Chapter 6

"So… you're an AI-"

"Ghost! How many times do I have to say it?!"

Teams RWBY and JNPR were now in the alleyway with Sigma, Eta, and Iota. Church and Delta had returned to their respective bodies and were explaining their story.

Weiss rubbed her forehead. "I just can't believe this."

"Well, believe it, Ice queen. Cause we're right here!" Church crossed his arms.

Weiss felt a vein bulge. "Are you serious? Why does everyone call me that?"

"Perhaps it is the affiliation with your seemingly cold nature and your choice of clothes and appearance, resembling royalty, as well as your beauty," Delta stated matter-of-factly, making her blush a bit.

"So do you have something to do with the missing robots and paladin Atlas is going on about?" Blake asked.

"Umm… how do you know?"

She held up her scroll, and a news channel was broadcasting live from their earlier chase. "Kinda hard to miss."

"Yeah, this is why we need help," Church spoke up. "We need to get to Beacon academy."

"Why?" Yang crossed her arms, eyebrows raised.

"Because we believe that Beacon is our best bet to finding safety." Delta spoke up. "A certain Professor Ozpin was mentioned in the files of the ship which we arrived in, and from what we've heard of he is very wise."

The students all looked at each other. "Yeah, you could say that…" Ruby laughed a bit. "So how does it work?"

"Yeah, we can't exactly carry these bodies." Pyrrha nodded to the Atlas robot bodies.

"They want us to carry them," Jaune spoke up, not comfortable with the idea. "In our implants, to be exact."

The others looked at each other before Blake, Yang, and Pyrrha stepped forward. "We can take you."

"Perfect." Church stood in front of Jaune. "You guys ready?"

"Umm, ok. Will it hurt?" Pyrrha asked.

"There will be a strong pain as our systems will enter your neural system," Delta explained. "But the pain will subside within a few hours. Only forceful entry or exit will cause potential brain damage."

"Is that supposed to make us feel better?" Yang asked sarcastically.

"Sorry about Delta, just ignore what he said." Church then turned to the three. "So who will take Sigma?"

They turned to the AI, who they knew had a history. Church only described him as a "Manipulating son of a bitch who will burn in hell."

Pyrrha looked at him. "I'll take him."

Sigma nodded. "Of course, I have no intentions to cause harm."

Jaune and Ren jerked as Church and Delta entered their systems. Yang and Blake allowed Eta and Iota to jump in, the gold AI with Yang and the cyan AI with Blake. Sigma went with Pyrrha, and they all clutched their heads.

"Yang?" Ruby helped her older sister, while Weiss helped Blake to stand. Jaune took Pyrrha as well.

Yang's eyes glowed gold as she looked at her body. Blake did the same, her eyes glowing cyan.

"Looks like they're in." Jaune stood up, Church's voice overlapping. "Shall we?"

Yang blinked and the glow subsided. "Ugh, man, it feels like someone else is living in my head."

"Are you alright?" Ruby asked.

"Sure, little sis." She grinned as she messed up her hair. "I'm good."

"Yaang…" She whined, pushing her hand away.

"This is mildly awkward." Pyrrha's voice was somehow overlapping with Sigma's male voice. "Being in a female body is… unusual."

"Just give her control." Church sighed before the glow subsided. Jaune blinked. "Ok, kinda used to it now."

Blake put an arm around Weiss. "I feel dizzy…"

"You can walk, right?" The heiress asked. She nodded in response. "Right, then let's get back to beacon."

They hid the Atlas knights in case they needed them again before heading down the street.

"Theta is the Alpha's fragment of Trust, and he appears in the form of a child in his adolescence." Delta explained to the group via Ren. Nora was still not used to it, but Pyrrha was there to hold her back.

"He sounds nice," Jaune noted, as Church was just listening in.

"He is, however, shy and unsure of himself most of the time. But he also has a strong sense of loyalty and duty to those he trusts."

"Sounds like you, vomit boy." Ruby nudged him, and he sighed.

Ruby turned to Yang but saw her eyes glowing and she was looking around. "Hey, Yang?"

She turned to her and blinked, the glow gone. "Huh? Oh, hey."

"What is… I mean, how is Eta?"

She shrugged. "She's… very curious. She also seems to be very happy with everything. She's never had a body."

"So… how's Iota?"

They looked back. Blake was still using Weiss for support, but her eyes were glowing and she was looking around as well. "She's the same. Curious. They're twins."

"How do you know all of that?"

"She… told me." She rubbed her head. "It's like… I know everything about her, and she knows everything about me. She doesn't talk, but I understand what she wants and thinks."

"It must be awesome."

"Not really." She drooped a bit. "My head hurts, it feels like I'm having a hangover, and I can feel Eta swimming through my head."

"Ouch… That doesn't sound good." She winced. "Blake?"

She fell back to her friend. She blinked as well, before moaning. "I feel ill…"

"You are not getting sick on me! Ruby, take her." Weiss shoved the Faunus onto her, and Ruby stumbled a bit.

"But seriously, Blake, are you fine?"

She had a pained expression on her face. "Iota's… looking through my memories… and, well… she's the fragment for fear, right? And, well… I don't think I'm the best person, she's kinda scared of them."

