CH1: GONE BUT NOT DEAD
Seven people sat around a table in a library, on the table lay news articles pictures and photographs all centered around one girl with black hair and silver eyes, a girl named Ruby.
One of the seven hit the table a blond lady in a bomber jacket and loose fitting jeans. "WHERE THE HELL IS SHE!?" frustration clear in the voice but desperation breaking free "it's been two weeks since her disappearance and there's no evidence of where or what happened to her"
Another from the group responded to the blonde. This time it was a girl with amber eyes and big bow wearing a majority of black "I don't understand it either Yang, it's like she just disappeared into thin air no ransom note or anything to do with a usual kidnapping especially if it was the white fang"
Another woman with snow-white hear and grey attire, her hand holding and tapping her chin in deep thought "Nothing is adding up but let's recap on all the important information so were all on the same page" her tone calm but commanded everyone's focus. All the people at the table nodded,
"First she gets a phone call about Yang and Ruby's uncle being in trouble"
Everyone at the table nodded
"All eight of us went to the spot where the distress signal was being transmitted finding a big White Fang base"
"Knowing we all could handle ourselves especially with all the experiences we've had throughout the past year handling the white fang, even roman. So we went in an—"
"WE BROKE THEIR LEGS!" yelled out a petite woman with short orange hair causing everyone to divert their attention to let out a chuckle while they look to the part of the table where she was now standing
"That's a good way to sum it up Nora, go on Wiess," said the guy sitting next to her with moppy blonde hair
The woman with snow-white hair composed herself and continued "As Nora said, we broke their legs, after the battle, there was no sign of Qrow"
"When we all went to meet outside of their base we all showed up except Ruby"
"It was a trap…." Said a guy at the table he had a streak of pink hair that contrasted with his dark raven black hair
"Yea… but why Ruby….." said a woman with red hair and wearing Spartan armor
There was silence
"It doesn't matter why it matters that we find her…" Yang growled
Yang then groggily pulled up a chair and sat down hiding her face in her hands
"It's…. All my fault" grief filled her words "I should have protected her instead of just—"she let out a sigh while crumbling within herself.
"It's not your fault yang, we were there too, we should have been more careful," said Juane.
The others all nodded in approval
"But I'm her older sister" Yang's tone rising "it's my job to protect her be there for her, I FAILED, I let my own emotions distract me from what's important and it cost me everything…." Yang began to sob.
Weiss came around and sat next to yang while putting her arm over her "it's going to be ok Yang, we'll find her, with me you Blake and the rest of team JNPR-"
"Don't forget almost all of the hunters on Remnant" Blake added. "Especially with their help as well," said Weiss as well as form a genuine smile after Blake's comment. "And when we do find her and the one who is responsible, take it from here Nora"
"WE'LL BREAK THEIR LEGS!" the orange hair girl assured.
Yang looked up at everyone present while wiping away the tears from her eyes "thank you guys" she said soft-spoken
Everyone then sat in silence appreciating each other's company when two guys came in one with messy blonde hair a monkey tail in messy clothes, the other with blue hair in a comb-over wearing a dress coat over his shirt and wearing jeans. "Hey everyone," the blonde monkey said and turned over to look at Blake "Hey Blake," he said with a nod and a wink. Blake smiled back "oh, hey sun"
Yang quickly got to business "did you guys find anything new"
Sun and the blue-haired guy he walked in with walked up and leaned on the table and sighed "Me and Neptune talked to a couple of people we knew who had some information about the Fang but we didn't find anything new…." The tone at the whole table was now filled with uncertainty as everyone put their minds onto what to do next for a couple of minutes until Neptune spoke up "Hey, we're not getting anywhere fast as we are right now and I think the stress is starting to get to all of us" he paused "I don't think many of us have slept much in these last two weeks, especially Yang" he lazily pointed to where she sat next to Weiss. "How about we go out and take a day off and get our minds off of what's happening for a little while so we can come back with a fresh new perspective even hunters and huntresses need to take a break"
"I'm kind of agreeing with Neptune on this one I think we take a break and come back fresh tomorrow will be a great idea," Weiss said
Everyone else at the table contemplated it for a second before silently agreeing
Yang Retorted But we can't stop now we have to find Ruby before something truly bad happens to her we don't know if she's a hostage or some sickos new plaything! She, Sh-"Blake stopped Yang's mumbling.
