Roses & Thorns – Volume 1 – Chapter 7

-Forever Fall-

A light, earthy scent filled Ruby's nostrils as she returned to the world of consciousness, a pleasant aroma mixed with a dusting of sweat. In addition to the soft, warm dirt that lay beneath her form, it was not the worst way to wake up. Until the memory of what had happened flooded back into the forefront of her mind.

Her eyes shot open, and her lungs sucked in a painful breath to replace the air that had been knocked from them. The attack lasted only a few seconds as her eyes darted around, observing that she was in fact not laying upon the dirt of the forest floor, but on the soft chest of the Faunus that had tackled her off the cliff. Claire had been able to slow them enough to prevent them from crashing down to their deaths, but not enough to remove the force of impact completely. To make matters worse, it seemed that in the few seconds before they had reached the ground, the older girl had turned them so that Ruby would be more protected.

Her mind was blank as her eyes closed in a slow blink, wondering what could have possessed the Faunus to act in such a way. Pulling back and sliding into a sitting position, Ruby saw the shallow breaths that caused Claire's chest to rise and fall, accompanied by a hitching movement that could only mean an injury from the fall. The sight of it shook her from the stupor, launching her into action as she moved to place her ear closer to the girl's mouth.

It only confirmed what she already knew, as the breath came out ragged and strained. Mentally cursing herself and the girl, she almost missed the sight that had eluded her so far. A twisted, black body was mangled nearby where they had fallen. Scrambling to reach for her scythe, she found the harness on the back of her outfit surprisingly empty, and a panicked glance around the small clearing revealed Crescent Rose laying a few paces from where she now sat.

Her attempt to stand was met with a stumble, limbs still weak from the fall as she staggered to all fours. Rocks scraped against her knees as she crawled toward the fallen weapon, tearing through the light fabric of her leggings and drawing lines of blood on her legs. Before the scratches could even begin to truly leak the sanguine liquid, the shimmering of aura closed them. Wrapping fingers around the shaft of the scythe, she whirled to face the Grimm that had followed them over the edge, only to find the beast in the same position that she had spotted it in.

It's form was still, and a detailed scan of their surroundings revealed that another half dozen of the creatures had met a similar fate close by. Already, the bodies were beginning to disintegrate into oily shadows, melting away as Ruby moved back toward the unconscious form of Team CAIN's leader. Peering down at the tanned olive skin, she could already see the way the girl's aura was working on repairing the battered body, but that sight did little to alleviate the feeling of guilt worming its way into her chest. "We could have fought them."

Recalling what she could of the various first aid classes she had attended at Signal, Ruby reached beneath the sides of the worn tan jacket the Faunus was wearing and pressed her fingers down against the girl's rib cage. Moving upwards, she tracked each of the bones in an effort to detect if any of them had broken. Her search revealed nothing, bringing a heavy sigh from between her lips as she sat back on her haunches, taking the momentary pause of panicked thoughts to truly examine their situation.

It seemed that the ravine Claire had dropped them into was deeper than it looked from above, sparsely populated by a few of the red leafed trees that reigned in the forest above, but otherwise barren. It was wide as well, curving over the top as if it had once been a cave that now lay exposed to the sky. Her observations were interrupted by a cough that originated from the Faunus laying at her side.

Already rising up and holding a hand to the source of the breathing trouble, Ruby was forced to push the girl back down, watching as wide brown eyes latched on to her. "R-Rose?" The name was spoken with a strange familiarity, one that disappeared immediately as the wolf ears twitched and a new awareness flooded into the muddy orbs. "You're alive.. That's a relief." A rasp of a chuckle was followed with a lopsided grin from the Faunus.

Taking a moment to steady her breathe as she blinked, Ruby cocked her head to the side. "'That's a relief'? I'm more worried about you!" Helping the girl rise halfway to a sitting position, she let out a sigh of frustration. "How do you feel?"

Claire let a laugh bubble through her as the smaller girl helped her, an action she immediately regretted as her chest screamed out in pain. "Not that great, now that you ask. But I've had worse." Dismissing all concern for herself with a shrug, she propped her injured body up on elbows as she surveyed the damage. Satisfied with the results, she turned her gaze to the fretting girl at her side. "You good?"

A nod caused the red streaked bangs to shift for a moment, and the scythe-wielder's mouth twisted into a frown. She could see the way a question was burning on the girl's mind, saw how Ruby squirmed and shuffled through various ways to voice that query, but she had no intention of letting it escape from the pale lips beginning to separate. "And the Grimm?"

Cutting Ruby off before the girl could truly begin, Claire took the initiative and swept her gaze about the small canyon, a sense of satisfaction filling her as she spotted the corpses of the Grimm that had been swept off the ledge by their own momentum. "See, nothing to worry about. All according to plan." Her attempt to grin and gloat in her victory was broken by the hacking cough that wracked through her chest, causing her to roll onto her side.

Even through the fit, she felt the gentle hand that was laid on her shoulder. Covering her mouth to contain one of the final coughs, Claire looked up into the bright silver eyes that were staring down at her, filled with concern. Shrugging the palm loose, she sat up, quicker than before. "I'm fine, Rose."

