Monster in my Head

"It isn't the monsters that go bump in the night. Those can be shot, stabbed. Planned and plotted against. They have nothing on the darkness lurking within."

Beta: Setokaiva

Volume Three, Chapter Eight—Firewood

8-8

DeWitt manor. I walk through the subterranean gardens, petting the three-tows as they graze, shaking their three-ton woolly asses. The exhausted dust mine balloons out, into an almost meadow-like cavern, with a false sun shining through icicles drip-melting to feed the grass.

"She loved coming down here." Don't know why I say it, why it even needs to be said. Noir knows, he was down here with me, chasing after the bison, learning to ride them when I barely reached dad's knee.

"'Er Grace did." Noir's hand lands on my shoulder, his mute sigh a puff of smoke. "D'you…wan' to talk?"

I pet the gentle giant's shoulder as she continues working in the grass. She snorts, a ream of snot spewing about and bathing the grass—she pays it no mind as she gobbles it down.

"Aoyama is in the trainin' hall. Runnin' in all yer toys."

Sigh. I need a drink.

8-8

The dining hall is sparse here, compared to the Crypt at least. There are only two paintings on the walls—both versions of 'Lovers lost'. Fireplace roars, the hall's only light. Bourbon swishes about my mouth, burning my throat as I gulp it down.

Kale's report is long-winded, detailing the updates to his personal project, how much it'll cost, how that will affect the bottom line, and how long return on investment will take to bring our books back in the black.

"Sounds good." Another long pull, straight from the bottle. Another call comes in, Ironwood. "Steer the course. I'll inform you when we can make another ballsy move."

"Understood." Kale salutes as I switch the call.

Ironwood looks…worse each time I see him. More tired, more worn down, as if each day hits him like a year. "It's…good to see you, Ivory."

"You have orders, General?"

"I…" His eyes can't even look at the sensor, at the digital image of me. "Our Mistral team is overdue. I've received no reports, nor has Ms Nikos."

Ah, the true reason she was sent to Argus. Subtle extraction, with a side of peacekeeping. "And you want me to…?"

"Accompany me. To Argus, for inspection. Blue Two leaves at oh-six-hundred hours. We've…room enough for the Starlight."

"Very well." I end the call and make to stand. My legs give out, but Noir catches me before knees touch marble. Sigh. "I'm fine."

"No. You're no'."

With what kick is left in me, I right myself and walk along.

8-8

Mitsuki mans the shooting range, dual-wielding her new pistols as she rains hell down on the drunken targets. Curious, I fish out my scroll and load the aura monitoring app; hers is at three percent.

At the beep, the stats load. She has it set to my standards, her accuracy forty-nine-point-two percent. Load claps and a clatter, she slams two fresh drum-mags into her pistols, and starts the timer again, abusing the targets anew, if taking a moment before each shot this time.

Another beep. Stats load, showing less shots taken, but seventy-two-point-one accuracy. She engages the safety and holsters them, walking over to the sparring mat.

Not a word spoken, she just unsheathes her sword and flings herself into a dual-bladed dance, hacking and slashing her imaginary opponents, and kicking them when the opportunity presents itself.

Over and over, the same dance, burning the motions into somatic memory until she no longer has to think about it.

After the tenth loop, as her aura level hits the green, she spear-throws her katana. With the same motion, her glove glows violet, echoing the glow in her katana grip. Her weapon flies right back into her hand. The spear-throws both katana and wakizashi, both gloves glowing as her weapons fly right back at her.

Her training whittles away at her aura, until it's down to three percent again. She sheathes her blades and walks right back over to the shooting range, and slaps a drum mag in her rifle, ratcheting it to pop a round in the chamber.

I stand here, arms wrapped around my middle, staring as she opens fire. Slower this time, as if to make every shot count.

Another round, and another. Each time her accuracy goes up—sometimes by a fraction of a percent, but never once lowers.

Mitsuki…you…haven't changed.

"Ka'!" Noir's bellow almost makes me jump out of my skin. "Coal! Tulip! Neon! Aoyama! Fall in!"

The training hall fills with a break-neck staccato as they all rush over, knowing we have orders. I…I didn't even notice Tiff walking, or the cybernetic legs she was tightening the screws on, or the implant replacing her eyebrows to control her new legs. She isn't even trying to hide them under her pants, wearing fuck-me shorts to show off the collection of powder dust capsules, no doubt to power whatever new toys Polendina came up with for her.

All eyes fall to me.

Sigh. I pace, arms crossed behind me. "Blue Two is bound for Argus. Departure time oh-six-hundred hours. We are to accompany General Ironwood for his supposed inspection. So we sleep on Starlight tonight. Be prepared for heavy combat. Any upgrades needed, let me know. I'll see to them en route."

"Hey, Ivy?"

My pacing halts. But I don't turn to Neon.

"We. Well, we've been talking. And we think we need a symbol. To show we're a team."

Sigh.

"And since we're your honour g—"

"Who decided that?" I cock an eyebrow, still not turning to them.

"Ive." Tiff gets on my case, cocking her cybernetic eyebrow right back at me, as if daring me to challenge her. "We're your honour guards. Deal with it."

"Yeah!" Neon's all smiles. "We are! And we should so bear the DeWitt crest, to let the world know the DeWitt family is totally making a comeback!"

Sigh.

"Ma'am." Noir offers me a stack of sashes, each bearing proper pouches for storage. Royal blue, dotted with the DeWitt crest in snowy white. "We stand wiv you."

"Totally!" Neon beams, her usual sunshiny grin lighting up the room. Em and Tiff bump fists, each flashing a cocky smirk. Flynt just crosses his arms—too 'cool' to be as showy as the others.

But Mitsuki? She breaks line-up and comes right for me and stands at attention, snaps off a salute, and holds it.

