The Next Train From Platform One (Rewritten)
The Next Train from Platform One
By the time that Sunset and Blake returned to the point at which they had left the others, the others had already gone.
Sunset looked around the now deserted street. “Do you think they’ve written us off?” she asked, keeping her tone deliberately light.
“No,” Blake replied without any levity in her own voice. She gestured at a glob of white paint spread across the middle of the road. “They left us a trail so that we could catch up with them.”
“Right,” Sunset murmured. “I suppose they wouldn’t have done that if they thought it would be Adam coming after them. Nice to know that they have faith in us, huh?” She tried to smile, but the look on Blake’s face dismissed any attempt at smiles. Sunset felt her brow furrow into a frown despite itself. “You know what else is nice? Knowing that they were in a fit state to keep moving forward.” She remembered how Cinder had railed against that phrase, and it checked her for a moment until she remembered that she was using it in a completely different context. “I mean, they could push on. They were… they were all able to push on.”
Blake nodded absently, her eyes sweeping across the street, lingering on the ruined tower in which Adam had concealed himself.
Sunset, in turn, looked at Blake. A sigh escaped her lips. I wish that I could take your pain away; sadly, I don’t think my semblance works that way. She wasn’t even sure what did work that way: time, distance? Something to ask Princess Celestia about, maybe? Or maybe just get her to go and see Professor Goodwitch like Jaune had. But for herself, Sunset could say nothing, add nothing. Blake was the one who had known what to say while Jaune was in need; who could say anything to Blake when she needed help?
“We should go. We need to catch up with the others.”
Blake nodded absently but made no move to actually… move. “Sunset,” she said softly. “You knew, didn’t you?”
Sunset blinked. “What did I know?”
“That Adam…” Blake trailed off for a moment. Her head bowed. “You knew that Adam had let Fluttershy go.”
Sunset’s mouth was dry. She licked her lips, but it didn’t help them very much. “Yes,” she said. “Yes, I knew. I was there.” And it didn’t stop me trying to kill him then either.
Blake rounded on her. “And you still-”
“He was going to kill you,” Sunset reminded her, not raising her voice but speaking firmly, despite the quiet of her tone. “He was going to kill you. Was I supposed to ignore that? Was I supposed to let you die for his sake?”
Blake hugged herself and did not reply.
Sunset scowled. “Blake, you are going to answer this question or so help me-”
“What makes my life worth more than his?”
The fact that you’re my friend. “What?” Sunset repeated. “I don’t even know where to start! Your service, to Beacon, to Atlas; you stopped the robbery at the docks, you stopped the robbery on the train, you saved Ruby’s life in the Emerald Forest, you saved my life just now… some people just live their lives, but you, you’ve made the world a better place for being in it. And that’s just now, at eighteen! You have your whole life ahead of you. All in front, for years and years to come. Maybe you will go to Atlas and become General, or maybe you’ll stay at Beacon and just become a first-class huntress. Either way, you’ve got so, so much to offer. Could Adam have said the same? A wanted man, a hated man, a killer, a criminal-”
“That’s an argument for valuing the young above the old,” Blake pointed out.
“Yeah, and?” Sunset asked. “That doesn’t make me wrong.” She ran one hand through her fiery hair. “What do you want me to say, Blake?”
“I… I don’t know,” Blake admitted.
“I won’t apologise for saving your life,” Sunset insisted. “And I won’t let you blame me for this.”
Blake was silent for a few moments. “You… you’re not the one that I blame,” she muttered.
Sunset took a step towards her. “This isn’t your fault, Blake.”
“But he was better!” Blake cried. “He let Fluttershy go!”
“That doesn’t make him a good man,” Sunset insisted. “It means… it means that he had a soft spot for Fluttershy, as so many do. It doesn’t wash out his other actions. It doesn’t make him… he was our enemy; he was fighting us. He didn’t have to fight; he could have run away, but he chose to fight, and so… what was I supposed to do?”
“This isn’t about you.”
“Then what were you supposed to do?” Sunset demanded.
“Stayed, and helped him?” Blake suggested. “Recognised that the man I fell in love with was still in there somewhere? Worked to-”
“To what?” Sunset interrupted her. “To save him? To change him? To bring him back from the darkness?”
“Yes!” Blake cried. “Yes, to all of those, why not?”
“Because it doesn’t work; it can’t be done!”
“You don’t know that; maybe-”
“You can’t change someone who doesn’t want to change,” Sunset declared. “You can’t help someone who doesn’t see that they need help, who can’t see anything wrong with who and what they are and what they do; trust me. The best you can do is wait for them to realise, on their own, that something has to change… and sometimes… let me ask you something, were you happy with him, at the end?”
Blake hesitated. “No,” she said. “But-”
“Then you had every right to leave,” Sunset said. “Even putting aside any broader philosophical differences of opinion. You weren’t his therapist; it wasn’t your job to put him back together. You’re allowed to take care of yourself.”
“Even at the cost of others?” Blake asked.
“No one has a right to demand that you sacrifice yourself for them,” Sunset insisted. “Nobody.”
Blake scuffed her foot upon the road. “I don’t know if this would bother me so much if he hadn’t… how is it that he was able to come back, for that one brief moment, after so long of… how?”
Sunset shrugged. “Fluttershy always wins.”
“So I’ve been told,” Blake muttered.
“I can corroborate, it’s true,” Sunset said. “Certainly where I could see. It doesn’t mean… I wish that I knew the words that would make this better.”
“I don’t think there are any words,” Blake murmured. “Not right now.”
That’s what I was afraid of. “So… what now?”
“'Now'?” Blake repeated. “Now… I don’t blame you, Sunset,” she assured her.
“I’d almost rather that than you blame yourself,” Sunset replied.
Blake didn’t reply to that; rather, she said, “Why… why did you leave the sword?”
“Huh?”
“Wilt, Adam’s sword,” Blake explained.
“Is that what it was called?”
“You left it with him,” Blake pointed out.
So she had. “What else was I supposed to do with it?” Sunset asked.
Blake gave her a flat look. “I know that you wanted it for yourself.”
“I wanted it as a trophy,” Sunset corrected her. “I wasn’t going to put Soteria aside for it, or start carrying two swords around.”
“Trophy or otherwise, you didn’t take it,” Blake said. “You left it with him.”
