Chapter One: Devil's Island
Heya! It's your newest (and least predictable (maybe?)) author. So among other ideas, I've decided to write a Division AU! It will take place in Vale, although instead of Hudson docks being a safe haven as it is in the game, it will be Beacon Academy. Division agents will be called Hunters/Huntresses, and still separated into squads, although more often than not they'll fight in pairs. This will be a Faunus!Ruby AU as well, along with the ships being Ladybug and Freezerburn. Anyway, let's get to it!
Ruby Rose was all of twenty two years old, a relatively young person, considering her sister, her partner, and her partner were all two years older than herself. Also strange was her position as a marksman for Vale PD's SWAT unit, with her lover being her spotter. Her sister, Yang Xiao Long, owned a bar and Hunter safe house known as the Yang Out, the name of which made the entirety of team RWBY groan, all in good nature of course. Considering who Yang's better half was, her bar was in a more upscale part of town, not all too far from the Schnee Energy Corporation's main offices.
Which is currently where Ruby and her partner were frantically trying to reach, running along the rooftops of their magnificent city and trying to get somewhere where they can cohesively organize a counter to this madness. They were fleeing, along with most of what remained of the VPD's Uptown District and the few Valean Army units, from the sudden betrayal of the White Fang and the chaotic mess that was the prison break from the other side of town. Ruby didn't even realize how much trouble her and her friends were in until it was already too late to resist on the spot…
Thirty Minutes Earlier, Outside of the Nation of Haven's Embassy
A voice crackled into Ruby's earpiece, one she had grown to know and love all too much in the past few years. She looked to the spot next to her, smiling lightly at the gear her closest ally had brought with them. Her usual MP7 and Vector .45 SMGs (the two of which she affectionately called Gambol Shroud) lay against the outer wall of the roof they were atop, connected by a ribbon to allow her to draw them easier. A small MRE lay nearby, empty of the contents. Blake had left to see what their VPD liaison wanted to do, leaving Ruby to watch the street via the scope of her SRS sniper rifle, midnight black with crimson red accents, dubbed Crescent Rose, looking for any sign of life outside of the police checkpoint.
"Hey there, pup. I've got some news for you." Ruby jumped slightly, hitting her head against the scope of her rifle with a wince. Only one person ever got the drop on her like that, and that person was the owner of the sweet and sultry voice, the woman she came to love.
"Yeah, kitty?" Came her affectionate reply, taking Blake's hand and standing up, accepting the mug of coffee from the Cat's other hand.
"Looks like we'll get to pull back here soon. Our old friend, the Fang, are coming along to take this checkpoint off of our hands."
Ruby downed the coffee in one go, the liquid lukewarm, but filled with sugar and creamer just how she liked it. "Really? This will be interesting. I wonder if they would recognize us." She said, before shaking her head. Her and Blake had left that group when they turned to militancy, and became a private corporation hired out by important Faunus, although they both knew all too well of the dirty work the Fang did. She joined in her younger years, her idealism only matched by her at-the-time friend Blake. Both had wanted more rights for their friends and their species as a whole. It wasn't until both had graduated from secondary school that the leadership changed, that the White Fang went from peaceful protest organization to violent Private Military Corporation, and a good one at that.
But they had both put that behind them when an old friend offered up a job as a sort of underground resistance, only activated as a last ditch effort to save what remains of a city, a country. They were both Huntresses, along with Ruby's sister and her girlfriend Weiss. They had been trained in small unit tactics, but also trained how to fight like a guerrilla, how to command larger forces, to negotiate, interrogate, and live for months cut off from allied aid. They had been given rings, small and unnoticeable, that would emit a faint signal if they were called.
But, being the secretive organization they were, there was always the front they put on. Weiss was the now-CEO of the SEC, Yang a bartender and boxer, Ruby and Blake both members of the SWAT force. They had ordinary jobs so that nobody would look too hard into their way of life, and even had some friends from Huntsman school with them. Ren and Coco helped Weiss run her corporation. Nora and Fox were bouncers for Yang's bar, and Jaune, Pyrrha, Velvet, and Yatsuhashi were all on the same SWAT unit as Blake and Ruby.
