Cobblemon is so fucking fun

Anyways, here's your chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5

Kevin weakly stood back up. "I got a plan. I need Conductoid DNA. Stat."

"Kevin, I-" Doppler began.

"Just do it!"

"...alright," Doppler relented. No backing out here. The silver slime shifted over Kevin's back and morphed into the electric wire-like extensions of a Conductoid, complete with bronze plugs at the end. Though, in comparison to a normal member of the species, there were far more plugs.

"What is it with us 'trix-users and sacrificing ourselves lately?" Kevin rolled his eyes, trying to ease himself because of his plan.

This was going to hurt.

My Conductoid form has a limit. Kevin thought. Probably because of all the splicing, but it can maybe hold about 30% of what a normal Conductoid can hold. It's why I have all these stupid plugs...so I can really suck the energy out of something.

Kevin took a deep breath to prepare himself.

"You sure about this?" Doppler questioned.

"Very."

"Ok," Doppler sighed, "Just don't fry yourself here. Please."

"Hoping as much as you are there."

Kevin raced over to the door, dodging the now reignited fight between the two Berserk Ace-Ops. Harriet actually tried to grab hold of one of the cables, but Aura roots wrapped around her arm, pulling her back towards Elm.

"So if I'm just supposed to be the 'dumb brute,' aren't you supposed to be the 'annoying speedster?' After all, you just want FUCKING STEREOTYPES!" Elm roared. Harriet didn't even respond, just sweeping Elm's legs out from under her.

Kevin looked at the electrified door and sighed. He turned around, facing all the opponents in front of him as he started plugging into the electric field's generators. Each click made Kevin wince in pain as the energy started to flow through the cables and into his body.

"Hey...assholes..." Kevin muttered. "Consider this payback for all the pain you've caused. To us, to everyone down in Mantle…and to some of your own."

As Kevin continued to plug into the generators, the increasing amount of energy surged through the cables, causing his form to flicker and distort. The pain intensified, but he gritted his teeth and pushed through, driven by his determination to level the playing field.

Nesmith, Cammie, Vine, and Penny turned their attention to Kevin, their expressions ranging from surprise to concern.

"Oh, fuck-" Cammie cursed, knowing she had to duck for cover.

"Nesmith, MOVE!" Vine yelled, leaping over the side and using one of his Aura arms to latch onto the guard rail. His other Aura construct grabbed hold of Cammie pulling her over the side as well. Was it the smartest plan? Not at all, but it was the only one that really worked right now.

"Please. This suit can handle whatever that kid's about to throw at me. I'll tank it better than Jenny's attacks-" Nesmith scoffed.

Big mistake.

Kevin just let out a rage and pain filled yell as he fired out the energy as a powerful red laser. The berserk Elm and Harriet were caught up in the blast, but their Aura protected them from being cooked alive, especially Elm's Aura roots. As for Nesmith, while his Hardlight shield did hold, it was slowly cracking.

"Wait...that...that shouldn't be-! Oh hell!" Nesmith muttered, rerouting power from other systems in his new armor to try and compensate for the sheer power behind the attack.

Those watching the fight through the cameras had a myriad of reactions. Weller was both concerned for Kevin, but relieved that Ironwood hadn't won. The general himself had a look of anger and frustration as that laser beam filled the screen.

But Watts wasn't really all that interested in the fight, his mind was preoccupied with something else. He finally lived up to James' faux trust; he figured out a solution.

"James...tell one of the Ace Ops to try and steal a sword from Penny." Watts spoke up.

"What?" Ironwood asked.

"Just do it. Trust me."

The general raised a brow still, not entirely following but he sent the order anyway.

The laser died down after a few tense seconds. Nesmith was still standing, but his bright and shiny new armor was now scorched and burned, smoke trails rising off of his armor.

"That...what the hell..." Nesmith muttered.

Harriet growled as she got back up, sparks still jumping over her body. She looked to Elm, hoping to god she was knocked out and make things easier on her. Then her earpiece chimed to life.

"Yes...yes sir?" Harriet huffed, listening to the order, "But sir, we can...we can take her!"