Ruby narrowed her eyes at the Faunus, still unsure of that statement. There was a strange sensation between them now, and had been since the girl had awakened and said her name. Judging by the way the dark brown orbs slid away awkwardly before glancing back, the feeling was not going to fade away any time soon. Opening her mouth to suggest that they get moving, since Claire was feeling so chipper, she paused at the subtle vibrations traveling through the ground.

The ears atop the Claire's head twitched, signaling to Ruby that she had felt it too. Each vibration was stronger than the last, more frequent and carrying a greater sense of speed than before. Staring at the younger girl, she spoke in a voice louder than it had been just seconds ago. "On your feet, we're not alone down here." In no time at all, it seemed as if the very rock itself was attempting to tear apart as they both stood. Reaching down to her belt, she drew the long blade of Staccato Scar while she saw her companion ready the large scythe.

But they were ill prepared for what came thundering out of the crevice that led deeper into the mountain, it's sheer bulk looking almost comical at being contained within the constricting ravine. That is, it would have been comical had it not been a Death Stalker. The Grimm's segmented legs scratched against the dirt, kicking up a small storm of dust as it skittered toward them, it's claws snapping in anticipation as it neared it's prey.

"Fuck me." The groan escaped Claire's mouth before she could contain it, bringing a glance from the brunette standing at her side. Even at this distance, the multitude of beady red eyes centered on the Grimm's face were examining them, it's feral mind following the singular overriding directive to attack head on.

Ruby recovered from the appearance of the Death Stalker enough to formulate a plan, her mind racing as she weighed their considerably short list of options. "You're low on aura.. We should run."

"You're still weak from the fall and I'm half useless." The hard line of the Faunus' mouth turned into a frown as she watched, but the girl gave no ground, digging in a heel in preparation for the coming battle. "We drive it back, keep it stuck between the canyon walls, and we've got a chance."

Spinning Crescent Rose in an arc as she readied the weapon, Ruby pushed down the worry and fear that was beginning to take root in her heart, instead focusing solely on the enemy. She had seen a Death Stalker defeated before, in her first excursion as a student at Beacon. But, it had been Team JNPR that had downed the beast, and only then by knocking it off a cliff. Claire did not seem to share her apprehension for the situation, the wolf Faunus taking off in a charge at the Grimm with an impatient growl.

Even as Ruby watched, the taller girl ducked under a claw and deflected the other with the flat of her blade. But Claire was drained of stamina and aura, her strike doing little more that glancing harmlessly off of the plate of bone that was the gigantic appendage. The first she had avoided now pulled back and turned towards her once again, opening and surging forward to snap her in two.

It never arrived, the entire arm drove into the ground by a savage overhand strike from the heavy blade of a scythe. Ruby's intervention bought her the time she needed, as she found her balance once again as the second claw came back to bear. Flaring her semblance for a single instant, Claire was able to launch herself up high enough to slide across the surface of the attack, surprising the simple beast as she landed directly in front of its mouth.

Pincers as long as her forearm clacked together hungrily as she neared the opening, but the Grimm's position was far too focused on a frontal defense to adapt to her appearance quickly enough. Swinging her saber into a reversed grip, Claire took the first step forward and brought the blade to bear. Striking true, she drove the tip of the silvered steel a few inches into the soft flesh of a shiny red eyeball, erupting the soft organ and painting her weapon with oily blood. Ripping it out, she tucked her head toward her chest and fell backwards into a roll, narrowly avoiding the way the Death Stalker bit at the area she had previously occupied.

Behind the wall of armored claws, Ruby fended off two attacks by whirling her scythe in a desperate defense, empowering the block with aura in order to drive the massive pincers back a few feet. It proved sufficient to allow her comrade to pull back, sliding in the dirt next to her. Even as she risked a glance to check that the Faunus was not injured, the Grimm's stinger pulled back, and the taller girl standing next to her shouted in warning. "Rose!"

Blake drove her cleaver through the skull of a Beowulf, creating a splay of gore that spattered the nearby area with the dark blood of her fallen enemy. Another took its place, claws leading as it swiped at her. The sharpened bone tore through nothing but an illusion as she jumped back, spinning on a single heel in order to generate enough force for her next blow to sever a torso nearly in two. She was keeping up with the tide of monsters so far, but at the back of her mind she was aware that such luck could turn in an instant. Already, she could see the way that Weiss was struggling to maintain the left flank, the heiress' style of combat ill suited for fending off hordes of enemies. As if summoned by her thoughts, reinforcements entered the fray in the form of the two Pinion twins.

Skia and Fos led the way as Amber threw them, burning with aura as they cut through three individual Grimm. It cleared the path for Nyx as he sprinted forward, the twin scimitars of Winged Triumph in his hands. Forged by an unparalleled craftsman in Atlas, the white metal of the blades was illuminated by the golden glow of their edges. A vibrant hum accompanied each swing, the plasma energy slicing through the unprotected bodies of the Beowulves like a hot knife through butter.