The duo looked down the street, somewhat amused at hearing Jaune's voice try to take control of the situation. Only when their sensitive ears picked up Pyrrha's own voice did they look to see what was happening. A large prison bus, the words "Vale City Penitentiary" on the side in white letters, came careening down the street. The first blockade, a few police cruisers, were smashed through with little evident damage done to the bus. Only when it came to a screeching halt about twenty yards from Jaune and the rest of their unit's line did it stop, angled so the door was facing away from them.
"Sic 'em boys!" was all that was heard from behind the bus, as a smattering of gunfire erupted from the occupied windows, figures clad in orange and VCP security gear running forward. The unexpectedness of the situation caught the whole of the unit off guard, Ruby dropping the mug unceremoniously on the ground and diving for her rifle amidst the gunfire. Blake followed suit, yanking her weapons to her as she dived, the ribbon proving every useful.
"About five yards behind the rest, behind that VPD cruiser. See him, Rubes?" Crackled through her earpiece. Blake was already finding targets for her, even as she shot down at the offending prisoners. In reply, Ruby put a shot clean through the man's leg, watching him fall before an officer finished him off.
Just as quickly as the confrontation began, it ended. The prisoners had been disorganized, lacking any coherent strategy or leader. For all the trouble, only one officer had been killed, although multiple were injured rather severely.
"Jaune, you should send some people back to take the wounded, and inform them that the Pen seems to have fallen. We can't have more surprises like this happening, they might be more organized by then and that could be costly." Pyrrha stated, Ruby and Blake watching as the captain of the police force present mulled it over, before nodding in agreement.
Dictaiting who to send back, Velvet and Yatsu were dispatched to deliver the message and care for the wounded.
Then, they came. At first the whole group relaxed. The wounded were leaving, and they were finally being relieved. Then the white and black vehicle opened up, soldiers in military gear pouring out as another pulled up next and pulled the same stunt, the black and white mercs levelling their rifles at the outnumbered police force.
A red-haired man walked to the fore, rifle held loosely, as if at ease. "We're here to relieve you of your posts. And a few other things." It was then that they noticed not a single Fang soldier was aiming at a Faunus officer, their red dots and sights trained on the humans of the group, especially Pyrrha and Jaune. "For too long we have stood by, letting our brethren down, letting them work for you who would push us over like nothing. Well, no more. Freedom is not a right, it is something you earn. We've learned that, watching everyone else flee this dying city like cowards, watching you fools try to save what remains. Well, no more. We will rule this town with an iron fist, and show you humans who the real alphas are!"
As if on cue, the soldiers opened up, dropping policemen like moths to flame. A few took cover and fought back, Ruby and Blake joining from the rooftops, until Adam spotted them. He looked at the duo, Ruby's scope glinting in the low light, Ruby herself looking into his eyes. Eyes filled with emotion, with sadness for his two protégés, with anger at their continued defiance, and filled with betrayal.
"Ignore the rest. Get those two, now! We'll prove to them just how wrong they are." And at that, their line broke. Jaune, Pyrrha, and the few officers fled with what they could, squad cars annihilated under the withering fire, Blake and Ruby pursued by vehicular units and units on foor.
Now, Ruby and Blake paused, finally reaching their safe haven. The Yang Out looked more like a fortress, albeit an improvised one. It was already in an easily defensible spot, at the end of the U that formed the shopping complex at the edge of Uptown Vale, right near the Schnee Energy Corporation's Vale HQ. The other stores were shuttered, boarded up and closed, some even had vehicles blocking them. Jersey barriers were moved to seal off the open end of the U, leaving an open courtyard littered with VPD squad and SWAT cars, along with a few Valean Army vehicles all that stood between the bar and chaos. But, here they were, jumping into action and helping move what they could. The vehicles had been moved to resemble a sort of wagon circle, but only half of one, to make it easier to defend should they be attacked. Inside the bar, Yang and Weiss were most elated to find that the other half of team RWBY returned, as teams CFVY and JNPR had already been reunited.
