His prosthetic clicked as he adjusted it, extending and closing his fingers. Little by little, Y/N was growing used to it. It didn't make him feel very happy. But at the very least, he would have two arms again. He heaved a sigh, letting the limb fall back down on his knee. He squeezed gently, feeling the pressure on his knee. With the artificial nerves built inside, he could almost feel his leg. But almost wasn't completely.
"Dinner's ready!"
He didn't look at the door when his mother called. Zwei shuffled closer, digging his head under Y/N's biological arm. It seemed he wanted to cuddle. He scratched the corgi behind the ears. But he knew Summer would check on him if he didn't answer. Standing up, he pulled open the door just in time to see his mother making her way up the stairs. When she saw him, she smiled happily.
"There you are! Don't make me worry like that, okay?"
Y/N mumbled a half-hearted response. He wasn't very happy to see her. Summer flashed him another smile before leading him down the stairs where his father was already waiting at the dining table. Y/N sat down as Summer slid his plate in front of him, taking her seat cheerfully. "It's so good to have you back, you know. How long has it been since we last ate like this? Almost a year?"
Y/N didn't answer immediately, half-heartedly picking at his food. "... Just about..." He finally muttered. Summer frowned.
"Is something the matter, Y/N?"
"It's nothing. I'm fine," he replied quietly. "Just... Not very hungry."
Summer seemed upset. "But it's your favorite. Come on, you can tell us!"
"I'm... Fine, Mom. Just leave me be," Y/N whispered. He had enough. Picking up his plate, he carried it back up the stairs, slamming his door shut. Summer sighed, looking at her glaring husband. "... What do you want, Tai?"
Tai mumbled something under his breath before answering. "Do you know how fucked up it is to just... Trash his dream like that?" He asked.
"I'm doing it to protect him," Summer growled.
"You just made him an easier target," Tai snapped back. "Look... If we keep him here, he'll just leave on his own. "
Summer shook her head. "No, he won't. Y/N's always listened to me. We're like, best friends!"
"Probably not anymore," Tai muttered. Summer shot him a deadly glare.
"... Excuse me?"
Tai sighed deeply, holding his ground this time. "He's angry. Y/N's never really been vocal when he was upset with us, but I've seen that look in his eye. It was usually given to Vao when he did something stupid, like the one time he set the Beacon Gardens on fire by mistake. He's giving that same glare to you."
Summer chuckled. "He'll just have to get used to it. One day, he'll thank us. For keeping him out of danger."
Tai growled lowly. His wife was in denial. He set his plate on the floor, letting Zwei have a go before grabbing a beer from the fridge. Summer looked at him curiously. "... Where are you going?"
"Outside. I... Need some fresh air, and time to myself," Tai hissed. Summer stared at him as he left the house, standing on the porch, feeling the night air brush past his face. His grip tightened on the bottle as he twisted the cap off and took a sip.
His wife was beginning to let things get to her head, and he didn't know how he could stop it. He had never seen her freak out like she did a few days ago, at the hospital parking lot. He was beginning to grow fearful. Y/N would eventually leave, given his silent anger. And now that he didn't have contact with his friends, it was likely he'd do it alone, which would only set his death in stone. He glanced through the trees, where he could see the Branwen house in the distance. He could just make out Raven through one of the windows, packing the rest of Vao's belongings. Oobleck was at her side, wiping at his eyes as he helped her.
Tai missed Vao. He would've been helping Raven and Oobleck, but Summer didn't allow him over there anymore. Sighing in defeat, he took another sip unaware.
Unaware of the three figures slinking through the trees.
...
Russell kicked the dresser again, snarling furiously.
"That cheeky little prick! Quitting Beacon before our fucking rematch!" He screamed.
Sky was sitting on his bed, eating a bag of crisps. "Dude, calm down. It ain't that deep. Thought you'd be happy that he's gone."