That she had. When it came to it, when she had found herself looking down at the red sword, that red like blood, red like roses, that intense red… she hadn’t been able to pick it up. She hadn’t been able to take it for herself.
She had a sword. Soteria, the sword that Achates Kommenos had carried for the Emperor at the Battle of the Four Sovereigns, the sword that the Imperial bodyguard had carried for generations before that in service to the Nikos family, the sword that Lady Nikos had given her to protect Pyrrha, sealing a bond between Sunset and the House of Nikos. She had a sword, a sword that protected life, a sword that defended crowns and kingdoms, a sword that had been forged to defend she whose life was as precious to Sunset as her own.
Adam’s sword, the red sword, the butcher blade that had nearly struck down Ruby… it was a sword of death, a sword of killing, a greedy red tongue that gulped down the blood of its victims. Looking down, Sunset had felt as though… as though if she took hold of the blade, she would be taking a curse upon herself, as though… it was absurd, but she almost felt as though the day would come when that sword would say ‘I was a thousand times more evil than you’ and strike her down and suck her spirit dry of all its power.
That was stupid, she knew, but all the same it was… it was an evil sword.
Or perhaps she simply recognised that the way she had come by it was… less than savoury. Not evil, of course, nor even necessarily wrong, but… when she had declared that she would take the sword for herself, she hadn’t really… Sunset hadn’t necessarily thought about what it would mean. About what she would have to do to get it. About what Adam would look like when she did.
“It didn’t feel right,” she muttered. “Given the circumstances.”
“No,” Blake agreed. “No, it didn’t.” She paused. “Thank you.”
“Blake-”
“We should get moving, if we want to catch up with the others,” Blake declared, and rather than give Sunset a chance to say any more, she began to run, setting off down the road, following the trail of paint into the darkness.
Sunset sighed, and ran after her, the sound of her boots upon the tarmac echoing off the crumbling walls of the dead city.
From a secluded spot above the streets, Cinder watched them go.
So, they had killed Adam. That was… for the best. As it was, he had wobbled once when he released Fluttershy, but who knew how often he would have wobbled afterwards if he had lived? Better he die now than risk becoming a complication later on down the line.
It did mean that controlling the White Fang had probably become impossible – Gilda was not likely to look favourably upon her, nor was whoever Sienna Khan sent out to replace Adam – the idea of Gilda being granted the command of the chapter permanently was laughable. The High Leader had, after all, already tried to replace Adam with someone who would not work with Cinder; it was unlikely that she would have softened on the idea in the meantime.
No matter. She had little need of the White Fang now. The operation was already underway; it could no longer be stopped, and once it had, once Vale had been breached and horror had been unleashed in the heart of the civilisation that thought itself so safe and so secure, that sat so cosily and so comfortably behind its walls… then there would be no more need of their assistance.
Probably.
It was a risk that she would have to take.
When it came to it, she was glad that it was Sunset walking away from the battle and not Adam. She would rather have an enemy whose actions she could predict to an ally who was… somewhat temperamental.
She was glad that Sunset was still alive.
Keep showing me that drive to survive, Sunset. Show me how far you’re willing to go. Show me everything that you are willing to do.
“Cinder.”
Cinder turned at the sound of her name, to see Emerald and Lightning Dust approaching her from behind. Lightning Dust looked rather the worse for wear, her face pale and haggard, her shoulders slumped, her breathing heavy. Around her mouth was stained with blood, and her arms hung limply down beside her as though she could no longer move them.
Emerald did not look so bad, as Cinder would hope, considering that she had kept Emerald out of the battle; all she had been required to do was distract Pyrrha long enough for… long enough for Cinder to get away.
Recalling that fact irked her. It irked her tremendously. She could make excuses for herself, she could say that she had not wanted to kill Pyrrha yet – she would do in the light of the sun, before the eyes of the world, where everyone could see their beloved champion, their vaunted Invincible Girl, fall before her might and prowess; she wanted the wailing to strike the sky from every house in Mistral as their Evenstar burned to ashes before their eyes – and those excuses would be true. But they would also be excuses.
She had fought without using any of her stolen power. She had fought using only her own martial skills and her own semblance, and she could not win. Now, she felt it was not overly defensive on her part to point out that Pyrrha had not defeated her either, but Cinder had not won. She had come close, and perhaps if she had not deliberately enraged Pyrrha by seeming to threaten Jaune, things might have gone differently, but… but she had not won.
She had not been strong enough.
Or Pyrrha Nikos had been too strong. Cinder, it seemed, had esteemed her valour and her skill at arms too lightly. She had thought her more a name than a challenge.
Vain and foolish of me. Watching her fight with Sunset ought to have disabused me of that.
I thought I was different. I thought I was better.
Instead, she had found that they were evenly matched, equals in speed, in strength, in courage, and in the quality of their weapons. Pyrrha was the better trained, if only because she had not been forced to train herself in secret, but Cinder fancied she had the greater situational awareness.
But it balanced. Neither of them could defeat the other.
At least, not with the skills they had matched presently.
If Cinder had used her other powers, then without doubt, things would have been different. Next time, things would certainly be different.
But it would make the victory just a little bit more hollow in consequence.
She had hoped to prove her own superiority beyond doubt; instead, she had been confronted by the fact that there was no superiority at all.
I have power she does not and will never have.
Phoebe had power that I did not once; it spoke not to her greatness.
Pyrrha’s admirers certainly think it speaks to her greatness that she overpowers the mice who scurry about her feet. Wherefore, then, should I hold back out of some precious perception of fairness?
Because I wanted to prove that though she had been born better than me, she had not been born better than me.
It appears I must settle for the knowledge that we were born equals.
The fact was… annoying, to say the least.
Cinder tore her thoughts away from her personal disappointment and towards her servants. “Where’s Mercury?” she demanded.
“Dead,” Lightning growled, coughing a little after she said it. “Rainbow Dash got him.”
“I see,” Cinder murmured. Perhaps she ought to have seen that coming. After all, Rainbow had fought her a good fight; she should have expected that she would be too much for Mercury, or indeed for Lightning Dust. As for the loss itself… it was regrettable, but far from insurmountable. She hadn’t even wanted Mercury on her team in the first place; it was his father, the legendary assassin Marcus Black, whom she had sought out. But Mercury had killed his father – that very day, ironically – and while she had been glad enough to take the son in the father’s place, he had never been essential to her plans. The loss of a capable fighter was irksome, but her future plans did not depend too much on strength of arms. She could certainly live without him.