Sigh. I take Mitsuki's swords out, and lay them out in thin air. Mitsuki's cocky assuredness vanishes, as do the others'. My hand, acting of its own accord, takes the top sash and wraps it around Mitsuki's waist, ties a traditional knot at her right hip. And her swords stuff themselves into her new sash.

All the bravado from a moment ago, evaporated. "The hand that acts from the shadow. Her name, is Salem. And she will send the worst of the worst to claim my head. To break each and every one of you for associating with me."

"Then you'll have to train us to be the best of the best." Mitsuki's face relaxes into an easy smile. "And I'll need you to look at my swords again. One will need to be a snake-sword, after all. The other, a glaive."

Sigh. "You a—"

Mitsuki takes a step towards me. Then another. As if to sneak under on my usual defences, as if to test if I'll run again. "You aren't the only one that lost it all that night. My mother. My father. My brother. Yukie was all I had left, save you. And I am. Not. Going to let you run away again."

Sigh. "You think I—"

"You're trying to protect me. But you forget. I am Mitsuki Aoyama. Eldest daughter to the most stubborn man alive, and the only man your father trusted to watch his back. You are not. Running. Not without me."

My mouth opens.

"No." She holds up a finger, as if to trip up my words. "I'm. Coming. End. Of story."

Sigh. "Call Yukie. We leave no loose ends for them to follow. As for the rest of you. Same. Your family needs to be here within the hour."

"That's easy." Em pinches his chin. "Being an orphan and all that, but…I need my girl. She's in Mistral."

"Hmm." Tiff plants her elbow on Em's shoulder, mischief in her eyes. She's going to be teasing the everlasting shit out of him about that, isn't she. "We're headed to Argus. I'll get my brat pack. No promises mom will like it, though."

Flynt and Neon are already on their scrolls, telling their families to pack it in, and head straight for the manor, no questions.

"Yukie. It's time."

"No way!"

"DeWitt manor. Right now."

A squeal fills the hall before the call ends.

Sigh. I'm going to regret this so bad.

8-8

The dining hall teems with life. Mrs Katt rubs her cheek against mine. Mr Katt claims the other cheek. Three younger Katts hem me in from behind. Each purring to show how they feel about this.

The Coals are too busy making a fuss about which bedroom they want to claim for their own—Mrs Coal is trying to keep the twins on a short leash, but clearly isn't having much luck with it. Mr Coal and Yukie discuss decorative rings and earrings they want to make, with Yukie theorizing how to weaponize them, and Mr Coal only egging her on more by tossing in more theoretical uses for every dust crystal type.

It's…

I'm…

Sigh.

My scroll rings. Em's frantically booting Starlight to go get the Bruins. They're safe in the Crypt, of course, but I want them here before we go.

"Ive. We're prepped for take-off. Just need…" The sound of the hangar door opening cuts him off. "So that's why you're so careful." Em smirks, knowing full well that Noir can access almost every secret of the DeWitt family, other than the ones that require blood relations.

"Ma'am. We're callin' ih in. We'll sleep ih off en route to Argus."

"Stay." I swallow a frog in my throat. "Stay safe."

"Understood. Noir, ou'."

The call ends.

"Ivy! I so need to get my ears pierced." Neon is all smiles, looking around at her new home. "And I soooooo need a makeover! Come on, Ivy! Hook your girl up!"

"Hell yeah." Tiff is clearly on board with it. "Be back. I'm getting suited up." She makes her way towards the door, no doubt heading for her room to get changed.

Sigh. She isn't even used to her new legs. Not to mention her pitiful performance, and limited improvement. Sigh. I'm going to regret this. I know I am.

8-8

Beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep.

"I don't know what to do."

Beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep.

"Everyone's trying to keep up a brave face for me, but…"

Beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep.

The medical wing. It was one of many changes to assman's design I demanded. Every possible medical apparatus is in here, at Dr Pickles's fingertips to tend to…

Beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep.

I clip the bonsai tree set on the table that separates father and son. An apple tree, or it would have been, had it been given the room to grow.

Beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep.

Sigh. "We make for Argus in a few hours." It's not like sleep is a restful state, not anymore. Not for me. "Knowing that ass he'll want another meeting, have a new hare-brained scheme he needs me to iron out for him."

Beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep.

Satisfied the tree will survive, at least until I get back, I pour the aspirin water from a watering can, making it rain on the little tree I stunted.

Beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep.

"I won't be playing for you tonight. Sorry about that, but I…." Every time I touch that damn violin, the urge to walk away from this life gets too much. I…I can't lose focus.

Beep-beep. Beep-beep. Beep-beep.

With everything I can do already checked off, I lean in and press a kiss to Wenge's brow, and hurry over and kiss Mr Bee's just the same.

Neither notices, of course.

Sigh. I need a drink, but with my usual pilots drunk on sleep…?

8-8

I bring us into Blue Two's hangar, turning for an easy exit when we're ready to go. Once we touch down, I lower the ramp and go through the usual post-flight checks.

My scroll rings as I'm updating the log. I press to answer, Ironwood comes up, sorrow in his eyes. "Going through post-flights. Keep it brief."

"Come to my office. We…need to talk."

Sigh. I hang up, going through the final paces. The cockpit door opens, Mitsuki walks in. I know it's her, because no one else has the balls to walk in when I tell them to leave me the fuck alone.

"Everyone's asleep. I'm coming with you."

8-8

"Private Aoyama, escorting Lady DeWitt to see the general."

We're buzzed in, and Mitsuki leads the way. She snaps off a salute and eases herself into the background, but not before Ironwood gets a glimpse of her sash, of the familiar blue, of the DeWitt crest…of the familiar swords.

I ease into the swivel chair opposite him.

Instead of addressing me, he calls the secretary and informs her that he will not be disturbed. The intercom shuts down and the door locks.

