A/N: Hi all it is CC here with the next chapter of "Mercenaries and Insurgents". Just a quick note for anyone here who has read my other story about Simon "From Hunted to Hunter": The events of this story do not affect my other stories at all... This is an AU version of Simon who made completely different decisions and had a different past as he did in Hunter. Just had to point that out. Also this is my first attempt at writing either Ruby or Yang, so feedback on how I do is very welcome :) -CC.
Chapter 2, Simon's PoV:
As we exited the airship I was clutching my stomach, moving around while flying... in fact flying in general were not my favourite activities. "Make it stop spinning please" I complained, only to receive laughs from my friends "Years of flying to and from missions and you still have a fear of flying? What is wrong with you?" Came Gregory's reply between his laughs. I growled and smacked the taller boy in the ribs. "After what happened that one time you had to take control of the Bullhead, are you really surprised?" I said indignantly and stormed off down the ramp of the airship, they might have been my friends but they were also assholes who enjoyed humour at my expense.
As I breathed in the fresh air and got onto solid ground I felt my head stop spinning and my stomach stopped churning I sighed in relief, mentally swearing to never fly again once I finish this mission and make my escape to Vacuo. "HEEEEEEELOOOOOO" A sing song voice pulled me from my thoughts, standing in front of me was a tall, well-proportioned blonde girl with a shorter girl with black hair containing red highlights wearing a cloak stuck in a headlock beside her who seemed to be struggling to get away. "Umm Hi?" I answered caught completely by surprise by the sudden appearance of the two girls in front of me. "Yang, why are you dragging me to meet new people? I've got enough friends as it is!" The cloaked girl whined. "Because you can never have enough friends... besides new people also means new weapons?" The Blonde said to the cloaked girl.
My eyes flicked nervously from one girl to the other 'Ok, Just be nice... say hello and back away slowly' I thought as I watched the exchange between the two sisters awkwardly, before the Blonde turned to me "Don't mind my sister younger Ruby, she can be a little bit shy... I' am Yang and Welcome to Beacon." The Blonde said, eyeing me up and down. "Um I' am Sim- Sinopia Paulsen, pleased to meet you Yang, and happy to meet you Rub..." I had turned to greet the cloaked girl only to find her missing. It was then that I heard the unmistakable sound of the blades on my Medium Calibre Gun Staff (essentially a light machine gun that converts into a double bladed battle staff) extending out, worriedly I grasped at my back where my weapon normally resided, not surprisingly not finding it there. I whirled on my heel to find the little cloaked girl looking over my weapon, cradling it and cooing to it like a baby. My eyes widened and I turned to Yang "Umm does she normally do that?" I asked, holding back my fury at having my weapon had been taken from me. "Yeah, she absolutely loves weapons... she seems pretty taken with yours" The blonde said while laughing at this situation. "Hey Ruby... Can I please have Vindex Umbra back?" I pleaded with the girl, I got very anxious when I was without a weapon for any amount of time. But the girl wasn't listening, she ran her hands along my weapon, inspecting every working part before squealing with delight "ooh I just love her... She might not be in the best condition, but I bet she has some awesome stories to tell" Ruby cooed to the weapon as she collapsed it into its gun mode and hugged it tightly.
By this time I was completely done with this situation, I strode up casually towards Ruby and cleared my throat to get her attention "Ruby, Weapon... NOW!" I demanded, scowling intimidatingly at the young girl. Instead of fear and compliance I was met with her silver eyes becoming almost impossibly large and a pouting look come over her face, in short a most adorable and irresistible puppy dog face I groaned in irritation before looking down in defeat "You are worse than Sangria when it comes to the puppy dog face, Why am I cursed with that one soft spot?" I muttered to myself as Ruby squealed gleefully for being able to continue obsessing over my gun-staff. Sighing in defeat and deciding to just roll with this "So If you like weapons so much, why don't you show me yours?" I said, just a hint of innuendo in the tone, which earned me a slightly angry scowl from Yang while the insinuation went right over Ruby's head who simply threw me my weapon and drew out this massive rifle scythe and began babbling all about its specs and how she forged it.
I felt my draw drop "Wow, remind me not to piss you off." I said absentmindedly, only to hear what sounded like a shotgun chambering a round. "Oh no, Ruby is the adorably kind and innocent one... I' am the one you don't want to piss off" I turned to find Yang with what looked like a set of shotgun gauntlets "Ever make another comment like that to my sister and you'll see exactly what I can do with these." She said firmly, a red tinge to her eyes. I simply nodded, "Sorry, didn't mean to cause any offence" I came my most humble reply, trying not to cause a scene that may draw suspicion to me. Yang shrugged and smiled happily at me and gave me a playful punch, all her previous anger gone "Don't worry, just doing my job as a big sister... " Our conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Gregory and the rest of my team "There you are, we got worried after you went walkabout" Gregory said in mock worry before giving me a noogie.
"Oh yeah really funny Grullo!" I growled, using my teammates agreed upon cover for this mission and pushed him away. "So whose your new lady friends? you work fast lady killer" Gregory/Grullo laughed, causing Yang, Ruby and I all to blush. I regained my composure "Ruby, Yang... this is my team: Grullo, Liseran and Sangria of the Atlesian Hunters Academy." My friends waved in greeting. "ooh you guys look like formidable opponents for the tournament, you guys just got to meet the rest of our team... Maybe we can schedule a practice match sometime?" Came a request from a bubbly Ruby, still holding the massive crimson scythe. "Umm sure, why not. But maybe let us settle in before we organise anything, it has been a long trip from Atlas. It was a pleasure to meet you Ruby and you Yang." I said, quickly bidding farewell to the sisters and walking away, my team in tow. "Thanks for the save Grullo, I was starting to get overwhelmed by those two." I said, relieved to have my weapon and be free of the hyperactivity of Ruby. "Say Sinopia, are we actually going to take them up on their offer? To meet their team and have some practice battles?" Liseran/Levi asked from behind me and Gregory/Grullo. I thought about it a moment "Yeah we should... would give us a chance to get some recon done throughout the school, might even ID our target. Now come on guys, let's go find our room I think I've had enough socialising for one day." I said, leading my team onward towards the rest of the Atlas students.