She asked, “Was it also Rainbow Dash who has left you in this state?”
“Dropped me from the ceiling,” Lightning grunted. She coughed violently into her hands, so violently that she doubled up, spasming violently as it looked like her cough sprained a muscle somewhere. “I was lucky I had enough aura left to grab a wall before I hit the ground.”
“You’re lucky that she didn’t finish you off more certainly, like she did poor Mercury,” Cinder observed. “Still, your efforts were not pointless; you… well, you did something to Penny, didn’t you?” She didn’t understand what it was that Lightning had done, except it seemed that Penny Polendina was not entirely human. What she was, Cinder had no idea, but she had not been behaving at the end as a person would. Perhaps General Ironwood had used the Relic of Creation to, well, create something? But why, and how many more such inhuman creations did he possess? Cinder did not know the answers, nor how to get them, but she knew it would be something that her mistress would wish to know.
If only she didn’t have to supply said information via Doctor Watts.
“Are we just going to let them go?” Emerald demanded. “After they killed Mercury, after they killed Adam?”
“What would you propose instead, Emerald?” Cinder asked softly. “Lightning here is clearly in no state to fight another battle.”
“We could go after Penny, Ciel, and-”
“Glynda Goodwitch, a huntress, one of Ozpin’s chosen few?” Cinder asked. “Will you face her? To what end, Emerald, would you ask me to hazard myself?”
Emerald looked away. “I didn’t mean to-”
“Then what did you mean?” Cinder demanded, advancing upon her.
Emerald shrank back before her. Lightning tried to bar Cinder’s way, “Cinder-”
“Quiet!” Cinder hissed. “I want to hear what Emerald has to say.”
Emerald swallowed. “I just… they killed Mercury! Sure, he was a jerk, and he was lazy, and he thought he was so great, and he read those stupid comic books all the time, but he was one of us, and they killed him! I thought… I thought we were supposed to be a family; I thought that because the world didn’t want us, that meant that we had to stick together because… because all we have is one another. They killed him, and we’re just going to let them get away with it?”
Cinder stared down at her. A sigh escaped her lips. “Emerald. Ah, Emerald.” She reached out and gently stroked Emerald’s cheek with one hand. Abruptly, that stroke turned into a sharp pinch that made Emerald wince in pain. “Never call us a family again, or I will show you what family means to me.” She released the smaller girl. “Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Emerald groaned, rubbing her cheek. “Yes, Cinder, I understand. I’m sorry.”
Cinder fought back the twinge of guilt she felt for her behaviour as she placed a hand on Emerald’s shoulder. “No, Emerald, I’m sorry. I should have been more considerate of your feelings. I know that three of you have grown close during our time together. Rest assured that there will be a time for vengeance. A time when the flowers of the north will wither in flames and Rainbow Dash will get what’s coming to her… but that day is not today. Lightning is spent, and even I… even I am not at my full strength. If we let our anger, our desire for retribution, put our work in jeopardy, then we throw away everything for which Mercury gave his life. Is that what you want?”
“No!” Emerald cried. “Of course not.”
“Then we will honour him by winning this war,” Cinder declared. “And bringing down Vale, just as he worked to do while he lived.”
Emerald bowed her head. “I understand.”
“Good,” Cinder replied. “I’m so glad that I can further your education, even outside of Beacon Academy.” She chuckled. “The two you should get out of this city, find somewhere safe to lie low; I will find you there and instruct you on where we go next.”
“You’re not coming with us?” Emerald asked.
“Not yet,” Cinder confirmed. “There are yet some matters that I must attend to before I leave. My business here is not concluded.”
After all, Sunset hasn’t even taken my test yet.
They were at the railyard.
So were the White Fang, just like they had thought they might be.
The railyard was not as busy as Rainbow had expected. The White Fang were here – she could see them from where she, Ruby, Jaune, and Pyrrha were lurking behind some stacked up rusting old rails – but she’d also expected there to be more of them. With the amount of dust that they had stolen, the Paladins, she’d expected to find an army down here. Instead, while there were quite a few White Fang guys in their distinctive masks and hoods, mostly loading gear onto trucks under the direction of Gilda – Rainbow couldn’t help but be impressed at how high up she seemed to be, even if she’d rather Gilda were somewhere else, somewhere they wouldn’t have to fight – there weren’t nearly so many as she had thought there would be. In fact, in places, the yard was almost quiet.
There was also no sign of the Paladins. Not a single sight of a single one.
The presence of a train in the yard explained both of those things.
It looked like a new train; this wasn’t some abandoned engine from twenty years ago that the White Fang had found down in Mountain Glenn and painstakingly fixed up, this was a new train that the White Fang had stolen from the Cold Harbour line and gotten down here… somehow, along with the rolling stock.
Now we know why we couldn’t find the train after Adam made off with it.
Rainbow had no doubt, no doubt at all, that the rest of the White Fang forces were on that train, along with the Paladins and the stolen dust.
But why? What were they going to do with a train?
Ruby opened her mouth, but before she could speak, both she and Rainbow both sensed someone – two people – approaching from behind them.
They looked around, just as first Blake - her outfit stained with an alarming amount of blood, made only slightly less alarming by the fact that it seemed to be somebody elses - and then Sunset emerged into view, both moving slowly and keeping low as they crept through the shadows, staying out of sight of the White Fang, until they reached the others.
Rainbow didn’t know whether she wanted to hug Blake or punch Sunset. Actually, she did know: the answer was both, definitely both. Her relief that Blake was okay – okay, fine, she was relieved that they were both okay; she wouldn’t have seriously wanted anything to happen to Sunset, but that didn’t change the fact that she was mad that Sunset had done this in the first place.
She was a little mad at Blake too, but with Blake, it was more understandable because… well, because that was the kind of thing Blake did. Sunset had just had the gall to give Rainbow a lecture on being responsible last night and then to go and pull a stunt like this!
“Hello, strangers,” she hissed through gritted teeth.
Sunset didn’t meet her eyes. Rainbow took that to mean she felt a degree of guilt over the whole thing.
Or perhaps she knew she wasn’t going to get any more sympathy from anyone else, judging by the looks on the faces of her teammates.
