Team SWRZ Volume 2 - Chapter 10 - Search and Rescue!

The tiresome search for the Faunus twins, Brulee and Maple, came to a screeching halt when night fell. The search party leader, Nagina, couldn't find any tracks in the dark of night, leaving the group no other options than to set up camp, much to the chagrin of Rowan. After hearing the distressing news of their kidnapping, the young woman opted to leave the group behind and rescue them herself.

She paced restlessly, setting her sights on the campfire. Now wasn't the time to wait for sunrise to get back on the move. The more time they wasted, the farther the twins got away from them. There was no telling what horrors were in store for the children.

"Can't sleep?" Rowan slightly jumped when Schwartz's voice came from behind her. She reluctantly turned and spotted her team leader approaching her, looking somewhat pensive. "You never quite struck me as the restless type. What's eating you?"

"Like you need to ask," Rowan shook her head and looked back to the campfire. Anything not to let Schwartz read her expressions. As a con-woman, it's essential to keep emotions and expressions in check--only showing what you want others to see. "What are you still doing up? Your watch shift is over."

"Watchet's snoring too loud," Schwartz complained, joining his teammate next to the campfire. A light chuckle escaped his mouth once Rowan moved away from him. Understandable. He acted like a jerk earlier. "Plus, I can't sit still. I'm just too excited."

"Excited?" Rowan frowned, unsure of where the man was going with the conversation.

"Back at the academy, I thought this mission would waste time. It hadn't crossed my mind the crazy shit we've been through so far, and the excitement keeps coming!" Schwartz got that crazy look in his eyes, the one that his teammates were well aware of. Unlike the others, they didn't share his lust for battle. "Come sunrise; we'll chase down the kidnappers and--"

"And what, Schwartz?" Rowan angrily cut the man off. She'd heard about all she could withstand from him for one day. For the longest time, he's been a pain in her ass. "What part of any of this is exciting? Children have been kidnapped; they're in danger! But what do you care? You're looking for a fight and nothing else! You don't give a damn if we find them alive or not, do you?"

"What's wrong with that?" Schwartz shrugged his shoulders, practically confirming everything she stated beforehand. He joined the academy to learn how to kill Huntsmen. The only way to accomplish that goal was to grow stronger. You can't grow stronger without fighting. "If the brats end up dead, it's not our fault. We're not the ones that killed them. We came here to complete a job, and we did it. All this is extra credit."

"You're unbelievable," Rowan scowled. Her team leader was a lost cause. There was no way he could become a Huntsman in the future. He would endanger many lives, all to fulfill his sadistic lust for combat.

"What's your problem? When did you start caring for the brats all of a sudden?" Schwartz asked, finding the woman's behavior lately quite odd. "And what was up with you and Zorina getting arrested? What were you doing messing around with Atlas?"

"That's none of your business," Rowan dismissed him with a light wave of her hand.

But Schwartz refused to let her off that easily. "You're a member of MY team. Almost anything you do is my business, especially involving the authorities. What was so important about that crash site that you had to risk getting arrested?"

Rowan gritted her teeth in frustration, knowing that Schwartz wouldn't drop the subject until he heard a satisfying answer. If that were the case, she'd have to use his stubbornness to her advantage. "We're a team, right?" She turned to her team leader with a soft expression.

"Yes?" Schwartz hesitated to answer since something didn't feel right. Her attitude changed all too quickly for his liking.

"I'll answer your question if you help me find the twins," Rowan looked straight into his amber eyes.

"I'm already doing that. We need to wait until sunrise and--"

"No," Rowan shook her head. "I want to leave right now. Waiting until sunrise doesn't sit right with me. The longer we stay here, the farther the twins get from us."

"You want the two of us to disobey the professor's orders and break off the team? The two of us against the world? That's what you want?" Schwartz asked.

"You're not scared, are you? I figured you'd jump at the chance to get into another fight," Rowan smirked.

"If you're both going to leave, then count me in," Both students turned and spotted Edward approaching them. "You'll need someone to see in the dark to help you find your way."

"You're a Faunus?" Schwartz looked the big man up and down, not finding any noticeable Faunus traits on him.

"Does it matter? You'll need my help unless you want to waste more time getting lost in the dark forest," Edward looked to Rowan.

