Halo, it's time for the newest chapter. Enjoy the reading.
- You should have seen Joanna's face. - Robyn, realizing that there was no way out of the cell and the prison, was forced to put up with helplessness and instead tried to maintain the mood of her company with jokes while lying on the bench. - I don't think she would have lost a fight before. At least, not in a fair fight. - Unfortunately, she couldn't elicit any reaction, either from Qrow, who was still sitting depressed on the bench of the other cell, clutching Clover's pin, or from Jacques, who was in trouble with a fly. - Tough crowd tonight. - Accompanied by a sigh, she stood up from the bench and stretched. - Maybe Ironwood should have provided better entertainment in the cell block. - Qrow smiled at this comment. - You're smiling! - Robyn was happy that she finally reached her goal. It was good to finally see the man smiling. - What did I win?
- Hey, it's your game. - Qrow enjoyed Robyn's company and appreciated her every attempt to cheer him up. - I don't make the rules. - Unfortunately, his momentary happiness quickly vanished when his eyes fell on the pin again.
- I'm sorry for what happened. - Robyn understood how much Clover meant to Qrow, besides, she had known the man for a long time, whose death the world had lost a lot. - It wasn't your fault.
- It was. - Qrow wasn't sure about his statement, as if he only said it because he didn't want to blame his friend. - I made a deal with the darkness and he paid the price. - Deep down, however, he knew what the truth was. - Everything happened so fast and Clover just didn't stop. - He knew very well that it was all Clover's fault, he just didn't want to admit it. - We could have defeated Tyrion together if Clover had simply... - He couldn't deny it any longer, as there was nothing to be done and it wasn't luck that had a part there. Clover simply made a bad decision that cost his life and Qrow already saw it that nothing could be done. - But what really hurts is that for the first time in a long time I thought that maybe I could be with someone. With anyone, without my Semblance complicating things. - He had buried this feeling for a long time, but Clover brought out his lack of love and for a long time Qrow found safety and comfort with a friend he didn't have to worry about, but suddenly, because of one wrong decision, he lost and tore open that old wound, which was already cured, more precisely, what he thought was cured. - And now it just seems like a silly dream. - He remembered the people, especially one he had lost, who were nothing more than mere memories and ghosts in his head. - He's gone, like everyone else who meant something to me.
- Believe it or not, - Robyn felt sorry for the man and understood why Clover's death bore him so much. - I know a little what it's like. - She walked closer to the man's cell. - If people are afraid that you'll sniff out their secrets, they tend to push you away. - She stopped at the side of the cell and touched the force field. - And that makes a real relationship quite difficult.
- I didn't see it that way, - Qrow found it hard to imagine that Robyn, Mantle's hero, would have a hard time making connections. - because a whole town loves and adores you.
- You think it was easy? - Robyn laughed. - They used to fear me, - She looked at her hand and remembered her Semblance. - they would have thrown me before the Grimms before shaking hands with me. I had to work very hard and help others a lot, but my persistence paid off. I wasn't judged by my Semblance, but by who I am. They trusted me and I promised to provide them a better life. - She smiled sadly. - It looks like I'm just anonther liar politician.
- Well... - Qrow was impressed by Robyn and reminded him of someone who meant so much to him. Someone who was a born leader, had a strong sense of justice and knows what was right. - I had no idea about that.
Suddenly, the prison door opened, and two soldiers, as well as two members of the Ace Ops, Marrow and Harriet, dragged Watts in and pushed him back to his cell.
- You can't keep that! - Harriet noticed Clover's pin in Qrow's hand.
- I didn't kill him. - Qrow snarled and gripped the pin tightly.
- That's what you say, but your weapon was covered in his blood. - Harriet was adamant and Qrow realized that it was useless to talk to her.
- If you really want to know what happened, Mohawk, - Robyn rose to Qrow's defense. - why don't you open the cell and take my hand?
- If I ever open your cell, - Harriet started pacing angrily towards Robyn's cell. - I'm definitely not doing it to shake hands.
- Yes, - Robyn also knew well that it was no use to talk with Harriet. - because you don't care about the truth. - She wasn't scared, even when Harriet stopped in front of her cell. - You just want someone to blame. It's easier to find scapegoats and point fingers than to open your eyes and see whose side you are on.
