@Gasmaskjack: I left an answer in the commentsection, because I am retarded.
@Evinco: Oh you want old gods? Just you wait for the fucking old gods :D
AN: As for the story: I know that it may take while to pick up some momentum (Or not. You tell me.) until I have decided where to go with that thing. I am still establishing Levi as a character and right now I cant really be bothered to rewatch every RWBY episode twice or thrice to memorise all the small plots. I'll have to push Levi's stresslevel a bit, so I can decide if he is a god or a monster.
Oh, and thank you for the suggestions.
-"It's quite funny actually, but I don't know if I should laugh or cry. We tried to completely wipe his memory, you know? A clean template. But he lost his mind and killed our god."-
LXVI_
The bullhead's engines roared as the transport lost altitude and went to land on the city's own airport.
The flight had gone by rather uneventful and Ruby had not stopped, peppering Levi with questions about what gear and weapons he thought of buying.
He thought he would take the girls up on Ruby's offer to buy some clothes first. Besides two sets of school uniform, he only possessed the grey jumpsuit which he had worn when they had first met in the woods. Tying the sleeves of said jumpsuit behind his back and rolling his shoulders, he stepped out the air vehicle and into the bright sun of an early morning.
As they walked towards the city and the store, Ruby wanted to show him, Yang fell back a bit from her team, so she now walked besides Levi who had walked slightest behind him.
"Soo, you threw some pretty mean punches yesterday. Where'd you learn that?"
He regarded her with a quick look. Somehow her out-of-class-outfit was even skimpier than the short skirts oh their school uniforms.
"I couldn't tell you. I just did what seemed right. Probably looked silly too."
"Well it actually looked pretty coordinated. Strategically even... maybe."
"I watched you four in the woods as we were fleeing the forest. You looked all pretty practiced. A bit flashy maybe, but well..."
"Flashy? What do you mean with flashy?" The group rounded a corner.
"I mean with all the flips and rolls and jumps and stuff. At some points it looked like you guys were acrobats instead of warriors. Or ninjas."
"And how would you fight then? Oh great master of practicality?" Yang teased with a smirk.
"Move only when necessary. Kill the enemy as fast as possible, I guess. Oh, that or the triple D's."
"Tripl-"
"Demoralise, Disable, Dispatch. Though this strategem requires a far more long winded approach. Psychological warfare and such."
Yang smirked again.
"Yeah, that wont work on Grimm. They don't feel fear, or anything else really."
"So I've heard, but you don't think you'll exclusively fighting Grimm if your task is to keep up order in general. I've heard of quite a number of roving bands of bandits in some kingdoms, that pretty much rule the countryside."
There was a moment of silence between the two before they rounded another corner and Ruby happily turned around, practically beaming at Levi.
"This is the place!" She made a dramatic gesture at the storefront. "Supliiees." She added, which seemed to be the name of the store. The windows were closed with shutters and it would have seemed closed, if not for a sign on the glass door that stated the opposite. All five of them entered, each eliciting a small chime from a small bell near the door and Levi had to stop and look for a moment.
The store was kept very clean and practical, with neat shelves lining the walls and light and smooth lighting that comfortably illuminated the wares on display.
The shelves were reasonably stocked with parts and some whole weapons. Some with different types of ammunition or tools, but it was obvious that Levi was expected to build his own weapon.
"Hey there little reaper." Came a booming voice from the back of the store and Levi watched a mountain of a man make his way to the front. He was at least two meters tall, had a muscular build and a red scruffy beard. Friendly eyes, with a hint of an esge glinted from behind round glasses.
"What can I do for my most high-toned customer?"
"Hey Mr. Norgad. I'm not here to buy anything today. We're looking for a suitable weapon for Levi here." Ruby pointed at the young man with her thumb.
"Oh. Marvellous, another aspiring huntsman. My name is Anton Norgad, weaponsmith and engineer by heart. How may I help you?"
Levi had looked a bit lost in the room full of weapon parts and equipment, but as he spoke, everyone, including Norgad was surprised by his straightforwardness.
"I'll need a sturdy customisable handgun, preferably in 45.ACP or 5.7mm*. A melee weapon and a modular assault rifle, a carbine model if possible and it should be capable of automatic fire. Let's see..." He paused for a moment.
"Also if your stock allows it, I'd like a designated marksman rifle, the highest caliber you think is practical and a light machine gun."
The shopkeep and the four girls regarded Levi with more than a few strange looks.
"Thats quite a shopping list you got there. Sounds more like military equipment to me than that of a huntsman." Norgad said.
"I don't need all of it now. A gun and a knife should be well enough for now."
