impressed. "What do you think, Ren?"
"I think they're mature adults who can make their own decisions, and we shouldn't pry into the matter," Ren said primly.
"Pffht, you're no fun," Nora said. "What about you, Jaune? You've been suspiciously quiet so far."
Jaune shifted uncomfortably in his seat and side-eyed Weiss. "I think, as a couple, they make for a fun juxtaposition. And like Blake said, they could be good for each other." Weiss sighed. "But they do come from different walks of life. That might make things harder," Jaune added to mollify her.
"Ok, ok. I know that my mother and Qrow make for interesting conversation, but can we talk about literally anything else?" Weiss asked exasperatedly.
"How about Sun and his guys?" Jaune was quick to come to her rescue, jumping at the suggestion. "You think they're actually gonna find the Summer Maiden?"
"Sun's prone to following his heart. And it usually works out for him. I think he's onto something," Blake said.
"Ghira seems pretty annoyed with him, though. How do you think that's going to go whenever they get back?" Yang asked.
"If they have the Summer Maiden with them, I don't see how he could stay angry. We need her, and it would be great if our side found her first," Ruby said.
"What if they're in the wrong place, though?" Nora asked. "We still haven't seen or heard anything from Cinder, and Salem has two relics already."
"They're trying to be proactive. I think it's a good thing they're following this lead, because we need someone to be doing something about it, rather than just having everyone stay put in Vacuo," Ren said.
"Do you think Sun's team can handle Cinder, if they're in the right place and she shows up?" Emerald asked quietly.
"Sun and Neptune are huge dorks, but they're also solid in a fight. They can hold their own," Blake said.
"But can they stop Cinder? She's completely obsessed with the need to get all the Maiden powers. Not to put too fine a point on it, but she did kick your asses not that long ago," Emerald continued.
"She's strong, yeah." Jaune said. "But we all have something she doesn't."
"And what's that?" Emerald asked.
"Friends," Jaune said simply.
Emerald opened her mouth to reply, looking angry, and then frowned and shut it again. Jaune had spoken without heat or anger, but his face was set in hard lines and his body language spoke of a man ready for a fight. He had not forgotten what Cinder had done, and looked like he wouldn't forgive, either.
"He's right, Emerald. Cinder doesn't work with people, she uses them. I know you have a past with her, and it's still sore, but she only relies on herself. Working together, I think SSSNN can give her a run for her money," Ruby said.
Emerald sighed and rubbed arms, as though she was cold. "Yeah, sure. How much longer until we get to Atlas?"
"I'll check," Blake volunteered as she got up and went to the cockpit.
Ciel was seated in the pilot's seat, headphones on and aviators gleaming. Oscar sat next to her, asking her questions about the various instruments and systems. He had taken an interest in piloting since the event at Argus, when Ozpin had finally resurfaced to help crash-land the ship they were on. Ciel had asked why he wanted to learn how to fly when Ozpin already knew how. Oscar had responded, firmly and with more than a little annoyance, that if things went well he would be his own person again soon. Ciel had gotten quiet as she thought this over, and then started walking him through her preflight checks with no more questions asked. It was unlike Oscar to snap at people, and it didn't help that Ciel wasn't great at reading cues. They were getting along fine at the moment, Blake saw with relief, and she asked them how much longer they'd be in the air.
"At our current speed, touchdown will be about four more hours. Provided no grimm attack us, that is," Ciel said.
"Have you seen any yet?" Blake asked.
"Radar and line of sight have been clear," Oscar said, checking the instrument panels in front of him. "How're things back there?"
"Lots of pre-mission chatter and speculation. Everyone is in a pretty good mood, though. Ciel, you've been to Atlas since the fall, right? What's it like?"
Ciel was quiet for a moment before speaking. "Everything is broken. The city fell from the sky, a lot of it burning as it did, and then it got flooded when it crashed into Mantle. It's full of grimm and dead bodies."
It was Blake's turn to be quiet. Atlas had been Ciel's home, and Team RWBY was part of the reason it had fallen. They'd made their choice to use the Staff of Creation to save Penny and had overridden the floating mechanism of Atlas in the process. And even though they had then used the staff to make the portals to get as many people out as they could, the city had still been shattered, and then Penny had been killed anyway. It was still a source of pain and bitterness for everyone involved. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up."
