The Deacon
The sun had set on this day, and the Deacon was in his home.
For someone who was so wealthy and famous, his home was very humble despite all that. It was just a normal house in the Outskirts of Vale. He was sitting on his sofa, still wearing his formal attire and still refusing to remove his helmet, even in private. He had an extensive collection of scattered documents all over the floor and table, and he held his holographic data pad in his hand, checking everything he had on Jaune's whereabouts.
"Dutch was thorough in keeping his home from me all these years, from everyone. He even gave Jaune new records to hide the truth of who he was to the world. Making it that Pyrrha was the Huntress who went to Beacon and that he was just in a normal school..." The Deacon said to himself as he looked over the false documents created. "And everyone who knew him for who he really was? They were paid to keep their mouths shut about the truth, NDAs everywhere. To protect him and Pyrrha from so many prying eyes... I guess Jaune hurt a lot more lives than just me to have to go to this much effort." The Deacon said, setting the datapad down on the table.
He pressed his hands against his head, sighing. There was no point in him constantly combing through files in the Legion's Archives. Not only were those archives vast thanks to Dutch's long quest to acquire all dangerous knowledge and hide it away, especially in Heimdall's Lab. But he knew Dutch would never be foolish enough to have Jaune and Pyrrha's home address sitting around in there.
Meaning that the Deacon had only one viable option... one that he hated the idea of.
"Fuck... I don't want to hurt anyone who doesn't deserve it, hell I don't even wanna hurt Pyrrha or their daughter. I just want Jaune to be punished for what he did to us... what he let Tyrian do to us." He muttered, looking at the other file, and picking it up.
It was a photograph of Blake and Yang having a lovely time with Pyrrha and Jaune at a restaurant a few years ago. He sighed, closing his eyes and setting the picture down on his lap as he stared at Blake.
"All of our old friends know... but none of them will give it up, not without a fight." The Deacon said. "But maybe... maybe I can get through to Blake? Yang won't. She's stubborn... but maybe Blake will? Or at the very least... I could get the information if they're distracted. I could use the update we got to my advantage. Infiltrate their home when they're going after that train? No... that's literally in a few hours. I'll never make it in time." He sighed, clasping his hands together, shaking his head.
"No... I have to face them... I owe them that much. But I'll never be able to keep them occupies and get the location at the same time. And Yang will probably attack me... meaning... I need a team to do this. I don't want to involve the Legion, this is my fight... but there are others out there who could help me... two of them I'm confident will help... the other... well... finding her will be a challenge, and keeping her in line will be even harder." The Deacon said to himself, thinking about this some more.
He sighed, then pulled out his scroll, hoping to see a message from Dutch, asking him to come over for that session.
"Please call Dutch... you're the only one who can snap me out of this..." He stammered, pressing the scroll against his helmet. He breathed in and out, concentrating on his rising heart rate. He tightened his grip on his scroll. For a moment, it tempted him to actually call Dutch.
But would running from Jaune for another twenty-five years really make him feel better?
He still felt just as afraid, just as angry, and just as lost as he did when he got away from Tyrian that terrible day. He exhaled shakily, fog escaping from his helmet's vents. He closed his other hand into a fist as he thought about his options.
Then his scroll started buzzing in his hand. He stared at it, but the caller was not who he was expecting.
It was not Dutch.
It was May Marigold.
He answered it and sent the call into his helmet. "Hey, May." He greeted. "What's up?"
"We have a serious problem, a Follower of Salem." May revealed.
"Another one?" He asked, standing up from his sofa. "Been a while since we've had one of them. How bad?"
"He's stolen a Dust Mining Exo-Suit from an S.D.C facility here in Vale, and he's started causing chaos in the streets with the pulse cannons." May explained to him. "So, yeah... pretty bad. We need you on site."
"Copy that. I'm on my way. Tell any police or Legion Forces to keep their distance from him until I arrive." The Deacon commanded.
"You got it." May assured.
The Deacon went into his room and opened a high-tech storage compartment. He had multiple of these, four different versions of his armour for different purposes. He took off his clothes, and even his helmet. His body covered in scars from the torture he suffered. And then he stepped into the machine, which closed around him. His armour was fitted onto him by the machine, locking it all together, and it put together his Combat Helmet over his head.
The compartment opened, and he emerged with steam trailing from his armour.
And then his visor and grill lit up green as he stared ahead, clenching his hands into fists. The Grave Dust swirled within his mechanical arms, preparing for combat.
"The more things change... the more they stay the same."
Oriana
Misty's House was a comfortable little home on a cul-de-sac.
Inside of her bedroom, Oriana and Misty were both having fun together, playing on Misty's Game Console, challenging each other to a game. They were neck and neck in the clash, both sat forward and gripping their wireless controllers tightly. Oriana adorably stuck out her tongue as the tension of the clash continued, only for Misty to beat her.
Misty cheered, jumping up and down on her bed whilst Oriana just rolled onto the floor in defeat.
As their night continued, they continued to have their fun. Even having a fun karaoke session, singing to many songs. Admittedly, Oriana had the better singing voice, but this was hardly a competition, and Misty never tired of hearing Ori sing. But once the two of them were done, they both just slumped against the bed together, and started watching movies, eating popcorn.