He cut through the tendons along the back of a leg, dropping a Grimm to its knees as he passed. Another slice took the head from one directly in front of him, allowing him to turn and plant a boot on the bent platform of the kneeling beast. Practiced hands slammed each of the hilts of his weapons together, locking them into place and creating a bow. The energy that had thrummed through its blades now formed a string, one that he pulled back and unleashed a golden bolt into the back of the wounded Beowulf's head. Flipping in mid air, he corrected his position in time to deliver another such strike to one of the many animals that were surrounding the Schnee girl.

His momentum carried him as far as he had wished, landing next to the beleaguered duelist and bringing down an arc of plasma energy as he used the blades of his bow to clear Weiss' left side for a few seconds. She seemed to appreciate it, turning her back to face him as she focused on defeating what she could on the remaining side. Given a moments reprieve, Nyx took the time to look over to where his sister was situated, finding that she had joined the fray as well.

Amber had collected the thrown chakrams shortly after her brother had disappeared into the mass of Grimm, but she had not followed him toward the silver haired girl, instead turning to find Blake Belladonna pressed on all sides. Running the first few steps, she pulled each bladed ring close to her chest, allowing the maximum amount of energy to build up before she snapped both of her arms outward. First the obsidian metal of Skia shot out, followed immediately by the shining silver of Fos.

Reaching out with her aura, she took command of the weapons, directing them to where they could do the most damage without losing their momentum. They cleaved through the sides of a half dozen beowulves before she brought them hurtling back, losing view of them as a Grimm stepped into her vision, a vicious looking claw raised to strike. It paused, and the cold red eyes of the beast that was about to attack her flicked past her shoulder.

The delay cost the Beowulf its life, as both the chakrams returned to their owner. Serrated edges slammed through the chest between Amber and her weapons, which she caught in their corresponding gauntlets with ease. She did not need to turn to know what had caused the animal to freeze like it had, her ears having already caught the familiar whistle of her teammate's weapon. What truly made her look in Iris' direction was the excited whooping sound that came as a tall blonde came crashing out of the treeline, turning the disorganized battle in their little clearing into complete and utter chaos.

Yang punched the first Beowulf with so much force behind her blow that the shotgun blast destroyed a significant portion of the Grimm's upper body, sending chunks of flesh flying as she finished the poor creature with a elbow to the back of its head. The wild and rambunctious way she entered the fight turned a few heads with the help of the fox Faunus that had been at her side. Having been the victim of Iris' semblance, she was not surprised to feel its wake of power travel through the small forest clearing.

From what little she understood of how the girl's unique ability worked, she knew that it could inject an overriding drive into the minds of its targets, but only if the original thought was there. Iris had told her to get the attention of the Grimm, and so that is what Yang did, stepping past the falling body of her first kill with a triumphant yell. Her left hand was ready to block the incoming blow, slamming the claw aside with the protection of her gauntlet. Delivering a rebuttal in the form of Ember Celica, her right hand shot forward and detonated a dust round directly into the soft flesh of the Beowulf.

A juvenile and lacking the bone plate armor of older Grimm, the beast didn't stand a chance against her. The attack obliterated it, sending its body to the ground and confirming her second kill as the rest of the nearby creatures turned their attention to her. All of them charged her, compelled beyond reason by Iris' semblance, creating the single greatest taunt that Yang had ever witnessed. And uppercut sent one of the enemy towards the sky in pieces, while a deft grab at a lunging claw allowed her to spin and send another flying into a mass of its friends, bowling them all over.

On the other side of the small tunnel she had created through the center of the Grimm horde, Yang caught sight of Blake spinning and slashing away at the circle of enemies that was closing in on her. Determined not to let the opportunity slip away, she did not hesitate to charge through the opening she had created, leaving Weiss and Nyx to the capable hands of the fox Faunus behind her.

Iris, previously having been admiring the way the blonde brawler was slaughtering the young Grimm, swept her palm against the lever on Siren Melody. The gears within handled the rest, transforming the weapon into its folded rifle form. Taking a knee at the treeline, she began taking potshots at the beasts on the fringes of the clearing, those that were coming to join the battle. Each shot was aimed true, taking their targets out of the fight as the sound of her firing rang out over the din of battle.

Her efforts were noticed, as the sound of rapid tearing and scraping came from behind where she knelt. A playful grin spread across her lips as she rose and swung her weapon back into its original form, the whistling tune of the gun-blade carrying through the air as she spun on the ball of a single foot. Slashing down in a diagonal direction, steel found purchase on the back of a beowulf she had avoided, carving through its spine and sending it tumbling down the small hill into the clearing. Reversing both her grip and her direction of momentum, Iris sent herself in an opposite spin, both hands upon the hilt of her weapon.

It buried into the chest of the next charging beast with little difficulty, sundering a ribcage and tearing out the heart contained within. Unfortunately for her, she had misjudged the Grimm's speed, and the mass of the creature slammed into her much smaller frame at full force. Rolling as she made contact with the ground, she felt Siren Melody rip out of the animal's side as she dragged a hand through the fallen leaves in an attempt to slow herself. Coming up to her knees, she did not waste time recovering, instead bending at the waist to sweep the length of her blade out behind her, cutting through the exposed legs of the horde she had been flung into.