Russell rounded on him, his teeth gritted. "Normally, yeah. I'd be stoked. But after he embarrasses me in Bitch Branwen's class? Screw that, I wanted a rematch!"
Sky stuffed another handful of the snack in his mouth, swallowing before speaking. "Well, we don't even know where he is. Hell, even Muscles and the creepy quiet girl disappeared. Cardin's at who-knows-where, and that Schnee skank is gone too," he pointed out. Suddenly he frowned, pausing as his hand reached into the bag again. "... Something doesn't really... Feel right about it..."
Dove looked up from his scroll, arching an eyebrow. "... What do you mean?"
Sky shrugged his shoulders, tipping the bag to his mouth and clearing it before crumpling the plastic noisily, throwing his trash on the floor as he always did. "Well... Remember that one time Vao brought his leader back to Beacon?"
"What about it?"
"Did you see those scars on her arm? And Vao was missing a chunk from his shoulder, and it looked like he was stabbed in the chest."
Dove nodded, remembering that day. "Oh yeah! He looked like he saw some shit, too! His eyes were wide, and he kept muttering about some sort of monster he couldn't kill!"
"He was probably high. You realize that, right?" Russell growled. "He was always selling us shrooms and acid, he probably hit his own stock too. Now focus, you idiots. We need to figure out where Y/N is camped out."
Dove raised his hand, pissing off Russel. "Is this a fucking classroom? What?"
Dove lowered his hand, giving him a dirty look. "I was going to say I might have an idea on where to start."
Sky and Russell looked at him eagerly. Sky had an apple in his hand, munching on it quietly. Dove continued. "There was this club that he and Vao used to go to in the shady part of town. Can't remember the name. I was thinking we could look there," he suggested.
Russell frowned. "You do it then. I'm going to start askin' around, see if anyone knows where his house is."
Dove nodded, standing up and grabbing his things before leaving. Sky looked at Russell curiously. "What do I do?"
"I don't know, just... Try to call Cardin, see where that wimp went. We still need to beat his ass for ditching us," he growled. Sky took another bite from his apple, sticking his free hand into his pocket as he followed Russell, leaving the messy room empty.
It took a while, but Dove eventually managed to find the place he was talking about. Staring up at the building, he could hear the music from where he was standing. He never thought Y/N was the type to go clubbing. Shrugging his shoulders, he flashed his ID for the security before stepping inside.
Lights flashed, people danced. But as Dove peered into the crowd, he didn't see Y/N anywhere. He groaned, making his way to the bar. A huge man was mixing drinks, a cigar hanging from his lips. He nodded his head as the student approached. "What can I get ya!?" He shouted over the music.
"I'm one of Y/N's friends!" Dove lied. "We're getting worried! His entire team ain't showing up to school!"
The man seemed to think, stroking his beard before pointing his thumb up the stairs. "I don't know where Y/N and Sasha went, but Verde should be here! She's on the second floor, in Vao's old room! And take this with you!" The man reached down and passed Dove a plate of spaghetti. The bully looked at it in confusion, before the bartender explained. "She hasn't been down here all day, so make yourself useful and bring her dinner too!"
"Okay!"
As Dove walked up the dark stairwell, he threw the plate in the trash once he was out of sight. He didn't care if Verde hadn't eaten. He was just focused on finding out where Y/N was hiding, and then beating her to a pulp until she started crying after she sent him to the hospital. He looked at the doors as he passed them, stopping at a certain one.
He could immediately tell it was Vao's room from the note taped to the surface, the handwriting neat and signed.
'Please do not disturb. - Verde', it read. Dove tore it off before pushing his way into the room.
If he had known what fresh hell was waiting for him, he would never have gone to the Club.
...
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Y/N groaned as he drowsily opened his eyes.
Tick.
Something was tapping against his window. He glanced at his alarm clock. It was just after midnight. No one should be awake. He yawned as he sat up, grabbing his prosthetic and connecting it back to his shoulder, wiggling his artificial fingers to ensure it was working properly.
