Cassiel POV
It's been two weeks since the attack on Haven, Neo having nowhere to go came with us, though Yang isn't exactly happy about that. The official report is that Ghira Belladonna and Sienna Khan both moved to stop the attack on Haven academy and the CCT tower. Coincidentally, the Huntsmen and Huntresses meeting with the headmaster also gave assistance to the efforts to stop the rogue White Fang and the other attackers. Unfortunately, not only did the other attackers escape, but Leonardo lost his life in defense of Haven and it's CCT tower. As much as I wanted to correct that, I knew it would've given us more trouble if I did. Not like Haven or Mistral will be all that relevant in the near future anyway.
We're at the train station right now, waiting for transportation to Argus. A city at the northern part of Anima, and our only means of reaching Atlas thanks to their military having a strong presence there. While we were waiting though, Ruby got excited for something and sped past Qrow with her Semblance. It was actually kind of cute, though I didn't say it, Yang's reaction too upon seeing Ruby went to a gift shop. Weiss wasn't too happy about having to return to Atlas after trying so hard to leave it, but Ruby offered her support, saying something along the lines of not leaving her.
"No ones gotta be worried with us around!" I turned my head to see two people who I instantly wanted gone. With an attitude like that, at least one of them is going to die on that train. Calling it now.
"Aanndd you aaarrree...?" Nora asked.
"Why Dee and Dudley of course!" I think it will probably be Dee who dies first. "The Argus Limited's very own Huntsmen. We'll be keeping everyone safe as we pass through Grimm territory."
"Buuuut for a generous tip, we can make sure your passenger car gets extra special attention should things get dangerous." Dudley continued.
"Wow! I'm impressed!" I faked my amazement, getting concerned looks from the others.
"Looks like we-" Dee started.
"I'm impressed at how desperate Mistral is for Huntsmen that they're literally scraping the bottom of the barrel!" I continued.
"Hey! You're talkin' to a-"
"Professional Huntsman?" I asked. "Yet here you are hitting on barely legal girls while trying to squeeze a little extra cash out of this job by offering 'extra protection' to them instead of remaining at your post. I fail to see what part of that is 'professional', doesn't help that everyone here is already being escorted by a professional Huntsman and everyone here is a Huntsman or Huntress. Now if I were you, I'd leave and do my job before someone else decides to do it for you." I threatened as I summoned Exile and kept changing it's form.
"I'd do as the kid says right now." Qrow stepped in before either could respond. "He tends to stick to his word, so don't expect him to go easy on you. Not only that, but someone left the staff entrance to the caboose wide open." Both of them had 'oh shit' written on their faces. "It'd be a real shame to lose your job before it even started." Both of them panicked and left shortly after.
"You know, sometimes the burden of saving the world is overwhelming, but then people like that come along and make me grateful it's our job and not theirs." Oscar said, getting a short laugh out of me.
"So, you kids ready to go? Bike all loaded up?" Qrow asked.
"Eeyup!" Yang answered.
"Just waiting on Blake, as usual." Weiss said.
I wanted to start a bet on Dee or Dudley dying first, but I didn't want them getting on me about what I know they see as a horrible thing.
(Train ride)
We were in one of the passenger cars, trying to pass the time. Ruby was playing on her scroll, Weiss was trying to read a book, Blake was staring out the window, and I couldn't see exactly what kind of book Yang was going through. I was sitting in the corner of the bedroom, messing around with the Dust in Lionheart. I do keep whatever those speed reloader things are called for revolvers, but I figured now was a good time to switch some of them around. After I was done, I sat down on Blake's bed and pulled her close, scratching her behind the ears. Weiss looked at us in amusement.
"When did you two get so friendly?" She asked. Ruby turned her attention away from her game and Yang leaned over her bed to see what Weiss was referring to.
"We kind of started after the Fall. We've only had enough time for one date though, but it was fun anyway." I answered.
"You finally hooked up? Took you long enough!" Yang teased.
"How long is that?" Blake asked as she purred.
'Adorable, I don't care what anyone says!' I thought to myself.
"Since before the dance. You two were already pretty friendly with each other, even though you were just as quiet." Yang answered.
"I'm so happy for you!" Ruby said, then it hit her. "Wait! You knew??!!" Ruby asked her sister.
"Yeah! You never noticed?"
"How touching." Qrow interrupted as he stepped, holding a glass of alcohol. "I didn't think any of you kids were that close."
"How close did you think we were? I thought we already established that they're like family to me at least." I said just before something shook the train and we heard some kind of screeching from outside. "And now this is happening!" I got off the bed.