"look Yang, I know we all know how serious this is but we're not getting anywhere right now, maybe a break is something we need" Blake paused and gave yang a reassuring smile "Remember when I was in the same exact position when you told me to take it easy when I was trying to take on the Fang" her smile didn't falter
Yang tried to muster some pride and power but lost to her exhaustion
"Fine…" she muttered "But only for tonight, then we double our efforts when we get back" feigning a smile while pointing at everyone present
Everyone at the table smiled as well as the stress and tension was partially lifted from their shoulders
"Yea this is probably what we need to get our heads screwed back on," the redhead said.
In the night sky, the Vale city skyline contrasted brightly against the darkness along with flying white warships and a stadium, as life went on into the late hours of the night
Nine people walked into one of the many Plazas
"This is the plaza I've been telling you guys about!" Weiss said excitingly "I always spent my time here whenever my father brought me with him to vale for business trips"
The others in the group took in the artistic fountain with a statue on top surrounded by a lush field of flowers. "It's…, beautiful" Phyrra said.
"I knew at least some of you guys will appreciate it" Weiss smirked
The group continued chatting while walking around the plaza the Blake and sun were spending some time by the fountain. Phyrra walked around with Juane keeping close with him and checking out some of the local stores along with Ren and Nora. Weiss decided to take Neptune on a personal tour around the plaza.
Yang
Yang took a seat at the closest bench she could find facing into the plaza she looked around trying to take in the sights and the architecture but couldn't get her mind off a certain someone, she rested her chin on her hand and let out a sigh.
Yang's eyes wondered until they spotted a certain spot through an ally way. An old ice-cream shop. One that brought up some good memories
"Guys!" she called "I know a great place to get some ice-cream"
Yang managed to gather everyone and they went to get some deserts before they entered the alleyway Juane had to stop and quickly fell behind. One person from the group quickly noticed
"Juane, you okay!" Phyrra called out to Juane
"Yea, go ahead I'll catch up" he yelled back
Juane then tied his shoe and went to join back up with the group that is now almost at the other side of the alley
As Juane made his way through the alley he was about to pass the space the separated the two buildings when someone grabbed Juane from the back and pulled him into the niche in the alleyway
"Just Take my money don't hurt me!" Juane cried out
The thug quickly covered Juanes mouth with his hand while putting a figure his lips
"SSSHHHHH, SHUSH I'm not here to mug you," the guy said in a hushed tone
That's when Juane got a good look at the guy and saw that he had a white grim mask on his face his eyes quickly went wide as he suddenly struggled again the guy then tightened his grip on Jaune
"Stop it will you I'm not here to do anything to you, just hear me out because it relates to your missing friend!" Juane stopped struggling
"Promise to stay quiet"
Juane Noded
The thug slowly lifted his hand and with silence and backed up
"Look there's someone out there that knows what happened to… her"
"He wants to speak to you just you at a secure place, alone"
"But why, what does this have to do with Ruby?" The Messy blond said
"I don't know but take this" the now informant handed Juane a piece of paper. "it's all the information for the meeting, remember just you and nobody else, got it" Juane looked at what the thug gave to him and then looked up "well umm, thank you I didn't seem to catch your-" the informant was gone footsteps clattered in the distance "name".
Juane took a quick glance at the paper before folding it up and putting it back in his wallet.
Suddenly a certain redhead rounded the corner to see Juane backed against the wall with shell shock on his face "Juane?" she asked
Juane stared at the wall not noticing her presence for a moment before coming returning to reality
"w-wha-what" Juane looked towards the Spartan "Phyrra?"
"What Happened to you! We're waiting for you at that ice-cream place Yang told us about?"
