The Bullhead had circled around from the outskirts of Vale, before reentering the city from another route over the walls. I noticed the defenses in the exit point Roman took and the reentry point were not operating, they were turned off which allowed them to enter using stealth. It was still late when the Bullhead touched down in an what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. The surrounding buildings were also warehouses and there was A train track nearby.
As the ship powered down, I noticed only A few of the white fang soldiers were guarding the area. Adam might be nearby as well, dealing with him and crippling his ego could come hand in hand… if he is here. Looking down, I saw Cinder and Roman walking away from the airship. I tightly contained my KI as I prepared to attack, as to hold back my strength, at least for Roman's sake.
I struck, hitting Roman in the back with my knee. He went flying and was knocked unconscious, he hit one of the Faunus in the process which also knocked that person out. Cinder, was quick as she acted, rolling away from where I had kneed the master thief before she begun readying her 'semblance' or the fall maiden's power. She begun glowing with her aura, her clothes were also glowing when she unleashed her attack. I stood still as the ground beneath had circles of fire which overlapped. These circles exploded, entangling me in crimson flames, rising outwards towards the sky.
(Cinder Fall-POV)
Who was he? the guy's fast. Not fast enough though, Cinder had thought when the flames she had summoned had exploded and 'incinerated' the man who had knocked Roman unconscious. Her eye's had narrowed when through the flame she had conjured with her semblance, there was A silhouette of the man she supposedly had burned to ashes. The man who didn't even dodge her attack was standing there, arms folded with a condescending smirk, which infuriated her. One of his eyes was covered by some kind of Device and the armor he wore wasn't normal issue, in fact she hadn't seen anything like it, could be stolen Atlas tech? Finally, she noticed the man had A tail, which was surprisingly also not affected by her attack, even with all the fur covering it. She scowled when the man started to chuckle, He spoke up then.
"haha hey… that actually left A mark…" the bastard started dusting himself off, his tail swished around before curling up around his waist. Cinder renewed her attack, her fury inciting the power within, conjuring A 'fire sword' and getting closer to kill the fool who'd mocked her. The unknown man, on her almost beheading him, ducked and spun around, the Faunus then swung his tail which knocked her into the where the Bullhead is parked. Cinder however wasn't deterred, kicking off from the VTOL and jumping into range of the monkey who tried to make A fool of her, renewing her attack. Slashing with renewed vigor, the man continued to dodge her intent to behead or impale him with her sword, but quicker than she could predict where she would aim next, he'd disappear and reappear. Another swing, she used the momentum from her miss to kick him while also aiming to impale him but-
She felt sick then, her stomach was hit, and she didn't even see him move. She bent down, her sword was forgotten and turned to ash and ceased to exist when she let go of it. She was punched back into the chain-link fence which encircled the compound further out behind her when she got A look at the unknown bastard. She heard gunfire then, the remaining White Fang members who Adam hadn't taken with him in preparation for the robbery begun to shoot at the guy, one or two however had begun to run.
The man kicked up Romans Cane and begun using it to smack the Fang around and while she could see he was being hit by the armor-piercing rounds and the rarely used Dust-infused rounds, it did nothing to stop or even slow the person in front of her.
She growled, summoning up the maiden power within her and launched multiple long ranged fire blasts at him while he was dealing with the last of the Fang members. The blasts were spot on as she watched him turn, it was too late when the Faunus hunter was immolated by her fury.
"haa… that should do it, who was that bastard-" She was grabbed from behind, as she looked back, she could see the man's eyes- she was sent flying into the warehouse doors. Smacking hard into the iron-reinforced doors from the impact had forcefully opened them, she rolled through from the momentum but had at the end gotten the landing. He looked no worse than before, just those oversized shoulder spaulders were caked in soot or dust, however Cinder was angry. She could deal with hunters no problem since taking half of the fall maidens power months ago. The animal in front of her however was A different breed, it was A good thing she had backup, but they would arrive here in ten or so minutes since she last spoke to them on call, while riding along with Roman on the Bullhead from his failed heist. She decided to try and buy herself some time, using words.
