Her head was heavy. The comfort of her helmet wasn't there, it's weight missing. Her arms were tied, wrapped behind her back and lashed with rope. Her legs felt a similar sensation, bound up to her knees in lengths of rope.
Her face was pressed into the soft loamy earth, the moist ground kick starting her brain. She tried to crack an eye open, hoping to see where she was.
Blinding light obscured her vision, scarring her retina and bringing a tear to her eye. Her lid snapped shut, a lance of pain going straight into her skull. Instead, she focused, listening for anything that might give away her situation.
A torch crackled in the distance, probably the source of light. Water dripped from somewhere, hitting a small pool of water. At the very edge of her hearing she could hear voices, but it was too far away for her to make out any details.
An experimental tug on her bindings left her cursing internally. She wouldn't be able to break them through sheer force. Flexing her legs, she discovered it to be the same situation. Concentrating, she tried to remember how she got here.
She remembered combat. But it was unlike what she was familiar with. Instead of ranged combat, fighting it out one bullet at a time with swift movements and careful aim. Instead, it was a sort of madness, utilizing her sword far more than she was used to. Raiders, frothing at the mouth and smelling of rot rushed her, the electric bite of her sword having little effect.
There was an impact, something smashed into the back of her helmet, stunning her. A second blow, her ribs creaking with protest. A sharp pain in her thigh, what felt like a bone knife stabbing through the pant leg. Her vision blacked out when something smashed against the left side of her face, rendering her unconscious.
Point Lookout. Yes, the Tribals, she was on her way to investigate them. When they wouldn't open the gate, she demanded entry. She was looking for someone, but she couldn't remember who.
"You are awake."
The voice came from behind her. With her eyes closed, she was unable to determine the owner of the voice. It was deeper and somewhat gravely, but there was no menace in the tone. She didn't hear the figure walk in, so he must have been sitting there while she was out.
"Now that you are awake, we may begin the ritual." Her brow furrowed, mind sluggishly trying to figure out what the figure behind her was talking about. Her attention was diverted when a metal screeching sound tore through the air, her body flinching involuntarily at the noise. Her head was still in pain, to the point that she might have a concussion.
"Bring her to the meeting site. It is time." Footsteps echoed, the dirt vibrating softly with the steps of what she figured was two distinct people. Immediately hands grabbed her arms, lifting her up. She bit back a cry of pain, her headache killing her and the awkward position of her arms straining the joints.
They began to drag her, boots dragging uselessly into the earth. She could tell her weapons were gone, probably removed during her incapacitation. Where they went were a mystery, one that she would hopefully be able to solve.
At some point, a bag was tied over her head, hiding enough light to open her eyes. Despite her raging headache, the filter helped adjust her eyes to the light. Cool air brushed against exposed skin, while the two figures continued to take her somewhere. They were no longer inside, instead somewhere near the swamps, if the variety of animal life echoing around her was any indication. Through the gaps in the fibres of the bag, she could see torches in the distance, small pinpricks of orange light flickering.
Eventually they dropped her, her form thudding against the earth. It was spongier here, reinforcing her hunch that they were near the swamps. Moisture soaked through the bag, providing a blissful relief to her aching head.
"We have the one you ask for. The enlightened one wishes you good tidings." The voice echoed across the land, coming from her left. Sluggishly, her mind tried to think about what was happening.
They were near the swamps. Of the groups she was familiar with, it was mostly inhabited by mutated wildlife. Marshy swamps made up the depths, with tall trees blocking any light from above. Not that the constant overcast let much in anyways.
Her ears twitched, hearing approaching footsteps. Unlike the lighter steps of the tribals that dragged her hear, these one were a mix. Large, plodding steps, lighter swift steps; she guessed it was a group of about 8 or so. Her mind tried to formulate who this group might be.
"Leave, outsider!" Her blood chilled.
Swamp people.
The few times she had run into this group, they had proved something of a challenge. Attacking in groups, they diversified between long range and melee. But that wasn't what worried her. No, it was the rampant mutations, the rotting bodies that were a few steps away from Ghouls, the absolute madness and degradation of mental faculties that identified these creatures.
