RWBY: Until the Bitter End

Vol. 7 Ch. 1: Welcoming Party

~First Person~

I'm...really tired...I wanna sleep in a little. Just a little. Everything was blurry, and I was feeling really light as any audio that entered my ears was muffled. Almost as if my head was underwater.

"Someone hand me a bullet."

"What the-! Why!?"

"Hand. Me. A. Bullet. Unless you want him to die."

Want me to die? Oh. Right. I guess I am dying. Though more so from blood loss.

"Thank you."

A little bit of tinkering, I soon felt a little bit of tingling-

"AHHHHH!!! F-FUCK!!!"

Before I knew it? There was a burning hatred in my core that was from flame dust being placed the stab Dad gave me. How did I know? Because I saw him toss the empty cartridge to the side as he looked down at me. But...it was anything but condescending.

"There. Until he gets actual medical aid? Boost him with a little bit of your magic shields."

"Aura-?"

"Yeah. That."

Jaune was perplexed, and everyone else was too as Dad was tossing around orders. But looking behind me, I saw Weiss with tears in her eyes and a scowl. I...simply gave a sheepish chuckle.

"I...m-made it back alive-"

Slap.

"I told you to make it back alive! And you went ahead and got stabbed by-! By your dad!?"

"Hello."

Was he doing that on purpose? I don't know. But it made Weiss glare at him as I chuckled and laid my head back. Despite her being pissy, rightfully so, she would run her hand down against my chin as we heard the comms buzz on.

"Manta Five-One, welcome home...Please continue your approach to Atlas docking bay Omega-Twelve. A security team will meet you there. Over."

Looking at Weiss? I flashed her a little grin before sitting up much to Jaune's displeasure as he tried to stop me. Nothing a little toothy thumbs up can't fix-

"Ow! Ow..."

"Stay down. If you know what's good for you."

Ignoring Dad, I stood up with the help of Jaune and Ren before taking a glance over at Ruby and Qrow, who was sitting in the copilot chair. And ahead...? It made my eyes widen. The entire Atlesian Armada was present, with numerous Manta Airships gliding around the skies like soldier bees patrolling the surrounding area of the hive. But there was also the presence of a dozen or so Phantoms patrolling too. I couldn't mistake them. Especially given how many of them I've shot down with Athena's Laser Shot cannon.

"I don't understand. What's happening here?"

"I don't know..."

"It...wasn't this bad when Opulence was running around with Weiss..."

It wasn't. Sure you saw some Mantas flying, Knights and soldiers alike patrolling. But it was standard procedure. This...?

"But we are here, we got the Lamp to Atlas...! So, I guess we land and get some answers..."

"I'm not so sure..."

Weiss had left my side to check the view for herself, and even she was taken aback.

"I've never seen our forces deployed so aggressively before. If we land in a stolen ship, there's no way the security team will let us anywhere near Ironwood! They might even take me back to my father..."