- - -
It was a tight fit in the rocket locker, but Jaune was all too familiar with making calls when trapped in them (thanks Cardin). He got his Scroll out and dialed the first people on his call list even as he was jostled and slammed around. Still, he got his message out:
"Ruby! Weiss! You need to go help Pyrrha out! She's fighting Cinder alone! And Cinder's got-She's got some kind of power boost! They're at the top of Beacon Tower, help her! Please!"
Thankfully, Ruby answered-Apparently for both herself and Weiss.
"We're on it, Jaune! Just hold on, we'll-!"
The rocket locker landed hard on the ground. Jaune barely stayed on his feet and was slammed around. He cradled his Scroll in his arms, trying to protect it. The locker shuddered to a halt, and Jaune sucked in a deep breath. He summoned up his Aura and punched through the door. He stumbled out into the light. He winced against the light, but his vision soon cleared.
He had landed in Hell: Grimm were rampaging all over the outer courtyard. Civilians were running and screaming. The smell of blood and smoke filled the air. Jaune looked around, taking a few deep breaths.
He was squeezing his Scroll tightly. A few Grimm Beowulves turned their red eyes and snarled at him. Fear filled him, and all of his old fears and insecurities reared their heads.
"I can't lose you… I love you. Goodbye…"
He shouldn't be here. He was never supposed to be here. Even Pyrrha didn't think he would. Why else would she send him away?
He was useless.
The weak link.
Nothing had changed, had it?
Nothing at all-
He saw a familiar Huntress-in-Training sitting against a nearby wall. Her head was bowed. She held onto a sniper rifle but she wasn't using it. A pack of Beowulves were advancing on her, yet she didn't seem to care.
Jaune took one last deep breath. He tucked his Scroll away and pulled his weapons out. He charged for the nearest Beowulf. It lunged for him, but he stunned it with his shield and slashed its head off. The rest of the Beowulves tried to flank Jaune, but he swung his blade hard and fast, his anger fueling him as Pyrrha's training guided him through every step and strike.
One two three… Four five six… Six three one…
In moments, the Grimm were all dusted. Jaune turned to the girl. She looked up, revealing her red hair and single visible blue-gray eye under her bulky hoodie.
"May, right?" Jaune asked quietly. She stared at him.
"Come on," he said, "We gotta get out there."
"I…" May trembled. "M-My team… They're all…"
Jaune looked around. He saw some remains in a pile some distance away. He covered his mouth and tried to focus on staying calm. He could recognize the clothes through the blood.
He took another deep breath. He turned back to May.
"I know," he said quietly, "I-I'm sorry. We can't change that. But we can save other people. Someone I really care about is fighting for her life-For all of us. We need to help her. I-I can't do it alone."
He held out his hand. May stared at it like it was something utterly alien.
"Come on," he said, "We can't… We can't let anyone else lose what you have."
May shivered for a moment. She took a deep breath. She took Jaune's hand. He yanked her up to her feet. Her eyes glowed gently and she gasped.
"DUCK!"
Jaune dropped instinctively as May pulled her sniper rifle and opened fire. Jaune looked over his shoulder: Two Grimm Ursas were falling apart. Jaune stood up, and looked back at May. She was panting hard, but stared at him intently. Jaune smiled.
"Good job," he said.
"I…" She nodded. "Y-Yes…"
She still couldn't look at what was left of her comrades. Jaune couldn't blame her… But he couldn't let her focus back on that.
"Come on, let's go," he said, pulling out his Scroll with one hand, while taking her hand with the other. He dialed his friends as he led her away to some pillars for cover.
"Nora, Ren! Pyrrha's fighting against Cinder at the top of Beacon Tower! We gotta back her up!"
Static blared at him, before Nora's voice came through.
"Jaune-Jaune?! You're okay?!"
"Yes," Jaune said, "We're near the outer dorms! We'll meet you at the library!"
"Gotcha! We'll see you there!" Nora cheered. "Don't worry, we've got this!"
Jaune nodded. He turned to May and held his sword and shield up.
"Can you make it to the library?"
May trembled, but managed a nod. Jaune nodded back and smiled even as it seemed like the world was falling down around them. His father had always met every battle with a big, bright smile.
A warrior never lets anyone see how scared he is. If he looks like he has no worries and they can win? Then victory is always possible.
"All right. Let's go!"
- - - -
"That's…" Yang gaped at Jaune before turning to May with a heartbroken expression. "May… I can't even…"
May slowly nodded, her eyes still down on the table. Arslan squeezed her hand tightly. Jaune for his part was able to reach over to squeeze May's other hand. May didn't look up but she seemed a little less tense.
Isabel cleared her throat.
"We can stop at any-"
"No," May murmured. "We… We keep going… I'm sorry."
Jaune looked over at Ren and Nora. Nora had tears in her eyes but she nodded.
"Renny and I were at the cafeteria," she said, "So we headed off to go and help Jaune-Jaune. We headed off and fought through a lot of Grimm and some White Fang jerks."
Ren nodded. He glanced over at Cardin, who was holding Velvet. The tall redheaded boy took a deep breath. He tightened his grip around the rabbit Faunus girl.
