Into the Fire - III

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With their negotiations, such as they were, at an end, Robyn let them into her warehouse. The inside was spacious both up and down, as he'd expected, but cut off by a mostly-built stage with heavy curtains and piled wood in front of it. A smattering of chairs, some stacked one on top of another in cable-bound towers while others were scattered around them, occupied one of the corners and it was there their party settled in. Or rather, while the Humans among them fell into chairs that were dragged or kicked into a rough circle, and he sank onto the floor, sitting much like a youngling would have.

It galled him, but it was better that than standing, looming forebodingly over the smaller Humans. The Spartan joined him after a moment, kneeling beside him with his rifle resting across his thigh.

"So..." Robyn grunted, smiling when Joanna kicked a spare chair in front of the woman for her to put her feet up in. She sat turned to the side like that, almost lounging, and went on,"Now we're all comfortable… Arbiter, right?"

"Indeed."

"Right, your story first, then." She nodded, folding her hands behind her head. She didn't smile, though, watching him shift uncomfortably. Quietly, she added, "And be quick, too. Abridged version. We have a kid to save, once I'm done putting my curiosity to bed."

"She is no child." The Arbiter growled on instinct, eyes narrowing as he shook his head. "Forgive my agitation-"

"Done as done can be, bigg'un." She nodded, "Now, go on. Talk."

"Very well…" He sighed, searching for the place to start his amended tale and, as always, falling to the same beginning. He was getting tired of telling this tale, in all honesty, but… Ruby needed him to tell it again, and so he would, whether he liked it or not.

"I awoke in a forest on the continent which Mistral calls home…"

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Her back hit the wall just before a fist took her in the stomach, and then a second, and a third. Ruby sagged as it withdrew and then hacked as a hand slammed into her throat, curled around it, and lifted her up to pin her against the wall. And then it squeezed, choking off Ruby's air supply while its owner laughed and wholly ignored the kicks she sent slamming into his stomach and chest.

As blackness swam across her vision, she heard the door open and then slam shut.

"Damn it, Tyrian." The other of her two captors hissed, before she was left to fall, sprawling across the floor and coughing up a lung while her other captor cackled and turned.

"But Doctor!" He sneered and babbled a laugh, "She turned around! We made threats I needed to make good on."

"I-" She wheezed, "-adjusted how I was sitting!"

"Our eyes met!"

"You-" She coughed again, losing herself to a fit for a second before hissing, "Y-You wee looking over my shoulder!"

"Tyrian…"

"You can't possibly trust her over me?" The Faunus asked, tilting unnaturally to one side, hands pressed to his heart, as silence reigned over the room. After a moment, the psychotic Faunus cackled another laugh and turned on a heel, stalking back across the room with a sigh. "Ah, so you can… Very fair, doctor!"

He was absolutely insane…

Even more than she'd already thought!

"Please, try to stay still and quiet." The man, Watts, sighed as he knelt and took her chin in a hand. Forcing her head up and back, he ran the other along ther jugular and the bottom of her jaw before she could do more than stiffen, and then nodded, "You'll bruise, a bit, but you'll live."

He let her go with a sigh, dropped a little box of food beside her, and turned back towards his terminals without another word. Cracking it open she was met by the sight and smell of baked potatoes and spiced, shredded meat that made her mouth water.

But…

"Why?"

"If you don't want the food, don't eat it." The suited man snapped back at her, paying her a petty little glare before turning back to his… Whatever he was working on.

After a moment, the smell of the food was too much, and Ruby took it and turned her back on the room again. She hated that she actually hoped the harsh man wouldn't leave her again…

But 'isn't Tyrian' was a pretty big positive, at least for now.

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"From there, we came here, with the... Fanfare, so to say, that you saw previous." He finished with a sigh, growling and flicking his head in agitation, "I hope your curiosity is satisfied now, Miss Hill."

"Okay, that felt a bit spicy…"

"Robyn." Fiona chastised the woman, who threw her hands up in the air in surrender and then wafed for the Faunus to go on.