"I'll take all the help I can get," Rowan nodded her head, accepting Edward's offer.

"Three of us should be enough," Schwartz said. "Now we need to find out who will take overnight watch duty."

The students looked to their options that slept soundly around the campsite. The first to react was Edward. He walked over to his teammate, Nagina, and woke her up. He explained the situation to her and bribed her with promises of sweets to earn her silence. The young woman quickly agreed and took over the night watch shift while the others headed further into the forest.

Edward took charge of the search as the upperclassman and guided Schwartz and Rowan through the forest. Thanks to his time spent with Nagina, he picked up several tracking tips. He found suitable markings around the forest but nothing concrete to lead him to the twins.

"Think the big man can help us find the brats?" Schwartz asked as he leaned against a tree nearby his teammate.

"He better," Rowan solemnly answered. Edward's idea was to tag along and take charge of the search since he could see in the dark. "If he can't, then he's done nothing but waste valuable time."

"We should probably prepare ourselves for the worst-case scenario," Schwartz warned her. It's not that he was expecting much from the search and rescue mission, but he wanted to ensure that Rowan was prepared for what she could see when finding the twins. Dead or alive, she had to be ready.

"What? You don't expect to find the twins alive?" Rowan frowned.

"It doesn't matter what I expect. It would be best if you were prepared for whatever we find by this end," Schwartz replied. "We could find them alive, dead, or not at all. Are you prepared? It's not too late to turn back."

"You almost sound like you care for my well-being," Rowan sarcastically responded, following up with a roll of her eyes. She didn't need her teammate's pity.

"It's just my advice," Schwartz shrugged his shoulders.

"This way, I found more tracks," Edward called out to them. The duo followed the big man further into the forest. They continued in silence until a light caught their eyes in the distance. Edward raised his hand and stopped the group's advance.

"Think we found them?" Schwartz whispered to the group.

"Still too soon to tell. It could be them or travelers." Edward replied. He scanned the immediate area and saw the twins tied to a tree. "I've found them. They're over there." He pointed.

"Great!" Rowan smiled. Her plan to abandon the others worked well in her favor. Finding the twins was the easy part. She had to get them away from their kidnappers and return them to their proper foster parents. "Let's grab them and get out of here."

"Wait," Edward set his hand on Rowan's shoulder. "I don't see anyone around them."

"That's good. Then getting them should be easy," Rowan stated.

Edward took another glance at the twins before shaking his head. Something wasn't right about this. It all seemed too easy. Why would the kidnappers go to great lengths to take the children and leave them out in the open? It didn't make sense.

It had to be a trap.

"Are we moving in on them or what?" Schwartz got bored with the silence. He'd do his own thing if the other two planned to sit on their asses the whole time.

"No, let's call the others and have them join us." Edward took his hand off Rowan's shoulder and went for his scroll. "We're in a favorable position right now. The kidnappers don't know we're here. Let's wait for reinforcements before making any sudden moves."

"What was the point of splitting off from the group then?" Schwartz complained.

Edward ignored the babbling from his underclassman. While he was busying messaging his comrades, Rowan proceeded onward, throwing caution to the wind. Despite the silent cries from both men to come back, she refused to listen. She wasted enough time standing around. Now was time for action.

That careless mistake cost her.

She felt the ground from underneath her suddenly vanish the next step she took. Gravity took its course and sent the poor, screaming girl falling. Schwartz ran by and grabbed Rowan's arm, saving her from plummeting into the dark pit below.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Schwartz exclaimed before he pulled his teammate back onto solid ground.

"Don't worry about me! Get to the twins!" Rowan looked ahead.

"That won't be easy," Edward alerted the group to a familiar figure approaching them from the campsite ahead.

It was Prim.

The woman looked at the intruders with a soft yet terrifying smile. "You found us? Oh my, that's an issue." She casually commented, her voice tinged with dreadful sarcasm.

"What's going on, Prim?!" Blane yelled as he stormed out of his tent.

"The Huntsmen from earlier found us. It's the students, though." Prim answered with a deadpan tone and unamused expression. "Grab the kids and get out of here. I'll deal with these children and catch up when I can."

"Damn it, alright," Blane obeyed and collected the screaming twins from the tree.

