Leaning against the railing, Blake was talking to Ilia, who was nk longee wearing her usual White Fang garb and was in something more casual. "I still don't feel like I deserve the freedom you and your family granted me." Ilia told Blake while rubbing her own arm, a little shy at the moment.
"Well, you're going to have to get over it, Ilia." Blake said as she was facing her with a smile. "Saving Haven had a huge impact on how Faunus are seen in Mistral. Now it's up to you all to take the progress and keep running with it." She said, with me agreeing with her.
"She is right." I said as I looked over at them. The White Fang may have been a failure, but with Blake's father starting up a new movement, you've got more faith than ever before. I said, with Ilia nodding, before giving Blake a bug hug.
"Thank you, Blake, for everything. I wish you didn't have to go." Ilia said as the two then part from the hug.
"I know, but my team needs me. We're going to track down the people responsible for the attack on Haven and the fall of Beacon." Blake said as she looked at me. "And Dakota is going after his sister." She said, with me lookinf away from her as that was something I wasn't looking forward too.
"Always trying to save the world." Ilia said with a giggle.
"More than you realize." Blake said as she looked back at her, with me looking over at Sun and Neptune.
"Hey, I know your parents already saw you off, but where's-"
"Sun? Oh, he's right here!" Sun said as he leaned against the railing next to me, with me giving him a fist bump as he just made it. "What? You didn't think I was gonna miss your big send-off, did you?" He asked, where Neptune leans to the side from behind him.
"He definitely overslept and absolutely almost missed this." Neptune said, with me glaring at Sun for doing such a thing. Sun growls at Neptune before shushing him. This gets Blake to laugh at them. "Hey, Blake." Neptune said with a wave and then looked at Sun. "Now would you hurry up? Need I remind you we have our own trip to plan." He said, where he then took notice of Ilia. "Oh, I didn't know Ilia was gonna be here. I'll, uh, I'll give you three a moment." He said as he walked over to Ilia as Blake walked over to is. "Hey, almost didn't see you there, 'cause, you know, the camouflage?" He said, with me shaking my head as he was always going to try.
Blake helplessly reaches her hand out to stop Neptune, but fails. "Wrong tree." Blake said, with me standing up straight, as did Sun.
"He'll figure it out." Sun said as he crossed his arms.
"So, you're really going to Vacuo?" I asked, with Sun grinning.
"That's right! Seeing Blake here reunite with the rest of Team RWBY really made me realize something... I'm like the worst team leader ever!" He said as he threw his arms out dramatically. "Me and the boys were cool with a little hiatus, but we gotta make up for lost time. Shade Academy's not dealing with any problems like Haven right now. Plus, that means I can show the guys around my old stomping grounds!" Sun said, with us nodding.
"I have to admit, I think I was kind of getting used to having you around." Blake said with a smile.
"I go where I'm needed!" He said making me chuckle at his words. "And... you don't need me anymore." He said as he looked from her to me, with Blake smiling as she took my hand in hers.
"Well, when you say it like that, I cant help but feel a little bit safer. She said as I gave her hand a squeeze to reassure her that I wasn't going anywhere.
"Look." Sun said as he placed his hands on our shoulders. "Despite the drama and the fighting and the numerous attempts on my life, I had a lot of fun! But you're with who you're supposed to be now." He said as he looked between the both of us.
"Sun... I don't think I'll ever be able to thank you enough. I'm still-"
"You're still working a lot of things out, I know." Sun said as he interrupted Blake. "But you can do it with them. And in the future, who knows? I've got a feeling you two haven't seen the last of me." Sun said as he turns to the right and smiles as he proudly balls his fist in front of him.
"I certainly hope not." I said as he turned to me, where we fist bump again. "In my books, you're alright." I said, getting a grin from him. Blake then goes up to Sun and kisses him on the cheek. After than, Sun waved at us as he walked over to join Neptune, who was standing alone. "They are going to be fine." I said as we turned around and walked towards the stairs to join up with the others.
As we walked, we passed an older woman with goggles, making me freeze up as I got a strong feeling from her. "You okay?" Blake asked as I turned to look at the woman as she was getting on the train.
"Yeah... just... had a strong feeling just now." I said as I turned to walk with Blake again. "It's nothing." I reassured her as we joined up with the others.
Later
Walking down towards the girls room, with mine being with Qrow as he didn't trust me to be with them. That was understandable, they were teenagers and so was I, anything could go down. I wasn't about to risk the mission, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
"I'm fine." We heard Yang, with us stopping at their door. "We're gonna be fine. It's just gonna be a bit before things are back to normal. But... I am glad we're all back together." She said, with the two smile at each other, where Ruby and Weiss joined in as well.
"Yeah, okay." Blake said as she rubbed her arm.
"How touching." Qrow said, revealing that we were at the door.
"Oh hey, Uncle Qrow, Dakota! You wanna play too?" Ruby asked as she waved a controller in the air for us to see.
"Kick your butts? Sure." Qrow said as he started tk walk in, but suddenly, the train jolts, causing Qrow to drop his drink. Passengers can be heard screaming in fear as it wasn't normal.
