[Argento] - "So, what're you guys feeling?"
Over the past while, progress has been slower than I would've liked. Despite my remarkable reading speed, it took me almost two weeks to finish my Laboratory Directory in my off time.
On top of that, I then had to make personal schematics for the machines I wanted to custom-build. To do this, however, I had to brush off the skills I held on Earth, though if I'm correct I'll be using those skills much more often.
So it was with mixed feelings that I found myself in the Amphitheatre in my battle clothes, picking out a mission with my teammates. On the one hand, I just want to focus on finishing my lab; I've been looking forward to all the possibilities that open as soon as I'm done setting it all up.
On the other hand, though, I am here to become a Huntsman. Even if it's a beginner's mission, everyone has to start somewhere.
[Celestia] - "Assuming it's all put at first-year capabilities, I can't see a lot of this being very exciting."
[Dawn] - "Oh come on, a few of these aren't bad. What about the patrol with the Vale Police?"
[Eugene] - "That specifically states the residential district, so the likelihood we actually do anything "Police" related is low."
[Argento] - "How about wall scouts?"
[Eugene] - "If it's anything like the job my former tribesmen tried, then because of how green we are there would be no action unless it is necessary."
[Celestia] - "Damnit, why do all of these missions feel like those fluff pieces in the news?"
[Oz] - "Because if we didn't do that, Ms. Zeros, no one would take missions until we do Huntsman Shadowing."
With the sudden sound of Ozpin's voice, we all turn to face him. Seeing as he has our attention, he looks back at the tablet nestled in his arm as he continues.
[Oz] - "I assume most of you are looking for something more… combat-oriented?"
[Eugene] - "I wouldn't particularly put it that way, more just something that has substance."
[Oz] - "Well as it just so happens, we do have a mission that will have some, as you put it, substance."
As he says this he taps on something, and when he swipes up two of the missions spread apart, making way for another mission to make its appearance.
[Celestia] - "Grimm Clearance?"
[Oz] - "As you will find in the mission details, you and a few other teams will spread throughout the Forever Fall Forest and clear out any Grimm you come across. Though there normally aren't too many who make the forest their home, we like to take caution with the upcoming class period your year will spend out there."
[Argento] - "Sounds good to me. But if this isn't normally available to first years, I assume it'll be second or third years going out with us?"
[Oz] - "That is correct, though other than the ride there and back you shouldn't need to be around them a whole lot. Now that you have your mission you best be off, takeoff is in about 30 minutes."
As he says this he walks off, giving a farewell smile to me before he casually sneaks off to one of the other high-level teams from our year.
[Dawn] - "Do you think he's going to the other teams to not show favoritism?"
[Argento] - "Nah, he's the type to give this opportunity to the best or most promising teams of their year."
We continue to talk about some random things, and eventually, we make it to one of the several landing pads spread along the outskirts of Beacon grounds. Standing around a dormant airship were a few teams from the second and third years, and an unmistakable professor at attention with a tablet in hand.
Instead of his usual three-piece suit, he wore a plain black shirt tucked into grey pants that were tucked into calf-high military boots. Over the plain black shirt was a long, black leather jacket, reaching just above his thighs, with sleeves that stopped at his bulging biceps.
With black fingerless gloves, his normally slicked-back white hair now simply pushed back, and a belt holding two pistols at his hips, it was easy to tell they were simply there for backup. This is due to the behemoth of a sword that was attached to his back, almost matching his 7-foot frame in height and his monstrously-sized muscles in width.
Giving my team a once over to ensure we were taking this mission seriously, Russo nodded his head in some form of approval before he moved his attention back to his tablet. Tapping a few more times, he suddenly lowers it, bringing everyone's attention to him.
[Russo] - "It looks like the final team has shown up. As our roster is full, we shall set off early, so everyone get on."
With some looks given our way, most of which are simply curiosity, we all load into the now departing airship. Almost immediately Professor Russo brings the team leaders to a small holographic table to decide where we would each search.
[Russo] - "Alright, the first thing to cover is the elephant in the room. Everyone here should at least be knowledgeable of each other, minus the only first-year team.