Harriet flinched as the doors opened, with Team RNBW (Rainbow) standing at the ready. Ruby had successfully hacked the door, but she was just a minute too late. Her eyes widened as she saw Kevin, still standing. There was smoke coming off his body.

"KEVIN!" Weiss yelled. Ruby looked to the Ace-Ops and shifted her weapon into Crescent Rose, ready to fight.

"Harriet...we lost our chance for the Maiden proper. Just bring me. Her. Sword," Ironwood ordered over the comms. The speedster growled as she saw the other fugitives get into combat stances.

"...understood, sir," Harriet huffed.

Harriet used what little that remained of her Berserker and snagged one of Penny's swords. Penny gasped, as Harriet landed on the ground and pulled the sword harshly, tearing it free of its string.

"Retreat. Now." Harriet growled at the other Ace Ops.

"We can't just leave Elm!" Cammie yelled from over the rails.

"I'll call for a medic unit. They won't kill her," Vine reassured.

Weiss looked down at Elm, who looked like she was barely breathing. She hesitated for a moment. Elm was one of Kylie's closest friends up here and she was warming up to her as well.

And to see her being left behind by her teammates was heartbreaking.

"Ok...we'll...we'll call it a draw...then, I guess," Nesmith huffed, before he hopped off the side of the rails too, using Gravity Dust to slow his descent.

"Next time...one of us won't fuck up," Harriet promised before speeding over the edge herself.

Weiss took a deep breath. "We need to get down to May. Now." Weiss summoned her knight, which quickly picked up both Kevin and Elm.

"We're taking Elm with us?" Ruby asked.

"Chances are, after they patch her up, she'll be tried for treason. Come on!" Weiss quickly explained, rushing off.

Uh, hey, one question! Once we get -in- the ship, where do we go? I doubt they'll just let us fly another stolen Manta down to Mantle, Neo pointed out.

"She's right! We need someplace to lay low!" Blake agreed.

"...I might have an idea for that already, too," Weiss added.

"Great! You can tell us when we're in the air!" Ruby said.

"Back the way we came, quickly!" Penny said, leading the way. As the group ran, they heard the intercom systems come alive, no doubt throughout the entire complex.

"A security threat has been detected in the compound, status alert level 3: red," Ironwood announced, "Lockdown initiated. Authorization granted to handle any threats with lethal force."

Oh, nice to know it's official! Neo rolled her eyes.

Charging docks up ahead. Mostly Knights but there are at least two Praetors as well! Eunice warned.

"On it!" Penny zoomed ahead, her Maiden powers still flaring. The doors to the guard robots' charging docks began to slide open, but Penny simply held her hand out and froze the doors shut again with her new ice powers. Admittedly, she was far from the same mastery that Fria had over them, or even other "novice" Maidens in comparison, but a simple use of them like this was no problem.

Back in the hangar, May had cloaked herself and the Manta she was planning on stealing almost as soon as she found it. She had shifted her crossbow weapon into its staff mode, ready to bash anyone who got just a little too close. But she wasn't expecting this next part. As soon as she heard the alert, she cursed to herself, moving to get the Manta's take-off sequence started. She jumped into the cockpit and began to flip switches into their proper positions when-

"Don't. Move," a stern voice told her from behind, a blade already near her neck.

"Ohhhhhh fuck me," May muttered, recognizing the blade, "Shoulda figured you'd see through it."

"Actually, I already saw you doing this," another, younger voice said, "And we're not here to fight. We're here to help."

"Help?" May repeated, turning around. She raised an eyebrow at the three intruders. She recognized two of them, she'd seen him in Mantle at least once or twice with a few military men, the other one looked like a student of the academy, still looking more bookish, even in her 'combat garb'. The third was another of the doctors from up here, though she was just as ready for a fight as the others.

"Lower your weapons, Six." Holiday sighed. "This isn't a great first impression..."

"She's not going to do anything, either." Ciel said. "She's expecting company."

"If I'm being honest...I thought you were going to leave them," Six admitted, quickly sheathing his blade.

"Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence," May deadpanned.

"Sorry for the surprise." Holiday sighed.

"I'm stealing this ship and you're apologizing to me?" May asked. "Jeez." Her eyes drifted over to Ciel. "I saw you in the Vytal Festival. You're friends with Penny, aren't you?"