The two tribals next to her left, one dropping a heavy sack of some sorts. Their footsteps faded away, leaving only silence. "Grab the woman." Two of the figures walked towards her, torches illuminating the area. An unseen hand grabbed her shoulder, pressing her flat against the earth. Another grabbed her arms, lifting them from her back slightly, enough for a long object to be shoved under. A second hand grabbed her legs, poking the object through the bindings on her legs.
What was obviously a pole was then lifted up, hoisting her off of the earth. The footsteps were uneven, aggravating her headache. "Where- are we going?" Her throat was dry, the question coming out as little more than a whisper. Regardless, it was met with a heavy strike from what felt like a hunting rifle in her ribs, fresh pain exploding.
Dark spots swam across her vision again, her head dropping. Whatever relief time had wrought on her headache was now gone, her eyes clenched in pain.
The constant swaying motion ruined her sense of time, the thumping of her head lulling her into a daze. It could have been minutes; it could have been hours. The only thing she was sure of was the torches light stretched further across the ground.
The environment changed, the cool air rank with the foul odour of decay being replaced with the wood smoke of burning torches. She figured she was in a cave of sorts, possibly going below ground, given the angle of how she was being carried.
It wasn't too much later that she was thrown to the ground. The pole threaded through her arms and legs was removed, allowing her some freedom of movement. Multiple hands grabbed her, lifting her back up. The world shifted suddenly, her body landing heavily on an angled slab of rock.
With a grasp and a quick tug, the bag over her head was removed, the movement of air bringing cooler air to her mouth. She breathed deeply, the humid air from her lungs having made breathing harder than it should have been.
Cold water was thrown at her face, the liquid being sucked into her lungs during her inhale. Her breath turned into violent hacking, her diaphragm flexing wildly, trying to expel the water from her lungs. More hands grabbed her, pulling her head back and pressing it against the rock. Attempting to open her eyes, the light wasn't as bad as before, allowing her to see her surroundings.
It was a cave, half of it clearly dug out using crude tools. There were over a hundred of the swamp people, some milling around fires, others watching. She seemed to be placed upon a pedestal of sorts, about 10 feet higher than the ground level. Around her were 5 of the swamp people, 4 of them holding her back against this slab. The fifth one was standing in front of her. Her eyed widened.
It was a woman, although the term could be used loosely. Generations of inbreeding and toxic air had stunted her features, giving her a fairly androgenise look when compared to the males. That said, the noticeable chest area and narrowed fingers gave it away. In her hands she carried two small buckets, wooden sticks poking out the top.
As she approached, the swamp people in the distance began to chant slowly. Her thumping head was unable to deceiver the words, but the tone of it unsettling her. The woman approached, climbing slightly onto Jane.
"Hey now," she laughed nervously, eyes flicking back and forth. "If you want that, shouldn't we go somewhere private?" The swamp girl didn't respond, instead stopping around her waist. Lifting one bucket, she grabbed the handle, pulling forth a brush. Jane's crimson eyes adopted a confused look, seeing the brush was coated in a white paint like substance.
Two hands grasped either side of her head, holding it still. The girl leaned forward, pressing the brush against Jane's head. From there, she began to trace it over her face. The cool substance was incredibly thick, sticking to her face and refusing to run even a little. The woman kept at it, coating her entire face. She paused only to switch brushes, apparently moving from the white to a black paint, adding what must have been details.
The woman stopped, lifting the brush a final time. The brownish green eyes, common to the swamp people, appraised their work, a single nod being the only indication of her satisfaction. The swamp girl removed herself, bringing the buckets with her, heading outside of Jane's view.
Another of the swamp people entered, but he was much different. His form was all the more decayed, clearly some kind of ghoul, but the unmistakable attributes of a swamp person were still there. Dressed in robes rather than faded shirts and denim jeans, he carried an air of importance.
In his hands was a cloth wrapped object, but the way he held it sparked warning alarms in Jane's head. He stepped towards her, stopping just at her feet. Gently, and almost reverently, he started to take the cloth off the object. Her crimson eyes flicked over, seeing the swampfolk were no longer mingling, instead there were pressed against each other, desiring to be as close to her as possible without actually coming any closer than 10 or so feet away. The final layer of cloth came off the object.
It was a book.
Copper toned leather, iron hinges, old, worn paper sticking out at the edges slightly. What really made it different was the giant wound on the front cover. And a wound it really was.
