Heart Attack

Hero

We were given a rare order to rest—a day off, a pause in the chaos that almost felt unreal. Everyone deserved it. Oscar and Bart had a date planned, Jaune tagging along with Weiss to the movies (movies existed here—who knew?). Damian was off to “visit Jason,” though we all suspected Neo was the real destination. Blake and Yang were headed to some dance club with team FNKY. And me? I was following Ruby, Ren, and Nora to a victory party Penny invited us to. I loved parties. People were always so warm at them, hearts glowing bright enough for me to feel it in my chest.

Mantle, though… Mantle reminded me too much of Gotham. Dark streets lit by tired lamps, people lurking in the cold, faces sharp from hunger and fear. It unsettled me in a way I couldn’t name. Ren muttered about how the party was too soon; Nora argued they needed it. Ruby mumbled about Amity Tower, how no one would understand what they were fighting for until the broadcast went live.

I admitted then, “We told Ironwood the truth.” Their steps halted.

“Already?” Ruby’s eyes were wide.

“It was safer now than later,” I said, arms crossed. “Imagine if we had to do it in a crisis? He’d spiral—believe me, I’ve seen it. Qrow and Damian suggested it. It was the only way.”

Ruby muttered a reluctant, “Fine…”

“I know it’s strange.” My fingers toyed with the braid Damian had done for me—he said he got the idea from a movie called Tangled. “But this helps us. If Ironwood’s with us, what we’re planning against her… it’ll work.”

Ren smiled faintly. “At least we’re giving him hope.”

“Yeah! Speaking of—how’s the Oscar thing?” Nora asked, surprisingly calm. Their relationship had been so strained lately I wanted to help patch it.

“Good, actually. The choker he wears? That’s where the second soul is. They won’t fuse. He won’t disappear.”

Ruby squealed; Nora joined in. It felt good seeing them happy.

We arrived to pounding music and laughter. Relieved hearts everywhere, like a hum in my bones. Votes were projected on a wall—Robyn was winning.

“Ruby? Nora! Ren! Kori!” Penny’s voice bubbled with joy as she darted toward us. “You came!”

“It is always better to celebrate with friends!” I beamed.

“And everyone else?”

“Dates,” I supplied quickly before Ruby or Nora could argue.

“Oh! That’s wonderful!” Penny clasped her hands. “I knew Bart and Oscar would, but—oh, that’s wonderful!”

Marrow’s voice crackled over comms, summoning her. We left Nora and Ren to their quiet, tentative smiles and followed Penny toward the heart of the party—where Marrow stood with Altair. The wolf faunus’s tail wagged despite his scowl; Altair suppressed a chuckle with a cough.

“What are you doing here?” Marrow asked, tail stilling.

“Just hanging with a friend while she’s on the job,” Ruby grinned, fist-bumping Penny—and wincing. Altair coughed again; I giggled.

Marrow muttered about distractions; Altair’s expression shifted to professional calm. “We need to stay vigilant. In case—”

“In case what?” a woman’s voice cut him off.

“In case someone decides to pose a threat,” Altair said, even tone steady. “People who oppose your candidate might try to start trouble.”

“Oh, funny,” she snapped. “That’s why we’re here. Take a hike.”