"Go!"
Her squad mates shouted in surprise and worry as Angela forced them through the door. With a flick of her wrist, the door sealed and left her alone in the ship's massive control room. The young Psionic supposed that if the beings in her mind would ask her to die for the planet, she might as well save her crew as well. Deep down, Angela knew the creatures weren't asking her to save the Earth for altruistic purposes, they'd most likely send a second flagship that would appear and sieze the planet.
An enslaved Earth is better than no Earth, I guess…
Using the Psionic terminal, Angela willed the ship upwards and out of her home's atmosphere. After all that she had done in the XCOM program, the planet would still be taken by the aliens and her friends would likely die defending their home. The soldier hoped that the squad mates she had grown to love over the past few months would find somewhere quiet to hide, or a chance to live without conflict or fear. The ship reached an acceptable altitude, an altitude in which Earth would be well out of the blast range.
The overwhelming sense of satisfaction and gratitude from the beings in her mind made Angela lick her lips in pleasure. They were very pleased by her choice. The Psionic knew she'd most likely die when she joined the defense force, but that didn't make her any less scared of death.
Suck it up, at least they'll be alive... Her thoughts hesitated. Longer than me, anyway.
The ship was racked with reverberations as the engine core overheated and imploded, and Angela's mind went blank.
_
The coldness of space enveloped Angela as she began to wake. No, not space, there was gravity here… she was lying on her back. Angela opened her eyes when she felt something soft and cold on her cheek; Snow was falling from above. The Psionic found herself in the clearing of a forest with a blanket of soft snow covering the ground below her. She cast her gaze upwards and choked out a startled yelp.
The moon was shattered, and it was her fault. It had to be, the ship's implosion must have pulled apart the celestial body! Angela collapsed onto the ground and crawled into a fetal position. She began to rock back and forth, only barely holding in the screams of panic and fear. The young Psionic's mental breakdown was put on hold when growling caught her attention. The origin of the noise appeared to he a large black wolf.
All of the hairs on Angela's neck raised when the wolf stood on its hind legs. With a tentative sniff, as though testing the woman's scent, the beast leapt forward with great speed. As though acting of its own volition, Angela's arm placed itself in front of her face, finding a set of teeth latched into her. Pain erupted from her arm as the beast shook its head back and forth. With an adrenaline fueled shove, the wolf fell back, but was upon her just as soon as it had fallen. Angela's leg was the next victim, it the beast tore through her calf.
Angela's Psionic abilities flared and she unleashed a telekinetic push. The creature tried to attack, only to be shoved backwards with great force. With a shaky breath, Angela stood and reached into the monster's mind, pulling it apart. With one final whine, the beast went limp. She reached for her medic kit or even her first aid spray gun, but both were missing, as was her assault rifle.
Have the aliens even turned our own wildlife against us? This wolf looks almost nothing like the wolves I know.
Angela's attention soon returned to her arm, a sharp pain shot through her and she collapsed. Fu… Darn, my arm is gonna be infected. If I don't clean and suture the wound, I'll be dead before I can reach civilization. I can't make it far on this leg, either. If the bleeding continues any longer, those wolves won't have much resistance from me.
With a suppressed whine, Angela took one last look towards the fractured moon and began to limp through the forest. The chill of the cold forest seemed to seep into Angela's bones. Her teeth chattered on their own accord, but the soldier had to push onward, lest she meet her end in this frozen forest. With no real direction, she half dragged herself for what seemed like hours before hearing the sounds of a battle.
I hear growling, lots of it. There's a gun, as well, and judging from the sheer noise created by the gun, it must be a sniper. They probably won't survive long, if the massive amount of growling is anything to go by.
The Psionic forced her body forwards, towards the battle in progress. The more pessimistic side of her mind told Angela that the sniper in question would probably die, one wolf had nearly killed her, so this cacophony of beastly roars in this battle could only spell the end for the fighter in question. What she didn't expect, was the gunner to be a child, or to be dominating the fight. The child wore a red hood that fluttered in the breeze like liquid through the air as she continued to rend each beast in two. The most peculiar trait of this girl, however, was that the scythe in her hands rapidly bucked, firing a bullet into one of the beasts while using the momentum to behead a second creature.
