The Adopted Rose

2-6: The Taste Of Freedom

Y/N's POV

It's game time, everyone knew what they are doing. Harriet and Adria were outside of Ashthrone searching for the machine that is hidden in one of the 50 bases. I'm hoping there's not multiple. Me, Winter, Clover, Vine, Marrow, and Elm are in the city, we can hear the army of soldiers and assassins coming towards us. All of us are ready, geared up and everything.

"Nervous?" Clover asked me

"Nah, I fought an army like this, except they weren't mind controlled." I said

"Yes, I believe Fauna told me about that." Winter smiled

I giggled as i remember that fight, me fighting alongside Holomyth. We then noticed the army, we were finally able to see them. But then i noticed their eyes, of course some of them are wearing masks but some of them weren't.

"Hey, is it just me or is there something up with-"

"Their eyes?" Marrow finishes for me

"Yes their eyes seem off, must be from the machine." Vine said

"Makes sense, all those people were from that huge list." Elm added

"Get ready." I said

I pull out a small stick from my utility belt before turning into a Bo-Staff. Winter takes out her swords, Elm brings out her hammer, Marrow pulls out his rifle, Vine used his semblance as he preferred using it, and Clover has his fishing pole already in hand.

Winter summons a manticore before getting on and charging at the army. Clover and I followed behind her with our weapons in hand. I could hear shooting behind us and the yells of Elm, she seems to be having fun. Bullets and Rockets coming behind us, must be from Marrow and Elm. Vine was getting onto a building before throwing his star at the soldiers. Me and Clover engaged with the army as our weapons clash with their's. Winter on her manticore was shooting down icicle spears. This battle is gonna get ugly.

Ruby's POV

JNPR's team were hanging out with us as we were walking outside enjoying the city of Vale. Classes were over for the day and we finished up our homework and anything else we needed to do. No one wanted to stay inside and the air and weather feels nice outside. We really didn't have any plans so we decided to head into the arcade. It was a lot of fun playing games and chatting like we were all one big family.

Family... my thoughts immediately come to Y/N... I was about to take a bite of my pizza but just thinking about him always make me think about the day he disappeared. Losing my mom Summer impacted me and my dad Taiyang a lot. Yang was strong enough to take care of the entire family. But when Y/N disappeared and couldn't be found, no one was able to keep the family strong. Well Uncle Qrow kind of did, he promised us he'll search everywhere but still nothing.

"Thinking about him again?" A voice said, i looked up to see it was Jaune.

"Yeah, sorry." I apologized

"There's no need to be sorry Ruby. It's natural to think about him from time to time." Pyrrha said smiling before going back to eating and talking to Jaune.

My team did tell Team JNPR about Y/N Rose and everything about it. They were supportive from start to finish. I sighed as i couldn't help but smiled, i have such amazing friends. There's a month left until the first semester ends. Eeeeek i can't help but be excited, for our first year here in Beacon we all kind of grown up in some way even me. I finished my pizza slice before heading back to the other group that were still playing with Jaune and Pyrrha.

Y/N's POV

I blocked a soldier's staff with my own before chopping his neck with my hand, knocking him out. Another soldier swung at me but i sweep my legs and punch him in the face. Five more came at me and i threw an exploding shuriken to each of them. Thank god they have aura, maybe a but too easy to shatter. But anyways they are out cold.

I take a look around to see Clover skillfully countering his opponents with his fishing pole. Blocking, Parrying, and Striking. I should've expected that from the leader of the Ace-Ops. I can see why and how he is the leader of such a skillful and talented group.

Elm and Vine surprised me as they were taking out swarms of soldiers and assassins. Elm was swinging her hammer while using her semblance to keep her in place. Vine was leaping from building to building, using his semblance, his extended aura like limbs to swipe and swat them away, sending them crashing to the ground or building. Marrow was at the back shooting with his rifle, when they got close to the Faunus he transform his weapon into a boomerang and smacked them away.

I turn my attention to Winter Schnee who was engaged in battle with the assassin that took out Adria and send her in the hospital. She seems to be very skilled if she was giving Winter a run for her money. She was using her blades to attack the specialist but Winter was able to block most of her attacks before the blade grazed her cheek. Winter looked exhausted.

I decided to come in to help her after sweeping a guy with my bostaff before hitting him in the head. I charged towards the assassin and send a dropkick to the girl, sending her tumbling.

"I'll take it from here Winter, you look tired." I said

"Thank you, i'll go help with Marrow." Winter said as she summoned a Manticore before getting on it and flee.

The assassin growled as she charges at me, trying to cut me down with her blades. But I was able to block her attacks with my staff before landing a kick on her stomach, kicking her away. I used my ring, shooting at the girl but she was too fast, too agile. She tried to land a kick but i quickly made a construct around myself, a bubble defending myself. She was trying to break the shield with her blades. I smirked as i was gonna use her momentum against her. Just like how Raven used my momentum against me.

I let the girl break my construct of my bubble, i grab her arm, pull her in and deliever a right hook knocking her mask off in the process. My eyes widen a bit as i recognized that face, Elanore Barlow. She was the assassin that sent Adria to the hospital. She growled at me as she charges again only to get knock out by a chop to the neck.

I sigh as we both fall down to the ground, i was exhausted. I have so many useful tools in my belt that i can't really used them all as some of them would be useless. And i was so focus on my opponent that i forgot that I can use my ring. I turned around preparing to make a construct of a gatling gun but then i noticed the battle slowly ending. The noise of the battle was getting quieter. Either everyone was knocked out and or tired, or...

"The Machine is destroyed, Harriet just told me. And their eyes are coming back to normal." Clover said walking over to me exhausted

"Phew, thankfully it's over." I said smiling as i sat down.

"Wooo! We did it!" Elm said smiling wide as she and the other walk over to us.

"Yes we did, we did amazing!" I responded, happy that is over.

"Honestly, i don't know if i could hold out for another minute." Marrow said laying down

"Yeah, but what are we gonna do with them. I'm pretty sure a hospital isn't enough." I said motioning to the soldiers and assassins that were passed out or groaning.

"Thankfully Harriet and Adria have good news for us. They told us that all the bases were the same. Same meeting room, same training facility, same medical wing." Winter explained

"40 Medical beds per base with medical equipment too." Vine added

"That should be enough. 20 Bases would be used. All right let's get these guys to the bases. Let Adria, Harriet, and the Police know what we are doing." I said, everyone nodding as we got to work.