"I am," Ciel nodded.

"And you trusted her more than Ironwood's orders, huh?"

"You sound surprised."

"Just goes against some patterns I've noticed," May shrugged.

"Then consider us outstanding exceptions. Ironwood's...gone off the deep end." Holiday chimed in, "People are either too scared by the Grimm outside to question him or are too blindly loyal to see an issue. Or they're just scared of him. I'm not sure what his endgame is, but it's almost like he's lost his grip on reality."

"Especially since he's after the Relic." Six frowned.

"I don't even know what that is." May said.

"We'll...explain later," Holiday added.

Ruby's Outcasts, thankfully, had a bit of an easier time getting to the hangar than they did getting into the server room. A few patrols of androids and soldiers got in their way, considering that the Arma Gigas wasn't exactly stealthy, but they were easy enough to deal with, destroy the bots and knock out the soldiers. The door slid open once they reached the hangar a few minutes later and, at first, they were concerned when they didn't see any sign of the Manta or May.

Maybe we got the wrong hangar? Neo asked.

"Hey! You comin' or what?" May asked smugly.

The Happy Huntress briefly unshielded the Manta, but her smug look quickly faded when she saw the injured Kevin and Elm.

"Woah. What happened with-" May started.

"Ask later. We need to go see a doctor-" Ruby began, only to be cut off herself.

"Well how convenient," Holliday said, stepping into view aboard the Manta with Six and Ciel.

"Ciel?!" Penny gasped in joy.

"Hel-" CIel said, before Penny tackle hugged her as hard as she could. "...ow..."

"Doctor Holiday!" Ruby gasped, as she and Weiss ran over with Kevin and Elm. "Happy to see you, great to know you're on our side, but-"

"Good lord," Holiday gasped, as she looked at Kevin and Elm's bodies.

"How did this even-" Six began.

"Elm...she unlocked her Berserker Semblance and fought Harriet...who had also gone Berserk. And Kevin supercharged his body with energy while using his Conductoid powers," Penny explained.

"Everyone on. Now. Can't treat them here," Six ordered, "I hope you have somewhere to go."

"We do," Weiss reassured, "May...take us to the Schnee manor."

May looked confused, but nodded. "Alright. I'll set the coordinates, but…nevermind Just get in here. Don't feel like getting captured today."

Everyone piled into the Manta as its engines roared to life. May took the wheel and was about to drive out. She reached for the firing controls when it looked like the hangar doors wouldn't just open for them.

"Actually, if I may," Penny interjected and transmitted the clearance codes that were in that data packet, raising the hangar doors.

"Yeah, sure...do it the boring way," May sighed.

"The inconspicuous way!" Penny corrected.

"Still boring."

"Miss Rose," Six began, "There's no way I can ask this without sounding suspicious...but where is Dr. Polendina? If your plan is what I think it is, we'll need to escort him up to Amity ourselves."

"He's still in Mantle. But last I checked he was trying to figure out a way to get out there himself," Ruby answered.

"We can go around and drop you off or something?" Weiss suggested.

"Other way around more like," Ciel said, "We drop you guys off at Weiss' home, then we fly back and pick up Pietro."

"That was my original plan to begin with..." May said, as everyone piled in. "We'll do a quick check up on Kev and Elm, and get to it."

"Which...also means that," Penny muttered, "I won't be staying with you long after, Ruby..."

Ruby took a deep breath before she forced a smile, "...it's okay. It'll all work out."

"Ruby..." Penny then immediately pulled the red-hooded reaper into a hug, "I know you're lying..."

"I'm fine! I'm...I'm fine, really." the red hooded huntress reassured, returning the hug. While ut her eyes were focused on Kevin and Elm. Holiday was examining them, and she looked concerned with Kevin especially.

"Ruby...please. Be honest with me," the android Maiden tightens the hug, "Please."

"Penny. I...I really am." Ruby said. "I'm totally fine."

And yet, despite all that reassurance, Penny still wasn't convinced. After everything that's happened how could Ruby be ok?

Back in Weller's lab, Harriet was about to hand the stolen blade of Floating Array to the general, only for Nesmith to swipe it from her as he shoved past her and present it to his superior instead.

