Volume2 Debut - Chapter 13: Adorable Overload
It's been difficult since your last mission. It's been a week, but you still remember it. You remember every face being slaughtered by Grimm. Every deprived breath you took when running for your life in the maze. Every dreadful moment of pain as you pushed yourself to the limit to stop the White Fang. At the time, you didn't realize how much your friends cared. It wasn't just one, but every single one of them has been there for you during your recovery – both mentally and physically.
Unfortunately it's currently raining, but that doesn't stop you from standing out in the rain. Your hair falls completely flat, messing with your vision somewhat along with getting your clothes, save your olive jacket you left inside, wet. You stare out at Vale, looking at the flashing lights that go off every once in a while due to traffic lights or some sort of event going on in Vale. You have good eye sight, but you can't see all that detail from so far away. Still the calming droplets that flutter onto your bare arms and face – it's a nice sensation when the rain drop slithers down your skin to the cold floor.
You slip your hands through your hair, flicking some of the water off behind you. You huff, releasing all the tension in your body, then streak your hand down your face.
"Can't sleep?" A young voice speaks.
You turn around to see Ruby in a black tank top with a heart shape design that somewhat resembles a Beowulf, and white pants that are dotted with pink roses. She's holding a red umbrella over her head, protecting herself from the barrage of rain.
You size her up, snicker, then return to watching Vale.
"Nope, just didn't want to," you respond with a somewhat serious tone.
Ruby frowns at your tone, then slowly walks beside you, lifting her arm up so you can both be under the umbrella. You lose feeling of the rain falling on you, and look up to see the inside of an umbrella. You look to your side and see Ruby extending her arm as far as she can to make it comfortable for you both. You chuckle and wrap your hand around Ruby's.
"I'll hold it, if you want."
Ruby's face goes red at the touch of your hands. She can feel the callouses of your battles, which adds a rough texture. Yet somehow they're very soft and delicate as it holds her hand. The slipperiness of the water adds a certain feeling to the whole experience. She's never held another boy's hand before, yet she's really enjoying it now. The warmth from your hand spreading to her slightly cold one. She almost wants to leave the hand like this, so, taking a bold move, she does. You of course notice Ruby isn't slipping her hand out from under yours.
"Is your hand cold?"
Ruby nods.
"A-A little bit. But it's you I was worried about getting a cold. You can't just stand out in the rain, you know?" She lectures.
You chuckle.
"Yeah, I know. I just had to get fresh air, and I don't mind the rain all that much. It cools me off."
Ruby squirms in place, trying to think of something to say.
"So what were you dreaming?" She finally speaks.
You look down at her with a downcast face.
"The village, again. Well, not just that village but... I don't know..."
Ruby shuffles closer to you in order to keep under the umbrella, and to just be a little closer to you. You notice, but don't mention it. You assume it's to keep dry.
"There... there was another village?" She wonders, thinking back on what you've said.
She remembers hearing something about a previous failure when Ozpin and Glynda spoke to you some time back. It's obviously a sensitive topic for you, and she's unsure whether she wants to press it. However she genuinely wants to know more about you to help. She just wants to help you... to know you... to be there for you.
"What, ah... what other village?" She hesitantly asks, quivering in fear that you might be angry with her.
You huff, thinking on whether to speak.
"Look, Little Red, I like you. I do. But you don't need to know all my baggage, you know?" You shrug.
Ruby pouts. She turns away from you, but her hand is still coveted by yours. She looks down at her feet and starts drawing lines with her tippy toe.
"When I became leader, I thought it was really fun. We had laughs, unpacked, woke Weiss up," you chuckle at that one. "And made bunk beds. But... I had no idea how to be a leader, or what it meant. It wasn't until Weiss yelled at me and Ozpin talked to me that I learned what it really meant." Ruby looks up at you with her brilliant silver eyes, which, to her surprise, you're looking back at her. "So... sometimes it's best to listen to others and take their advice. I do, even if I'm the leader. You should too, even if I'm just... your friend," she hesitantly says.
You huff at her words, but not out of frustration. You know she wants you to trust her, and you do, but you only spoke of your home because you were on the edge of your sanity. Plus Ozpin and Glynda already knew about it, so talking to them about it wasn't too bad. This is reliving the experience, not that you've necessarily suppressed those memories all that well, lately. Ruby hopefully stares at you, hoping with all her might that you'll share more with her.
"I lived with my parents when I was young. I... I really liked the thought of being a Huntsman, you know?" You chuckle, blankly staring at the ground. "It was probably because my dad was such a famous Huntsman. He even... you know what? Follow me. I'll show you something," you say, pulling Ruby's hand along.
Ruby follows you without question, happy that you're telling her things. You bring Ruby along under the umbrella, your arms touching the entire time while you both try to stay dry. Ruby looks away from you, her face completely red from embarrassment, and her mind's on fire from your mere touch. Her heart's beating a million miles a minute from the simple contact. You, on the other hand, aren't noticing Ruby's odd movements and red face. You're focused on remembering how to get to where the statues situate.
Unknownst to you or Ruby, however, someone is lazily following you both, unsure about why they're even doing it.
You lead Ruby to the statues, and she gasps at the sight.
"Whoa! I've never seen these before!" She says in amazement.
You bring her in front of the statue of your father and uncle. She stares at it, taking in anything she should. She looks at one of the figures and analyzes the sword.
"Hey... isn't that yours?" She asks.
You nod.
"Yeah... that's my father."
She looks at you, surprised, and then back at your father.
"No way!"
"Yeah... other than Crimson Blaze, it's the only thing I have left of him. I didn't even know it was here."
You both stare at the statue, observing the stone eyes gazing forward. Ruby tries to draw comparisons between you and the statue, but the stone doesn't give specific details. The only thing that reminds her of you is the evident smile on Jet's face. Even as stone, she can see a resemblance between your notorious smile and his. She inherently smiles, then looks over at you. You're obviously deep in thought about something. Suddenly your opposite arm slowly moves to your shoulder and rests on it. Ruby gets serious, not wanting to stay on the sidelines.
"Are you going to finish your story?" She inquires.
You snap out of your trance and look over at her.
"Oh, uh... you sure you want to know? I can almost guarantee that bothering Weiss would be more fun than this," you snicker.
"Well, maybe, but I like spending time with you," she says, then instantly realizes what she said.
"Ha, thanks Little Red. You're not too bad yourself, you know," you smile, nudging her.
"You don't mean that," Ruby waves off, trying to get the attention off her.
"No, I do," you sincerely say, letting your hand slide down your shoulder to its normal hanging position. "You've been the most interested in me. You've talked to me the most, and you're probably the easiest to talk to here. Nobody else has asked me about my home... granted I'll bet the rest of your team is just as curious if everyone heard me earlier."
Ruby shrugs, then looks back to the statue.
"Maybe we'll have statues of us one day," she mumbles.
"What? Like you and I?"
Ruby's eyes shoot wide open.
"No! I mean all of us! Like, teams and stuff, hehehe, not uuus," she nervously corrects.
You chuckle, shaking your head.
"Who knows. I think we could make a pretty cool statue, don't you? Maybe standing side by side, your scythe and my blade, staring at whatever challenge comes our way," you imagine, smiling.
"As a team?" Ruby proposes.
You chuckle, then somewhat tightly squeeze her hand.
"I was thinking more as a pair... but a team works too."
Ruby continues to go red at your actions, which are absolutely platonic on your part. You turn to Ruby and rustle her hair with your free hand, making her yelp.
"Alright, head to bed Little Red."
Ruby wrestles with your hand, pushing it off her head.
"H-Hey! Why do I have to go to bed?" She pouts.