Tick.
He sighed as he stood up. The tapping was getting annoying. He walked to his window, sliding it open. He didn't expect anyone to be using their fingers - he lived on the second floor, after all. He stuck his head out, glancing around the dark yard.
Tock.
He gripped his forehead as the pebble bounced off his skull, wincing in pain.
"S-sorry!" Came a familiar whisper. Y/N squinted into the darkness, his eyes widening.
"C-Cardin? Sasha? Weiss?" He whispered back. Y/N shook his head, glancing back at his closed door. He couldn't hear anything from the halls. But if Summer woke up, he doubted it would be good for any of them. He looked back down at them, his face filled with worry. "What are you doing here!? My Mom will call the police if she catches you!"
"We came to get you out!" Weiss called back quietly. "You can't go back to Beacon, but we know you still want to go for Salem!"
Y/N nodded, dipping back into his room. He needed to pack his things, and quickly. The past few nights, Summer had been doing random checks on him to ensure his safety. That was why he was worried they'd be caught - there was no telling when she'd awake. He threw on his old combat outfit, which he had barely convinced his mother to not throw away, hooking his katana to the belt. Now there was the matter of getting down. Through the front door wasn't an option, and Ruby's bed had been stripped of it's sheets. He couldn't make a rope, and if he broke his ankle he'd scream. But at this point, there was little options other than to jump. He poked his head back out.
Sasha was standing below the window, her arms outstretched. It seemed they were prepared. He climbed on top of the window sill, taking a deep breath before sliding off. His heart pounded in his chest as he fell through the air, landing in the massive arms of the giant. She set him down, staring curiously at the prosthetic.
"You got a robot arm?"
"... Prosthetic, Sasha..."
The giant just pat him on the back, flashing him a thumbs up. "Whatever! Let's just get out of here!"
No one disagreed. They ran for the trees, pushing through the undergrowth. Twigs snapped under their feet as they fled, ducking, diving over obstacles. And once they lost sight of the house, they stopped. The moonlight was obscured by the thick leaves overhead, a frigid breeze blowing over them and signaling the end of autumn. Cardin looked back in the direction they had come from, his gaE hardening.
"... This... Really sucks..." He whispered. "Everything's just gone... Wrong."
Even if he was stating the obvious, Y/N agreed with him. He couldn't even trust his own mother. He gritted his teeth, hiding his face from his friends.
Everything was falling apart since Vao died. Everyone was fighting, and he couldn't even go to school anymore. The only option left was the Club. He wiped his eyes dry, turning back. "What... What do we do?" He whispered hoarsely. None of them answered. Without Beacon, they couldn't further their training. Or, at least Y/N couldn't. Weiss looked up at them, her smile nothing more than a facade.
"We can... Um..." She trailed off. Where do they even start, she wondered? They could sneak Y/N into Beacon, but that would be problematic if they got caught. And it would undoubtedly be the first place Summer would look. "We could... See Boss..."
"And what would Boss know?" Sasha asked. "He's just as lost as we are. Ruby wasn't in Innsmaw, and no one's seen her. She's got Vao's corpse, and we don't even know what for... We can't go back to Innsmaw, either. They've probably got that place locked up tighter than a Schnee's pocket."
"... I beg your pardon?"
Weiss was ignored. Cardin nodded his head thoughtfully, looking up at them. "... Actually... I might have an idea. Melanie and Miltia, they're really good at fighting, right?"
Sasha nodded. "Yeah. They apparently went to some sort of illegal school. Something about a gang war that took it down..."
Y/N looked up, realizing what Cardin was talking about almost immediately. "Hey... Lady Browning's Preparatory Academy for Girls, right? Lisa Lavender was the one who got the place shut down."
"That's it," Cardin agreed. "They might be able to teach you something while we're at school!"