“How could you do that, Sunset?” Ruby demanded. “How could you just disappear like that?”
“I wanted to get him away from you,” Sunset replied.
“But why?” Ruby said. “We could have fought him together, you and me and Professor-”
“You’re not good against other people, and I didn’t want him anywhere near Blake either,” Sunset hissed. “I didn’t ask her to follow me.”
“And I didn’t ask you to ditch me, but you did it!” Ruby snapped. “How do you think that makes me feel?”
“As long as you feel alive, I’ll take it,” Sunset said.
“Sunset, as much as we appreciate your concern-” began Pyrrha diplomatically.
“I don’t appreciate it!” Ruby interrupted, cutting Pyrrha off. “I’m training to be a huntress, the same as you, I don’t need you to treat me like you need to keep me safe; I’m fifteen, not five, and-”
“And Adam almost killed you once.”
“So what? That’s what I signed up for!”
“And that attitude is exactly-”
“Can you both just stop!” Blake demanded. “Please, just… please, stop, all of you. I don’t… can we not talk about this? Please?”
Ruby and Sunset fell silent. Sunset had the grace to look even more ashamed of herself than before, although that seemed to Rainbow to be mostly because of Blake rather than because of what Ruby had said. Ruby too was silent; her silver eyes widened a little bit, and her mouth formed an O of surprise.
Rainbow reached out and placed a hand upon Blake’s shoulder. “You know there’s one question that I have to ask, right?”
Blake glanced at her. Her golden eyes were moist. “Adam’s dead,” she whispered.
Ah. Right. “I…” Rainbow trailed off. She didn’t know what to say; she couldn’t share Blake’s evident sorrow – yes, he had done a good thing for Fluttershy, but it didn’t erase all the bad things that he’d done or been planning to do – but now was hardly the time to express anything else. She hesitated, frowning slightly. “You know… Ciel says that in the next life, there is no racism.”
Blake sniffed. “Really?”
“Uh huh,” Rainbow said. “I guess we’re all equal in death.”
“'Equal in death,'” Blake repeated quietly. “So I should be glad?”
“No,” Rainbow replied. “But… I guess I’m trying to say that maybe he’s gone to a better place.” Agh, that makes him sound like a pet dog, doesn’t it?
Blake didn’t seem to notice, thank gods. She just looked away from Rainbow and murmured. “Maybe. Thank you.”
Rainbow squeezed her shoulder. “I’m just glad you’re okay.” I just wish I could do more. “Both of you.”
“Where are Penny and Ciel?” Sunset asked.
“Penny was… damaged,” Rainbow admitted. “You weren’t the only one with a battle to fight. Mercury’s dead, Lightning Dust is dead if I’m lucky, but they managed to damage Penny pretty badly. Ciel took a few knocks as well. Professor Goodwitch is escorting them back to The Bus.”
Sunset nodded. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Will she be okay?” Blake asked. “Will they both be okay?”
“They’ll be fine,” Rainbow assured her. Now wasn’t the time to mention that Rainbow should have insisted Blake come with them instead of staying with Sunset and Ruby.
“What about you, Pyrrha?” Sunset asked.
Pyrrha bit her lip. “Cinder was waiting for us. She… she escaped me.”
Rainbow’s eyes narrowed a little as she watched Sunset trying not to seem at all happy that Cinder was still alive. “That… never mind. At least you’re both in one piece-”
“She broke my sword,” Jaune muttered.
Sunset winced. “I’m sorry to hear that. Do you want to borrow Soteria until this battle is over and we can look at getting your sword reforged?”
Jaune looked at her. “Are you sure?”
“I know your semblance is your biggest asset, but it wouldn’t do you any harm to have a weapon. I’ve got my magic and my gun, so don’t worry about it.” Sunset said, drawing her sword from across her back and holding it out to Jaune.
Gingerly, Jaune closed his fingers around the hilt of the black blade. “Thanks. I’ll take good care of it.”
“You’d better,” Sunset said, with a grin to show that she didn’t mean anything by it. She raised her head a little to look over the stack of rails. “So, what have we got?”
“A train,” Rainbow said, “Probably with a lot of White Fang troops and dust and our stolen mechs on board.”
“'Probably'?”
“I can’t see them anywhere else, can you?” Rainbow asked.
“It looks like they’re packing up to leave,” Sunset pointed out. “Maybe the Paladins already left?”
Rainbow shook her head. “That’s a new train that they brought down here, and a long tail of cars. They’ve put a lot of stuff in that train, and they’re just loading up what’s left.”
“They’re going to attack Vale,” Ruby said. “Remember, the subway tunnel goes all the way; it joins the two cities, that was the whole reason it was built in the first place!”
“But it was sealed off,” Sunset replied. “The tunnel was sealed off; that’s why nobody could get out, that’s why everyone left in the city died underground.”
“But how thick was the barrier?” Jaune asked. “I mean, with all of the dust that the White Fang and Torchwick stole, could they blow it up? Blow a way into Vale?”
“And then they’ll use the train to transport their troops and mechs down the tunnel and come up to attack Vale!” Ruby cried, or at least sort of cried while still being quiet. “We have to stop them!”
“Wait a second,” Rainbow said. “If they’ve mined the far end of the tunnel, then what do they need the train for? They could just gather all of their troops at that end of the tunnel and wait until they were ready to blow.”
“You said it yourself; there aren’t that many places to mass a large number of people and equipment,” Sunset replied. “Why would you want to camp in a subway tunnel, where its uncomfortable and everyone is spread out and it’s hard to move between the underground and the surface, when you can make camp here, where there are at least a few places with a roof over your head, there’s an elevator right there, and they don’t need to worry about travelling because they have a train? I think Ruby’s right about this, and even if she isn’t… maybe there isn’t a mine; maybe they’re going to ram the train through the barrier and smash it that way.”
“Wouldn’t the impact kill the people on the train?” Blake asked, aghast.
“With aura, I’m sure some people would survive,” Rainbow said. “Look, whether it’s a mine, or whether it’s the train, either way, they can break the barrier, but they’ll just be coming up under the guns of the General’s cruisers, it's crazy!”
“They’ll have surprise on their side,” Sunset pointed out.
“That’ll give them two minutes, three tops,” Rainbow said. “If that is their plan, it isn’t going to go the way they want it to.”