"Because you're a budding rose," you chuckle. "And I don't want to see you cranky. Now get going. You can even take your umbrella," you smile, letting your grip around her hand.
You spin her around, making her yelp, then lightly push her forward so the rain can fall onto you. She regains her footing and turns to you.
"Come on! It's our two week break! I don't even have classes!" She argues. "Besides..." She gets a little quieter now. "You... didn't finish your story about your home..."
"Yes, but you're young and need your beauty sleep or whatever it is girls do. We'll talk tomorrow, I promise," you say, finishing with a wink.
Ruby huffs, admitting her defeat.
"Fine... but try not to stay out in the rain for so long. You'll catch a cold."
"Yes mom," you mock, smiling.
Ruby stares at you – your smile. She cracks her own smirk then walks away, content with her little adventure outside. You watch as Ruby walks away, hopping along to try and keep her feet as dry as possible. This makes you raise a brow, as you've both been walking and standing in the rain. Why would she be prancing now? You shake your head at the thought then look back at your family. The rain's falling on them, along with you.
"At least your hair isn't messed up. Aren't you lucky?" You remark.
You stay silent, almost hoping for your father to answer.
But he doesn't.
You shake your head, laughing at yourself.
"Of course... what was I expecting?"
Suddenly you feel a presence move beside you, and cool feeling of rain drops halt.
"So that's your father," the voice states. "I've only ever heard of him."
You glance beside you, seeing Dylan with his arms crossed. You peer up, and notice that the rain isn't falling over you or him. There's a perfect square around you both that's impenetrable by rain. You close your eyes and chuckle.
"That's a nifty trick," you compliment.
Dylan rolls his eyes.
"A compliment from you is nothing."
"Still got a stick rammed up there, huh? Granted your insults are few and far between lately." You turn back to the statue. "What did you hear about him?"
"A valiant warrior. Brilliant tactician. One of the most powerful Huntsmen in the world. His only fault? Birthing a pathetic child."
You slowly turn to Dylan, your eyes squinting and your face completely unamused. Dylan's looking back at you, smirking. He shrugs.
"Hey, it's what I heard."
"Glad to know I'm a joke among murderers," you sigh.
Dylan cringes at your words. He wants to fight back. He wants to argue and show how you're wrong, and how humans are the true murderers. Yet... he can't. Ever since last week, his mind has been doubting the White Fang and their mission. Blake hasn't been helping this either – showing him the evident horrors they've committed. That isn't how he was introduced to the White Fang. That isn't what he fought for. What did he fight for? The death of humans? Justice? Equality? Peace? He only knew that peace would come when all humans were killed. That's all he was told. But was that his beliefs? His true beliefs? They weren't once.
"No, you're simply a joke among everyone," he smirks.
You smile, happy he's participating in the mindless jabs.
"Mind answering how the White Fang knows me so well?" You ask.
Dylan exhales, closing his eyes and thinking.
"I can't. But... I can repay you."
"Repay me?" You repeat, thrown off by the notion of Dylan being indebted to you. "How? For what?"
Dylan remains ever calm, staring at the statue or Jet and Harrier.
"I need to know why those people were murdered," he begins, which makes you wince at the memory. "So... I have a way we can find someone who'll have answers." He fully turns to you, and you do the same to him. You stare each other directly in the eye, not flinching by any means. "There's a train that will pass through Vale carrying prototype Atlas military equipment. I was supposed to lead that, but obviously that's out of the question. Thus, there's only one person they would replace me with. We're going to get on that train and find her."
"You realize I'll neutralize any White Fang I encounter? I can't let them steal military gear."
Dylan nods.
"I understand. This is how I repay you. I couldn't help you save those innocents, but this way I can help you save others. As long as you don't kill any of them."
You nod, a true purpose coursing through your veins. This is how you could repent for not saving the village. At least there's one you'll be able to make up for.
"Alright, Dylan. When does this all go down?"
"Tomorrow. I have to dig up a little more information, so be ready after breakfast."
You give him a quick nod.
"Right. Are you going back to the dorm?"
"I am. Are you?"
You shake your head.
"Nah, I wanna stay out here for a bit longer."
Dylan watches as you face the statue once more. He smiles, shakes his own head, and begins to walk away.
"I never knew my parents either," he whispers just loud enough for you to hear.
You turn your head to the side, acknowledging what he said. You say nothing back, and Dylan doesn't care about that. He simply needed to say that to you.
Soon enough you feel the rain fall onto your body. A cool relief washes over you as water hits your being. You let all your collected air out, pushing a few rain drops off course as you do so. You look up at your father, imagining what he would say if he saw you. Be proud? Disappointed? You have no idea. You move in between your father and uncle, then pull out Crimson Blaze, turn around, and point the blade in the direction they're facing, imagining yourself standing with your family to fight some sort of threat.
You chuckle, shake your head, and let your body slouch. Your sword droops towards the floor, dangling with your arm.
"Jeez, I must look like an absolute goof. Maybe I can get Ozpin and Glynda to pose with me," you snicker.
From far in the distance, Ruby watches your actions. She frowns at the sight, knowing that you must miss your father – your family. She moves behind the pillar and sighs, then moves her hand over her chest. Her heart hasn't stopped its accelerated beating the whole time she's been with you and watching you. It isn't even like her to watch someone from afar, but she was worried about you.
"Why is he on my mind all the time? Is it... I think I have to talk to Yang – no! She'd make fun of me! Weiss?" Ruby laughs at the thought. "Maybe... Blake? Yeah, Blake should know something!"
Ruby realizes what she has to do tomorrow when her teammate is awake. With a nod of determination, Ruby rushes off to her room and out of the rain. Not a minute after you walk past that very same spot, on the way to your dorm.
Is Dylan playing me? Leading me into a trap? I can't tell. He accepted my apology after I yelled at him, and he's been far more passive about me than ever before. Maybe I did make the right decision. Maybe I was right about him.
You approach the dormitories and open the door.
Still, the nagging feeling of being walked into a trap isn't going away. There's a massive opportunity to lure me into the middle of the White Fang and... well... attempt to capture me. I suppose all I can do is go with him and try. For now, I'll place my faith in him.
You make it to your dorm and enter. Dylan is lying on his bed, eyes closed, attempting to sleep. You toss your sword in the corner and look down at yourself, dripping water everywhere. Dylan opens his eyes and lifts his head to see you.
"One second."
He throws his hand towards you then focuses a moment. Not long after all the rain slowly levitates off of you in small drops. You can feel your hair, clothes, and skin become dry as the water formulates into one ball. Dylan then moves his hand towards the bathroom, forcing the water ball to levitate to the bathroom and splash in the shower.
"Seriously, that's actually awesome," you genuinely laugh.
Dylan shrugs before laying back down.
"It has its uses."
You jump into bed and get comfortable, not even bothering to throw the covers over you. You almost instantly drift off to sleep.
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"You failed to find the Grimm?" Cinder growls, her eyes glowing bright as she marches towards Roman.
Roman slowly backs up, nervously laughing. He was intending to keep Cinder out of the loop on what happened, which he succeeded in doing until Aza, who was the one calling the shots for that operation, decided to tell her. Thus, Roman is thinking how to save his own skin from being scorched off his body.
"H-Hey, don't look at me. It's not my fault that Slater brat interfered!"
"I wouldn't blame Roman for it," a third voice speaks.
Both Cinder and Roman look towards the door behind Cinder. A hooded figure saunters into the room, his footsteps echoing through the building.
"Talk about a save," Roman huffs.
"You can't expect some Grimm and a handful of White Fang to take him down. Evidently he can kill Grimm as old as that one," it argues for Roman.
Cinder becomes more relaxed, evident by her eyes and clothes dimming.