Sasha beamed, wrapping her arms around him. "You're a genius, Cardin!" She cheered. Cardin was bright red in the face and looked like he was about to pass out. Y/N and Weiss smirked at the two lovebirds, ready to poke fun.
But they never did. Their hearts stopped when they heard the dreadful scream coming from the direction of Y/N's childhood home.
Summer found out.
...
Dove pushed his way into the dark room, squinting into the darkness. He couldn't see a thing. He reached his arms out, feeling around blindly. At the very least, he had the light from the hall.
Slam!
He spun around as the door slammed shut, the sound of the lock clicking into place reaching his ears. He could hear footsteps, but couldn't tell where they were from. He swung his fist blindly, striking only air. He growled, gritting his teeth.
"Think this is funny, you creepy little bitch? Come out and fight me!"
But Verde didn't respond. Everything had fallen eerily silent. Dove reached into his pocket, fishing out his scroll and clicking the flashlight on. His jaw dropped.
Verde was nowhere to be seen. But all around him were stacks of books, towering over his head. Hundreds, if not a thousand of them. He looked around, his face pale. He didn't know what to make of it as he began to walk through the labyrinth, his feet brushing past several disturbing sketches on the floor. Drawings of creatures that shook him, brought sweat trickling down his cheek.
"... Hello."
He spun around when Verde's voice called out to him. But the artist was nowhere to be found. Hesitantly he stepped back, bumping against a wall of books. He could hear Verde's footsteps, just out of view.
"Du bist zum perfekten Zeitpunkt gekommen. I've found a way to kill it."
Dove shivered. Something was wrong. He turned, stumbling through the darkness. His hands outstretched, blindly fingering the darkness. Until suddenly he could see a light, just around the maze of books. He bolted towards it, ready to get the hell out of that room.
But he only found a desk. The light was coming from a lamp, which revealed the true nature of Verde's experiments. Vials of black sludge were scattered across the surface, a small stack of books written in a language Dove didn't recognize. But what caught his attention the most was the notebook that lay open, a pen cast to the side haphazardly. He took a shaky step towards it, reading the words quietly.
The entry was dated today. As his eyes scanned down the pages, Verde wrote about breaking a promise. But that was all he could decipher from it; her writing was cryptic and vague, with no clues as to what promise she broke. He was so busy thinking, he didn't even hear her approach him from behind, her pale face illuminated by the desk lamp.
"... A way to kill a nameless horror," she spoke quietly. Dove dropped the notebook, spinning around. Verde looked... Off. She seemed more rigid than usual, her entire body tensed. She looked down at her hands. She was holding a syringe filled with a black liquid. "... The key was... Cnimbrerh's Blood. With Y/N gone, I... I have no choice."
"What... The hell are you on?" Dove growled hesitantly. His danger signals were flaring up. Verde was a massive red flag.
The artist looked up at him, her eyes betraying nothing. "... I must break my promise to him... T-to Vao. And you... You'll be my experiment for this theory."
Dove didn't have time to say anything. Verde already leapt back into the darkness, disappearing from view. He raised his fists, ready to swing at whatever moved.
Smash!
The lamp was shattered to a million pieces, leaving him in complete darkness. He let out a cry of shock, trying to reach for his scroll. But something struck him on the head, the smell of alcohol drenching his clothes. Verde clicking on her own flashlight, walking around him. She knelt down in front of him, pulling his arm towards her. The scalpel glinted in the dim light, startling Dove. He tried to pull his arm back, but Verde gave it a sharp tug.
C-CRACK!
Dove screamed in pain as he felt his shoulder being pulled out of its socket, dangling limply in Verde's lap. Watching in terror, the scalpel drew closer and closer to his arm. The blade cut into his skin with ease, drawing blood. Verde tossed the surgical tools to the side, glancing back into the darkness. Dove followed her gaze - and screamed in reality-crushing horror.
A sickening, twisted demon was slithering it's way towards them, an uncountable number of eyes staring at him. Several bony limbs dragged it across the floor, closer and closer. But Verde remained calm, turning her gaze back to him.