"That was fun." Misty laughed, stealing some of Ori's popcorn.
"Hey!" Ori complained, but Misty just giggled, smirking at her. The movie continued on in the background, a story of a Boy with Two Souls, battling for control against a monster within his heart.
"Gods, this movie is great." Misty said as he munched on the popcorn.
"Aren't they doing a sequel?" Oriana asked.
"Yeah... honestly, I doubt it's gonna be any good. The ending of this one was great. The fact we don't know who was left in control of his body." Misty said, shrugging her shoulders.
"Yeah." Oriana agreed. She sighed, then turned as Legion Gunships flew past the house. The two of them looked out the window, watching the Gunships heading somewhere.
"Is something going on?" Misty wondered.
"Dunno. Maybe they're just flying around, or something. Happens all the time." Oriana shrugged, sitting back down beside her. Misty sighed, then she leant over to Ori, resting her head on her shoulder. Oriana's eyes widened as she felt Misty being so close to her. Her heart was hammering with both excitement and trepidation.
Do I tell her?
Gods, what if she doesn't feel the same way?
Oh, come on Ori... she must... we've become so close over the past year... but... we're also best friends.
We've known each other since we were three years old... wouldn't it be... weird?
Oriana closed her eyes, exhaling shakily, and Misty noticed it. "You okay?" Misty asked, moving some of her purple hair from her eyes, gazing into Oriana's. Oriana's eyes were wide, staring back at Misty, who was staring right at her with an adoring expression. Oriana looked away, biting her lip nervously, then she cleared her throat.
"Y-yeah." She lied.
There was a pause, and Oriana knew in her bones that Misty saw straight through that fib.
"Oriiiii." Misty softly sang, her voice making Oriana's heart flutter. She glanced back at Misty, who was staring at her with a touching smile. She then picked up the remote and paused the movie, just focusing on her. Oriana saw Misty look down at her lips for a moment, and then back at Oriana's eyes.
And her scales on her cheeks turned a bright pink.
Crap... what do I do?
Auntie Ruby once told me that if a girl looks at your lips, it means they wanna kiss you... but...
I'm scared.
What if she doesn't like me that way?
Misty sighed, closing her eyes. "Okay." She said, looking away, and in that moment it was like every single cell in Oriana's body just activated.
She suddenly grabbed Misty and pulled her close, and she kissed her. Misty's eyes widened, and she yelped into the kiss, then her eyes closed and she melted into the kiss with Oriana. Ori held Misty gently by her cheeks as she kissed her, and Misty touched Oriana's hands. The two slowly broke their kiss apart, gazing at one another.
They both giggled.
"Took you long enough."
Oriana smiled, and then they kissed passionately once again, exactly as she dreamed.
Only for Oriana to snap back to reality as Misty looked away, that kiss never happening, and Misty disappointedly resuming the movie. But never pulling away from Oriana's side.
Shit.
SHIT!
That was it, you idiot! That was the moment...
Goddamn it, you stupid idiot.
Oriana closed her eyes with regret, and the silence between the two was agonizing. Until the movie had an ad pop up just before the big fight between the Hero and the Demon. "Aww c'moooon." Misty groaned, rolling her eyes, sighing and leaning back against the wall. But as the advert continued, Oriana raised her eyebrow, seeing it was an advert about a Beacon Memorial being made.
It showed footage of the old abandoned academy, now overgrown and a home for all kinds of wildlife. "Y'know... of all the different ruins and old Black Gallows ships we've poked around, we've never gone to the gold mine, have we?" Oriana asked Misty. She turned and stared at Ori with a curious expression.
"What do you mean?" She asked.
"Beacon? I mean... that place is huge. Imagine how cool it'd be to explore it all? Get to see what it looked like?" Oriana asked with a smile.
"Didn't your mom go there? Wouldn't she... be mad if we poked around there? I mean... a lot of people died there when Salem did what she did." Misty explained.
"She'll only get mad if we get caught." Oriana stated with a cheeky smirk on her face. Misty, however, didn't seem as convinced as she clutched onto her shirt, sighing. Then they both looked at the footage of Beacon Academy.
But Misty knew it would make Oriana happy.
She nodded, looking at Oriana with a smile. "Did ya bring it?" Misty asked, and Oriana smirked, reaching over to her backpack, revealing the collapsed Hoverboard, and Smee popped out, squeaking as he hovered beside Oriana's head.
"C'mon, partner. Let's go have some fun."
Pyrrha
"Hey honey, how're you and Misty doing? You home safe?" Pyrrha asked Oriana, in the kitchen whilst Jaune was sitting on the sofa watching the television.
"Yeah, we're all good, just watching a movie right now." Oriana answered with a fake yawn.
"Hi Mrs Nikos!" Misty's little voice called from the distance of the scroll, making Pyrrha smile and laugh.
"Hi Mistyyyy!" Pyrrha called back, making Jaune chuckle as well.
She could faintly hear Misty giggle in the background. "Okay, you two, make sure you get to bed on time, okay? Make sure the house is locked, and if anything happens, you just call me and I'll be over there, okay?" Pyrrha asked her.
"Yeah, yeah, I know it's all okay." Oriana assured. "Oh, movie's about to get good. Gotta go!" Oriana squeaked.
