RWBY: We Fall to Rise
Disclaimer: I do not own the RWBY 3.0 universe, all credit belongs to Dishwasher1910. Editorial credit goes to PsychoSensei and Bluespartan107, go check out their works. All chapters of story shall be released in pairs. This is the story prologue and Chapter 1.
Prologue
Edelweiss Field Ops Command Center
Vale Airspace
8:30 am
"Ruby...Ruby, are you there—SAY SOMETHING, YOU DOLT!" Weiss exclaimed at the top of her lungs.
The hardened SRED Colonel had been screaming to Ruby for three whole minutes. Tears had begun to form in her eyes, which all present understood that their superior was worried about her. The only sound that they heard over the comms was silence, which had been on since the sound of heavy weapon blasts had occurred. Weiss was completely frozen still, the silence was the one thing that she wished would be gone from the comms. She was holding to the railing in front of her with shaky hands, worried about what had transpired. She then turned to one of the comms operators, took a breath, and ordered: "Keep trying to raise Ruby for one minute, then try to get a hold of Yang Xiao Long when that minute is up."
"Yes, Ma'am." The operator said as they began to try and hail Ruby over the comms. Weiss turned to the chair behind her and sat down, burying her tear-stained face in her gloved hands. One of her officers walked over to her, acknowledging the fact that her superior has had her confidence diminished. She asked the worried Weiss: "Are you alright, Ma'am?"
"No, Henley, I'm really not. I was the one who sent her to that location, and that new Grimm showed up, and now she has gone dark." Weiss said through her dry voice from her screaming. But before Henley could speak, another operator interrupted by exclaiming "We got a transmission from Xiao Long!"
"What did she say?" Weiss demanded as she leaped up from her chair and stopped at the railing with Henley tailing behind her. The operator responded to his superior's inquiry by explaining "She has Agent Rose, and she is requesting an emergency medical team to be in the hangar when she arrives."
"Colonel, Xiao Long's Bumblebee is heading towards hangar 3, and she's moving at breakneck speed." Another operator exclaimed.
"Grant, tell the infirmary to send an Emergency Medical Team to Hangar 3 as fast as possible. Henley, Guilford, you're with me." Weiss ordered, in which she received a "Ma'am" from one of the officers.
The trio boarded one of the many trams that made their way around the massive Edelweiss, riding to a small junction. They quickly boarded another tram, riding it all the way to Hangar 3, where they saw Yang's bumblebee just entering it. Weiss raced off the tram, running ahead of the officers who were working hard to keep pace with their superior just as a medical team that was moving a large gurney along with to the massive doors into the Hangar. But, when the doors opened, the sight that they had laid their eyes on was something that they feared. Laying eyes upon a tear-flooded Yang cradling her sister in her arms, with the area where her legs were supposed to be having been wrapped up in the older sister's coat, and a near-lifeless expression on Ruby's face. A large dark stain had soaked through, with blood dripping down from the coat. In that very moment, it took everything that Weiss had not to scream aloud in horror…
"Please…*sniff* You have to do something….YOU HAVE TO SAVE RUBY!" Yang screamed loudly.
Chapter 1:
Beginning of Darkness
Office of Colonel Weiss Schnee
SRED Edelweiss
Above international waters
10:00 am
1 Day before the incident.
"RUBY ROSE!" Weiss shouted at the top her lungs. Every subordinate under the Colonel's command that was in earshot range knew what that meant. Ruby may have been the top operative of the SRED, but her constant slacker attitude and repetitive lateness always wore the Schnee's patience thin. At that moment, every crew member on the deck heard the running steps of Ruby Rose as they noticed a trail of rose petals were left trailing the young operative.
Ruby stopped outside the door, panting from all her running. She looked at the colonel, and the first words that came out of her mouth were: "You called?"
"For the second time, when you complete a job, you have to make sure to file the reports correctly," Weiss said, sounding irritated.
Ruby simply shot Weiss the look of "Sorry, I'm a goof.", which only seemed to provoke her superior more.
Weiss shot up from her chair, walked over to the confused operative, and yanked her immediately close for a kiss. Though Weiss was her superior, Ruby and her were in a relationship since their graduation from Beacon and the Salem crisis. "You can be a real pain in the ass," Weiss said through a chuckle.
Ruby immediately got a smug look on her face, slightly chuckling as she said to Weiss: "I thought that you only say that after some R&R." This statement got her a flick to the forehead by the embarrassed colonel.
Weiss wanted to proceed, but the sound of heeled boots coming closer to them suppressed her thoughts of doing so. She took her seat while Ruby sat down on a couch as Brigadier General Winter Schnee, Weiss's older sister and Superior, entered the room with Ashford, her advisor. The two stood up and saluted, before being dismissed by Winter saying: "At ease, you two."
"Hello sister, may I ask what brings you here?" Weiss inquired carefully.
Winter casually chuckled and said to her sister. "You can relax, Colonel, I'm here to discuss the mission assignment plan for when we enter Vale's airspace since I will be returning to Atlas in a few hours." She sounded irritated by the final comment.