"What was that?" Blake asked as she steadied herself.
"Trouble." I answered as I turned around and started to go towards the exit so that I could get topside. Qrow and Team RWBY followed suit, grabbing their respective weapons on their way out the door. Climbing out to the top of the train, I took notice to a group of Manticores approaching from the back.
Two huntsmen were already up top and prepared to fight the Grimm. A much larger Grimm, a Sphinx, lands on the train and lets out a loud roar in their faces. We were a few train cars down from them, where I watched as one of them charges his weapon, an electrical spiked club, and charges forward to attack. The Sphinx roars and a Manticore flies by, snatching him up and flying off with him..
"Dee!!" The other kne yelled as we watched helplessly while his partner is dragged down to the forest to his unfortunate death. The Sphinx roars again and all of the Manticores fly forward to attack.
"What's the plan, Ruby?" Blake asked as I started walking towards The Sphinx as it was the leader.
"Don't let anyone else die!" Ruby ordered, and with that, we charge forward into battle.
Once I reached The Sphinx, I jumped onto its back, where I started electrifying it. Getting tossed off, I activated my saber and jumped back at it, slashing at its bonned mask. The mask wasnt cut through like I had thought it would of, so when it tossed me up as I held onto the mask, I landed on its head, where I stabbed down at it. Seeing as it didnt work, I shocked it, with it screaming in pain once more. Jumping over its tail strike, I landed on its head again and tried stabbing it again, but got the same result. Jumping off of it, I pushed it back down as it tried taking off, where I charged at ifs lefs and slashed at rhwm, cutting them off. Just as it was falling ontop of me, I severed its head, where it rolled on the ground before turning to dust.
Looking up, I saw another Sphinx, making me groan. Looking over at Team RWBY and Qrow, they worked on cutting down Manticores. Looking over at the huntsman, they ran towards the front of the train, where the trains defense system come on. The train's armor also activates, with reinforced plating covering most of the train while metal bars criss-cross on the windows. After that, a series of turrets rise above the train and begin targeting the midair Grimm.
Looking around, I held a fireball from the Sphinx in mid air before tossing it back, missing. "More are on the way!" I yelled as Qrow landed next to me as he cut another one down, his weapon in its scythe form of Harbinger. The Sphinx tries to crush us with its paw, but Qrow manages to transform into his avian form before changing back to land an attack from above and I attacked form below, cutting it but not too deep.
The turrets fire at the Sphinx from behind, causing it let out another loud roar. Two Manticores fly down, one does a tuck and roll into a turret, destroying it and itself. The other evades turret blasts and spits a fireball at one, destroying it.
"Hey! What are you doing?" Qrow yelled as he looked over at the huntsman.
"He isn't thinking!" I said as I tossed a fireball fhat would of hit Qrow in the back aside. "If someone doesn't take the controls from him he is going to kill us all!" I yelled as Oscar and Team JNPR climb up to the top of the train to join the battle. Reaching out to Oscar, I pulled him over to us as he was about to be hit by a fireball. "Keep your eyes peeled!" I told him as I was going to be his shield.
"How can I help?"
"You can get that idiot to shut off the turrets. They're just drawing the Grimm toward the passengers!" Qrow ordered as he cut a fireball down that was fired at us.
"Right!" Oscar said as he runs forward, dodging Grimm attacks along the way.
"You think he's got it?" I asked as I jumped over and cut rhe head off of a Grimm, landing next to Qrow and pushing a fireball away from us.
"If not him, Ozpin will!" Qrow said, with me taking it that he had too much faith in Ozpin. Suddenly, we all took notice that the Sphinx and the rest of the Grimm flu off the train, keeping their distance.
"Where are they going?" I asked as I got ready to push them all back if needed.
"TUNNEL!!" We all heard Oscar, then looked at him. Looking past him, we took notice of the fast approaching tunnel.
"Lets move it!" I yelled as I charged with Qrow and reached the gap with him, making it just in time.
Later
Everyone quickly ran into the train car as Oscar tended to the huntsman, who holds his bruised arm in pain. My guess, he didn't make it in time and nearly lost his arm. Qrow quickly approaches him, with me moving iut of the way as he placed a hand on my hsoulder toget past.
"I said, turn those damn things off!" Qrow yelled as he picks up the huntsman and shoves him into the wall.
"Those things are keeping us alive!" He yelled back, groaning in pain as he hit the wall.
"Us, sure, but they're putting the passengers in danger!" Qrow said as he pointed at the train car behind us.
"I'm the one they hired for this job, okay?! I'm in charge here!" He said as he placed a hand on Qrows aem to push him away but failed to do so.
"Forgive me if I'm not exactly reassured." Qrow said, with me looking at Ruby, who looked out the window. She then looks at the passengers, a baby can be heard crying as passengers murmur among themselves. Ruby then walks forward.
"Get off me!" He yelled as he tried pushing Qrow off.