"Okay, have fun. Love you lots, okay?" Pyrrha said.
"Love you too, mom! Love you, dad!" Oriana called.
Pyrrha smirked. "Your daughter says you smell!" Pyrrha teased, smirking.
"What? NO! Nooooo!" Oriana begged.
"Well, she smells worse!" Jaune called back.
"Hey, I don't smell." Oriana replied, definitely doing that adorable frowny face.
Pyrrha laughed. "Okay, goodnight honey."
Oriana sighed. "Goodniiiight."
The call ended and Pyrrha chuckled, closing her scroll and setting it down on the table, walking back over to Jaune and laying across him, snuggling up against them as they watched a romantic movie together. "The lovebirds having fun?" Jaune asked.
"I swear, somehow we raised a daughter who's more hopeless at romance than either of us were when we were kids." Pyrrha chuckled.
"Gods, she doesn't stand a chance then, if she's worse than me." Jaune chuckled.
"Only a tiny bit worse." Pyrrha admitted with a smirk.
"Wow." Jaune laughed.
They both snuggled together, enjoying the movie, holding hands and every now and then feeling each other's rings with their fingers. "How was your day?" Pyrrha asked him.
"It was... okay." He paused. She felt his hand tremble, and she tilted her head.
"That's a lie... what happened?" She asked.
He sighed. "I was teaching the kids history, and I was having to teach them about... her." Jaune answered, his voice trembling, even like he was unable to say her name.
"Salem?" she asked.
"Yeah... and in the corner of my eye... only for a second... I saw her staring at me. I always hope that it'll go away... the fragment of Thaddeus that's still in me..." He said, touching at the faint cracked scars around his eyes. "But it won't..."
"You don't know that. I know it's been a long time... but eventually it will." She promised, caressing his cheek. She then moved up and kissed him. "And I will be here for every second." She promised him. He smiled and held her closer.
"It was in our vows, huh?" He remembered with a loving smile.
"How about you? Sounded like you and Coco were having fun." Jaune commented with a smirk.
"Oh, you caught it?" She asked.
"Yeah, I was on lunch break when it started, got to watch the whole fight. I'll be honest, I wasn't really paying attention to the fight itself, more listening to your voice." He admitted. She laughed and gently slapped his shoulder. "What? You got a beautiful voice."
But then Pyrrha became rather quiet as well. "Yeah... there was also a moment for me today..." she admitted.
"What happened?" He asked.
"It was only small... a poster for that memorial being made for Beacon and all the other Academies that fell. Just seeing that old picture of what Beacon used to look like... brought back a lot of memories." Pyrrha said with a sigh.
"Still shocks me sometimes... that all of that was so long ago..." Jaune said as he looked at the television, but neither of them were really watching it. Both were thinking about Beacon.
About so many people who never got to see this beautiful new world they were living in.
Jaymes... Glynda... S.S.S.N, Sky, Dove and Russel.
Yatsuhashi... even Qrow, despite everything that he did.
"But we made it." Jaune said with a relieved smile. "And I'm so proud of the family we've made... and I'm so proud of Ori." Jaune said.
Pyrrha smiled softly.
"And Athena..." Pyrrha softly said.
Jaune held her hand, and they both smiled at each other, snuggling close together.
The Family Plaque hung above the fireplace, and they both looked at Athena's name, and they continued to stay huddled up close to each other. Watching the movie as it continued, their hands held tightly.
The Deacon
Under the cover of night, the water shimmered under the glow of the shattered moon.
The Deacon's head slowly emerged from the water, his helmet also fitted with respirators for underwater breathing, and the sound of his metallic breath echoed as he emerged. His glowing green visors glowed brightly as he stared ahead. The cameras fitted into the lenses zoomed in towards the area in which the Follower of Salem was spotted. It was nearby a Schnee Dust Company mine. Vale did not have many of these left, at least not many this close to the city, but this one had become quite a profitable venture for the company.
The Deacon watched as the flashing red and blue lights of police cars surrounded the area, but they were not alone, for Legion Reinforcements were on the scene as well. He kept his eye on the scene and saw the Follower of Salem.
"Be careful." The Deacon said, contacting his forces. "He could have anything packed in that trench coat." He warned.
"Copy that, sir." The Legion Sergeant responded.
At the crime scene, the terrorist was armed in a modified Paladin. Its armour had been essentially removed and was now just a large exo-skeleton, designed for heavy labour in the mines. Flames surrounded him, and injured were scattered around the scene. So far there was no sign of any fatalities, but with Followers of Salem that could change within a second with how mad they had become since Salem's death.
May was also on the scene, holding a megaphone to her lips. "Cedric Brown! Deactivate the Exo-Skeleton and turn yourself in peacefully. We promise you will not be hurt, so long as you do not hurt the civilians here." May requested, keeping her voice very calm as she stared at the terrorist.
He stared back at her with gritted teeth. "Huntress Scum." He snarled, spitting on the floor in her direction. "Your kind should all be six feet in the ground... forgotten!" He yelled in anger.
"Salem's Reign is over. Her laws and beliefs died with her, soon to be ancient history. But you don't have to suffer the same fate as she and everyone else who stood with her did. Please stand down... this mustn't go any further." May requested, she was ready to fight if there was no other option.