Scrambling to mount a defense, Iris was surprised when no counterattack came, and she whirled to meet the unusually passive Grimm with her gun-blade raised. Shock widened her eyes as she saw the closest three beasts collapsing to the ground, the only sign of injury being a hole of wispy smoke in their chests that faded away as they died. Another Beowulf near her took one of the ethereal weapons to its head, and it was then she caught a glimpse of its shape. The blade had looked identical to a throwing dagger, only completely transparent and apparently made of nothing, as it too disappeared into tendrils of gray fog.

Confusion was replaced with enlightenment as she turned and saw the source of the thrown blades. Their substitute, a full-fledged Huntress, sprinted from the trees at full speed. As Memphis Slate passed the spot where Iris was kneeling, she saw the gloves the older woman was wearing begin to glow and generate an incorporeal knife in each hand. Those blades were then flung into the crowd, striking down the next two unlucky enough to have taken part in this now one-sided battle. Fierce gray eyes swung around and locked onto her, and the rough voice of the teacher sounded out in a yell. "Where's the wolf and the girl with the red cape?"

Iris could only commit a shrug as an answer, stunned as she was by being bowled over by a dead Grimm, but it was more than enough to convey that the two leaders of their teams were simply not there. "Go, find them! We'll hold the pack here!" Without another word, Slate turned back and began summoning the strange daggers once again, flinging them in several different directions at incredible speed.

Needing no other instruction, Iris gripped the hilt of her blade tightly and straightened to full height. Taking a moment to get her bearings, she faced the way that the missing two had gone and sprinted full tilt in that direction, not even stopping for the Beowulf that turned to meet her. A shrill sound, followed by the thud of an impact and the ripping of torn flesh, announced that the teacher had taken care of the only Grimm near enough to tail her.

Even in the densely populated region of Forever Fall, she made great progress, using her tail to balance her weight and reduce the loss to speed in tight turns around trees. Coming around a rather large specimen of the red-leafed vegetation, she skidded to a stop as a blur of black launched itself in front of her vision. Straightening, the newcomer turned and gave a nod, a silk bow atop the girl's head as she surveyed the drop off ahead. "Blake." Breathing out a sigh of relief, Iris lowered her weapon, bounding forward to stand side by side.

Golden eyes turned to regard her, a small measure of panic identifiable within them. "We should have come across something by now.." The girl kicked at the ground, dislodging a nearby rock that soared out and over the edge of a nearby cliff, clacking against the rock face as it fell. In the aftermath of the sound, they both looked at one another in alarm.

"You don't think.."

Time seemed to slow as adrenaline thundered through Claire's veins, allowing her to keep fighting and push the stabbing pain in her chest to the back of her thoughts. More importantly, it allowed her to catch the way the Death Stalker's stinger had pulled back in anticipation for the coming attack. Reaching out, she wrapped fingers around the slim arm of the younger combatant, pulling the small girl towards her as she spun away. Protecting the scythe-wielder in a hug, she managed to get them out of harms way at the last moment, dirt exploding around them as the Grimm made its attack.

Just as quickly, she released the girl and turned on a heel. Bringing Staccato Scar across her chest, she struck out at the segmented tail, attempting to sever the stinger with a single blow. Slowed by her injuries, her attack came much too late, blade digging into the dirt as the beast pulled back from them. It was Ruby that saved her from the coming counterattack, the keening of a large scythe reaching her ears as the caped student whirled the massive weapon in a defensive screen.

Charging back into the fray, Claire ducked under the second claw attack, sliding down to a knee and skidding under the armored appendage and through the dirt. When she came up, three monstrous red eyes were flicking to her as the beast made a chittering sound by clacking its jaws together. Saber at her side, she glared into the glowing orbs as her left hand closed about the grip of Packmaster, tearing the pistol from its holster and bringing it to bear.

One burst ruptured the eye on the top right, causing blood to spray outwards and over her as the attack blinded the creature fully on that side. But she refused to relent, moving the barrel of the gun toward the next target in the middle, and squeezing the trigger. Infused with red Dust, the rounds were practically mini explosions to the unprotected flesh of the Grimm's optic organs. Another down, Claire was unprepared and out of time when the force of a claw slammed into her back, driving her forward.

Smashing against the rough bone plate that covered the Death Stalker's head, she lost her grip on Packmaster, sending the pistol skittering across the back of the massive creature as she struggled to recover from the blow. Holding tight to the hilt of her sword, she pulled her right hand back in preparation for a strike, but found the surface she was using to balance herself was slick with the beast's blood. Slipping forward, she abandoned her stab and instead slashed at the mouth just as the Grimm bit at her.

She could feel the way the crystalline edge of the saber sliced into the soft and exposed flesh of the mouth, but there was no time to celebrate the minor victory as she felt the jaws close down on the outside edge of her arm. What little aura she had left that was attempting to keep her upright was immediately spent and shattered as the fangs tore through her skin, her arm saved from being dismembered solely because of the way she had slipped backwards.