Rolling her eyes, Fiona held up a hand and, from a shower of particles and light that had him transfixed for the moment it lasted, drew forth an old paper map that she unfurled on the floor between all of them. It was detailed to start with, but had been marked with long tracts of red, blue and yellow borders around sections of the cities, and black marks along sections of the wall at the edges of the map.

"The blue areas are the ones without monitoring systems." Penny said quietly after a moment of silence. When Fiona only blinked up at her, she explained, "Roland- Their Ai I mean, he left the information behind after he, uh, did stuff."

"Did… Stuff?"

"Penny is an artificial being." Thel interrupted shortly, drumming his knuckles on his thigh. She grimaced and he added for her sake, "Physically, at least. Thus, Roland, the AI which I mentioned before, was able to access her. And through her, he accessed your security grid."

"I, uh, did leave the info behind, too." Roland added quietly, his voice echoing from the Spartan's speaker system. "I… Didn't know if we wanted anyone to know about me, so I thought it was smart. Sorry, Penny."

"It is no matter." She smiled and shrugged, "It is only information, after all."

"Yeah." The AI answered quietly, "I just… Should have asked."

"You are forgiven." Penny smiled warmly, turning her attention back to the confused and bemused looking Faunus kneeling on the far side of the map. "You are… Missing several areas of lacking security, though."

"What?" It was Robyn herself who spoke the surprise the four of them showed, sitting up and turning in her seat, abandoning her position of comfort to meet Penny's gaze. "We paid good Lien to map all this out. Our informant told us these were all the holes."

"According to…?"

"A Specialist with sympathies where they ought to be." Joanna offered quietly, "that's all you need to know."

"Are you certain they spoke honestly when they said that?" The Arbiter rumbled, "Or knew all of the holes?"

"The Hand doesn't lie." Robyn countered hotly, "If they don't want to tell us something, they say so. And we let it go."

"Besides, their information has always worked out." Fiona added quietly, staring furrow browed down at the map. "Never any trouble…"

"Yeah, when they reach out." May grumbled from her seat, back a bit and closer to Robyn even than the other Huntresses.

"You do not control your own agent…?"

"The Hand isn't ours." Robyn answered quietly, "Or, well, anyone's. Whoever they are, they reach out when they want to help us with what they are willing to help with. They'll go quiet for a while, then I'll get a message. Or a letter, on my door. But it's always good, and they don't charge much. Usually, we don't even really have to even fight."

"Curious…" And it put Thel ill at ease as well for reasons he could not place. But one did not get to his age without a healthy trust for one's own instincts. Regardless, he asked, "If you are sure that you can trust them, and that they would not miss this, then what are these holes in your map?"

"Suspicious." The Master Chief offered quietly, "They're suspicious."

"It's… Weird, though." Fiona murmured, leaning over and tracing out each of them with a long finger. "Every one of these are old town, where not a lot has changed in the last forty years or so. And all of 'em are out near the wall… Dangerous territory, recently."

"Because?"

"Atlas hasn't been keeping the walls up, Branwen." May answered coolly, "Closer you are to the edge, more chance something slips through and has time to get to you. Everyone knows that, too."

"Atlas' patrols don't frequent the outer districts either." Joanna added, "Aside from drone patrols, that is. And avoiding those is easy for anyone that isn't a Grimm. The underbelly loves it."

"Underbelly…?"

"Means the criminals." Qrow answered, rolling his neck until it cracked. "Drug lords, smugglers, weapon dealers. Those sorts. And out there, they'd at least think they could handle Grimm slipping through."

"They can't." Robyn grunted shortly, "For the most part, at least. You get a few ex-Hunters, or ex-Academy students, that know enough to handle Sabyrs and Creeps."

"Violence and arrogance, festering where no one can see or cares to look." Thel rumbled, grimacing deeply when Robyn nodded and eased back in her seat a bit. Humming, the Arbiter asked, "Which of these would be the sort to have a place where one might keep someone against their will?"

"Who is the someone?"