"I…" "I… got so—rrely mugged" the to be huntsman pieced together
'Confusion formed on Phyrra "what do you mean"
"I got mugged!" Juane quickly spat out
"Oh my Oum, Juane" she quickly ran up and gave him a tight hug Juane had his arms out in surprise
"I glad you're okay, we should have stayed together that way this wouldn't have happened! An-" Juane interrupted her mumbling while breaking away from the hug
"Look I'm fine Phyrra," Juane said "he just got away with just a little over twenty lien" he shrugged.
"Alright well we have to tell someone about this, we can't let him get away!" Phyrra quickly started off and Juane stopped
"wait don't do it, it's just some petty theft and I don't want any more trouble so let's go catch up with the others and get some of that good ice cream yang was telling us about" Juane smiled
Phyrra stared at Juane contemplating her actions before she faltered to his reassurance "Alright, but you have to tell me what happened so that we can go over it for our training sessions" Phyrra looked at Juane seriously.
"Deal" Juane said "now let's go gets some ice-cream," he said excitedly.
It was late now at Beacon academy and while most people are asleep, two and three-fourths teams just arrived back at the dorms.
Black was walking through the halls back to the dorm her team's room without her bow on and wearing chaste night attire, she begrudgingly muttered something "stupid garbage duty, hands all sticky, could be sleeping right now…." Blake soon approached the door to her room across from JNPR's room she slowly moved her hand to open the door when the ears on top of her head caught wind of a muffled voice of a boisterous woman behind the doors to the team across the way "Your meeting someone who has information on Ruby?! We Have to tell the others" Blake silently put her ear next on the door to JNPR's room "No, we can't tell them, he said he wants to meet me alone" a boy said solemnly. "I don't want to worry Yang and the rest of her team until we get the information we need from the guy"
"Wait," another voice said, everyone in the room got quiet
Suddenly the door opened and Blake fell in. the fatigue not helping her as she clumsily hit the floor "AAaack"
"Blake?" the Champion red head reacted
Blake quickly got up and composed yourself "I know you got information on Ruby Juane, spill," Blake said while she walked over and poking Juane who was sitting on his bed, in his chest, Amber eyes starting with mal-intent.
Juane put his hands up "Alright, Alright calm down, how long were you listening to us" the leader of JNPR asked.
"Enough" she retorted and crossing her arms as well as giving the blonde a determined look
"The beginning then" he muttered
"In short someone wants to get in contact with me because he says that he has important information about Ruby but he wants to only talk to only me, alone" Juane then handed her a piece of paper with the information
Blake studied the paper giving she saw the time and coordinates for the meeting "hmm tomorrow night at what from a simple guess a place just outside the vale walls" Blake then noticed the handwriting and her eyes went wide. With mixed feelings on her face, she gave the paper back to Juane and found a chair to slump in and stared off into space.
The room then became quiet
Juane looked at his teammates for a hint on what to do but they gave him the same worried expression
Juane then decided to break the ice "Blake?"
Silence
"Blake?"
"He's actually a part of this, that sick bastard" she muttered her eyes started to become watery
"Blake, you feeling ok?"
Blake turned to Juane with mixed feelings "I know who wrote this" she took a deep breath and her gazed drooped to the floor.
"It's Adam"
Juane looked at Blake confused
"Adam?"
"Taurus, leader of the white fang that we've been fighting for the past year now; you can't be serious about going alone! What if it's a trap?"
Juane then gave a smile "well I was about to go over the plan when you decided to join in"
Blake humped. "Fine, well what's your plan then"
Juane scratched the pack of his head "Well the plan is that I would go meet him, alone, but with support of my team who will hang back" Juane then gestured to Ren, Nora , and Phyrra "If things go south then I'll give them the signal to make sure nothing goes terribly wrong"
Nora decided to stand up and seized the moment "we'll break the legs of anyone who threatens our great leader" she then reached for a high five which Ren complied eliciting a smile from Ren, Phyrra and Juane.
He then looked back at Blake "but only me and my team are going, I don't really know how Yang will handle this and this is one of the only leads that we've gotten since Ruby's disappearance, so can you please trust us?"
