Hello to all of mine and Hurricane's readers as well as those who haven't read either of our works before: CC here and happy to bring you the first installment of the new collaboration between the Hurricane and myself. As this is the first time either of us have worked on a collaboration before we would love all the feedback we can from you all. Have fun, sit back and enjoy the ride :) –CC-2224 Commander Cody


Simon's POV

As I sat upon the Atlesian Hunters Academy airship I gazed out the window looking down at the city of Vale and Beacon academy looking over it. I calmed my racing heart rate and elevated breathing, now after so much searching I had finally tracked down the last Belladonna... once I take her down I will be at peace and the hunt that has been consuming me ever since her father Schwarzer killed those protecting me in an effort to eradicate the human survivors of a Human-Faunus colony that had managed to escape a massacre by a group of mercenaries...

The sky was tinged crimson from the fires that burnt the village I had lived in for my entire life. I had been separated from my parents but luckily I had managed to find Velvet who was my neighbour and best friend to whom now I clung. We were being led away from the village by a Merc who couldn't have been much older than us. He brought us to a clearing away from the village and gave the adults a direction to go and then left back for his group.

I sometimes wondered what became of that young merc, probably dead for saving us. Poor guy I'd like to one day thank him for saving me and more importantly saving Velvet. I felt a pang of hurt at remembering what had come after living through that nightmare only to have my problems really begin...

We had been walking for days without any food or water and this had taken a toll on the adults, who all began bickering... even a couple brawls. All through this I stuck by Velvet's side and we supported each other, trying to keep the other's spirits up. Eventually we reached a creek where we could get some water. Being kids Velvet and I had decided to go swimming. It was while we were in the water when they came... The White Fang, this group led by the man I'd eventually come to know as Schwarzer.

I buried my head in my hands and my friend Gregory noticed my distress and laid a hand on my shoulder, not saying anything. He knew exactly what was on my mind and knew that his mere presence kept me stable as my memories continued to harass me.

I saw the local baker, one of the other humans in our group get pushed to the ground and a gun put to his head. Velvet also saw this and pushed me under the water and dragged my submerged form into some reeds at the water's edge "shh Stay down Simon, don't move" She said softly as she got up out of the water to go see what was happening, I grabbed her hand "Please don't go Velv, Stay here" I pleaded. but she slipped out of my hand "Don't worry Simon I'll be back soon" She said as she walked over to the group of Faunus and I hid in the reeds as more and more gunshots sounded off and eventually several trucks were heard coming then going but still I remained hidden just as Velvet said so, she always did what was best for me.

I spared a thought for my former friend, hoping I'd see her again after this was all done with and I could begin a new life. Looking to the three teens sitting around me, I remembered how I had wondered the wilderness for days until I eventually stumbled upon three teenagers, armed to the teeth... they took me in and trained me, helped me build confidence in my abilities to the point that I was no longer afraid of anything or anyone. They became my team and friends, they helped me take down Schwarzer and any other Belladonna we could find... until only Blake remained. I looked to my friends "Guys you didn't have to come with me on this one... There is a high possibility we won't get away from this one with our freedom" I said, still wishing they had let me do this one solo.

Gregory punched my shoulder "Not a chance in hell we're letting you do this alone, besides you needed a team in order to not look suspicious and to take on her teammates." He replied in a smartass tone, knowing he had me beat with that simple logic. I growled menacingly but then smiled lightly "Well Thank-you anyway for joining me on this, At least I won't have to take on an entire school solo."

The PA system sounded off "Can all students please assemble at the main cargo bay ramp, we will be landing at Beacon Academy momentarily." Came General Ironwood's voice through the speakers. Gregory, Levi and Sarah stood by me "Ready to finish this once and for all?" Gregory said once again clasping my shoulder. I nodded and began to walk towards the cargo bay "Let's finish this."


Sapphire's POV

I bade Arc goodbye as he walked off with his red-haired girlfriend. The blonde was getting better, but was impressive was how he found the energy to train with two teachers – me and Nikos – back to back. Maybe I underestimated him. Not that it mattered that much.

"Sapphire?"

Turning around, I come face-to-face with a girl sporting waist-length brown hair and bunny ears. I live in a world where species called 'Faunus' exist, but even now I wonder from time to time if those ears are fake. Maybe I should try yanking on Belladonna's- no. Never mind.

"Hey, Scarlatina," I replied. She was a friendly person, and I did not have anything against her in particular, but we had a bit of history that I'd rather forget.

"Hey," she said meekly. She acts all awkward around me too, probably because of my refusal to interact with her. "A-are you heading back to the dorm now?"

"Yeah," I replied. "I'll see you around, then."

"Y-yeah-"

I didn't listen to her reply as I walked away. The sight of her alone was enough to spark some memories I wished I did not have.