This is Argento Chrono, leader of Team AZTC. Before any of you begin to have doubts or complaints, just know that they are the most capable team of their year; otherwise, they would not be here.
Now onto the main subject of today, the mission. I won't bother with the details, as that was all in the summary, but what we must decide is where each team will be."
Turning the holographic table on, he begins messing with it until the whole of the forest is brought up, and split into unlabeled sections. Taking a look with the rest of the team leaders, it immediately becomes obvious they are using past knowledge to balance out the Grimm density with the area to cover.
[Russo] - "As most of you have already noticed, each of these sections is sized based on how many Grimm you should encounter. However, I must repeat that it is how many you SHOULD encounter.
The smallest areas were previously where the highest density has been encountered before, so that is where you third years are going to be sent, but this is subject to change. Previous years have shown that every few years, at random, the density will shift around.
Sometimes it is a small shift, others it is a large shift, and this is why we normally only take second years and above."
Then while pointing at the largest area, which is close to a lot of the smallest areas, he looks directly at me.
[Russo] - "Argento, I want your team here. From what I've seen from class you should have a good enough head on your shoulders, so do you know why I want you here?"
[Argento] - *Nods* "I believe I do. Although it should be the least dense, given the proximity it holds to the most problematic areas it is the most likely to become the higher density should the data shift.
On top of this, the areas bordering the denser sections will most likely hold a higher concentration even without a shift. Should we be overrun, we have a high enough mobility to run, or if that isn't an option we should be able to hold out until help arrives."
[Russo] - "Precisely, but to be safe I want your team to begin in an area that borders one of the other big sections. This way it gives the high-density teams time to find out whether the shift has happened, and preferably where it went.
Finally, before I place the rest of you in places, I want you all to count how many Grimm you encounter, and if you can, categorize them by type as well. If your number goes up too fast in a larger sector, or too slow in a small sector, I want you to be on your guard and report it back."
With some finer details on what "too fast" and "too slow" meant, the meeting finally ended after a few more minutes. Getting back to my team, I let them know of the important parts as we wait.
Five minutes of travel later, out of the window we sat next to, I saw the beginnings of a massive body of red trees. With Russo now opening the back of the moving airship, he begins calling forward each team as we fly over their sector.
Because of the way we flew in, my team was called after the first four, being among the middle of the group. On the signal to jump, we all enact a landing strategy for more vertical falls.
As I plummet closer to the ground calmly observing the direct area around me, I don't bother looking at Celestia to know she is simply using her wings. To my left is Eugene who has several of his blood beads currently out, using the blood for wings to control his descent.
Above me is Dawn standing on a small glowing platform that is speedily bringing her down, and training my eyes back to the forest I see spots of black in the distance. Right before I hit the ground I crank up the Object-Time-Slow for myself, suddenly losing the vast majority of my momentum as I land softly on the ground.
Walking straight to the black I saw from above, a still-flying Celestia brings out her sniper to gain a better visual as the others land next to me. Once we get just far enough to not be noticed, Celestia makes her way to us.
[Celestia] - "It looks to be two Ursa and 4 Boarbatusk."
[Dawn] - "Damn, already? Should we report this or just wait and see if we find more like it?"
[Argento] - "The Professor did say it was rare, but that also means it isn't out of their calculations yet. We should wait a bit more, but in the meantime how about we get some exercise in?"
Making a quick on-the-fly plan, we decided a surprise attack would be best. So to that end, Celestia flies back up and takes aim with her sniper.
Because of the Boarbatusk's lower rating, she aimed for one of their heads while they faced away from her. With a loud bang, no doubt catching the other Grimm's attention, the bullet swiftly pierced through the tar-like body and cracked the skull casing from the inside, killing one of the Boarbatusk immediately.
With the surprise now gone, I charge forward first as the main front-liner of our team. Before they are able to react I slow time, appearing underneath an Ursa as I swing my katana in an arc overhead, beheading it as I return to normal time.
Now fully reacting, the other Ursa and a Boarbatusk go for me from opposing directions as the other two Boarbatusks rush Eugene and Dawn. Their lack of air support made Celestia's shots perfectly accurate at this range, taking out the one going for Dawn in the same way as before.