Blake looked at Juane and to the rest of Team JNPR, and gave a nod.
"I trust you"
The trees swayed in the cool night winds as they slightly glistened under the shattered moon that shone brightly in the night sky. Team JNPR led by Ren walked through the forest past a collapsed hole in a consistently waist high and considerably thick wall of metal that stretched out of view. They walk past trees that were growing on the remnants of buildings that had simple geometric architecture startling a flock of crows along the way. They continued on until they came upon a clearing with large ruined building with a large collapsed tower of metal right next to it. Ren looked at his scroll and stopped.
"We're here" Ren silently announced
Juane went to inform the group with his shield opened and equipped, sword sheathed. And chest piece worn over his sweater "Alright guys so let's go over the plan one more time" all present paid full attention "I go in and get the information while you all stay outside here while I go in and talk to Adam, if anything goes wrong I'll switch on the emergency S.O.S. on my scroll which should alert you guys and anyone else around"
Juane paused
"Any questions"
One raised their hand
"Yes, Phyrra"
"Are you sure about this Juane, I don't think it's a good idea"
"I have to" The leader stated "For Ruby"
Phyrra looked at Juane and gave him a quick and tight hug that he returned Phyrra broke away
"We'll stay in that over there with that crow perched on top of it until you give us the signal" Phyrra explained.
Her along with Ren and Nora went into a building the bordered the clearing.
Juane turned around and started heading over to the main entrance of the decaying building and stopped right before the entrance and checked himself: Chest plate secured, sword ready, shield on his back opened and scroll ready. He took a deep breath and exhaled
"For Ruby" he went inside.
Past the entrance Juane walked pass some vines and overgrowth hallway until he came upon a large room with stairs on both sides leading to upper parts of the building and an elevator shaft exposed Sitting in the exposed hole overlooking the room was an individual with a hood that hid his face but not the bull horns on the side of his head a long red sword was stashed on his back.
Juane saw the figure and stopped right after the overgrowth upon entering the room. The room stood silent for a second as the sounds of nature filled the night.
Juane was the first to speak "Uhh, Hello! Are you the guy who wanted to talk to me?" his voice echoed off the walls of the moldy building.
"I am" The hooded figure hoped down "and I guess your Juane Arc then" the figure then looked around Juane "I also see you came alone as I requested" the figure then pulled his hood down to show his face "uh… Thank you"
"Ok well, what's the information that you wanted to give me," Juane said
Taurus slouched and gestured "I will tell you everything, Follow me"
Juane Followed Taurus into the depths of the old building passing over lumps of metal covered in moss almost tripping after hitting his foot on a dirt pile that hid a lump of metal.
Taurus then turned into a corner into a room with a collapsed roof and a big hole in the middle that had a faint white Glow emanating from an unknown source in its depths. Taurus stopped at the edge of the hole and stared into its white abyss.
And it too stared back.
Juane saw Taurus stare into the hole which caused him to become uncomfortable so he decided to break the ice. "So before you tell me about Ruby, Why do you want to speak to me and not Blake? I thought you and Blake used to have something"
Taurus slowly turned back and started walking away from the hole suddenly shaken. The hardened persona he had when they met had started to fade and now Taurus started to solemnly walk away from the hole. "I don't think I can face her anymore or anyone for that matter….." he paused "Especially after what I have done".
"Well, what happened," Juane Said absorbing each word he said.
"Usually when we kidnap people, it's usually in order to further our cause, to send a message"
"But there were these people who wanted her out of the picture…" for her having silver eyes
"After we captured they made us we….. We…."
Juanes fist tightened "What, What did you do to HER!" Juane to some steps towered Taurus
"We threw her into that pit!" he Sayed "Oh god…." Taurus collapsed
Juane whole figure stood stiff computing the information that was given to him
"All Because I was scared afraid" he collapsed
"I could have done something"
"All because she had Silver eyes, SILVER EYES!" Tears streamed down the White Fang leader's face
A Feminine voice filled the room and Taurus's blood froze
"Pathetic," It said.