"She's aware?"

"Of the basics, yes. What's the situation?"

"Ms Nikos called me last night. Reported that she contacted the Mistral team. There's…a situation brewing."

I give him a deadpan stare.

"We already know Leo works for Salem. But he's cooperating a little too well. There's a meeting set up. Tonight. We believe Salem makes her move. It's why we're going to be in Argus. Barely an hour away by air."

"Suspected move?"

"We. Don't know."

Nikos will be there, knowing her. She won't let her teammates fall, not if she can help it, but… "They sprung the last attack on us. Overwhelmed us when we weren't ready."

"Yes." Ironwood gets up and heads to his kitchenette, pouring himself a drink, no doubt. "If they hold true to their modus operandi, they'll work with the White Fang again. Sneak Grimm into the city. Cause as much chaos as they can, as quickly as they can, to summon yet more reinforcements."

And Atlas can't do anything, lest we risk branding as the attackers again. "You mean to send in a team."

"Perhaps." Ironwood saunters over, not offering me a drink as he eases into his chair and sips. "The Ace-Ops are needed in Atlas, to oversee the city's defences. And Qrow reported that many of Mistral's Huntsmen were…away on missions. Overdue for return."

"What of the team Branwen gathered for…?"

"In Vale, aiding as they can with the reconstruction and city defences. As are the overdue Huntsmen."

"They know."

Ironwood nods.

"They'll plan for it."

He upends his glass, gently clanking it onto his desk. "No one would blame you. For taking the time to grieve."

I stand, knowing all I need to, snapping off a salute. I barely make it to the door.

"We're sending a detachment to Vale to collect the Mistral Huntsmen, to lie in wait for the trap to be sprung. You don't need to go."

"Yes. I do." My teammate's girl is in Mistral. In the part of the city most won't bother to defend, no doubt.

8-8

The mountains surrounding Mistral loom in the distance, the sun at its highest as my team gathers in the cockpit, sipping their coffees and teas.

"The situation. Headmaster Lionheart works for Salem. The ground team meets with him tonight. We suspect an invasion, at best. Blowing the city sky-high, at worst. We hover-park Starlight outside of the sensors' range, a team goes in to get Em's girl. We contact the ground team for an update while in the city."

"We?" Mitsuki doesn't like the sound of it.

"I'm going. Em needs to go, or she might not come with us. Noir will need to be at the wheel for immediate extraction. Flynt and Neon, be ready for heavy combat if it comes to that. Tiff. You're with me."

"Good." Tiff nods, arms crossed—probably ready to throw a fit if I side-line her. Which is exactly why I can't let her stay with Flynt and Neon; they're not strong enough to keep her safe if things heat up.

"I'm coming." Mitsuki steals into the co-pilot seat, glaring at me to dissuade my denying her.

Sigh. I engage the stealth, hoping to stay off the radar for as long as possible.

8-8

My earpiece slips in as I dial Noir.

"Go' you."

"How's the reception?"

"Five by five. Will keep cha'er to a minimum."

Starlight's door slides open. Em and Tiff dive out, head first. I grab Mitsuki and throw us out a after them.

The landscape is green, peaceful. The air cool, if considerably warmer than Mantle. Woolly clouds loaf about as the air whistles passed. I wrap Mitsuki in my aura, to guard us both as we hit the ground.

"On the ground." Looking up, Starlight's nowhere to be seen. Good. "Will keep you posted."

"Roger."

It's a peaceful walk. Just over two kilometres, so it doesn't take too long. The closer we get, the more obvious the signs of a nearby city. Guard posts manned by low-ranked Huntsmen, armed no doubt. Each takes notice of us, but simply hammer away at their scrolls—calling it in, no doubt.

The worn path leads up between two hills, at the base of the mountain. The official checkpoint isn't quite what I expected, barely more than an iron gate run between two wooden buildings. Six Huntsmen stand guard, one talking to a traveller that seems to be asking for directions.

"Welcome to Mistral." A Huntsman comes up to us, holding his hand out to tell us to slow down. He has some kind of modified bracers and a weapon's haft sticking up over his left shoulder. "State your business, please."

"Ivory DeWitt." I fish out my scroll and show I'm licenced. "My team and I wrapped up a hunt faster than anticipated. Em's from Mistral, so he's antsy to introduce us to his girl."

"Neon, 'ey." The man looks to Em. "Yeah. Janine's been bugging every Huntsman she can for news 'bout you."

"Tried calling, but…" Em fishes out his scroll, checking something. "Shit, we got reception." He holds up a finger to wordlessly ask for a moment as he strolls off to one side, no doubt calling her.

Sigh. "Young love."

The Huntsman chuckles. "I'll say. How long you plan on staying?"

"Meh?" I give an uncertain look. "Dunno. Might try to book passage to Argus. You know which way's cheaper?"

"Cheaper than walking?" The man chuckles. "Yeah. Argus Express. Station's in the upper levels. Neon knows the way."

I look over my shoulder at my teammate, busy talking to someone I can't identify with his back to us. "I'm sure. But, just in case he's stuck in the clouds…?"

The Huntsman crosses his arms, shaking his head with a face-splitting grin. "Sure thing. You take the express lift near the old market. Ask the conductor, they'll steer you right. And mind yourself in the lower levels. Rough crowd down here."

"We'll manage, but thanks all the same. Drinks're on me if you catch us in a bar. I'm sure you can predict where he's taking us."

"'Preciate it, but not my crowd. Go on in."

Someone's still talking, all relaxed and shit. "Yo, Em! We're leaving!"

"Yeah, we're coming now. See you in a bit."

8-8

Well. I used to wonder what Mantle would look like with tropical weather. I don't anymore. There's more green, you sweat your ass off in the shade, and the buildings are different. More conical, if not built right into the mountainside. The fasion's different—looks to be more kimonos and qipaos.