"Ah, you finally made it. Finish your 'business'?" Cinder asks, her voice changing from threating to seductive as she approaches the man.
"Is that a real question? Of course I was successful," the main says with distain. "It seems you're the one having trouble."
Cinder squints her eyes at the figure ahead of her.
This man, he was different. He was the fourth person she recruited, and it was a more difficult time than fighting Amber, even though, at the time, she had some of the Maiden's powers. This man was still more than a match for her, and only agreed to aid them for his own selfish reasoning. He's not here because he believes in her cause. He's here because he's getting something out of it. He's very much like Roman, except he's far more of a threat if he decides to no longer take part in her plan. Still, from what she can tell he has no plans to leave just yet. She remembers his only condition to join her. A simple request, yet one she could not fulfill at the time.
"I'll help you, if you lead me to a challenge."
She wasn't a challenge for him at that time. She's hoping that when she attains the full power of the Fall Maiden, she'll be the opponent he's looking for. But from what she's gathered, he's interested in one single man. (Y/N) Slater. Whenever a challenging opponent comes up in conversation, he always refers back to you. This somewhat irritates Cinder, as she believes herself far superior to a simple student such as you. But one more irritated than Cinder is Aza. For a reason Cinder still isn't quite sure of, Aza bores a true hatred against you and the Slater name. Cinder has a theory that Adam Taurus is the one who placed that inside Aza, but that's just a theory.
"I am doing fine, thank you. Everything is under control," Cinder turns to Roman, her eyes shining bright. "Isn't it, Roman?"
"Hehe, yeah, of course. But why do you have to keep wearing that creepy hood, huh? We're in doors, you know?"
"And why do you have a cane when you can walk just fine?" The man shoots back. "Just focus on building a new machine, and actually perfecting it this time. I'll do my part when the time comes."
The man approaches a nearby table and sits down on a chair. Cinder strolls close to him and sits on the table.
"You heard the man, Roman. Get to work."
"Hey, my boys are collecting the last bit of dust we need, and Aza's about to get those suits you wanted. Everything is fine, stop worrying," Roman confidently says, waving off Cinder in a desperate attempt for bravado.
"I'll accompany your men with their robberies to ensure no Huntsmen interfere," the man volunteers. "It'll keep me slightly entertained while I wait for my chance."
He stands up and begins walking out of the building.
"Where are you going?" Cinder asks.
"To do your job," he quickly fires back, closing the door behind him.
Roman has to hold in a laugh, as it's precious to him how the powerful Cinder is so easily fought by this man. It's something Roman can't do without risking some vital areas, but he loves it all the same.
Cinder grinds her teeth in irritation. She hates him. She loves him. He's invaluable yet a total bastard. Once she gets her full power, she'll give him the fight of his life, and end him for good.
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"I'm glad you came out with me this time around, (Y/N)," Yang huffs as she keeps a steady jogging pace.
"Well, it was fun the first time, and I might as well keep my stamina up," you reply, keeping your breathing steady. "Plus, I always love spending time with you," you pleasantly smile, causing Yang to chuckle.
"You're not too bad yourself, hot stuff. Good to work off that stress of the day, not that there's much to worry about lately."
"No Grimm to kill," you smirk.
You can tell the lack of adventuring and missions is annoying Yang. From the few weeks you've known her, you've gathered she's the wild one who likes to fight and be in crazy situations. Sounds somewhat like yourself, though you're not one for parties. Fights, on the other hand, is a fundamental part of your life. Crazy situations are your shtick too.
But at the moment you're completely content. You had a surprisingly good sleep, even when Yang hammered on your door to run with her. It was later in the morning than last time, but you didn't mind at all. The only difference is the sun is brighter, and more people are loitering around the school grounds. Some are even jogging at their own pace, while others stare at you and Yang. All the guys stare at Yang, of course, because she's infamous for her beauty. So much so some people call her a "yellow beauty that bats gold" which you assume refers to her winks, but that's just an assumption. You can tell that those same men are absolutely jealous that you get to run with her, but you ignore them completely to have a good time with your friend.
"We're not going to race and destroy a pillar again, are we?" You chuckle, eying the woman beside you.
Yang huffs and smiles.
"Of course we are. I mean the two of us have to destroy SOMETHING. Remember the club?"
"Do YOU remember the club?" You fire back, still laughing.
"Ah, who asked you," she waves off.
"You did!"
You both end up laughing at the situation and the memory. Yang really only remembered punching someone at the club, then trying to make-out with you. You remember the whole thing, but only her parts are the funny ones. Your memories are the mature, adult, take-care-of-drunk-friend ones.
"So, Ruby's been dropping by your dorm more often," Yang speaks, breathing slightly heavier than normal.
You roll your eyes up a bit, thinking on her words.
"Yeah... she has. I'm not complaining. She's great company," you honestly answer.
Yang looks at you for a brief moment before turning her head in front to see where she's jogging.
"Ah, so you like her?"
"I'd say so, yeah. Why? What's with these questions?"
Yang sighs in disappointment. She knows you didn't mean you romantically like her when you spoke, and that somewhat disappoints her. Yang has a theory – one she's been developing with Weiss, who, to Yang's surprise, has been very active in this endeavor. Yang has a feeling she has her own reasons for this, but she won't turn away help. She knows there's something between you and her sister, and as Ruby's older sister, she has to know and protect her sibling.
"Oh nothing," she sings. "Just making conversation," and finishes with a cute smile.
You accept her response and keep pace with her.
"You seem to bring up Ruby a lot with me. Is there something I should know? Is she okay?" You wonder, genuinely concerned the young one.
"Oh, she's great," Yang smirks. "Weiss says she's glowing lately."
"Oh, so lady talk. Please spare me from that, Yang. I'd rather you punch me in the-"
Suddenly Yang extends her fist, clocking you right in the jaw unexpectedly. You feel your jaw nearly disconnect from your skull, which is flying opposite to Yang. Your body follows your head, spinning around until you crash into the ground. Students around back away, hands over their mouths and shock consuming their faces. You hold your jaw.
"OwwwwWWWWWWW!" You shout, getting louder the longer you shout. You sit up and look to Yang, who's crying from laughter. "What was that for?" You scream.
"You, ha, you said you'd ra-rather me punch you," she laughs, unable to speak without laughing.
"It was a joke!" You argue, rubbing your cheek as you get to your feet. "I swear, you hit harder than a train!"
Yang casually walks towards you, hands on her hips and her chest raising and falling faster due to fatigue.
"It's all muscle, my friend. Maybe you should come with me when I seriously work out. Or, we could train together," Yang offers, before she kisses her index and middle finger then taps them on your wound.
"Wow, feels all better now," you sarcastically remark. "But that actually sounds good. I need some work on my hand-to-hand, and that's basically your shtick. We should train together soon."
"Well," Yang starts, swaying her hips with a smile. "How about today?"
You think back to Dylan, and how he still hasn't told you whether or not you're leaving yet. Still, he's bringing you along to do something important, and you can't miss it. The thought of telling Yang and the others crosses your mind. They, along with Ozpin and Glynda, have been enforcing the thought of team building for you. You understand why, given your previous mission, but you have Dylan by your side. As long as he doesn't double cross you, that's still a form of team building.
Coming up to a conclusion, you shake your head.
"No, I can't today. I have somewhere to be," you politely decline.
"Aw, that's a shame. I wouldn't mind seeing you even more sweaty," Yang casually flirts.
"The feelings mutual, so how about we finish this little jog of ours?"
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Ruby kicks her feet aimlessly in the air as she lays on her bed. Her hands are behind her head, resting between her hair and hood. She's impatiently waiting as Weiss collects some materials for whatever Weiss-y things she does. Blake is lying in her bed, back against the wall, reading a book. All Ruby wants to do right now is talk to Blake, and ask her for advice. She knows for a fact Weiss is leaving, but she's taking forever to do so.
