Hello again!
I'm so glad the reception to the previous chapter was positive! Really happy for that! Also, we've passed 1k favourites! Everyone, thank you for liking this story! :)))
For this chapter, the rating has been bumped up to M due to blood and excessive wounds. Lemme know if I should bump it back down to T!
Also, probably gonna get a lot of heat on how this one ends. You'll probably see why at the end of the chapter… but anyways, I think this was fair. Lemme know what you guys think.
For this one, the music is titled 'Decisive Battle', pulled from the JJBA Part 3 OST. As such, this fight is pretty far from original. If you can spot how it's the same with Jojo's, then you'll see how cheeky it is :). Oh, and another thing, originally I wanted to put "Not Your Kind of People" on this chapter's ending. You'll see why soon, but playing it w/context is up to you.
As always, thank you for the continued support. Now, on with the show!
Everything was eerily quiet.
Frankly, this did nothing to calm Pyrrha's nerves. If anything, it put her even more on edge.
Pyrrha scouted out the blood trail carefully, each slow step crushing some sort of debris from the explosion. With Milò transformed into its rifle form, she aimed very carefully and checked every corner for any enemies.
"Boss. I'm sorry, but we have a situation."
The bloodstains were getting scarcer and scarcer now, just as they started getting to the area where buildings were still intact. But even so, the roads were empty of any civilians. It was just in the timeframe where civilians had successfully escaped the area, but not quite the time where emergency services and Hunters had arrived for first recon.
To make matters worse, a lot of the Hunter population had gone to watch the Vytal Festival, because of course something like that would interest most of them. That would make dispatch times significantly slower, and Pyrrha wasn't going to bank her hopes on a bunch of robots from Atlas if it came down to it.
Dust and debris from the explosion were floating around in the air, kicked up from the explosion. Scraps of paper, torn shirts, and all manner of garbage were scattering the streets, making Downtown Vale look more like an apocalypse from a movie or a ghost town. With nobody else around, every step she took, every piece of debris she crushed, could be heard for miles and miles on end. Even the slight rustling of her armor, the clicks of her weapon, the swishes of her movement, and the beat of her heart, were louder than any tournament announcer she had ever heard.
Pyrrha resisted the urge to scowl. All this destruction, and this wouldn't even be the end of it.
"And that is...?"
"Well, it's about our cover".
At once, her mentor understood. "Ah, I see."
All she had now was the hope that Raiden would arrive sooner than later. He may not have been as fast as Jaune, but a cyborg is still a cyborg. Pyrrha took a deep breath and checked another corner as she followed the blood trail. No one.
"I trust that you can handle the situation by yourself?"
She paused for a long time. That trust in her mentor's tone hurt her even more. The fact that she failed made it an even more bitter pill to swallow. "…If I was alone, then I am confident in my own ability. The others, I'm not so certain."
Pyrrha didn't let herself relax. She had to survive after all, so after she left, she had quickly devised a plan. She was currently at very low Aura, around nine percent. No matter how much Emerald had, it was undoubtedly going to be more than hers. But she had HF Murasama with her, Jaune's sword that could cut through any amount of Aura.
As such, her plan was simple. Not use any Aura for as long as she could as long as it was safe. Maybe, just maybe, it could regenerate fast enough to reach the yellow-zone, starting around thirty percent.
What's important is that at all costs she kept her Aura above zero. No matter the cost. Aura regeneration wasn't fast per se, it mostly depended on the individual, but Aura exhaustion took much longer and was universal. She knew her regeneration rate was ten to a hundred percent in about three hours. But Aura exhaustion, it'd take more than a day to get back to fighting levels.
She had to manage her levels carefully, especially against Emerald's forty-ish percent. She promised she'd come back, and she intended to keep that.
"I know, but…"
"Cinder, it's okay." Her mentor said. "Not every plan goes smoothly. We still have lots of cards in our deck, and a snag does not mean loss in and of itself. Many times, we have to improvise to see things through." Her mentor said. "The method does not matter, not really. What does is that the mission has been completed. Be vigilant, absorb any slip-ups the enemy might make, and take your chance as soon as possible. Do you remember now?"
She knew that her mentor couldn't come right now. She had her own mission, even in Vale. But with her words of encouragement, maybe there really was a way she could pull this off. She's gotten this far, hasn't she? Everything The Boss said was true.
"Yes, ma'am." She would always admit that her mentor's warm tone eased her worries. Whatever happens, at least she'll have her by her side.
Pyrrha continued to follow the trail. It was going to end soon, she could feel it.
Pyrrha steeled her resolve and rounded a final corner. There, she saw the last signs of the blood trail end. A single splash of blood, right before the closed entrance to the sewers, with a lid that had hand-like blood marks on its edge.
"There we go." Pyrrha carefully approached the sewer lid and nudged it open with her feet. She looked down the sewer and saw drying blood marks on the ladder down. This confirmed it, Emerald definitely went down here.
"Thank you, ma'am. For everything."
"Of course." The Boss said. "But regarding what I asked for help last night…"
Pyrrha relaxed and prepared to go down. Now, that meant Emerald would be cornered-!
Pyrrha heard a step from above, louder than anything else around. Quickly, she jumped back and drew her weapons once again.
Someone was coming from above!
CLANG!
Pyrrha blocked a blade that came right for her neck. She skid back and staggered in place, but had just enough strength to keep standing on her feet. She looked up and saw someone new standing between her and the sewers.
Cinder pulled Midnight slightly back, unholstered The Disciple, and entered her CQC stance.
Pyrrha turned her rifle into its spear form and pulled her white shield from her back. HF Murasama laid sheathed on her hip, ready to be drawn. 'Not yet.'
Pyrrha put her shield in front of her and steadied her breathing. This was bad. Very bad.
But still, she promised. Time to pull through no matter how hard. "Cinder."
"Hello, Pyrrha." Cinder responded. None of them relaxed their stances, both aware enough of what and who the other was. "I'm afraid I can't let you through."
"Do you remember what I told you to set it out to do? Has the location been found?"
"Yes, ma'am, and it has pinpointed the location."
"And…?"
"Ironwood's 'stash' is located at the western end, on a black site in the waters of Vale."
"Then I'll be there until late afternoon." The Boss said calmly. "Hm, Watts would be very pleased with this, I bet."