“But how many people could they kill in those two or three minutes?” Ruby asked. “How much damage, how much fear? If they cause a panic, then that will bring the grimm. We have to stop them now.”
“Sunset,” Blake said. “Can you use your magic to derail the train?”
Sunset shook her head. “It’s too big for me.”
“I might,” Pyrrha volunteered. “With Jaune’s help, certainly; after all, I’ve done it before.”
“I’m not sure that’s the best idea,” Sunset said. “If we derail the train now, don’t they have enough stolen Paladins to just lift it back onto the tracks? And we won’t be able to derail it again because we’ll be under attack. Besides which, if Ruby’s right, and there is a mine, then that is our real concern, and derailing the train won’t do anything.”
“It will slow them down,” Blake insisted.
“And get us killed in the process,” Sunset replied.
“I get what you’re saying about the train, but we’re going to have to draw them down on us anyway,” Rainbow said. “You see that there? That tripod?” She pointed, as surreptitiously as she could, towards a metal tripod, with a pole rising out of it, planted in the middle of the rail yard. There was a kind of reverse tripod on top, three more metal bars, glowing bright blue on their outward faces, jutting out from the central pole. “That is-”
“An Atlesian AJ-40 CC jammer,” Blake murmured.
“Exactly,” Rainbow said. “It’s why we suddenly lost comms with Twilight.”
“Why do you even make things to jam communications?” Sunset muttered. “Aren’t you supposed to be the good guys?”
Rainbow ignored that. “If we can take that out, I can get hold of Twilight and let her know what we’ve found out; she can pass it on to General Ironwood. Unfortunately, once we take out the jammer-”
“They’ll know we’re here,” Sunset said.
“I’m pretty sure they already know we’re here.”
“They know we’re in the city, but they don’t know we’re here here,” Sunset replied. “It doesn’t look like anyone’s told them we were heading this way. But they’ll know once we destroy that jamming device.”
“Professor Goodwitch is going to come back once she’s dropped Penny and Ciel off,” Rainbow said. “Since we’re going to draw their attention anyway, I’ll find Applejack, and maybe she’ll be in a state to help us as well. Plus, Ciel is going to call for Team Tsunami to back us up. With Professor Goodwitch and Applejack, we should be able to hold out until they get here, and then with their help, we can definitely hold out until the troops from our support cruisers arrive to drop the heavy end of the hammer on them.” She smiled. “Who knows, maybe there’ll be time for the General to get the main force out here.”
A shrill whistle cut through the air of the railyard, the whistle of a train about to depart.
“Or maybe the train is about to start and they’re ready to go now,” Sunset muttered.
“We don’t have time to wait for Team Tsunami or Professor Goodwitch,” Ruby declared. “We have to do something!”
“If we stop the train now, then surely, the delay will be better than nothing?” Pyrrha said.
“No,” Sunset said. “We… we… okay, here’s what we do. We take out the jammer, and Rainbow gets a message out to Twilight. With the train about to leave, I don’t think they’ll delay moving to deal with us. The ones hanging around will shoot back, but not the rest. They’ll start the train.”
“Isn’t that bad?” Jaune asked.
“Hang on!” Sunset snapped. “We’ll get on the train before it leaves. Then, once the train is in the subway tunnel, we can make our way to the front of the train, stop it, and Pyrrha can use her semblance, amped by Jaune, to block the tunnel with the train. It’ll be cramped down there; even with the Paladins, they’ll have a harder time removing the block, and in that time, the Atlesian forces can come down on them. They’ll take care of the White Fang, disarm any mine that might be at the other end of the tunnel; meanwhile, we’ll escape using the subway stations or the emergency exit hatches and get picked up by an airship.”
“You make it sound so simple,” Blake observed.
Sunset shrugged. “Well, it’s only a matter of fighting our way through a small army of the White Fang and then possibly surviving in a city full of grimm until our evac arrives, right?”
The slightest hint of a smile crossed Blake’s face. “Sunset,” she said. “All your best speeches acknowledge the real risks, even if that is because it’s step two in Professor Goodwitch’s formula.”
“I did not learn that formula from Professor Goodwitch,” Sunset informed Blake sternly.
“My point is,” Blake murmured, “if we do stop that train… there’s a good chance that we won’t make it out of that tunnel alive. The odds are against us, and the situation is grim. But- I don’t want to speak for anyone else, but… that… what I suppose I’m trying to say is that I could die a lot worse than fighting in defence of those that cannot defend themselves.” She looked around at all of them, her gaze flitting from Sunset, to Pyrrha, to Ruby, to Jaune, and finally, to Rainbow Dash. “And I could certainly die a lot worse than in your company, my friends. And I’m not sure I could die better.”
“That’s very kind of you, Blake,” Pyrrha murmured. “And we accept it in the spirit in which it was intended, I’m sure. For my own part… though it would not be my choice, the risk is a constant companion in the life of a huntress. And if it is our fate, then what is there to be done but welcome it with the courage of the heroes of old when their appointed hours arrived?” She glanced at Jaune but said nothing.
Nor did Jaune say anything either. His facial expression was grim but resolute. He seemed to tighten his grip on the sword he had borrowed from Sunset.
“If we die for Vale, then it’s worth it,” Ruby said. “So long as Vale survives, then anything’s worth it.”
“'Through my sacrifice shall the city prosper and our enemies fail,'” Rainbow muttered. Unlike the good stuff that Pyrrha and Blake had come up with, it was not an original thought to her, but rather, an Atlesian commonplace, something… something to put into words why it was all worthwhile.
Girls, I might not make it to Sugarcube Corner after all.
Sunset looked as though she was starting to sweat. “Mhm. What, um… what all of the noble hearts around me said.” Her voice was gruff, as though she had something stuck in it.
Not like you to miss the chance to make a speech, Rainbow thought. Not that it really mattered; there were more important things to think of.
“Once the jammer is down, you should get on the train as soon as it starts to move,” Rainbow told them. “I’ll join you, but I need to free Applejack first.”
“How are you going to find her?” Blake asked. “It’s not like we have much time.”
Rainbow looked over the barricade of rails, her gaze sweeping across the railyard. There was no sign of Applejack… but she did see Winona, scratching at the door to a little shed not far from where they were, a respectable distance from where the White Fang were working.
“Good girl, Winona,” Rainbow murmured. “I know where to go, don’t worry.”