Harriet was fed up with Robyn and the others constantly getting in their way and judging her and the general without seeing the whole picture. She would have preferred to turn off her cell to beat her to death.
- Hare, - Marrow, sensing the tension, thought it wiser to intervene. - what are you doing? - Harriet didn't answer, she just gave Robyn one last murderous look and then started towards the exit.
- Nothing.
- Well, - Robyn enjoyed the scene somewhat, but she was still helpless in her cell, so she laid back down on the bench. - that was almost exciting.
The sun was already setting on the frozen tundra of Solitas, the cold winds were getting stronger and there was no sign of human habitation. That didn't stop the team, Yang, Roman, Neo, Ren, and Jaune, from speeding their bikes to full speed to help Oscar, who had been kidnapped by that strange talking Grimm.
The team chased the flying Hound up to the mountain pass, but they didn't give up, they just chased the creature by skillfully maneuvering.
- It'll shake us down in the mountains! - Jaune warned the others. - We can't keep up!
Ren's bike began to shake and alarm, then wiped the mist off the bike's display.
- I don't know how long these engines can withstand the cold!
- Just put Fire Dust in it! - Roman suggested, taking out a red Dust crystal from his pocket and placing it in the bike's heating unit.
- Isn't that dangerous?! - Jaune worried.
- Only if you put too much in it! - Roman reassured them and held on to Neo, who was driving.
- I really wish one of us could fly! - Yang focused more on the point and looked towards the Hound, which was getting further away.
- Wait! - Jaune got an idea and opened his shield and directed his bike next to Ren. - Ren, I can throw you up there!
Ren got the idea, stood up on the speeding motorbike, then jumped over Jaune's shield, which he used to shoot his team mate into the air, so high that one of his submachine guns blade was shot out and caught in one of the Hound's back legs.
Roman, meanwhile, jumped over Ren's empty bike and took the drive.
- Nice! - Yang congratulated Jaune and they cheered, but the boy was knocked off balance and had to hold on tightly to keep from falling.
- And what did we achieve with this?! - Both Roman and Neo kept the pace.
Unfortunately, Roman's question was valid, because Ren couldn't do much, especially after the Hound angrily noticed its passenger, whom it immediately wanted to shake off by flinging him back and forth against the rocks.
- Okay, - Yang realized that they weren't accomplishing much. - maybe it wasn't a good idea.
- But it slows the creature down. - Jaune noticed as much. - Just hold on Ren! - He shouted into the radio.
- Do you think I have a choice?! - Ren sounded desperate.
- We're coming for you! - Roman encouraged.
The team had a better chance of catching up with the Hound, especially after Ren fired the blade of his other submachine gun at a rock, which slowed the creature down more. The team had almost reached Hound, which turned around, Oscar still in its mouth, then, switching to higher speed, rose high and slashed Ren from one rock to another. Ren untied his blade from the rock and put it away so he could hold on with both hands.
The crumbling rocks made it difficult for the others and they had to maneuver skillfully to avoid the large pieces of rock.
Yang and Roman went full speed and pointed their bikes up the mountainside, Yang was going up the left side and Roman going up the right side. While Neo and Jaune stayed on the straight path and chased the Hound. Roman and Yang approached the Hound from both sides and opened fire on it, but the Hound took Oscar out of its mouth to take him in both hands, then let out a bone-shattering roar that could be heard throughout the area.
Soon after, dozens of Centipede Grimm emerged from the ground and rocks, as if they had answered the Hound's call, and attacked the group.
- Did that call for reinforcements?! - Yang and the others were getting more and more terrified of this Grimm.
The team had a hard time, since in addition to the rocks and debris, they also had to avoid Centipede Grimms, Jaune cut down the creatures with Crocoe Mors and Neo with Hush. Roman beat them to death with Melodic Cludgel until Yang only needed her fists for it.
Sensing that the Hound had slowed down, Ren began to climb higher.
Jaune and Neo were getting more and more covered by the Grimm and one of the Centipedes shot a spit of acid at Jaune's bike, causing it to start to alarm and slow down.