Weiss packs the last bit of her dust into her pouch and huffs.
"I will see all of you later. Try not to wreck the room in my absence, please."
"I'm here, don't worry," Blake calmly answers, still reading the words of her book.
Weiss nods then leaves the room, closing the door behind her. In a blinding flash of rose petals, Ruby moves from her bed right to the edge of Blake's, catching the Faunus off guard.
"Ruby? What're you doing?" Blake exclaims.
"I need your help," Ruby states, her silver eyes ever serious.
Blake can tell this isn't some trivial matter. She places a bookmark on her page and sets it atop the bookshelf.
"Okay... what do you need?"
Ruby's seriousness starts cracking when she thinks on the subject. She starts poking her fingers together, as her eyes drift to the bed. A slight shade of pink shows itself on Ruby's pale complexion.
"Um... well... you have to promise not to tell Yang!" Ruby shouts.
Blake nods.
"That depends on what the problem is," Blake answers honestly.
Ruby sighs, attempting to build up the courage to ask her question. She takes in a huge amount of air and lets it all out.
"What does it mean if I can't stop thinking of someone and whenever they're around my heart starts beating really fast and it's kind of uncomfortable but nice at the same time so I want to be around this person but I don't know what it means just that I want to be with this person and help them and make them lean on me as I lean on them I think I don't know I can't think straight right now!"
Ruby breaths heavily after letting all of that out. Blake blinks twice in awe, piecing together what Ruby just said.
"Ruby... are you having boy trouble?" Blake lightly chuckles.
Ruby huffs and falls back on Blake's bed.
"I don't know! It is a boy but... I never liked boys! It's so gross. But... I read those adventure novels about how people like each other and they get these weird feelings like how I'm feeling."
"So you like a boy?" Blake clarifies.
"I... I... don't know," Ruby admits. "I don't know what it means. I just feel this way."
Blake looks away, pondering Ruby's predicament. This is definitely not what Blake was thinking when Ruby asked for her help, but it's obvious that the young girl doesn't know how to cope with romantic feelings of any kind. How could she at her age?
"Ruby, feelings are very hard to comprehend, even for me, Weiss, or even Yang. But the only person who can answer that question is you. So... do you like this person?" Blake asks.
Ruby lifts her body off the bed and stares into Blake's orbs. She looks down at the ground and sighs.
"If you don't know," Blake speaks. "Then takes some time to figure it out. Once you do, you'll know whether to act on those feelings or not."
Ruby slowly nods, accepting Blake's response.
"Yeah... alright..."
Blake leans slightly closer and places her hand on Ruby's shoulder.
"I know you might not want to, but I think this might be something to ask an older sister." Ruby's eyes instantly open wide, scared of the thought. "But," Blake continues. "If you need to talk to anyone about this... I'll be here."
Ruby nods at Blake.
"Thanks Blake. I think I'm gonna go for a walk and... think."
Blake gives Ruby her own nod, then picks up her book. Ruby hops off Blake's bed and saunters out of the room, her mind in a completely different world than Remnant. Ruby walks down the hallway and turns to leave the building. After a short walk she reaches the door and embraces the warm outdoors. Birds are singing as they fly over the school. The chit-chat of other students makes the most noise, yet the exact topic of their conversations are a mystery to Ruby. She lazily slogs her through the campus, but her eyes instantly lock onto two people. You and Yang are standing together. She's laughing while you rub your cheek. Ruby smiles at the sight of your joy. Her heart starts beating faster at your smile, and the pure joy emanating from you.
Ruby quickly shakes her head, trying to get her normal mindset back. She turns and walks away from you and her sister. She needs to be away from everyone. She needs to think.
Yang winks at you as she goes back to her jog. You stretch a bit, and as you turn you see Ruby walking away. You stare as the hooded Huntress is walking at a dreadfully slow pace, like she's sad. You raise your brow at her actions, but you don't have the time to pursue her.
"Come on! We're not done yet!" Yang shouts, jogging in place.
You acknowledge Yang, turn to Ruby, and then back to Yang. You huff, slightly frustrated at the situation yet not willing to dwell on it. You're still committed to finishing your activity with Yang, so you begin jogging to her.
"Yeah, yeah, keep your shirt on."
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Dylan's eyes glaze over his scroll, taking in every detail he can. He's been hanging over these plans for hours, making sure he has everything right so nothing will surprise him or you. The attack will begin soon, which means he's got to find you and head out. Dylan runs his fingers along his scroll one last time to assure himself that he has every detail memorized. He's so focused, in fact, that he fails to notice a certain Faunus rest against the door frame of his room.
She crosses her arms and watches the gangly Faunus hover over his scroll.
"Waiting for a message?" Blake teases, though her tone is serious.
Dylan instantly shoves his scroll in his pocket and turns around. Blake has a smile on her face as her shimmering eyes watches him. By the way he reacted, it would very much seem he was waiting for some sort of message – from a girl, most likely. This could work to his advantage to deter Blake from his true intentions.
"You... could say that," Dylan responds, giving Blake a small smile.
After the incident, Dylan has become slightly more open to the other students. But the one who he's gotten closest with is his fellow Faunus, Blake Belladonna. They bicker often about the White Fang and Dylan's own goals, but Blake saves that conversation for when it counts, and recently they've been talking more and more with simple conversation. The more Dylan talks to her, the more her true personality, and even motives for leaving the White Fang, come out. She's interesting, to say the least, if slightly damaged. She hasn't truly opened up to him, not that he's asked her to. But he can't deny the connection that has developed between the two. Likely because the only other Faunus Dylan knows of that Blake talks to is Velvet, though she's often with her own team. He's not complaining, of course. She's his favourite person at Beacon right now, with you... still being an annoyance to him, albeit a welcome annoyance.
Blake lightly pushes herself off the door frame and wanders the room.
"I see. Are you going to be busy with this lady?" Blake poses.
"No. Unfortunately I have... other things to do tonight," Dylan answers.
Blake's eyes fill with intrigue at the vagueness of his answer.
"Oh? Like what?"
Dylan instantly answers, having taken the few seconds to develop a full plan.
"Slater is dragging me somewhere stupid. I'm unsure where, which has me worried. I doubt it's anywhere pleasant."
Blake chuckles.
"He has his moments, but he has better taste than Yang. Remember the club story?"
Dylan smiles at the thought.
"Yeah, I remember. Listen, have you seen Slater?"
Blake thinks for a moment.
"Well, last I heard he and Yang were jogging, but that was hours ago. Weiss saw him walking around, so I'd say he's likely at the docking area. He likes that place, for some reason," Blake explains.
Dylan nods in thanks.
"My thanks, Blake. We'll speak later?"
"Of course."
The two walk out of the room, and Dylan locks it behind him. They walk down the hall until Blake takes a step down a branching hallway.
"Have fun," Blake snickers.
"I'll... try," Dylan responds, hoping that his mission will hold some more success and "fun" rather than the opposite.
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You stand at the edge of the docking area, watching over Vale. The wind is rushing against you, flinging your hair back, making your jacket fly. It's relaxing, and also somewhat entertaining to you. You're simply keeping yourself at ease until it's time to leave. When it comes to the White Fang, you have little to fear, but the waiting is killing you. You've been in desperate need for a distraction lately, mostly to get your mind off of what happened the week prior.
You start to hear the clicking of heels, but you continue to stare off into the distance. The sounds stops as a body rests beside you. You glance over at the blonde teacher beside you: Glynda Goodwitch. That damn riding crop is still with her, but the hand that's holding it is covered by her other hand, which are sitting against her stomach. She's standing as regally as ever beside you.