How many years ago had it been? I was still a mercenary back then, fighting and killing for money. I didn't care about the rewards, and only joined so I could continue fighting after the war. But there was one mission I couldn't bring myself to follow through.

We were told to massacre a village of humans and Faunus believed to be White Fang supporters. The White Fang was no friend of ours, and enough of us have died to them for there to be no warm fuzzy feelings between us. Everyone took the bait, but I did not; I was the only one who broke the rules and listened in on the client's request, so I was the only one who knew that we were going in to clear the land for pointless construction.

Despite that, I kept it to myself and attacked the village. The villagers who were foolish or desperate enough to fight back were cut down by my blades. Even if it was in self-defense, I never felt more guilty for taking a life.

The others went on without remorse, slaughtering countless people and setting fires to the entire settlement. Some were laughing, too; they were the ones who had lost everything to the White Fang.

I thought I could do it. I thought that if I just let myself believe those lies, I could kill everyone here without looking back. I was a mercenary; there was no such thing as morals for me. All I do is kill, fight, and kill. Nothing more.

I saw them after tearing off the head of a middle-aged woman. A group of kids, probably a few years younger than I was, scurrying away from the inhumane violence that they could not understand. Kids that had done no wrong. Kids that I had to murder in cold blood.

But I could not. Shoving one of my comrades out of the way, I led them and a few adults out of the village. I had no time, so I could only guide them to a clearing and give them the directions that would hopefully lead them to safety.

As they turned and ran, I gave the children a fleeting glance. There was a girl rabbit Faunus, with those unmistakable ears protruding from her brown hair, and next to her holding her hand tightly was a human boy with chocolate-colored hair. They were holding hands, despite being different species. Was it because they were too young to understand their differences?

Ridding my head of those pointless questions, I turned back and headed for the village. There had to be more people I could save in there-

"Fall!" a voice wrecked with raw rage stopped me. Standing between me and a whirling inferno of what used to be a village was my team. Luke was the only one who looked anything but angry. "What do you think you're doing?!"

Maybe someday, those children can become something. Maybe someday, they would be able to remove the need for extremist groups like the White Fang. Maybe someday, they'll be the reason I stop fighting. But I'll probably never see that day come.

"What does it look like, genius?" I asked, activating my Semblance. Sure, it was weak because I was healthy, and the blue glow probably won't be very intimidating, but I did not care. "I'm letting them escape."

"You're disobeying your orders?" Melvis – the second-in-charge – asked. "That's punishable by death, Fall."

"Sucks to be you, then," I snapped. I could only hold them back for so long, so that time would have to be enough for the villagers to get to safety.

Now that I think back about it, that was the first time I fought against my own teammates. I garnered eternal hate from them, particularly from those whose limbs I broke. Yet, mysteriously, all I worried about back then was the children's safety.

Even back then, I was so soft it was surprising I lived through it all. Maybe I didn't get soft in my time here at Beacon; maybe I just stayed the same all this time. Perhaps that was the reason I didn't kill Blake.

"Sapphire," blondie's voice sounded, making me jump as I realized that she was right in front of me. "What're you zoning out for?"

"Uh, nothing," I replied hastily. Wow. I sound really intelligent. "What're you doing all the way out here?"

"Welcoming the new students from Atlas," Yang replied, jerking her thumb towards the approaching airship. "Didn't you come here for that as well?"

"Nope," I deadpanned. "I'm not interested."

With that, I left her standing like an idiot in the front of the school. I was not interested in some new batch of wannabe fighters; after all, people who trained to fight monsters were never the same as people who trained to kill. They were nothing like the monster that I was.

Turning my back on the incoming airship, I headed towards the dorm.


They may not have known each other. They may have been similar, but they would never know that.

They were not fighters. They were merely children whose worlds had been ruthlessly torn apart by the brutal hands of fate. They were harmless boys by nature, whose lives had been filled with smiles, turned cold-hearted killers against the world.

To them, the world had no reason. To them, the world had no justice. This world was no fairy tale, and they were no heroes. The moment they came to realize that, as they knelt drying their tears in endless rivers of blood, they threw away their humanity.

On that day, Simon Alexander and Sapphire Fall met for the first time. Back then, they had not exchanged names, nor had their eyes even met. But deep down, somehow, they harbored a peculiar thought that they would someday meet again.

And when that day came, they would have to bare their fangs at each other. Theirs was a world without morals, a world with never ending bloodshed.

Such was the fate of Mercenaries and Insurgents.


Hello, Blue Hurricane here. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter (more of a setup, actually). Like the commander said, it's our first time working on a collab project, so do let us know what you think of it! Till our next update, fellas!

Disclaimer: RWBY does not belong to us, and all rights go to their respective owners. Sapphire is my OC from my 'Children and Soldiers' fic and Simon is Commander Cody's from his fic, 'From Hunted to Hunter'. Just so you know.