"Grab your weapons!" He told everyone. Once we were outside, we saw Manticores and a Chimera Grimm attacking the train. The other two guys were already up top, Dee got himself killed in seconds. I might have been able to save him, but he wasn't worth the effort. Dudley started running towards the front of the train while we fought off the Grimm. Rather, the others did that. I went straight for the Chimera and channelled my Darkness. My left eye hurt again, but I ignored it.
"Leave." I tried to order it, but it ignored me and it's snake tail lunged at me. "You will submit!" I channelled more of my Darkness and summoned Exile as I aimed Lionheart at it. It lunged at me again, I slid under it and cut it's legs to make it suffer. If it won't obey, then I'll prove myself as stronger and maybe it'll back down. Qrow joined, reminding me he's better with a scythe than me as turrets popped out of the top of the train cars and started shooting all the Grimm.
There were a few problems with this. The first being while Grimm are dying faster, the turrets are also attracting more Grimm. The second problem is they started shooting me until I stopped channeling Darkness. Oscar and JNR climbed up top and joined the fight, Qrow told him to get the dumbass to shut off the turrets while I told Jaune to get all the passengers to the front cars. This thing is more durable than it looks, even with the keyblade, I'm not doing much to it. Do Grimm gain a resistance to Light with age?
It withdrew and flew off the train before shooting me with a fireball, all the Grimm were withdrawing actually. I turned around just before I heard Oscar yell "tunnel". I jumped down into the train car with Qrow and the others, moving to the same car as Oscar and Dudley, who's arm was definitely broken. Qrow picked him up and pinned him against the door, arguing with him until Ruby stopped him and asked Dudley to shut off the turrets. After Jaune used his Semblance to heal Dudley's arm, he agreed to shut them off.
"Ren," Nora started. "could you use your Semblance to mask everyone on this train? With the guns off and emotions hidden, they might lose track of us." Did something intelligent just come out of her mouth? Is this really Nora?
"Hm... I've never attempted to affect this many people." He responded.
"Well, you've never had Jaune's help before." Ruby said.
"He could amplify your aura!" Weiss added.
"Yeah, that's an alright plan." Qrow agreed. Ozpin took over as Ruby was encouraging Ren.
"I'm afraid there's one complication." He started. "Grimm are also attracted to this." He gestured to the Relic.
"What's that?" Dudley asked.
"None of your business!" Qrow quickly told him. "Oz, are you serious?"
"Why wouldn't you tell us that??!!" Yang asked him.
"That's something I'd consider 'need to know' information. Not only that, but I couldn't command any of those Grimm! I've been able to command Nevermores and Deathstalkers, but these aren't threats compared to them! I think that lure is overriding my influence over them!" I added.
"You can-" Dudley started.
"Shut up! Or I throw you off this train!" I interrupted.
"That doesn't matter right now! Every second we're on this train, we're putting everyone else in danger. Get to the front cars, mask the emotions and kill the turrets. We just can't come with you. If we cut the back cars and the Relic on them, we can deal with the Grimm. You just make sure the rest of the train makes it safely to Argus." Ruby explained her plan. Jaune walked towards her.
"Only if you'll promise to meet us there." He said.
"Promise."
Blake broke the link to the rest of the train cars before meeting the team the rest of the team, Neo, Oscar, and Qrow up top. Once the others were far enough ahead, Ruby gave the order over her scroll to mask everyone before losing the connection. Everyone was holding their own just fine as I made my way towards the Chimera. A manticore tried to attack me, but I channelled Darkness again and stopped it with one hand. I quickly broke off one of the horns in it's head and stabbed it through the eye, killing it instantly. I stopped channeling Darkness again, the pain is getting annoying.
The others made quick work of the rest of the Manticores before moving on to the Chimera. I was going to keep swinging at it's neck until it's head fell off, but I like Ruby's plan to ground it better. It's tail lunged at me again, but I cut it off before aiming Lionheart at it's paws and firing Blizzara enhanced ice Dust rounds into them, freezing them to the top of the train. Yang and Blake held it in place by wrapping Gambol Shroud around it, and Weiss used her Semblance to freeze it's wings, which broke seconds later. Ruby and Qrow saw an opportunity to finish it, just before they could make the attempt, it started charging another fireball. They cut it in half before it could fire, but the fire ball was ready and got launched toward the tracks as it head fell. Weiss used her Semblance to try and keep everyone balance as the train fell off the tracks.
Qrow was the first to recover and ask if everyone was alright, no one was hurt, and everyone was accounted for.
"Still alive!" Alarms immediately went off in my head at the unfamiliar voice coming from the train car. "That sure was a close one, huh?" A short, elderly lady dressed in blue, sort of- spanish looking outfit, prosthetic eyes, and carrying a cane that looks like something you'd see on sale for el Dia de los Muertos stepped out of the car.
"YOU HAD ONE JOB, JAUNE!!! ONE!!!" I shouted as loud as I could.
