Hunting or Bust: The Journey Continues

Dust 3: Not What We Expected

((((((((Hunting))))))))

He was pulled down in the darkness at startling speeds. Even if he activated Mirror he doubted he'd be able to see anything of importance for too long before he hit another corner. Just like Bee had warned him he had his Aura up to take the brunt of the sudden sharp turns. It went on longer and longer until finally…

He came to a stop.

With a hydraulic hiss over his head, the tube he was traveling in was opened. And with a small gasp, as he realized the journey had ended, Sasuke looked up.

Shisui sighed and offered his hand, "Rough ride?" Sasuke coughed but nodded, raising his hand as his friend grabbed hold and pulled him out, "Yeah, that was…unpleasant."

Sasuke groaned and rubbed his head as he stumbled to his feet and stood up straight once the whiplash started subsiding, "That was - was so much worse than I expected it to be." He winced and cracked his neck with an audible snap before rotating his shoulders, "I see now why only packages are allowed in that thing. Kiba and Fū?"

Shisui threw a thumb over his shoulder and Sasuke followed its path. He saw Kiba shuddering and trying to overcome the chill of the tube's vacuum seal. And Fū was huddled on the ground with a surprisingly vacant expression, "I-I-I think I wanna stay on the ground…f-for the first time in my life."

"I hope Bee will be able to get down here safely," Shisui stated in an even and hopeful tone. It left Sasuke feeling a little disturbed as he watched his distant relative smile darkly and crack his knuckles, "I want the chance to thank him for this experience."

Shisui did not like being volunteered first down the tubes.

The tube behind them groaned and rumbled before stopping completely. They looked back as the hatch swung open and Bee popped back out, "Man, what a trip! What'd you guys think? Pretty fun right?"

Shisui turned with a growl-

"Hold on." Sasuke grabbed his shoulder before Shisui could pounce, "I'm sure he meant to do this so that we'd have fun."

"Of course I did! Wasn't it fun?" Bee asked with a chortle.

"My stomach is still in a knot!"

"Hey," They looked over as Kiba watched an automated robot step by them. He got out of its way and watched it carry a box of supplies towards the tubes, "These things aren't going to report us, are they?"

"They're unmanned and automated solely for shipping." Bee informed them before walking towards the exit, "But I can't guarantee that we haven't shown up on some alarm or footage so we shouldn't stick around."

Sasuke nodded and signaled for the others to follow them out. They all walked out of the warehouse and jumped over the chained link fence before getting a look at their current location.

A vast and deep crater that seemed to go on as far as the eye could see. And around it was the rest of the city of Mantle, built atop the highest level of the crater. And below it was homes - far rougher and shabbier, cobbled together compared to the housing they saw in the city.

Fū looked around with a disheartened expression, "Is this…"

"The slums of Mantle." Sasuke answered.

He remembered long ago traveling around Remnant with his brother, looking for a suitable home to call their own after they had lost their parents. And they came up here to Atlas hoping to find a place to call their own. But they couldn't find entry into the floating city, and the one on the ground wasn't as accommodating either. And when Sasuke laid eyes on the slums allowed to form in the crater of the city…

He felt the same thing then as he does now.

Shisui stepped up as he looked over it, "Is it…all Faunus?"

"Mostly Faunus." Bee corrected, "Some spare humans here and there who can't keep their houses but yeah, this is the place most of the Faunus in Mantle can find a home."

Sasuke noticed Kiba's irked expression and the way his fist tightened on his hip. He reached over and grabbed his partner's shoulder, hoping to help him ease through the conflicting feelings and anger he felt bubbling up in his gut. His bearded friend let out a sharp breath that came out white in the air before giving a curt nod.

"I'm not sure how we're gonna stick around Mantle without stopping in my old house." Bee told them as he stepped up and looked out over the crater, "But until we find a way outta this Kingdom, I think we gotta stay down here."

((((((((Hunting))))))))

"They're gone? H-How can they be gone all over Mistral?"

"Don't ask me. We aren't exactly keeping track of how every Hunter in the Kingdom goes about their job." Tsunade answered with a tired sigh, lacing her hands together to lean her chin on as a steaming cup of coffee sat underneath her, "We don't know the cause of this decline, just the result."

Jaune gulped and looked around the break room they had retreated to talk with Tsunade. The older woman seemed tired and haggard since the last time they had seen her in the aftermath of the Fall of Beacon. Compared to the cheery, lively slug Faunus they had seen around Beacon in its last few weeks she seemed so much wearier.

She had invited him, Naruto, Ruby, and Qrow to talk in the back room while Nora, Ren, and Oscar stayed to speak with the others who were feeling the weight of their losses.

Ruby nervously stepped up to the older woman, laying her hand on her shoulder to try and ease her concern. Tsunade's expression still seemed solemn but her shoulders raised slightly and she looked up at the younger Huntress with an expression of gratitude for her empathy. Her boundless concern and kindness to others shined through in moments like this. When she reached out to connect not just with him and their friends but with others they barely knew in comparison.

It was the attitude of a true Huntress. Something he still needed to learn if he was ever going to stand among the rest of them.

Tsunade gently patted her hand and Ruby took a step back as the older Faunus continued, "Things were bad after Beacon fell. People were afraid and drawing in Grimm and it seemed like it was only getting worse. But even if it was a tragedy on a greater scale than we were used to we were going to deal with it like how we did all others we lived through; accept it, grow stronger from it, and move on."