"You're the first to survive my immolation semblance, very impressive. Attacking me though was A big mistake, something you're going to learn very soon." She mocked, her superiority dripped from every word she muttered. The man made no move to continue attacking her, Cinder continued, buying time for her while Emerald and Mercury would arrive.
"But why waste all… that talent. Strength like that could be useful, if you knew who to properly wield it against, I'm impressed, truly. Your power would be a fine addition for me. Dying would be A waste-" The man, his tail begun swinging wildly before it wrapped around the unnamed individual, his arms folded as he gazed at her. He laughed at her, A masculine voice hit her ears… the bastard started to piss her off even more. She realized she was growling throughout his mocking laugh, Cinder reined in her anger and begun focusing her aura with the fall maiden's powers swirling within her too.
"-Hahaha… how arrogant of you bitch, you're nothing to me. And by the look of you, you don't mean A single word. Your-" he stopped talking suddenly, the strange device which covered the infuriating bastard's eye begun blinking and making beeping sounds. her brows furred in curiosity, but before she could try and dig for information, the guy spoke again.
"Ah, your about to have some help… They are hiding from my eyes, but no matter. Let me show you what… true arrogance is, for true power!" The bastard was attacked from behind, Mercury's swift kick to the head however had no effect, Mercury's robotic leg had stalled against the back of the man's head. The Faunus grabbed mercury's steel robotic leg and threw him by swinging him towards her. Emerald also begun attacking, more cautiously as she appeared with her semblance using her weapons 'Thief's Respite' in their revolver form, using range against him. Cinder prepared to attack the man too as Mercury had about to attack again after recovering from being thrown when the man had disappeared and reappeared behind Emerald, A quick smack to the back of her neck and she was down A subordinate, Emerald was knocked out.
"Emerald!, Cinder we should attack together" Mercury asked, wanting to just attack right then but held back. Cinder surveyed the battlefield, her opponent in particular then finally Emerald. Before she could explain her plan though the ground begun shaking.
"What now? an earthquake-" Mercury begun yelling as she looked across from where she stood in the half-walled knocked down warehouse towards her enemy. He had went from standing straight into A weird pose which entailed him bending his legs and arms were held apart, but dread filled her when she heard his bestial scream, He sounded to her like he was gulping for air while at the same time growling A prolonged shout but it was the surges of purple electricity or aura… that run up and down his form that made her feel something she hadn't felt since… she was young.
"heeeerruuuuggghhaah bahahahe -gulping for breath- herrruuugggghhhhaaaaarrrr!!" he raised one of his hands, the very environment was pushing against them. Wind and debris were being launched from where he stood, and she could see that those dead and Emerald were being blowing in the opposite direction from where the man stood. She furrowed her brows before channeling her fall power, she wasn't going to act like A frightened mouse any longer, not with the power at her disposable.
"What are we doing Cinder?" Mercury couldn't keep his mouth shut, his hands were covering his face in A way in which he could view the man in front of them and block the dust and wind being blown their way. He however had strong prosthetics and hadn't been pushed back like she currently was, against her will. She readjusted herself in A way where she was no longer being pushed back.
The hand he had raised begun sparking purple Aura energy, forming some kind of ball. As he formed his attack, Cinder had begun powering one of her own using both of her hands forming A ball of fire which begun to grow bigger, the fire that rotated within her hands has obviously been blown her way from the wind but she continued adding more power and thankfully the wind added to the flames she summoned, fueling the fire.
"Mercury, go around and attack him from his back. Watch out for my flames."
"Right" He went around to the left side of her, closer to where Emerald was currently, knocked out. Her attack eclipsed anything she had made before, becoming as large as A car and she felt she was ready. The man had formed A sphere of purple aura within his hands which cackled with energy. He begun laughing as he continued to feed it energy from within himself and was about to throw it.
That was when the grey-haired teenager had attacked, moving at A speed most would see as A blur. What happened next shocked her.
"Nice try!" the man had jumped, the sphere in his hand had followed where it sat upon his palm but the guy's tail moved quicker then Mercury, smacking him upon the face which sent him flying, landing against the fence close to where Emerald was. He landed before focusing his attention on her.