Rather than the cardboard and paper making up the inside, this wound was red, pulsating, and weeping a black fluid. It looked angry, infected, as if the book itself was suffering. It was wholly unnatural, and it scared her.
The man reverently opened the book, looking Jane in her crimson eyes directly.
"Ug-Qualtoth is returned." He turned, eyeing the masses below. "And we have brought him the One"
And then he read.
Eyes flicked open, crimson irises staring straight ahead.
Wood. Honey colored, boards interlocking with a professional level of craftsmanship. An off white trim round around the ceiling, darker colored wood paneling running the length of the walls.
Her eyes flicked elsewhere, checking her surroundings. A window to her right, warm sunlight peering through a green forest. She could see the sun, it hanging in the distance. Late afternoon possibly, or morning. She couldn't tell what direction was north.
Personal affects were littered around the room, primarily yellow themed. A few articles were immediately familiar, reminding her of Yang, the blond haired brawler. Tiredly, she tilted her head, glancing around.
And then her mind clicked.
No weapons, no armor, strange place. I need to recon the area.
Silently, she exited the bed, muscles groaning with protest. She must have been out for a while, the only other time she felt like this was after the purifier. Glancing around the room, she didn't see anything of note that she could use.
Checking herself, she noticed her attire.
"Seriously?"
Rather than her usual clothing, or even her under garments, somebody had clothed her in what must have been a spare set of pajamas. Ordinarily she didn't wear them, considering most garments like this were subjected to two hundred years of decay, but this was entirely different.
Stepping lightly towards the door, her fist tightened. Taking a deep breath, she twisted the knob silently, opening the door slowly. The general theme of the house continued, wood paneling and soft carpet creating a homey, safe appearance. She opened the door a little wider.
CREAK!
She froze, trying to figure out if anyone heard the door. She strained her ears, trying to hear anything out of the norm. A minute passed, nothing happening. She released a breath she wasn't aware she was holding.
Gotta find a weapon, preferably my stuff.
She crept out into the hall, glancing back and forth. Slowly closing the door, it closed with a click. Her feet padded softly, treading down the hall, the carpet muffling almost all of the noise. Pressing herself against the wall, she peaked around the corner. Satisfied, she ignored the rest of the hall, instead picking the stairs and descending onto what must have been the main floor.
The layout of the house seemed to mimic a classic American house, with the living area downstairs, while bedrooms were located above. Ahead was what she assumed to be the front door, while to her right was a living room. Behind the stairs, from what she could tell, was the kitchen area, possibly a dining room.
Living room first.
Turning the corner, she glanced around. A row of photos atop a fire place, some well worn furniture, a tv set. It was all very normal. Quickly stepping forward, she proceeded to inspect the photos. Her eyes widened, seeing the people in the photos.
Yang was easy enough to spot, her long yellow hair and wide grin identifying herself even at what must have been a young age. Ruby stood next to her, her red cloak still present. Jane idly wondered how long the girl had owned the cloak. The other two people in the photos were slightly different.
One was taller, blond short hair. He had the physic of a boxer, heavily muscled and wide shoulders. He sported a similar grin as the younger Yang, with a similar preference for clothing, exposing his thickly muscled arms. The woman next to her however, was fairly different.
Very shy, even in the photo, she wore a white cloak, the hood drawn up and over, hiding her slightly. This one wrapped around her shoulders as well, effectively creating a barrier to hide herself. Despite this, she sported a small smile, silver eyes looking at the camera.
"So you're awake?"
Jane spun on her foot, fists readied. Standing there in the hall was the man from the photo, although he was quite different. An armor plate sat on his shoulder, while his face definitely looked older. A pair of sturdy bracers sat on his arms, small metal partitions hinting at a duel functionality. Heavy boots, a cautious stance. Yes, he was a fighter.
"Who are you?" Her question was short, precise, to the point. She already had a clue, but it was worth asking.
"We haven't met yet. I'm Ruby and Yang's father. I understand you're Jane Freewrite, the fifth member of the team?" At her nod, he smiled, striding forward, right hand forward and open.
"I'm Taiyang. Nice to meet you," he greeted, seemingly ignoring her readied stance. Finding no falsehood in his eyes, Jane relaxed, meeting his fist. It wasn't too strong, but certainly a firm grasp. She could respect that.