The whistle blew again and was followed by the low rumbling of the engine as the entire train began to shake with suppressed power, the energy of the great engine waiting to be unleashed.
“Okay, Ruby,” Rainbow said. “Now!”
Ruby stood up, Crescent Rose unfolding in her hands, the long barrel extending outwards with hisses and clicks until it was its full length, and the great blade was extended.
She rested the barrel of the sniper rifle upon the stacked up rails and fired.
Her single shot destroyed the jamming device, knocking the tripod onto its side as the jammer itself exploded in a shower of sparks and debris.
Cries of alarm rose from the throats of the White Fang in the railyard. Gilda shouted something that Rainbow couldn’t properly make out, gesturing in the direction of the shot and towards the train.
The sounds of the engine grew louder.
Bullets began to fly overhead as the White Fang opened fire at Ruby. Ruby fired back; Crescent Rose snapped, joined by the higher-pitched staccato crackles of Sol Invictus and Miló as Pyrrha and Sunset joined with Ruby.
The White Fang sought cover as some amongst them were knocked flat by the accurate fire of the huntresses, diving behind crates of supplies as they sprayed inaccurate automatic fire in the direction of their opponents.
Slowly, like some great beast stirring to life after a long sleep, the train began to move; it was so slow, you could barely notice it, the engine straining to get its long tail of heavily-loaded wagons moving, but it was starting.
Rainbow ran. She left a rainbow trail behind her as she ran, spraying fire from Brutal Honesty and Plain Awesome in both hands to make the White Fang keep their heads down as she crossed the open space, rounds flying around her, to reach the door to the shed at which Winona was pawing and sniffing.
Still shooting with both her SMGs, Rainbow backed into the door, pushing it open before she dived inside and around the wall, Winona leaping in after her.
Applejack, bound and gagged and secured to a chair, let out a muffled sound.
Rainbow grinned at her as bullets flew through the doorway and slammed into the far wall. “Hey, Applejack. How are you doing?”
Applejack strained at her chair, her green eyes bulging as she tried to shout through her gag.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m going to get you out,” Rainbow said, holstering both her SMGs and crossing the shed to where Applejack sat bound. She uncuffed and untied her first, then took the gag out of her friend’s mouth. “There, better now?”
Applejack rubbed her wrists as she stood up. “I see this ain’t a subtle rescue,” she observed as bullets slammed into the door.
“If you wanted a subtle rescue, you should have chosen a different friend,” Rainbow said. “How are you?”
“Ah’ll be fine,” Applejack assured her. “Did Fluttershy-?”
“She’s fine too; she’s safe aboard The Bus,” Rainbow told her.
“Well, that’s some good news,” Applejack said. She glared at Rainbow Dash. “Comin' here was reckless. Thanks.”
“Any time,” Rainbow said. “I’d give you a hug, but now isn’t really the best time.”
“No, I guess it ain’t,” Applejack observed, picking up her rifle from where someone had helpfully placed it in the corner of the shed. “What’s going on?”
“Listen in while I tell Twilight,” Rainbow told her, as she tapped her earpiece to unmute it.
“-BOW DASH, CAN YOU HEAR ME?” Twilight’s voice erupted into her ear so loud that Rainbow leaned away in a futile and absurd effort to get away from it.
“Yes, Twilight, I can hear you; there’s no need to shout.”
“NO NEED TO SHOUT, I’VE BEEN TRYING TO-”
“Twilight!” Rainbow yelled. “I’m sorry, the White Fang started jamming communications, and we lost contact, but I need you to listen right now. I’ve got Applejack-”
“That’s great news! Is she okay?”
“I’m not done yet, Twi,” Rainbow warned her. “Can you patch me through to The Bus as well as you? And put me on speaker; Trixie and Starlight need to hear this.”
“Sure, I can… is that gunfire?”
“Yes, Twilight, it’s gunfire, which is part of the reason we need to make this quick,” Rainbow said.
Applejack leaned around the doorway briefly to let fly with One in a Thousand, working the lever on her rifle before discharging a second shot. “There’s a train out there,” she observed.
“I know there’s a train!” Rainbow yelled.
“What’s that about a train?” Twilight asked.
“Miss Dash,” Professor Goodwitch said. “I’ve reached your airship with Miss Soleil and Miss Polendina. I’m about to start back to you now.”
“There’s no time, Professor,” Rainbow said. “Trixie, Starlight, can you hear me?”
“Yes,” Trixie said. “I can hear you, Rainbow Dash.”
“We can all hear you,” Starlight added. “What’s going on?”
“The White Fang are planning a full scale attack on Vale,” Rainbow explained. “They’ve got a train loaded with troops and all the gear they’ve been stealing from us, and they’re going to run it down the tunnel and… we don’t know if they’re going to ram the train through into Vale or blow up the barrier, but either way, they’re going to breach the defences and pour their army right into Vale.”
“With our ships overhead?” Starlight gasped. “That’s suicide!”
“Sure it is, but as Ruby says, they can do some nasty damage before they go down,” Rainbow replied. “The worst part is that it’s happening right now; the train is about to leave. Professor, there’s no time for you to get here, and there’s no time for Team Tsunami to get here either. We’re going to board the train with what we’ve got now and try to derail them in the tunnel to cut them off.”
“But then you’ll be stuck in the tunnel, won’t you?” Twilight said.
“We’ll get out somehow,” Rainbow told her. Hopefully, it was true. “When we do, I’ll get in touch.”
Starlight said, “But you will still be-?”
“Performing an act of great gallantry,” Professor Goodwitch said. “Worthy of a huntress. If you are determined to do this, then I wish you luck.”
“Thanks, Professor,” Rainbow said. “Twilight, I need you and Team Tsunami to head back to Vale and tell the General what’s happening. He can make sure the guns are warmed up and ready when the White Fang break through. Professor, can you stay here and wait for Applejack-?”
“Hell no!” Applejack said loudly. “Ah’m not walking back to no airship all by mahself while you go pullin’ some crazy stunt! My aura’s come back, Ah can fight. Ah’m with you till the end of the line.”
“You’re not part of this team-”
“No, but Ah’m here, ain’t I?”
Rainbow said, “There’s a chance this could be a one-way ticket. What am I supposed to tell Apple Bloom?”
“There’s always a chance that it could be a one-way ticket,” Applejack grunted, shooting out the door again. “What am Ah supposed to say ta Scootaloo?”