The Deacon formed Tri-Hard, and transformed it into Rifle Mode, aiming at the Terrorist, ready to take the shot if he tried anything.
Cedric stood over the victims of his attack until his face turned back into a hateful scowl. "Salem's Reign is eternal! Her grace will never die, and neither will my loyalty to her!" He roared, suddenly charging Gravity Dust through the arms of the Exo-Skeleton. The civilians ran as fast as they could, then the pistons designed for shattering rock spun around, and with a loud mechanical howl, he slammed them into the ground.
The explosion of gravitational energy blew all the cars away, flipping them over and knocking May off her feet. A police officer screamed in agony as his arm was crushed underneath his police car, grabbing as it as he tried to pull himself free. Cedric smashed another car out of the way as he stomped towards them, only for a sudden bright flash of blue to explode against his chest. Cedric grunted, thrown backwards but his armour taking the brunt of the impact.
The Deacon emerged from the nearby lake, switching from Tri-Hard's rifle to Sage's Greatsword and, in his other hand, Scarlet's sword. He blasted into the air towards Cedric, and swung the massive sword formed from Grave Dust towards his arm to sever the arm, only for Cedric to suddenly slid away, and charge up the mechanical fist, and punched the Deacon in the chest. The sudden explosive pulse formed from the gravity dust sent the Deacon flying backwards, but he drove Pilgrim into the dirt to stop himself from being thrown any further.
"Heretic! Who dare mocks the name of our divine queen's knight!" He yelled in anger. The Deacon chuckled as he rested the sword on his shoulder, walking towards the terrorist.
"Sounds like you've done your homework, terrorist." He snarled, Cedric growled back, then he pummelled the ground relentlessly, using the Gravity Dust to shatter the tarmac. The same dust glowed in the feet of the Exo-Skeleton, and it allowed Cedric to float above the floor, almost ice-skating. He skated towards the Deacon, only for the skilled Nameless Huntsman to dodge the incoming fist, and slice Pilgrim up the spine of the armour, then he shot towards him and drove Darling into the shoulder of the suit.
He jammed the blade into the shoulder and twisted it, breaking off parts of the pistons that held it together, sparks flying out and already disabling one of the arms. Cedric roared in anger, jumping into the air and smashing the other fist into the ground where the Deacon was just located.
The explosive impact sent shards of rubble into the Deacon, making his Hardlight Shields flicker as shards of tarmac cut across the armour plating. He rolled backwards, then collapsed the two weapons down and formed Russel's daggers. He sprinted towards Cedric, and slid underneath his fist, slicing across the back of his leg, cutting his actual leg this time, and then driving the other up into his armpit. He screamed in agony as blood poured out of the wound, but he glared at the Deacon and went to swing at him again.
Only for the Deacon to suddenly jump away and form Sky Lark's Halberd, and launched it into the chest piece of the armour. The Halberd exploded upon contact, and the suit immediately powered down and broke apart. "No!" Cedric screamed as it collapsed, only for the Deacon to thrust forward with Ruyi Jingu Bang, smashing the staff across his face, and then he transformed the weapon into their iconic Gun-Chuck mode, blasting shell after shell into Cedric and the armour, blowing chunks of armour off and filling him with ammunition, then connecting the Gun-Chucks together into Bo-Staff form and smashing it across his face, sending him crashing to the ground.
The Grave Dust crumbled and returned to the Deacon's cybernetic arms. As Cedric laid on the ground, the Deacon turned to everyone, hearing the screams of that Police Officer, and he immediately went to their side, using the strength of his metal arms to help lift the car off him. His screams turned to relief as they freed his arm, though it was mangled. "We need to get him to a hospital, same with all the civilians." An Officer stammered, and May immediately started calling in the Hospital.
The Deacon stood tall and looked up to see the Gunships that were called in finally arrived. "Everyone else okay?" He asked them. The soldiers and officers nodded their heads.
"Thank the gods you were here..." One officer said to him.
"Just doing my part." He assured, gently squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. The Deacon turned and walked towards Cedric, who was bleeding out on the ground ahead of him, and every step the Deacon took was highlighted by the Gunships' spotlights.
"Check your fire, check your fire." He heard the pilots inform the gunners as the Deacon approached. Some soldiers kept their guns on Cedric as the Deacon approached, but he gently pushed the Soldiers away.
"Stay back. He could still have a few tricks up his sleeve." He advised as he made his approach. Cedrick coughed up blood as he laid in the Exo-Skeleton, then glared at the Deacon as he returned to his side.
Cedric scoffed as he glared at him. "Do you... really think this peace will last?" He coughed, blood leaking from his mouth as he wheezed.
"Yeah, I do. It's already lasted a hell of a lot longer than Salem's Reign ever lasted." The Deacon stated as he stared at Cedric.
He pushed himself up, his teeth gritted as blood leaked from the side of his mouth. "You... watch your mouth!" He growled, only for the Deacon to stamp down on his chest and pin him to the floor.
"You zealous acolytes... you're like little children, always complaining that things didn't go your way. Can't let things change, can't accept that Salem never cared about any of you and only wanted to settle her own score. Let Salem's memory die... and we'll make sure you get patched up, I promise you that." The Deacon said, staring at him, but Cedric just scowled at him.