"... They can't die by normal means. So far, only Y/N's Light has ever permanently killed one. But then I started thinking - would another of its kind be able to do it?" She whispered. "... I wanted to avoid experimenting again. I promised Vao. But now he's dead, killed by Cnimbrerh. And with Y/N unable to help fight anymore, I want to kill it myself. Perhaps the Gods will grant me a wish? If I use it correctly, I can avoid this happening again." The syringe pushed into his wound, the black liquid emptying into his body as Verde muttered a strange language under her breath.
At first, Dove didn't feel anything. And then came the burning. It started as a tingling sensation, like when you'd brush against a bush and scratch your arm. And then it started to hurt. Like a thousand needles pricking into his skin, shooting through his veins. And then it was as if he had dipped a wound in searing hot sauce. Dove was frothing at the mouth, scratching furiously at the limb, trying to get whatever Verde had injected him with out. His fingernails peeled back the skin, the artist watching silently. She knew it was too late for Dove. And with the loud music downstairs, no one would come to help him.
The skin began to blister, dark red bubbles forming on the skin. One of them popped, sending yellow pus trickling down his fingers. Dove wailed in bloodcurdling pain, tears spilling from his eyes like a river. He had never felt anything like this before. He was broken beyond words, babbling incoherently as the pain drove him insane.
As Verde watched him twist and cry, she felt something in the pit of her stomach. Turning around, she leaned against one of the book towers and puked. She had never been so disgusted with herself in her life. Tears began to fall from her face, the artist collapsing to her knees and covering her ears. She didn't want to listen to his transformation. She didn't want to see it.
When she did it the first time, she was under the powerful influence of Cnimbrerh's Blood. But this time, she did it of her own free will. She pushed her palms tighter against her ears, squeezing her eyes shut. But she could still hear him screaming, the sounds of his bones snapping to pieces as his body broke down into an incomprehensible mess, one that didn't even vaguely resemble a human being. And soon, the screams turned to guttural howls, threatening to break her.
She knew Vao would be disgusted if he was still alive. Horrified, he'd run away as fast as he could, fearing he'd be next. After all, that was what almost happened. Verde bit her lip as the howls fell silent. The transformation was complete. Shakily, she turned around. When she saw the thing she created, she felt sick again. A dribble of vomit trickled down her lip, staining her shirt.
It wasn't Dove anymore. It was a twisting mess. Dozens of eyes stared up at her silently, one of it's deformed mouths opening with an inhuman whimper. Verde was trembling. Even if she had seen abominations before, nothing could really get her used to it. As she gazed at the two horrors beyond human comprehension, she felt something warm trickling from her nose. When she wiped, her fingers were stained red. She looked away, unable to bear the sight.
"... K... K-kill... E-each other..." She commanded quietly. She could hear the abominations slither closer, and finally the sound of flesh tearing flesh. Verde curled into a ball, clutching her head tightly.
She regret everything. Transforming that rat and Dove, she felt guilt crawling up her back, weighing down on her shoulders until it almost crushed her. She looked back up, trembling like a leaf.
The abominations weren't moving anymore. Her theory, even if the methods to discovering the answer were inhumane, was proven correct. An abomination could kill an abomination.
So why didn't Verde feel happy? She found a way to kill Salem without Y/N's magic. Why was she cowering on the floor, staring at the gruesome sight in complete, paralyzing fear?
... She knew the answer. She was a monster. In her madness, she was even willing to use a human in her experiments, even if it was mere chance Dove had shown up. Verde clenched her teeth, her hands resting on the floor.
SLAM!
Verde's forehead oozed with the thick scarlet liquid as she threw herself into the floor.
SLAM!
"U-unverzeihlich... Unverzeihlich..." She whimpered quietly. With her head bleeding, she shakily stood to her feet, staggering towards the desk. She bit her lip, tears staining her notebook as the fell from her chin. "V-Vao... E-es tut mir leid... es tut mir so l-leid..."