"No, it's ok. We're on a mission, and you need to know what we're getting into. Think about any urban ruin combat training you have, add extreme cold weather on top of it, and that's pretty much it. Everyone will need to be on top of their game. There's also a fair chance we'll run into other teams. We've been working nonstop to recover as much tech and as many supplies as we can."
"We're headed into the old command center, right? Where Dr. Polendina had his lab?"
"Yes. That building suffered the worst of the fires, and there haven't been many salvage missions there yet." Ciel's face was impassive, and she remained staring straight ahead, focused on the horizon. "There's a chance everything we'll be looking for has been destroyed."
Oscar tensed next to her and let out a faint sigh. "Let's hope not, yeah?"
"Of course," Ciel replied.
"We'll find something Oscar, don't worry," Blake tried to assure him, placing a hand on his shoulder. She could feel how rigidly he was holding himself.
"Yeah," was all he said in response.
"Let us know if you need anything," Blake said as she made ready to head back to the crew compartment.
"I will sound the alarm if necessary," Ciel assured her.
Blake returned to find her teammates and friends in another animated discussion, this time about what they thought the Summer Maiden would be like.
"She's obviously going to be a Faunus, if she's from Menagerie, right?" Nora was asking. "Oh! Blake! What can you tell us about these myths that Sun went chasing after?"
"The Wild Woman of the Wastes?" Blake said, resuming her seat by Yang and leaning into her. "If the rumors are right, she's an eagle Faunus, and an older woman, too." She looked over at Emerald. "Ciel says ETA is about four hours." Emerald nodded in response.
"If she's older, then maybe she's fully realized. She could be scary powerful. You think the Summer Maiden has any powers the others don't?" Ruby asked, bouncing slightly in her seat.
"Winter seems to favor ice, Raven thunderstorms, and Cinder likes fire. But Cinder's semblance is also fire related. Maybe the Summer Maiden is like, really good with windstorms or something," Yang mused, running her fingers absently through Blake's hair as she did.
"But we know all the Maidens can use various elemental powers, they don't seem to be limited to just one. There's still a lot we don't really know about them," Jaune said.
"We could ask Ozpin," Nora suggested brightly.
"That might not be a great idea right now, Nora. Oscar is struggling, I'm not sure he'd want to let Ozpin take control so we can quiz him," Ren told her softly.
"Oh, right. Poor Oscar. I really hope we can make this work. And I dunno if anyone else has thought about this, but we've had this technology, right? Why hasn't anyone suggested this yet?" Nora asked.
"Maybe because Dr. Polendina didn't think it was possible to separate two auras without one person dying? He used his own aura to make Penny, but he was just splitting his own aura. And when Ozpin was going to transfer Amber's power to Pyrrha, they made it pretty clear Amber would die in the process. Was dying already anyway, but still. I don't know if being a Maiden changes anything or not, though," Jaune said.
"Maybe Ozpin thought he'd die if he tried and would have to reincarnate again. Maybe he didn't want to take that chance, or risk something bad happening," Ruby said.
"If that's the case, then why change his mind now?" Weiss asked. "If anything, this is the time we need him the most. We all like Oscar, but is this worth the risk?" There was some general grumbling at this, and Weiss got defensive. "Look, I'm just trying to think about it logically. If this fails, Oscar dies and Ozpin is lost to us again. That's something that bears thinking about."
"We don't have to like it, but Weiss does have a point," Blake said.
"We'll make sure it works. I'll make sure it works," Ruby said with fierce determination.
"You a world class scientist now, Sis? Smarter than the guy who invented this tech?" Yang asked with faint amusement.
Ruby colored slightly. "Well, no, but the last time I used my power it was different. I think it's getting stronger, or something. I could see everyone's auras. Grimm are like black holes, they just suck in the light, but people are all glowy and make light. Maybe I can influence them, or something."
"That's a big if, Ruby," Jaune said. "Have you talked to Maria about this? See if she's ever experienced anything like that before?"