"Glynda," you greet with a sly tone. "Come to look as awesome as I do? The wind blowing against me really gives me a heroic look, wouldn't you say," you chuckle.
"Still joking around, I see," Glynda shames, shaking her head. "Still, even if you jest I can't help feeling concerned about you."
"Concerned?" You repeat, turning your head to her. "About what?"
"Your condition. How's your sleeping been?" She asks.
You huff, turning back to see the sights.
"Terrible," you admit, allowing your shoulder to fall. "I haven't really slept since then – constantly getting up during the night. Too many... nightmares... Twisted memories..." You speak, slightly twisting your body away and crossing your arms uncomfortably.
Glynda watches you with soft eyes. She's been worried about you this entire time, but she'd has little time to check in on you. Ozpin has decided to adopt the "wait and see" approach after the resolution that came after. She has no doubt that Ozpin knows you're having troubles sleeping, but he's refusing to act upon it as of now. Why? This Glynda does not know, but she trusts Ozpin will do what he thinks is right. Right now, Gylnda is doing what she thinks is right, and that's being there for you. For Jet's child. For her friend. For who she... may... consider...
"It shows. You've been less sarcastic, I hear," Glynda says in an attempt to lighten the mood.
You huff into a smile.
"Who said that? The teachers? You really want me to be a nuisance?" You ask, raising a brow.
"Of course not, but at least your interruptions provide us with a chuckle every now and then."
"Huh... glad to know I'm not that much of an annoyance. Always thought the professors hated me. Especially Port."
Glynda shakes her head.
"No, Port loves you. You're one of the few students who actually participates."
"If by 'participates' you mean ask about his stories, then sure. We'll go with that," you joke.
You and Glynda both chuckle. It soon ends and a silence surrounds you. Glynda clears her throat and speaks.
"Listen, (Y/N), you have my scroll number, correct?"
"I think so... I don't even remember putting it there, to be honest," you sheepishly admit.
"Well," Glynda continues, ignoring your last comment. "If... if you ever need to talk to someone about it... when you have those nightmares... I'll be there," Glynda reluctantly offers, trying to remain as professional as possible yet failing miserably.
You slowly nod in acceptance.
"Alright... maybe I will. We can both stare at the statue of dad together."
Glynda tenses up when you mention that, and you notice. Her grip on her riding crop becomes tighter than ever.
"What? You don't like the statue?" You inquire.
"I remember when Harrier and Jet posed like that," Glynda reveals. "But... well, you could say I have a new perspective on that statue."
You look at Glynda, who's evidently a little shaken at something that you're unaware of. It has to have something with your father, but what? Unfortunately you don't have the chance to ask.
"Slater!" Dylan calls out.
You and Glynda turn to face him. Dylan has his arms crossed as he watches you. He flicks his head behind him. You smirk.
"Listen, Glynda, I have to go. I'll... talk to you later?"
Glynda smiles, then gives you a short bow with her head.
"Of course. I have duties to attend to."
Glynda paces away from you, leaving you and Dylan to yourselves. Dylan slowly approaches you, but continues walking to the very edge of the grounds. You dramatically shrug, then approach the edge beside him.
"So we're ready?"
"Are you?" Dylan rebuts.
"I'd say so, yeah. Maybe a candy bar or something would help, but, you know, can't have everything," you snicker.
Dylan ignores your joke.
"Alright. Well, since we can't get there with a Bullhead without-"
"Yeah, how are we getting there?" You cut in.
Dylan huffs.
"I was explaining that."
"Heh, right. Continue," you slightly wave your arm in front of you to encourage him.
Dylan clears his throat.
"Well, since we can't take anything without being tracked, we'll have to improvise."
"I'm great at improvising, but I can't fly, Dylan. How are we..."
As you speak Dylan lifts one arm forward and closes his eyes. Once your voice drifts off you see a small platform rise from the edge, completely consisting of water. It's not in any specific shape – constantly shifting in size thought consistently being large enough for at least five people. Dylan opens his eyes and huffs.
"Get on. I would rather not use all my aura by the time we get there," he advises as he walks onto the water.
You watch as he steps on it without slipping through the liquid. You reluctantly take a step and tap the water with the tip of your shoe. Dylan rolls his eyes.
"Get on the platform!"
"Give me a minute!" You argue.
You gaze back down at the platform and attempt to place your foot flat on it. Suddenly a hand made of water sprouts from the middle and grasps your torso. It forcefully pulls you onto the platform, making you fall flat on your face.
"HEY! What was that?" You shout, instantly getting onto your feet.
"You were taking too long. Now stop moving so much. It'll take us a few minutes to get there."
The platform starts to soar into the air, a decent distance above Beacon, and only slightly above Ozpin's tower. It starts zooming forward extremely fast, though neither of you seem to be affected by the velocity.
"How are we not falling over?" You ask as your jacket and hair are whipped around.
"I'm gripping our shoes with the water. We'll be stable for as long as I want. So I advise you NOT to annoy me."
You nod with fear.
"Of course, whatever you say."
Dylan chuckles.
"Fun to see you in such a weakened state."
"Hey, I could survive this fall," you say as you look over the edge. "... probably."
"Whatever you say, Slater."
You roll your eyes and place your hands in your pockets. Something crosses your mind and you look down to your belt. You've been so busy today that you forgot to bring along Crimson Blaze. You quickly lift your arm to the air, palm to the sky, and wait. Dylan looks over at you, realizes what you're doing, and returns his gaze forward. After a few minutes, and the terrain changing to the beautiful Forest of Foreverfall, Crimson Blaze cuts through the air and lands in your palm. You grip it tightly then toss it to your belt.
"You're pretty slow if my sword can catch up to you," you comment.
"I'm surprised your sword has that much range," Dylan admits.
"Well, my friend, Dior, is a genius. I'm pretty sure I could be in Atlas and it would still come to me."
"Has that been tested?" Dylan inquires.
"No, it's just an assumption," you admit, shrugging looking to the ground below.
As your eyes scan the area they lock onto a moving object.
"Hey, that's the train!" You inform, tapping Dylan's shoulder.
Dylan looks down and identifies where the train is. His eyes become sharp and his determination strong, even as his heart beats a mile a minute. He doesn't want to go down there only because he knows who will be on that train, but he has to. He needs answers.
"I'll bring us down. Get ready," Dylan declares right before the small platform descends at a rapid rate while getting closer to the train.
Soon the platform hovers over the last car, and splashes onto it, letting you and him land smoothly and quietly. You both lower your bodies close to the car to keep steady, since the wind is constantly trying to push you off. Dylan slithers himself towards a door and opens it up. He gestures for you to come closer, which you do. You hop in first, relieved to not have the wind smashing against your body anymore. Instead it's replaced with rumbling of the train. Dylan lands beside you and quickly looks around. There's nothing but boxes around you, and not that many to make it feel too crowded.
"Alright Dylan, you know this train better than I do. Are they at the very front?" You ask.
"Not the boss, no. She'll be near the middle. It's where the equipment should be," Dylan speaks, approaching the door to the next train car.
You follow him closely, keeping your eyes open and your ears attentive. Dylan opens the next door and instantly stops halfway through. You can see his body tense, even through his clothes. He becomes stiff and disturbed.
"N-No..." He mutters in disbelief.
You lightly push him forward and enter the car with him to see what he sees. You look around the car and the resemblance is uncanny. Bodies are everywhere, just like the village. By the markings on their white uniforms, you can tell these were both employees of the Schnee Dust Company, and Atlas troops. You note that there are far more employees than soldiers, which gives you some reason to believe more could be alive. Or there weren't many soldiers assigned to defend whatever is on this train. You can't say at the moment.