As the pincer of Grimm closed in on me, I rushed toward the charging Boarbatusk and jumped over it, flipping in the air to aim a throwing knife in the same spot Celestia had been aiming at. Before I could land behind the now-dead Grimm, I saw a moderately sized light sword stab through the back of the final Boarbatusk.
Once my feet hit the ground, I dash straight at the still-charging Ursa, and as I reach it tendrils of blood can be seen wrapping around its limbs. Without the ability to escape its restraints, I easily vault onto its bony spikes and decapitate it with my chokuto blades.
Hopping off the now-falling body, the others meet me in the middle of the minor clearing these Grimm were in. When we do, I see a confused-looking Dawn staring at me.
[Dawn] - "So not to doubt your decision-making, but why didn't you simply go under the second Ursa like last time?"
[Argento] - "It's simple, if I only kill them one way then I may never find other ways that could be better. Like how surprising it from the front or back is different, and both of the methods I used would be better for one or the other."
[Eugene] - "That makes sense, stagnation leads to the loss of creativity."
As we joke around, Celestia decides to fly up to see if she can spot any more around. Only a minute later she comes back down with a strained smile.
[Celestia] - "So Argento, what did the Professor say the chances of a large-scale shift were?"
[Argento] - "He didn't go into large detail, but he said the larger shifts are, as common sense would depict, less likely to occur. Why?"
[Celestia] - "Oh no reason, I was just wondering why I saw another three groups of Grimm in the area, though they aren't relatively close they are still within scope-distance."
[Eugene] - "Did you see what these groups looked like?"
[Celestia] - "Yeah, one to the west has a few Beowolves, the one to our Southeast was a mix of the three we've seen so far. The last one was North, consisting of a few Ursa, and is also conveniently going in the direction of the smaller sections."
[Dawn] - "So, team leader, do you think we should report this back or continue to wait?"
Seeing the slight smug satisfaction Dawn was taking from this, I pointlessly looked away once her sarcasm-heavy words left her mouth.
[Argento] - "...It probably wouldn't hurt to give the Professor an update."
Ignoring the grin on Eugene and Celestia's faces at Dawn one-upping me, I use the earpieces the team leaders were given at the end of the meeting to contact Russo. After updating him on what we found so far, he goes silent for a few seconds.
[Russo] - "Do you think you can do this?"
[Argento] - "No doubt Professor. And should it start getting too much I will contact you again."
[Russo] - "Alright, and though I feel it unnecessary I will remind you to be cautious as you move forward."
With the connection cutting off, I relay our semi-orders to continue, and with a collective agreement we decide to go for the Beowolves first. Upon arrival, we are unable to get close enough before the Beowolves use their canine-like senses to charge us first.
With the full cover the trees are currently giving, Celestia chose to switch her sniper to its PDW form and circle around while hovering barely above the ground. While she began peppering them from various angles, I moved in on three of them while Dawn and Eugene took on the remaining three.
With the confusion they got from Celestia's peppering, I easily slipped between two of them and forcefully stuck my chokuto blades out at my sides. Piercing through the temple area that was just barely not covered because of the angle I stabbed at, I twist my blades to ensure their death.
Before I can pull them out I have to jump over the last Beowolf that lunged at me. As I am midair I see Celestia focusing fire on the Grimm around the others, which led to one being stabbed through the head from below by a light spear and another's head popping off after a blood rope constricted around its neck.
Taking out my katana as I come down, I do a full spin and decapitate my Beowolf as Eugene guts the last one to death. Taking a second to collect my abandoned blades, the others came closer to me as the just-finished battle left none of us tired.
[Celestia] - "So I know we kind of wanted this, but we have a long day ahead of us, don't we?"
And to that, I could only sigh.
<3rd Person POV>
[Santiago] - "God dammit, why are there so many?!"
As Santiago said this, a Grimm claw slammed into his side, making his aura shield break as he was thrown back into a tree. Before the Ursa next to the dazed student got the chance to kill him, a turquoise blur flew through the Grimm's head.