She scowled. "He's nothing but scum. I don't understand why we have to work with him when he refuses to see the bigger picture."
"He still has his uses, Cinder, like it or not." The Boss chuckled. "Hm, and besides, we could use this to our advantage… Yes, yes we could. Cinder. Should things go from bad to worse, take the route that crosses with the docks. I will meet you come nightfall."
Cinder crossed off any plans that didn't include the docks in her mind. At the expense of Watts, and with help from The Boss, maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. "I understand, Boss. But… how will you know?"
The Boss chuckled. "A mother knows what's best, Cinder."
"Ah." Cinder's cheeks flushed red. "Thank you, ma'am."
"Don't mention it." The Boss said. "This little situation's right on time with my mission… we might be able to use that."
"Yes ma'am. I'll see you on the other side."
"Goodbye, Cinder."
Click!
"Don't pretend you ever had any sympathy." Pyrrha bit out. In her mind, she ran over her options. Aura use, or regenerate, the metals around her for Polarity… She had expected Emerald, but this… Cinder was much more skilled than Emerald ever was. Coupled with a full tank, this wasn't a match-up she liked to be in at all.
If she used her Aura normally here, it'd be all out in less than a minute. She had to manage, and then use it all out once the time was right…
HF Murasama's weight settled on her hip.
Unless, she could get one definitive hit in. She could still play this right.
Now, how to get Cinder to lower her guard without going overboard with Aura…
"So you're out to destroy Beacon?" Pyrrha spoke again. "What's in it for you?"
"That… Hm, I couldn't even name a price for that." Cinder smirked. "And you? Why do you want to save Beacon?"
Pyrrha raised an eyebrow. "What kind of question is that? Without the Hunters, humanity would have no protectors. We'd be demolished by the Grimm! So why side yourself with Salem?!"
Cinder clicked her tounge. "Never for her." She spat out. "But know that I am here on my own terms."
Pyrrha filed that information in her mind. So then, there must be someone else, someone that stands around or just below Salem's ground.
"Don't even pretend to think that the Hunters are anywhere near heroic." Cinder continued. "You train since practically birth, there's a 50/50 chance you'll actually turn out as a 'good' person and contribute to the safety of the people, and if you do, sooner or later you'll be thrown away as a pawn in Ozpin's game."
Cinder lowered her Scroll. Even now, they should take advantage of any slip-ups the enemy might make? Place her ears for any critical information they might just let slip and take advantage of their desperation?
Kill two birds with one stone?
Cinder quickly formed a plan for Emerald to escape, all to take advantage of the enemies' desperation. And, if she could, take some out while gathering some intel.
Just then, she heard a ring on her Scroll. She picked it back up and heard Emerald speak.
Cinder smirked and relayed her plan to Emerald. "Follow my instructions to the T…."
Kill two birds with one stone?
She could certainly do that.
"Ozpin or not, our enemies are clear." Pyrrha said firmly. "Unlike you, looking over your shoulder every second of your life."
"All enemies are relative, Pyrrha." Cinder smirked. "You have to listen in to the times. Look at who stands with or against you today, who might be allies tomorrow, and who might be best left behind in the past."
Pyrrha narrowed her eyes. "That's just fancy talk for backstabbing and you know it."
"That might be so, but if you have one constant, then I don't think it's so bad. One thing to hold on that doesn't change." Cinder said. "I'm doing this because I want to, not because of some manipulative old man. So I've got to ask, Pyrrha." Cinder smirked and taunted Pyrrha.
"Being given an offer you can't refuse is tearing you apart, isn't it?"
'What?!' Pyrrha took a step back, eyes almost going wide. 'Did she mean-?!'
"I could almost imagine the scenario Ozpin's given you." Cinder's gaze gained a killer edge. "Because from what I heard from your little talk with your boyfriend, Ozpin's chosen you as his champion."
Pyrrha took another step back, eyes wide. 'Shit-!'
"Half of her powers are already within me, you know." Cinder looked to her hand flexed her fingers. Pyrrha could just barely see a Grimm Parasite peek out. She looked back to Pyrrha, eyes determined to kill. "So now, it's time for me to take the other half."
Pyrrha prepared herself and gripped her shield tight. She chose her side, and she wouldn't back down now.
"Hmph. And even if you weren't the Fall Maiden, then at least it's another name off my list." Cinder strengthened her stance. "At this very moment, your enemy is me, PYRRHA!"
Cinder roared and lunged with Midnight upfront.
Pyrrha strengthened her footing and blocked Cinder with her shield.
Clang!
The fight for her life had just begun.
Emerald heard the sounds of battle begin from her sewers, her wounds finally healed and breaking into a slow and cautious walk. The clangs of metal-on-metal came from both behind and above her, both Cinder's and Pyrrha's shouts clear to hear.
Emerald grit her teeth and kept on moving, her Aura around forty percent. Cinder told her to keep moving until they met their 'contact' at the sewers to cover their escape should bad go to worse…
Emerald shook her head and kept on moving.
She just hoped they didn't need to use him, more so because that meant Cinder pulled through.
In Beacon, everyone was rushing around in panic. The hallways were filled with people who weren't at the arena, oceans of people who had heard the news and just didn't know what to do.
But of course, who wouldn't be panicking?
Right in the middle of festivities, when everyone should be celebrating peace between the four Kingdoms, a Bullhead, the large passenger-carry spec to be precise, had crashed in the middle of downtown Vale. And not only that, it was right when the Vytal Tournament match was going strong. The resulting explosion caused a sky-high plume of fire to shoot up, with destruction that could be seen even from Beacon. The news had covered it in a matter of minutes, forcefully descending the Kingdom to a state of emergency, but even then, no one had managed to get a good look at ground zero.
A list of people caught in the blast was currently being processed. Names were written, and then either confirmed or crossed. And with it being downtown, no one was truly safe from the risk that someone they knew might already be dead.
So then, was it any wonder that almost everyone was in a panic?
But amid all the panic in Beacon, two people tried to keep calm and push past the growing crowd. Raiden and Venom, running alongside each other to their own respective destinations.
Raiden's thoughts were racing. Mere seconds ago, everyone on campus had received the news broadcast about a Bullhead crash in the middle of Vale. Everyone was panicking on what to do, who was safe, who was behind the 'accident'. What's more, the news and civilians in the city were clearly and truly in a massive bout of fear. That thought brought more of the Grimm on their doorsteps, and more things for Hunters to do.