"Uhm. No? It kinda slipped my mind, to be honest." Weiss rolled her eyes, and Ruby's blush deepened. "Look! There was a lot going on, and I had a lot on my mind, ok?"
"We'll just have to make sure we ask her when we get back then," Nora said. "Maybe you'll get a chance to use it again in Atlas."
"Have you tried to use it outside of combat yet?" Ren asked.
"Yeah, I've tried to get in the zone a couple times, I just haven't gotten it to work. I can only really tap it when I'm like mad, or angry, or frustrated."
"That's a lot of words that mean basically the same thing," Emerald said, bemused. Ren nodded sagely.
"Sooo we should just tick you off?" Yang asked with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
"Maybe. Got any pointers on how to throw a tantrum?" Ruby shot back.
Yang laughed. "Fair play, little sis."
"In all seriousness though, I really do need to find a way to practice. I want to be able to do what I mean to do, when I need to do it. There are a lot of people that are counting on us."
"We've got time now. Wanna try?" Yang asked.
"Now? In front of everybody?" Ruby said, alarmed at the prospect.
"Yeah, why not? Should we make you mad or just let you vibe?"
"Uhhhh can I try the meditation route?"
"Go for it."
Ruby closed her eyes, still very flustered. The compartment got quiet, and the only noise that could be heard was the hum of the aircraft as it soared through the sky. Ruby cracked an eye, only to see everyone watching her expectantly. "Y'know, it's just a little weird you're all staring at me. Like you're waiting for a magic trick, or something."
"Is it not magic? Little hazy on that front," Emerald said.
"I gave up on whether or not all the cool stuff we can do is magic a long time ago, Em," Nora said with an air of worldliness. "I can channel lightning, Ruby can turn into rose petals, Ren can sense people's emotions. If none of that is magic I dunno what is. It hurts my brain too much to think of it in any other way."
"Actually, there have been a number of scientific papers published on this very topic. Aura is measurable, to such an extent we have apps on our scrolls that can monitor it in real time, and semblances use aura. Since it can be observed, measured, and tested, it falls into the physiological sciences. Dr. Polendina, for example, is widely considered to be at the forefront of 'Auraology', mainly due to his work on Penny," Weiss recited. She was greeted with blank stares from Nora and Yang, but Emerald and Ren were nodding along with her.
Blake had perked up as Weiss talked. "It really is an interesting area of study. There's still a lot of unknowns with aura and semblances, like why some people never unlock a semblance, or the theory that every living creature has the ability to unlock aura. It's fascinating!"
"You two know we're not in school anymore, right?" Jaune asked.
"Hot lips has a point. Why do we need to study this stuff? It's baaasically magic, so why worry?" Nora replied. Jaune groaned softly upon hearing his nickname.
"We never finished our formal education, and there's nothing wrong with learning new things. Especially things that pertain to our profession," Weiss replied with a measure of frost in her voice.
Yang was unimpressed. "That's what we have you smart people for. You focus on the details so we don't have to."
"Yeah yeah yeah, Weiss and Blake are nerds, Yang and Nora are muscle heads, blah blah blah, but can you guys keep it down? I'm really having a hard time focusing here," Ruby griped.
Nora, sensing Ruby's annoyance, started to rub her hands together until a low crackle could be heard, and then poked Ruby on the arm with glee. There was a sharp crack and an electric blue flash as the discharge shocked Ruby. Ruby's eyes snapped open in pain and surprise.
"Ow! Nora what was that for!?"
"You said you needed to be mad to make the eye thing happen, I'm just trying to help." Nora said with an air of innocence.
"Not like that!"
Nora just shrugged. "Worth a shot."
"Hmph."
"What about you, Jaune?" Ren said. "You can manipulate aura. Have you ever noticed anything about Oscar that might help?"
Jaune thought for a moment, considering this. "I can't say for sure. I mostly just use my aura to boost others. I can feel a connection to whoever I'm boosting, but that's about it. I've never felt two auras in Oscar, if that's what you're asking."
