Chapter 78 - 74 - Machinations (2)

[Back with the rest of team RWBYS]

The girls, the number two ginger, Zwei, and Dr. Oobleck arrived seeing Blake standing there while she had seen Shallot chasing after someone else through a portal. Blake turned to the others while looking at them and only shook her head.

Blake: "Shallot was chasing someone and I could see that there was a fight with her so he may have known one of the two people fighting here and went to help the other person."

Dr. Oobleck nodded his head.

Oobleck: "Indeed, there seemed to be traces of a scuffle that happened here not even five minutes ago. We have more pressing matters at our hands at the moment."

Yang, Weiss, and Ruby perked up hearing some movements behind them while Blake was already in a stance ready to fight only to see a monstrosity walking in their direction coming from the tunnels. The cave system was damaged and the exploding carts didn't help with that.

The girls started to make their way back out into the larger tunnels and started rushing towards what should be the area of Beacon academy hoping they could pepper it with bullets and wound it while making a retreat.

There was a large Grimm standing 10 feet tall. It had a white mask with two horns arching backward. The mouth area was one that protruded outward like an alligator's mouth with bone white teeth lined on the inside with a black sludge on the corners of its mouth that looked like tendons underneath the human flesh.

It had a bipedal form with a semi-long neck with the black material that appeared like a mane going down it's back, stopping at its shoulder branching outwards with a smokey effect rising from it.

Around its shoulders, it had small red ember like gems imbedded into it while some were also on its legs. It had a muscular yet lean ċhėst where the stretching of its skin to its neck could be seen. A bone rib cage could be seen wrapped around its stomach area. It had five fingers on its hands that had five bone-like talons on the end of each finger.

Its legs were strong from the appearance of them and its feet were similar to that of a velociraptor. It had a bone-like tail coming from its back with the bone on the very end is sharp enough that it could pierce through whatever unlucky victim was to stand in its path.

Dr. Oobleck seeing the Grimm in its full size started sweating looking at it.

Oobleck: "Everyone!!! Don't get close and fire from a distance. It's a Reaver. They are known for their close combat capabilities and it usually takes 4 teams of huntsmen to take a single one down."

Everyone widens their eyes hearing this and Roman is adjusting his cane hoping he had enough dust to deal with this situation when he stops and they can hear the stomping of many coming in their direction.

They look behind the Reaver to see a stampede of different Grimm coming in their direction. Everyone takes off running while shot backward to try to slow them down hoping they can get reinforcements from the school. If they can get close enough their scrolls should be able to get a signal.

???: "It seems that I have lost communication with the body controller Grimm. Your companion is truly a pest to deal with. I have lost a valuable ȧsset today and I'm going to have to gain another one."

Oobleck: "Stay on guard everyone. We don't know who this person is and it seems as if they know information about us."

Yang: "We are starting to run out of ammunition. Ruby is your scroll within range yet?"

Ruby would stop every now and then from shooting to check her scroll only to see that the signal wasn't strong enough to make the call.

Ruby: "Not yet we need to travel a bit longer before the signal can reach."

Weiss: "I have been spreading ice to keep the Reaver at a distance but the sheer number of Grimm is making it harder. Where is Shallot at a time like this?"

A loud explosion sounded slightly above them and some rubble started falling blocking some of the Grimm heading in their direction blocking their path for the moment. They then hear a cat from up above them while getting out of the way of the rubble.

Merlin: "Nya nyaaa (Did you miss me.)"

Merlin had Shallot blutz devices being carried by some red strings that were wrapped around her body.

Blake: "Merlin?"

Ruby: "Hey!!! I fell down here because of her."

Merlin: "Nyaaa Nya nya Nyaa (I don't know what you're talking about.)"

Zwei: "Bark Bark bark (Where were you at you bad luck cat)"

Everyone else was still fighting not concerned about the two animals seeming to get into an argument and was more concerned about running. All of that training in this past week by Shallot had helped greatly in increasing their stamina.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

[With Shallot, Neo, Raven, and her tribe]

After calming down Neo looked around at the tribe members of Raven's that were still on edge with Vernal looking as if she was ready to attack at any moment. Neo looked towards Shallot while reaching in her pocket looking for her scroll only to see that it was broken.

Shallot: 'Seemed that whoever took control of her didn't want her calling for help if she was ever able to get away.'

Shallot reached in his pocket grabbing his scroll handing it to her. She grabbed the scroll and started typing immediately.

Neo: [The one that did that to me was Dr. Merlot. He had enhanced himself with cybernetics and has an army of androids that are capable of blending with regular people. They can't use aura like the new android that Hammond Industries developed but they are made of sturdy materials.

He has been experimenting with combining technology with the Grimm to control them to make them follow his orders. There are some Grimm that won't follow his orders if he has never encountered them before. I had all the information I could gather on my scroll but it seems that he destroyed while I was being controlled]

Shallot: "Do you know why he sent you to go after Raven?"

Raven was also interested to hear the answer to this thinking that she may need to be even more cautious. It seems that more than Salem is after her.

Neo started typing again on the scroll.

Neo: [My body was being controlled but my mind was perfectly fine. It didn't seem like whatever was controlling me could use all of my strength and could only use it partially. He wanted me to capture her so that he could study her body to find out how was it possible for her to use magic without showing signs of maiden abilities.

He wanted to see if magic would act differently than aura and could artificially create it.]

Shallot nodded his head thinking that this guy is giving him Dr. Gero vibes and he would rather kill him first in order to make sure nothing out of his control happens. He wouldn't be able to do anything to him but the girls are something entirely different. He was capable of catching Neo off guard and controlling her.

He must not have known about what Neo could do which is why he sent her back out and must have thought that she was just a regular spy from one of the kingdoms.

Neo started typing again before turning the device towards Shallot.

Neo: [We need to hurry back they are in danger. He didn't only send me he also sent a Reaver along with a Chimera Grimm.]

Shallot turned towards Salem who was processing all this information while the tribe members were thinking that they need to get as far as possible away if a Reaver is involved. They are more deadly than Nuckleevee.

Raven didn't try to argue and swung her sword opening up a portal back to where they were previously.

Raven: "This will take you back but I'm not going."

Shallot: "Your daughter is there right now."

Raven shook slightly but still didn't change her mind."

Raven: "I'm still not going."

Shallot just turned while pulling Neo and heading through the portal. After they both went through the portal closed and Raven fell to her knees while breathing heavily and sweating slightly.

Vernal came to her side to ȧssist her while the others of the tribe were feeling that they didn't have the strength to even help their leader.

Vernal: "We could have taken him together."

Raven: "No we couldn't. He is far more dangerous than any Grimm. He could wipe out small settlements and towns if he wanted. It's best if we don't be on the wrong side of him. I needed to make sure that I wouldn't be harmed just from not following his orders.

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