Ruby could easily tell what bothered both Weiss and the Brigadier General. The sisters' father, SDC Chairman Jacques Schnee, was under investigation for possible involvement with sponsoring the person or group that is connected to the emergence of a new species of Grimm. Even though it is for the sake of the world, a great deal of stress has been put on Winter and Weiss someways.
"Ah yes, do we have an actual plan for the mission?" Weiss inquired.
The Brigadier general was handed a piece of paper by Ashford, she cleared her throat and said: "According to a report that was submitted by Beacon Academy Headmaster Oscar, there have been a series of attacks reported in numerous territories just south of the city." This intrigued both Weiss and Ruby, as these attacks could be connected to the new type of Grimm.
"Do you suspect that it's that new Grimm type?" Ruby spoke up, in which she received a stern glare from Ashford.
"The possibility is high, as the mutilated remains found each attack site had a black, sludge-based material residue left behind," The Brigadier General responded to the agent's inquiry.
"We still have no clue as to what this creature is capable of and a repeat of the fiasco in Vacuo is not an option," Weiss commented in a stern tone.
"Agreed, that's why I brought in someone to bolster the numbers for the operation." Winter explained as someone cleverly slipped into the room.
"Really? Wh-" Ruby's body shuttered and her face turned red when she felt someone's hands clutch her breasts. The individual's blonde hair poked up from behind as a voice said:
"Someone who is amazed by her cute little sister's growth, all that milk you drank must have really helped after all."
"GAH! Yang!" Ruby exclaimed at the top of her lungs while the blonde huntress let out a hearty laugh.
Yang Xiao Long, Ruby's older half-sister and a talented huntress. After the end of the Salem Crisis, Yang used her talents as a huntress to pursue her mother, Raven, who disappeared following Salem's defeat and death. Well regarded as a top-tier huntress, Yang was a skilled freelancer and has been known to be very effective at fighting excessively powerful Grimm.
Ruby was fuming at her sister's act. "Yang, would you stop doing that?! It's irritating when you sneak up on me like that!" was all Ruby exclaimed as she guarded her chest against Yang.
"Aw, come on, Rubes, getting mad over a little joke that your big sis pulls on ya?" Yang casually said as she stretched her arms out for a hug. Ruby, though still mad, decided to run into Yang's arms, embracing her in a big hug.
"So, you'll be the one helping us, Yang?" Weiss inquired from the Huntress, who was still hugging her sister.
"Yep, I just finished a job in Atlas when Winter offered a job helping you guys out," Yang said casually as she released Ruby.
"Well, it's good to see you, Yang," Weiss responded with a relaxed smile. Before any conversations could occur, Winter cleared her throat…
"Anyway, I must depart back to Atlas. Weiss, you will have operational command until I return," Winter ordered to her sister.
"Yes, Ma'am," Weiss said in response.
Winter stood up and exited the room with Ashford, in which Yang shared a secondary hug with Ruby before almost walking out the door.
"What's the rush, Yang?" Weiss inquired.
"Well, when I arrived onboard I kinda parked Bumblebee in a place that some engineer was fuming about. Something about it being a place for deliveries?" Yang remarked.
Weiss simply let out a sigh as Yang quickly took off running to catch a tram to the hangar. As Ruby looked to the door, Weiss walked up next to her while she was distracted…
"It's good to see Yang again after so long," Ruby said.
"Yeah, she's still a pain in the ass to deal with, but now she seems to have gained a more outgoing side to her," Weiss said.
"No kidding, I can't believe that she pulled a stunt like that. But…" Ruby said, sounding curious about something from that conversation.
"Oh? What has the Great Ruby Rose curious?" Weiss said in a slightly teasing tone.
"Why did she run out so fast?" Ruby asked.
"I think I might have an idea as to why...for now, why don't you follow her and make sure she doesn't get into trouble?" Weiss casually said as the hand closest to Ruby landed on a place that caused Ruby's face to turn cherry red causing to stutter:
"Ye-yes ma'am…"
Edelweiss hangar 3
10:09 am
Winter stood at the ramp to her airship, with two guards standing at the ready. Ashford, her lieutenant, and close advisor, was standing in front of her with a copy of the mission parameters in his hand. Winter talked with the pilot, who ran back up the ramp as she turned to Ashford and said: "Ashford, I would like you to remain here and assist Weiss with the operations in Vale."
"Are you sure, milady? Guilford and Henley assure me that they can handle helping her," said Ashford.
"They may help her strategize, but your family has served ours for some time. I want you to assist Weiss emotionally when she cannot handle the stress," The Brigadier General explained.
"Understood, give my regards to Uncle should you visit your family home," Ashford said.
Winter responded to her subordinate with a "Certainly" before boarding her airship with her guards and departing. As Ashford walked back towards the door inside, he thought to himself about Weiss….
Brigadier General, your sister is greedy, in a sense. She treasures those close to her too well, and if one of those treasures was to be lost, I'm afraid she will crumble to dust.