There wasn't much time to lose. Her hands shakily grabbed for her supplies. Her paintbrushes, her scalpel, and as many vials as she could carry. She didn't look back as she moved silently through the maze of books, stopping at the window. Her fingers trembled as she pried it open, climbing on top of the windowsill. Gazing at the night sky, at the shattered moon that hung overhead, she gulped.
"D-das wird nicht u-umsonst sein..." She whispered to herself quietly. And with one final deep breath, she jumped. Activating her Semblance to silence her landing, she broke into a sprint through the dark streets of Vale, constantly looking behind her, making sure she wasn't being followed.
Verde knew she was looking at a situation that could kill her. But at the same time, she didn't care if it did. Her entire world had been destroyed the moment Vao lost his life. Her Paradise, which was to be with the one who was her first friend, was unreachable. Unreachable, unless she could destroy Cnimbrerh for good.
...
That scream echoed through the forest. They didn't have much time before Summer came barreling into the forest. Weiss grabbed Y/N's hand, dragging him as they ran as fast as they could.
They could hear Summer screaming in fury, her voice drawing closer and closer. Y/N bit his lip. They couldn't outrun Summer, not in their wildest dreams. And even if they did, where would they hide? She was a trained Huntress. They didn't stand a chance.
As they burst into a clearing, Summer came crashing through the undergrowth, her eyes ablaze. Her scythe was gripped tightly in her hands, her teeth almost glowing in the moonlight as she snarled.
"Y/N... I won't... I won't let you leave," she hissed. "If I have to, I'll hurt you. Don't make me do that."
Y/N's heart was pounding in his chest. Even if there was four of them, he knew they didn't stand a chance. He was getting ready to give up. To accept his punishment. But someone pat him on the back. Cardin was smirking down at him.
"We ain't leavin' you behind," he snickered. He looked back up at Summer, his eyebrows knitting together. "You ain't taking him. Your plan is just going to get him killed!"
Summer hissed, her teeth grinding together so hard her gums turned white. "Alright then, I tried. I'll just take him by force!"
Cardin didn't know what hit him. Suddenly, he was sent high into the air, his mace flying from his grasp. Summer swung him around like a flail before sending him flying back into the ground. She landed with a heavy thud, her silver eyes locking with Y/N's.
Y/N loved his mother. He really did. But he didn't want to spend the rest of his life in that house, waiting for Salem to find him. Even though he was trembling, his hand reached for his weapon, drawing the blade. It gleamed with his reflection in the moonlight, pointed straight at Summer. The Huntress nodded curtly.
"... Sorry, Rosebud. But you chose the hard way."
CLANK!
Y/N was sent skidding across the clearing when he blocked Summer's strike, the sheer force of the blow nearly bowling him over. Rose petals were scattered across the battlefield as Summer moved, swinging for Y/N again. He didn't have time to block it!
A black glyph formed behind him, deflecting the blow. Sasha pulled him out of the way as it shattered, Summer's scythe sticking into the dirt. The giant had her weapon drawn, nervous sweat trickling down the side of her face. With a cry she swung her weapon, missing Summer by a mile and splitting a tree in two. Her weapon was stuck. She tugged on it, but she wasn't fast enough - Summer was attacking her.
Sasha's grip was released when the scythe dug into her thigh, catching her like a fish on a hook. She screamed as Summer slammed her face first into the ground, dirt filling her mouth. Sasha groaned as Summer lifted her off the ground, using her as a human shield to deflect Weiss's ranged attacks. The heiress watched in horror as the Huntress leapt into the air, silhouetted by the moon as her weapon transformed.
Two shots was all it took to take Weiss out of the fight. Y/N was all alone, his mouth open as Summer landed again. She stood up straight, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "... Last chance, Y/N."