A thing in a womanly form pleasing to the eyes appeared through the entrance to the room followed by 2 other people one with silver hair and one with green
The thing spoke again "you simple animals can't handle killing a simple girl"
It started to strut closer to the bull Faunus "Now, why don't you came back where you belong and we'll treat this like it never happened, save for the boy and his friends" she turned her head towered Juane its hands started to ignite into furious fire
Taurus continued to keep his head down not reacting to the thing
It smirked as it stood above Taurus "I'll take your silence as obedience" it started looking at Juane along with the lackeys and started walking close weapons and mystical powers in hand to get rid of the evidence.
The thing started to make its way towards Jaune
Seeing this Juane immediately took out his scroll and fumbled with it; unable to get a good grip
"c'mon, c'mon…." the blonde hurriedly said
The things spoke "Oh Mr. Arc such a shame, guess this is what you get for trying to play the hero"
Juane was frozen in fear
The Faunus spoke up "No cinder..."
The trio turned around
"Excuse me?"
"I'm tired of living in fear" he continued
"I'm tired of my people being used as your cannon fodder"
The Bull horned man stood defiantly sword unsheathed and poised, the uncertainty that used to be there replaced with new purpose
"And when I'm done with you three the world will know of what's happening and I'm going to change the Fang back to what it originally was!"
The thing just shrugged "well that's a shame" it took a couple of steps at Taurus and its hands erupted in a fire "I guess the white fang have to choose a new leader then just like the last one and that stupid girl!"
Something clicked in Juane upon hearing those few words
"Well I'm not them" Taurus replied, his sword ready
The lackeys stood back while the thing leading them started to gather energy in its hands and walked with presence towered Taurus "with you and blubber boy over there, the plan will go without a hitch" she raised her right hand "it's a shame I couldn't—Arrgh!"
Juane tackled the thing and started throwing punches
"This is for Beacon" one punch
"This is for my team and team RWBY" another blow
"And this is for Ruby!" Juane raised his hand back for a final blow
"ENOUGH!" flames erupted out of thin air around cinder, throwing Juane away and crashing into the ground. The lackeys backed away a safe distance away from the furry on the other side of the room.
Taurus made his move, moving quickly and swinging his sword, he was able to get a couple of hits in but it was for naught as he was caught by a barrage of summoned fire engulfing him draining his aura causing Taurus to collapse
The thing now stood over him "I should have done this earlier it would have saved me the trouble" she again raised he hand for the final blow.
Juane with his shield in front jumped in between Taurus and cinder as she unleashed an explosion of fire and fall magic throwing Juane back
Time seemed to slow down for Juane at that moment he could see he was now flying through the air shield on his wrist but his sword lost from his grip; he looked over his team in the doorway weapons in hand along with another person behind them as he began his descent into the hole he could see the shock on their faces and Phyrra trying to reach out to him but that was the last thing he saw when he took the plunge into the hole
When he hit the bottom he hit a spherical object and felt like running through a glass window and he was thrown through nowhere as lights and the universe spilled all around him
Juane felt like he was continuously being pulled apart and squished together
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he let out and then everything went black
Tom sat in the command ship, the Philadelphia part of the 8th fleet currently stationed in orbit around Harvest. Tom was sitting in the center of one of the server rooms of the Philadelphia with his brown hair in a mess and glasses somewhere on his face or hair while he was intently focused on a computer with information and parameters that tom was steadily adding to while humming something about Major Tom.
A door slide opens revealing a piolet with an SRS logo on the helmet, a shield on his back and a logo on his chest plate with 2 yellow arcs.
Tom still typed fervently unaware of the pilot's presence. The pilot walked behind tom and looked at what he was doing
"HEY, what's this, your new Fanfiction or something?" the pilot said sarcastically while slamming his hands on the table near Tom
Tom flinched and turned around to talk to the person behind him.
"Sweet Jesus Juane!" tom gasped, nearly jumping out of his chair "why do you have to do that every time you come in here; can't you just come in and say hi like a regular person!" Tom threw his hands up sarcastically.
