Shade's new Blood - Chapter 28
The night had gone an hour passed its peak when the remains of Amethyst returned bruised and shattered. For a while, they sat around in silence to take in all that had happened. Some denial, some bargaining, and some excuses were made but nothing could compete with the truth before their eyes. Deep in thought, Toma felt the cold touch of a chilled can pressed against the back of her neck. A small yelp escaped her as she instinctively went to grab it. However, she quickly realized that it was cold-faced Shae, "Here," she said, handing her the drink with images of sliced lemons plastered over it. Toma graciously accepted the offer while the girl sat beside her. Shae slid over a second can to Trya, "They didn't have grape. Sorry, Trya," she apologized as she popped open a third drink reserved for herself.
The Faunus didn't say a word and instead put up an appreciative smile. She took the can in both hands and spoke in a calm, polite tone, "It's alright, thank you."
Despite Mantle's descent into chaos, the man in charge of its security had enough of their failures and forbade them from going back out to 'help'. So, they sat alone in the confines of the station. It was better that way, especially since news of losing one of their own had spread to every officer that remained at their desks. Still, the venomous words the captain hurled at them just added salt to the wounds. Although, one member of their team didn't seem too phased about their problem. "Oh, enough with those looks. What's done is done," Shae started before a drink, "No point in dwelling on it," she finished.
"There's gotta' be a reason. She's been out friend, I don't believe she would do something like that without cause," said Toma.
"'Friend'?" Shae repeated, "I don't know what made you believe that but she was barely our teammates to begin with."
"Yeah, I know we're not 'close', but I've gotten to know her—"
"So have I!" interrupted Shae, "And no matter what tragic backstory she told you, nothing excuses what she did." A brief paused filled the air. Shae stared at her drink for a moment before she shook her head, "To think I was dumb enough to believe her."
On cue, Flaye joined their little conversation, "Indeed. Regardless, you girls are going home."
Toma sat up straight, dumbfounded, "Hold on, what?"
"Good riddance," muttered Shae simultaneously.
"We can't just leave," Toma continued, "The city—"
"The missions over!" Flaye snapped, "It's already bad enough that I brought you along with my own when I shouldn't have. I'm still responsible for all of this—for all of you—which means the best choice of action is to see you three safely home."
"What about Maron?" asked Toma.
"What about her?" countered Shae, "She made her choice. I've got no issue leaving her here when she just so easily would have done the same to us."
"You don't know that!" Toma jumped from her seat, "Even… Even so… The city needs—"
"The captain will handle security from here on out," Flaye intervened, "Assistance from up high is should be on its way."
"And what does he plan to do? Sit around and hope for the best. You know these officers are being targeted."
"Yes, but with the people up in arms, the streets will be dangerous. So, he's just about finished emptying out all of Mantle's armories to ship out the weapons to a more secure depot away from the city. The last thing they need is for these rioters and instigators to get their hands on deadly force and start spilling blood of their own. It may not be much, but it would alleviate some of the gaps in manpower."
"And us? I thought the whole reason they brought us in was because they couldn't compete against those criminals."
"Our contract is terminated, Toma. If you tried, Atlas would have probable cause to detain you for interfering with their world," Flaye explained.
Defeated, Toma sat back in her chair and leaned back. With a troubled sigh, she knew the woman was right even if she didn't like to hear it.
As the other two members of her team started up another small argument, Trya glanced over to the station. She was bored of hearing their words and though watching what few, slothful officers that remained would better pass the time. They were broken, some with buried heads in their hands as they desperately tried to piece together what little sanity and options they had left. Trya's heart ached for them, but even if she wanted to help, she hadn't the will to do so. The only one who looked unaffected was Captain Cye who continuously pushed his subordinates to get the job done. However, from his tone and posture alone, even he knew that his officers were at their wit's end.
Trya's eyes fell upon one such uniformed woman who approached him with a bulky envelop in hand. So professional and stoic was she in the face of her pers that it was almost a hopeful sight, one that showed that they were not broken just yet. In either case, she was directed to the man's office, most likely to leave the envelope on his desk for his future review. Curiosity pushed her to watch on and, once the delivery was made, the woman slipped away without even a second word with her superior. Trya's paid it no mind though, for there were more important tasks that needed to be done anyways.
"Trya!" Shae's call had snapped Trya from her daydreaming, "We're leaving, come on." Trya gave her a quick nod before she stood and went to catch up with them.