Angela didn't give herself time to question the situation as she called a rift into the battlefield, tearing apart a massive portion of beasts at the molecular level. The child seemed surprised to see an ally, but took advantage of the situation. With a flourish and a pull of her weapon's trigger, the girl decapitated the last few creatures. The night was quiet as both women caught their breath. The younger girl came closer to Angela, offering a wide smile.
"Hi, thanks for helping!" her smile lessened and she gained a curious demeanor. "The village is miles away, what are you doing way out here, anyway?"
Angela thought for a moment, before offering a cautious reply.
"I am… lost. I don't suppose you know where I am, do you?"
"It's kinda hard to get lost on an island, are you that bad at directions," the girl giggled before thinking on her words.
"I'm sorry, that came out wrong! I just meant that-"
Angela offered the kid a chuckle.
"Hey, no harm done, sweetie. I could be anywhere on the planet and still not know where I am. I didn't even know I was on an island."
The child's eyes lit up and she regained her aura of energy and happiness. Her body seemed to gravitate towards Angela as she put away her weapon.
"Are you a huntress? Where are you from? What's your name?"
"Okay honey, slow down, let's start with that last one," Angela placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "My name is Angela Mondlicht, what's yours?"
"I'm Ruby Rose, it's a pleasure to meet you, miss," Ruby's smile grew. "I suppose you need some help finding where you are, don't you?"
Angela began to wobble on her feet, but straightened herself and nodded.
"Hey, you don't look so good, are you all…"
Angela didn't hear the question that Ruby had asked as she collapsed into the snow.
_
Julie smiled beneath her as Angela closed the wound with a flourish of her suture kit.
"See, Private Cole," Angela offered the young sniper a soft grin. She flicked Julie on the nose, eliciting a giggle from the woman. "it's not nearly as painful as they have you believe in the movies."
"Maybe that's because I have the best doctor in the world. I mean really," Private Julie Cole gave Angela a toothy grin akin to the way a child would do so after their mother kissed the child's boo-boo. "What would our squad do without you?"
"No doubt all of you lazybones would oversleep and I'd have to single-handedly stop the invasion myself. Now head to the barracks and get some rest, honey, I don't wanna see you even lift your arm for at least a week," Julie thanked her and headed for the door, before the medic called for her once again. "I'm serious, kiddo, don't move that arm. That's an order."
"Sure thing, Angie."
With an overdramatic salute, Cole left through the door as it closed itself, leaving Angela alone in the medbay. Finally alone, Major Mondlicht released a strained sigh and allowed her eyes to stray towards the ceiling. Angela traced a finger over the Xcom insignia on the shoulder of her standard issue tank-top.
"I suppose I have to accept the Commander's request for my participation in the psi-lab. I'll need every advantage in the world to keep that kid alive. Even if it means I could die, even though the procedure hasn't even been attempted by humanity, I'll do it."
Angela's eyes hardened with determination.
"For her."
_
"... Uncle Qrow, she's coming too!"
"Give her some space, Rubes, she's lost a lot of blood."
The Psionic's eyes drifted open and she was greeted by a small girl.
"…Julie?"
The girl seemed to look towards her uncle with worry in her… Silver eyes?
"My name is Ruby, we met in the forest, remember? You helped me with that pack of beowolves," Ah, that's right, the girl from the forest. "Are you okay, do you need anything?"
Angela took this time to examine her surroundings. She was in what seemed to be the den of a modestly sized cabin, with quaint furnishings decorating the room. Her eyes roamed over several family pictures taken throughout the years, the largest being that of a toothy blond haired kid on a man's shoulders while a baby lay in the arms of a white cloaked woman. A more recent picture displayed Ruby with the blond girl's arm around her, while Ruby held up a her strange Scythe-sniper from before. Angela felt a dry itching in her throat.