[Turk] - "Just hang in there Santiago, I already called for the Professor. We just have to wait for evac."
As he was finishing his sentence another Ursa began charging at the pair of them. With another blur Turk's figure disappeared, appearing directly above the Ursa as his broadsword was shoved through its head.
As each member of Team TRQS struggled to hang on while surrounded by an unnatural number of Grimm, even for their designated density, a similar scene was playing out across the many different sectors of the Forever Fall Forest.
Above said forest was a speeding airship, flying at maximum speed in an attempt to pull out all teams currently calling for help. Inside said airship was Russo, staring at the holographic map that slowly kept filling in each sector with red as more calls for help came.
No longer holding back, he punches in the direct line his higher-ups gave him as a Professor. Only a second passes before a screen pops up above the map, showing Ozpin at his desk with Glynda standing behind him.
Having seen it was Russo, who just so happened to be the professor in charge of Argento's mission, Ozpin held an uncharacteristically serious look. Though Glynda almost always looked serious, she had a much more sharp look in her eyes this time.
Knowing this line would only be used this early if something went very wrong, all pleasantries were skipped.
[Oz] - "What happened, Russo?"
[Russo] - "Grimm, that's what. Every sector has reported a shift in the speculated numbers, but every single one of them was reporting an increase.
That would be bad enough if it weren't for their sheer numbers. I have almost every third-year team calling for immediate evac and a lot of worried second-years, but I'm only one man with one ship.
If reinforcements don't come soon, we may have multiple deaths on our hands."
Without Ozpin even having to say anything, Glynda immediately storms off, shouting orders into her scroll for available teachers. Trusting in his right hand's judgment, he continued focusing on Russo.
[Oz] - "You mentioned the third and second years, but what about AZTC?"
[Russo] - "We both know that Argento has a good head on his shoulders. If he suspected trouble, he would've contacted me already. My only worry is that he has this year's Prime Sector as his patrol."
[Oz] - "What's the Prime Sector?"
[Russo] - "It's what we name the sector that borders the smallest sectors, and since it normally is in the center of the forest he is, by now, probably reaching the heart of the forest. Usually, this wouldn't be bad, but this year the heart is located equidistant to all of the small sectors' borders."
[Oz] - "Just be ready to evac AZTC as well, though if we're lucky your reinforcements will get there fast enough to not need it."
With the conversation over, as Russo reached one of the evac points, Ozpin cuts transmission as he leans back in his seat. Closing his eyes and sighing heavily, his wisened mind immediately catches onto details without even being there.
[Oz] - 'This is probably an attack, but it's hard to believe it's a present from her. It's near-impossible for her to have learned of his being alive, and even then he took the mission right before it started.
If it was her though, how would she get this to happen? And if so, is she truly just trying to kill students?'
As the resilient mind of Ozpin continued to roll over, Glynda coordinated with Russo and the other Professors to maximize their chances of saving everyone. Among these wishes to save everyone, there was the biggest question.
How?
Having been steamrolling our section of the forest with a 15-minute rest every hour, our third break had just ended as Celestia went to scout. It took her an unnatural amount of time, but after almost 15 minutes she came back.
[Argento] - "What caused you to take so long?"
[Celestia] - "I found a lack of Grimm, so I decided to scout further ahead than normal. And it was abnormal, to say the least."
[Dawn] - "What was abnormal?"
[Celestia] - "We haven't noticed because we've been too far away, but as I moved further north I began seeing large-scale movement from the directions of the small sectors. They were all converging somewhere."
[Eugene] - "It's a long shot, but did you find the why?"
In response to this, she brought out her scroll, which held the map of the forest I shared with them earlier. Taking a second to look at it, she circles a portion of our sector that wasn't too far.
[Celestia] - "No clue what, but I know they were generally going toward here. Anyone have any ideas as to why this area in particular?"
As I think over this information, I roughly gauge the distance on the map and small pieces begin falling together to partially fill the gaps.
[Argento] - "Celestia, you said there was a lack of Grimm between us and this location?"
[Celestia] - "Yeah, if there is any then it's in small portions that were hidden by trees. Why?"