“Uh, fine,” Rainbow muttered. “Stubborn as a mule.”
“That’s mah line,” Applejack said calmly.
“Okay, Professor, you should head back to Vale as well, get Fluttershy and Penny to safety.”
“I feel aggrieved,” Ciel declared, “that I am not with you.”
Rainbow smiled. “I miss you too, Ciel,” she said. “Now did everyone get that? Is everyone clear?”
“Understood,” Trixie said, in a solemn voice. “We’ll bring the news back, have no fear.”
“Good luck,” Professor Goodwitch said. “And I still expect to see you back in class.”
“May the Lady watch over you,” Ciel murmured.
“Rainbow Dash,” Twilight murmured tremulously. “I-”
“Rainbow Dash!” Sunset’s bellowing voice cut through the sounds of gunfire.
“I’ve gotta go, Twi; my train’s about to leave,” Rainbow said, muting the earpiece.
See you around, I hope.
Rainbow looked out the door. The train was really starting to move now, grinding its way down the rails, pulling its long tail behind it. Soon, it would be moving too fast to be caught up with, but as things stood, they might just catch the rear carriage, where Blake and all the members of Team SAPR were already waiting, returning fire with the White Fang in the yard.
“You ready to run?” she asked Applejack.
Applejack scooped up Winona and held her underneath her arm. “You bet Ah’m ready to run.”
“Okay then,” Rainbow said. “Go!”
Rainbow covered Applejack as she sprinted out of the shed, firing with both her SMGs to keep the White Fang on their toes and their attention away from Applejack as she ran, rifle in one hand and dog beneath the other, crossing the open ground from the shed which had been her holding cell towards the moving train. As she approached, she threw Winona into Jaune’s arms, knocking the boy to the floor of the open porch at the back of the rail car, before Applejack herself leapt up, grabbing one of the metallic rails to haul herself aboard.
“Rainbow Dash!” Sunset shouted again, gesturing furiously with one hand.
“Oh, come on, Sunset, give me some credit,” Rainbow said as she surged out of the shed at top speed, trailing a rainbow behind her. The air buffeted her face as though it was a high wind, but as she ran, the train seemed almost to have stopped, any speed that it had picked up disappearing.
Rainbow ran, and everything else was in slow motion, pushing through treacle while she was the only one who still moved in a world of air and freedom. The bullets from the guns of the White Fang, the train, her friends, they were all trapped, all restrained, all so, so slow.
The train had barely moved at all by the time Rainbow jumped aboard, only speeding up once more as she did so.
“I half-expected you to wait longer so you could get your wings out and fly after us,” Sunset grumbled.
“I’ll remember that for next time,” Rainbow said, grinning as she looked back at the White Fang still in the railyard.
Her eyes fixed on Gilda, a distinctive sight with the wings emerging out from her back, her gun lowered, staring right back at Rainbow Dash.
Get out of here, G, while there’s still time.
Somewhere in Mountain Glenn, a beowolf began to howl.
Then another. Then another. Howling, howling, howling, the howling of beowolves echoing through the city of the dead, drowning out all other sounds.
“What in tarnation?” Applejack muttered.
“You know how the grimm have been very quiet up until now?” Sunset asked. “Sounds like that’s over.”
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Hm, I wonder how that will end. Cinder and her goons could be everywhere, Roman and Neo ran for the hills and Adam is already dead, meaning that Gilda is the White Fang leader in the moment. Twilight will most likely inform Ironwood ASAP, so he will station his troops on the other side to get any stray Grimm, should the train really make a path into Vale.
I don’t know, on one hand it feels like they are already on top of the situation, on the other something may go wrong at any moment.
Wait did Suset get Adams sword or not?
And why didn't she ask what happened to Torchwick?
9551862
Because I forgot. Dammit!
9551869
The same reason why no one told her about Cinder being around?
Did Rainbow mention Sunset to AJ and Shy before they were captured? I know they knew each other back in the day and weren’t on the best terms, I was surprised AJ didn’t mention it.
9551907
Yeah, I'm surprised as are that they didn't react to each other in any way. Maybe Sunset's mind was still distracted from the whole Adam thing?
9551935
9551907
Both are serious and professional enough to leave it until after the mission. Save all the 'reunion' stuff for after it's all over.
Speaking of which? Ruby Rose meets Fluttershy. CUTENESS OVERLOAD!
9552009
Can't fully agree to that. Sure, it felt like Adam had been nerfed, but at the same time you could argue that it was when he had been completely broken mentally. He suffered a humiliating defeat at Haven, his organization now saw him as a laughing stock, and he'd lost most if not all of the respect that he'd had. Most people can agree that in volume 6, he'd gone full psycho, hence his drop in skill and such. Compare it to when he was calm and collected, and you can kinda see why people would think that.
9551869
And the sword? I remember her swearing that she'd take his sword, too.
9552169
The explanation for that is coming in the chapter that I'm writing right now, where it fits better.
9551120
If it was this thing, then yes: vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/grimeclipse/images/8/8a/Mutbeo.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/250?cb=20170215184924
The game heavily implies that the good Doctors experiments were what sunk mountain Glenn (he found a way to control Grimm, and make them better, faster, stronger, etc.
I'm not sure why, but for some reason this made me think that they are refering to heaven or whatever as Sugarcube Corner...
And now all of the good feels aren't very good anymore. xD
"Meet me at the bar" :).
Applejacqueline
Ooooh I love-hate that so much
On my first read of this, this is about to where I got to.
I know the sheath-Gun got flamingo’d, but I also remember Sunset saying something about the sword falling away last time.
Honestly, I really want to see Sunset use it. That’s a really interesting thing to see. Either way, though- good shit.
Well, this chapter was... Something.
Obviously team Tsunami couldn't arrive to relieve some pressure and give a somewhat even fight
Seriously though, sending only two team (and Blake, but still) , when it was known than there was at least 6 ennemies able to go toe-to-toe with the elite of students and then one of them had influence on Grimms was stupid.
If Yang, Nora and Ren are being there, they would actually had been able to inflict far more damage while having everyone in a better state.
Also, where is the Chainsaw Guy who had give a good fight to Weiss in canon ?
This is going to be a dumpster fire, and it really made me miss the three chapter per week period.