But that's where the differences end. The gangbangers are still working the corners. Shotcallers glare at us through the window panes. Gang crests mark buildings, neighbourhoods. And there are eyes watching our every move, looking for something to exploit.

Most notably, though, is how they either jerk back or their eyes gleam when they notice the DeWitt crest on our sashes. None dare approach us, of course, but I don't doubt the underbelly of society knows exactly who I am, and they're already plotting a way to profit on that—information dealing, most likely.

Em leads us into a busy market, but not the kind of market most like knowing exists. There's window panes with red lights and girls dancing around poles. Seedy-looking bars with most of the patrons bearing a tattoo of their gang's crest. And quite a few gangbangers try to flaunt their wares.

Mitsuki juts out her katana's grip, chasing them without so much as glancing their way. But that just gets the mill grinding harder. They know we've got the means—our gear, the DeWitt name, both hint at as much. So now they're likely trying to figure out what our poison is, and how to sell it to us first.

Em leads us into a particularly seedy bar, with some kind of spider marking it as a gang's lair. We head inside, finding dozens, if not hundreds, of gangbangers mulling about, each bearing the same mark.

Meh.

We walk up to the bar, and the bartender practically jumps over at Em. The clatter gets everyone's attention, but they don't make a move, not yet.

"Good to see you, baby girl." Em hugs whoever that is with all his might, pulling her over the bar and into his arms. "Come on, come on. Intros. Janine, my team. Ive, Tiff, Tsuki. Girls, Janine Brown."

Words are exchanged, but my attention is drawn to the shotcaller, eyeing my team.

"As I live and breathe." The woman smiles, eyes lit up and seeing nothing but Lien signs. "Princess Ivory DeWitt herself graces our humble establishment."

"Em!" Janine sounds panicked. "I told you not to bring her here."

Em chuckles. "You try telling her to sit this out. I dare you."

"What, pray tell, do you want with my barkeep?" the shotcaller asks.

I bow to her, walking over to deal with this efficiently. Two bouncer-types get in the way, but I simply phase through them, dragging Mitsuki along so she doesn't cause a scene.

"Is she marked?" I ask.

"Is that important?"

"It is." I unsheathe sword-Sun and slash her to the idiot trying to sneak up on me, holding her against his neck without breaking skin. "I'm being respectful. But if you touch me or mine, it won't last."

The shotcaller nods and tilts her head, the bouncers back off. Sun is sheathed quickly as drawn, and I take the seat opposite the woman.

"If she's not marked, she works off a debt. That debt must be paid before she leaves. If she is marked, her loyalty is to you and yours. As such, her being marked makes a great deal of difference."

"My my. So well versed in the matter." The woman smiles, with her eyes. "Very well. Yes. She pays off the debt for young Mr Neon there to attend Sanctum, and Beacon thereafter. Comes up to sixteen-thousand Lien, if you want her and her son." She has a son? Well, that's Em's issue to figure out.

I fish out a Lien card and my scroll, ensuring there's exactly twenty-thousand Lien on it, and let her see for herself, before sliding the card over to her.

"And the bonus is for…?"

"The surcharge you haven't decided on yet." I cock an eyebrow, not that she can see it with everything above my nose covered just now. "I figure it's just for the inconvenience. Or just because you can."

The shotcaller grins. "Well well. It isn't often I have someone that understands the way of things. Alright. Janine, you and yours are free to go."

Em goes with her behind the bar, into a room in the back. There's a girl washing dishes, looks to be pre-teens. A man working the stove. But the lovebirds pay neither of them any mind, heading into an office where Janine carefully hoists up a writhing little bundle. Six months old, from the look of it. Em's super nervous, Janine even more so as she explains how long she's been trying to tell him about his son—how sorry she is for not bringing it up sooner.

"Since I've got you here. Perhaps I can interest you in another debt?" So that's why she didn't take the card yet. Angling for another transaction.

"And the reason I care is…?"

The woman smirks. "Who knows. Bleeding hearts just aren't my thing, so I stopped trying to understand them." But clearly hasn't stopped trying to exploit them. She beckons to one of the bouncers, and he heads off towards the bar—the pre-teen, being my guess. "Her father had a sizable debt. Gambling, you see. Almost paid in full, but he went and got himself killed recently. I figure it's either sell her or put her to work. And really, she isn't good for much other than her looks. I'm sure you understand."

Prostitution. Cities may change, but the slums are always the same. "How much?"

"Outstanding is three-hundred." That little? That means she wants the bill paid, or she'd put the girl to work the streets purely to make an example out of her—shotcallers hate when people default on their debts, after all. "Surcharge puts you at a thirty."

Em comes with Janine and the baby. Once they and Tiff are near enough, I figure now's the better time.

"Just so we're clear. Janine and her son have not been accosted under your care, correct?"

Janine smiles, pressing a kiss to her baby's brow. Clearly not.

"Of course not. It's bad for my image."

I nod, taking back the card and adding the three-thousand to it, before sliding it right back to her. She takes the card, all smiles as the bouncer brings the girl over. Hymen's intact. Just barely budding her thimbles. Isn't bruised. Hands are cold from washing the dishes. Tattered rags, so she wasn't well-off even before coming here.

"Jade. Her Grace here is your master now. Serve her well."

I'm half-tempted to see if the woman knows about the shit about to go down, but…I can't take that risk, not now. Not with civilians we need to get out.

8-8

The lift takes us up while Tiff yammers away with Rose about 'meeting up for drinks'. The lift operator stays in her coach near the middle, her cat-like ears turning every which was as she hammers away at her scroll. The little spider on her neck hinting what that's about. Ms Shotcaller wants more details, not that I'm giving it to her.

Still, that leaves me with figuring out more shit than I planned on figuring out.