But what should they do?! They had barely any idea of what was going on!
Raiden grit his teeth. This was always the risk of keeping secrets and conspiracies. Help should come quick, and judging from Venom keeping up with him, the man thought the same as well.
It had only been thirty minutes since he called Jaune about Emerald. Their enemy must've acted quickly, and so Raiden had no doubt that Jaune was involved in the 'accident'. But just as he received the broadcast about the explosion, his call to Jaune only came back in static. That only made things even more concerning.
There was no doubt in Raiden's mind. He had to get there quickly, push his body to the limit to find out the truth.
As for Venom, he thought much of the same. But he can't keep up with Raiden for long, and someoneneeds to stay at Beacon and tell the others about their discoveries.
Originally, he planned on breaking the news slowly. But it's clear their enemies were going to slip from their grasps in a matter of moments, taking numerous civilian lives with them too. That wasn't something Venom would risk going in solo on.
Venom narrowed his eye. But then the question became, just how did they know they were found out…?
They came across a fork, and both Raiden and Venom stopped in their tracks. They patched in their CODECs and spoke through their radios.
"Get to Jaune." Venom spoke plainly. "I'll make sure Ozpin, Ironwood, and The Arcs are brought up to speed."
"How long will it take?" Raiden asked back. "You can't pull anything from the CCT as quick as I can."
"I'll handle that later. But it's clear Jaune needs backup. Now." Venom stressed. "Go!"
Raiden gave a brief nod. "I'll head to surface zero. Keep me updated."
"Same for me."
Raiden turned around, breaking into a sprint and knocking all other students down. He didn't care, he had no time to waste.
His feet began sparking with electricity as he pushed his legs to the limit. Faster, faster! He can't let Emerald slip by their grasp! 'Hang on, Jaune! I'm coming!'
Clang!
Pyrrha skid back, pure muscle being her only source of power. She had her Milò in spear form in her right hand and her shield in her left. She narrowed her eyes as she peeked over her shield.
'Here she comes!'
Cinder lunged at her with full speed, Midnight swinging in stomach-level from Pyrrha's left. Pyrrha jumped over the attack, twirling mid-air like a gymnast. With Cinder's blade below her, Pyrrha struck her foot out to kick Cinder in the neck.
"Hmph." Cinder saw the attack coming and blocked it with the butt of her gun. She shifted her grip to grab Pyrrha's leg, but Pyrrha pulled it back just before Cinder could. Pyrrha landed back on her feet and kicked her leg to strike Cinder's shin.
Cinder stepped back, Pyrrha's feet just missing her. Pyrrha planted her kicking foot forwards and moved to the offensive, stabbing Cinder's face with Milò. Cinder tilted her head and let the attack hit empty air. Pyrrha didn't miss a beat and shifted to a backhand grip, swinging for Cinder's neck. Cinder ducked, the spear just barely missing her.
'You're wide open!' With a yell, Cinder elbowed Pyrrha right in the gut.
"Ack!" Pyrrha felt spit coming out her mouth. Then, she felt hands wrap around her joints.
"HYAH!" Cinder lifted Pyrrha up and swung her over her body, pushing down on Pyrrha to land her face-first in the concrete.
'No!' Pyrrha acted quickly and shifted her grip, making her shield land before her. Once it did, Pyrrha flipped back and landed a good distance away facing Cinder. The champion didn't miss a beat, turning Milò into its rifle form and firing shots at Cinder.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!
'Hmph.' Cinder dodged the five shots with ease, Aura aiding her steps to dodge. 'A rifle… probably around ten rounds a magazine.'
Cinder took steps forward as she dodged, eventually ending in front of Pyrrha. Cinder smirked and raised Midnight high. With a yell, she brought it down at Pyrrha's head.
With deft hands, Pyrrha grabbed her shield and shifted Milò back into its spear form. She raised her shield as Midnight came down, letting the blade slide easily against it. Pyrrha struck Cinder at her abdomen area with Milò, but Cinder easily deflected the blow with the butt of her gun. Cinder shifted Milo's direction past her, grabbed Pyrrha by the arm, held tight, and stepped in to Pyrrha's guard.
With almost blinding speed, Pyrrha saw Cinder step in and aim The Disciple between her eyes.
'Move!'
FWIP!
Pyrrha broke free from Cinder's grip and quickly ducked while moving to the side, the shot just barely grazing her nose. She took a step forwards, past Cinder as she fired, and turned Milò into its rifle form. Before she even finished her motion, Pyrrha quickly prefired Milò in the general direction of Cinder's back.
BANG BANG BANG BANG!
The shots hit true, sending Cinder stumbling forwards with Aura protection as Pyrrha stopped behind her opponent.
Pyrrha let out a breath and moved to reload her gun. She still had one round in the chamber, but best to move now-!
"HYAH!" But Cinder was already upon her, swinging the butt of The Disciple for her temple. Pyrrha tilted to the right and avoided the gun, but Midnight was already coming low from the same side.
'Not now then!' Pyrrha deftly transformed Milò back and parried Midnight away, but only just. The champion staggered from the blow. That was much stronger than before. Must've been infused with more Aura-!
Cinder roared and went in, decking Pyrrha across the jaw with The Disciple's top slide. Pyrrha yelled as she skid back, a gash forming on her cheek.
"Ngh…" Pyrrha's hand went to her cheek as she shifted her vision to Cinder again. The Half-Maiden had a smirk on her face, twirling The Disciple to mock at Pyrrha.
For just a moment, she felt her muscles strain.
In her head, Pyrrha ran through her options. She checked her Aura. Sixteen percent, not nearly enough for any real use. She still had to try to get a good hit in without Aura, at least for now.
Cinder noted the slight slack of Pyrrha's muscles. 'Emerald was right. She doesn't have any Aura left.' She chuckled darkly. 'Then It's just a matter of attrition.'
Pyrrha felt her shoulders sag, but forced them back to tense. 'No, not yet.' Pyrrha forced her exhaustion down. 'Think, Pyrrha. From all her techniques, and from back in class, Cinder always preferred grabs.'
In her mind, Pyrrha went through everything she knew about Cinder. All the matches she had ever seen, just like reviewing opponents for the Tournament. Pyrrha gave Milò a single spin. 'I'll have to stop that. And then, make my counter-attack.'