"Look, if you bozos had been doing your job instead of shaking down passengers, maybe we wouldn't be in this-"
Ruby stops her uncle as she placed a hand on his shoulder. He looked at her and then steps aside as she walks up to him.
"Please just shut off the turrets." Ruby said as Jaune walked forward.
"Trust us, we know what we're doing." Jaune said as he activates his Semblance to heal his arm. He looks to us before giving his answer.
"Fine." He said as he held his head low in defeat.
"Ren, could you use your Semblance to mask everyone on this train? With the guns off and emotions hidden, they might lose track of us!" Nora suggested, with Ren thinking about it.
"Hm, I never attempted to affect this many people." Ren answered.
"Well, you've never had Jaune's help before." Ruby said as they looked at Jaune.
"He could amplify your Aura!" Weiss said as she got rhe picture.
If we get everyone into one train car, then you wouldn't have to spread it out that far. I added as I looked at Ren, letting him know he wouldnt have to exert himself too much.
"Yeah, that's an alright plan." Qrow said and he nodded his head at the idea.
"Don't look so worried, Ren. You can totally do this!" Nora said as she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm afraid there's one complication." Oscar, no, Ozpin said as he walked over to us. "The Grimm are also attracted to this." He said as hegestures to the Relic of Knowledge on his hip.
"What's that?"
"None of your business." Qrow told him with a sharp looked before turning to Oscar. "Oz, are you serious?"
"Why wouldn't you tell us that?!" Yang yelled and I had to agree with her anger here, he intentionally kept something serious from us that could of cost us our lives.
"That doesn't matter right now." I said as I steeped up to Oscar and took thw Relic. "What does matter, with that every second we're on board this train, we're putting everyone else in danger. Get the passengers to the front cars, you'll still mask the emotions and kill the turrets." I said as I looked at them all. "I just can't come with you all." I said as I walked to the window. "The goal is to get everyone there alive, so we will have to split up." I said as I looked at them. "So, who stays and who leaves?" I asked, with Blake stepping over to stand next to me, with Ruby doing the same after she saw Blake stand next to me. Weiss and Yang walked over and crossed their arms, sith Qrow grabbing Oscar and walking over to us.
"A tough call, but a smart one." Qrow said as we looked at the other three.
"If we cut the back cars with us and the Relic on them, we can deal with the Grimm. You just make sure the rest of the train makes it safely to Argus." Ruby told Jaune, who finished up healing the huntsman's arm and walked over to Ruby with a conflicted expression.
"Only if you'll promise you'll meet us there." He said, with Ruby smiling.
"Promise." She said, where Team JNPR begins evacuating all of the passengers to the front half of the train.
Later
Walking on the outside of the train, I felt for anyone who might not have made it to the front. As I walked, I stopped once I felt two others. One was towards the back, and the last one was slowly walking towards the back. I felt Blake up ahead, so she would encounter the first one, but the second one, I felt her presence before.
Looking up, I noticed the Manticores and Sphinx exiting the tunnel and taking flight once again. Seeing The Sphinx land on the train, I grabbed my saber and ignited it.
"Now!" Ruby called out, where I could feel the front end of the train vanish from the force. I could see it, but feeling it was out of the question.
Catching a fireball, I sent it back at the Manticore, killing it as it was about to fire off another one. Slashing at another one, I backflipped as another one attacked me from behind. Landing on the ground, I cut two of them down as fhey came at me one at a time. Throwing the saber, I pet it fly through the air and cut down more of them until it came back to me. Carching it, I looked back at the others, I saw Qrow was struggling against the Sphinx. I wasnt rhe knly one to take notice of this.
"We need to ground it!" Ruby called out as the girls went to help.
"On it! Yang!" Blake said as Yang takes out a Manticore before launching off it and runs towards the Sphinx, ducking under it. Blake spins her weapon, with Yang punching it back and forth, the ribbon wrapping around the Sphinx's torso. Yang punches Gambol Shroud one more time, embedding the blade to the train's roof, and she and Blake pull the ribbon together, keeping the Sphinx down. Weiss used her Glyphs to freeze the Sphinx's wings, with Qrow and Ruby shooting at them, shattering them. Running forward, I held my hands our, Lifting its head into the air as it startwd charging up a fireball. Qrow and Ruby launch forward, spinning their scythes together rapidly as they bisect the Sphinx's torso, finishing it off for good. Before it dies however, the Sphinx launches the fireball, with it destroying the rails in front of the train.
"Weiss!" I called out as I held my hands out in front of me, Weiss activates her black Glyphs to hold everyone in place as the train derails. Instread of crashing into the snow, we hovered in the air as I held us up. Eventually I set us down, falling to my knees as that was the heaviest thing I had lifted.
"Is everyone okay?" Qrow asked as Blake placed her hands on my shoulders, helping me up.
"I'm fine." Weiss said as she looked at everyone.
"Yeah, Dakota?" She asked, with me giving her a thumbs up.
"Still alive!" We heard, with us looking at the elderly woman, who was stepping out from the train. "That sure was a close one, huh? I never expected to see the return of the Jedi." She said as she looked up at us, more specific, me.