Troubled silence greeted this as the Hunters reflected on the implications of Jaune's statement. Blake, wanting to bring the mood back up, tried to encourage everyone. "Dr. Polendina's instruments are much more sensitive, I'm sure. For now, let's focus on recovering as much of his equipment as we can to make his job easier."
Ruby sighed deeply, and then firmed her resolve. "Blake is right. We have a mission to complete before we worry about any of that. Let's do our best when we get Atlas, everyone."
Four hours later the Devilray was on approach to the ruined cities of Atlas and Mantle. The destruction seen from the air was staggering. The first time Ruby and the others had approached the 'City in the Sky' it had been nighttime, and Atlas had been hovering impossibly in the air, lit with lights, gleaming and beautiful. Now it was a smashed ruin, choked with rubble and covered in ice. Mantle, once the industrious sister-city to Atlas and home to the lower classes, was now indistinguishable from city that had always been above it. They lay entwined in death, no longer kept apart by everything that had separated them in life.
Ciel brought the Manta down on the outskirts of the ruins, landing the craft on the icy tundra. There had been a brief engagement as they had neared their destination, but the Devilray and Ciel were more than a match for the manticores that had attacked them. Ciel had blurted a quick 'Brace' over the intercom, which was followed by a quiet shudder through the frame as the miniguns opened fire. Moments later, Ciel chimed an all clear. Nora, who had gotten hers hopes up at the prospect of combat, leaned back in her seat, disappointed.
As the Huntsman teams debarked from the craft and took stock, they were once again reminded of the brutal cold of Solitas. Even garbed in their cold weather combat gear, they could all feel the sudden impact to their auras as it suddenly had to regulate their body heat. Breath smoked in the air as the Hunters performed a last check on their equipment.
"Ugh. I did not miss the cold," Yang complained as she adjusted Ember Celica and her prosthetic to sit more comfortably on her arms.
"It's not that bad," Weiss said as she ensured she had a full complement of dust cartridges for Myrtenaster loaded. She snapped the weapon shut and slid it into her holster.
"Says the Ice Queen. I never thought I would say this, but I miss Vacuo's heat." Blake was shivering slightly as she tried to mentally reacclimate herself to the cold.
"Says the cat girl," Weiss said with a friendly smile.
Ruby was ignoring her team's chatter as she surveyed the ruins, Jaune at her side. Her expression was hard, her eyes sad. "It looks, bad, Jaune. We never really got a chance to see the consequences of our actions."
"We made the right choice Ruby. We had to give Penny a chance, even if…" Jaune trailed off, his conviction faltering.
Ruby looked at him, and her expression softened. She put a hand on his arm. "That wasn't your fault, either. C'mon, let's get going. On me!" she called to her teammates. Jaune echoed the command a moment later.
As the Hunters assembled on the frosty plain, Ruby went over the plan of attack. "Right, our goal is Dr. Polendina's lab. Thanks to the work of other teams before us, we have a rough map of the ruins. Everyone has it uploaded to their scrolls, and I've put a marker at the place we need to get to. Any questions?"
"Yeah, I've got one. Are we just leaving our ride out here, unprotected?" Nora asked.
In response, the cannon on the roof of the craft rose from its housing and started to sweep back and forth, checking for hostiles. Ciel clumped around the ship in her Paladin, augmented voice rumbling through the speakers. "The Devilray has an automated defense system. It will be fine."
Nora ooohed appreciatively and smiled at the huge mech. "Ok, another one, then. What about combat? As much as I like to smash grimm, I bet there's a ton of the beasties in there." She gestured at the ruins as she spoke.
Jaune answered. "We're going to do our best not to get bogged down with engagements. We are not on a sweep and clear or a search and destroy, we're here to recover salvage. Fighting will be inevitable, but we want to save our energy whenever possible."
The rest of them nodded in agreement. Ruby smiled at her companions. "No time to waste. Let's get to it."
The two teams of Hunters and the large mech moved into the city, eager to complete their mission to help their friend and teammate. Oscar's face was set with determination. They would find what they needed, they would all make it back to Vacuo, and he and Ozpin would finally be separated. It was the only outcome he would accept. The only outcome he could accept. He had his own life to live, and he meant to live it.