"You have enough?"

"Yeah. Need to stop at a place I know." Em comes over to me, holding his son protectively against his chest. We're over in a corner, well away from the Faunus and the edge, so we should be alright here. "Ive…I…"

"Had you told me, we'd have dealt with this sooner."

Em presses a dry kiss to his boy's head. "I'll pay y—"

I hold up my hand. "Raise the boy well, that's all I ask."

"Ivori, you mean?"

I jerk back.

"Janine. She named him Ivori, with an 'i' at the end."

Sigh. "That's going to get confusing."

Em snorts, devolving into chuckles, even as he holds his boy close to his heart to keep him safe. "Yeah. Especially if he takes after you."

Not going there. "You'll only need the basics. We'll get what we need when we get there."

"Yeah, uh…about that…?"

We are not talking about this right now. "We take care of our own." And I really don't need you harping on the what-ifs just now. "Now go on. I'm sure you two have a lot of catching up to do. And with a little luck, Starlight will be en route."

"Starlight to Mistral Airport. We are holding outside of Mistral airspace. Requesting permission for pickup of Atlas Huntsman Team."

"Roger that, Starlight." He gets an approach vector and reads it back.

Once he closes the channel, "It's legi'. Hangar dee-four." It tips our hand, of course, but we don't need civilians caught up in any of this, not when there's another option.

And this way there's no fucking grass stains on my ship.

"Ooh. Check it out, Ruby. It looks like Starlight's coming in. Lady Luck likes me."

8-8

The hangar is a bit cramped, but there isn't enough room for any kind of spy gear, so it's fine. Noir lowers the ramp for me as we approach, and we enter Starlight, clapping down a bunk for Janine and little Ive.

"Alright. Everyone. From now one, he's Ive, I'm Ivy. The last thing I need is developing a complex because everyone's calling us the same thing."

"Li'l Ive. I dig it." Flynt crosses his arms and flashes his little smile.

"Aw, isn't he just the cutest little thing." Neon is already fussing over him and Janine. "Can I hold him?"

"Me next." Mitsuki and Tiff want in on all the baby goo-goo. They're in good hands.

That means, I can figure out this whole Jade thing. I pull my hood back, taking a look at the girl I essentially bought.

My heart skips a beat. Several beats. Flat, lifeless hair reaches her shoulders. Silver hair. A nervous little smile, like she isn't sure what to make of us yet, but cautiously optimistic with how everyone fawns over li'l Ive. But it's her eyes. Yellow eyes. The nervous tension, bordering on fear. But…

She has mum's eyes.

That's why that shotcaller thought I'd be interested. Not the sob story, though that's what sold me—saving her from a life of indentured prostitution and all that. But, she likely knew I'd take one look at her and already claim her for my own.

My hand reaches out, shaking as I pinch her chin. She looks up at me, the fear in her eyes swelling, until she looks at me. Eyes widen, taking in my silvery crew cut, my violet eyes.

It's…it's almost comical. My family's hair, my mother's eyes, my cousin's name. Life has a sense of humour I'm utterly incapable of understanding. "What's your name?"

"Ja…" Wonder joins the awe as she tries to work her tongue. "Jade…Jade. Uh. Jade Wisteria."

"Jade." My lips curl up into an easy smile. "You are not a prisoner, not here. Do you have somewhere safe I can take you?"

Jade's shoulders relax, only for tears to well up in her eyes as she thinks about that. She looks away, hugging herself as she shakes her head almost microscopically, no.

Hand reaches out, cups her cheek, gently nudges her to look at me, to look to me. Frightened little eyes, the eyes of a girl that lost everything, peer up at me.

Whether I wish it is irrelevant. She steals my heart, and refuses to give it back. "If…if you want…you could stay with us?"

Teary eyes, golden as mid-winter's noon, they yearn for a place to belong, a place to call home, for someone to call family.

"If," I look away, cursing my foolish heart, "you want, that is."

"What…what would you have…have me do?"

She's too young, Ivory. She can't survive this world you find yourself in. She'll…she'll just die on you. Send her away! You can't take this risk, damn it!

And yet, my hand acts on its own, unholsters Moon and offers her to Jade, without magazine in bay and chamber empty. "I'd train you. Train you to survive. Train you to help me keep my people alive. But you have to want this." I spin Moon, offering her by the butt. "You have to want this so bad the thought of not taking my offer to train keeps you up at night."

Jade's eyes wander to my sash, to the sashes of the people around me—save Janine and she knows why she lacks one.

"I'll even throw in the bullshit etiquette and violin lessons I hated." I roll my eyes and add in a complete deadpan, "Torturously pink dresses included."

Jade giggles, her eyes lit up as her hand snaps up to cover her mouth.

"The choice is yours, and yours alone."

"I…" The yearning from earlier, it's back with a vengeance. Her hand lowers as she looks away, as if to hide the evidence. "Can…may I…?"

"Hmm?"

She tackles me, slow enough that I school my instincts to defend myself. Skinny little hands take two fistfuls of my jacket. "Just…just a little bit."

Her hair smells of the kitchen, of dishwashing detergent. Stringy and lifeless as my fingers comb through it, gently working through the knots.

She tries to pull back, already muttering apologies I can't make out. Every fibre of my being rejects the notion as I hold her a little tighter, a little closer, as I lay her ear against my chest.

A sigh, like a breath I held too long. Dry kiss presses against her sweaty brow. I'm going to regret this. I know I will. My brain screams profanities so loud I can barely think through the noise.

My heart doesn't care, won't let me care.

WrrrrrRRRRT!

Jade and I pull back from each other, eyes wide, cheeks warm. Apologies formulate, but our tongues don't manage the words.

"Sounds like some'un's 'ungry," Noir tease, his arms crossed over his chest as he leans against the cockpit doorway.