10984269
That's what happens when what was supposed to be a recon mission ends up being a frontal assault. The plan was to look at what the WF was doing, rescue the captives if possible and then call in the main forces, but between the WF starting their invasion right now and most of the team unwillingness to let such attack be you end with a really underpowered force fighting more that they should.
10984280
There still should have been a other professionnal Huntsmen or Huntress, since again, at least 6 strong opponents, 7 if we count Strongheart, and there is also the Chainsaw guy then Blake would definitly had known of.
Especially since the ennemy knew they would be there.
Seriously though, where is this guy ?
10984305
He was arrested after the fight at the docks.
10984305
This is one of the times all the secrecy comes to bite them in the ass. Only the team is going because Cinder (and so Salem) involvement is far more concerning to Ozpin and Ironwood that the WF, so the frontline would only be made by people who already know about Salem (it would have been a bit hard to explain a random group of adult huntsmen that brush with Salem). Being part of Ozpin group tends to get you in danger simply because they are too understaffed for the kind of missions they have to do.
About the chainsaw guy, he was part of the members that were captured during the WF wipeout in the docks, on chapter "Black and White". The WF is all out of relevant members, I think only Adam and Gilda (well, only Gilda now) were left.
10984327
Uh.
I had forgot that one.
Still, 6 opponents of high level (with Strongheart who know how to fight well and could definitly kick jaune ass in less than a minute) with knowledge of the zone, knowing they would come and with the control of the grimms.
Even for a recon mission, having a other professionnal Huntsmen or Huntress and Yang, Ren and Nora would have been the minimum, they still are first year students for fuck sake, only a fool would call sending less than 12 students and two teachers madness, so 8 (plus Midnight) and only one teacher is a death sentence.
Although it make sense, they are nothing but a bunch of arrogants fools, Sunset is a aristocratic sentimental who still care about Cinder even after what she shown, the Atlesians are arrogant nutcases (except Penny who is a slave with lack of a good deal of real experience or training) Ruby is a foolish girl who is only good at fighting and at putting her life on the line, Blake is not really better, Jaune is, Jaune, useful as a healer, but a healer can't do shit if he is dead, and Pyrrha is a girl with a lot of issues.
I still liked the chapter, but the fact than team Tsunami can't even come helping is... Well, quite problematic and reminded me of how stupid this mission is with the lack of strength it have.
10984335
Strongheart is good though.
I don't see the problem with sending a other teacher (so, someone who could be trusted) and the team of Blake, which have Nora, the physically strongest of her year, Ren, who's powers is literally the best when dealing with a place full of grimm, and Yang, who not only is really strong but is Ruby's sister.
And having a berserker in a mission where it is sure to have heavy fighting (if they thought there wouldn't be, they are absolute idiots) is a good thing.
10984352
Strongheart is a kid with nowhere enough skill to fight any of the team (maybe Jaune), she hasn't shown any relevant fighting prowess and the WF are usually horrible fighters. The only truly exceptional fighter they had was Adam, the rest are decent to bad (Gilda is decent).
Not a single person you mentioned knows about Salem, making them unacceptable in the original group. Tsunami as backup is already a risk, but going in with no backup plan would be too much. If Ozpin and Ironwood were willing to risk sending people who don't know about Salem in this mission then they would have sent a professional team to begin with, the kids could have stayed home.
10984382
Strongheart seemed good to me.
Also she isn't younger than Ruby, so...
Although honestly, i can see your point since Ruby is a genius and had been teached by Qrow, so it is true than there is a lot of differences.
Honestly, if Jaune know, then Yang, Ren and Nora should have been put in the information.
Also they aren't team RSPT, which (beside Penny because Penny is great) make them a lot more trustworthy in my book.
Although, since it is likely Yang would trust even less Ozpin than Sunset does and then none of them had been that close to the protagonists, it make sense.
10984434
Is YRN a team more valuable in the fight against Salem that RSPT or Jaune? Debatable, but at the end of the day irrelevant.
Ozpin is the one who has the last word about who gets told what, and he seems to prefer working with a single team at most, considering the little we know about his agents. And choosing between SAPR and YRN is no choice at all, SAPR is just too stacked.
RSPT was added mainly at Ironwood request (which should be more common, it's absurd that each headmaster doesn't have at least 1 team in the know to deal with local issues), and Blake was added only because she is really close to SAPR. All in all, it seems like this is the biggest recruitment drive Ozpin has taken in a long time, I highly doubt he could be pushed to add more.
10984453
Which really is his problem.
If Team SAPR had been on it's own, they would had been killed, regardless of how much Cinder want Sunset, and it's not even justifiable by the idea of sending a small team, because even with the support of Yang, Ren and Nora, it would still have been a small team for such a suicide mission (because a recon/rescue mission when the ennemy know you are there and is so powerful really is that, even by their profession's standards).
I really hope than Sunset will not do a 180° like in the original version (from what i had learn) due to learning of what is truly Ozpin and his reasons, because he have good reasons, but damn, he can still be such a old fool.
Also, while i dislike how Sunset act like she was in a theater or if she was a Hundred years war french or english Lady, i still like her being how she is now (just, outside of her relation with Cinder and Rainbow) so her changing too much is something i hope will not happens.
10984269
To be fair, it's possible that Ozpin doesn't know that Cinder can influence the Grimm directly. I mean sure, the groups know that Salem can, through it's possible no one knows to what degree of control she truly has in that regard. What they've seen so far suggests that the Grimm are being influenced by Salem remotely (likely at Cinder's request) rather then Cinder actively directing them herself. Granted that's not much of a difference, but that input lag of Salem needing to get intelligence and then sending the order back is still a delay that could be taken advantage of a lot easier then the field commander position Cinder seems to hold.
Well, shoot... Cinder has control of the Grimm remember?
Also...
Uh... what... test?.
Yes, finally, Rainbow actually using her semblance
I definitely agree with Sunset here it isn’t Blake’s job to make Adam a better person. Heck, it isn’t even Fluttershy’s job to do it just because she managed to reach him once. Also, yeah Adam letting her go doesn’t make him a good person. It’s like the Doctor says:
https://m.It’s how people like Adam live with themselves and justify killing several others. Because he let one go, because he happened to be kind.
Though it does show that Sunset is a bit of a hypocrite because she tells Blake people like Adam don’t change, but she hopes to do so with Ciner just because she was friends with her and how much she values friendship now.