"There wasn't exactly a place to put you after the incident, so I had you brought to our home. Ruby and Yang are here, still upstairs." His voice tapered off at the mention of his daughters, blue eyes drifting slightly. Jane picked up on that, speaking.
"How are they? I'm assuming they didn't get out unscathed?" He nodded, but didn't answer. Jane realized just how silly they must look, standing in the middle of the living room in total silence.
"So get me up to speed here, what exactly happened?" questioned Jane, picking a seat. Running a hand through her hair, Jane brought a few errant strands out of her vision. Taiyang took a seat opposite, resting quite comfortably on a worn leather chair.
"We're not sure ourselves actually. Everything was fine until communications went down. Most of what we know has been word of mouth, but it's unsettling." At her questioning gaze, he paused.
"You look older than the legal limit, and I'm going to need a drink before I continue. You want anything?" Jane nodded. "Anything strong will do." He nodded, disappearing into the kitchen. Within moments he returned with two tumblers and a bottle of amber liquid. Pouring out two drinks, he handed one to her before sitting back down.
"The White Fang are being blamed. We know they somehow loaded hundreds of Grimm into transports and moved them into Beacon and the coliseum. Several dozen were released into the city, but that wasn't the big issue." He took a sip, bracing himself.
"At the same time, the Atlesian military went nuts, their automated units turning on the civilians and hunters, shooting anything that moved. Two of the three dreadnaughts in the sky were shot down, crashing in the city. One of them actually struck a portion of the south wall, opening a hole."
"That would explain where all the Grimm were coming from," remarked Jane, remembering all of the black furred creatures she disposed of.
"Yeh, it was terrible. It was shortly after that," he steeled himself, drinking again. "A new Grimm showed up. Broke out of Mt. Glenn. Some kind of dragon. It kept dropping black fluid, turning into Grimm when they hit the ground. The White Fang, who had been active, started retreating. Nobody is sure if they predicted that, but it wasn't pretty."
Another sip. He grabbed the bottle topping it off. With a wordless gesture, Jane held her glass out, accepting a top up. The liquor here was much better, having a smoothness that anything in DC couldn't compare too. The lack of particulate matter inside was also a huge bonus.
"Most of what happened after that doesn't make much sense, but Qrow told me himself some of this, and I trust him. Right when things started to look hopeless, the mechs changed drastically." He took a sip. "I'm not talking just targeting, they apparently changed their entire combat system. Qrow told me they formed 3 and 4 man fire teams, rapidly switching targets, absolutely destroying the Grimm. They managed to seal the gap in the wall, keeping the hole plugged. Apparently the general himself was interested. The level of skill the mechs showed is supposed to be decades ahead of what's possible."
Another sip.
"The dragon that was flying around was next. It had taken the top off Beacon Tower, and was flying back to land on it apparently." He leaned forward, looking at her dead in the eye. "Then a bullhead lands at the top where a battle was happening, and the dragon veers the other direction, flying away. I'm not sure why, but we're all glad that the remaining dreadnaught open fired, utilizing the main gun to clip it's wing." He laughed, draining his glass. Setting it to the side, he didn't refill it.
"When it hit the ground, the airship unloaded, firing whatever it had onto the Grimm. From what I understand the area is about a half kilometer lower than it should be. And then the weirdest part." He leaned back, resting his arms on the chair, but never looking away.
"A bright flash lit up the top of the tower. Apparently it was so blinding Qrow swears he still sees spots. When he got up there, he found you and Ruby passed out. That was almost a week ago."
Jane nodded, finishing her drink, enjoying the slight burn down her throat. It occurred to her she hadn't had alcohol since she arrived here. That said, she was never a big drinker anyways, it just clouded her judgement in the long run.
"I don't actually know what happened," started Jane. "I was in the commercial district when the attack happened. Grabbed a bullhead and was heading for the tower. I had a computer program that could use the hardline from Ozpin's office to the CCTS tower to restart the communications system." She paused, a free hand unconsciously straying to her stomach.
"There was a flash of pain, and then I woke up here." She paused, gears turning inside her head. "Ruby was on top of that tower. She might know what exactly happened," she continued, closing her eyes. Drinking might not have been the best idea on an empty stomach, especially since she was apparently starved for food for the past week. The world seemed to be swaying slightly, a soft heat warming her face slightly.