8-8

We enter the…abode, I guess I'd call it. It's a large apartment they rented in the upper levels of Mistral, away from the worst elements of the city. Spacious, lots of natural light cascading off the pastel stone walls. Cosy, I guess.

The sitting room has a coffee table in the centre, with two armchairs and a three-seater couch crowded around it. Rose beckons, leading us into the adjacent dining room, where the others await.

Xiao Long arm-wrestles with she-Hulk—it's hard to tell which is winning. Ninja-boy sits off to one side, by his lonesome, eyes closed and seemingly meditation. Team CVFY oils and cleans their gear, preparing to throw down. Schnee rolls her eyes as Xiao Long's arm comes loose and she-Hulk flops to the ground, freaking out at the now disembodied arm.

"Hey, guys?" No one even hears Rose over Valkyrie's freak out. "Look who I found!" Rose's bellowing draws all eyes our way. Eyes wide with surprise, grins wide with glee. It doesn't take more than a second before the group.

"Yo, Ive!" Xiao Long waves, her disembodied hand waves as well, causing Valkyrie to freak and toss the contraption up in the air.

"Finally." Adel catches the arm and tosses it to Xiao Long. "Some good news. What's the situation, DeWitt?"

Everyone turns to me. Per the usual.

"Is it…safe to talk?" I ask.

"It's…good to see you, Ms DeWitt." I turn, finding some farm boy with a perma-tan, arms crossed behind his back. Curiously, he carries Ozpin's can under his arm. But it's the tone, the refined eloquence that belies the humble upbringing.

"Professor Ozpin." I nod.

"It is, indeed, safe to talk. Please." He motions to the table, inviting us to sit. "What news do you bring?"

8-8

Eyes hard as steel, fists balled. Gears grinding as they process everything.

"We leave Mistral in an hour, but we'll stay close enough to step in the second things go south. Ironwood will have Nikos on long-range comms, to coordinate with the cavalry. We just need your teams to handle things until they arrive."

"Yes." Professor Ozpin pinches his chin, eyes glowing yellow as he goes over the plan. "That will work, though. I'm curious, Ms DeWitt. You didn't come all this way just to update us. And, you do keep curious company just now?"

My hand lands on Jade's shoulder as my eyes flicker to Em and Janine, fussing over li'l Ive as Em changes his nappy for the first time.

"Personal business we needed to tend to. Nothing more."

"I very much doubt that, Ivory." Oz chuckles, amused. "Ms Wisteria, was it?"

"Ah." Jade looks to me, confused. I nod and tilt him head to the boy that seems to be the leader just now. "Yes. Uh. Yes, Mr…Ozpin?"

"You have Iris's eyes."

Jade furrows her brow, failing at making sense of that.

"What's important," I cut in, "is that we need to be prepared for all possibilities. Ironwood's flagship is an hour away, but the Bullheads will be just on the border of Mistral airspace, as will we. It's close enough for me to snipe off some of the bigger Grimm, but not so close we don't risk friendly fire. When you're leaving for your meeting, you need to conference call each other and me."

I nod to Noir, who hands a box with earpieces around.

"If you connect these to your scrolls, you can keep in constant contact, while keeping it subtle. That means, Valkyrie, that you need to keep your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open."

"I'll have you know that I'm plenty subtle, thank you very much." She-Hulk crosses her amrs turning up her nose as she looks away. Yeah, I don't buy it.

"Hey, Ive!"

"Ooh. Yeah. Uh. Ivy." Em jumps in, sitting li'l Ive on the table in front of him. "You see. This little man here? He's Ive. That's Ivori with an 'i' at the end."

"Ohhhh-kay?" Xiao Long isn't sure what to make of that. No one is, really. Until they finally notice the wriggling little bundle he refers to, and they're all goo-goo for him, shock of pink hair, violet eyes and all. Why she chose 'Ivori' is something I'll never understand. Maybe it's her silv…shit. She has silver eyes.

"What? You never seen a baby before?" Em cocks an eyebrow, smirking.

"Right! Uh, Ive…y." Xiao Long needs a minute, it seems "Ivy. You mind loading Bumblebee for me? Keep her outta trouble while I rock the house." She punches her fists together, ready to crack skulls.

"Your brought your bike?" I glare. I built Bumblebee back in Signal, but Xiao Long got one ride and simply claimed her—didn't have the heart to turn her down with how blondie was glowing at the time. To be fair, I did sort of maybe have a crush on her at the time.

"Well, you…brought a baby." Xiao Long crosses her arms under her bust, flashing a smirk as if to dare me to contest that.

"Touché. Bring her to the hangar. And I'm not going to hear any complaints about the upgrades." There's just no way I'm going to entrust her upkeep to some mook in a garage somewhere.

"Ooh. Do I get a canon? Tell me I get a canon!" Blondie has stars in her eyes, already dreaming about the mayhem she can unleash.

"We'll see."

8-8

My scroll rings just as the sun sets over the mountains, bathing the countryside in unending shadows.

"Team Ruby, sound off. Ruby here!"

"Hey, this is pretty cool." Xiao Long's smile is more than obvious.

"Would you keep the channel clear?" Schnee gets on their cases, obviously far more accustomed to Atlas-styled ops.

"Is this thing on? Hellooooo!"

"Nora. We hear you."

"Team Coffee. Coco here."

One by one, the ground team test their mics and the connection. "Roger, ground team. We read you five by five."

"Huh?" Oh shit. She-Hulk strikes again. "There's eleven of us down here. Don't you mean five by six?" That level of stupid can't be cured.

"Guys, keep it down." Branwen gets on their cases. "Ivy. We move in three minutes. Keep eyes on Haven for us."

"Copy that ground team." I nod to Noir, and he eases Starlight into a slow approach, to test how close we can get before Mistral Airport picks us up—or worse, Haven. With my hood up, everything for kilometres around me is rendered in my mind. No increased Grimm activity, no curious spike in people activity.