Then he leaned forward and gave his answer.
"Heil... Salem..."
He suddenly opened his jacket, revealing a bomb vest underneath, and he pulled the cord. The Deacon gasped and turned to the others. "GET BACK!" He yelled, only for the Deacon to be thrown across the terrain by the enormous explosion. The fireball was blinding, and the sound made everyone's ears ring. The Deacon's Hardlight Shields crackled, then burst from the explosion. Then he tumbled across the floor, smoke trailing from his armour.
He groaned, pressing one hand against the floor, then staring ahead at where Cedric just was, now only a smouldering Exo-Skeleton, blown apart, remained. May rushed to the Deacon's side, helping him up. "Gods, are you alright?" She asked in a panicked voice.
"Yeah... I'm good... I knew he had something hiding under that jacket." He groaned, rolling his shoulder, standing tall, towering above May. "Is everyone else okay?" He asked.
Thankfully, everyone was fine, partially deaf from the explosion, but nothing too serious. He stared at the flames, his fist clenching into a fist. "It always goes the same way with them... they'd rather die than change..." May sighed.
"... yeah..." He agreed, nodding his head.
Wondering if he was any different...
Oriana
The explosion could be seen from all the way over here.
Oriana's eyes were wide as she stared at the fireball fading. "Holy shit..." Oriana gasped.
"What was that?" Misty asked, sat on chunks of rubble, fiddling with some vines.
"I don't know... maybe those Legion Gunships we saw really were being called out for something important." Oriana said. Misty rubbed the side of her neck, a telling sign she was nervous.
"Um... should we head back? Your parents could be worried, and if they figure out we came here..." Misty stated, but Oriana just smirked.
"Eh, it's fine. They'll call me if they know. Honestly? They're probably asleep right now." Oriana admitted, shrugging her shoulders as she walked across the destroyed courtyard... of Beacon Academy.
"If you say so." Misty shrugged, hopping off the chunks of rubble. They both looked at the destroyed remains of the Fountain, standing exactly where Jaune sacrificed himself. "Isn't this crazy?" Misty asked, awestruck, as she looked at the remains of this once beautiful and prestigious academy, now claimed by nature.
"I know... I heard this was a statue of a great Huntsman once." Oriana said as she looked at the fountain, seeing the broken remains of Thaddeus Rex's image on the ground, covered in old scorch marks.
"Oh, gods..." Misty gasped, covering her mouth and looking away.
"What is it?" Oriana asked, walking over to her side, then gasping. She stared at a human skeleton, mostly buried under the rubble, but it was definitely a person... and judging by the size of the skeleton?
The person was roughly the same age as them. "I can see why your mom never came back here." Misty said, clutching her arm.
"Yeah..." Oriana agreed, sighing as she paid her respects to this poor soul. But not just this one, but to everyone who died here. They didn't come here to take anything for money like other people did, they just wanted to see it. To explore and see the history of this place. The two of them walked around, finding the old cafeteria, completely collapsed, but through the vegetation they could still spy the old chairs and tables.
Oriana pushed through the vines as she looked around, seeing trees that had grown inside of here, blossoming with beautiful pink leaves. Amidst the darkness of what happened here, nature turned this mass grave into something beautiful. "I always heard people say this place was haunted. That anyone who came here would see ghosts of Huntsmen and Huntresses in training." Misty said as she looked around.
"Honestly? I wouldn't be surprised... I heard that apparently ghosts really are real, too." Oriana said.
"Yeah, me too. Crazy..." Misty chuckled, jumping onto some of the broken rocks, laughing. "Look at me! I'm the queen of the castle!" She squeaked.
Oriana laughed as she stared at Misty, then she slid down from the rubble and tripped, yelping. Oriana moved like lightning and caught Misty before she could catch herself. Misty smirked, and she pressed the back of her hand against her forehead, flicking her head backwards. "My hero!" She laughed, making Oriana blush.
She let Misty go and they continued to explore, finding the old Dormitories, and wandering into the overgrown and burned down remains of what was once Team R.W.B.Y's dorm room.
"I wonder who's room this was?" Oriana wondered. Smee floated ahead of them, using his glowing face like a flashlight. The curtains were shredded by the flames, blackened and charred, and water continued to drip from the ceiling. A desk was in the corner, cracked in half, but old books and paper remained. Misty approached it and picked up a book, blowing the dust off it. "Whatcha got there?" She asked.
"An old journal... poor thing's burnt all over but... some of it's still here. Handwriting's pretty." Misty said, setting the book down.
... wish things went differently in the Atlesian Wildlands...
... forgive us for what we di...
... attacked us...
... will things ever be the same after this?
At the end was a photograph, burned and faded, but they could hardly make out any faces that were on there. They both sighed. Setting the book down, Oriana walked into the room and sat down on what used to be Yang's bed. The bunk beds were no more, destroyed in the fire and consumed by time... but there were still signs of how this place once belonged to the team.
Weiss' old picture she had on the wall still hung, lopsided and damaged, but still here. The rope hanged from the ceiling and only one of them still clung onto Ruby's old bed. Misty sat down on what was Weiss' bed, looking at the place, listening to the wind in the air outside. "Can you imagine what this place would've been like back in its day? So many kids learning to become heroes? It all seems so amazing..." Oriana said with a curious expression on her face.