Qrow groaned, "Noticing the buildup to the all-important 'but' here…"

"But the Grimm numbers never seemed to lower significantly enough to make a dent. No matter how much time passed." Tsunade answered with a shake of her head, "Even as we got past the worse of the publics' collective fear, the Grimm activity was still prevalent and we had to act. But as their activity grew more and more, Hunters were becoming more pushed and exhausted until they couldn't act anymore. And their numbers started to decrease."

She took a sip of her coffee before continuing, "Causality reports started to pile up. And some missions that were reported as taken were left open even after weeks passed because the Hunters that took them hadn't reported in. Things kept looking dire."

It was just like what Professor Lionheart told them when they visited the academy the other day. Anima was the largest land mass in the world, and there were only so many people that could fight back against the never-ending rise of Grimm cases across it.

"But what about my dad? And Tenten?" Naruto stepped forward, his voice panicked and filled with urgency as he questioned the older woman, "What happened to them?"

"They left on a supply mission months ago. I'm not sure exactly what is going on around Mistral but a team of them, Kakashi, and Anko would be strong enough to handle whatever came their way."

"Then why are they still not back?!"

Tsunade closed her eyes and shrugged, "All we can do is speculate. A supply line through the east and south of Mistral, down into Menagerie, and then over to Vacuo would take a long time no matter the form of travel. There could be any number of countless issues or problems that would keep them preoccupied." Tsunade shook her head, "But we just don't know."

Jaune shifted uncomfortably in his seat as he tried not to catastrophize the mission his friend's father and the team went on. He looked up and waited for some explosive response from Naruto in anger, but instead saw a shocked and horrified look on his face, "Naruto?"

"They…they went to Menagerie? And Vacuo?"

"Yes." Tsunade nodded, "Why?" Naruto didn't answer, gnawing on his bottom lip before turning back and leaning against the countertop. Jaune shared a concerned look with Ruby at their friend's attitude before Tsunade continued, "As time went on we needed to take more and more missions. Send more of our people out to further settlements and calls. Fewer came back each time. And when Shikaku, Inoichi, and Chōza got word they decided to step out of the office and get back in the field. Things were looking up for a while until…"

Qrow groaned, "Nothing back from them?"

"Not a word. No alerts. Not even a report about their bodies being found." Tsunade rubbed her eyes, "You know they say no news is good news, but I keep having to look at Shikamaru, Ino, and Chōji run about their day trying to help keep this place standing while they hope for some news about their dads that never comes."

Jaune felt a cold chill in his chest as he looked at the door leading back to the lobby. To think those kids their age were having to sit by and wait to hear something about their fathers. And every day they didn't hear back was another day that hope seemed to wane that they ever would.

He was devastated when he heard what happened to Pyrrha. He shut down and just stopped responding to those around him. But once he realized it was true there was nothing left to do but accept it. If he had to just wait around, letting days go by never knowing the truth about what happened to her…

It was too hard to imagine.

"Dammit," He looked over as Qrow cursed and pushed off the counter he was sitting against, "I was hoping to ask for a favor from some of you guys at Skyggen. We had a big job to do as quickly as possible and we needed all the help we could get."

Tsunade sat up curiously, "What's the job?"

"There's someone we need to retrieve as soon as possible. Having them on our side will help us secure the safety of Haven and Mistral from outside threats. I already know where she is and we're on a clock before we lose track of her."

Tsunade hummed, "Can't help but notice the distinct lack of details towards her location and what makes this a big job."

"She's in the Branwen camp. And she's close to Raven."

Tsunade closed her eyes and took a deep inhale, "Are you shitting me? Did Leo sign off on this?"

"He agrees it needs to be done, but we can't move yet because we don't have the manpower."

"Of course, you don't have the manpower! You walk in with a squadron of kids that haven't finished school and I'm convinced you don't have anyone else to help!"

"Hey, we can handle ourselves." Naruto stepped up challengingly after Tsunade's words, "I already ran into Raven and her crew and pushed her back once. We can do it again-"

"You fought her?" Tsunade stood up and looked at him, "Why did you fight her? When? What even happened to-" She closed her eyes and shook her head, "Dammit, no. So you pushed her back? Impressive. Did you do it alone? Are you eager to do it again?"

"I…" Naruto grimaced and lowered his eyes, "We had help-"

"Of course you did. Because Raven and her tribe aren't your normal bandits. You think anyone can operate this long doing what she's done in Anima if she wasn't good enough to get away or kill anyone who comes after her?"

"Please!" Ruby quickly stepped up to plead their case, "This is important! We need to retrieve the person who is with her in her camp! If we have them we can-"

"Ruby!" They all looked back at Qrow as he sternly shook his head and warned her about spilling the beans about the Maidens. Looks like he didn't want the word getting out unless they were fully on board to help them.

Jaune felt conflicted about keeping that secret, and it was clear Ruby did too from the look on her face. But as she closed her mouth and lowered her head Tsunade just sighed, "Look, I believe you. I believe that the person in Raven's camp is important. Not sure how important but it's clear you guys need to keep hush about it."

"So you'll-"

"But our numbers are thinning, our people are disappearing, and I need to act responsibly while the people in charge are gone." The blonde slug stated firmly, "We're keeping our missions in the city and surrounding settlements, only going out further when we have teams large enough to handle the threat. We can't and won't risk it raiding bandit camps and taking down your crazy bitch of a sister."

Jaune felt like his whole body deflated as Qrow grumbled, "So we're on our own?"

"Until I know I can keep our Hunters safe…you're on your own."

((((((((Hunting))))))))

"Chieftain!"