Jade and Janine are cuddled up in one of the bunks, with li'l Ive snuggled between them.

Em, Tiff, Flynt, Neon, and Mitsuki are ready to roll, sticking close to the door for when I give the signal. Hopefully it won't be needed. I don't think we're ready for something this big, and I don't want to take the risk. If I have my way, we'll offer only long-range support.

A wall of pings looms ahead, made all the more obvious with pulses radiating out—radio waves, been my guess. We slip through, but radio chatter doesn't start up. Either they're having a coffee break, or someone took them out to allow for backup.

Scroll rings. A new call comes in. "Ih's Nikos. Add her?" I nod, and Noir adds her to the conference call.

"Starlight to Nikos. What's the situation? Over." I ask.

"Pyrrha to Starlight. We have the city surrounded. Ready to move on your signal. Over."

"Copy, Nikos. Ground team, the show's yours. Keep the channel open. Starlight, over and out."

"Alright, let's move," Branwen announces. Eleven blue dots exit the apartment.

Hmm. There's a lot of activity in the lower levels, the slums. Can't tell who or what, but there weren't that many out and about during the day. Maybe they come out after the sun goes down? Too cold to dare try that in Mantle—even the hardiest gangbanger stays indoors at night, or at least in their car.

We make it to the security check point, if still a kilometre up. They still haven't spotted us. I'll chalk it up to good fortune, for now.

Ground team makes it to Haven's courtyard. They approach the main building, no doubt to see to the meeting. Curiously, there are six people inside waiting for them.

"Starlight to ground team. Got eight marks on your twelve. Over."

"Schnee to Starlight. Need details. Over."

I zoom in—it blinds me to the lower levels, but it brings Haven sharper into focus. "Male Faunus. Lion's mane. Bracer on left forearm. Female Human. One too many Lien cards on person, twinned revolver sickles. Male Human. Cybernetic legs, no other weapons. Male Human. No weapons, lots of dust crystals in hip pouches. Male Faunus. Scorpion's tail, retractable crescent blades attached to forearms. Female Human. Long Anima-style blade with revolver scabbard. Female Human. Closed umbrella in hand. Female Human. Crescent blades with pistols. Over."

"Mom." Xiao Long's mutter knits my brow, but I just don't know what to make of it.

Holy fuck! "We've got contact. Faunus bearing Grimm-styled masks are en route to your location. And they've got company. Faunus, not masks. Including one monkey Faunus with flintlock nun chucks and one Ms Belladonna. Reinforcements are early. Over and out."

And how fucking close are we? We're right a-fucking-top of Haven and they haven't spotted us? Fucking hell, they might as well toss all their gear out on its ass, or the teams meant to monitor them—and I can sense their ass in their fucking chairs, so I know they're not dead.

I tap Noir's shoulder and point up. He nods, pulling back on the wheel to take us up higher.

"Ivy. Track a bull Faunus. Grimm-styled mask. Single blade kept on left hip. Name Adam Taurus. He's the White Fang Leader."

"Copy that, sunshine. Need me to return the favour?"

"With interest."

What the fuck are those White Fang asshats doing? Are they planting explosives? Well, it's only in the upper levels just now, but…why is that sneaky-ass White Fang with a whip disarming all of them? Do I smell dissention in the ranks?

I zoom out as far as I can go without losing too much resolution, finding mob fucking chaos in the streets. Looks like the party already started, but something's wrong there too. Oh shit! I know that cocksucker. He was one of the bouncers in that shotcaller's bar. They're all dressed different from the people they engage, look more regal—which says a lot for the slums. Bandits, huh.

"Starlight to Nikos. I need boots on the ground in Mistral's lower levels. Bandits and gangbangers duke it out. Permission to engage. Have a solid team block off their retreat. Be mindful of Grimm attracted by the chaos. Over."

"Pyrrha to Starlight. Understood. Six teams moving in, two teams will hold ground at southern checkpoint. Over."

"Raven! What's the meaning of this!" Ah, fuck me. I'm not dealing with this and listening to a gods-damned soap opera.

"Starlight to Nikos. Ground team has made contact. All bombs are being disarmed. You have permission to engage, incapacitation only. Do not engage Faunus without Grimm masks. Repeat. Not all Faunus are hostiles. Engage those who wear Grimm masks only. Over."

"Pyrrha to Starlight. Understood. All Mistral teams are moving in. Over."

"This is Mistral Tower to all unidentified Bullheads!" Huh. So they just aren't seeing us. Interesting. "Unidentified Bullheads! You are entering sovereign territo—"

"This is Bee-Ar-Fifty-Two. We are bringing in Mistral Huntsmen. Landing not required. Over."

Each and every Bullhead, three dozen by my guess, do a flyby, raining Huntsmen on Mistral to put a swift end to the bullshit going down. Curiously, none see to Haven itself. Nikos's doing; protecting the people of Mistral takes precedence over the academy, after all.

The non-White Fang Faunus surround the White Fang shits. Ooh. It looks like we have ourselves a target.

Male Faunus. Muted bull horns, Grimm mask. Single blade sheathed on left hip. Detonator in hand, raised to draw attention to himself. A click, but nothing happens. The ninja-chameleon already disarmed all of them.

But.

I swat Noir and take control of Starlight, bringing her around and flicking up my hood—replaced with my sniper's mask.

Redhead asshole repeatedly clicking something in his hand. I load the Gatlings. Less than two-hundred metres—I could unman him at this distance and angle.

Three-toes turns, something catches his eye, but doesn't move. He's on guard. I load the canons, ice rounds. Every Faunus clears the area around him. Good.

"Hey, sunshine? Got a bull-cicle with your name on it." I fire both canons.