Juane took off the helmet with a smirk on his face "Nope, that's why I'm a pilot"
"Yea, without that shield thing of yours, you'll be like every other soldier I know, dead"
"Touché, Tom, Touché" Juane pulled up a chair that sat across the way from Tom and his laptop
"So then, what are you working on then" Juane pointed while leaning on the table.
Tom sighed while looking at the computer
"Well it's kind of a side project I've been working on for our titans" Tom explained "it's supposed to help the vanguard titans use other unfamiliar cores if one such as yourself were to pick up a new titan weapon on your missions or whatever"
"That actually sounds pretty awesome! When ya going to let me and VT test it out!"
Tom looked up from his work and chuckled
"Soon but I'm not sure when it will totally help in your search for that one gal" tom continued "while on that topic how's that coming along" tom inquired
Juane looked at tom with frustration "As of this moment… nothing yet"
Tom looked at Juane empathetically "Jeez Juane, isn't this the tenth planet you've searched"
"Fifteenth" Juane sighed "I checked fifteen planets over the five years I've been a pilot"
Tom looked at stared at his friend's defeated face "look if you need any help I can ask some favors from some people maybe even get an advocate?"
"Juane looked up "No, want to keep this between the few people I trust like you and me. If this gets out then the IMC could also be on the case to or worse…"
Tom stared at Juane
"Alright well if you need it, the option is always there"
A light on Juanes wrist along with an annoyingly attention-grabbing tune.
"Oh looks like time to train Jane, gotta scoot" Juane quickly started heading out the door parallel to the one he entered in.
"Why do you train her anyway, she's just a rifleman?" tom inquired before Juane exited the door
Juane looked back through the doorframe
"Because she has something that most pilots don't" Juane then continued to the session.
Jane sat in the titan hangar near the sim pod section patiently waiting for her mentor
Mentor in question was late and was checking her datapad and marking off today as the tenth session of training with Arc
She leaned back in her chair
"Just like college" she huffed
A pilot then entered the hanger in a rush
When Jane looked up she didn't see a pilot or anyone for that matter
She did though, see a shimmer in the shape of a man on top of one of the Titans
"I can see ya, you know" the pilot then uncloaked while dropping to the ground and started walking towered her
"Your spotting is getting better" Juane then took off his helmet and put it on the table Jane was sitting at
"Sweet, do I get a reward?" Jane said sarcastically
Juane chuckled "Yes, a nice all-expense paid session in the sim pod"
"Alright, I get where you're going with this" Jane then headed into the pod along with her mentor
As the Jane entered the pod green lights and lasers showered her view and she was now standing in a ruined stone building of some sort while in full pilot gear. She looked out of a window to see it located in a large clearing in a forest now.
"This is new" Jane commented and walking out of the building
Juane then materialized in the field in front of the ruin
"Tom helped me make this from one of my memories and I think this place would be perfect for today's lesson"
A distance away a point was highlighted on her hud. Suddenly she saw something falling from the sky in a ball of fire
Jane's eyes went wide with excitement under her helmet "You're not serious right"
Suddenly the falling object caused a sudden sonic boom and the Vanguard Class titan with a majority of it painted military green and yellow on the shoulders and knees, landed on the ground causing a shockwave that caused Jane to lose her balance
Juane stood firm and continued stepping putting one foot on a rock and called out to the "C'mon VT just like we practiced"
The vanguard titan then started walking to a conveniently placed bolder behind where Juane was positioned and imitated Juane except putting a hand to his eye like he's looking off into the distance
"Today!" the veteran exclaimed, "I'm going to teach you how to pilot a Titan!"
Jane could barely contain her excitement. "Hell fuckin yes! Where do I start?"
The next half hour of the session Juane taught Jane the ins and outs of piloting a titan with Jane tripping plenty of times but always getting up. After a while, she started to get the movement down.