Cinder had launched her attack at the same time as when Mercury had gone in with his attack, her flaming bomb she sent was halfway from the man when he yelled. Her attack had grown in size as it flew towards her target, continuing to be strengthened by the waves of wind being pushed against it, however her attack was slower than she thought, as A result of fighting against the wind and its growing size which had eclipsed the size of A bullhead.
"Haaaaa" The purple lights had shot out from the man and his aura which surrounded him died down when he threw his little orb at her ball of flame.
"W-What! no I have to move!" she growled out, watching in shock when her fireball had turned into A ring shape instead when the guy's attack had forced its way through it. She could see that her attack had been forced out from the middle and exploded outward in every direction… far from the intended target but that had left her mind in A hurry when the purple sphere begun changing trajectory, as if it was following her when she moved from where she was before.
"Arrrgh!!" she had screamed, the attack had tried following her through the building roof where she had jumped to and just missed her, hitting the roof from underneath. But still she was hit, as the attack exploded and engulfed half her side. She felt when her power, not yet her own begun leaving her… she swore she heard A small screech inside where her left arm should have been, but she had survived the attack… barely. Her left arm was gone... she couldn't feel her arm! the pain felt unbearable before she passed out, A combination of exhaustion and being wounded.
(Kron-POV)
I should finish her off was the most prominent thought inside my head. Reading the power-levels from before, Emerald's power-level went from 44 to 1 when she was knocked out, Mercury feared no better, his power went from 45 to 1, they would either be arrested or escape. Cinder was out, and checking my scouter to confirm, went from her fluctuating power-level of 496 to 401 then… it dropped all the way down to 1 too, which I believe meant that the Grimm within her had been annihilated. The warehouse where I stood next to had survived the small explosion at least the back part but in front was another story. Roman was still out, although his groans were becoming more louder as A sign, he was coming to.
"Ahh… so you have woken then?" I turned to the groaning from behind him near the fence-line. Emerald was holding her head, blinking and searching around from where she had ended up. I heard her moaning about her head before she came too fully, I walked close up to Cinder and checked my scouter closely, for any others around.
"Hmmm, I take an awful risk. I can kill you anytime… but not today. She's missing her left arm too and her wounds are singed. Hmph, you might just bleed out bitch… but if you don't, you'll remember me always... won't you?" I whispered, smirking down onto the 'supposed antagonist of the series with contempt. No, killing her now, when I had confirmed that the maiden powers had left her, i didn't feel right, she'd try again no doubt unless Salem ditches her, but killing her now would make Salem find someone else, an unknown person and go after another or the same maiden again. Better keep Cinder alive then, she's someone I know about, her face and plans. that is, unless she dies by her wounds or Salem gets rid of her...
"Haarrgh!" Emerald had tried attacking me from behind, her revolvers had changed into sickle-like blades which if I wasn't an Saiyan, would have lobbed my head off. Instead, I turned towards her, her eyes widened in bloodlust and surprise but used her blades to swing herself around in order to attack again.
"I hope you know what the definition of insanity is, you're wasting your time-" when she begun to attack again and again.
"Shut up!" she growled out, the desperate tone in her voice was like music to my ears. She's running on fumes at this point, having used her semblance at the start, then being knocked out effortlessly and now attacking again. Her desperation in defending the one who had basically groomed her was admirable, she began breathing harder, whilst I just watched her and took her attempt at hurting me, I looked around towards the warehouse which had begun burning.
The sounds in the background, was of small explosions from the fire which had been building itself up from the warehouse, when I had hit Cinder with A 'weakened' - 'Saturday Crush'. However, another sound reached my, and from the looks of her, Emeralds ears too. The sounds of sirens, most likely the fire brigade with police if I had to guess or just the fire brigade, don't know. Emerald, hearing the sirens becoming louder in their approach had stopped attacking and began weighing her options. Looking from Cinder, to Mercury before towards me.
"Looks like the authorities are on their way. This one's bleeding out and your other friend is out for the count. So, what's next?" I smirked towards her, nodding at Cinder then jabbing my thumb in the opposite direction at Mercury. She glared baring her teeth towards me, before looking at Cinder, then in the direction of the sirens which even now were indeed getting closer. Checking my scouter A final time at Cinder, I could confirm that the Grimm inhabiting her arm which now was gone had indeed been destroyed with the arm she'd lost.