"Bold of you to assume you can handle one of us," Schwartz unsheathed [Bark & Bite] and rushed toward the woman. He'd make quick work of her and then rescue the twins. He reached Prim within seconds and swung his swords at her.

Prim stood perfectly still and smirked as the swords twisted and distorted around her body, avoiding all contact with her. Schwartz's eyes widened at that moment, leaving him wide open for a kick to his mid-section. Schwartz got propelled back to Edward and Rowan. He hit the ground and dropped his swords.

"What the hell was that?" Rowan looked to Schwartz's swords in confusion. They'd returned to their original shape and form.

"I'd like to know too!" Schwartz sat up and grabbed his swords, inspecting them for any damage. Was it his imagination? He could've sworn that he was right on the mark with his swing. How could he miss a sitting target?

"Finish them quickly, Prim!" Blane called out after he secured the struggling children underneath his arms.

"Put us down!" The twins kicked and screamed.

"Shut up!" Blane ordered before he took off further into the forest.

"Bastard! Get back here!" Rowan retrieved [Double-Dealing] from her sleeves and open-fired on the man. She had no problem shooting a fleeing opponent.

Prim stepped in front of the incoming projectiles. They seemed to vanish once they reached her vicinity.

"What?!" Rowan exclaimed.

"The hell's going on?" Schwartz gritted his teeth.

"It has to be her Semblance," Edward noted. He extended his arms and allowed his gauntlets, [Together Strong], to envelope his fists.

"You're quite observant for a big brat," Prim snidely commented, offering the slightest praise to the student for figuring it out. Although, it's not like she was trying to make it a secret in the first place. "You children have the misfortune of facing me in combat. But, I've been ordered to make it quick."

"Rowan, take her from the left. I'll take her from the right," Schwartz discussed his battle plan before putting it into action. The teammates used their guns and opened fire on the woman from both sides.

Like before, Prim remained stationary as their bullets seemed to bounce off an invisible force around her. "You're wasting your ammo," She arrogantly taunted, sidestepping an incoming kick from Schwartz. He transformed his guns back into their sword form and swung wildly. The blades twisted and distorted around their intended target, leaving her unharmed once again.

After missing his third sword strike, Prim elbowed him in the face, sending him reeling back. He quickly shook off the damage and prepared to jump back into the fight until Edward grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back. The large man roared and threw a massive right hook toward the woman.

Prim jumped back to avoid the strike.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?! She's mine!" Schwartz angrily exclaimed. If there's one thing he hated, it was other people taking his prey. If Edward got in his way again, he wouldn't hesitate to take down the both of them.

"No, she's mine," Edward sternly declared, not taking his eyes off the woman for a second. "Let me handle her while the two of you chase after the other guy. He couldn't have gotten too far. There's no reason for all of us to fight her."

"He's right! We're wasting time!" Rowan didn't waste another second arguing over fighting the woman. She took off after Blane, with Schwartz following shortly afterward.

"You're not leaving!" Prim reached behind her back for a weapon but stopped once she caught Edward's fist closing in from the corner of her eye. She narrowly avoided the attack and gained distance from the student.

"The next time you take your eyes off me, it could be your last," Edward warned her as he raised his fists.

"You're annoying! Stay out of my way!" Prim growled.

"Why don't you use your Semblance to force me out of your way?" Edward suggested. Judging from the silence that followed his question, he smirked, confident that he had figured out the woman's ability. He activated the Fire Dust in his gauntlet to confirm his suspicions and launched a column of flames at her.

As predicted, the flames split apart when they reached Prim's vicinity, leaving her unharmed. Afterward, he charged and swung at her with another right hook. She was forced to dodge the attack once again.

Prim looked and scowled at the smile on the student's face. "Wipe that smile off your damn face! There's nothing to smile about!"

"I disagree," Edward's smile grew wider. "Your Semblance lets you reflect things around you to avoid taking damage. But it looks like you can't do that to bodies. Talk about a bad match-up for you."

Prim grinded her teeth and reached behind her back for her weapon, a short sword with Wind Dust crystals embedded into the handle. "Poor child. You're about to learn why you never interfere with adult affairs."

"Kidnapping children is what you consider adult affairs?" Edward's face contorted in disgust. "What is it that you want with the twins? Why are they so important to you?"