- Neo, - He shouted to the girl. - we can't stay here! - He raised his shield and Neo understood what he was planning.
She stood up from the bike and landed on Jaune's shield with a high jump, who shot Neo towards Roman's bike.
Neo performed several aerial somersaults before successfully landing behind Roman, sitting behind him and clinging to him.
- Jaune! - Yang shouted to the boy who was still at the bottom of the gorge, alone and his bike was still slowing down and surrounded by more and more Centipede Grimm.
Jaune put his sword away and stood up on his bike and took a huge leap forward before landing on a Grimm, using the shield's gravity shot to get airborne again and found himself up on the cliff, right on the edge and almost falling off, but Yang just arrived at the last minute to pick him up.
Yang went full speed and maneuvered between the Centipede Grimm that Jaune was shredding with his sword, but a Razorwing stood in their way. Jaune got an idea and threw the disk on his shield in front of a rock that Yang was able to use as a ramp and jump over the Grimm. At least two Centipede Grimm were waiting for them at the landing, but Yang fired with Ember Celica, which cleared the way, but the engine went off balance, they spun for a while, but Yang quickly regained control and raced on, got off the cliff and continued to chase the Hound.
Roman and Neo were racing on the other side of the gorge and while Roman was driving, Neo was thinning out the Grimm with her parasol. Roman also switched to full speed and skillfully maneuvered between the Grimm, but there was a gap in the road, but Roman had another idea.
He took out another Fire Dust crystal and tossed it forward to the edge of the chasm, then aimed Melodic Cludgel and fired after they left the crystal and taunted the chasm.
Bang
The shock wave of the massive explosion gave the engine more speed, but Neo worried that it wouldn't be enough to get them through the chasm, so she put a tight arm around Roman with one hand, then held Hush up with the other and opened it. Fortunately, the wind was still strong, giving Neo enough buoyancy to get them just over the chasm.
- That was closer than I expected! - Roman, who was always calm and self-confident, now showed how scared he was. Even Neo nodded shakily.
They managed to catch up to Yang and Jaune and after seeing the end of the gorge, they thought they were out of trouble, but the exit ended in a chasm. Yang couldn't brake in time and turned sharply to the right in desperation, but the motorcycle couldn't handle it and broke, and its two passengers fell into the snow and rolled all the way to the edge of the ravine.
Roman hit the brakes hard and Neo opened Hush again to let the wind help slow them down so they stopped in time. Roman saw that Yang and Jaune were about to fall, so he fired the hooked end of Melodic Cludgel, catching Jaune's wrist, who also grabbed Yang onto and held them. He put the bike in reverse and was able to pull them up from the edge of the ravine.
Unfortunately, the Grimm caught up with them from the gorge, but Neo quickly used her Semblance to create copies of themselves, making themselves invisible and easily escaping until the Grimm caught their clones, which, accompanied by pink and white light, broke into shards as if they were made of glass.
It was unusual for Genna that a Grimm not only didn't attack her, but even see her as a comrade. Comrade was a strong word, as every time she tried to talk to it, it only growled and when she accidentally got in its way, it snarled at her menacingly.
Although Genna was afraid of the creature, Salem assured her that as long as the mark was on her hand, it wouldn't hurt her.
The Hound grew wings and left the Grimm whale, Genna following with her fully charged jetpack. She followed it all the way to Mantle, where they parted ways, as she had to find her Atlasian plane, which they used to get across the border.
There she recharged her jetpack and found some spare rockets, one of which she loaded into the jetpack. These missiles were her most powerful weapons, used either against very strong opponents or as a last resort.
She turned on the plane and took off. The radar picked up four hover bikes and a small army of Grimm from the gorge east of the city. Genna knew that the Hound had probably already caught the target and she had to rush to its aid.
As she flew over the snowy mountains, getting closer and closer to her target, she activated the plane's cloaking field, which made her invisible and spotted the flying Hound carrying a boy who must have been the target. Hanging from the creature's legs was a young boy whom the Hound was unable to shake off, and in its tail were four young Hunters and Huntresses on motorbikes, who she couldn't see properly.