"So romantic too." Misty added.
"I wish I could be a Huntress like my mom was." Oriana said, sighing.
"I still find it funny that your dad was just... some guy she fell in love with. Like nobody at this school really fell for her?" Misty chuckled, doubting the notion.
"Well, she always said that my dad just... saw her for who she was. Nobody else did... and she fell for him on the spot. Just some random dude who sat next to her on a park bench and asked her if she was okay. And here they are now." Oriana said with a bright smile.
She had no idea...
... no idea of everything they endured.
Oriana looked around and kicked her leg back, feeling something sat on the floor behind her, so she reached under and picked up another book. She looked at it and only one word was clear enough to read.
"... Ninjas of..." Oriana narrowed her eyes, trying to read it. "I can't read the rest... ooooh, was this a thriller?" She gasped, opening the book, only for ash to fall out. "Aww..."
"Buzzkill." Misty groaned as well.
The two got up and left the dorm of Team R.W.B.Y, and as they explored, they tried to enter the Amphitheatre, but it was completely collapsed. There was no way inside. The same could be said for Beacon Tower. The entire spire collapsed that day, and now only rubble remained. "Gods... Salem really did a number on this place." Oriana said, shaking her head.
Then she turned, furrowing her brow. "Whoa, watch your step." She warned Misty.
She turned and stepped away, and together they pulled the vegetation apart, seeing water running into a chasm beneath them, where a large hole was hidden by the overgrowth. The drop was enormous. There was no way they could safely climb down there.
But thankfully... they didn't need to.
Oriana flicked out her Hoverboard, extending it with a playful smirk. "You wanna?" She asked Misty.
"Hell yeah." She agreed. At first, Misty was nervous about this, but now she was loving it. Either just because she was having fun with her crush, or because this was genuinely fascinating.
She held onto Oriana from behind, and Ori stood on the board, and pressed her boot on the front plate. It shone bright green and the gravity dust activated it, making it hover with ease above the floor. "This will never not be cool." Misty giggled.
"Alright, hold on!" Oriana laughed, diving into the chasm.
"WHOA! HAHAHAHAH!" Misty laughed, their voices echoing in the Vault, hidden underground. With the green flames that once lit this vast room up now extinguished, it was chillingly dark in here. Only a spotlight formed from the lunar glow made in the room. They both flew around the room, then descended to where the light was. Water poured down from above, and there was a small stream in here now.
Oriana and Misty pulled out their flashlights, looking around. "What is this place? Never heard of this in any of the stories." She said.
Oriana walked forward, then tripped on something, yelping, but thankfully Misty caught her. "Gotcha!"
"My hero." Oriana said with a coy smile, making Misty smile back. They both looked at what she had tripped on.
An old... blood stained chunk of rubble with spikes of broken rusty rebar sticking out of the concrete. And laid on the floor were rusted pieces of what looked like Bronze Armour. It was so old they couldn't really see what it was, or even who this armour belonged to.
But Pyrrha would know...
... because that was the very spot where she died that night. And where six years later she was reborn by the Brother of Darkness.
They both explored the Vault together, the Vault that Ozpin pretended the Sword of Creation was held inside of. They walked together and found the very door that Salem broke open with the Relic of Destruction...
And then they walked into the dead room inside. What was once so full of colour and magical beauty was now just a lifeless stone room. And laid scattered on the ground was the Fake Sword of Creation, snapping instantly when Salem held it in her hand. Yet to Oriana and Misty, this was just some sword.
They continued to explore the Vault together, shining their lights around at the dark green walls, seeing the flameless torches on the walls. Following the same path that Pyrrha walked when Ozpin, Glynda, Qrow and Ironwood gave her the Ultimatum of Maidenship that day during the Vytal Festival.
And then they approached the long forgotten Aura Transfer Machines, made by Pietro Polendina for General Ironwood to transfer Amber's power. Her corpse was no longer in there, but the cracked hole where Cinder's arrow found her heart remained. Oriana approached them and furrowed her brow. "What were these?" She asked.
"I dunno... Ori, this feels really... weird." Misty said, shuddering.
"Yeah, I'm with you on that." Oriana agreed, stepping away from the devices. They both turned with their flashlights, suddenly met with the face of a Beowulf. They both screamed in terror, jumping away and crawling backwards across the cold, damp floor. They panted in fear of what they just saw... only for it to not be moving.
"Was that... what I think it was?" Misty panted.
They both got up slowly and shined their lights at the beast again... seeing it was petrified in stone. They both approached it, and they touched the stone. "It's a Grimm... a Beowulf..." Oriana gasped as she stared at it, at its razor-sharp teeth and claws.
"What's it doing down here? Wait... it's petrified..." Misty's eyes widened, and she gasped. "Ruby?"
"She must have hunted it here... it must have been one of the last Grimm during The Hunt. A lot of them started hiding in hard to reach places, like they knew their numbers were dwindling... Ruby must have tracked this Beowulf here." Oriana said, as she stared at the creature.
The two of them backed away from it, staring at the monster. "Things like this really stalked our world once... it's crazy to imagine it..." Misty said.