Taiyang was silent, the two of them left with their thoughts. Finally, it was Taiyang that spoke, almost 10 minutes later. "Ruby hasn't woken up. We're not sure what happened, but it looks like aura exhaustion. Yang is- awake." Jane perked her ears at his tone. Clearly something was up. Her red eyes glanced down, eying her current dress.
"I don't suppose there are some other clothes I can wear?" The man nodded. "The only thing we've got is the armor you were wearing and some stuff I guessed your sizes on." He stood up, heading into the other room. Within a minute he came back, a larger duffel bag in hand. Her helmet was in the other, hanging loosely from his fingers.
"I cleaned it and repaired it as best as possible." He placed it in front of her, releasing the helmet quickly. "Not sure why but it's constantly cold," he remarked, clenching his fist, as if trying to shake the cold away. Jane frowned, curious. Reaching over, she grabbed the helmet, holding it in front of her. Indeed, the metal portions were quite cold, the fabric sections slightly stiff.
Her interest peaked when frost started to form over the mask from her fingers, spreading slowly. Quickly putting the mask on the duffel bag, Jane grabbed the bag, standing up. Pointing a finger upstairs, Taiyang nodded. "Bathroom is upstairs, down the right from where you were sleeping." Jane nodded, giving him a mock salute.
Jane padded her coat, checking for something. Her knife was there, still stashed in the front. An extra magazine for a pistol that was now missing, so that was useless. A few shell casings for her now missing MG32 that had probably fallen into her pocket.
"Where's my scroll?" she mumbled, padding the pockets again. "No, I guess it isn't here," she mumbled. She glanced at the duffel bag again. Checking it, she couldn't find her scroll. A thought flitted across her mind.
"Where's the pipboy?" Again, she checked all over, not seeing it. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she cursed. "God fucking dammit, it's probably still plugged into the wall at Beacon. And if comms are still down across the board, then she likely couldn't connect to the pipboy using a regular scroll.
Glancing at herself in the mirror, she sighed distastefully. Apparently Taiyang didn't take into account her armor. Brown t-shirt, blue denim jeans. She would much prefer something with a collar. Sighing, she realized she would need to get back to Beacon for her pipboy. It would kill two bird with one stone however, she could hopefully get communications back up.
Grabbing the bag, she opened the door to the bathroom, running a hand through her hair. Already she was running through plans in her head, strategies, ideas. Stepping into the hallway, she paused, a question forming.
Quickly walking back towards Taiyang, she voiced her question, a bit of urgency in her voice. "You mentioned the dreadnought took out the dragon, leveling the area. What happened to it after? And the mechs?" Taiyang paused, thinking.
"I'm not actually sure. Qrow might know some more about what happened. He should be by in a few days hopefully." Jane nodded, deflating slightly. She had a hunch about what had happened, but it wouldn't do to spread her ideas. After all, if what she suspected was true, it would be hugely beneficial.
Stepping back upstairs, she tossed the bag into her temporary room. Heading down the hall, she stopped at another door. This one must be where Yang and Ruby were. Pausing momentarily, she opened the door. Might as well check on Yang, see just how bad things were up at Beacon.
Stepping in, she stopped, viewing the interior. Two beds, soft carpeting, darker wood paneling. And shelves and shelves full of model Grimm. It was certainly different. Considering they were supposed to be the enemies of man, the darkness that wars against the light, there was a certain amount of marketing that went into the enemies of man.
Checking the occupants, she frowned. Ruby was still out, lying peacefully in her bed, a vase of flowers next to the bed. Yang however, was different.
She had a forlorn look on her face, a familiar thousand-yard stare that she had seen in the eyes of many wastelanders. Her once golden hair was dulled, matted down slightly. Bags beneath her eyes, the entire visage painted a picture of a person who had been broken. Glancing down, she noticed what the issue was.
"Well, that sucks," she remarked, stepping in. Yang turned her head, looking at her. She was disappointed, there wasn't even a rise from the brawler. This was going to be a problem.
"So you woke up?" Jane nodded, pulling up a chair. She kicked her boots up, resting them on the edge of the bed. "Yeh, about an hour ago." Neither spoke, Yang proceeding to just look at the wall, while Jane looked hard at her.