Genna knew it was wisest to wait at the end of the gorge and pounce on the pursuers in case the Warbler was unable to shake them off. She put the plane down, got out, took out her rifle and waited.
It successfully shook off the four bikers at the end of the gorge, but the boy, who is still on Hound's leg. Genna aimed the rifle and fired. She hit the boy, who fell into the snowy abyss and even the blade of the submachine gun severed the Hound's leg.
The boy looked towards Genna for a moment, clearly spotting her before being swallowed up by the snowy depths. It didn't matter, because he was sure to die out here.
Genna got back into the plane, started it up, and followed the Hound towards the largest Grimm whale.
Today was a successful day because the team managed to get Ironwood's permission from the military base computer, so they can fire the Amity after Pietro and Maria complete the Communication Tower.
Although Nora was seriously injured and Penny and Lance will no longer be able to help with the evacuation, it was still worth it because they brought hope and they can still save Mantle.
Unfortunately, they couldn't leave the city without being spotted by the Atlas army, and they seriously had to find a place to stay for the night. Unfortunately, they search for them in the whole city, so it will be difficult for them to find accommodation.
Fortunately, Weiss knew a place where they wouldn't be searched for. Even the general wouldn't think of looking for the team members at the Schnee family mansion.
May parked the plane in front of the building while Ruby and Blake carried the injured Nora together, then Weiss rang the doorbell and wasn't at all surprised that her brother, Whitley opened the door.
- Oh, - The boy looked indignantly at his sister and her friends. - you chose an excellent time to...
- Not a single word! - Weiss pointed her sword at the boy's throat to silence him. - We're going in.
- Things are already pretty bad, - Whitley stepped aside and the girls entered the mansion. - after what you did with dad. Now you want us to hide fugitives? - He crossed his arms offended. - Our family has a reputation.
- Is that all you're worried about now?! - After Ruby and Nora were placed on the floor, Blake looked at the boy angrily. - Your reputation?!
- I'm just saying we've already lost the entire staff of the house, - Whitley pointed upstairs nervously. - and mother locked herself in her room!
- Maybe you haven't figured out what's going on, Whitley, - Weiss stood in front of her brother in frustration. - but we're a bit busy saving Atlas!
- Look, - Ruby stood between the two Schnee. - our friend was seriously injured. We just need a place to hide while she rests and then we'll get out of here.
- Fine. - Whitley sighed. - What do you want from me?
- Could you call a doctor to see our friend? - Weiss asked her brother.
- I think there is someone who can help, - Whitley said as he pulled out his Scroll. - until then, take her to one of the rooms.
- Okay, come on. - Weiss waved to the others before May picked Nora up and followed her.
- Ruby? - Blake, left alone with Ruby in the lobby, noticed her team captain standing silently in the doorway, staring at the horizon.
- I hope everyone is well. - Ruby whispered.
- If you're worried about Yang, you can try to call her. - Blake suggested.
- That's it, - Ruby held up her Scroll, which said, "The called number's unavailable." - I tried.
The situation of the rescue team was very bad, they were shaken by the Hound and they couldn't save Oscar, they lost two of the four bikes and one of the remaining two was seriously damaged. There was one working bike left for five people, Ren was gone, the Scrolls weren't working and the setting sun was a clear sign that night was about to fall.
- I repeat, - Jaune desperately tried to call someone on his Scroll. - if anyone hears me...
- It's pointless. - Roman knew that the Scrolls' signals didn't work.
- We have to get back to Mantle. - Jaune put the Scroll away and looked around the team, Yang picked up some parts that fell out of her bike.
- I'll go ahead and scout the area. - Roman suggested before Neo got off the bike. - If I find the Ninja kid, I'll pick him up.
- Ren, - Jaune corrected. - hurry.
- Neo, take care of them until then. - Roman asked his girlfriend who just nodded, then started the bike and already whizzed off in the direction where the Hound was flying.
The team doesn't stay in one place for long, they set off after Roman, hoping to find Ren or at least some shelter for the evening.
They marched for hours and Yang's Scroll beeped, hoping that someone was calling her, she took it out, but only the aura level meter alerted her. Her own and Neo's auras reached the red, low level, and Jaune's was also approaching.