Juane opened VT's cockpit
"Ok that's it for today, remember to keep practicing your routine"
Jane opened her cockpit she was in the scorch
"WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, What about combat!" Jane yelled out putting her hand out "can I please fight one thing before we end the session?"
Juane looked at his watch and chuckled
"Fine, just one," he said, Juane and VT then backed up by the ruined stone building "Alright Jane, you ready?"
"Ready!" She answered
"Remember to eject when your Titan is doomed and—"
"I get it, just let me fight something" Jane punched the air
Juane smirked and pulled out a list of simulation opponents and scrolled through them "let's see Kane, Ash, that one crazy lady, oh" Juane made his decision "VT, spawn Enemy EMFP1.V1 right here" Juane pointed to a popup hollo map
VT spoke up "Are you sure pilot, this may be too much for rifleman słuchacz, I recommend another selection"
"She'll be fine, now release the beast!"
Jane turned around the face Juane "Wait, beast?"
The trees behind her suddenly started to shake and move out of the way in the distance
Jane closed the cockpit door and hurriedly pointed her thermite launcher in the direction of the noise
The trees suddenly gave way to scorpion the size of two cottages side by side and covered in bone plating on the top of its carapace including the stinger tail and claws.
The beast let out a high pitched screech announcing its presence
"HOLYSHITWHATTHEFUCH!" Jane said as she immediately fired the thermite launcher at the scorpion only nicking the upper carapace and melting some trees behind it.
The beast let out a squeal after being nicked with thermite and charged at the Scorch titan
"RELOAD RELOAD RELOAD" Jane quickly retreated not turning away from the unnatural beast
The next shot of thermite was loaded into the chamber but the scorpion was already upon her, tackling the Titan and pinning it with its body weight
Jane tried to bring up the launcher but the scorpion used one of its pincers to clamp down her right arm, using the other to strike the cockpit
"Warning, critical damage being taken, recommend immediate action" the titan AI recommended
"I'm on it, I'm on it" Jane frantically looking around for a way out unable to think as the condition of her titan quickly drained until it showed yellow and black
The scorpion went for the finishing blow raising its stinger ready to finish the fight
In a last-ditch effort Jane raised her titan's left hand to defend herself from the blow unknowingly unleashing firewall directly into the scorpions face melting bone and flesh.
The scorpion screeched and quickly dismounted the titan
Jane quickly got up and continued the momentum quickly firing the thermite launcher, hitting the tale of the beast and melting it off. "YEA, COME AND GET SOME!"
The beast howled again and charged again but Jane was ready as she unleashed the firewall in anticipation without reloading the thermite launcher. And the beast stopped in its tracks before coming to close.
"YEA, YOU CAN'T ATTACK ME I GOT A FIRE SHIELD" the trainee yelled in triumph failing to realize the indicators at the center at the screen depleted
The shield flickered away to the dismay of Jane
She shook the arm only to get sputters from its palm
"Uh oh…" Jane realized her mistake which was quickly capitalized by the scorpion as it tackled the titan down again
The beast rose its pincer up to finish the fight when a loud Bang rang through the air and the beast dropped dead with a hole right through the carapace
The beast then collapsed disappeared in blue light and pixels
The scorch rested at its spot before the cockpit flew open revealing a pilot in training scrambling out of the cockpit. When out of the cockpit she collapsed on the belly of the titan huffing trying to catch her breath
Juane the mentor let out a chuckle as he walked over to the downed scorch and its pilot and disembarked to check on his student
"Did…. I win…?" Jane groggily asked
"No, but you did put up a good fight against that Death Stalker especially since we haven't gone over tactics yet"
Jane slowly sat up to face her mentor
"Thanks, now I'm going to ask, WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT THING?!"
"Like I said before that, was a Death Stalker and this whole area were standing in is from my home planet"
"Wait your home planet has randomly roaming giant scorpions!"
Juane rubbed the back of his head
"Um…. Not really but" he was interrupted by VT
"Juane, Major Anderson requests your presence at the bridge for an important mission briefing"
Hey, Thanks for checking this out, just writing this for my own sake but wondering what others think. Any advice would be great!