Emerald had begun to try waking up Cinder, before she finally went and begun to pick her up and hold her around the waist with Cinders right arm around Emerald's neck. She stood, taking Cinders weight and adjusting appropriately.
"Tell your boss her days numbered" I raised my left arm and another sphere begun forming in my hand, my KI already coursing through me easily. The noise from the sphere was interrupting Emerald as she made their way to escape, Seeing the fear in her eyes before She had a trickle of determination in them. Before she could try anything though, I heard loud groaning from behind me, Roman had finally come too.
"Ughh, did someone get the license plate of that bus?" Roman began rising slowly, holding his head. My right hand still held the man's weapon when I used it against the Fang, I threw the sphere of KI where Roman.
"What the, woah!!" Roman fell back on his backside when his eyes took in the bright light of my Ki-blast that sailed right past his face, before detonating inside the other end of the warehouse. The resulting explosion had ignited the remaining storage of Dust in the back which hadn't been yet touched by the growing flames. Roman was pushed in the opposite direction, closer to where I was standing.
"Oh, it's you. The 'animal' uh, hunter from before, I thank you for finding my cane. Uh, you see I've got this bad headache you see, you don't have any pills do-" the swift kick to his head had knocked him out again. I went to pick him up, I could sense that Emerald and Cinder had gotten further out from where they were. Down some alleyway, which was fine with me having dealt with the Grimm within Cinder. Picking up Roman, I looked towards Mercury and sighed.
"Guess you're getting caught Mr. Black. and them White fang members too." giving Roman's weapon to my Tail, holding Roman on my shoulder as I jumped upwards. My left hand went and grabbed my scroll so I could check the map.
"Now where to put you…" I decided to drop off the smooth criminal at Junior's… He'd then owe me for helping him, if it he's it that way at least giving I was the one who knocked him out, but I meant with Cinder.
(Ozpin-POV)
He was alerted right away, as he stopped to have A break. The Vale council were demanding as usual in their meeting, always pushing for this or that. He also interviewed Ruby rose, she was very enthusiastic about coming to Beacon, she also had her mother's eyes…But right now the alert on his computer had him on edge. Did Amber pass away? It was an alert coming from down there where she lay in her coma. Dreading the worst, he went through his systems alert and opened up the video lens. He… he must of, but how? his eyes widened when he saw movement, Amber had begun moving in her coma, she never moved. Buzzing his deputy, he was already moving. Heading down the elevator, he stopped at the floor he knew Glynda would be on. The doors rolled open, seeing Glynda in front on him and she was tired. They had got back a half an hour ago.
"What is it Ozpin, I was about to get ready for bed."
"Amber has begun moving-"
"Has she woken up, after all this time." her widened eyes pierced him, demanding an explanation. She looked exhausted, he knew he was.
"I was about to head down, I wanted your help… just in case I need more hand's." Ozpin watched as she moved into the elevator quickly. He pushed some buttons and entered in A passcode, before the elevator begun heading down, deep into Beacons under-croft.
The elevator dinged and both quickly stepped out, the chamber where Amber laid behind encased glass which was illuminated by a red light which continued to blink from above, and from where they walked the green lights had lightened the hallway to the machines at the end. When they had reached the end, Ozpin could better see Amber who had begun to stir more frequently. He begun to input commands into the computer console when he heard Glynda gasp.
"She… she's awake." Glynda had explained, Ozpin continued to input the last command before the coffin-like enclosure around Amber begun to open. He went around and with his own eyes, confirmed she had woken.
"Where… a-am…-" her voice sounded like sandpaper as her throat was dry. He still had some of his hot chocolate in his mug so, for now at least it would do.
"Here, drink this. Glynda, would you quickly get in touch with Peter. Tell him to bring A tray of food and A couple bottles of water to where you'll grab them, at the elevator." Ozpin had felt the spark of hope ignite brighter within him seeing her back, Kron… he must be behind this. He'd better get back into contact with Qrow, he'd want to be here when he revealed this information, at Kron's meeting, or interrogation as James would hope.