"Well... I hate to break it to you, but the White Fang take NO prisoners."
Dylan shakes his head, disgusted with what he's forced to see.
"You don't hate to break it to me, Slater. This is the very point you and Blake tried to make."
Blake?
Dylan curls his fingers into a fist and tightens it as hard as he can, making his fist shake. He immediately walks towards the next door.
"I'm coming Aza," he whispers to himself.
You quickly catch up with him, not wanting to be in this room any more. It stinks of dead flesh, which you're not a big fan of. But it soon becomes obvious to you that Dylan knows a lot more than he's willing to share, both about this operation and about his interactions with Blake. But that's not of grave importance right now, so you push it to the side for later.
Dylan pushes the door open and enters the next car, followed swiftly by you. This one has little in it, like the first one. A few crates litter the sides, but it's mostly clear. You and Dylan, now side-by-side, run to the next door. However, once reaching the middle, of the car, the next door begins to open. Both you and Dylan stop, your bodies in a stance that's ready for combat. Once the door fully opens a woman walks in. She's very petit, probably shorter than Ruby by your estimates, with pink hair on one half and brown on the other. Her clothing completely consists of white, pink, and brown, with her eyes following along as one is pink and the other is brown. The twirls an umbrella behind her as she almost dances towards you both, a cocky smile on her face.
Dylan breaks a sweat at the sight of his new opponent.
"Neo... damn... this isn't going to be-"
"Oh... my... god..." You say with pure shock.
Dylan looks over at you, becoming even more nervous. If you're worried about her, then there's a huge problem right now.
"You..." You start, taking a step towards Neo. "You... are adorable!"
"Wait, what?" Dylan instantly says.
Both Dylan and Neo are taken back by your comment. Neo, although not compromising her confident attitude, merely stops smiling and tilts her head to the side. You move towards her, your hands open towards her like she's a gift. Dylan reaches out for you, but you're too far out of reach for him to grab.
"Who are you? I've never seen someone so cute in my entire life," you ogle. "Your whole outfit is just adorable and your smile and your eyes... seriously your eyes!" Neo blinks, changing her eyes to white and brown. "Oh. My. God. You can change your eyes too! Dylan, look at her! She's the cutest little thing in all of Remnant!" You call out, looking at him.
"Slater, you moron!" Dylan shouts in a whisper. "She's here to kill us!"
You recoil at his words.
"What? This adorable pile of adorableness?" You look back at Neo, who's simply looking at you. It's like she's observing you more than simply watching you. "She couldn't hurt a fly! She's too cute! Can I poke your cheek? Please?" You beg.
Neo smiles, changing her eyes once more.
"Is that a yes?" You confirm.
Neo nods. You squeal in excitement and slowly close in on her face with your hand. The moment you touch her soft, pale skin, she twirls her umbrella around to hit you. You lean back to dodge the umbrella, then notice her leg coming from the side. You force your body towards her leg, spinning yourself over the leg and landing perfectly. You instantly hop away from her, landing beside Dylan.
"Dylan... why don't you go on ahead? I'll deal with this bundle of cuddles."
"What? Slater, this girl isn't a joke! She-"
"And I'm no joke either, Dylan," you retort, confidently standing before the petite female before you. "Save who you can while I deal with her. Just... don't come back with a bunch of reinforcements and turn on me, huh?" You smirk.
"Keep acting like an idiot and I shall. Just... be careful with this one," Dylan advises.
With that, Dylan runs forward. Neo doesn't even attempt to stop him, so he rushes past her with ease. He exits the car, leaving you and Neo to yourselves. She twirls her umbrella behind her, acting cutesie. You almost die of how adorable she is.
"Man, why do you gotta be on the other team. You're too adorable with your eyes and your size and the get up. I can't hit you. I just can't. I just want to hold you," you vent, making Neo perplexed.
She's heard of you before from various people, and they all have similar things to say with little differences. But this is not how she pictured you. She's unsure whether you're just trying to throw her off guard, or if you genuinely think she's cute. Not that it really matters to her, but it's just a change from what she's used to. Being around Roman, she's usually seen as his lapdog, or as a sadistic killer. Not that they're wrong about the second one, but adorable isn't something she usually hears from an enemy. She can't help but be flattered, but that won't stop her from ending you.
You lightly bounces on the spot, getting ready for what's to come.
"Please don't make me do this. I'd rather take you out to coffee or... I don't know. See, you're distracting me."
Neo tilts her head to the side and winks at you. You place your hand on your heart dramatically.
"Oh, no! You can't do that to me! I think my heart skipped a beat," you profess.
You and Neo slowly approach each other, Neo lowering her umbrella to a sword like grip. You both stare into each others eyes, preparing for what will come. You shake your head to clear all doubts then attempt to get in the game.
Neo is the first to take action, as she twirls herself around and attempts to kick your jaw. You lean back to dodge it and notice her umbrella on her way to hit you as well. You jump back a foot to dodge it, giving Neo time to position herself in a rather cute pose with her open umbrella hovering over her. You smile at the sight, but continue with your goal. You jump towards her and throw a punch. She spins her umbrella infront of her to redirect your punch upwards. As she does this, you look down to see her foot coming straight up at you. With some quick thinking you place your foot on hers to use as a stepping stool. You push off her foot and curl up into a ball as you spin over her, then land extremely close to the ground. You dart your eyes back, plant your hands down, and attempt to sweep kick Neo. She easily recognizes this and flips over your feet, preparing to drive her heel into your back. You roll your body to the side, dodging her heel, then sweep her again with success.
Neo's feet are taken right out from under her as she falls to the side. She looks into your eyes to see a confident aura residing in you. You actually got a hit on her. She won't let you do it again. Before she can land on her side, Neo drives her umbrella into the ground, allowing her to get some space. She lands elegantly, then looks up at you. She instantly recognizes a threat and leans her body to the side, allowing Crimson Blaze, still sheathed, to fly past her and indent into the train car. You roll your shoulders and cast a smile.
"That hurt me, you know, even if it was just a tap," you truthfully say. "Now please, let's stop this. You're too adorable to be a murderer, and I don't want to have to hurt you."
Neo keeps smiling at you, changing her eye colour every once in a while. Although looking confident, she's slightly worried. Not many people have gotten a hit on her before, even if it's as trivial as a sweep. She might have to get serious.
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Dylan rushes through the door, leaving you to deal with Neo. Once the door closes behind him he stops for a moment. He's unsure whether you can handle her. He's seen Neo in action before, and she's someone he hopes he'll never have to fight. Still, you're skilled, even if he hates to admit it. Whether you're good enough to handle Neo is a whole different story.
He shakes his head, clearing those thoughts. You volunteered to hold her back to buy him time. It's a symbol of trust – you know Dylan will do the right thing. Dylan... isn't so sure himself. He needs to find his sister. He needs to find Aza. Dylan steadies himself and rushes forward. He knows what'll be in the next few cars. This one is filled with weapons, as is the next one. After that comes the suits that Roman wanted, and then some basic supplies. No doubt Aza will be with the suits.
Dylan sprints into the next car and instantly stops. White Fang are rummaging through the weapons crates, looking for anything interesting. Of course, they all stop and look at Dylan. He quickly dons a confident persona and continues to walk forward.
"Dylan? I thought you were captured?" A member asks, standing up from his crate.
"You thought they could hold me? Please... now, I can only assume Aza is in charge here. Where is she?" Dylan asks in a cold, calculating manner.
"T-The next car, sir," the same member replies.
Dylan continues walking forward, not daring to be distracted for a moment. He exits the car and enters the next, where Aza is looking over some of the suits. She turns to the door with fire in her eyes, ready to melt whoever disturbs her. That fire is quickly doused when she sees her brother.