"A Huntress." Penny offered quietly, "One that is quite fast, at that. And one that would be easily recognized by passersby, if Atlas were to coordinate a proper search."

"Huh…" Fiona leaned over the map, crawling to one corner on all fours and shaking her head. "Uhuh, that's warehouses… Homeless shanties…" Skittering to the next Penny pointed to, she looked at it and hummed, "No, no, that's Ripper territory."

"Rippers…?"

"They rip up automatons, and steal prosthetics off dead people, to rig themselves and their people up." Robyn explained with a deep, dark frown, "If I had my way, they'd be out already, but… Well, whatever, they don't share land."

"Or air, if they can help it." Joanna added with a grunt, "Bastards…"

"The last one is also the smallest." Penny pointed out, bringing them all back around to the task at hand rather nicely. Standing, she pointed it out on the far side, between Fiona's legs until she scuttled back and looked at it. "I have already looked into the area. Residential, low wealth, run-down, poorly monitored, judging from the current drone coverage and its correspondence to organic patrols. It seems to fit what they would need."

"Mhm." Fiona nodded, standing and waving her hand, the map - and the dust on her knees - vanishing into her skin with the same flash of bright particles. Turning, she asked Robyn, "Should I get goin', then?"

"Yeah, you should." Robyn nodded, standing and asking, "Will you be okay on your own, though? I can send May."

"Why do you always volunteer me…?"

"I'll be alright, no worries." Fiona smiled, turning to Penny and beaming a bright smile that even the Arbiter couldn't help but be warmed by. "I have the Protector of Mantle and Qrow Branwen to keep me safe, after all. What could be better?"

"A battleship on standby?"

"A dozen Spartans?"

"Well," Robyn laughed brightly, standing and turning to head back behind the stage, waving a hand over her shoulder, "at least we know tall, dark and vaguely scaly has a sense of humor to him."

"Indeed I do." Thel rumbled as he and those with him rose. Turning to the Faunus, and by the gods she was tiny, it looked like he could snap her with a hand, he bowed his head and said. "Thank you for your aid, and know that should it come to it, I will protect you."

"Thanks." She smiled, flicking a hand and summoning one of the odd polearms May and Joanna held behind her. Spinning it deftly, she brought the head down to rest on the floor and cocked her head to the side almost playfully. "But don't worry, big man. I can take care of myself."

"I see…"

"...Is she hitting on him?"

"Probably." May sighed, "Fiona loves tall men."

"Wait, but- Who is she hitting?" Thel asked confusedly, looking between Qrow and the woman with narrowed eyes.

"Ugh, let's just go…" Fion sighed, slipping by him and heading towards the doors. When she showed no signs of slowing, and no one answered his question, they turned to follow her with all due haste.

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"I don't care if you're bored." Watts sighed, fingers flying across his central terminal and then moving to the right, working to get access to a particular file that was more restricted than the others around it. A heavier encryption program had kept it hidden in the first place, and that made him curious enough to work at it.

At least to pass the time.

"Oh, but good doctor Watts, I need something to do!" Tyrian whined behind him, clapping his hands on Watts' shoulders, massaging them harshly and whispering in his ears. "C'mon, c'mon, c'mon! There has to be someone around here I can go play with while we wait!"

The closest is eight blocks away, Tyrian, for- Stop!" He snapped, shaking the man's hands off and turning to scowl at him. "Do you mind? I'm working."

"No, you're Doctor Watts."

"For the love of-" He growled and pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting his irritation - and headache - back as best he could. "Just. Guard the girl."

"...Can I-?"

"No, Salem wants her intact." And more was the pity for her, too. And a shame at large, too. She was a pretty little thing, and had spirit to her.

But she chose the wrong side.

And eyes…

"True, true…" Tyrian sighed, "Then can I just go-"

"Shut your fanatical frog hole." Watts cut him off when a particular alarm pinged on his terminal. Sighing, he turned a look over his shoulder and smiled. "Our guests are on their way."