"Yes, Captain?"

"I have just received word about Brother Fennec's condition. The attack was not critical and he should be making a full recovery."

Blake looked up at her father and saw his even expression before nodding, "Wonderful. Please keep me updated in case anything changes in his condition."

"Of course!" The guard saluted and made his way back to his post.

Blake gently touched her father's arm, "Are you alright?"

He smiled down at her, "Oh, I'm fine. I suppose I should be glad that the damage was minimal and he'll recover soon. I just-"

"I understand." Blake nodded empathetically, "It's hard to show much enthusiasm when you know there's something else brimming underneath the surface."

"I mean I just don't understand why that happened." Ghira mused while she walked by his side down the hallway, "Could that have been real? Could Ilia have taken offense to them disavowing her and attacked because of it?"

Blake shook her head as her ears twitched, "I fought alongside Ilia for a long time while we were in the White Fang. We started at around the same level and grew a lot throughout our missions." She felt guilty recounting this part to her father but knew there was no point in hiding it. He was well aware of her past mistakes and he needed to know this, "She was always very good. Shooting at a moving target in a stressful situation can be hard. But firing at someone while they're standing still, from behind, and hurting them only enough that they can recover in a day?" She shook her head and spoke with confidence, "That announcement and attack were staged."

"Ugh, I feared as much." Her father groaned as his brow creased and he rubbed the bridge of his nose, "But what's the reason? The Albain brothers already blamed her and the others for acting out of line. Even if it wasn't true there was no way to prove it or connect them? Why make a spectacle? Why risk injury?"

"It has to be for a reason." Blake said, "We have to figure it out."

"Well, then we should put our heads together, right?"

Blake looked up as Tenten walked out while securing her combat attire back on. The black-haired Faunus picked up the pace to reach her brunette friend before looking at her shoulder, "Are you okay? Should you be moving?"

"All good. Not even a scar anymore." Tenten rotated her arm to prove a point and didn't even flinch as she formed a knife and tossed it in the air before catching it, "Just need to a little practice to get back into shape and I'll be all good."

"That's wonderful." Ghira said as he stepped up by their side, "And I can't help but notice you don't have any bags packed or your weapons put away. Does that mean you've made a decision?"

Blake looked away from her father and back at her friend in surprise. She saw Tenten give a small smile and nodded, "I'm going to stay here for a little bit longer. I don't know exactly what's happening around the island but I want to help however I can. I hope that's alright with you, sir."

"We are happy to accommodate you and the others for as long as you are staying. But you're sure this is what you want?"

"Tenten," She looked back at her as Blake asked, "Are you sure this is okay? I-I mean Naruto is waiting somewhere in Mistral right now. I thought…didn't you want to see him again?"

"I do. I do. I want to go home and see my dad and find my friend again after all this time. But my dad told me to see my mission through and I know Naruto will be able to take care of himself until we get back." Tenten grinned, "Besides, you know the one thing better than seeing Naruto again? The both of us getting to see him again."

She stared at her ponytailed friend in silent shock before taking a shaky breath. Her eyes started to mist over before she stepped in and tightly hugged Tenten in response. She felt her friend hug her in return and they stayed like that for a moment before separating. Blake smiled and dried her eye before asking, "What about the others?"

"Mr. Jiraiya is going to stay, as is Naruto's mom. But Mr. Minato," Tenten shrugged, "I'm just not sure. I don't even know if I should ask him."

"We'll give him some time, and just wait for his answer at his own pace." Ghira told them with a hand on both of their shoulders, "For now we need to figure out how we're going to deal with the Albain and White Fang problem at hand."

Blake and Tenten nodded before heading further into the house.

((((((((Hunting))))))))

Yugito had to stop the intimidating gulp she felt rising in her throat as she stood within the entrance hall to the White Fang's base of operations. Considering the other places she had been hiding out in since joining the White Fang were a dilapidated underground city overrun with Grimm and camps with tents as they were on the run, this massive and well-kept building seemed like a whole new world to her.

"Quite impressive, isn't it?" She looked over at Rōshi as the older Faunus smiled at her response, "It is quite a sight to see for the first time."

"How," Yugito stepped forward and turned around to get a full view of the room, "How does this go undetected? It's such a big place with so many people coming through it."

"We stay hidden thanks to the help of sympathizers to the cause." Adam answered as he walked further in, "Faunus in spots of power or influence that understand the importance of our fight and wish to help however they can."

Sympathizers in points of influence around Anima. Yugito had to wonder if those sympathizers still did it out of a sense of duty or intimidation after the White Fang's part in the Fall of Beacon.

"High Leader Khan called us for an audience tonight. We will reconvene later to prepare for it." Adam stepped forward and turned to her and the other members of the sect that had joined them in their travel, "There should be plenty of spare beds in the barracks for all of you to take. Rest. Eat. Have your fill and prepare for whatever comes next. Rōshi," He called out to the bearded old man before nodding aside, "I need to have a word with you."

The older Noble Guard nodded and followed their leader as the other White Fang members separated. Yugito did the same, wandering along the vast hallways and rooms of the base to try and familiarize herself with it. After months of being on the run, keeping a low profile, and roughing it outdoors, it was strange to think she'd be sleeping in a large place like this again.

The leader of the White Fang had been the one to call them in for a meeting. And for the first time since she had joined the revolution, Adam raised no arguments or refusals to answer her summons. Yugito had heard many rumors about the kind of person Sienna Khan truly was but nothing concrete enough to give her an image in her head.

