So Very Far Away
Chapter 4
Remnant
12th January 2078
Beacon Academy
Red Crown checked over her weapon for one last time to ensure it was in top working condition. After being escorted by Goodwitch to the auditorium the two teams had gone their own separate ways to the opposite locker rooms, Reaper 2-2 were silently watching their leader prep for her first ever sparring match, she had already double checked her armor, gear and ammo now she was doing the final checks on the weapon, they were waiting for the eventual pre-mission questions.
"What is the hostile's threat level?" asked Crown finally breaking the silence.
"Unknown, expected to be medium to high." Answered Cloud
"Armaments?"
"Speculation has it that she posses a sniper/scythe combo, deadly at long and medium range, hand to hand is unknown." Answered Candle
"Unknown factors?"
"We still are unsure about this aura and the apparent superpowers they use called semblances, we can speculate all we want but until we face it we won't know its capabilities." Supplied Shadow
"Understood, I think I'm ready, okay make sure you observe and learn, any knowledge we gleam from fighting Ruby can be used to help plan future combat operations when it comes to the combat capabilities of the people on this planet, am I understood?"
"Yes ma'm" the three soldiers chorused.
"Good, wish me luck" she said smiling at her friends before making her way to the arena as the others made their way to the stands.
Her opponent was just exiting her own locker room, there was an assured confidence in her walk and something about the way she held her self that spoke volumes to Crown on how dangerous this girl was. Crown and Ruby stopped on opposite ends of the arena, their silver eyes staring straight into the others. Glynda stepped up onto the stage into view of both combatants.
"This is a non-lethal sparring match between Ruby Rose of Team RWBY, Beacon Academy and Colonel Ruby Rose of the SAG, united human kingdom's armed forces. The rules are simple, no lethal blows and no cheating Miss Rose you lose if your aura is reduced to red or you are removed from the ring, Colonel Rose you lose if you are removed from the ring or rendered unconciouss-" Crown and Ruby grimaced "unfortunately that is the only sure way I can say you have lost, now then ready… begin"
X
Remnant
12th January 2078
Beacon Academy
Ruby was almost certain of her victory, she had her aura, she had her semblance and she had her weapon which she quickly unfurled hoping to intimidate Red Crown, if it worked it was well hidden under the advanced power armors almost skull like helmet. Ruby was about to rush her foe when she simply vanished, she gasped unable to believe what she was seeing before she saw what seemed to be a simmer directly in front of her and then she felt the full force of a MK92 rifle butt smashed into her face with the augmented strength given by power armor, in short it hurt.
A lot.
"Gahh." She was knocked on her butt blood running freely from her broken nose, she rolled out of the way when Crown went to stomp on her chest, she got up but immediately had to duck to avoid a cross, but she was caught by a knee on her already broken nose furthering the pain, head launched up with teary eyes she wasn't able to dodge the jab to her jaw that rocked her head back nor resist when she was thrown over her opponents hip to the ground, she did manage to roll out of the way and put some distance between her and her opponent. With her eyes clearing she could see specks of her blood on the floor and Crowns armor, and It was with growing dread she realized that Crown was inspecting holding crescent rose giving it a brief inspection.
"Impressive weapon, but crap caliber." Red Crown commented before dropping the weapon, Ruby growled before disappearing in a burst of speed hoping to catch the older woman off guard, but either by guess or luck Red Crown simply held her arm out and allowed Ruby to run face first into it, with no way to dodge she could do nothing but brace as her face met titanium and steel, her legs carried on forward dragging her body causing her to do a few back flips before landing in a heap. Ruby got up and looked at her aura, still green but there was a noticeable chunk missing, determined to win Ruby got up and observed her opponent she was planning her next move when Red Crown snapped her rifle up, eyes widening in surprise Ruby jumped to the side as a pair loud cracks announced the launch of a pair of 50cal rounds which pierced the space she had just been standing.
Ruby raced towards where Crescent rose was, however when she picked it up she heard a nearly silent whir coming from a small device on her weapon before it sent a couple thousand volts straight through her weapon into her. Dazed and confused she was unable to dodge another shot from Red Crown, but she wasn't worried she still had a decent amount of aura to help protect her.
There was a loud crack.
And Ruby instantly felt a pain unlike any other she had felt before emanating from her lower knee, she screamed a high pitched squeal as her vision blurred before falling over clutching her knee which was pumping blood out of a fair sized hole. She soon felt hands on her but not in a malicious sense, they were staunching the bleeding, she heard a distant voice, a distant indiscernible voice, she couldn't understand a word of what it was saying.
She could hear something, Yang shouting her name, she was worried and angry that much was clear from the tone, slowly she felt herself go numb as all faded to black.
X
Remnant
12th January 2078
Beacon Academy
Red Crown applied as much pressure as she could to stop the bleeding, she knew that all this aura crap was bull, but when she saw the young girl go at super speeds she believed that they were true, now though with young Ruby bleeding onto the concrete floor she was beginning to regret her decision to go all out. Goodwitch had gone to get some medical staff with a shocked look on her face. Ruby's team mates, well…
"YOU BITCH" they weren't taking this well. Yang stomped forward eyes crimson hair aflame, Weiss stalked after her icy blue eyes fixed on the young soldier, Blake was silently making her way forward anger burning in her eyes. They were stopped when Crowns squad mates stepped in between them weapons drawn and aimed; this caused the girls to freeze lest they share a similar fate to Ruby.
"I didn't know." Crown finally spoke causing the three teens attention to focus on her again.
"I thought that aura thing was real as you claimed and it would protect her, why would you lie to me, you almost made me a murderer!"
"We didn't lie, we use aura all the time to protect us when-"
"THEN WHY THE HELL DIDN'T IT PROTECT HER, my own goddamn sis- self" Crown cursed herself for her slip as she felt tears from in her eyes, she shook her head and focused back on the three girls to see them giving her inquisitive looks.
"What were you about to say?" Weiss asked in an icy tone
"It sounded like you almost call my sister, your sister, why?" Yang asked, in a deadly serious tone.
"I don't want to talk about it… not now." Candle moved over and placed an arm on Crowns shoulder. They shared a nod before looking over to the sound of running footsteps, two doctors carrying a stretcher and professor Goodwitch entered the auditorium and made their way over to the group, they helped Ruby onto the stretcher, her wound was no longer gushing but blood was still trickling out at a steady pace. The three huntresses-in-training followed their leader out leaving the four soldiers alone in the dark room.
"How do you feel?" asked Cloud, worried for her friend
"Dead, I feel dead inside, and there is only one person who can change that."
"You?" Crown chuckled.
"Yes 'me' although I don't know if 'I'll' be inclined to help me" Crown said solemnly before moving off in the direction of the infirmary, her three friends following behind.
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Short chapter this time because I felt this would be a nice place to end this chapter. What will happen to Ruby, how will Yang, Blake and Weiss react… will there be blood?
Tune in next time to find out