- We urgently need to find shelter before the cold completely saps our aura. - Yang was worried and warned the others.
- We'll find a place! - Jaune was sure of it. - And we'll find Ren too.
Neo worriedly looked ahead to where Roman had gone and hoped he wasn't hurt.
- Hey, - Yang noticed that she was worried and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. - I'm sure everything is fine. - Neo just gestured with her hand. - Well... - She nervously looked at Jaune, but he only shrugged his shoulders to indicate that he didn't understand sign language either. - I'm sorry, but I don't understand. - Neo just rolled her eyes and took out her Scroll and started typing.
"I hope that creature didn't get Roman."
- Come on, - Yang just waved. - he pulled himself out of quite a few sticky situations and he's sure to have more sense than let himself got eaten by a Grimm.
"Do you think we can do it?", Neo typed again and bowed her head.
- What do you mean? - Jaune asked.
"To win?"
- We have to do everything for this! - Yang was also absolutely sure of it.
- Yes! - Jaune supported her as well. - We save Oscar, start Amity and hold out until help arrives. We just can't give up.
Neo still wasn't that optimistic, she wanted to believe that, but she wasn't as confident as these kids.
Suddenly her Scroll rang and Roman looked for her. She took the call and hung up.
- I found your friend and he hasn't serious wound. - Roman's voice filled Neo and the others with relief. - One and a half kilometers from you, there is an outpost, to the north. If you hurry, you could get there at the nightfall. I'll go ahead and see if it's safe.
This was good news for the team, there was a place to go and Ren was fine. They could hope again.
It was a hell of a ride for Oscar, his last memory being a very powerful Grimm attacking him on the streets of Mantle, knocking him out and having no idea what happened. His eyes were still closed, but he felt that he was hanging by the back of his collar at somewhere at and his feet didn't reach the ground.
"Oscar?", he heard Ozpin's voice in his head as he slowly opened his eyes. "Don't panic. Everything will be fine."
- What? - Oscar shook his head and raised his head from the pale red floor and saw a low set of stairs in front of him that led to a dark corridor
- My long lost Ozma. - He heard a creepy female voice from the darkness. - Finally, I found you. - Like a shadow, Salem stepped out of the darkness, scaring Oscar almost to death.
Genna appeared at Salem's side, rifle in her hand, nervously realizing that he wasn't hanged, but held in the mouth of the Grimm that had attacked him on the street. He tried desperately to get free, but his feet couldn't reach the floor and he couldn't do anything with his hands.
- Your new host is so small. - Salem stepped forward smiling. - It's a miracle that my Hound, - She looked at the Hound, whose mouth made Oscar look even smaller, then turned to Genna. - and the Bounty Huntress didn't crush you. - Finally, she turned back to Oscar and stepped in front of him. - How many years have we not seen each other, face to face like this? And you don't want to say anything?
- I... - Oscar tried to imitate Ozpin. - I'm sorry that the meeting did not meet your expectations.
Salem just angrily grabbed the boy's face, which made Oscar's heart skip a beat.
- You can act it, boy, - Salem saw through Oscar's performance perfectly. - but you're not him. At least, not yet. - She let go and stepped back. - Well, maybe the two of us can work out a better cooperation. Oscar, right? - Oscar didn't say anything, he just stood looking at the witch. - The Beacon Relic. - She started walking around Oscar. - My forces are simply unable to find the relic under the school. And if I know my Ozma well, he hid it by some very cunning and deceptive way, even better than the other headmasters. - Finally, she stopped next to him and started caressing the Hound. - I need to know where it is.
- I... - Oscar didn't want to help Salem under any circumstances, but he said it as honestly as possible. - I don't know where it is.
- Well, of course, - Salem didn't sense lie in Oscar's words, then she turned around and walked further and stopped next to Genna. - you will keep this one until the end. - Oscar sighed in relief. - How about if I ask something simpler? - The boy was worried in advance about what she was going to ask. - The password for the Lamp.
- It ran out of questions. - He answered, and Salem just smiled, but didn't say anything.