She was the leader behind the worldwide revolution of the White Fang. She was able to inspire loyalty from not only countless White Fang members but Adam Taurus of all people too. So Yugito wasn't sure how she was going to react when they faced her down and told her the specifics behind the Fall of Beacon.

Or the fact they were secretly keeping their human contact at arm's length away from the base right this moment.

Despite her best attempts to keep calm, Yugito felt her stomach start to turn uneasily in anticipation. So to keep her wits she made her way to the mess to find something to calm her nerves.

Walking around the base, she quickly realized that she had no idea where she was going. She tried looking around for others to ask for directions but it seemed like everyone in this place was busy doing something else and she couldn't find them!

This wasn't helping with her nerves at all!

"Dammit!" Yugito cursed, pulling her mask off her face for some fresh air and rubbing her temples before continuing her search, "This is pissing me off." She finally spotted someone moving down the farthest part of the hall by themselves and called out, "Hey! Hey, hold on!" The woman looked her way as she waved, "Do you know which way the mess is? I'm just lost and I need something to eat."

The woman pointed in the direction she just came from, "Go straight that way, keep for three turns and then go right, and then keep going until you catch the smell."

Yugito sighed a breath of relief before nodding to the stranger, "Thank you." She made her way down-

"You're not wearing your mask?"

"Huh?" Yugito looked back after the woman spoke up to ask her a question. She looked down at the mask she was holding, "Oh, I felt a little stuffy and just wanted some fresh air. W-Why, are we not allowed to take off our masks?"

"You can but no one here does. You're not from around here." She crossed her arms in amusement, "Who are you?"

Yugito felt a little defensive in the face of her questioning, "Well who are you?"

"Sienna Khan."

Her eyes widened in horror as she realized who she was back-talking. Her dark skin was marked with many striped tattoos that were evident everywhere she showed skin. She had two large ears popping out of the black bob of hair on her head. But most of all the way she carried herself, the tone and authority in her voice, made it clear she was a leader who did not suffer insubordination.

Yugito panicked, "I-I'm sorry, ma'am! I-I had no idea you were - I-I mean I should have - my name is Yugito Nii and I just arrived-"

"Nii?" Sienna repeated curiously before something seemed to click and she nodded, "You're the Noble Guard Adam's group found, aren't you? I guess that means he's arrived?"

"Yes ma'am," Yugito nodded nervously, "Just now."

"Can I get a look?" Yugito was about to ask what she meant but when she got a look at the firmness in Sienna's eyes she realized what she meant. Yugito nodded, stowed her mask in her back pocket, and took a step back.

Her blue Aura suddenly formed around her entire body and she felt like she was suddenly much safer. With her Semblance activated her defenses were at full power and she could summon her flames in an instant.

And yet under Sienna's gaze, she still felt uneasy, "It was you, Rōshi who I've already met, and a third one, right? Another Noble Guard Adam recruited? And he was KIA during the attack in Vale?"

Yugito gave a slight nod, "Yes, ma'am."

"And you were there, right?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Did you see it?"

"I did, ma'am

Sienna uncrossed her arms, "What did you think about it?"

"I-I'm sorry?"

"Attacking Vale. Destroying Beacon. What did you think about it?" Sienna clarified, "How do you feel after?"

"U-Um," Despite her Aura up and more powerful than she was without it, Yugito suddenly felt defenseless under the line of questioning, "I-I wasn't directly involved with the attack on Beacon. I stayed in Vale and my involvement was more specific-"

"That's not what I asked."

Yugito fell silent, feeling like she was shrinking under Sienna's unwavering gaze. She shuffled back, shambling on her feet and lowering her gaze to avoid answering. But as the seconds passed and the silence became unbearable she buckled…

Her Aura faded away from her body and Yugito was left bare as she stared at the ground, "I-I didn't…I didn't think it would be like that. I thought it was about sending a message - making a point! Scaring some people and making them realize things weren't so easy or safe! B-But it just kept getting worse." She trembled and shook her head, "I didn't…I didn't think it would end up like this."

"Hmm." Sienna just let out a hum before she walked by Yugito, not looking or even speaking to her as she just seemed to regard the air, "At least someone in his group realizes the mistake this was."

Yugito no longer felt the nerves in her stomach overwhelming her.

But she didn't feel calm either. Or even hungry.

Yugito didn't feel much of anything as she stood in silence in the middle of the corridor.

((((((((Hunting))))))))

Weiss walked around the cargo hull of the ship. She tried to calm down her anxiety and focus on something else. Anything to keep her mind off the emergency broadcast they'd heard while making their way over Lake Matsu.

She understood the pilot's points against just jumping in to help the other ships. Their vessel didn't have any measures to protect itself against Grimm attacks. And if there were large Grimm sightings in this area then having them get distracted would be the most effective way to sail through without trouble.

But she couldn't just ignore it.

The voice in her head said it wasn't fair to abandon those people just because it was pragmatic. Funnily enough, that voice telling her to go back and be a Huntress sounded like her friends. Sometimes it was Ruby. Sometimes it was the rest of Team RWBY telling her it was the right thing to do. She could imagine if Naruto and Pyrrha were still alive they would do what they could to help. And if Sasuke or Kiba had gotten to join her on this flight then she knew they would too.

It was a Huntress' job to fight Grimm and help people, even when it was tough and frightening.

And she abandoned her life in Atlas and her claim to the Schnee name to follow through on what she thought was right.

She couldn't back down now.