Nevertheless, a scream of agony escaped from her lips, matched by the creature's own inhuman squeal as pieces of its tongue fell from between the jagged teeth. Holding her injured arm close to her chest, Claire scrambled to grab at her blade from where it lay in the dirt, but there was not enough time. The Grimm was rearing back for another bite, one that she was ill-equipped to defend against from a prone position. A cloud of rose petals crossed her vision for a moment, but the next thing she saw was the world spinning.

Ruby had used her semblance to dash into the fray, grabbing a hold of the injured Faunus and pulling her from the range of the beast they fought. Urgency had necessitated that caution be thrown into the wind, so she had poured everything she had into her speed on the escape. The result was that they were flung several yards away from the creature as they exploded out from behind the flailing claws. Unable to keep up with her own momentum, she had tripped and sent them both rolling against the ground.

All attempts to correct herself were futile, as she bounced against the ground, producing a yelp with each new bruise that her efforts gained. The spinning of her movements set in a sense of vertigo, one that was only stilled when she slammed her back in full force against a tree. Falling into a pile at the base of the trunk, her fingers grazed the nearby handle of Crescent Rose, but the strength behind them was gone. Unable to power through the daze, her heavy eyelids closed, and darkness rose to greet her once again.

The scene that Blake stumbled upon was one of utter chaos, as rocks that were dislodged from the massive Grimm's flailing fell from the top of the cliffs and into the ravine they now occupied. She and Iris had followed the ledge until they had found a depth safe enough to jump down into, sprinting until they had arrived here, just in time to see a solid layer of dust and rose petals slowly drifting toward the ground.

But what truly occupied her mind was the crumpled form of her teammate against the base of tree, the gigantic form of a scythe laying nearby. "No." The word escaped her lips without any effort to stall it, and she ran toward the girl without a single thought spared for the half-crazed Death Stalker that was further down the canyon. Sliding down to her knees near Ruby's side, she dropped Gambol Shroud to the side and pulled the girl into her arms.

Clutching desperately at the other brunette, she couldn't help but think of how tiny the girl's frame seemed now. It was not hard to surmise what had befallen her friend, from the shattered bark of the nearby tree and the splinters that were now scattered all around. Panic slowly gave way to relief as she realized that Ruby's chest was still rising and falling, and that small measure of peace allowed her to tune in the rest of the world once again.

"Claire!" The cry originated from behind her, drawing her gaze as she saw Iris pulling the other Faunus from the dirt. Her eyes immediately focused on the blood that was flowing down the wolf-girl's arm and dripping to the ground below, a mess that could easily be three or four gashes evident from bicep to forearm.

"Rose." The word was growled out with a strength that surprised Blake, given how much of a beating it looked like the girl had taken.

"She's alive, over here!" Answering the question without delay, she saw the way both pairs of eyes turned toward her. But the thrashing of their opponent soon drew all gazes.

"It's hurt." Claire was the one that spoke, a bitter resolve masking what had to be a great deal of pain. "Let's finish it off."

Iris, having been supporting her teammate, instead shoved the taller girl in the direction of the fallen scythe-wielder. Protests began immediately when the other Faunus realized what she was doing, but the girl with the bow was ready to silence them. "Watch over Ruby. Iris and I'll finish it off!"

There was no chance for debate, as Blake gently laid Ruby's head on the ground, collecting her discarded weapon and rising to her feet. The wolf Faunus stumbled to a sitting position near her teammate, a defiant glare evident on the rough features, but a nod confirmed that the plan would be followed. Turning her gaze to the fox-girl standing nearby, she received a similar tilt of the head, along with a brilliant grin. "Let's kill this thing."

Digging in a heel as she launched off, Blake saw that the Grimm had recovered enough to sense their coming. With a cry, she spun at the last moment and smashed the wide blade of her weapon's sheath down against the raised claw, funneling force into it to drive the beast back. The second pincer attempted to counter her, only to be set off course by the stabbing tip of a silvered edge, the shrill whistle announcing that Iris had joined the fray.

Launching herself forward and rolling, she felt the wind as the fox Faunus that fought with her jumped over her form, and they switched which claw they were attacking. The maneuver proved effective, forcing each of the appendages further apart and exposing the wounded face of the Death Stalker. Blake could see the bleeding pools of what had been the Grimm's eyes, most now laying utterly destroyed except for the last three beady organs on the left that glanced about frantically in an attempt to keep both of them in it's vision.

Iris avoided a counterattack by flipping to the side, planting down one foot as she came out of the spin and using her momentum to deliver a slash to the back of the offending claw. It did little in the way of damage, the edge of her blade simply insufficient to pierce the heavy armor that covered the natural weapon. What effect it did have was pushing the monster further into the tighter space of the canyon, limiting its options because if its sheer mass.

But the Grimm was refusing to be cornered in such a way, slamming its mass forward and forcing both her and the other girl to stumble back with clumsy blocks. Straightening from her bent position, Iris saw the way that the carapace of the beast's legs pushed against the rock face on each side of the ravine, effectively anchoring it in its current position. To make matters worse, it also gave the creature a steady platform on the otherwise loose dirt, and the stinger reared back. "Blake!"