"It really is... but I'm glad they're gone. These things killed so many people... the world's better off without them." Oriana stated.
"Yeah." Misty agreed.
"C'mon... let's get out of here... this place is giving me the creeps." Oriana said, walking with Misty back to the spotlight shone from the moon where they entered. As they found it, Oriana pulled out her Hoverboard and got it ready.
"Hey..." Misty said, getting Oriana's attention. "... c'mon Ori. Take a girl for a ride?" She asked her with pink scales on her cheeks.
Oriana smirked back. "I was hoping you'd say that."
Suddenly the two of them shot out from the Vault on the hoverboard, whooping and cheering as they flew across the ruins of Beacon Academy, having the time of their lives together. She drifted over the ruins, with Misty holding on tight and Smee beeping excitedly as he held onto her shoulder. She ground the end of her Hoverboard across the broken colonnades, sparks flying as she charged up the thruster on the back of her Hoverboard.
Then, she stamped on the pad beneath her foot, and the booster engages, rocketing the pair forward, both cheering with joy as the wind rushed through their hair. Oriana effortlessly weaved between the chunks of rubble, then she twisted around the collapsed remnants of Beacon Tower, then dove back down, with Misty holding on tight as she laughed.
They dove, and then Oriana drifted across the ground, scraping the armoured underside more, sparks flying behind them. She then blasted towards the ruins of a building which had a hole in it, perfect for them to fit through.
"Whoa, Ori! You sure we can make that?" Misty asked with excitement and fear in her voice.
"Oh, hell yes." Oriana laughed, almost insanely. The Hoverboard blasted forward and Misty held on even tighter, screaming with her eyes wide open. Then Oriana suddenly spun the Hoverboard, and they just corkscrewed through the gap, and they both cheered in awe at how close that was.
"Holy shit!" Misty laughed, hugging Oriana tight, staring at her with a loving smile, which Oriana instinctively mirrored.
The two hovered ahead, and stared into each other's eyes, and they grew closer and closer, wanting to let it happen for real this time.
Until the rising sound of sirens appeared behind them. Both their eyes widened.
"Oh, crap..."
She stopped the Hoverboard and turned around, clutching it tight to her chest, seeing the vehicle come to a stop behind them, and two Police Officers emerged, sighing as they took off their glasses.
"I knew it was gonna be these two who set off the alarms." The first officer said, and the other gave her the five lien.
"Uhh..." Oriana said, glancing at a defeated and shy Misty. "Wanna let us off easy?"
The two Police Officers whipped out handcuffs.
"What do you think?"
"... I'm so dead..."
Pyrrha
Rain had started falling, pattering against the windows of the Nikos Residence.
In bed together, the naked married couple were wrapped up in each other's arms after a very passionate evening. Jaune affectionately kissed his wife with his arm around her as she tenderly touched his chest.
"Been a while since we could have fun like this..." Pyrrha said to him with a smile.
He chuckled. "Hey, having that little peanut makes for our alone time to be pretty sparse, huh?" Jaune said, his other hand caressing through her red hair and then across her cheek. She stroked his soft white beard, then kissed him again.
"Y'know... it is the weekend tomorrow... and she's round Misty's all night." She suggested with a playful smile.
"Oh, you're really turned on tonight, huh?" He asked her, and she smirked, kissing him again, even more passionately.
"Who said anything about just tonight?" She joked, making him laugh.
"My, my... the great Pyrrha Nikos being so wild?" He teased as he slowly rolled on top of her, kissing her as she laughed, and she stroked his beard and cheeks, then looped one arm around the back of his neck. He then kissed her neck, and she smiled at how good it felt.
Until they heard a car door shutting outside. He paused and furrowed his brow.
"What is it?" She whispered. He then peered round the side of the door to the window, seeing the flashing red and blue lights against the steamy window.
"Are those cop lights?" He asked.
She also peaked round.
"They are..." she agreed.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and the naked couple scrambled awkwardly from their bed. "Crap!" Jaune yelped.
"What could they possibly want at this hour?" Pyrrha questioned.
"We weren't that loud. We don't even have neighbours." Jaune said, which Pyrrha laughed and slapped his shoulder playfully, putting on her pink fluffy dressing gown, hiding her body, whilst Jaune put on his pants and his own dressing gown. They both walked down the stairs now they were somewhat decent, and approached the door, hearing the bell ring again.
"Yep, on our way. Hold your horses." She muttered the last part, then opened the door, to see the two Police Officers with Oriana and Misty, both with their hair drenched from the rain and looking very guilty.
Pyrrha's eyes lit up with disbelief, then motherly anger, as if she were a Maiden.
"ORIANA NIKOS!" She shouted with anger, grabbing her and Misty and pulling them inside.
"Show mercy!" Oriana begged as they were pulled in. Jaune stared at the two of them, then looked at the cops who stepped in, taking off their hats.
"I apologise for interrupting, Mrs and Mr Nikos. We caught them trespassing... again." The Female Police Officer said.
Both parents stared at the two of them, and they both just nervously smiled at her. Pyrrha rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Where was it this time? Was it that old Black Gallows Dreadnaught again?" She asked.