She summoned a dark ball of energy from which purple lightnings erupted and directed it at Oscar. The boy screamed loudly in pain and suffered the torturous power of the lightning completely helplessly. Neither the Hound nor Genna reacted to his screams, it's clear that this isn't the first time she has seen someone being tortured.
Salem's purple lightning subsided and the dark orb disappeared as Oscar began to choke.
- Lies come out of you so easily. - She moved closer to Oscar, who tried to pull away from her trembling when she reached out to him with her hand, but Salem just stroked his face. Salem's gently smiling face was a more terrifying sight than her angry one. - You are clearly like-minded souls. - She turned around and headed for the exit and went past Genna, who followed her. - One of you will tell me what I want to know. I don't really care if you or Ozma. One way or another, but finally, I will have the relic.
- No... - Oscar coughed, but looked determinedly at the witch. - I don't say anything.
- Hm? - Salem just turned back to the boy and smiled defiantly at him, when the exit door opened and the big man who Oscar least wanted to see came in.
- Hazel? - The blood froze in Oscar's veins at the sight of the man, who approached him angrily. - Wait! Wait! - Hazel, not even hearing the boy's pleas, simply hit him in the stomach, which caused him to fall out of the Hound's mouth, and then fell to the ground, suffocating.
- That was for what happened at Haven Academy. - The man spoke, then kicked him, causing him to hit the wall. - And everything that happens after that will be for my sister.
- A yaku advice, kid, - Genna said. - ease your situation and pend what we want to znav. - Finally, she turned and followed Salem with the Hound.
Salem left the room with the Hound and Genna by her side, and as her two obedient servants followed, she remembered something.
- You did an excellent job, - She didn't praise them. - both of you.
- Your mutt should be asareled, - Genna just nudged the Warbler. - I krat azsutel a little buka.
- Genna, - Salem just smiled. - you are modest and yet you serve me well. You resemble your father in this. It's sham I couldn't hire you earlier.
- As long as ya perk meh 'n Aah catch Torchwick, ya can have mah service without Aah'd mangel.
- Well, that's great, - Salem stroked her Hound and was very satisfied with Genna's answer as well. - I think you can be called an expert.
Salem continued down the hall with the Hound and Genna in tow as Cinder, Adam and Mandy were already waiting for her.
- Mistress, - Cinder knelt before her. - I... - Her words also stopped at the sight of the Hound. - What is that?
- An experiment. - Salem stroked the Hound again, then turned to Genna. - And she's an expert. So far, I'm very satisfied with both. She looked sternly at the one-eyed woman. - Do you need something, Cinder?
- Yes. - Cinder answered a little shakily, but firmly. - I... I want to find the Winter Maiden. I think...
- Do you hear that? - Salem asked Genna and the Hound. - She thinks. She wants. - Genna just laughed under her helmet. - As if she had put something on the table that would make me interested in these things.
Cinder was driven more and more by the desire to get the power of the Winter Maiden, but Salem's prohibition and slow tactics only annoyed her.
- We just sit here and wait! - Cinder stood up and walked towards Salem. - Without the power of the Maiden, the Vault means nothing. Let me get it. The second time...
- I will tell you when and where you are needed and you just have to obey. - Salem interrupted.
- But Mistress... - Cinder continued to struggle, but the Hound angrily jumped in front of her and growled at her, which made her back away.
- I will tell you that I have been blessed with a great deal of patience in the many years I have walked the surface of Remnant, - Salem warned. - but I hate to repeat myself and since I know that you are mentally slow, that's why I say it slowly. - She turned back to Cinder and nailed her. - You. Stay. Here. Did you get it?
- Yes. - Cinder answered after a little hesitation, then knelt down. - Yes, of course. I am nothing without you.
- Great. - Salem turned and started walking again, with Genna and the Hound in her wake.
Cinder didn't care about the order, she wanted the Maiden power and didn't care if Salem forbade it, but she would go alone to get it if she had to.
- Come on. - She ordered Adam and Mandy.
- What do you want anyway? - Mandy was afraid of Cinder's plan in advance as they headed towards the hangar.
- Salem told us to stay here. - Adam warned. - And if she wants to destroy Atlas, then I will do as she says.