Y/N stared at his beaten friends. Cardin was trying to get out of the tree he was stuck in. Weiss was unconscious, and Sasha was bleeding. He was downright terrified. But still he squeezed his katana, a low rumble rising from his throat. He leaned forward, taking a defensive stance. Summer stared at him, almost as if she was asking if this was really what he wanted to do. Y/N swallowed the lump that was growing in his throat. "I... Won't go with you. I'm going with them. You took my dream away. Tried to hide me away. That's why... Even if it means fighting you, I'm not going home. Not until Salem is stopped."
Summer stared at him silently, her lips tightening. In the darkness, only illuminated by the moon above, the stared each other down unflinchingly. And finally, Summer sighed quietly.
"... I really tried," she whispered softly. A solitary tear trickled from her eye, dripping off her chin. "But you're too stubborn. Just like me and your father. And now... I can't afford to hold back anymore. Y/N... I will never let you leave Patch. Even if it means fighting... I won't let you get killed."
Y/N took a step back as she lifted her free hand, pulling her hood over her head. Her gaze suddenly hardened, a fatal glare directed towards him. With one swing of her scythe, the fallen leaves were sent spiraling into the air, her cloak flowing behind her. She was the image of a true Huntress, the blade of her weapon gleaming in the moonlight. Her eyes almost seemed to glow in the night as she stared at her kid.
"It's going to be a long night."
They stared each other down, circling around the other. Y/N's katana rattled in his grip, sweat dripping down his forehead. This was it. He bit off more than he could chew, he realized. He was fighting a Huntress.
Summer moved faster than he could keep up with. Out of instinct he lifted his weapon to deflect the oncoming blow. The sheer force and strength of Summer's swing sent him tumbling into the air, slamming against the ground heavily. Summer was leaving after-images as she swung her weapon, jabbing at any opening she found.
"Agh!"
Summer flinched when Cardin jumped on top of her with a scream, locking her in a headlock. He was the only one aside from Y/N who was capable of fighting, and he'd be damned if he left his friends behind. The blonde gritted his teeth, charging forward and bringing his knee into his mother's chin. He didn't do it at full force, and it showed. Summer's hands reached up, grabbing Cardin's arm and tugging it away from her neck. In an instant she flipped him over, kicking Y/N back as she dove to safety, transforming her scythe. Cardin touched his bloody lip before glaring at Y/N.
"Dude! Don't hold back!"
"She's my mom! Imagine flat out punching your mom!"
"... Alright, fair."
BANG, BANG!
Y/N swiped his katana, taking out the first bullet. The second was dodged by Cardin, who raised his mace in a defensive stance. "Any ideas? There's gotta be a weakness we can use!"
Y/N really couldn't think of anything. He had never seen Summer fight. He didn't know her moveset, nor could he or Cardin counter her speed, blinded by the rose petals.
Rose petals. Y/N nudged Cardin, nodding his head at the flower petals that fell around them. "I-I got it! Watch the wind! Watch where the petals flutter!"
Summer hummed, shooting Y/N in the foot. "Well, congratulations. You found the weak point in my Semblance. You probably should have said it right in front of me, though." She gripped her scythe, dashing forward in a white and black blur. She wasn't using her Semblance, but she was still blindingly fast.
CLANK!
Cardin's arms trembled as he blocked the scythe. Even though Summer was skinnier than him, shorter, she was scarily stronger. She hooked the handle of her weapon under his arms, hoisting him off the ground and slamming him into the dirt. Cardin gasped for breath, the wind knocked out of him. He dizzily lifted his head. Weiss and Sasha were missing. Before he could even question it, a hand reached out and grabbed him, pulling him through the portal.
Summer had her back turned when Cardin was kidnapped. She stalked towards Y/N, who was backing away. His katana was trembling. With a cry he swung at her with everything he had.
Clang!