"Of what exactly?" Weiss asked. Blake just fell silent.

Pyrrha up ahead was with Jaune and Ren. Ren was still under control of Delta and was talking with Nora. Jaune turned to Pyrrha. "How are you holding up?"

She smiled. "It's… very interesting. Sigma is very interested in my abilities, and has a lot of suggestions for my-"

"He'd better not be planning anything." Church suddenly took over, Jaune's eyes glowing and expression hard before it left again.

Pyrrha chucked. "Church, it's fine. He hasn't caused any trouble so far."

"Yeah, it's just…" Jaune sighed. "Church told me about him. Apparently, when they were fragments for this military project, he became interested in the fourth stage of AI rampancy, metastability or something like that." He rubbed his head. "Sigma took over the mind of a very strong soldier and used him to get the other AI... by killing those who were given them. So Church tried to sacrifice himself by taking them out using an EMP. But he and the others escaped."

She remained silent. "Sigma doesn't have any other plans like that."

"I don't know, I think when we find the other AI we should get him out of you…" He blushed a bit. "Wow, that sounded bad."

Pyrrha blushed a bit as well. "No, I understand what you're saying."

Church took over and sighed. "Man, we're going to need another way to say that."

Sigma took over and nodded. "I have a few suggestions."

Both students got control and massaged their heads. "This is going to be hard to get used to."

Finally, the eight students and five AI reached Beacon academy.

"Damn." Church looked around. "Just like a fairy tale."

"Oh, it's awesome!" Ruby sang, skipping in front as she told the AI about the school. "All the huntresses and huntsmen come here, and they have all these cool weapons!"

"Tex would like this place." Church looked around.

"Leonard Church!"

The students all spun around.

"Ms. Goodwitch!" Yang cried, raising her hands. "We've done nothing wrong!"

They were surprised to find another Atlas robot. This one stared at her, before cocking her head and crossing her arms. "Look, blondie, I'm not a ms. Goodwitch, or whoever you think I am."

"Tex…" Church sighed, before looking to the sides. "Are the others there?"

"Theta, Omega and Gamma are in the forest here." She pointed a thumb back, before looking at the students. "So these kids can help-"

She froze when she saw Pyrrha, who looked at Church.

"Pyrrha has a very striking similarity to a freelancer Texas used to work with," Delta explained. "As well as the hair and eye color, her voice is almost the exact same."

"Oh." Pyrrha stepped forward and offered a hand to Tex. "It's good to meet you, Texas. I'm Pyrrha Nikos."

Tex reached out and shook it, recovering quickly. "It's fine." She replied. "Do you all want to meet the others?"

"Sure." they answered, and they followed her into the trees.

Theta, of course, scared them from his size, but once they started talking it was clear of his nature as a child.

Jaune was chatting with Theta, with Church moving to Ruby's implant, much to Yang's displeasure. Ruby did feel major pains in her head, but she went through with it.

"So… we have to get you guys to Ozpin… but with Atlas hanging around, we need a place to hide." Yang thought.

"Looks like it." Tex nodded. "Church, you alright?"

Ruby's eyes glowed. "Ugh, do I have to be in the girl? I mean, seriously, I feel the constant sugar rush with her, how does she live like this?"

"That's Ruby." Yang rolled her eyes. "So how do we split you guys up?"

"It's only natural we split up ourselves with partners who are similar in a way," Delta spoke up through Ren. "For example, Tex should go with Pyrrha as both have strong combat skills and capabilities. As for Theta, I believe it would be best if he goes with Jaune."

"Why is that?" Weiss asked.

"Jaune… has a rather similar feel as agent North, Theta's old partner. Jaune also has a strong sense of trust and a calm nature that would benefit Theta's shy nature."

"Yay!" Theta cheered, before leaving the mech and entering Jaune's implant. He jerked for a bit before relaxing.

"Right, I think Church should stay in Ruby, and I shall go with Yang." Delta turned to the others. "The rest can be decided."

"Gamma should go with Weiss, and Omega with Blake," Church spoke via Ruby. "We'll need to keep an eye on them."

The two AI nodded, although Omega grumbled a bit.

"That leaves me and Renny with the twins!" Nora cheered.

"Wait, what about Sigma?" Blake asked.

They all turned to Pyrrha, whose eyes glowed orange.

"Actually," Yang spoke up. "Aren't Eta and Iota twins? So can't they, y'know, merge?"

Church and Delta, both out, looked at each other. "Eta and Iota can be together, but it requires someone whose mind is… more capable and strong."

Ren got control again and spoke up. "What about Nora?"

They looked at her, and she looked back. "What?"

Delta jumped from Ren into Nora, who shuddered. Her eyes glowed green. "Yes, there is enough room for the twins in here."

"So Nora's empty headed?" Yang grinned.

"Hey!" Nora snapped, and they all laughed.

"So that's that?" Church clapped his (Ruby's) hands together. "Let's go."

There was a quick exchange of AI between them and more than a few groans, but they soon had everyone paired together.

"Alright," Jaune spoke up. "Let's get used to them being inside us... Ugh, I really can't phrase it any other way, can I?"

They all laughed before heading to the dorms.