Her right arm ended just below the elbow, a slight diagonal edge on the cut. The bandages appeared to be fresh, although with her aura she wasn't bleeding anymore. In addition, there were more wrapped around her shoulder, indicative of some kind of bullet wound. Apparently the mechs got to her.
"So what happened exactly?" questioned Jane. Yang didn't respond, instead choosing to sit there, her lilac eyes staring into the distance. Jane frowned, waiting some kind of a response. Minutes passed, neither speaking. Jane clicked her tongue.
"Alright, I get it, you've been cut down a peg. Your previous attitude got you into this mess, didn't it? Probably charged head on, flames everywhere?" Yang narrowed her eyes, glancing at Jane. "And now what, you'll just sit here, moping?"
Yang was silent, but her eyes were now looking at Jane. Inwardly, she smiled, seeing Yang get fired up, even a little. She noticed her remaining hand was twitching slightly, as if wanting to clench but not having the willpower to do so.
Jane glanced over towards Ruby, seeing her sleeping form. A week and she was still out, whatever happened at the top of the tower only the young brunette could answer. Rubbing the back of her head, she checked for any wounds or scars, wondering if she had been struck in the head.
"Really though, what are you going to do now? You can't just sit here, where's the Xiao Long fighting spirit?" she chuckled, kicking her feet off the bed, quickly getting to her feet. "You can't just sit there till the end of your days, dreaming whimsically of better times," she laughed, pacing. "Why, that would make you little better than a corpse, just dead weight taking up space," she continued. In a flash she withdrew her knife, tracing imaginary shapes with the blade, in full view of Yang. She smirked, seeing the uncertainty in Yang's posture.
"Now, should you wish to stay there until the end of your days, moping and whining and generally taking up space and being a draw on society, it makes you little better than a corpse. I of course would just accelerate the process." Jabbing the knife forward, she looked at Yang down the length of the blade. While the distance of the room separated them, it felt like they were inches apart.
"No point in delaying the inevitable," sighed Jane, shrugging her shoulders. "I'm sure Ruby would be sad for a while, but at least she would remember you as the young, vibrant soul that you are rather than this desiccated husk you seem intent on becoming. Your father would understand; he knows what I'm talking about. No need for suffering." She walked slowly forward, doing imaginary cuts.
"If I wanted to be quick about it, a jab at the temple would cut the brain process right away. The body would live for a few more minutes, but you wouldn't be aware. I could just cut the femoral artery, take you about 4 minutes to bleed out. It would make for a pretty corpse though."
Yang's eyes widened, fear overtaking her previously apathetic mood. She had always known Jane wasn't exactly nicest person, hearing her so calmly speak about killing her was unsettling. What terrified her was the possibility that she wasn't faking it, that Jane was actually willing to kill her.
"That said," she started, stashing the knife in her coat, a warmer smile overtaking her face. "It's only been a week or so, and it is a bit of a traumatic loss you've encountered. A bit of grieving is certainly ok. Just don't get too caught up in your cycle of self depreciation." She smiled, heading for the door.
"I'll be back later; we can chat when you're feeling better." The door closed, a soft click as it shut. Yang was left staring at the door, her breathing deep, adrenaline in her system and fist clenching her bed sheets.
"Well, this is it, the machine shop. It's nothing special, the Beacon facilities probably outdoing us. But if you're making stuff, it'll do. Your sword is in there. Bit of a house rule, no weapons in the house." Jane nodded, opening the door. It was admittedly low key compared to the previous facilities, but an inspection of the equipment satisfied her.
"I don't know how long I'll be here. Once I've made some weapons, I've got to get to Beacon and get communications back on." Taiyang nodded.
"I haven't said it yet, but I want to thank you," he started, facing Jane. At her confused look, he continued. "You helped out at the Breach. I'm not sure what would have happened, but when Ruby wrote home about a literal specter of death popping out of nowhere and rescuing her from the White Fang." Jane smirked, imagining what the letter might have looked like.
"Always glad to be a helping hand," she started. "I might have problems, but I've got a soft spot for kids." The older man nodded, holding out a hand. Jane took it, giving a firm handshake. She liked him. Clearly a family man.
"You should check on Yang. I spoke with her briefly, but she could use a bit of a pep talk." Patting him on the shoulder, Jane stepped into the workshop.