The woman ignored his questions and rushed him with a dangerous sparkle in her eyes. Edward sidestepped her quickly, hurling another right hook directly at the back of her head. Prim dropped to the ground, avoiding the dangerous strike and swiping her leg. Her foot connected with Edward's ankle, temporarily knocking him off his stance.

That moment was all Prim needed. She swiped her short sword at the teetering man, empowering the blade with the help of the Wind Dust crystal. She slashed him across the torso and sent him flying back.

Edward recovered in mid-air and landed safely on the ground, coming to a stop before he could crash into the tree behind him. His aura flickered for a brief moment.

"That's better. Now that smirk is gone," Prim playfully spun the sword in her hand. That's how the fight should go. She's the one that deserves all the smiles while her opponents feel the dread of facing her. "You're not the only one with an analytical mindset. Sure, you figured out how my Semblance works. But I've figured out your fighting style, and I know how to counter it."

Edward had no words to counter the woman's claim. It wasn't just dumb luck that Prim managed to evade and successfully counter him in a fluid motion. If her claims were valid, he was in for a fight of his life. Well, that was to be expected as a Huntsman.

Edward gathered himself and went on the offensive. He rushed Prim and threw a flurry of punches at her. Prim casually avoided each fist. She read him look a book and ducked under the last punch. She slipped by and struck the back of his leg with a kick. The large man stumbled forward and clutched his leg.

He sharply turned in time to see Prim's sword coming for his face. Edward raised his gauntlet to shield his face from the incoming blade. The bladed instrument twisted around Edward's arm and struck him in the back.

Edward exclaimed and took his eyes off the woman to the blade elongated around his body. The next thing he knew, he was staring at the night sky when Prim's knee connected with his rugged face.

"I can do more than just reflect things, boy," Prim taunted.

Edward struggled to his feet, his aura flickering once more. He took a mental note of the woman's capabilities. With a brief clash against her, she found counters to his fighting style. Her Semblance, combined with her agility, proved difficult. He was left with no other choice than to use his trump card.

"Try to keep up," Prim cruelly sang. She swiped her sword around, using her Semblance to distort the blade around Edward again. It was similar to dealing with a snake-like sword. It struck him from multiple directions, making it difficult to predict the right time to defend.

Edward successfully defended the first few strikes, but the blade's speed seemed to increase as time passed.

A purple light emitted from Edward's body and then quickly expanded, enveloping the area around them in its faint glow. Prim was initially off-put by the sudden light show but proceeded with the student's execution. Just when her blade nearly pierced the boy's chest, it twisted out of the way and went back toward her.

"What?!" Prim tilted her head just in time to nearly avoid getting her head removed from her body. That wasn't right. Why was her weapon about to kill her? It was meant to kill her opponent! Not her! Judging it as a mere fluke, she went for another attack with the sword. And just like last time, it distorted and twisted away from Edward. "What's wrong with this thing?!" She angrily exclaimed.

"I warned you before about being a bad match-up," Edward chuckled. "You're not the only one with a crafty Semblance."

Prim's smug expression shifted into a fearsome scowl. She looked around the area, taking note of the purple aura that outlined their bodies. "What is this? Some kind of copycat Semblance?"

"No, it's your Semblance. It just won't work how you expect it to anymore." Edward kicked it into gear and rushed Prim again. The two fighters shared a brief clash, going back and forth with their respective weapons.

Prim tried using her Semblance numerous times during each of their clashes, but she couldn't entirely control the flow of her sword anymore. That infuriating setback cost her dearly, as Edward took complete advantage of the woman's palpable rage. If she couldn't concentrate, she couldn't beat him.

The smile on Edward's face during their battle threw Prim off her game. Oh, how the tables had turned. When things were going her way, the damn student had to interfere and ruin everything. Now she had to put in actual effort to defeat him. It should've been easy, effortless. She was on the brim of victory until he activated his damn Semblance.

What was it? Why couldn't she control her ability?

Prim swung her sword, roaring in tremendous rage. Edward sidestepped the blade and landed a decisive blow to the woman's stomach. Her aura flashed and quickly dissipated. She dropped her weapon, clutched her stomach, and fell unconscious.

"One down," Edward's aura dissipated as well. He slumped to the ground and took a moment to catch his breath. He had no choice but to leave the fate of the twins in the hands of Schwartz and Rowan.