"It's... worse than that, ma'am." The Male Officer said, which immediately brought concern to their minds. "They were exploring and making a mess of Beacon Academy."
Pyrrha's expression changed, and she stared at Oriana with a glare that made her blood run cold, a look that Jaune shared. It even intimidated the Police Officers. "Send me the bills for any damages they caused. I'll handle this." Pyrrha assured.
"W-Well, ma'am... it's already been paid. We informed Dutch of it, as he told us to, in case she continued to explore. He's already cleared the fines." The Female Officer answered.
"Although, we'd like to inform you, she was very lucky she wasn't near the city centre." The other officer said.
"Wait, why? What happened?" Jaune asked.
"There was a Terrorist Attack. A Follower of Salem causing chaos. Thankfully, it was far enough away from where your daughter and her friend were... but she should be more mindful than to go outside when Legion Gunships are deployed into the city." He explained to the family, and both Oriana and Misty's eyes widened in fear.
"By the gods..." Jaune gasped, pushing his hand through his white hair, shaking his head.
Pyrrha was barely keeping her composure right now.
"Okay... thank you, and I'm very sorry for the trouble they caused you." Pyrrha said with that frightening glare in her eyes.
"Have a good night, ma'am."
The Officers seemed to be just as afraid of an angry Pyrrha Nikos as her daughter was. Pyrrha closed the door and locked it, but she didn't turn around, and her hand closed into a shaking fist. "You... went to Beacon?" She trembled, still not turning to face her.
"M-Mom... I..."
She suddenly snapped around. "After I explicitly told you to never go there?" She shouted with furious eyes. Her hands were shaking. But not from rage, from the memories... the fear of losing her little girl to that place as well.
"We saw an advert on TV for that memorial and I suggested going there to explore! You never talk about Beacon and I just wanted to go see it." Oriana explained.
"Did you never consider that there are reasons behind why I never talk about it? That it's dangerous? That I have terrible memories of that place? That friends, people I cared about, died there in horrible ways? And I sometimes still hear their screams even now?" Pyrrha asked, listing each reason off her fingers.
"Damn it, Ori..." Jaune sighed, pinching his brow. He then turned to Misty. "Misty? You're in this too?"
"Waist deep." She admitted, immediately.
Jaune sighed. "You're supposed to keep her out of trouble." Jaune said.
"Wait huh?" Oriana asked.
"Mr Nikos, you know that's impossible." Misty shrugged, making Jaune sigh again.
"Wait, huh?" Oriana repeated, even louder this time.
The two disappointed parents both paced around, shaking their heads. "There are things about that school you don't know about for good reason, Ori. I don't want you going there ever again. Trespassing in all those wrecks was one thing, but this? This is so much worse." Pyrrha explained.
"Okay... I'm sorry. It won't happen again."
"How can we believe that? You've said that every single time you've been caught doing this? This is the fifth time, Ori." Jaune said.
"I..." Oriana stammered.
"Just a sleepover she says." Pyrrha scoffed. "I mean, thank goodness that Dutch is still looking out for us, despite how much trouble you caused."
"And when the Legion were out? Did you never consider something bad was happening? You could have been in danger." Jaune said.
"Well, you two clearly didn't know. How come you didn't hear that explosion?" Oriana questioned.
Pyrrha and Jaune paused, glancing at each other for a second. "Don't change the subject." Pyrrha stated. She sighed, then turned to her scroll on the table, and she picked it up, dialling a number.
"Who are you calling?" Misty asked.
"Your parents." She answered.
Misty's eyes widened in fear. "No... please no..." she begged.
"You're not our daughter, and they need to know." Pyrrha stated.
"What? No!" Oriana argued.
"Please... if they have to come all the way home again because I caused trouble, they'll..."
Jaune glanced at Misty when she said that with concern, and Pyrrha paused, but Oriana immediately chimed in.
"Don't you dare blame her, you blame me!" She yelled in anger, stepping in front of Misty immediately. Pyrrha lowered the scroll and raised her eyebrows.
"Excuse me?" She asked, shocked at Oriana shouting at her like this.
"Ori, that's enough." Jaune stated sternly.
"No! You can't just punish her for this! She didn't even wanna go! I dragged her out to that whole thing! You wanna punish anyone, punish me!" She argued.
"Ori..." Misty gasped with wide eyes, seeing how far she would go to defend her.
"Ori, please do not speak to me like that." Pyrrha told her.
"PUT THE SCROLL DOWN THEN I WILL!" she yelled.
"ORIANA!" Jaune roared, making Oriana jolt, turning to see his furious glare, a faint glimmer of purple in his eyes. Ori's lip trembled. Then she turned to Misty, who had tears in her eyes.
"It's okay..." Misty promised, her voice shaking as she spoke.
Oriana sniffled, then tears started streaming from her eyes, before she stormed to her room with Smee, slamming the door shut.
Leaving a deafening silence in the room. Misty stood there, just waiting for Pyrrha to make the call.
Pyrrha glanced at the incomplete number, then she sighed, closing her scroll. "Come on, Misty... lemme take you home." Pyrrha sighed, going upstairs to get changed. Jaune sat down and buried his head in his hands whilst Misty stood by the kitchen, holding her right arm.
It was such an enjoyable night...