She felt the vibrating HF Murasama with her semblance. And maybe, then she could make her counting strike.
Cinder twirled The Disciple, idly pulling the side back to check for ammo inside the chamber. 'She's getting some stamina now… but it won't be enough.' She felt her smirk go firmer in place. 'Get this done quick, and that power will be ever so closer!'
With a cruel laugh, Cinder launched herself again at Pyrrha.
Pyrrha took a deep breath. 'Focus, girl. Analyse her movements... strike decisively!'
"RAHHHH!" Cinder jumped and brought Midnight down from above. Pyrrha tilted her body to the side, her opponent's blade hitting concrete. Cinder quickly turned to the left and swung at Pyrrha's head. Pyrrha ducked, the blade flying just over her. Cinder saw Pyrrha make a move with her guard down and pulled The Disciple free. She fired three shots at Pyrrha.
FWIP FWIP FWIP!
CLANG CLANG CLANG!
"Grk!" Pyrrha blocked the shots with her shield, but the shots forced her shield-gripping to the side. Cinder smirked and lunged forward with an open palm, The Disciple holstered, to grab and throw Pyrrha again. Pyrrha caught sight of it and quickly knocked her away with her other arm.
'Another grab! Just like in class!' Pyrrha realized. While pushing Cinder's arm away, Pyrrha shifted her grip to reverse-grab Cinder's hand. But Cinder moved faster and stepped back, retracting faster than Pyrrha expected. Cinder smirked and lazily moved for another grab. 'Heh, Too slow-!
'NOW!' Pyrrha took a step forwards and brought her shield down."HAHHHHHH!"
BAM!
"Gah!" Cinder felt her face being slammed by a piece of cold metal. 'Her shield!' She felt herself go into a daze, her mind a blur. That was much faster than any attack from before! What happened?! She was just about to grab-!
"HYAH!" Pyrrha lunged and struck Cinder in the stomach with her spear. The attack was a clean hit!
Cinder doubled over. "ACK!"
"HOAAAAAHHH!" Pyrrha slammed Cinder's face with her shield once more, forcing her back into a daze. Then, before she could recover, Pyrrha forced everything she had to attack Cinder.
"HYAH!" Pyrrha struck Cinder with her spear in the shoulder. Then, a swing at Cinder's arm. A kick to the chest. A punch to the jaw. An uppercut to the gut. A stab at her legs. A swipe at her cheek. And finally, a two-handed stab at her chest.
"Augh!" Cinder skid back from the blow, her mind finally going clear. She held her head as she regained her thoughts. 'She's adapting to CQC! I need a new way-!"
"HYAAAHHH!"
'Here she comes-!'
Pyrrha lunged at Cinder with all the muscle strength she had.
But she switched things up.
No longer was she using Milò. Instead, she had her hand on HF Murasama's hilt.
"HYAH!" Pyrrha drew HF Murasama and attacked with its draw-attack movement right for Cinder's chest. Cinder lifted Midnight and blocked the attack with her blade.
CLANG!
…Crack!
"AHHHHH!"
Cinder felt herself fly back from the force, her hand that was gripping Midnight being knocked away as her sword gained several cracks. Before she knew it, she flew headfirst into a building behind her, kicking even more dust up into the air.
Pyrrha landed on her feet, HF Murasama still in her hands. She kept her gaze at where Cinder should be, HF Murasama pointing towards that place…
But slowly, she felt herself shaking and even saw the unsteady red blade in her vision.
"Grk!" Pyrrha's energy crashed and she fell to a knee, using HF Murasama to support her weight. Forcing her muscles to compete with Aura-level combat while starving them of any at all had taken a toll. She let out a breath, her grip tightening and relaxing and tightening again and relaxing again. She had to survive…
She checked her Aura reserve once more. Not in the yellow just yet… more like nineteen percent.
CRASH!
Pyrrha looked up and saw Cinder stepping out, a scowl evident in her features. Her Aura was flashing around her, healing the wounds Pyrrha had struck before. Midnight had a several cracks spreading in its blade, no doubt from the sheer power of an HF Blade. Pyrrha felt internal relief, even if it was for just a second. It took a lot out of her to swing that blade that hard…
And most importantly, Pyrrha traces of red drips of blood stained her dress in the chest area. Even though it was probably already healed now, it seemed some of the attack cut through her Aura. Which meant Midnight didn't block the attack completely.
Pyrrha forced herself to stand up, even on shaky feet.'She must be at around fifty to sixty percent.' She groaned but pushed her exhaustion aside. 'Come on, girl. Just a little bit more… Get another good hit in without using Aura…'
Meanwhile, Cinder's mind was racing. She felt her Aura healing her wounds, but that alone wouldn't be enough. That blow had cut through her Aura, slight as it may have been. She narrowed her eyes.
If Pyrrha was the Maiden, then she'd have the final half of her powers and become the Fall Maiden. And if she didn't, then Ozpin would have to scramble for another champion. All in all, killing her would be nothing but a win-win.
Cinder felt her healing process complete, and her gaze shot to HF Murasama. That weapon was dangerous, and with Pyrrha as the wielder, she couldn't discount the chance that there were more…
This girl, if left alone for too long, would be a problem. Maiden or not.
Cinder's lips turned to a tight line. It was time she finished the job. Her grip on The Disciple tightened ever so slightly. 'Let's end this.'
Cinder ran to the side and fired shots from her gun.
FWIP FWIP FWIP FWIP!
'Damn!' Pyrrha lifted her shield and blocked Cinder's shots, all aimed for her head. She felt her shield stagger slightly from the blow, and Pyrrha grit her teeth. With her vision covered by the shield, she quickly lowered it to get a good look of where Cinder was.
'Where-?!'
Step!
Cinder walljumped to Pyrrha from the champion's left, Midnight already moving forwards to skewer her neck.
'To the side!' Pyrrha stepped back and saw Cinder land right in front of her, Midnight right where her neck had been less than a second ago. Pyrrha put all the strength her muscles had and moved in for a strike with HF Murasama, a low rising slash.
But for Cinder, she saw the attack coming a mile away.
Cinder smirked. Pyrrha had obviously slowed down from exhaustion.
With ease, she tilted her body back and let the blade fly past her nose.