Weiss started making her way towards the ladder to climb up into the cockpit. She was going to have to try and convince-

The hull jerked aside and Weiss let out a little yelp as she balanced herself against the wall. She gripped onto a bar and held tightly as she felt the ship go through a bit of turbulence and unsteady flying. Suddenly they veered in another direction and Weiss was almost lifted off her feet, "Are you drunk?! What is going on up there?!"

She didn't get an answer. This was surprising because this pilot seemed to always like snarking and talking.

Weiss hurried up the ladder as she heard the faint sounds of cursing coming from above, "Shit. Shit!" She poked her head out and saw the pilot moving around frantically as he kept looking between the sides and ahead of him, "I-I can't believe this. This is not happening!"

The young Schnee heiress stepped off the ladder and walked into the cockpit to see what was causing him such distress-

In time to see a swarm of Lancers flying by their ship. Weiss' eyes widened in shock as she looked between both sides of the cockpit's window. Over the waters of Lake Matsu and between the gravity Dust islands flying, what seemed like an entire cloud of white, black, and red was attempting to swarm them.

As Weiss' mind tried to make sense of the immense danger they suddenly found themselves in, she looked at the pilot in shock, "What happened?!"

"I-I don't know! I was keeping straight! Out of the path of those damn things a-and I-" The pilot swallowed the lump in his throat as his grip trembled along the steering wheel, "Then I saw the shadow of one of them on the island we passed by. A-And another one. And before long it was like the windows were blotted out! We can't-"

He jerked the wheel aside and Weiss had to brace herself as they avoided the path of a Lancer swooping in to crash into them.

He was afraid. The idea of the Grimm still coming after them even after dispatching with the other ship sent him on edge, which called to any stragglers that they were nearby. And when that fear grew and compounded then more of them started to pile up.

They were going to be dead in the air if nothing was done.

Weiss' eyes narrowed, a startling calmness overtaking her unease as she marched up to the pilot and grabbed his shoulder, "Catch your breath and keep flying!" She pointed ahead, "If you see a clear path then take it! Don't hesitate or worry about the Grimm!"

"D-Don't worry about the Grimm?! Are you out of your damn mind?!"

"Then do you just want to keep freaking out and die?" She asked critically with a raised eyebrow. The pilot seemed flustered and sputtered out a few sounds in an attempt to make words, but he finally relented with a harsh exhale of air before pressing buttons on the console.

This might have been a dire moment but she was glad to see she could still command respect and obedience with just a stink eye. All that time glaring at Ruby to finish her homework paid off.

As Weiss marched back out of the cockpit she heard the pilot call out, "We're still not fit for combat!"

"We have me." She stated as she jumped down the ladder and landed in the hull again, "That's all we need."

She slammed her hand on the button and the cargo hull creaked open. The bright shine of light peaking through blinded everything for several seconds before her eyes acclimated and she got a look at all the Lancers following them.

She kept her cool…but did gulp a little at their sheer numbers.

But with a practiced hand, she retrieved Myrtenaster, cycling through its revolver to pick the Dust she'd need most at the moment. Once it landed she closed her eyes and focused before pointing out…

A black Glyph formed beside a Lancer and caused it to stick in the air as another one rammed into it from behind. She pointed to another side and created a spinning white Glyph that sent an oncoming Grimm flying aside and crashing into another set of its kind. She continued to create a series of white and black Glyphs that interrupted the movements of the Grimm approaching them.

She saw Grimm fall out of the air one after another. Her method was effective and she was taking out several at a time. She brought down over a dozen and was close to a second before-

Weiss saw something fly at her from her peripheral. She sharply leaned back as a stinger flew by and embedded itself in the interior of the hull. With a single swing, she severed the organic tether connecting it to its Lancer and heard the Grimm wail in pain after she did. She looked over as the stinger dislodged itself and bounced off the floor before falling out of the hull.

In time for her to see many other Lancers rear up their stingers with the intent to spear them.

"Hey!" Weiss called up the ladder as she snatched up some fire Dust from the cargo, "They're prepping their stingers! If you know any evasive maneuvers, I suggest you use them now!"

"Not gonna be much use if these things ride our ass and fill us with holes!"

"Which is why I'm doing this!" Weiss summoned a Glyph with the properties of ice in front of her. And without hesitation she slammed the vials of fire Dust into it, creating a wide and explosive cloud of steam from the back of the Airship that quickly enveloped the swarm of Grimm chasing after them.

The ship suddenly took a sharp turn up and Weiss created a black formation under her feet that kept her grounded. With another wave of her hand, she created several ice shards that rocketed down and riddled the steam cloud she created. She heard Grimm cry deathly wails and the sound of something ramming into stone as they careened into the island. That could have been another massive chunk of the swarm having gotten taken out.

Which made it a little disappointing when such a large amount of them breached through the steam and followed after them.

With a sigh, Weiss hung her head as the Airship righted itself and the Lancers quickly followed. She placed two fingers on her rapier and drew them down its length, igniting her sword with a bright red glow. And then with a yell she sent out a wave of fire that crashed and burned into the Grimm closest to them.

She continued to wave out her sword, sending wave after wave into the swarm in an attempt to thin their numbers. And she did manage to burn and kill many of the Grimm following them. But soon enough the Lancers that had been watching kept their distance and stayed far enough away that her slashes couldn't reach.

But their stingers still could.

Weiss felt the Airship shake and jostle as stinger after stinger pelted the ship. One moment it was being pierced and another it was suddenly yanked back as the tethers went taut and pulled them. They were coming in from so many directions that she couldn't reach them from here.