"Do you want to carry all these guns around with you?" Yang asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow.
"You're going to be over encumbered before you know it. If I was in your spot, I'd try to find a transformable."
"Maybe you're right." Levi turned to the gunsmith.
"Is it possible to integrate all those systems into a single weapon?"
"Well, not in a practical way, to be honest. But if I may ask, why do you need three rifles anyway?"
Levi turned to Yang, a satisfied look on his face, then back to the gunsmith.
"Right tool for the any situation. I'd need a few options for customisation of course, but I didn't plan on carrying all the guns around all the time. The handgun would be my permanent and primary weapon."
Norgad led the young man to a section of his store, where Levi examined a few pistols, testing the grip and weight, as well as the action and the magazine release. After a couple of minutes, he decided on an older Atlas Military model, chambered in 45.ACP and matte black in colour*.
Weiss already had the same distasteful look on her face upon looking at the plain, industrial looking weapon. Levi also bought a couple of toos, parts and attachments for cleaning and customising his weapon.
"Have you served in the military, boy? You certainly seem to know your firearms, but for a huntsman, your taste in weaponry is rather... how should I put it? Plain?"
"I like to call it practical."
"Of course. A no nonsense kind of guy. I myself served in the mistralian royal support corps for twelve years. I can tell if someone is a fellow military man."
"I..."
"He aborted the Atlesian specialist course and opted to become a huntsman, right Levi?" Weiss cut in quickly, subtly nudging him with her foot.
"Ah, I see." Norgad said, seemingly satisfied with her answer.
"Special forces then. Guess you longed for a bit more freedom then, right?"
"They expected a lot on the personal level." Levi quickly caught up, trying to end the conversation. Weiss was right. It was probably better if he didn't shout out his partial amnesia to everyone.
They then looked over a selection of short swords and knives from which Levi took particular interest in a bayonet style knife which was capable of extending its blade from twenty centimeters to an impressive length of ninety centimeters.
"That's all I can do for you at the moment, but for the rest of your equipment, I can select and order a few sample models which you can try and choose from later. I'll give you a ring on your scroll when they arrive."
"That would be great, I really appreciate it."
"And because you're such a nice customer, I'll throw in a few magazines and holders and you can choose a holster from my wall."
A few minutes later, the gun rested comfortably upside down on the back of Levi's belt, with the knife just below it. The magazines sat on his left side in polymer holsters. A box of 45. in both hollow point and armor piercing varieties was tugged under his arm and the box of miscellaneous equipment and tools hung from his right hand.
"I'll need to buy a backpack soon."
He said, while Ruby beamed from behind his back, still staring at the weapon in it's holster.
She, apart from her partner, Weiss had encouraged him to get the gun that felt right and ignore the aesthetics for now, not that he didn't do that from the start, but she was proud nevertheless.
"Yeah! Now how about some new clothes for you!" She said enthusiasticly, practically jumping up and down.
"I know a place that would suit you just fine." Yang cut in.
"You're all about practicality, you can have practicality. Blake!"
"You don't know where it is anymore, right?"
Blake answered a bit tiredly. It was obvious she had zoned out for a few minutes there.
"Nope! Also I've wanted to wake up Ms.'I'm gonna fall asleep while standing' a little bit."
Blake gave an annoyed huff, waving them out the door after they all said their goodbyes.
An hour later, the five of them left a surprisingly versatile outlet store, Levi thought. He now wore a comfortably fitting black suit, with a white shirt and dark red tie. Weiss's and Blake's suggestions.
His new military backpack now not only carried his equipment and ammunition, but also a some miscellaneous laundry, a new pair of boots, a few combat shirts and dark cargo pants. The girls had tried to persuade him to pick a few "badass" accessories, like a long flowing scarf or a skull-shaped mask, but he politely refused every time, arguing that he had to watch his expenses and could only afford what was absolutely necessary.
"You know, you actually look pretty sharp in this. And you're right, if you're not leaning forward, the gun and the knive is almost invisible." Yang was obviously checking the young man out, as she took a good long look at his backside.
"Yang!" Ruby said while lightly stomping on her older sisters foot.
"Aww. jealous?"
LXVI_
"Emplacement. Two clicks north, coordinates coming. Fire for effect."
"Received. Gun's hot."
"Confirmed. Good kill. Next target. half a click south southwest. coordinates coming. Fire for effect."
"Please confirm, sixty six. There's obviously civilians down there."
"Confirmed. We don't have the time. Fire."
"Received. Firing."
"Confirmed. Target destroyed."
Levi rapidly sat up, panting heavily and drenched in cold sweat.