Pyrrha watched with horror as the attack missed. 'No-!'
"HAH!" Cinder flipped her gun to grip it by the silencer and smashed its slide against Pyrrha's face.
"Agh!" Pyrrha stumbled back, blood flying from a broken nose. No! She had to recover! She raised HF Murasama again. She had to block-!
Cinder roared and focused all of her Aura into her next attack. With a reverse grip, she hit HF Murasama from the back of the blade, casting Pyrrha's block away uselessly to the side. The impact shattered her grip, and HF Murasama was knocked high into the air.
Pyrrha panicked and tried to grasp the weapons on her back. She had to move quickly-!
SLAM!
Cinder slammed the butt of The Disciple into Pyrrha's lungs, knocking the wind out of her.
"Ack-!" Pyrrha gasped for breath, doubling over and grasping her lungs. She couldn't breathe! 'I- I need to use Aura-!'
"HYAH!" Cinder ducked low and spun with Midnight. The tip of the blade tore through Pyrrha's armor, slashing the skin beneath it and opening a medium-depth slash wound.
"AHHH!" Pyrrha cried out in pain as blood sprouted out, staining Cinder's already red dress with fresh blood. The Half Maiden smirked when she saw no Aura attempt to heal it, and several specks of blood stain her face.
'She's out.'
"Ah-!" Pyrrha staggered back, her hand automatically going to her wound and her gaze cast downwards. She pulled her hand free and saw blood leaking free. She miscalculated! She had to fight back, use her Aura now, she had to turn this around, she promised-!
Click!
Pyrrha looked up, and her eyes went wide with fear.
Cinder smirked and fired every single remaining round of The Disciple straight at Pyrrha.
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!
SPLASH!
"AHHHHH!" Each shot tore through her armor like paper. She felt them rip her apart, metal bullets entering her body and blood bursting out from bullet holes.
Cinder lowered her smoking gun, silencer unequipped. Blood flew out even more, staining them both in a pool of red. A smirk was ever so present on Cinder's face.
'Job done.;
"Grk!" Pyrrha stumbled back, blood dripping out of wounds covering every inch of her body. Her vision was getting hazy, her body was beginning to shut down…
"Hah…" Pyrrha tried her best to remain standing. Her legs shook, her left hand covering the wound on her abdomen and her right hanging uselessly to the side. She forced herself to look up, staring at Cinder. From her hazy view, she could just see Cinder smirking and lowering her gun.
"Ack!" Pyrrha coughed out blood, and she just barely saw it stain the concrete beneath Cinder's feet. She miscalculated. She needed to use her Aura now.
Pyrrha pulled what remained of her reserves.
'No…'
But then, her heart sank when she realized it would never be enough.
Pyrrha tried her best to stay on her feet, even as she wobbled in place. Blood dripped down to the concrete, creating a river of blood beneath her.
She looked at Cinder again. Her enemy didn't react.
Pyrrha took a step forwards. She could still do this…
Cinder smirked and launched her foot forwards.
"HYAH!" Pyrrha felt Cinder's foot slam against her gut. The force agitated her wounds and sent her flying backwards. This time, nothing could catch her fall.
CRASH!
Pyrrha didn't even have the energy to scream. She felt herself landing on the ground far away, her back cracking from the impact and then skidding to a stop at the edges of a sidewalk. Blearily, she noted that she left a trail of blood from where Cinder was to the sidewalk she was near to currently.
Pyrrha broke her resolve and broke her restraint on Aura. 'Please… just a little bit…'
She felt fear take over her heart when it didn't come. She pulled hard within her, but she only tasted a fraction from all her efforts. 'B-But I still had some left…! I-I have to get a good hit and beat her…'
Cinder saw Pyrrha lift her hand towards her direction. "N-No…"
With those words, Pyrrha's hand slackened and her open palm fell to her side.
Cinder lowered her foot from the kick and stared at Pyrrha intently. It was over.
HF Murasama landed from the air tip first to the concrete, right behind where Cinder was. It became planted there, red electricity still crackling as no one went for the sword.
Cinder let out a breath as she crossed off another name off her list. Now to get a move on.
But something was off…
'I don't feel any different.' Cinder noted. She flexed her fingers and searched inside her, but it was true. 'So Pyrrha wasn't the Maiden after all…'
Cinder scoffed. 'What a waste of life that was.' If she hadn't come here, then she might've survived another day. Not that she was complaining, of course, but hindsight is twenty-twenty.
But then again, there was the other possibility that she didn't feel different because Pyrrha wasn't dead just yet.
Cinder narrowed her eyes and looked at her opponent. No, there was no way. Pyrrha was riddled with bullet wounds, her abdomen was bleeding, a pool of blood was forming beneath her, and to top it all off, there were no hints of Aura healing her.
But the more cautious part of her told her to confirm it before leaving for the escape. She had heard many tales of people surviving far worse, not the least told by her mentor herself.
With that, Cinder made up her mind and walked towards Pyrrha in a straight line.
Step, step, step. As she came closer, Cinder became more and more sure that Pyrrha was dead. There was just so much blood and she couldn't see her chest rising and falling.
Cinder took one final step and stood above Pyrrha. The champion's eyes were closed, her features were slack, and her chest didn't show any signs of movement. Any sort of Aura glow was out of the question.
But Cinder's seen worse in her time, and she'd do anything to make sure both the Maiden powers were hers and that the mission would be completed without fail.
Cinder stood right in front of Pyrrha and raised Midnight high above her head.
Pyrrha didn't move an inch.
With a smirk, Cinder brought her sword down to Pyrrha's chest "HYAH!".
CLANG!
Midnight was stopped in its tracks, and bits of the sword's blade crumbled to metal dust while falling to her feet.
"WHAAAAATTT?!"
Cinder's eyes went wide as she stared in shock at her sword, stopped mid-swing by Pyrrha's right hand glowing black. Pyrrha's fingers were wrapped around it thoroughly, catching it in its tracks and preventing it from moving. The right hand closed and crushed Cinder's cracked blade with Polarity.
CRASH!
"Ah!" Cinder realized her mistake and shifted her eyes to Pyrrha, now wide awake with burning eyes and blood seeping out from her mouth. A scowl was present on her face, one more intense than her wounds.
Pyrrha screamed and lifted her left hand, glowing black with Polarity, and pulled as hard as she could.