"Hey kid, if you got any other ideas I say use them!" The pilot called back with a panicked voice.

Weiss clicked her teeth and tried to think up a plan before-

Her eyes widened and she rushed to one of the cargo boxes before opening it up. All the Dust inside jostled around before she called out, "Are all of these boxes filled with Dust?!"

"Yeah, but what does that have to - o-oh no. Oh no, no, no-"

"Your cargo or your life?!"

"Well when you give me so many choices-"

"Cargo or life!"

"Cargo! Dammit, throw the cargo!"

Weiss cut the straps restraining the cargo to the hull. And once they were loose and sliding around, she summoned a Glyph under each one that raised them off the ground. With a wave of her hand, she sent them flying out the back of the Airship. They collided and crushed only a few Grimm until she cut into one with a flaming slash.

The reaction with explosive.

Weiss was nearly blinded as she saw flashes of fire, ice, and lightning shoot out in every direction and envelop the swarm chasing them. The explosive sound rattled her brain for a moment before she felt the Airship move a little easier as the weight pulling it back disappeared.

Heh, kind of like the incident she had with Ruby the first day at Beacon, except this one was exponentially more powerful.

She climbed up the ladder and got the pilot's attention, "I think I've cleared our tail."

"Thank gods. I will be happy when we can put that shit behind us." The pilot let out a breath of relief before he looked up at her, "You used the Dust to clear them out?"

She nodded proudly, "Made quite the big fireworks show when I did."

"A-And it wasn't all of the Dust, was it?"

Her amused smile lowered at his desperation as she nodded, "Yes, there are still cargo boxes downstairs."

"And how many of them did you use?"

"I'll let you find out when we arrive." She deflected while patting him on the shoulder, "Just keep flying and get us-"

Weiss was nearly knocked off her feet as something slammed into the Airship and pushed them off course. The pilot quickly righted them, and Weiss picked herself up to look out the window. What she saw was a giant Lancer that put the others to shame with its size. The sight of its giant, beady red eyes left a pit in Weiss' stomach that unsettled her to no end.

"A queen," The pilot whispered in shock and disbelief, "It's a queen. Oh shit, we're not gonna make it. We're not-"

Weiss turned and jumped down the ladder to land in the hull. And without a moment's pause, she rushed to the hull door and jumped out, falling through the air freely before she landed on a Glyph. Several more materialized in the air and she leaped between each one to maneuver through the air and land on the top of the Airship. Once she did she created a stable footing that kept her locked on the roof as the wind rushed by her and sent her ponytail whipping about.

The Queen Lancer seemed to finally notice her arrival, detaching itself from the side of the Airship and fluttering its wings at ludicrous speeds to keep up with them. Its size nearly matched the entire Airship and dwarfed Weiss in comparison. And yet once again she didn't feel like she had lost her nerve.

Those dead lifeless eyes staring at her…

Compared to the craze and madness in Jūgo's the night of Beacon, they looked like buttons.

Weiss took a stance and held the point of her sword out at the giant Grimm. With a sharp thrust, she launched several icicles through the air that pelted the armor of the giant insect. Even though each one landed against its body, the elder Grimm just seemed to take them in stride.

But the Queen Lancer could only take so much before it decided to retaliate. It floated up a little higher and turned towards them. Suddenly spikes started shooting out of its mandibles and Weiss had to create a wall of wind in front of her to protect herself. They bounced off at rapid speeds, pelting the body of the Airship and embedding themselves inside it.

And also breaking through part of the cockpit window.

"HOLY SHIT!"

From the sounds of it, the pilot didn't appreciate nearly being a pincushion.

Weiss called out as best she could, "Hey! Hey, can you hear me?!"

"Barely!"

"Can you speed up?!"

"No! I'm gunning it! We gotta lose this damn thing!"

She tried to wrack her brain and figure out a way to hurt it. Her projectiles bounced off its body harmlessly. She could try throwing fire at it but she didn't have enough to do anything substantial. At this rate, she could only launch glancing attacks and she needed something big to-

Her eyes widened in realization. But then she looked up at the giant Grimm pestering them and the top of the moving Airship going who knows how fast over the perilous drop into the water below.

…

Oh well, it wasn't the safety of her bedroom but no battlefield is ideal.

Weiss spun and made a flourish with her rapier before stabbing it by her feet. A new Glyph formation formed in front of her and steadily spun faster as a figure started to form. She made the image clear in her mind and continued to hone the sensation of summoning she had gotten accustomed to while training in Atlas. As she did the Queen Lancer let out a disgusting hiss before charging in to attack-

But her summon finally arrived and swung up at the oncoming Grimm. It cried and shirked back as part of its wing was clipped and it gave the Airship a wide berth.

Weiss looked up at her Arma Gigas summon, the gallant white knight standing at her defense with a massive blade in hand. With its battle power and reach, they would be able to stand a chance against the Queen Lancer. The problem was-

A shrill trilling came from the insect Grimm before it launched spikes at them again. This time Weiss was prepared with Arma Gigas, the giant summons raised its sword and blocked the projectiles before they could litter and riddle the airship again. Weiss gritted her teeth as even though they now had a chance to fight back, the Grimm was going to keep its distance now. This was going to be a battle of attrition if they didn't figure out-

Weiss' eyes widened in realization before she leaned towards the front of the ship, "Hey!" She called out and got no response, "HEY!"

"WHAT?!"

"YOU NEED TO PULL UP! GET IT RIGHT ON OUR TAIL!"

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

"PULL UP-"

"WHAT?!"