"One android girl's sword, stolen right from under her, as requested," Nesmith smirked. Harriet looked to her new teammate with a look that just screamed "I'm gonna snap your neck."

Though, Nesmith had decided to ditch the Captain Nemesis name for this operation. Instead, he took on the same name as his new armor: Conduit.

"Good work," Ironwood said, taking the sword from his new lead Ace-Op.

"'Good work' would be coming back with Penny and Ruby and her friends in cuffs..." Harriet hissed.

"Well, you know what they say," Watts said as Ironwood passed the blade on to him, "If you can't beat 'em...make them join you."

Ironwood looked at the Ace-Ops and raised an eyebrow, noticing an absence in the headcount.

"Where is Operative Ederne?" the general question.

"Left her behind," Nesmith said. "She was injured-"

"Left her behind?" Ironwood repeated. "Too injured to walk back on her own?"

"That's right."

"...then where is she?"

"Huh?" Nesmith blinked in confusion.

"I...called a medical unit once we were safely...away..." Vine said, starting to realize what the general was implying.

"So you left her, alone, with our enemies. And you haven't checked in with this medical unit since?" Ironwood asked.

"...well, it was one little snafu." Nesmith answered nervously. "Besides, she was going crazy-"

With no hesitation, Ironwood pulled out his gun and fired it RIGHT next to Nesmith's ear.

Harriet couldn't help but smirk a little at that, since Nesmith looked terrified now.

"You...are my elite team. I am trusting you. With the very future of this Kingdom. And you make such a rookie mistake as to leave a squadmate behind?" Ironwood asked.

Nesmith couldn't even hear Ironwood's words right now. All he heard was ringing.

"I'm starting to regret letting you out of your cell, Carl. Stop compensating for something with your armor and start doing your damn job." Ironwood growled, firing another shot.

"OK OK!" Carl yelped, "Message heard loud and...very loud! Don't fuck it up again."

"Next time...I'll move my aim a few inches to the left." Ironwood threatened. "Don't disappoint me again."

Nesmith stepped back as Ironwood stormed out. The faux hero was quivering in his armor.

So was Cammie, honestly. If she needed any more confirmation that Ironwood was in the wrong there, that was it. How Harriet, Vine, and Chiffon were unphased was a mystery to her.

I don't know how long I handle this...but Ruby…please, for the love of god, find a way to end this and fast! Cammie thought.

Back in the hardlight cellblock, Marrow was listening intently to a story that Robyn was telling in an attempt to lighten the mood. Not much else they could do in there, of course. Jacques was doing his best to just shut out her words, more focused on trying to swat down a fly that was buzzing around him.

"You shoulda seen the look on Joanna's face. I don't think she'd ever lost a fight before that, well at least not a fair one," Robyn smirked.

"Well...that's one way to make an introduction," Marrow chuckled.

"Alright that's one. Two for two here, or does Ironwood need to pay for better cellblock entertainment?" the Happy Huntress' leader turned to look at Qrow. The gruff Huntsman seemed to be doing better, but she could only really guess. She wasn't a doctor, after all. Ruby's uncle had brought out Clover's bloody pin, but the story, and the jab at Ironwood, still managed to get a chuckle out of the man.

"And he smiles!" Robyn cheers, "Did I win?"

"Your game," Qrow sighed, "I didn't make the rules." He didn't even turn away from the crimson-stained metal four-leafed clover pin in his hands.

"I'm...I'm sorry. About what happened. Wasn't your fault."

"It was, though. Maybe not directly but..." Qrow sighed, "Clover was too stubborn, too set on following orders. Tyrian was the bigger threat and we both knew that. But because the 'current' issue was me...well... You wanna know what really stings, though? For once, thought I could be around someone, anyone, without my Semblance making it complicated. And now..." His grip tightened on the bloodied pin, the one reminder of someone he thought he could call "friend."

"Believe it or not...I know what that's like," Robyn admitted, "You tend to get pushed away when people think you're gonna sniff out their secrets. Makes a real connection...difficult."

"Robyn, I-" Qrow was interrupted when he heard the door to the cellblock open. The trio on the Outcasts' side looked up, expecting to see Harriet or more of Ironwood's loyalists. They were technically correct on the latter, because it was Nesmith.