Truth be told, the Yang Out was more of a tavern than a bar. It was spacious, a stage for live music doubling as a ring for the occasional boxing matches standing at the end of the wide open dance floor. A fully stocked bar was at the opposite end, although a small kitchen rested behind it as well, making snack foods like pretzels and nachos among other things. Behind the stage were rooms for visiting bands to stay, or for people to crash in should they need it. Weiss had ensured that everything was top-notch, even going so far as to ensure that the entire back of the bar (what would have been a spacious garage for deliveries, if the grocers that had been here before hadn't caved) was converted into comfortable living space, looking like the Presidential Suite of a high-end hotel.
"Sis! Where the hell were you!? And you, Blake! You said you'd keep her safe! What is this I hear about you two being chased halfway across Vale by thugs and mercs!?"
"I leave you two alone for one day, one measly day, and you two get knee-deep in trouble. Ruby, I expected as much from you-" Weiss stated, cutting off Yang's ranting and heated shouts. "- but you, Blake, I expected to keep her grounded. But, I suppose today's been hectic. You two set your stuff down, we have awhile to share stories."
Blake and Ruby were surprised at this softer side of Weiss. Yes, they knew the whole 'Ice Princess' front was something she was forced to put on in her childhood, and something that they and their friends saw through. But if Yang was as livid as she seemed, they were certain Weiss would be a bit furious.
The ladybug-themed duo shrugged collectively, dumping their gear by the door that Yang had allocated as their room before heading to the bar. Once they had some false confidence courtesy of the liquor, they greeted the arctic sunrise that was the other half of team RWBY to swap stories.
"You WHAT?" Yang shouted, at her feet as they recounted the events with the White Fang and their betrayal. "Where is that bastard? I'll show him just who the hell the alpha here is! No offence Rubbles." She said, fists clenched by her sides as she paced furiously.
"While I think Yang is overreacting slightly to what happened to you two, you still could've handled the situation better. Knowing your history with the Fang, why not volunteer to escort the wounded back? The others would have returned regardless of what transpired, and you left us worried sick that you died!" Weiss said, pinching the bridge of her nose before moving to comfort the brawler, calming the furious blonde as best she could.
The ladybug duo offered their explanation, and retorted with their own furious questions as to the whereabouts of the others. Yang, of course, was at her bar. When the façade everyone had on began to collapse and the city went to hell, she closed shop and did her best to barricade what she could (hence the delivery trucks and the shuttered doors of the other shops). Weiss beelined for the bar from SEC HQ, dragging along some police and military units before they fled, leaving behind their vehicles and a very angry heiress.
Regardless of the day's events, they were all elated that their friends and they were safe. They only hoped to wake up, that this was all a dream, that it was just one big collective nightmare shared by the city. As each pair lay down, however, they knew this was no nightmare that this was happening. They knew what would come next, that they would be called. It would be up to them to save what remains, or to die trying.
A/N: So I feel iffy about this. I wasn't able to shoot this to my friend to proof/edit, so sorry for the exposition and blah blah. I'm hoping to get to the action soon, along with the backstory and actually introducing teams CFVY, JNPR, and CRME. Also, this is definitely a Ladybug/Freezerburn fic, although because it's me I may make one of the relations a tri.
For those looking for more Battleship!RWBY, the next chapter will be up very late Friday night (5/6/16) or early Saturday. I'm keeping the relationship poll for that fic open until Saturday afternoon when I write the fourth chapter after work, and so far it looks like that will be a quad relationship, as one character is clearly in the lead by a vote, but second and third are tied so they'll both be included if poll results don't change.
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Have a good one,
Anna.