"Oh?" He nodded and Tyrian cackled, clapping his hands giddily as he bounced away, towards their not-so-subtly watching over her shoulder captive. She scrabbled away, into the corner, as he came and he laughed, leaning down, "Oh, little Rose, it looks like your friends are finally coming! About time, too. I was getting so bored… And when I get bored, I get violent!"

"Wait, w-was that…" The girl blinked, confused, "Was that a reference?"

"Yes!" Tyrian cackled, squatting in front of the girl and asking, excitedly, "Did you get it?! It's my queen's favorite game!"

"If I say yes, do I… Not get stabbed?"

"Maybe!"

"F-Fallout?"

"Oh you do get it!" He laughed, suddenly yanking the woman into a hug and then tossing her back into the corner to sit, pressing her back into the wall in terror. "Mention that to Salem when we hand you over, hm? She may let you live for a couple of extra days if you can amuse her with banter~!"

"For the love of-" Watts sighed and stood, pointing at the door, "Go! Outside! Meet the guests, please!"

"Oh yes, right, our guests!" The man's laugh was shrill as he shot through the door, slamming it behind him.

"What the fuck is wrong with him…?"

"Aren't you a bit young to say that?" Watts asked, rounding on the girl. She only shrugged and Watts sighed, turning back to his terminal to input a single command before turning back to her. She was on her feet and halfway towards him, fist cocked back and eyes wide and blinking. Quietly, he sighed, "Why can't anything go the way it ought when I get stuck with him?"

The girl didn't answer, flashing towards him in a shower of petals as he drew his sidearm.

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Ah, the true ship.

Fiona X Arbiter.

Joking!

Anyway, sorry if any of the humor felt stilted. Or the ending there. Been sick for about three weeks now, mostly just a fuck off bad cough. BUT I did what I could, and hope you all enjoy it nonetheless.

Next on The Way -

A Rose and a Detective!

Tyrian and… Whoever he feels like stabbing!

Who will win?

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Joe Cola :

Glad you like it! And yeah, I tend to kinda overdo that characterization sometimes… Meeting the Huntresses was intended to only be half a chapter. XD

Kpmh 2001 :

Second verse, same as the first! Lol.

Simply Christian :

Glad you liked it! I rewrote it twice. Glad it seems to have gone over well!

Sebine :

Ah…

Never change, Sebine.

Smokey Panda :

Okay, so here we go…

As a quick note on the 'they grunt even through Aura' yeah, I agree. I look at that like how soldiers in modern body armor will get shot and still fall over, pawing at the hit and swearing up a storm. It still hurts, it just doesn't injure you. Which is the important bit.

As to Mjolnir itself…

Well, this kind of starts to get into pure interpretation. See, some of the books like to mythologize Mjolnir and Spartans in general. It's a known issue deep in the fandom. You'll have some books where a Spartan can single-handedly walk through a PLATOON of Covenant raking them with fire and just dodge, or have the plasma bounce off. Where they will out-speed Sangheili, over-power Jiralhanae, and somehow read the shot patterns of two dozen grunts all at the same time.

Then you have others, where Frederic literally gets put on a bed for a bit… By a moderately large truck. And then, iirc, had to beat a Brute to death with a rock.

I tend to go middle of the road, favoring a more realistic approach. Or, well, realistic in the 'hey, John Wick sometimes gets shot and attrition drags him down' kind of way, if you know what I mean?

So certain people will out-speed Spartans in this and other stories. Ruby and Harriet, for example. Some will compete or over-power them, too, like Nora or Hazel when they're juicing. And some weapons will pierce at LEAST their under-suits, such as Crescent Rose, Due Process or, yeah, Adam's sword.

This is a mix of 'I want fights to have any tension at all' and honest interpretation.

So yeah. I will say Spartans will never get back-handed by a Beowolf or something like that. IF I kill one, it will be earned. But I also just would not have added them if they were walking 'I win' buttons.

Lastly, I wanna stress that I'm not dogging you, and hope this doesn't come across as such. Your interpretation is perfectly valid.

I just wanted to address your concerns fairly. And I hope you take that as a show of good faith and respect, which it is.