What a weird dream. What a nightmare. It had been his voice, his eyes, glued to the thermal images in his scope. But all seemed so real, like it wasn't a dream at all, but a memory. In his inner eye, the scene of children and women, being ripped apart by long range artillery replayed itself again and again.
He swung his legs out of his bed and pulled on a shirt and sweatpants, before fishing a pack of cigarettes from his backpack. Of course smoking on school grounds was prohibited, but a quick look on his alarm clock told him it was three in the morning. Way too late for most to be still awake and to early for anyone to be up yet. Stealthily he stepped out of his room and past RWBY's and JNPR's doors, to one of the wide balconies, where he carefully placed an ashtray and lighted his cigarette.
A few minutes he stood there, looking down on vale, quietly blowing blueish smoke into the night sky.
"Next time, I see you polluting the fresh air in Beacon, I'll have you reprimanded, Mr. Able."
Glynda Goodwitch's voice suddenly sounded behind him. It would have startled him, hadn't he heard her move quietly down the hallway, towards him.
"I am sorry Ms. Goodwitch, I was a bit stressed out." He quickly extinguished the cigarette, closed the ashtray and put it into his pocket.
"So I realised. What has you so upset? A bad dream?"
"It felt more like a memory."
"Maybe it is, even if you don't like it. Can I ask what you... 'dreamt'?"
The professor leaned against one of the columns, a strange sight as she mostly was seen standing at attention with her riding crop and scroll.
"Yes... I was in someplace... high. With a rifle.
Coordinated artillery strikes on some... armed positions. They had something very dangerous, hidden somewhere. Had to be destroyed or billions could die..."
He put the ashtray back on the railirailing and before Glynda could stop him, he ignited another cigarette.
"Mr. Able, I understand..."
"We used white phosphorus in a densely populated area to sanitise the AOEs."
He cut her off and saw her recoil visibly.
"You seem to know what it does to a body. But we had to be sure. There was no time to be precise. The more I think about it, it feels much more like it really happened. It didn't feel right or wrong. It just... I just felt nothing. I am not scared of the collaterals I saw, I am scared because I didn't seem to care at all."
"In this dream, you did what had to be done. The ones who can do this, are often branded as monsters and murderers. But history has shown them to be both, necessary and dangerous."
"Professor, if you're trying to cheer me up, you certainly have room for improvement."
"I am not trying to cheer you up, Mr. Able. I saw your display against the Grimm in professor Port's class.
You didn't fight, you destroyed your enemy. Very effective, but also very dangerous if left unchecked.
But you have also shown control and methodical thinking.
I have my fair share of worries regarding the safety of keeping you around, but I don't think you are a bad person. Just the fact that you're beating yourself up over it, shows that you care."
She gave him the faintest of smiles and turned to leave.
"You should go back to bed. Tomorrow I will put you up against another student. You should be rested then, otherwise, you won't stand a chance against her."
LXVI_
"Mr. Arc, even though you've lost this time, your form has dramatically improved and you managed to hold your ground much longer than last time. Your additional effort seems to pay dividends. Very good."
Levi watched the blonde boy, now named Jaune Arc pick himself up with the help of Yang and leave the stage.
"For all the others. Remember that there is always room for improvement. Mr. Arc managed to catch Ms. Xiao Long by surprise more than once. Overestimating yourself is a quick way to be beaten.
Now.
If Ms. Pyrrha Nikos and Mr. Levi Able would please enter the stage. Mr. Able, I'm sure you're already familiar with our rules, but just to stay conform to the protocol, if one of the combatants aura-levels hits the red, the fight is over. Please refrain from holding back as I won't be able to accurately rate your ability if you do.
Any questions?"
Both, Levi and Pyrrha shook their head.
"Very well. Get ready. The siren marks the beginning of the match."
Pyrrha would be lying if she said she was comfortable with fighting Levi. Not because of their weird experience in Ozpins office, but because of how she saw him how he fought Grimm. It was unnerving, seeing him put up his guard, even more so as he now drew a mean looking knife, made from shadowed metal. He held the weapon in a reverse grip, the straight blade glinting dangerously in the lights overhead. He gave her a miniscule smile, but as the siren blared, it immediately vanished and was replaced by a mask. Pale eyes bored into her like needles as they stood before each other, waiting, for the other to make the first move.
Pyrrha struck first.
She dashed forward, her shield and Sword at the ready. Levi couldn't help but wonder, how she could move so fast with such high heels as she already slammed into him, lifting his feet off the ground and making him slide back a couple of meters on his knees.
"His aura!" Ruby said out loud while pointing to the bar representing Levi's aura. The single hit had taken away more than a half of his energy.