Their journey outside was grim as it was quiet. Aside from the echoes of sirens and the rare shouting, the streets were barren and devoid of all but the desperate few who sought to shelter against the coming storm. Businesses were shuttered closed, residential buildings were crammed with residents locked in their homes, and the endless snow seemed to kept piling up as the minutes wore on. Now, along with the cold, there was a new air of fear that strangled the city with anger and resentment not far from boiling over.
A thunderous boom startled the four who were caught off guard by its power. Behind them, a large fire clung to the security station that they had just left. A gaping maw exposed its innards to the outside which spewed black smoke while little embers escaped out into the city. However, unlike every crisis Mantle had faced before, there were no sirens to be heard this time.
Toma stumbled forward, "H-Hey, come on now. That's… That's not…"
Behind her, Flaye grit her teeth, "Girls!" she called to them, "Things are going to get very violent, very fast. You need go while there's still a chance."
"We're supposed to walk away from that?" Toma questioned with one hand pointed to the aftermath of the bombed security station.
"Now's not the time to argue."
"Um, I don't—I don't think we should!" voice Trya. She looked tense with her proclamation, bracing for whatever reprimand might come from the Huntress. Her hands clung to an open Scroll as Flaye frowned at her. The woman approached the smaller girl for questioning but Trya explained herself first, "I-I know where we have to go next!" she claimed, presenting her Scroll to Flaye.
Flaye let out a grumble and took the device from the girl. She took a moment to go through it before handing back to its owner, "So that's how it is?" She turned on her heal and took a few steps before she stopped to give them instructions, "You girls will head to the port, get on that transport, and go home."
Toma pulled herself together to argue once more, "So, what? We're just supposed to run back to Vacuo with our heads hung low?"
"Yes, that is correct," Flaye answered, "There isn't any point in any of you staying here any longer. No pay, no credit, no recognition—that is all that's in store for you and the rest of your team." She gave a stern glance over her shoulder to Toma, "If you go home, you may even have a second chance. Now, do make it quick, that ship won't wait for you forever and I've got work to do." Once she was done, she continued on without the them.
A heavy sigh escaped Shae, "Come on, let's go home. Not like we'd be of much use anyways.
Shae too started the other direction when Toma gave her firm defiance, "No."
"'No'?" repeated Shae, "In case you haven't noticed it yet, we're not cut out for something like this! We're out of our league, we shouldn't even be here, and we've barely gotten over our last fight," she reminded. Two glares met each other. "Come on, even you have to realized that this is suicide—career suicide at best if we make it out of this!"
"I know."
"Then why do you bother wanting to stay? You'll never get the chance to become a Huntress again. No academy will want to accept you if you we keep defying the rules!"
Toma balled her hands into tight fists, her nails digging into her palms before she snapped, "Then damn the academies!" Toma exclaimed at the top of her lungs, "What gutless fool decided that we needed a 'license' to save lives anyways? Those are not the kind of Huntsmen I followed—" Toma jabbed a finger to Shae's chest, "—and neither should you! So, what if we're not good enough at our job? So, what if we're next to worthless on Shade's leaderboard? Does that mean we should abandon our duty?"
Shae's eyes darted away with a small, frustrated grimace on her face. Seconds ticked by before she spoke, "You really willing to throw away your entire future for this?"
"Yes. If it were Grimm ransacking the city, then I know you'd stay by our side and help."
"You know, these aren't Grimm we're dealing with," Shae paused and looked back to Toma with a softened expression, "But, if we do this, even if we succeed, it won't end well for us."
Toma scoffed, "When has anything ever gone well for us?"
A smirk formed upon Shae, "Pfft, right. Trya?" she looked over to the Faunus.
"R-Right!" Trya started, "Their next target is a military train station and depot."
"Train station? Weren't the weapons the captain gathered to be shipped out too?" asked Toma.
"Did they know that would happen?" Shae asked herself, "With all that armament in one place, they might steal it and—"
"'Start spilling blood of their own'," Toma finished for her.
Trya spoke up once again, "If we move fast, we can make it before any departure is made!"
"Then there's no time to waste," said Toma, "Let's move!"
Together, the three girls fell into a sprint and charged in the direction Flaye went. Slowly they caught up to her but didn't even stop by her side or let her lead. Instead, they ran right on by the woman who was taken by surprise. However, thought they may not have known it, she gave them a small, satisfied smirk before she too picked up her speed to follow after them.