With Every Step Forward (Neglected/Abused Boosted Gear Reader x RWBY)

Chapter 56: It Begins

Svartur: "Come on, Ice Dragon, settle down. There'll be plenty of time for that and more after the battle."

Weiss: "'Ice Dragon'?"

Svartur: "It's your ship name. He's a dragon, you're icy."

Weiss: "Huh... What are him and Ruby then?"

Svartur: "That's easy: Twincest."

Y/N: "*sigh* I get it, but why that name in particular?"

Ddraig: "Enough. Svartur's right, even if he is a bit of a fanboy. We'll have plenty of time later. Let's go."

Y/N: "Right..."

You still feel uneasy considering you know the full truth of what might happen, but you're determined not to let it. Weiss helps you up and the two of you go to the living room where the others are waiting, raring to go. Well, not so much 'raring' to go, but just ready to get this over with.

Y/N: "Alright. Here's the plan: We know they're planning to attack tonight, so Neo, Summer, and I will look around the outside of the Academy and take out anyone we see. The rest of you, go inside and distract whoever's in there. Try to stall the fighting until we get there, but if push comes to shove... show no mercy."

The girls surprise you by swarming on top of you, hugging and squeezing you tightly. Tonight's going to be rough and they know it, but...

Y/N (thoughts): 'I swear I'll do whatever it takes so that you survive.'

After you get back up from the impromptu dogpile, you open the door.

Y/N: "Shall we?"

Qrow's POV

Qrow (thoughts): 'Man, that corruption's really getting worse. It seemed like he didn't even notice himself slip back there.'

Y/N (memory): '...show no mercy. Destroy all in your way. Don't hesitate or you'll die.'

He takes a sip from his flask while walking. The way his voice sounded there didn't sound like him. Hopefully the others are just thinking it's stress...

The group arrives at Haven Academy and stops.

Y/N: "Alright, here we are. Summer, you to the left. Neo, right. I'll head back behind the main dome."

Qrow: "Y/N, listen..." He wants to say something to him about it, but can't. "...be careful and come back."

Y/N: "But of course. Who do you take me for?" he says with a cheesy smile.

Y/N (memory): "Uncle Qrow... I'm scared! I don't know if I can beat this! I don't know how much longer I'll keep being Y/N!"

It's a fake smile. In his life as a Huntsman, he's seen it too many times. That damned smile that says "I might not be coming back."

Qrow: "...yeah."

He takes a drink from his flask as Y/N and the two girls go off to their duty.

Qrow: "Don't die..." he says to himself.

Ozpin: "Come. We should move forward. Leonardo's waiting for us inside." He gives control back to Oscar, who slightly stumbles forward.

The rest of the group goes inside Haven, arriving in the foyer, where they see Lionheart waiting for them at the top of the grand staircase at the back of the hall.

Lionheart: "Why hello. Thank you for, uh... coming. There s-seems to be more of you than last time."

Qrow: "Eh, you know what they say, 'The more the merrier.' So what's going on with the council?"