Pyrrha raced at him again, brandishing her blade. He sidestepped hastily, narrowly avoiding a second hit and lifted his own weapon. The blade extended rapidly and he struck. Following Pyrrha with his eyes, he predicted the trajectory of his strike, a definite hit.
And he missed.
He followed up with another strike, but again, the blade went above her by mere millimeters.
Dashing back, he evaded a hit by Pyrrha's transformed weapon, now a pilum and dropped his knife just as Pyrrha was closing in for another attack.
Pyrrha saw Levi drop his weapon and almost halted. For a split second she actually thought he was about to forfeit but then she realised that his right hand went behind his back. She picked up speed again, but he closed in slightly and she only managed to hit him with the shaft of her spear, while the bladed tip bounced uselessly behind him.
Suddenly she felt a hand at her throat, lifting her off the ground. Her eyes met Levi's for a millisecond before she felt a flurry of violent impacts in her abdomen and chest.
He was shooting. While tricking and grabbing her, he had drawn his gun and started firing at her from point blanc range.
Violently, she impacted on the ground, shoulders first and her weapons clattered away.
She reflexively tried to get up and reach for them, but something was holding her down. Looking up, she saw Levi, both of his knees firmly planted on each of her shoulders and a menacing looking gun in both hands, close to his body, but directly aimed down at her forehead.
Se tried one last time to struggle aginst him, but he only shook his head with those blank piercing eyes. He wasn't shaking his head at her performance. He was asking her to stop, so he wouldn't have to pull the trigger.
"Match end" Glynda Goodwitch called out, cutting through the impossible silence.
Levi immediately got up from Pyrrha, clicked on the safety on his gun and holstered it.
"Are you okay?"
He glanced down at her abdomen, sighing relieved that the six bullets didn't seem to have broken through skin or clothing and reached down for her hand.
"Yes. I am fine." She said as he pulled her to her feet. The edge in his eyes was gone and replaced with a friendly look of worry.
"That was an impressive move, youve beaten me so fast."
Levi just pointed at the screens with his thumb and Pyrrha looked at where their aura levels were displayed.
The bullets to her stomach had taken quite a chunk out of her aura. Her level stood at 72% while Levi's level was at 8%, two percent below the allowed minimum. He had her at his mercy, but he had still lost.
"The winner by tournament rules is Pyrrha Nikos." Miss Goodwitch announced.
"Even though, in a real combat scenario, this would have possibly ended very undesirable for Ms. Nikos.
Mr. Able, I must say, I'm impressed. You have managed to seriously impede one of our most skilled huntresses and you have displayed remarkable tactical skill and self control.
A great fight, from both of you. Please sit."
Pyrrha went to sit down, while Levi stayed behind and collected his knife and the spent bullet casings.
"Pyrrha, are you okay?" Jaune asked worry in his voice as she sat.
"That was brutal, did he hurt you?"
"Yes Jaune, I am fine." She said smiling while nursing her slightly sore throat.
"HE BEAT YOU!" Nora Valkyrie, the pink haired, bubbly girl of JNPR practically yelled.
"HE TRICKED YOU AND HE TOTALLY BEAT YOU! DID YOU SEE THAT?" She roughly pantomimed the throw Levi used on Pyrrha while firing an imaginary gun from her hip, making shooting noises with her mouth. Even Pyrrha had to admit, it looked pretty cool if that was how Levi did it and not an exaggeration by the borderline crazy girl.
"Nora, come on. sit down." Her partner Lie Ren said, following Levi with his eyes as subtly as possible.
Levi walked up beside Pyrrha.
He felt a little weird because of the stares the dark haired boy with the accents gave him. Was he checking him out? If so, it was most disconcerting, because he might had to tell him at some point that ha didn't really have the hots for men.
"Your throat okay?"
He asked Pyrrha to which she nodded.
"Yes. A little rough but everything's fine."
"I'm sorry, normally I would've grabbed the cloth at the shoulder or the chest... but you don't have anything there which would be appropriate to get a grip on."
Levi scratched his neck while saying this, making Pyrrha blush heavily under her fiery red hair.
"Anyway, had the trick with the knife not worked, I would have definitely lost anyway. You're an awesome fighter. We should do that again sometime."
With that he left a flustered Pyrrha, next to a whispering Jaune, as he went for his own seat.
"Well, he seems nice."
A/N
What a coincidence that the people of Remnant have taken up the same measures and designations for calibres in firearms as we have, right? :P
Just imagine a HK USP.45 with a slightly longer slide and an ambidextrous slide release lever.