Without answering her I activate the earpiece, and as it patches through a voice that isn't Russo's comes through.
[Turk] - "Argento of AZTC, before you say anything Professor Russo is currently evacuating another team of third years from their sector. Is this an evacuation request or something that needs to be brought up with the Professor?
[Argento] - "It's not evac, but what do you mean another? How many teams has he evacuated?"
Hearing the emphasis on evacuation, the rest of my team throws me serious and confused looks.
[Turk] - "Just us and this next team, but other professors have already departed from Beacon to begin mass evacuation of each team that needs it. All third-year teams have called for evac, and from what I know the whole forest is unnaturally full of Grimm."
[Argento] - "Okay, can you pass a message to Russo as soon as he gets back?"
[Turk] - "What's the message?"
[Argento] - "The Grimm from the small sectors are mass-congregating onto the heart of the forest. Our way is clear and safe, so my team is going to investigate what might be causing this."
[Turk] - "What?! But that's -"
[Argento] - "Dangerous? Yes. Stupid? Maybe. But if I'm right about the cause then if we don't get there soon all evidence will be destroyed by the massive horde of Grimm.
Don't worry, no amount of evidence is worth our lives, so should we get into trouble, running will be our top priority. AZTC out."
As the third year begins yelling something I forcefully cut the connection, and look seriously toward my teammates.
[Dawn] - "Are we really going toward the massive horde of incoming Grimm?"
[Argento] - "Listen, this is a less than optimal plan, but the more I piece things together the more I believe something important is at their converging point. We have to get there before they do."
[Eugene] - "So what are we waiting for?"
Before I could ask if they were sure they wanted to follow, the looks in their eyes told me everything I needed to know. So I simply turn on my heel and begin running straight to the heart of the forest.
With directions from both Eugene and Celestia, and a few Grimm I killed as quickly as possible, we finally arrived at a dense collection of thick, red trees. I would've been looking around for what was causing this if it hadn't been for the massive tree trunk holding a strange machine big enough to pass for the rest of the tree.
As I tell Eugene and Dawn to begin taking pictures from every angle, and Celestia to take off above the trees to check the Grimm horde's ETA, I use the earpiece again. My call goes through almost as fast as before, and once again I don't find the chance to begin as the other side speaks first.
This time it was Russo who picked up, but even he can't finish as a voice I am happily familiar with yells over him.
[Russo] - "Argento -"
[Glynda] - "What the hell is going through that head of yours to think going toward a massive Grimm horde is a good idea?! If the next words out of your mouth are anything but a request for evac we are going to have a very long talk, young man!"
[Argento] - "How about 'I found what is causing this, but it's too big to carry out so I need a team of Huntsmen to come help defend it so we can find out who caused this'?"
A few seconds pass as I don't hear anything, but then I feel my scroll vibrate as my earpiece cuts out. Pulling it out and accepting the call, I am pulled into the video conference currently held between Russo and Glynda.
[Glynda] - "Show me."
Not needing further clarification, I switched my camera around to show the massive machine that was currently being photographed by my team.
[Argento] - "Let me begin by saying I never planned to risk their lives for this. They're taking pictures so that if we get overrun, we can run even without reinforcements. But we all know it would be best if it doesn't break before we can extract it."
A short silence follows as the other side contemplates my words, but it is broken by Russo sighing.
[Russo] - "I hate to say this, but this might be the smartest move that he could make given the situation we're in."
[Glynda] - "Alright, fine. Russo head straight there, I'll coordinate the other professors to fill your gap and head there too.
If any of the third years are willing and able, send them down with you and have the others on standby. Prioritize yourselves over the machine."
And with that, the communications were cut, right as Celestia came rushing back and the others finished taking an abundance of photos. Once I tell them the plan, Celestia gives her scouting results.
[Celestia] - "So not to be pessimistic or anything, but I hope they get here soon because we have a few minutes max."
Just as she finished, the four of us saw numerous dots of glowing red surrounded by black and white approaching from almost 270 degrees around us.
[Argento] - "So what was that about 'a few minutes'?"