"Nesmith?! Who let you out of your-?!" Marrow jumped up from his cell's bed.

"Ironwood himself, buddy. Made a deal, now I'm in command of your former team," Nesmith boasted.

"He what?!"

"Honestly, shouldn't have even told you. Traitors like you shouldn't be in the know."

"Traitor?! You're one to talk!"

"And neither is he a soldier!" Jacques said, some hope returning to his eyes, "Nesmith! Let me out of here and I promise you a reward! Whatever your price! Just name it A yacht? Two? A villa out in Mistral perhaps? The sunsets out there can be immaculate to behold!"

"Tempting Jacques...but I didn't come here to accept a bribe from you," Nesmith clarified, morphing his arm into the gravity cannon from his earlier fight and activating it, "I came for that."

A purple aura surrounded the pin that Qrow had in his hands and, with a quick pull, it was wrenched free. Qrow tried to grab it back, but it was too fast, and the act actually made him strain the still fresh puncture wound from Tyrian's stinger. Nesmith put in his code quickly and lowered the cell door, letting the pin fly right to him.

"They respected him a great deal, ya know?" Nesmith said, reactivating the barrier on Qrow's cell, "Dunno why. Guy's Semblance was a crutch. Without it, they're just a bunch of screw-ups too. That Elm girl got herself captured and she's meant to be elite?"

"Elm?" Marrow gasped.

"But not me. I got no crutch to give 'em. But if they want Clover back so much...I'm thinkin' the one who wears this is at least the next best thing, right? Sort of a...'passing the torch' thing."

"You put that on and I will throw you off the city limits!" the former Ace-Op growled, "You don't deserve it!"

"Down boy. You're not doing anything in your kennel," Nesmith smirked and reaffixed the pin to his armor, using a small bit of magnetic Dust.

"You seriously think Harriet's gonna like you wearing that? She's gonna straight up tear you a new one. Hell, if Ironwood doesn't kill you for some mistake, she's gonna ram her fist down your throat, pull out your intestines and knit a GODDAMN sweater out of 'em!" Marrow huffed.

Silence.

"...Good lord." Nesmith muttered.

"Didn't know you had that in you, Wags," Robyn blinked, admittedly just as stunned as Nesmith.

"Well that definitely clears things up, I suppose," Jacques scoffed.

"Don't even start with me, Gele. Ironwood wouldn't bat an eye if you lived or died today. Stop thinking you're important!" Marrow slammed his fist on the hardlight wall, scaring Jacques into silence once again.

"Well...you're right on one thing. She'll probably hate it," Nesmith shrugged, "But she's a good little soldier. She'll respect the chain of command. Because if she...does what you so colorfully described, she's no better than Red and the others. And she hates that idea even more."

"Well, which does she hate more? Someone disparaging the last remaining link to this 'Marion'? Someone pretending to be someone they're not? Or some giant asshole coming in, breaking the rules, and acting like some rich guy in a suit has sacrificed MORE than she has!? Look at me!" Marrow yelled. "I'm a guy from the country, doing his part for the military, and am I begging for a parade because I stopped a Grimm or took out some terrorists!? NO! I just do my job, make a joke, and that's it. You are NOT a hero. You're NOT an Ace Op. And you're as hell NOT worthy of wearing Clover's goddamn pin-!"

"Why, you-" Nesmith lunged for Marrow.

"STAY!" Marrow yelled. As part of the security in this cellblock, Aura dampening fields were put inside each cell so that Semblances couldn't be used to their full effect. And while the fields were fully active, the newly dubbed Conduit sure froze up when he heard that yell. It was a strange kind of muscle memory.

Of course, there was still some power behind the yell, creating a small Aura spike. Upon detecting the spike, several alarms started blaring. The door to the cellblock slid open and a group of soldiers, elites in the rank and file, stormed in with rifles and swords drawn. They all wordlessly raised their weapons towards Marrow, silently ordering him to release Nesmith. The fact that all of them seemed to be on a hair trigger only reinforced the idea that they were given full authorization to just gun him down if he tried anything.

Marrow didn't even flinch. "...you're the leader now, huh?" He huffed. "Fine. Good luck explaining to these idiots how a guy in an Aura dampening cell froze you up."