Her patience was wearing thin. So with a snap of her fingers, her knight slid down the front of the ship directly in front of the cockpit. It waved its thumb up in the air a few times before the Airship started to incline upwards.

She was going to have to summon this during meetings when she wanted to be heard.

As the Airship banked upwards and flew perpendicular to Lake Matsu, Weiss felt the shift in gravity even as she was standing upright on the roof of the vehicle. The Queen Lancer followed after them on their climb up as Weiss' smirked.

Her knight jumped off the ship, sailing over her head and falling towards the Queen Lancer as it flew up to chase them. Her knight raised its sword and the Lancer reared its stinger back. The Airship reached its apex and started leveling out again-

The Lancer made its move, thrusting up and firing its stinger out to pierce the summon. But her knight acted quickly, raising a sword and blocking the stinger at an angle that it bounced off to the side. It continued to fly up and pierced a wing before scraping along the side of the hull. And while it did her knight raised its sword as it dropped down-

It cleaved the giant Grimm in two. The giant sword of the summon barely struggled to break through the armor and into the meat of the body. It tore through whatever was left holding the Grimm together and fell towards the lake. Weiss watched as the Grimm disintegrated into black specks while her summon did the same in white.

Weiss let out a sigh of relief as the fight was over-

That was quickly replaced with a gasp of shock as the ship started to buckle and shake through the air. The ship she rode on suddenly took a nosedive towards the shoreline of the lake. It was at such a staggering speed that even with her Glyph keeping her grounded she felt like she could fly off from the force. She struggled and tried to weather through the force-

Until she heard the panicked cry of the pilot in the cockpit.

Suddenly she felt stirred to keep trying. She raised her rapier and pushed through the wind pressure to summon Glyphs in front of the falling Airship. They were broken from the sheer momentum of its movement but she persisted and continued to summon them.

All in hopes of stopping before they crashed into the shore.

((((((((Hunting))))))))

Sasuke stared into the fluttering flames of the fireplace they had put together in their corner of the crater. There was plenty of space to rest up, and with Bee's connections, they got some spare pillows and blankets from some of the locals.

However, they all still looked a little uneasy having them around. Most likely because it was a bunch of strangers and humans asking to stay with them. And probably no small part to his name and the bad blood it carried.

"Fū, are you alright?" Shisui asked as he took his blanket and dropped it over the shivering girl's shoulders, "You won't stop shaking."

"S-Sorry." The green-haired girl muttered through chattering teeth as she held her hands out to the fire, "I-I'll be fine. Just need to get a little closer to the fire."

Kiba sniffled a little as a quick shudder ran through his body, "It's so much colder down here than in the city. Like holy shit, I can't believe how much colder it is."

"You're lucky we're still getting the exhaust from the heating system." Bee said while casually tossing a broken piece of wood into the fire, "Gets even worse when the heating grid gets turned down for maintenance or if there's some trouble that causes it to stall."

"What happens then?"

"Well, some just stay in their homes where there's better insulation to handle the cold. Others even resort to going into the mines to stave off the drop in heat. But then there are others in the city of Mantle that offer temporary shelter and homes for people who need them. Other Faunus or humans offer what help they can. I've done it too."

"You have?"

"Yep." Bee waved his hand back towards the city and Atlas above, "After I quit the army and came down here I stayed in the crater for a while. But then my brother got me a place and told me I had to stay in it. I wanted to tell him no but - shit, you've met him. He doesn't take no for an answer. And I felt like shit having a nice place while others who need it didn't. So I offered it up most of the time. Stayed at the club most nights anyway so whoever needed it could stay if they wanted."

"Wow," Kiba smiled, "That's pretty cool, Bee."

"Yep." The ox Faunus sat up, "Oh shit, I'm gonna be leaving for a while so I should give the place to someone who wants to stay." He looked around, "I'll give someone the heads up while we're waiting down here."

"Speaking of, we need to figure out what to do next." Shisui pointed out, "I appreciate the hospitality of letting us stay down here as well but it's only a matter of time before the borders close and we need to figure a way out of here."

"I still got some connections and can ask around." Bee offered, "Can't promise anything but it's a good place to start."

"Alright, sounds good," Sasuke nodded, "Meanwhile we can ask around too and see if there's anything we can do to secure a way out. We have to act fast or-"

"ACHOO!" They were all started by the sudden sneeze from Fū and especially the small but powerful burst of wind that kicked up the embers of the fire. She sniffled and rubbed her nose, "Sorry."

As the others tried to make sure the fire didn't go out, Kiba looked at the bug Faunus' dreary expression, "Damn Fū, you really can't handle the cold, huh?"

"I can handle cold! Just not this kind of cold!" She defended, "I mean do you guys have any idea how cold it gets in a dessert? Seriously, it can get bad when you aren't ready for it!"

Sasuke and Kiba shared a look before nodding in agreement. The few times they got caught out in the desert during their travels in Vacuo were disturbingly chilly.

"But the cold here is just…I can't even describe it. I mean there's cold and then there's ice cold!" Fū tried to bundle up more with the blankets around her, "I'm seriously glad you guys talked me into getting this jacket before we arrived in this Kingdom. And the shoes too! I'd be missing my toes in my sandals!"

As the others laughed at her panic, Sasuke raised his brow, "Well how did you handle the cold back in Vacuo? You looked like you dressed light back then but didn't have any problems with the heat."