"I definitely wouldn't say no to a glass of water, sweetie," She gave Ruby a weak smile and slowly pulled herself into a sitting position on the couch. "if you could get me one, I'd be forever thankful."
As if she considered the request an order from the Commander himself, Ruby stormed out of the room at inhuman speeds. Angela allowed herself to look towards the other man in the room, the one Ruby referred to as Uncle Qrow. The man was a scruffy looking guy with slightly graying stubble betraying his somewhat youthful features. Qrow produced a flask from some hidden pocket and took a long swig from it. With a satisfied sigh, the man put away the flask and turned to Angela.
"My niece said you helped her out during a Grimm attack. I gotta say, for someone without aura, you sure did impress her. She said ya took out at least ten with just a wave of your hand." Qrow's conversational tone continued, though taking on a tinge of curiosity. "If you don't have aura, where'd you come from?"
Ah, right down to business, then.
"I am a soldier in the XCOM initiative. I am Colonel Angela Mondlicht, medic, Psionic, and currently in need of getting back in communication with the initiative and return to my post. If I don't return with the information I learned on the mothership, the aliens will seize control of the entire planet."
"Aliens, huh," Qrow began to chuckle, mirth in his eyes. "Either you're insane, or you came through quite the rift, Darling. Either way, the name's Qrow Branwen, pleasure to meet'cha."
"A rift? I'm not sure I understand."
"Darling, wherever you think you are, you're not there. This planet is called remnant, and as far as I know, there ain't no aliens here."
Angela froze in shock. If I'm not on earth, then how… She remembered. The ship, the reactor core, the implosion. This can't be true, this guy is trying to take me for a ride!
"How stupid do you think I am? Do you really think me that gullible?"
"Look, Darling, do ya need proof? My niece was able to fight all those Grimm by utilizing aura, a kind of self generated force field. Watch this," Qrow pulled a small dagger out of his pocket and dragged it across his hand. Qrow's hand began to glow and the dagger refused to make contact with his skin.
Even the aliens don't have personal energy shields like that.
"But I… how? I don't understand…"
"Don't worry Darling, none of ya ever do. How about you stick around a few days and I can tell you everything you need to know about this place, including how to survive."
"I don't want to know how to live here, I want to know how to get home," Angela rose to her feet, before collapsing back onto the couch in weakness. "I have people who need me."
"Listen, I'm sorry to tell you this," Qrow's jovial tone became sympathetic. "Almost no-one makes it back to their homes when they show up here. This really is the best I can do."
Before Angela could respond, Ruby came back with a glass of water. The soldier offered a smile and a praise to the girl as thanks. Upon closer inspection, the glass was identical to the glasses from Earth, bar the cartoonish rabbit on the side. Angela cautiously tasted the water. It tasted no different from her home's water, unless the slight flavor of minerals that would be found in well water were considered different. Angela placed the cup onto the coffee table. She didn't dare believe this was not Earth and yet, she couldn't refute it. The man across from her had no armor over his hand and still the blade did not cut. Ruby slaughtered many of those… Beowolves, as she called it, and didn't even suffer a single wound.
Wait, wounds… Angela's mind clicked. My arm, my leg!
She inspected her arm carefully, only seeing faint scars instead of the having wound she had received from the first creature she encountered. The Psionic's leg was in a similar state of health. Angela shot upwards, ignoring the dizziness disrupting her senses.
"My wounds! They're gone," Her voice was filled with disbelief and panic. "How long was I unconscious!?"
"Oh, I don't know, about an hour or so," Ruby sat forward in the seat she occupied across the quaint little coffee table. "Your aura healed your wounds."
"Aura? Like what he did with his hand," Angela pointed towards the drunken man, her confusion only growing. "I don't have that, at least, not that strange glow."
Qrow chuckled next to her.
"Not exactly, Darling, had to stop you from dying somehow. Aura does the trick for most wounds," Branwen offered her his flask. Angela refused, shaking her head sluggishly. "Besides, you're gonna need it to survive this shithole of a world."