"Dylan? I wasn't expecting to see you here. You missed out on all the fun; we're just about to evacuate with the equipment," Aza speaks.
"What happened at the village, Aza?" Dylan asks, getting right to it.
"What? What does that matter?" She replies, stepping away from the suit.
"You had innocents killed – both humans and Faunus. We just wanted the Grimm," he says while taking a few steps away from the door.
"What do they matter? They got in the way of our mission."
"We don't kill other Faunus! That's not what the White Fang do!"
"We fight for our rights!" Aza argues, getting heated. "If other Faunus can't understand that then they don't deserve the revolution we're giving them. Why? What is this?"
Dylan shakes his head.
"Killing innocent people... that won't bring us equality!"
"Equality? We're talking about revolution! Equality will never exist with humans, we must take it from them, Dylan! You knew this!"
"No!" Dylan shouts. "That isn't what I want, Aza."
Aza takes a step towards Dylan, examining him.
"You've changed, Dylan. You would do anything for our cause, and now you're arguing it?"
"No. I want Faunus to have rights, but not by killing all humans! That's war, not revolution!"
Aza huffs.
"They did something to you, Dylan. You... are in the way," she determines, reaching down to her legs and unsheathing two kunai. "Come back with me, and we'll show you the truth."
Dylan can't believe his own sister is drawing her weapons against him. Dylan takes a step back, trying to collect his thoughts. His sister, who he's respected and loved all his life, is willing to kill him for this. Yet you and Blake, people who had every right to kill him, have accepted him with open arms and a few idiotic remarks. Dylan can't accept this. Being away from the White Fang, even for this short amount of time, has almost cleansed him. He doesn't want innocent people to die. He's like Blake. He just wants equality.
Dylan raises his fists and activates his weapon.
"I... I can't do that, Aza. And I can't let you leave with those suits."
Aza raises her brow at her brother's defiance, then chuckles as she closes them.
"I won't spare any enemy of the White Fang... not even my brother."
Aza lights the kunai on fire, then throws them at Dylan. Dylan jabs the air, releasing a torrent of air to send the kunai flying. Aza perfectly twirls over the current and grabs her kunai while doing so. She lands behind Dylan, turning around and attempt to stab her brother. Dylan ducks under the attack, turns his upperbody around, and punches Aza's stomach, sending her flying back above the door. She slams against the ground, laughing.
"You dare attack your sister..." She whispers. "Amazing... you really are a traitor."
Aza pushes herself to her feet and smiles at her little brother. Dylan shimmies back a bit, keeping his distance. He doesn't want to fight Aza, and she knows it. He won't be fighting at his full potential, which means she'll beat him with ease. Aza stretches her neck, cracking it, then rushes towards Dylan. She extends her hand forward then pulls it to herself, summoning a ball of fire behind Dylan. Dylan turns around and notices the fire coming towards him. He backhands the fire back, sending it away with his weapon, but Aza's too quick and manages to hit him with another from the front. Dylan tumbles across the ground but manages to stop himself. He looks up at his sister, who's rushing towards him. Dylan summons some water above her and slams it down. Aza notices at the last second and drops to a slide, shooting fire up to hit the water, causing mist to spread across the whole car.
Dylan scans the space around him, unable to see where Aza went. He keeps his wits about him, making sure to check every angle around him. Suddenly he feels flaming steel rush across his back, cutting into his aura. Dylan jumps back, turns around, and fires his weapon. He only manages to hit one of the suits, which topples backwards, hitting the edge of the car. However, much of the mist is blown away with his attack. Dylan jumps towards one end of the train car, making sure all that's behind him is the door, and begins firing non-stop. The mist begins clearing out, but he has yet to hit Aza yet.
"Be careful, brother," a voice whispers from above.
Dylan looks up, only to be greeted by Aza's heel. She slams down onto his chest, knocking the wind out of him. Then, after digging into his chest some more, she does a front flip which flicks Dylan into the middle of the car. He coughs a bit, but manages to get back on his feet. Dylan fires at Aza, but she instantly counters with flames. The fire consumes the wind he's shooting, edging the heat ever closer to him. Realizing this, Dylan stops firing and attempts to jump back. However, Aza controls the existing fire, and plummets it right at Dylan. Dylan attempts to create water from the particles in the air, but the fire is too powerful and too fast. It blasts its way through the little water Dylan created, and burrows itself into his chest. Aza flicks her fingers up, making the collection of fire arc up and push Dylan against the ceiling.
Dylan cringes in pain as he's forced between immense heat which is quickly draining his aura, and the solid metal behind him, which is also heating up. To his surprise, Aza lets the fire die out, letting Dylan fall towards the ground. However, Aza dashes towards Dylan, kunai in both hands, and attacks. Right as Dylan reaches her height she cuts his side, spins around and knees his back to keep him in the air, then spins her kunai to an icepick grip and jabs his stomach, slamming him into the ground. She masterfully tosses the kunai into the leg holster, then slides her hand up to Dylan's throat and grips it tightly. She drags him across the ground, spins, and throws him into the nearby wall. Dylan slams against the wall then lands on the floor, nearly unconscious with an aura level reaching zero.
Aza looks at her little brother, smiling sadistically. She tosses a kunai between hands as she approaches Dylan for the kill.
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Neo flips around you, spins and kicks. You evade to the side, then go for your own punch. She tilts her head out of the way. You continue by throwing punches, elbows, and backhands at her, but she expertly dodges every single one while somehow keeping a sassy form to her. She backs up an extra foot then moves in with her umbrella, singing it in a figure eight motion. You step to the side each time, evading as she pushes you back. She attempts to kick as you dodge, but you manage to weave yourself under the kick and go for a punch. She moves her head to the side once more, allowing your hand behind her. She attempts to hit you with her free hand, but you slip your arm up to block hers.
You both stand still, eye to eye since you're kneeling. You can see a few lines of sweat from your encounter. Indeed this has been a tiring one for you both, constantly moving and dodging. You've never faced someone like her before, neither in skill nor looks. Yet, somehow, you're enjoying every moment of it. She smiles at you, almost like she commemorating you for your abilities. You smile back.
"You're good, I'll give you that. I suppose you're not just a ball of adorableness, but also one that can kick some serious booty," you speak, breathing a little heavier than normal. "But I feel like this has to end sometime, even if I want to see you for as long as I can."
Neo continues to smile. She still has her umbrella, and she can easily activate the blade and stab you with it. You close your eyes in a humbling manner.
"But... I can't hurt something so cute..."
You open your palm as Neo activates her blade. Neo attempts to move her umbrella until she feels something pushing against her hair and neck. Her eyes shoot open as reality dawns on her.
She lost.
You hold Crimson Blade against her neck, your right arm gripping the sheath while your left holds the hilt. It's firmly pushing against both pink and brown strands of hair.
"The moment I threw Crimson Blaze, I had won," you say in a far more serious manner, not even looking Neo in the eyes. "Well, actually that's give or take," you admit, returning to a cheerful tone. "You were a lot better than I expected, and nearly got me a few times. So, I suppose it was a coin toss."
You stand up straight and fully sheathe Crimson Blaze. You lift it over Neo's head then allow it to return to your hip. Neo watches you with surprise and doubt. Why would you just let her go like that? You could have killed her right there.
"As I said, I can't hurt something so cute, so let's just say I won this bout and you surrendered, hm?" You offer with a smile. "So, I'm gonna be on my way now. I hope you respect that I won and will leave me be now. We'll just say it's one to zero, and perhaps you'll even it out next time we meet?"