Her warning was not needed, as the golden orbs of the other girl were already studying the sharpened end of the creature's curved rear. It shot down toward her first, an attack as fast as lightning that was only narrowly avoided as she felt the displaced wind ruffle through the fur of her own tail. It stabbed at them again, this time crushing the space between her and the other girl, and kicking up a screen of dirt as she lost her footing and fell to the ground. Bracing for the indication that the next attack was coming on her poor position, she instead heard the impact several feet away, in the area she had last seen Blake.

Blake was ready for the third strike, already prepared as the stinger stabbed into the dirt next to where she stood, erupting a new fountain of dirt that was sent skyward as the tail retracted. Unfortunately for the beast, she had dug her fingers into the segmented plate of the armored appendage, and hitched a ride above the battle. Releasing her grip as she passed the middle point, she allowed herself to fall, ready for what was coming.

Skidding across the bone that covered the Grimm's back, she pulled the slide back on her pistol, preparing the weapon as she neared the creature's face. It seemed aware of her, beginning to shake in an effort to dislodge its attacker, but she was already too close for it to matter. She drug the edge of the cleaver through the top eye, ripping it to pieces as she activated her semblance. Using the clone as a platform to catapult herself further up the back to repeat the attack, she took another of the glowing orbs as a prize for her efforts. As she moved past the last remaining eye, Blake could feel the utter hatred that was evident in the glowing red of the orb, and flashed a glare of her own as she pointed the barrel directly into it.

Firing off two rounds, she was denied the chance to empty another into it as a force thundered into her chest, throwing her back and smashing her against the heavy claws. Whatever had struck her was strong enough that she was pulled over the edge of the bony pincers and thrown free, tumbling to the ground as she heard the inhuman chittering squeal that emitted from the beast as it lost all sight. Relinquishing her hold on the cleaver sheath, she placed an unsteady hand on the ground and lifted her eyes to the panicking monster.

Six pools of black blood ran down its face now, each of the eyes destroyed and leaving it blind. The stinger, the appendage that was responsible for the pain now flaring through her chest, was swinging back and forth as the beast smashed itself into the canyon walls. With a groan of pain, Blake managed to make it to a kneeling position, but she was far too stunned to finish the creature off now.

That fell to Iris, who ducked under the first wild swing of a claw, feeling the reverberation through her blade as it scraped the bony underside. The next blow came from her left, and forced her to jump and roll in mid air, her back pressing against the Death Stalker's appendage as she cleared it. Landing on her feet, she avoiding the lunging bite attack by launching herself forward onto the plated armor covering the creature.

It bucked beneath her, threatening to dislodge the precarious hold she had established, but Iris managed to scramble upwards. Hooking the fingers of her free hand into the segments of the creature's spinal ridge, she slammed the hilt of her blade into the space between the carapace hide. While the plates of solid bone on most Grimm were nearly impenetrable, the flesh underneath them was known to be weak points.

Hoping that her repeated hammering of that flesh was enough to grab the beast's attention, she activated her semblance and forced the weakened mind of her enemy on one singular objective: To destroy the source of the pain on it's back. Driven to a frenzy by the loss of its six eyes, the Death Stalker was unable to resist the compulsion, and utilized the only weapon available to it at the time.

Iris rolled down the side of the bony back as she saw the golden stinger rear back, keeping her handhold in order to avoid being crushed by the many stamping legs below. Then it came, causing the entire body beneath her own to shudder behind the force as the sharpened tail slammed into the spot she had been attacking. It pulled back and came again, this time splintering the bone that protected the vital organs within the Grimm. Closing her eyes as she felt the resulting shards tear across the surface of her aura, she could do more than hold on and pray that the creature's aim was true.

A third time, the stinger struck the beast. This time it punctured completely through the plate, bringing the shrill screams of the Death Stalker to a much higher note that hurt both pairs of Iris' ears. Her fingers began to slip, the entire effort taking too long. Bringing her semblance to bear once again, she applied an even greater pressure than before, and it was this time that the bounds of sanity were entirely shattered for the Grimm. It's tail began thrashing down in rapid succession, tearing the bone off of it's body and plunging down into the meat below without any sign of stopping.

Feeling the warmth splash against her skin each time the stinger struck, Iris repressed the urge to vomit, holding on as the chest of the creature she rode fell to the ground. Twitching in its final death throes, the Death Stalker's tail withdrew one last time, dripping with the gore from its efforts. Eventually, all movement from the beast stilled, and she took a chance at opening her eyes. The white bone that she had used as a base to strike at her target from was now stained with black and bits of fleshly red.

The spot that she had singled out for the Grimm was nothing more than a ruptured crater in the Stalker's back now, it's lifeblood still draining through the gaping maw as the deadly tail came to a stop above the hole. Satisfied that she would not be subjected to a late bucking motion and thrown free, Iris slowly let the grip of her fingers come loose, slipping off the side of the dead creature and landing to the side of the tangled mess of it's legs.