[Celestia] - "Hey, I know damn well you heard me add 'max' at the end of that."
[Dawn] - "While I would love to let you two continue, now is not the time for your banter."
As she says this dozens of small light swords pop into existence, with many focused on the furthest edges the Grimm were coming from. At the same time, all of the blood beads Eugene had with him popped, spreading faint lines of semi-liquid blood all around the area we were in, more concentrated on the same spots as Dawn did.
Taking up positions at a reasonable distance from both each other and the machine, all of us pull out our melee weapons in preparation for the battle to come. Knowing we only had to last long enough for reinforcements to alleviate some of the burden allowed us a more liberal use of aura, though we still had to ensure we lasted long enough in the first place.
So as the onslaught of Beowolves, Boarbatusks, and Ursa began, we did our utmost to prolong the fight while cutting down whatever Grimm we could. Sparingly throwing my knives, as I would have no time to retrieve them, I focused on switching between the power of my katana and the speed of my chokuto blades.
Often I would create very small Time-Steps below charging Grimm, making openings that one of us would always monopolize, and speeding up myself or my swords caused me to be a flurry of blade swipes. On the other hand, Celestia was consistently one-shotting almost every Grimm she encountered.
With a pulse here and there to put them off balance, or to get herself out of trouble, she would position herself perfectly for her Bo Staff to either split Grimm into halves with the hidden blades or to completely shatter bone coverings, nearly exploding most heads she focused on.
Dawn and Eugene had, overall, focused less on fighting individual Grimm and instead kept up more defensive and supporting attacks. If one of us found too many Grimm closing in, the web of blood below our feet would spring up and restrict several of them, while a rain of small, yet very accurate, light swords would stab through weak points, often killing them in the process.
This is not to say they weren't busy keeping themselves active, as I saw Eugene rip yet another bound Beowolf in half with his sharpened gauntlets while letting loose several bullets at several others. Dawn was very proficient in her multitasking, managing to keep an eye on the field while dual-wielding her weapons, which she freely switched between their cutlass and blunderbuss form.
If not for my ability to perfectly tell the time, I would've been unable to believe we were only fighting the massive horde of low-level Grimm for seven minutes. But given their numbers seemed endless, and the longer we went the more tired we became, it was only a matter of time before one of us fell through.
So as I cleaved another head off a bound Beowolf, the Ursa that charged at me was unavoidable. I had Grimm to my sides, and outrunning the Ursa with my aura would cost more if I just lessened the impact, so I got ready to mitigate the damage my aura shield had to take.
Except I never had to go through with it, because before the gap closed a black and white object landed directly between the two of us, causing dirt and leaves to fly into the air. Taking a proper look at the now-standing Russo, I saw the Ursa split in two in front of him, as the Grimm to my sides were decapitated with a turquoise blur.
[Argento] - "About time you showed up, it was starting to get dicey out here."
While saying this I pull back a little to take in the battlefield, which is now littered with a handful more people taking on the overwhelming number of Grimm. Similarly to how I did, my teammates pulled back a little to take everything in again.
[Russo] - "You didn't think being a Huntsman would be easy, now did you?"
Scoffing at his reasonable comeback, my team and I fully went to a defensive position while the newcomers, and more experienced fighters, took the attacking positions. As we semi-rested, occasionally having blood and light interrupt, bind, or kill Grimm, I got a front-row seat to my upper-classman's fighting styles.
The turquoise blur from earlier turned out to be a man with a broadsword who had super speed, while Russo seemed to mostly brute force his way through, cleaving several Grimm at once and seemingly only using aura to tank hits. And though there were others, a particular fighting style caught my eye.
Among the chaos was a man with a long chain, attached to a sickle on one end and a solid ball of silver on the other. Chaining together blunt hits on one end and slicing and stabbing with the other, he would occasionally wrap a Grimm in his chain and throw them around.
But what caught my eye most was his choice of mobility. Now and again, a Grimm would get too close, and he would throw one of the ends of his weapon out and attach it to a tree.
Using the tree, he would pull himself away, and chaining this together he would swing from one tree to another, building up momentum to then slam hard into a Grimm.