- I know what she said! - Cinder angrily stomped down the stairs, with the two faunus in her wake. - But I want to check something. It won't be long and we'll be back before anyone notices.
- What exactly? - Adam was interested.
- I want to see what's at the Amity Coliseum. - Cinder explained. - Salem doesn't know those kids as well as I do.
- Why, how well do you know them? - Mandy was a little skeptical. - How many times have you met them?
- What are you talking about? - Cinder shook her head in confusion.
- Twice or three times if you talked to one of them and even then not much. - Mandy reminded. - I think Salem knows better than what she's doing.
- Okay, maybe I don't know them very well, - Cinder just rolled her eye. - but so much so that I know they wouldn't just give up on their failed attempt to save the world. - She stopped at the very edge of the hangar and looked out towards Atlas, then looked at the surrounding mountains, and then her gaze moved to the tundra, to the cave where Amity was also located.
- I don't think that would be a good idea. - Adam didn't support it.
- So far, all your plans have ended in failure. - Mandy reminded.
The reluctance of the two faunus annoyed Cinder.
- If they don't want to go, then I'll come. - Emerald's voice could be heard from the stairs, hoping to help Cinder. - I practiced a lot on my Semblance. I can help. I won't tell anyone.
- Hm, - The wind just whistled and flapped Cinder's shoulder cape and sighed unhappily. - how much did you hear?
Night had fallen by the time Roman reached the outpost, it wasn't much, just a small house from which to watch the approaching Grimm, with only one lamp next to it. He brought in the unconscious Ren, who he immediately carried into the hut and laid him at the bottom of the bunk bed.
Turning on the generator and with it the heat and lights, he looked out to see the rest of the team, Yang, Jaune, and Neo approaching and waving at them.
- How's Ren?! - Jaune was immediately worried about his teammate.
- He's inside and lying down. - Roman pointed towards the entrance, then Neo hugged him and was glad that he wasn't hurt. - Hey, I'm fine, don't worry. - They kissed each other.
- Do you think she thinks less of it? - Yang, seeing the scene, missed Blake and felt a little sad that she wasn't with her. - That I'm not helping with Amity?
- Come on, - Jaune just waved. - Ruby is your sister. I'm sure she loves you, even though you don't agree with each other.
- Yeah... - It was clear to Yang that Jaune misunderstood what she was saying and wasn't worried about her sister at all. - Ruby.
- Wow, - Roman was also surprised by her insensitivity towards her own sister. - sister of the century, Blondie.
- Just... - Yang just pulled herself up angrily and went off to look around the house for spare parts. - I'm looking for something to fix the bike with!
- I'll check on Ren. - Jaune instead went to the house to his teammate who seemed to have woken up.
- Where... am I? - Ren looked around curiously and worriedly.
- Calm down, - Jaune was beside him. - we're safe. We found an observation station where we can hang out until morning. What happened to you? Was that Grimm shook you down?
- No. - Ren examined his chest. - Someone shot me. - Everyone was shocked at this statement. - A sniper.
- An Atlasian soldier? - Roman was interested.
- I didn't see properly, - Ren rubbed his head. - only that she was wearing some kind of strange armor.
- It's going to be okay, - Jaune tried to reassure his friend. - luckily, your aura protected you and Roman brought you here in time. You'll be better in the morning.
- Look, - Roman searched the lockers and found something that might put the team in a better mood. - they left some food here. - He tossed a package to Jaune and Ren that contained some sort of dried meat slices.
- We need to eat and rest, - Jaune unwrapped his food and despite not eating all day he had no appetite. - but I can't help but think about Oscar.
- Good news, - Yang was still offended when she came to the house with a spare part. - I found something to fix the other bike. - With that she went towards the exit.
- Where are you going? - Roman asked her.
- Repairing the bike, - Yang replied phlegmatic. - you know, I said that before.
- At minus 40 degrees? - Roman looked out the window at the growing blizzard. - You freeze to death before you can do anything.
Yang ignored the man's advice and just went outside to fix the bike.
Unfortunately, none of them had any idea that something much worse and more dangerous than the cold was lurking outside.
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