Taurus tries to slice the projectiles, but all he does is spread it more. Son'a'bitch gets a warm Mantle welcome, the entire area around him encased in ice, frozen solid. He'll suffocate before his aura even runs out.

"Good. Need some backup in here."

"EM! Noir. You have command." I phase through my seat, rushing down to the scene of the freaked out White Fang asses as they're surrounded. I pin my hood up, letting the scene around me render in my mind, so I don't miss a thing. I land, right on Taurus's glacier, glaring down through the ice at the top of his head. "Yang Xiao Long sends her love."

I backflip, unsheathe snake-Sun and phase her through the ice, cutting off both his arms at the shoulders, and just to be sure, I slash at him a third time, cutting off his legs at the knees. By the time my boots touch grass, my team drop down around me, brandishing their weapons and daring any cock nibblers to try anything.

Not missing a beat, I turn and march towards the main building, trading Sun for Foxtrot, and loading fire-grenades.

I aim for the doors, launch, and snipe the fucking grenade so the doors blow inwards.

If outside was chaotic, inside in hell incarnate.

Eyes turn to me. The assassin and the thief. I launch a fire grenade and snipe it, blowing the assassin back, right into Adel's melee range—she swings her purse like a good little old lady, snapping his spine on contact.

The scorpion shit bends over backwards, avoiding Branwen's scythe—his eyes on me. Oh?

"Well well. Who have we here?" The scorpion Faunus asks.

"That's Ivory DeWitt." Lioinheart squeals like a good little piggy. "The team with her, they bear her family crest. They're her honour guards."

"OZPIN!" The crazed and unarmed Human bellows, chasing after the newly incarnated Oz. Oh, this is a fucking circus.

"Pyrrha to Starlight." Wind howls over the connection. "Dropping in on the party with more backup. What's your location?"

"Haven. Main building. Bring your A-game."

The scorpion scurries my way, bent over backwards and walking on hands and feet. Still one of the fast I've faced.

Grenade mag drops and I kick it right at him while I fish out an icy mag and slap it in. Crazy son'a'bitch slices it, detonating the lot of them and blowing out support beams and sending his charred ass flying back, towards Branwen. The fuck is he doing, sleeping on the job.

Rose turns into a red bullet, literally flying at the scorpion and slicing his stinger off, before ricocheting off the wall and over towards Schnee, taking potshots at the thief while she's at it.

Adel and her bodyguard keep the thief hoping, so the little shit takes a few dings from Rose.

They're handled. The scorpion's pretty much down. I fire off the last fire grenade in the barrel, right at the scorpion—'pretty much' isn't handled, it's a loose end, but the hulking human with crystals stuck in his arms gets in the way. He takes the grenade to the face, and brushes off the flames. Power type, huh?

"Neon. Flynt."

"On it!" A rainbow dashes for the big ass bitch, but instead of going in for the kill, she peppers his dumb ass with pistol fire, while Flynt moves into position.

"Tiff! Valkyrie!" Em and Tiff rush off towards the struggling she-hulk, keeping the crazed umbrella bitch away from her ninja-boy.

I trade Foxtrot for Moon, slam an ice drum-mag in her ass, and unsheathe sword-Sun. This needs handling. Now.

"Someone order a pizza?" Arc asks, walking in ahead of Nikos. "Aw, come on! We charge extra for mopping up!"

I dash ahead, charging at the umbrella bitch. She peers my way over her shoulder, a little smile telling me she thinks she can handle me.

I veer off course, making a beeline for the downed and tailless scorpion. With the others entertained, I can pick off the stragglers.

Pouncing, snake-Sun lashes out, right for his fucking neck. He turns, eyes wide with perpetual madness, and raises his weapon to defend. Sword phases right through his defence, cutting clean through his wrist and bicep.

Moon fires. His other weapon tries to deflect, but the ice clings to him. Whatever psychosis he's in fades, fear takes over, and he just legs it. Right into Arc's swing—scorpion ducks under it and slides right passed Nikos's spear tip. A grenade explodes, freezing the escaping scorpion in place—Meadows looks too happy for words as the desert shit turns to fucking ice, leaving only his head outside the blast zone; the crazed laughter hints he's long passed losing his mind.

Good. Now the umbrella bitch.

A lift, that wasn't there before, comes up. Xiao long bears some kind of trinket, seems to have traded it for her arm. No, the assassin has her arm—well, Adel does, I suppose.

Blondie makes it up to our level, showing off her spoils. Looks like some kind of urn, or a lamp or something.

"Not again." The thief sounds about ready to freak the fuck out. "Not again, not again, not again." Good luck with that, pumpkin.

Moon sets on auto-fire, aims for the thief's face, and trigger pulls. The kleptomaniac's face snaps back, ice covering filling its every inch.

"Fall back!" Someone calls out. The giant, I think. Umbrella bitch jumps over Sun's swipe, and shatters into the ground. My seals don't pick render her anymore. At all. Not her heat signature, not her location, nothing. She's just…gone. And she seems to have taken the giant and the icicle with her, somehow.

I pull back my hood, finding my people alive. Injured, bruised, and in Schnee's case, bleeding. But alive.

Mitsuki rushes to my side, already checking me for injuries. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm f—"

She pulls my weapons right out of my hands, somehow knowing how to reel in snake-sun and shift her into sword-form and sheathing her for me. Moon's safety engages and she's holstered. Mitsuki takes her hands into hers, continuing her inspection.

This seems, for the most part, handled. "I need a fucking drink."

8-8

End Chapter Eight

8-8

End Volume Three

8-8

A/N: No, the effects of the last few chapters aren't forgotten, nor will they be. Ivory simply has little things to distract herself with. But, the next volume will be entirely dedicated to unpacking all of that. For better, or worse.

How will it unfold? You'll just have to wait and see.