First time writer, long time reader on this site...
Let me tell you something first : I loved the 3rd season of RWBY, especially the ending. Yes... certain deaths (RIP Redheads... sorry not sorry for spoilers... you were warned...) are shocking. However, this is not the first action show to have casualties in it. Hell, the way Remnant is set up, I'm surprised we did not see such things happen on screen sooner. Anyway, this cliffhanger his, to my sense, an amusement park for a fanfiction writer. I mean... the possibilities are endless and we're already starting to see that on this website, a mere 4 days after Season 3's final episode.
About what you guys are about to read: the main protagonist is an OC. Now, yes, all RWBY team members will appear at some point. JNR too, SSSN, CFVY and even CRDL will have a role. All living\uncertain antagonists will be part of it. Hell, I have a plan for most students teams from the tounament. I want to make this story like it's title : no loose ends. The only thing is that I can't tell you right now when people will appear... assume the more important the character\the closest the ties with Beacon(RWBY), the sooner they will, and the greater their role will be. Oh and about Pyrrha... I straight up don't know what I will do. In fact I have ideas but, I'll ask you guys after this chapter.
Oh and by the way, I french-canadian and I don't have a proof reader... so while I like to think I'm decent in english, there will be mistakes, I guarantee it. Just tell me if they are too flagrant to pass, I'll correct them.
I hope you enjoy.
Sitting at his desk, Lieutenant-General Green was one of the most stressed-out man of all Remnant. Not only many of his regular men that were deployed to Vale during the Vytal Festival got injured or killed, but the Atlas military as a whole had not been able to stop any of the real perpetrators during the attack that occurred 2 months ago, yet alone locate them in the aftermath. Moreover, the three other kingdoms thought that the Atlas Military had attacked Vale due to the footage transmitted by the CCT… before the CCT itself failed. So for the time being, there was no way to regain their thrust quickly.
For the Emergency Grand Council in Atlas, this was an absolute disgrace: their military looked bad and they were on the brink of war, protected by a military with a general still in Vale, seemingly forgetting about is duty in Atlas.
'This is normal, Vale is still our ally and we did not attack them! Ironwood can't bail like that without helping with the reconstruction! We have honor and we have to show good faith!' The Lieutenant-General had expressed these sentiments during the Council reunion two days course, Green tought that the councilman would listen to the plan of the Atlas Military, understand what really happened… but he did not factor in the money of Gunther Schnee, head of the powerful SDC. The military man witnessed once again that money was a better argument than any logical military explication. 'The things a father will do to protect when his youngest daughter… even though she's a huntress in training… for the love of Oum, I can't believe the council could be so fucking idiotic!' , Green thought bitterly.
But now, there was nothing Green could do to: the council had wanted action, punitive action, towards the identified perpetrators: Adam Taurus (White Fang kingpin), Cinder Fall, Emerald Sustrai, Mercury Black (fake Haven students, affiliation unknown) and the little woman with an umbrella intel recently managed to get a name on, Neo. And since they could decide every move, the council forced the Atlesian military to send one of their best wetwork operatives after them.
The fact that they could be able to explain some things or help locate any associates did not matter. The Lieutenant-General, acting General in Atlas, was waiting for and answer from Ironwood, regarding the brilliant solution Papa Schnee… no, the Atlesian EGC.
"Lieutenant-General Green."
Green looked up, and he immediately looked surprised, but after a fraction of a second, he regained a neutral face. But he failed to control his tone. "Specialist Schnee, I assume you are not here because a… respectable member of the Atlesian wants some news about the plan the Council approved", he said.
Winter had a hard time not smiling at Green's apparent displeasure, simply because she understood it. Not only that, but she shared her superior's sentiments towards one particular thing: she did not approve her father's inference in Atelisian politics. "No, we received a letter from General Ironwood, but I think it concerns that said plan, sir", she said while giving the letter to the acting General.
"Good"
"Permission to speak freely, sir?"
Green smiled, he had a good relationship with Winter. While she tended to kiss Ironwood's ass a bit too much during work hours, she was efficient on the field, and all in all a good woman off the job. "Permission granted, but before you do, please close the door and have a seat, Specialist Schnee."
As soon as she closed said door, her neutral expression changed, her frustration now evident. "Even if he is my father, what in the world is he thinking!? We need information from these criminals, not their dead bodies!" She said while sitting down in front of her superior.