Cinder's eyes went wide and she moved to turn around. SHE HAD TO MOVE-!
SLASH!
HF Murasama was flown in Pyrrha's direction with its tip first, called by Polarity in a straight line with speed faster than any could react. And with Cinder being there, right between the two of them, Cinder had no choice but to watch in horror.
Just as Cinder turned around, HF Murasama planted itself firmly in her gut, Aura providing no protection.
"A-Ack!" Cinder's hand instinctively went to her wound, gripping the sword's blade with her fingers. 'W-what is this-?!'
"AHHHHHH!" Cinder screamed in pain again as Pyrrha roared and intensified her pull with Polarity. HF Murasama went deeper into the wound, and Pyrrha could see the blade start to rip through Cinder's back.
"I went through torture there, but I promised I'd come back." Pyrrha spat out through bloodied teeth. "So Maiden or not, I'll make sure to cut you to a thousand pieces, CINDER!"
Pyrrha's hand glowed black again, controlling HF Murasama and Cinder by extension. The half-Maiden felt herself being controlled by the sword and groaned in pain as her sword wound became wider and wider. She felt herself being lifted to the air, then sent flying to the side and crashing into a building.
A loud crash sounded from Cinder's impact, creating more rubble and dust that scattered.
"Finally- Ack!" Pyrrha tried her best to stand, drawing her weapons behind her to fight once more. She pulled the bullets out of her using Polarity, standing up on shaky feet with more blood coming out. She spoke, barely above a whisper. "Finally got a good hit in…"
Pyrrha narrowed her eyes at where Cinder was. But the fight's not over just yet. "She still has Aura… there's a good chance she'll heal…"
True to her word, Cinder stumbled out of the wreckage with murder in her eyes.
"I'll kill you…" Cinder growled and stumbled out of the wreckage, crawling on the floor with her hands bloody and leaving a red trail beneath her. She tried to stand up, but fell to a heap on all fours instead.
"Hah. Hah…." Cinder's left hand drifted to her gut, where HF Murasama still was. With a shaking hand, she tried to pull it free and then stand back up. But instead, she felt her bloody hands slip from its grip.
"Ah!" Cinder gasped from the pain as she fell back on her limbs, hands tightening and weakening repeatedly. Cinder gasped for breath as blood dripped down through HF Murasama.
Her Aura flashed, signifying its low levels. From the crash, to the fight before it, to the stab, there was simply too much damage for the Aura to heal alone.
Cinder gasped for breath. No, she didn't have the strength to pull it out! It was in way too deep!
Cinder roared. Damn her, damn that girl! She'll kill that bitch! Slowly-!
Click!
Cinder looked up in surprise. Then, fear.
She saw the barrel of Milò aimed right between her eyes.
"You know, we don't shoot downed opponents in tournaments." Pyrrha stood over Cinder and spoke in a chilling tone. She was leaning heavily on her shield with her right hand to stand up, and in her left hand she held Milò in its rifle form. Blood was leaking out from both combatants, not an inch unstained. Pyrrha on shaking feet, and Cinder weak fours with not enough time to heal.
The champion scowled and inched her rifle just a little bit closer to Cinder's face. "But for you, I'll make an exception."
Pyrrha aimed Milò right between Cinder's eyes.
Cinder saw Pyrrha's fingers tense around the trigger. And then, only just then, she felt the parasite in her arm slither. 'That's it!'
With her fingers certain, Pyrrha pulled the trigger.
BANG!
'Now!' Cinder's raised her arm just as the gun fired, the parasite flying out of her open palm and knocking Milò's aim off target.
Pyrrha scowled as she took a shaky step back, still leaning heavily on her shield. Damn, she just missed! She felt adrenaline and energy start to leave her. Forcefully, Pyrrha lifted Milò again to aim at Cinder. In return, Cinder forced herself on her own shaky feet with HF Murasama still planted in her gut.
"Hah. Hah…" Cinder looked at her wound and slowly pulled HF Murasama out of her gut. She gave it one final pull and let the hilt slide through her bloody grasp, the sword falling to the ground with a clang.
"Engh…" Cinder put a hand over her wound, blood seeping to her hands and dripping to the ground. She looked up at Pyrrha. The champion grit her teeth and aimed her weapon at Cinder again, hands still shaking.
Cinder didn't have the energy to dodge, and she felt using her parasite again would drain her energy too. She grit her teeth. Only option was to use The Disciple.
In turn, Cinder took her gun in her hands and aimed it at Pyrrha as well.
Pyrrha growled and Cinder scowled, both of their aims unmoving.
They both pulled the trigger.
Click!
Click!
"A-ah…" Pyrrha felt her arms go slack. Milò was empty of rounds, and she didn't have the strength to reload. With weakening grip, she felt her hold on both the shield and Milò go loose.
Cinder flinched when The Disciple clicked empty of bullets. In turn, she too felt the adrenaline leave her . She only just managed to sheath her weapon again before falling down to a crawl.
"Hah…" Pyrrha fell to the ground with a thud, her hands no longer gripping her weapons. The pain came back full force, Aura completely out. She felt the adrenaline start to leave her too, the edges of her vision going black….
Pyrrha turned on the floor, focusing what remained of her vision to look at where Cinder was.
Cinder crawled on the ground, barely able to get to the open lid of the sewers. With groans and a still-bleeding gut wound, she reached the edges of the sewer entrance and gripped her bloody fingers on its edge.
"Ngh." Cinder turned around and gave one last look behind her. She met Pyrrha's fading emerald eyes with her own extinguishing red eyes. Both of them bleeding profusely on the floor, all out of energy, down and out of the count.
Their eyes both spoke the same promise.
'This isn't over.'
Without grace, Cinder turned around and pushed herself one more time. Pyrrha saw her fall down the sewers, and heard the echo of a splash and an ungraceful crash on the sewer floor. The champion didn't even hear Cinder's fading footsteps, meaning she couldn't even walk after that.
Pyrrha let out a breath and felt the adrenaline finally leave her. Though, she forced herself with what little strength she had to pull out her Scroll. She dialed the CODEC linked to her before.
"Pyrrha! Where are you?! Your vitals are dropping-!"
"Jaune." Pyrrha gave a rueful smile. "She's heading to the sewers, down from Sr. Knight street."