You click your tongue and wink at her before walking past her with your guard completely down. Neo's left utterly baffled at the actions of her opponent. You spared her, let her go, and promised to fight again. You flirtariously winked at her, called her cute and adorable even though she would have ended you without a second thought. She turns around and watches you enter the next car. The door automatically closes, separating you two. She frowns a bit, wondering what she should do. For some reason, she respects you. You were able to play her game and not be hit, and even spare her afterwards. She can't attack you. Her body, her spirit won't allow her to. You're unique, the most unique person she's ever fought. Somewhere, deep down, she hopes she'll be able to fight you again too.
The door closes behind you, and the moment you hear that it does you smile. You're hoping you'll meet that adorable little girl again. She's one of the cutest people you've ever seen in your life. Funny enough, that's the second in the last few weeks. The other also being a little shorter than-
Hold on, what am I thinking? Am... am I thinking what I think I'm thinking? About... hm... sheesh, I must be having some sort of adrenaline rush or something.
You shake your head and jog your way through the car. You make it to the end and enter the next car only to find a large amount of White Fang. They all stop and look at you, almost shaken with confusion and fear. You smile and wave.
"Uh... hey there... you don't happen to know where the bathroom is wou-"
"That's Slater! Get him!"
"Oooof course," you moan.
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Aza walks towards Dylan, taking her time to get there. Once she hangs over her defeated brother, she lifts her foot and slams it down on his back, keeping him in place. He coughs at the actions and still tries to struggle, but it does nothing. Aza grinds her heel on Dylan's back.
"I'm so... disappointed in you, Dylan. I thought you to be loyal to our cause, but evidently you're nothing but a filthy traitor, who deserves to die like everyone else. This... this is for the Faunus, Dylan," she recites with zero empathy for her brother. "Know that you did well in ensuring our dominance."
The door to the previous car is broken off it's hinges as a member of the White Fang falls on it. You saunter out of the car into the next, brushing your hands against your jeans.
"Well, that wasn't much fun. So, oh," you notice Aza and Dylan. "Well, that doesn't look to good. You need some help there, Dylan?" You offer.
Dylan angrily groans at you, causing you to chuckle.
"I can leave if you'd rather handle this yourself."
Aza stares at you with pure anger.
"Slater..." She grinds her teeth. "You... brought Slater here?" She hisses, looking down at Dylan.
"Hey, you brought more friends than he did, so I think it's fair. You gotta remember: quality, not quantity. Though that adorable ice-cream girl was pretty good."
"Shut up!" Aza barks. "You... you will die right here, right now."
You raise your brow at Aza. She's too easy in your eyes. She's extremely irritable, which means your idiotic banter will either throw her off her game, or make her do something irrational. Both work for you, so you feel little threat at the moment. You roll your neck around and shrug.
"Meh, I don't feel that threatened right now. How about you get off my friend, first?"
Dylan notes that statement. Aza simply laughs at it.
"Friends? You two? Brother, you're an utter failure. Watch how a true Brine deals with a Slater."
Aza steps off Dylan and moves closer to you.
"I'll deal with this filth."
You look around the car.
"Yeah, it is a little dirty. You do that while I go check up on Dylan," you agree, casually strolling towards Dylan.
Aza flicks her wrists, allowing two kunai to slip into her hand. She slices at your head, which you duck under. You see the second kunai coming at your level, which you easily guide her hand away from you, then thrust your open palm into her stomach, forcing her across the train car.
"That's not very effective cleaning," you remark, getting beside Dylan.
You kneel down and flip Dylan over. He's cringing, but he doesn't seem too hurt. There's no blood, so that's a good sign. You pat his chest.
"Come on Dylan, you survived a Bullhead crash. You'll be fine."
You pull him up and support him on your shoulder, letting him hang off you. Dylan looks up at his sister, who's raring to go for more.
"Fight her... don't worry about me..."
You look over at Aza, then back to Dylan.
"Sorry man, you're my partner for this and, if I remember correctly, I have to work on my team skills. So you're number one right now, bucco."
Aza summons a massive amount of fire and throws it at you. You jump to the side, but more comes from all directions. You turn around and jump towards the door and into the next car. Dylan notices that all the White Fang members are scattered across the area, moaning in pain. You didn't kill them. Aza keeps the heat on, pushing the fire through the door to you. You book it to the next door. Realistically you could deal with this fire and with Aza, but you don't want to leave Dylan in his current state. You can leave Dylan in another car, then come back for Aza.
You push open the door and allow it to close behind you. You recall that Neo is in the next car. You pray she's not hostile right now, cause you can't deal with her and Aza right now, especially not with Dylan hanging off you. Soon enough Aza breaks through the door, throwing over a dozen flaming kunai at you. Your eyes widen in an almost cartoonish manner as you wail. You jump forward, pulling Dylan close and twirling like a bullet. After a few kunai pass you, you separate your bodies just enough for a kunai to pass through the two of you. You pull him close again, then land on your feet. You bolt into the next car and, to your relief, Neo is no longer there.
You close the door behind you and run to the middle of the car. You set Dylan down on the side, making sure he's comfortable.
"Alright, stay here. I'll go deal with the hot head," you smirk.
You stand up and rush to the door. You open it up and go to take a step, but you immediately stop yourself when your foot lands on nothing. You look forward to see the train leaving you behind. Aza and Neo are standing at the door, smiling at you. Neo winks and blows you a kiss, while Aza simply gives you a death stare, then turns away. Neo stays to watch as you fall out of sight. Soon enough, the train leaves you in the dust.
You slam your fist against the wall.
"Damnit!"
"I... I told you to leave me," Dylan coughs, slowly walking towards you. "She was pushing you back to this car. The rest of them have the supplies she came for."
You look at Dylan, then to the ground and sigh.
"Well... damn, we didn't accomplish a thing," you huff.
"Not necessarily. I managed to permanently disable a suit or two with my electrified air shot. Not that Aza noticed," Dylan smirks. "So it wasn't all a waste."
You and Dylan walk away from the door and go back to the middle of the car.
"So the people in the back were dead?" You question.
"Afraid so. There's nothing more we can do now."
You pull out your scroll and start fiddling with it.
"What're you doing?" Dylan asks.
"I'm sending a tip to the Atlas military. The sooner they know the sooner they can track them down. I'd offer to do it myself, but with the semester starting soon I don't want to get too invested."
"Hmph," Dylan acknowledges.
He turns his gaze to you. Something about what just happened and what you said. It hit him. Saying he's your partner, not leaving him behind, and actually giving a damn about all of this. He really was blinded by the White Fang. You're an annoying, idiotic, loudmouthed buffoon, but you're not all that bad in reality. Dylan turns away, having trouble admitting he was wrong about you. He's always right, and he always has things completely planned out. But this? Having Slater call him a friend was not something he ever anticipated. Yet, he likes it.
"Hey Slater," Dylan speaks.
"Hm? Yeah?" You innocently ask.
"So I'm your friend, huh?" He chuckles.
You shrug, laughing. You don't give a real answer. Dylan can't help but smirk. Nothing went the way he wanted today, yet, somehow, he's not disappointed at all.
What a way to kick off Volume 2. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and are ready for more. We're finally getting to the point where you'll see actual events from the show. Also... well... some romance may bloom this Volume. Who knows? Anyway, I'll see you all next time!
FACT: Fight scenes are surprisingly easy to write for me, but Neo has proven to be a challenge due to her fighting style. When I come up with fight scenes, I usually come up with more than I write, and save some for later (future Neo fight confirmed). Location also helps too. But again, due to Neo's constant dodging and quick movements, it's extremely difficult to write exactly what Neo does. Seriously, try describing Neo vs. Yang, or even her time fighting Ruby. She's very hard to plan, but I think I've come up with some scenes for her you'll all like.
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