It was only then that she noticed her breath was coming in ragged gasps, her limbs shaking as she struggled to maintain a hold on Siren Melody. A mixture of fear and disbelief, coupled with the surge of adrenaline that now coursed through her, caused her to lightly stumble as she walked around the corpse of their enemy. What greeted her was two pairs of eyes as wide as her own, as she moved to join them underneath the canopy of the tree.

"Ruby?" She spoke in between intakes of breath, kneeling down next to Claire and laying her gun-blade at her side. Regardless of the question, she focused on the unconscious girl, seeing that the small chest was still moving steadily. A hand snaked its way over her shoulder, pulling her into an unexpected embrace from her teammate.

Blake watched as the two hugged, appreciating in full the way that the wolfish girl was comforting the other Faunus. Ignoring the aching of her own limbs, she reached down to cradle her own teammate, pulling Ruby back into her lap with a heavy sigh. She lost all indication of the outside world as she ran a hand through the soft tresses of the younger girl's bangs, merely happy to enjoy the momentary peace after the hard won battle.

When she came back to her senses, her palm pressed flush against Ruby's cheek, she glanced up to gauge the reactions of the other two girls. What she found was Iris laying against Claire's shoulder, both of their eyes closed as the fox-girl worked to regain her breath. Blake felt the corners of her lips slide upwards at the sight of such a simple friendship, with no words necessary between them, only the offered and accepted comfort. Her thoughts were pulled back to the brunette she held, as the form in her arms stirred.

"Slate, down here!" Yang's heart pounded within her chest as she heard Weiss' voice shout back toward their substitute teacher. All the other teams had pulled back to the extraction point, protecting the Bullheads, while they had pressed on after the four missing members of their small party. Her little sister was among them, and as such, she had taken a personal interest in slaughtering any of the Grimm that dared to bar their path. The gauntlets of Ember Celica were stained with the oily black blood of her enemies as she marched through the ravine.

Rounding the last of the trees, she felt anger washed away before the tide of pure shock. Towards the end of the canyon was the brutalized corpse of a Death Stalker, it's back opened up the world and it's body only just beginning to disintegrate. The stinger, once a glowing golden color, was now dimmed by the same liquid that covered her own weapons, and dripping with gore. Holes that could have once been eyes were now destroyed fragments of red, streaks of black showing the way that those had bled.

Fingers grazed against her bare leg, and she gazed down into bright pools of indigo. Iris' pale skin clashed gloriously with the blood of the Grimm that was splashed across most of her upper body, one particular spattering covering a cheek and the bridge of her nose. Bending at the knee, Yang gripped the hand that had alerted their presence to her, moving to examine the three others.

Blake was sitting a few feet away, not looking in her direction by at the form in the girl's lap. Her sister was awake, bright silver eyes gazing upwards at the other brunette with an uncertain expression. "Ruby!" Releasing Iris, Yang bounded over to where the younger girl lay, greeted by a small smile and an offered hand. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Yang. Just a nasty hit." The unusually calm in her own voice surprised Ruby, but she suspected a large part of it had to be the comfort that she had been enjoying before the arrival of her older sister. No matter what had transpired between herself and Blake earlier, the other girl seemed to have forgotten it in the moments after she had awakened, watching over her like a dedicated protector. "Claire got the worst of it." Looking past the blonde form in front of her, she pointed a hand in the Faunus' direction.

It was true, as Yang swung her gaze back to the wolf-girl. Brown orbs were set in a hard stare, but the lines at the edges of those eyes were telling of the pain enough. The girl's right arm was a mess of dried blood and caked on dirt, obscuring whatever wound was beneath it as Claire pushed against the trunk of the nearby tree and struggled to stand. "We have to move."

As if signaled by her words, the rest of their teams arrived, skidding to a stop and staring at the same sight that enraptured Yang when the brawler had first got there. They all recovered quickly, turning to render aid where it could be given. Within seconds, everyone was back on their feet, though Claire was the one that required help to remain that way.

Supported by Nyx on her left side, she felt her ride hand taken from where it hung and gently squeezed by much smaller fingers. The shortest member of the strange rescue party was staring up at her with wide eyes, pools of molten yellow and orange that were filled with concern. "I'm fine, no need for it." Gritting her teeth, she tried to make the words sound as convincing as possible, not wanting her teammate to take the hit on this one.

Amber could feel the physical pain that was radiating off of the leader of Team CAIN, and would not be dissuaded, as she pressed the palm of her free hand against the open surface of the wound on Claire's arm. It earned her a hiss, but the much taller girl was far too weak to pull away, as she reached down within and activated her semblance. There came a murmur of gasps as the visual effects manifested first.

From where Ruby stood, she saw the shimmer of aura outline the Pinion girl, but it quickly became something else entirely. The bright orange flames coalesced into a singular shape, a representation of burning wings that erupted from the back of the smaller student's shoulders. The girl's eyes, as well, shook off the illusion and became literally pools of fire, and she witnessed the effect of such a semblance firsthand.

The blood that covered Claire's arm began to recede, returning to the gashes that the Death Stalker had bitten into the limb, and then those wounds themselves began to close. Flesh knitted together as if it was being repaired by an aura, but Ruby could see that what was happening was much more complex.