"At the same time…"
Velvet grimaced deeply.
"We… Well…"
- - -
Cardin Winchester's head was ringing when he came to. He pushed himself to his feet, panting softly. He shook his head to try and clear it. He looked around.
Dove, Sky, and Russel were lying on the floor. Just where that Mercury dick and that Emerald bitch had left them after clobbering them at the entrance to the main tower. Cardin headed over to Russel: The Dust specialist had to have some Healing Dust. He dug into Russel's belt pouches and pulled out some white cartridges.
"Good," he muttered. "Shit… Okay, uh…" He channeled his Aura to try and heal up Russel first. He was better at this kind of crap, after all, and-
He heard the loud whistles of rockets. He looked over his shoulder and his eyes widened in horror. Several rockets screamed right for them! He summoned his Aura and got in front of his team to try and protect them.
Gotta time this just right-!
"YAH!" He swung Executioner and unleashed a Fire Dust blast. Several rockets went up in huge explosions… But two got through. They hit the tower overhead. Cardin looked up and gaped as the outer superstructure began to fall.
"Shit shit SHIT!" Cardin shouted. He ran as hard as he could, throwing himself out of the way of the debris as it fell behind him with a cacophony of booms and crashes. He was blown out of the way by the impact, landing in a tumble. He again struggled back to his feet and looked back at the flaming wreckage. He stormed back in, holding his arm up to protect his face.
"Damnit, damnit…!"
Gunfire erupted nearby, and bullets shot around him. He glared at the White Fang troops and ran for it as the rounds whizzed over his head. He clenched his free fist as he sprinted away.
"Damnit, damnit, damnit…!"
These animals had… Had killed his team… His team…!
They were working with the Grimm! How in the hell could someone work with the Grimm?!
What the hell was going on?!
He just kept running. An Ursa charged in front of him, but he slammed Executioner down on its skull and it fell apart as it died. He kept running, as fast as he could, until he came to a stop near some pillars. It was the library. He could see people running and screaming, fires burning, Grimm snarling and attacking while Hunters and Huntresses and even police fought White Fang terrorists. He panted for breath.
He could see Team CVFY fighting nearby. Adel was unleashing hell with her gatling gun, while Fox and Yatsuhashi covered her at close range. Velvet was over trying to help some fallen civilian, an old woman, with her injuries. Everything was muted, as though he was underwater.
The same White Fang troops opened fire with more rockets. Coco tried to shoot them down, but they slammed into the ground nearby. Massive explosions went off, consuming Coco, Fox and Yatsuhashi. Velvet and the civilian were blown away, Velvet trying to keep herself between the blast and the old human woman.
Do something, Cardin's mind screamed, even as his body remained frozen, Do something…!
Velvet looked up shakily, and gaped in horror at the flaming ruins. Cardin couldn't see anything beyond flames, smoke and rubble. Just like his team…
Do something!
Velvet looked over at the White Fang troops approaching her, holding up guns and swords. Her eyes were blank in shock and horror. The White Fang troops raised their guns.
DO SOMETHING!
"RAWRRR!"
His yell got their attention. He slammed Executioner down and unleashed a Fire Dust blast at the ground underneath their feet. The tiled ground bucked and shattered from the force, sending debris up like shrapnel. Several of the White Fang troops fell screaming, while others opened fire. Cardin charged through, his Aura flaring, as he swung Executioner around. He unleashed more Fire Dust blasts, blasting the White Fang troops away.
One wielding a large chainsaw sword dodged around the blasts, and swung for Cardin. He held up Executioner and blocked the hit. There was enough force that it shoved him back. He took another hit, and another, and another. The chainsaw wielding Faunus was fast, and had full Aura. Cardin couldn't keep up, and another hit to his gut slammed him back into the rubble. Cardin grit his teeth and struggled back up. The White Fang Faunus held his chainsaw sword up overhead, a smug, bloody smirk on his face.
He couldn't see Velvet anywhere.
I've gone fucking insane, he thought, I'm dying to save an animal… After failing my team… Failing everyone…
Cardin summoned up some saliva, and spat it at the White Fang trooper as he swung down on him.
Well, he thought grimly, At least… I saved someone. At least… I did one thing right in my-
"AAUUUGHH!"
A hail of bullets tore the White Fang trooper apart. Cardin gaped, then looked to his right. Velvet jogged up, holding up a Hardlight Dust version of Coco's gatling gun. She was trembling, but her face was set. She reached down to Cardin. He took her hand as she pulled him up.
"Th-Thanks," he managed between labored breaths.
Velvet nodded back shakily. Her eyes were hard despite the tears in her eyes. They both looked and saw more White Fang troops and Grimm advancing.
"We'll hold them here," Cardin decided, looking around. "Can't let them get any further."
"And we won't leave a single bloody fuck alive," Velvet snarled, tightening her grip on her hardlight weapon.
As strange as it sounded… Cardin's heart skipped a beat and his cheeks turned red when he heard her accent come out.He shook his head.
"Not a single one," he agreed.
Fuck, I really am going insane, he thought, reloading Executioner and getting ready for the next wave of enemies.
- - -
U