Without letting any of my guard down, I take out one of my throwing knives and examine it for a second. Glancing back and forth between the man's chain, my knife, and the belt holding my other knives, an idea began building in my mind.
Putting that on the back burner for later, I come to as a purple haze begins building among a section of the Grimm horde. As I put together who it must be, I don't get to finish as a sudden force slams dozens of Grimm straight into the ground, killing all but the few Ursa who barely survived.
[Glynda] - "I'm glad to see you haven't lost your touch, Russo."
Now floating down into the area we were in with minor purple flames coming from her eyes, Glynda showed the power that lay behind the strict teacher and loving guardian. When she finally touches down, the flames grow larger as bits of the ground break apart, forming many dozens of rock spears laced in an ethereal purple.
Giving a wave of her riding crop, every spear launched forward, and without missing a single shot, just as many Grimm fell dead as there were spears. With another wave those same spears spun around again, aiming anew and firing with the same dead-shot accuracy as before.
In a battle that my team began losing after seven minutes, and where a Professor with several third-year students would've needed another half hour to win, Glynda nearly wiped out the same number as all of us combined within the first minute of her arrival.
This was no doubt a move that cost a decent chunk of aura, as depicted by the flames from her eyes just now fading, but the now heavily thinned horde of Grimm was easily handled by the third years and Russo. I would've gone to help, except I was stopped by a very annoyed-looking Deputy Headmistress.
[Argento] - "Heeyy there Glynda… so nice weather we're having?"
With my words, a loud face slap came from Dawn as Eugene shook his head with a sigh, and Celestia burst into boisterous laughter. I could see the tick mark grow upon Glynda's forehead, and if I had missed it her very obviously tightening her grip on her riding crop couldn't have been.
[Glynda] - "As many words as I would like to have with you young man, the current matter at hand is more pressing."
Being brought back to the moment, I once again look back to the machine that is no longer in immediate danger. As the blood spread about the ground begins retracting to Eugene, I step forward and begin examining the machine.
Taking a couple of minutes going around it, touching, poking, and grabbing multiple things, Glynda steps forward, seemingly very eager to get to admonishing me.
[Glynda] - "So with how interested you seem to be in this, is there anything you could use to deactivate it? Maybe a way to make sure when I rip it off the trunk it won't make this whole event fruitless?"
Instead of answering her, I take out one of my throwing knives and stick it between two of the panels. Forcefully prying it off, a simplistic control panel is shown, and pushing buttons and a lever pull later a nearly imperceptible red haze, which I hadn't noticed until now, faded away swiftly.
With some hissing steam and mechanical legs shifting, the machine was now comfortably balanced on, without being attached to, the trunk. As I give Glynda the go-ahead, a familiar purple falls upon everyone in the clearing, along with the machine, while we are lifted to the airship that brought us here.
Once we are all inside, everyone but me is released from her Semblance as I am dragged to the holographic meeting table. Without resisting, or trying to escape, I wait patiently as Russo and her check up on the other Professors, learning all extractions were successful and elimination was underway.
The whole time this happens I can distinctly hear the laughter of my team, no doubt finding my predicament particularly hilarious. When she learned of the progress, Glynda had the airship proceed back to Beacon as she finally turned to me.
A short staring contest later, all while she continues to keep me captive, I can't help my curiosity.
[Argento] - "So why am I still being levitated right now? And why has it felt more like handcuffs since we got on the airship?"
[Glynda] - "Because, despite the potentially large contribution you've made to this investigation before it even began, you were reckless. Until we reach Ozpin's office you will stay in my grasp at all times.
And if it feels like handcuffs then that's a sign you know what you did."
Giving her my best pout, partially hoping I can get out of this, she just squints at me and pushes me to my team. With the most straightforward face ever, I explain why I won't be going back to the room once we get back, all while still unable to move anything but my head.
As my team continues to laugh at me, though I can't say I blame them, I take a glance back at the machine that caused all of this. Feeling my final years of non-complication before RWBY begins start to slip away, I can only channel my inner Nara with a sigh.
[Argento] - "How troublesome."