Like a mirror, the right forearm of the girl healing the wolf Faunus began to open, spilling out trickles of blood that slowly turned into more serious rivers as the small audience watched in silence. When it was done, the fires of the power faded away, leaving Amber sagging the strong arms of the girl that had just been healed. "..What?"

Ruby had merely stated the question that was on everyone's minds, watching as Nyx let go of his team leader and took up supporting his twin sister instead. She watched as Claire straightened, looking as if she had only been rolling in dirt, and had never been injured in the first place. The Faunus' eyes turned to regard her, a frown evident upon the taller girl's lips. "It's her semblance, 'Empathic Wish'. She can take any wound and make it her own, even when asked not to." Biting the last few words of the sentence, the wolf-girl's voice lacked the conviction to craft them into a reprimand, clearly thankful for the relief.

Turning her gaze to Amber, Ruby watched as sparks of aura worked to close the gashes at an unusual speed. The unorthodox healer offered a sheepish, pained smile to the Faunus. "Now you don't hurt."

A sigh came from the wolf-girl, but it seemed as if Claire could not argue that point, instead giving a grudging touch on Amber's shoulder. "Touching, but we've got to go." Slate interrupted the moment, stepping into the center of the two teams and capturing the attention of all the students. "Extraction won't wait forever, and if those numbers of Grimm are any indication, we've got more on the way." Stepping past the tree where they had found the wayward for, she sped to a quick walk in the direction to get out of the ravine. "Move out!"

Distracted as she was, even the trained Huntress missed the form that sped deeper into the treeline.

Roman Torchwick twirled his cane on two fingers as he stared at the map of Vale. Markings made the document all but useless for its intended purpose, as each street, each city block, was covered with writing describing the opportune times for striking. Other markings told of the police presence in the area, or how rich the citizens were. Most of it was his own handwriting, though some of it was in a much more graceful hand. That of his associate, who sat on a crate nearby with her legs crossed, tapping the tip of her umbrella against the concrete floor of the complex. Forever Fall was a beautiful forest, but its sprawling depths hid far more than a few Grimm if one knew where to look, and his employer had known exactly where to find this base.

"Speak of the devil.." Turning and stilling the rotating motion of his weapon, he saw the raven-haired beauty step through the entrance, trailed on each flank by her own personal assassins. Another followed after her, a woman who brought a sneer to her lips as he saw the pair of wolf ears atop her head. "I see we've gone ahead with recruiting the animals."

A growl answered his insult, and though he only smiled at the Faunus, he did not admit that a threat from one such as her would be sufficiently terrifying to shut him up. She stood at an even height with him, her form concealed by a black cloak that was pulled about it. What was truly unsettling was the eye-patch that covered the left side of her face. Bone white and painted with a blood spatter, the slits where her eye should have been gave it a bestial appearance, and signaled her as a member of the White Fang. "Hush, Roman."

It was his employer, Cinder Fall, who quieted the brewing argument. "I take it that we haven't been discovered by the unexpected field trip, then?" They had closed down all operations the second reports had flooded in about the Beacon students being sent into the forest, and though it had been entertaining watching the Grimm descend down upon them, Roman was eager to get business back on track.

"Of course, Ruan here confirmed that the last of them have left." Every word was practically dripping with a husky tone as Cinder moved past the Faunus and drug a finger over the woman's cheek. It earned her a grin from the White Fang member, and a wink from the single blood red eye that was apparent on the pretty face. Turning back to face the master thief, she set a hand on a hip and cocked her head to the side. "I want you to take our new allies down to the docks in two days. The shipment from Atlas should arrive then, where you can take possession of it."

"And I'm supposed to trust these.." He tossed a glance in the Faunus' direction, and Ruan returned it with a glare. With that exchange, Roman slid his gaze back to Cinder. "People? Based on what, your recommendation?"

"So far, you have been unable to find a sufficient source of manpower. Now you have one." The woman sauntered closer, each step causing her hips to sway seductively as she came within inches of him. "Don't question it, just obey me. And you'll make it out of this arrangement much more wealthy than before.." At the last moment, Cinder turned away from him, a dark chuckle emanating from the vicious woman. "And if you're lucky, I'll let you keep your head."

Author's Note: I've been sick, so please forgive spelling mistakes.. I'll do my best to give this a genuine edit once I wake up. Woo, villains! So much for the 6k limit for chapters though.. So much fighting, so little time. Anyway, hope you like this chapter! If you'd like to see the drawing of Ruan's mask, check out the link to my DeviantArt in my profile. If you like the story, feel free to recommend it to your friends, or drop me a review with your thoughts, I love hearing from you! -Fox

Thanks to Mogwai Muse for your review, I appreciate the support and kind words, and I can only hope that my story continues to live up to your expectations. You rock!

Update: As I was writing the beginning to the next chapter, I realized that my iPad(which I used to write the majority of this story) was correcting 'Crescent Rose' to 'Crimson Rose'. Which is the name of Ruby's weapon in my Cyberpunk AU.. So.. That's fixed in all the chapters. Sorry about that!