Sapphire's POV
Some people referred to him as a demon. Some referred to him as a warrior. Some people referred to him as an instructor. I always called him 'commander', but the man known as Ozpin was also a freaking slave-driver.
"You just like having people aiming for your neck, right?" I asked into the receiver. I swear that sunglasses-wearing, stony-faced man was smirking at the comment.
"Now what makes you say that?" he asked. "This is only the fifth wave, right?"
"The fifth wave that I'M dealing with," I pointed out. "How many waves have the teachers been taking out?"
I'm not sure if it had something to do with my transfer, but ever since my battle with Belladonna, I've been burdened with fighting off mercenary squads sent here to butcher Ozpin. Most of them should have been stronger than I was, but they traveled in groups since Beacon was unfamiliar territory, and I know how to trick them with my traps. When I'm feeling generous, I'd let them go home with a few bumps and scratches.
What was worrying was the frequency of the attacks. They clearly had no intention of stopping anytime soon, and at this rate I wouldn't be surprised if they launched a large-scale attack on Beacon itself.
"I've heard that the recent team is only a pair," Ozpin continued. Where is he getting all this information from? "It seems like having minimal numbers is their best way to avoid your traps."
"So they learn as well," I muttered. "Well, a pair's gonna be easier to camouflage, sure, but the moment they're exposed they'd be easy prey. Are they that strong?"
"No idea, I'm afraid," Ozpin admitted. "I have no clue which division they're from, but they might have been hired from other places. Keep your eyes peeled; we have students coming from all over Remnant recently."
"Then you should have cancelled this crap," I sighed. "Fine, whatever. I'll see what I can do. Keep-"
"Keep Team RWBY out of it?" he finished for me. Smartass.
Muttering some curses under my breath as I rammed the phone into my pocket, I peeked out the window at the helicarrier that had landed minutes ago. Supposedly, the new students from Atlas were on it, but if there was going to be mercenaries on board, blowing it up might be justified.
"Sapphire?"
"Hmm?" I asked, not bothering to turn around as Belladonna stood next to me.
"What're you doing?" she asked. I wonder if being a cat gave her some kind of sixth sense that told her every time something was going down.
"Coming up with a good excuse," I replied halfheartedly, jerking a thumb towards where Rose was, having just stolen someone's weapon to ogle at. "We're going to have to give apologies soon enough."
"Ruby…" Belladonna sighed, rubbing her temples. "You'd think Yang would have learned by now…"
"If she did, she wouldn't be blonde anymore," I offered. "Where's Schnee? We could buy their forgiveness with her money."
"She's off hiding her embarrassment," Belladonna replied. "She knew how things would turn out if Ruby was forced to meet new guys, so she went to find a good locker."
"A locker?" I wondered aloud. "Which one? I'm curious to test out the maximum range that thing can fly with a human inside."
"… You really want to die that badly?"
"I survived you," I reasoned. I didn't know her nails were actually that sharp until I flung Zwei at her. Damn, the marks are still there now that I think about it.
"Fair enough," Blake conceded. "But enough fooling around; what was that phone call about?"
Damn. I need a better way to distract this one.
"It's nothing," I said. "And I'm not saying anything, so don't try."
"… Does it have something to do with the White Fang?" she asked.
Either she was paranoid, or she had some freakish level of sixth sense mixed with mind reading. Either way, that guess was pretty much the same as mine.
If they were hiring outside help, then the most reliable form of combat prowess would be sought from the White Fang. Granted, the two sides were by no means friendly with each other, but if the higher ups wanted to, they could probably even recruit Grimm.
But if the White Fang was really involved in some way, then it was all the more reason to not to involve Belladonna. It was one thing to make her fight her fellow brothers and sisters, but Belladonna had already left that part of her life behind.
Unlike me, Belladonna was no longer tormented by her past. There was no reason to forcibly drag her into battles devoid of a sense of justice. That battlefield was, in the end, more suited for mindless killing machines like me.
"Sapphire?" she spoke up suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Y-yeah," I replied clumsily, Smooth, Sapphire. Real smooth. "Why do you ask?"
"Your eyes," she said, pointing right at my face. "They've turned red, you know."
That shouldn't be a problem. From today onwards, they were probably going to burning scarlet constantly anyway.
I don't know why, but I couldn't help but smile. I'm no stranger to facing adversities, and I've been in far worse situations before, but there was always a thrill I can't deny in fighting, especially if it was with the White Fang.
The images returned. The raging fires, the sea of blood, and the endless screams. If there was a scene I could ever pride myself in creating, it would be one of death and carnage. That was fine; I have reasons for recreating those images right now. If it could protect them and their world, laying waste to just a few more mercenaries was more than welcome.
"Oh, don't worry about it," I assured her. "It's nothing worth noting."
Not compared to what will happen at this school, anyway.
Hello, Blue Hurricane here. I'd like to point out that this story doesn't affect my story 'Children and Soldiers' either. This is a sort of AU joining both our stories, if you will.
We'll see you next chapter, fellas! Look forward to that!