The weapon was almost sent flying out of his hand when Summer parried the blow with ease. Her lip trembled for a moment, but her gaze remained firm. "Y/N... I always told you I'd do what's best. So please, don't make me do anything mor-"
She stopped to deflect a bullet Y/N fired. She sighed worriedly. "... Alright. Let's play around."
Y/N felt his teeth fly out when Summer decked him at full force. The little bones scattered across the grass, blood staining the green ground. He didn't have time to activate his Semblance; Summer already lifted him off the ground by his collar, burying her elbow deep into his cheekbone. His skin split open, the coppery taste of blood filling his mouth. Summer growled at her, tears beginning to fall.
"I'm sorry..."
THWACK!
"This... It's for your own good."
CRACK!
The tree splintered to millions of pieces when Summer slammed him through the wood like a club. As Y/N rolled across the ground, he touched his ribs. They were broken, as were most of the bones in his body. His Semblance kicked in, slowly mending the bones back into place. But he knew it wouldn't be fast enough. And as Summer began to break into a sprint towards him, he felt a pair of hands grab his chest, pulling him backwards as the portal snapped shut. Summer skidded to a halt, staring in disbelief at the spot Y/N once cowered.
"... W... What...?"
It didn't take long for her to figure it out. Cardin must've alerted Raven. Her fists clenched so hard the knuckles turned white. Now she didn't have any idea where Y/N was.
But was that going to stop her? No. Far from it. Her cloak billowed in the wind as she spun around, stomping back into the dark forest. Y/N wasn't going to get away.
...
Russell grumbled as he pocketed his scroll again. They were in eastern Vale, at a small park. He had been calling Dove for close to two hours now. But now matter how much he tried, his teammate wouldn't pick up. "Ugh... This ain't like 'im..."
"Maybe he's takin' a big shit," Sky suggested. He was eating a cheeseburger. Russell scowled.
"You should be the one shitting with all that food you've been stuffing your face with, Tubs."
"... The fuck did you just call me?"
Russell ignored him completely, running his fingers through his hair stressfully. He and Sky didn't have much luck tracking down Y/N. Well, Sky didn't help at all. Sky just sat there and watched.
But even still, the only thing he heard was Y/N went home. No one knew where his house was, and Yang refused to give them an answer. He wished there was a way he could figure it out. Get close, and beat the hell out of him.
And to his sheer, terrible luck, that wish was granted.
"Well now... You seem quite bothered."
Russell rolled his eyes. The last thing he wanted was for someone to bother him. But when he looked at the stranger, he did a double take. His mouth went dry.
"... You?"
Ruby chuckled lowly. "How crass..." She sat down beside them, folding her hands neatly in front of her. Her black eyes locked with Sky, who suddenly wasn't feeling hungry anymore. Something about her put him off, made his hairs stand on end. And from the slight quiver of Russell's lip, he felt the same way. Ruby hummed, turning her attention back to the shaven-headed dagger wielder.
"I heard a rumor that you were looking for Y/N. Is this correct?"
When Russell hesitantly nodded, Ruby smirked. "How... Delightful..." She cooed. "In that case... I have a proposition."
"P... Proposition?"
Ruby nodded. "Indeed. You desire to destroy him. Our goals are similar; which is why I ask you come to a town called Innsmaw. I am expecting a guest very soon, and you can prove your loyalty to me... I believe you'd know her very well. A Ms. Forest."
Russell and Sky almost stood to their feet at the name. Russell grinned, his teeth showing in that crescent moon smirk. "Oh, Verde? Fuck yeah, if we beat the hell out of her... Yeah! Y/N'll come running!"
Inside of Ruby's body, Salem was internally giggling. Russell was nothing more than an idiot. But he was an idiot it could utilize.
Verde Forest, the most dangerous enemy Salem had aside from Y/N. Throughout the almost year Verde knew about Salem, she had acquired a dangerous amount of knowledge. Verde wasn't dangerous because of strength, nor speed. What made her dangerous was her intellect. And that was the last thing Salem wanted to worry about.
And soon, it wouldn't have to.