"Uncle Qrow! No cursing in the house," Ruby crossed her arms indignantly. "You know the rules, put some lien in the Swear Jar!"
Angela didn't pay attention to the ensuing argument between Ruby and Qrow. The woman did, however, vaguely register the floor of the cabin rushing to meet her. The fall didn't hurt as just as she imagined it would, nor did the coffee table her head had made contact with. What did hurt was the searing pain reverberating through her skull and blood loss and over activity caught up with her.
Angela also noticed the faint violet flicker of energy over her skin as darkness claimed the woman.
_
Angela fell out of the pod, gasping for breath. Her muscles felt like jelly as she flopped on the steel plating below her. A hand extended before her and offered support. Angela took the hand and allowed its owner to pull her up, only to yelp when her gaze fell onto the face of its owner, it was the Commander!
"Sir," Angela offered a hasty salute and jumped to attention. "I apologize for my weakness, it won't happen again, Sir!"
The Commander chuckled, chuckled!
"Major Mondlicht, you have nothing to worry about. By stepping into that machine, you have shown more strength than all of the initiative combined, you've done nothing but make us all proud," the Commander leaned forward and whispered. "Besides, if you do anymore for Doctor Vahlen to shove in Shen's face, she'll probably be inviting you to her quarters for a… personal reward."
Angela giggled as her legs began to wobble. Really, the Commander was right here, joking with her! She felt absolutely giddy, completely forgetting her current state of weakness. She noticed the Commander offering her a worrisome look.
"Major, are you feeling any symptoms of the procedure?"
"I'm a little unsteady, but I think I'll be fine. Why do you ask, Commander?"
"Why don't we head to the mess hall and get a meal in you," the Commander placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't tell Bradford, but I know where the cooks hide the beef, and I make a mean steak."
The Commander was offering to make her dinner? This had to be too good to be true! Angela accepted the offer and practically glowed. No, wait… she WAS glowing!
"Ah! C- Commander, I," Pain lanced through her skull. "Ahh! What's… What's happening!?"
The Major fell to the ground in pain, pain so strong she didn't even feel the Commander's arms wrapping around her.
"Damnit, Vahlen, come in! Get down to the Psionic lab, stat! Major Mondlicht is having an adverse reaction to the procedure! Come on, she's tearing herself apart down here!"
"God Damnit, Kid, hold on. You're not allowed to die, I won't let you!"
_
"Jeez, Rubes, she do this often?"
Angela hid her reaction to the new voice in the room, pretending to still be out cold. She wasn't on the couch this time, she could feel a bed beneath her.
"Yang! She can't help it, Angela lost a lot of blood out in the forest. Me and uncle Qrow barely got her here alive."
"I'm just yanking your chain, Ruby, I know it's not her fault. Uncle Qrow, you think she'll come to anytime soon?"
"Why don't you ask her yourself, Firecracker," Qrow chuckled and unscrewed something, probably his flask.
"For a Huntress in training, I figured you'd be more perceptive by now."
Angela reluctantly opened her eyes, being greeted by three pairs of eyes in return. Silver from Ruby, red from Qrow, and… Lilac? The Psionic sat up in haste, startling the new girl as their faces nearly pressed together.
"Are you a Psionic too? Is the Iniative still kicking?"
"Okay," The young blonde backed away cautiously. "A lesson in personal space would do you wonders, lady."
Angela felt her cheeks heat up.
"Sorry, I just saw your eyes and, well, they're like mine," The woman pointed to her eyes, indicating the violet hue within them. "I'm really sorry, my name's Angela, what's yours?"
"I'm Yang, and I don't think I'm a… Psychic, is that what you said?"
"A Psionic, and you're not very far off. I can perform many abilities relating to the mind, ranging from giving someone a boost in confidence to creating a miniature localized gravitational anomaly."
"A… what now?"