"I'm- ah, come on! I'll get there now!" She heard the sound of Jaune forcing himself up, and then his groans as he forced himself to walk. "Just- Just hang on, Pyrrha!"
Pyrrha chuckled. "I'll… Heh, I'll see you on the other side, Jaune."
Pyrrha felt the scroll slip from her grip. Then, her vision faded into nothing but black and her body fell slack. As she drifted off, she was accompanied by the final calls of her partner.
"Pyrrha, answer me! Pyrrha! PYRRHA!"
Time felt like a blur to Jaune. He forced all systems he had to go as fast as he could, right where Pyrrha said she was. He saw the buildings he went past turn to nothing but shades of colour, but it was never enough. Faster! FASTER!
He reckoned he never went as fast as he did now in his entire life, but it still wasn't enough. The systems on his back were overheating, not yet rewired completely, but Jaune didn't care.
Blearily, he noted Raiden join him several steps down the road as they both broke into a run over the rooftops. But no matter how much the ninja shouted at Jaune to answer, not a single word ever left Jaune's mouth behind his mask.
After what seemed like an eternity, he finally reached Sr. Knight street. He saw Pyrrha's bloody body immediately and jumped down without hesitation.
"Pyrrha!" Jaune withdrew his mask and landed softly beside her, quickly going to her side. His eyes instantly went to the various bleeding wounds all over her body, and the river of blood beneath them both.
And to top it all off, Pyrrha showed no response to their arrival.
"No, no no no!" Jaune went closer to Pyrrha and put his mechanical hand on her neck. Come on, just a bit!
Dump!
He felt his emotions collapse when a single pulse went through his hand. She was still alive…
Jaune closed his eyes and tenderly put his hands beneath her. Then, slowly, he stood up with Pyrrha in his hands bridal-style, her blood staining his hands.
Raiden spoke behind Jaune, intently fiddling a bullet shell inbetween his fingers. Raiden narrowed his eye. "This is from a semi-automatic handgun." He muttered. "Only person who used this in Emerald's team was her leader, Cinder Fall."
Jaune let out a breath. "Raiden."
Raiden turned around and saw Jaune approaching him, Pyrrha in his arms.
"Take her." Jaune said softly. He looked on at Pyrrha's bloody yet peaceful features, soaking it in. "She's still alive… but she needs treatment now." Jaune raised his eyes and met Raiden's own. "Please… take her to Beacon as fast as you can."
Raiden sucked in a breath. From the state of Jaune he saw while he was running with him, it was clear Jaune had no Aura left and his suit was badly damaged. As such, the only real option truly was himself.
"Of course." Raiden nodded. Jaune let out a breath and handed his partner to Raiden. Raiden felt the weight settle in on his hands as Pyrrha's blood stained his hands too.
"And what about you?" Raiden asked Jaune. "These guys got tricks up their sleeve. I'm not doubting you, but who knows what they've got now…"
Jaune deployed his mask and opened his right palm. In an instant, HF Murasama came flying to his grip. He looked at the trail of blood Cinder left.
"Pyrrha made sure Cinder was trapped in her route." Jaune said with conviction. "It's about time I repaid her trust."
"Yang, we've got to go!" Ruby shouted at her sister. She was currently standing right next to her sitting sister, noise concerns thrown to the wind, but still Yang didn't move an inch.
She just sat there silently, staring at her unconscious mother laying on the bed with blank eyes.
"Sis, come on!" Ruby shouted again. Her voice dropped to a whisper for her next words. "Listen, Yang, we've found the traitor. But she's running away right now, and we can't afford to lose like this in the final stretch!"
"…I know." Yang said softly.
"Then let's get going, sis!" Ruby pulled on Yang's arm. Still, she didn't budge. "Come on! We've got to stop them!"
"…Why does it have to be us, Ruby?"
"…What?"
"We've suffered enough, don't you think?" Yang said softly. "Dad's acting out of his mind. Raven's here in a coma. Mom's out there… somewhere." Yang motioned with her hand. Then, she turned to look at her sister. Ruby looked within her eyes and was immediately saddened by what she saw.
The fire that was there in her sister's eyes so often before was now muted. Dead.
"We can't compete with the likes of Jaune." Yang said hollowly.
Ruby opened her mouth, but didn't get to answer as Yang continued. "You saw his strength, right? Never in our wildest dreams could Team RWBY finish an entire White Fang base under a single night. And that's not counting Raiden." Yang said simply. "Not only that, everything's a lot more dangerous now. You're in much more danger now. You saw that plane crash, right? Two hundred dead and counting. So I gotta ask…" Yang leaned in ever so slightly to her sister. "Where's the thrill in all of this, huh, Rubes?"
"If we don't do something then everything's gonna be a lot worse!" Ruby spoke back indignantly. "We can't just- just stand here and do nothing!"
"As long as you're here with me, nothing else matters…"
"Then what about our future, huh, Yang?!" Ruby shouted. "We wanted to be Huntresses, right? Make the world a better place? I thought you wanted to fight!"
"What's there to fight for anymore?" Yang said. She motioned to Raven yet again. "She's already over here. Dad's going to come over… sometime. Mom's… I don't know. But Raven woke up a few minutes ago, and told me things, y'know? …And people are just so strong, so suddenly… doesn't make sense to try, Rubes. The thrill and the risk don't match up."
Ruby raised an eyebrow and spoke in disbelief. "Are-are you saying you're running away?" Yang, of all people, was scared?! She couldn't believe it!
"Pffft." Yang scoffed at the idea. "Blake ran away and she's doing juuuuuust fine, isn't she? Her team suuure didn't need to know her plans!"
"Yang." Ruby sighed exasperatedly. "We're getting to that later." Ruby stressed. Her voice turned sincere. "But- but I need you, Yang. Please. I can't fight this without you."
Yang stayed silent. Ruby hoped, pleaded that her sister would see reason.
But alas, it was too late for Ruby's efforts.
"…Sorry, Rubes." Yang said softly. "But I'm out. I can't see the reason anymore. Just stop trying, okay? For me."
Ruby opened her mouth again. No, this can't be it! She can't seriously be leaving her to fight alone-!
SLAM!
The doors slammed open and Raiden burst in the medical wing with someone in his arms. Both sisters turned to look at the source, and Ruby squinted at the person Raiden was holding.