Nesmith was freed of the illusion of the wolf Faunus' Semblance and he was pissed. He didn't try to lunge at him again because for one, he'd just freeze up again. and for another he had an audience. Wouldn't really go over well for him if this ever reached the general.

"...what makes you think they'll ever hear about it?" Nesmith scoffed, storming out of the cell, "Let the dog wallow in his pen. Don't think the general wants him dead...yet."

Marrow made eye contact with Nesmith as he stormed out. The group of soldiers dispersed, and the room went quiet again. Robyn was the one to break the silence.

"...holy shit." the leader of the Happy Huntresses muttered, softly but with feeling.

"I just...god...damn it!" Marrow cursed, words failing him. The wolf Faunus stormed back to his cell bed and just...seethed.

Oddly enough, while it did sting to have the pin gone, Qrow did still have something from Clover he could hold onto. That promise to look after the Ace-Ops for him.

"Hey...Marrow?" Qrow asked, thinking now was the best time. Might get his mind off things.

Marrow rolled over. "What." he asked, his voice low and annoyed, the words monotone.

"Why did you even come to Atlas?" Qrow asked.

"...why do you care?"

"Well...for one, I've been to your hometown. Hela Minor. Little mining town out there, right?" Qrow asked. That caught Marrow's attention. He didn't say anything, just letting his annoyance turn to just general confusion and curiosity. Where was he going with this?

"For another...Clover made me promise something to him, before he..." Qrow stopped himself from saying "died," "Promised I'd look after you all. Can't really help if I don't know you all that well."

"...he asked that, huh?" Marrow said.

"He said to go easy on you, be firm with Harriet, meditate with Vine, let Elm be herself and...let the kid do what's necessary." Qrow coughed.

"Sounds like he really 'passed the torch' to you..." Marrow muttered, taking in those words, "You said...you've been to my hometown, right?"

"With...Ben, but yeah," Qrow answered.

"Then...you've seen how much it needs someone to protect it. We don't have a full-time Huntsman like some villages. Usually, if we needed one, we'd scrounge up what money or Dust we could and pay them off once and...then they'd move on. So we mostly just...fend for ourselves. And I wanted that to change. I didn't want my home to bleed itself dry just to get enough protection to see the next day," Marrow explained, "Always wanted things to be better. What better way than becoming a Huntsman myself? Be the chance you wanna see and all, right?"

Qrow chuckled. "I feel that- got tired of running with my village, so I split...then I worked for Oz, and now..." Qrow looked down at his cut. "I'm thinking of going freelance after all this is said and done..."

"Just go wherever, huh?" Marrow asked, "When this is all over...well, if I live to see it end, probably gonna go back home for a bit. Won't stop being a Huntsman but...well, I mean you've seen how crazy it is."

"Whole thing's insane enough to drive a man to drink, huh?" Qrow quipped.

"Glad someone can make jokes at a time like-" Jacques started.

"Zip it, mustache. They're having a moment," Robyn ordered.

"For the longest time, I thought I was gonna be doomed to repeat this cycle of...soldier bullshit," Marrow said. "But then, I met Ben and the others and...despite working with the Ace Ops for the last three years, working with the Outcasts has been...10x more fulfilling."

"You the only one they talked to?" Qrow asked.

"No. Kylie got through to Elm, had her break from it for a bit too. I thought they'd made progress with Harriet after the Arrowfell incident but..."

"One bad day and it all came crashing down..." Ruby's uncle sighed, "Know that feeling."

"Elm's probably with the Outcasts...and that's good." Marrow sighed. "Probably what she needs. Elm's the one to wear her emotions on her sleeve, so maybe this will make her...recover. From everything."

"Those kids...dunno what they teach 'em over at Beacon but," Robyn smirked, "Feels like every Hunter should be like them."

"Preaching to the choir there," Qrow nodded.

"And that school went up in flames now, didn't it..." Jacques muttered. All daggers were shot towards him.

"Just shut the fuck up, dude." Qrow huffed.

"Just stating facts."

"Ignore him," Robyn huffed.

"Well...here's hoping that wherever they are out there, things are working out for 'em," Marrow said.