"Well…most of the time I was clad in Aura." Fū admitted, "My Aura was the best way for me to deal with the temperature. But after you guys told me how big of a deal it was that I was one of those Noble Guards, and seeing Bee do it and how recognizable it was…I'm worried about doing it out here." She confessed, "I mean what if I get us spotted and we get in trouble? They were looking for us up there, right? So I just…y'know-"

"No good."

"Huh?"

Fū looked up in surprise as Bee stood up and shook his head. He started pacing around at the same time before looking down at her, "~Y'know it's real, real sweet, ya willin' to lose the feel of your feet~, ~but hurtin' yourself not to get spotted, it got me feelin' broken heart~, ~and your form's a beautiful glow, quite a sight for you to show~,

~and girl I think we all feel the same, if ya cold then know. No Shame~!"

Bee's form was suddenly covered by his purple Aura, completely coating him as his ox horns poked out more pronounced with it. Fū looked up at him in surprise before she looked around. The Faunus that were walking by were sparing their group some looks but just went about their merry ways. No one seemed to care, or had seen Bee do it enough that it barely even seemed worthy of attention.

Fū finally looked over at the others and saw them smile and nod in agreement.

"Go ahead. Warm yourself up."

"We get to use our Semblances whenever we want. We won't force you not to use yours."

"But what if-"

"If anything comes of it, we'll deal with it." Sasuke assured her, "But for now warm up."

Fū looked between them all one more time before nodding. Her body was quickly covered with a green light that covered her completely, and as her body eased and she wasn't so huddled in her blankets they knew she felt warmer now. Her voice permeated through the Aura, "Thanks, guys. I just didn't want this to draw too much attention while we're keeping a low profile."

"Thank you for thinking about us like that."

"If there was some way I could do this without risking our safety I would."

Sasuke and Kiba shared a look and while the bearded Inuzuka chuckled, Sasuke smiled, "You know Fū, I think there is a way you can use your Semblance without covering your whole body with Aura."

"There is?!" As he nodded Fū looked to Bee, "Did you know about that?"

"If there's a way I ain't ever learned it."

"We weren't sure you were interested because you seemed fine with using your Semblance in the open. But if you want to stay off the radar then we can try to teach you."

Kiba chuckled, "Yeah, we only know what we remember from our friends learning it, but we'll help the best we can!"

"Thanks, guys!"

As Fū's excitement hit a pitch and the others got comfortable around the fire, Sasuke looked up towards the sky in thought. Staying in the crater, teaching Fū control, and finding a passage out before they could get to Mistral…

"Just wait…we'll catch up soon."

((((((((Hunting))))))))

She wasn't sure when she had gotten up on her feet and started walking around.

It felt like something had lodged in her head and was piercing her brain.

To be honest she wasn't even sure if her Aura was still up or had broken in the crash.

With a weak groan, she turned and looked back at the wreckage of the Airship that skidded through the landscape. The strong and sturdy trees gave way, shattering and splintering into pieces under the force of the crashed cargo ship. Its flaming engine had started to spread along the trees and light it up like an inferno. There was a voice in her head that said she should try to stop the spread of fire…but right now it sounded like an echo and that couldn't be good.

Finally, her eyes landed on the shattered cockpit window and the man hanging halfway out of it. Her ears finally picked up the sounds of his weary groaning and coughing. With a grunt, Weiss started to make her way over and climb up the front of the Airship embedded in the ground. She grabbed his collar, trying to lift him with the last of her strength as he grunted and moaned. With his help, they finally dislodged him out of his seat and pulled him out of the window-

Just as Weiss' footing slipped and they tumbled down the ship before slamming on the ground.

Weiss let out a cry of pain and gasped for air as she rolled onto her side exhausted. She heard the pilot wheeze by her side, "I-I can't believe we're still alive." He huffed, and Weiss couldn't find a voice to agree with him, "B-But what do we do now?"

Weiss slid over to her stomach and started to crawl away from the burning wreckage. She reached the base of a tree and sat up against it as she caught her breath and tried to regain her strength.

There was no way no one would notice the crash. The only question was if people would find them first or Grimm. And if it was Grimm, how was she going to fend them off when she'd dropped her sword and could barely lift it?

Drifting in and out of consciousness, Weiss wasn't sure how much time had passed before she heard the sound of rapid footfalls approaching their position. Suddenly feet and legs started to come into her line of sight as people finally arrived.

She coughed to clear her throat and pointed towards the pilot, "He - he needs medical attention. Please, you have to hurry."

"Check the ship."

The people started to make their way over to the wreckage and exhume it. Weiss looked over and saw one person standing by the pilot's injured body as the others checked over the ship, "P-Please, he needs help. Get him to a-"

He drew a gun and fired two shots into the pilot's body before she could finish.

Her eyes widened in horror, "W-Why-"

"Ma'am, what about this one? I think we might have hit the jackpot."

Even through her shock, Weiss looked up as a shadow loomed over her. And through the pounding in her head, she could recognize the hair, face, and piercing red eyes of the person standing over her.

"Y-Yang?"

"Heh, one pain in the ass after another. My daughter sure can pick her friends."

((((((((Hunting))))))))

Done

Full disclosure - when I started this chapter I didn't really have much of a plan for this Volume. But after a few days of procrastinating and then 10 minutes solely on this and I have the entire outline prepared going forward. May be open for change but if anyone was worried I'd just 1:1 this to canon then don't be.

Anyway, Skyggen has thin numbers, Blake is happy to have Tenten around, Yugito just got chewed out, Sasuke wants to teach Fū control, and Weiss just met someone that makes her mother look like freakin' Teresa!

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