That person seemed familiar, but was so bloody Ruby couldn't figure who it was…
"MEDICS! HERE!" Raiden shouted with desperation. Ruby noted the strains his mechanical parts showed, slight steam emitting from his figure. He must've forced himself… "SHE NEEDS MEDICAL SUPPORT! YESTERDAY!" He shouted in panic.
Medics burst from all sides of the wing as quickly as they could. Swiftly, they took the figure from Raiden's arms and brought her to the nearest available bed. The bed right next to Raven.
As the medics got closer and closer, Ruby felt her heart sank as the person became more and more familiar. Just as they went past her, the medics dropped an item from the figure's hand.
Yang's eyes shot to the dropped item. She felt herself stiffen.
Pyrrha's bloody, shattered Scroll reflected Yang's terrified purple eyes.
'P-Pyrrha!' Ruby's thoughts went awry as she looked at the medics laying Pyrrha down on the bed next to them. The champion's body was entirely bloody, bullet holes and sword slashes littering her all around. 'N-no!' "NO!"
Raiden was beside Pyrrha in a matter of seconds. He grit his teeth as worry overcame his features, smoke still emanating from the speed he went through. "Come on… Don't you die on me dammit!"
The medics connected their systems to Pyrrha's heart, and immediately erratic beeps filled the medical wing.
BEEP! BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!
"B.P's dropping!" A medic shouted.
Another shouted his commands. "Intubate. Now!"
BEEP BEEP BEEP! BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
The systems played one, singular unrepeating note.
"Cardiac arrest! She's in VFIB!" A medic shouted. "Defib, now!"
Ruby felt the room's temperature grow cold as she watched in horror.
The medics stepped back and pulled out a defibrillator. They rubbed it warm, its charge sound loud in the medical wing, and slammed its surface to Pyrrha's body.
"Clear!"
Jolt!
Pyrrha's body jolted up from the sudden electricity but fell back down limply with no signs of life. She didn't show any response, and the systemscontinued to play the one note.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
The medics pushed hard on Pyrrha's heart to get it back on line, sweat going down their brows. But it didn't start again, and the champion's eyes remained closed with no signs of life.
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
"No response, hit her again!" A medic shouted.
The medics stepped back and one of them rubbed the defibrillatorsonce more. With urgency, he quickly slammed the surfaces back to Pyrrha and gave her another jolt.
"CLEAR!" The medic desperately yelled.
Jolt!
BEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
.
.
.
.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
.
.
Raiden let out a breath and looked at one of the medics. "… How's she doing?" He desperately asked.
Ruby felt her breath catch in her throat. 'No…'
The medic let out a breath. "Well… she's stabilized. But she lost a lot of blood, and it took too long. We don't know when she might wake up …"
Ruby would remember the medic's next words for the rest of her life.
"…She's in a coma."
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Yang's hand inched towards her sister's own, no doubt finding something she lost earlier. But Ruby didn't feel it, couldn't feel it. Everything felt cold and numb.
And now, only now, did she see the edges of her vision turn pearly silver.
I'm gonna get a shit ton of heat for this, but don't worry, Pyrrha won't be out of the picture for long! After all, comas are rarely uniform in shape, and Pyrrha promised she'd come back, didn't she? Nowhere is it written that a coma has to last 9+ years, after all.
As always, leave your thoughts in the reviews.
See you next time!
Review Responses:
To Just a reader now a writer, ohoho you're in for a treat then. Blake's busy because of… something, but she will meet someone important from the U.C. As for the Metal Gear, well it's certainly coming… very soon.
To SolSparda369, Sadly Cinder outplayed them, but not without getting outplayed herself. Majorly. As for Ruby, she's still a strong player, but a team one. Thankfully they're getting together, but can they do that before the night falls? And at what cost?
To Epipog, I'm glad you liked it! The full-on fight should be coming in after the next chapter. Also, your prediction was spot-on, and I won't act as if you sealed the deal for me when writing. And with her draw result, Cinder will no doubt call The Boss. Really, I'm taking this approach because the antagonist team has had so much more extra time to set-up the Fall of Beacon, plus MGS characters' help (where they come from, they have notoriously complicated plans), as such it'd seem too easy for anyone to just waltz in and dismantle it just like that. But still, I do plan on a Beacon victory. It's just that they have to fight for it. Thanks for reading, and the compliment, thank you. And again, glad you liked it!
To Spyash2, she lives, but only just. The fight ended in a draw, which I think is fair. Pyrrha's still going to have an important part in this arc, though! Won't be out for long. Thanks for reading!
To TheJSmooth, Pyrrha is not dead! She promised, and she intends to keep it. Thanks for the compliment, and for reading!
To Gwynx, considering the Dio (especially part 3) profile pic, I'm gonna guess you knew exactly what was gonna happen lol. Thanks for the compliment, and hope you enjoyed!
To DeathlyJazzHands55, And now, Jaune repays the favour in Pyrrha's stead. Not quite what happens in canon, because I can't make anything that sad i.e Pyrrha dying, but I can figure something like this out (I guess?). Thanks for the compliments, and glad you enjoyed the previous chapter!
To TheSix02, Honestly… thank you. It's been quite the journey from the very beginning, and I'd just like to thank you for those first words back when I just started. I'm glad I'm still going well on this… really, thanks for sticking around, and happy that you continue to enjoy. Pyrrha doesn't die, so hope hope this one isn't such a cliché like you said!
To Galeon82, sadly, RWBY is still very much a team and wouldn't go alone. But with Pyrrha's death, one has to wonder how much longer that still sticks. They're dealing with it right now, but they have to move quickly. As for Tai, yeah he'll probably talk with his daughters once the time is right. Also, his connections with Summer run deep, deeper than Raven ever had. I want to explore that more in coming chapters, on why he 'chose' what he did to Raven, but couldn't pull the trigger with Summer. Thanks for the compliments, and for reading!
To CriticaofRandomness, yeah I don't know anything about that lol. Pyrrha's fight ended in a draw, and now both sides are reeling from the effects. Tai's going to reenact a scene from The MGS Series, but I won't tell you which one heheh. As always, thanks for reading, and for the continued support!
To Biggus Boss, oh, that is coming alright (with context), and not just once either. Thanks for reading!
To South Park Guy, um… eh? I don't understand… but still, thanks for reading!