"I can't say I don't agree with you, Winter…"
"No one with a brain agrees with this joke of a plan-"
The more the Lieutenant-General read Ironwood's response, the more he relaxed. "You should read Ironwood's opinion… I can sense the fact that he's absolutely livid-"
"Yeah, like that's a big surprise-"
"But, at least… there's one good point in that letter."
The specialist looked skeptical. "Oh really?"
"I kid you not, Winter. The fact is according to this, aside from Cinder Fall, our operative will be able to find and free to engage the rest of them without anyone losing any information."
"… I beg your pardon?"
"You heard me right: our General is very displeased about the lack of trust the Council has shown to our military, but as far as killing any 'loose ends' as he calls them, the information available in Vale tends to show that only Cinder Fall has a real reason for this."
Winter looked shocked. "So you mean to tell me this military operation made by my… the dunce I have to call a father will not endanger Atlas in the long run?"
Green chuckled "I see I'm not the only one that wonders about the intelligence of that man…" The ex-heiress smiled, but then she saw that her interlocutor regained a resigned expression. "But unfortunately, while Ironwood has no real problems with the killing themselves, the manner… is a whole other problem entirely." Green said.
"Yeah about that… I heard some things."
"… You know how we work, Winter: this assignment is classified."
"But-"
"But, since Ironwood and I trust you, I may be able to… confirm what you seem to know."
'I knew being close to some higher-ups would benefit me.' "… Fair enough. Now tell me, sir, are you able to assure me that we will use… tactics and weapons that are-"
"I will stop you there, Winter, you should have your answer... Let me just say that the SDC did not put that much money in creating the most dangerours gun technology ever seen in Remnant only to totaly scrap said project because of ethical reasons. Even if this is what happened to the eyes of the other kingdoms."
"… Well that's just great: we might be accused of real war crimes at the end of all this! And for who exactly? A couple of anarchists! We should not do that! Not even against the White Fang!"
The Lieutenant-General looked more dejected than ever. "I agree with you, but I hate to tell you this… but it's not: 'we might be accused of war crimes'. No, it's more like: we will be convicted of war crimes. There is no way in hell this mission fails, and we will attract unwanted attention."
"What?! How can you be so sure? -"
"Wetwork Specialist Hubert Charbonnier, you know that name, right?"
For the first time in a long while, Winter Schnee lost it and swore. "What the fuck! You have to be fucking kidding me?! I mean, shit, he is good at what he does- "
"But he won't back down and will not fail. We both know that not only he passed the Wetwork Hunter qualifications, so he's more than decent with hand to hand combat, but he's the best marksman Atlas developed in the last 25 years. Which is, I assume, part of the problem you have with the choice the council made", Green cut her off before she started to scream louder and attract others.
Winter calmed a little, but was still visibly distraught. "… At least, I'm not the only one that is concerned about what is about to happen. So to resume, Atlas "
The Lieutenant-General was happy to see that some in this kingdom still had some morals. "You are not, I assure you. I aggre with you completely. But for now, I still have an army to run."
"You are right, I'll leave you to your occupations. Thank you for the conversation, sir." Winter then left her superior's office. Making her way back to her own quarters, she did not know if she had more questions than before.
So, yeah... an efficient Wetwork operative with a dangerous weapon the world sees as terrible... sent to kill individuals everybody wants dead or at least facing justice... what could go wrong for Atlas' reputation? Next chapter, we see Hubert Charbonnier in action. (For those interested, Hubert can have some signification with light and a literal translation for Charbonnier would be Coalman, maybe that duality means something... and don't forget the color of Coal/Charcoal...)
About Pyrrha now: as I told you, I don't know, but I do not want to ressucitate her like nothing hapenned. No Way. If she 'lives' at some point, it will be hard for everyone, maybe even for her. Think 'brought back à la Impure Summoning Technique' form Naruto. At least at the start, a fall and a redemption is a tempting. But even dead, she can be there. Sprit? Good memories? I don't know you tell me. Hell if you have something I did not mention, shoot me your ideas.
Oh and before I leave, I want to talk about shipping... well I'll tell you now that the only conscious effort I will make is that there will be no Whiterose, no Bumblebee, no Freezerburn and no Monochrome. It's been done too many times and quite frankly, I never saw anything more than friendship between these four girls... Who knows, maybe you'll think i'm as clueless as Jaune (about that... pauvre, pauvre gars... I feel for him).
Until next time,
DreamyGhost1402