"She waved her hand and created a purple swirly thing that tore apart a bunch of Beowolves I was fighting," Ruby cut in with her explanation. "It was super cool!"
Qrow grabbed the girls by their shoulders and pushed them towards the door. Angela took the time to look around the room. As embarrassing as it was to admit, it reminded her of her room as a child. The walls were covered in posters of boybands or celebrities the girl admired. Even the bed she was laying on was covered with a quilt of alternating squares depicting flowers and baby animals.
"Jeez, I know Ruby is young, but this room is ridiculous," Angela rolled her eyes. "I'm pretty sure I had a quilt like this when I was seven."
Qrow chuckled and shut the door behind him, locking the girls in the hall. He ignored the protesting of the girls as he sat on the end of the bed.
"Actually, this is Yang's room. Ruby's room looks more like a workshop."
"Huh, the more you know."
"Alright, before you pass out again," Qrow ignored the glare. "I need to explain this planet and what you need to know about it."
Angela sat up in an attentive position as Qrow launched into his explanation. Remnant as it's called had four main kingdoms, each filled with both humans and some kind of people with animal traits known as faunus. The wolves from the forest were actually a species of what Qrow had called the creatures of Grimm. From what Angela could gather, Grimm were natural predators of humanity and the only deterrents were a form of crystalline materials known as Dust and the aforementioned Aura that protected Qrow and Ruby from wounds and attacking forces. Qrow then explained Huntsmen and the Schools that train them. Angela was surprised to find out that Qrow was a teacher at one of these schools, himself, or that a man with his... habits would even be allowed to teach. She then got a basic education of the economy and history. The tidbit of information he ended on, however, caught her attention.
"So, you got here from an entirely different world, right?"
"Yes, from Earth. My planet was being invaded by aliens and I sacrificed myself for the planet and my squad. The ship I was on imploded and I woke up in the forest."
"Yeah, well, you're not the first person to be out of this world. Sometimes, people just turn up out of nowhere and find themselves on Remnant. Very few people actually know that, however, so I'm gonna need you to keep that under wraps."
"Is there a way to get home? I'm sure my team needs me, XCOM needs me."
"Sorry, Darling, but even if a rift opens up in the next few years, it'll most likely be some other planet," Qrow placed a hand on her shoulder, offering what little comfort he could. "Enough of all this gloomy stuff, tell me about whatever you 'Psionics' are."
Angela appreciated the change of topic.
"Back where I come from, some of the species of the invading forces could use telekinetic abilities to worm their way into our minds. They could do anything from making us irrationally afraid and panic, to taking control of our bodies. Eventually, the Commander got tired of it and told our Head Researcher to give them a taste of their own medicine. I was the first chosen to go through the procedure. I now have every ability they have, and then some."
Angela allowed a prideful smile to appear as she willed a purple vortex of energy in her palm. Tendrils of her white hair were tugged towards the energy. Qrow whistled, obviously impressed.
"And you can take control of anyone? Sounds pretty scary."
"Not entirely," She ended the vortex in her hand. "it only works on organic life forms, and even then, the chance is much lower depending on their strength of mind. A creature with the intelligence of a dog would be easier to control than one with the intelligence of humans."
Qrow's eyes lit up like an explosion took place within him.
"You don't think you could control a Grimm," Qrow looked around him, as though he expected eavesdroppers to burst forth from the shadows. He leaned forward and whispered to her. "Do you?"
Suspicion rose within Angela. Her eyes narrowed as she gazed ad the drunken man next to her. He clearly had an ulterior motive in mind, a more cynical side of her said. She reminded herself that the man and the kids had been nothing but kind to her, however, and felt as though she owed him a straight answer.
"I don't see why it'd matter so much, but I suppose I could. The creatures I fought didn't seem to have any real mental fortitude. As long as they don't act solely on instinct, it should be possible," She crossed her arms. "why does it matter so much?"
The man didn't answer, and only left the room, muttering to himself about how someone 'needs to know about this'. Upon exiting the room, the girls ran in, chatting her ears off with question after question.