"Alright!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands, a viscous gleam in her eye. "No schematics, no aid, just pure intellect. Time to design a weapon!" Going over to a more traditional chalkboard, she picked up a white stick. Pressing it against her chin, her eyes widened thoughtfully.
"Now here's the real question, what should I do this time?" she voiced aloud.
The pistol she had been using, while effective, wasn't the best option in it's current form. The subsonic munition was annoying at the best of times, her previous 2 years of experience working with hypersonic made her aim sloppy when tracking a moving target. The rounds themselves worked ok, but she saw immediate issues with trying to get something that large to go hypersonic in her hand.
Writing down some ideas, she pulled up a second chalkboard, grateful that the workshop had it. Her heavy gun would need some work as well. Overall the WWII era MG32 worked fine, the high fire rate chewing through enemies quickly. The shorter barrel she had applied worked wonders for her mobility, but it certainly reduced its capability in long range encounters. Ideally she would like for it to be able to switch between a close range and a long range option, but modern gun mechanics didn't allow for weapons to just switch like that.
Her eyes glanced over to a model of Ruby's weapon hung on the wall.
She felt like cursing.
"Clearly my worlds and this worlds version of modern gun mechanics are slightly different, so sayeth the unfolding sniper rifle/scythe combo." Wiping away part of the sketch on the board, Jane walked over to a pile of books, finding one on the concept of mechashifting. Parsing through the pages, she smiled, finding exactly what she would need.
Long had since the people of Remnant devised the sciences to create multi form weapons. From swords with shield/sheath combos to spear/batons, they created an advantage to fight Grimm one on one, providing ranged and close up options, allowing for almost limitless combat applications with proper training.
With the introduction of firearms almost 100 years ago, the technology rapidly changed, allowing even more combat applications. Parsing through the book, she grinned. What she thought must have been extraordinary advances in technology actually were simple applications of physics.
Oh, an a few advances in metallurgy that surprised even herself.
Thumbing the pages, she flipped between reading the information in the older book, and modifying the chalk sketches on the boards. She quickly lost track of time, stopping only to shed her coat and drape it over the chair. Her attention was arrested when the door to the shed opened.
Turning to look at the new occupant, she grinned. "Yang, I see you're up and moving. Feeling better?" The blond grunted an affirmation, shuffling slowly. Clearly a week of bed rest had weakened the huntress in training.
"Not really. What are you doing?" Jane observed the girl, slowly compiling her response. She noticed how she was now overusing her left hand, feeling out objects while keeping an eye on her right side. Most likely to compensate for her missing appendage. It would work for a while, but she would need to break the habit before it became entrenched.
"Gotta rebuild my weapons. They're lost somewhere in Beacon, probably broken or stolen. Figured I should rearm myself as soon as possible. It's not quite what I was using before, but the workshop here should suffice." Yang nodded, taking a seat on the chair. Jane continued, focusing her attention.
There was a period of silence, broken when Yang spoke.
"Why aren't you using your scroll? Doesn't that have all your weapon stuff in there?" Jane laughed, her attention not straying. "Communications are down. My scroll was talking to my pipboy, but without that there's nothing to talk to."
"I've got your pipboy upstairs," commented Yang offhandedly, a small grin on her face. Jane's head just about whipped across, an audible snap from her neck.
"Say what now?" Yang nodded, a bit of her old personality coming out.
"Yeh, when I was getting people out of the dorms, I grabbed a few things for everyone, stuff that we would miss. Your fancy wrist computer was the only thing of note, beyond the clothes Ruby bought for you." Jane tilted her head back, releasing something of a pent up breath.
"Well that simplifies things," she laughed, putting the chalk down. "Now I don't need to go to Beacon to find the silly thing." She paused. "Still need to restart the communications network," she mumbled.
Both girl's attention was drawn to the door opening slowly, the wooden door and slightly rusty hinge squealing.
Inside the doorframe stood Ruby, dressed in her pajamas, a bulky looking red sweater covering her. She looked tired, but awake.
Jane looked at her, eyes narrowing at how Ruby was looking back at her.
Fearful eyes, firm stance, fists clenched. Inwardly Jane realized she had no weapons on her. Her knife was in her coat, which was closer to the door than she was to it. Yang seemed oblivious, somewhat happy her sister was awake.
Jane tilted her head left.
There was an explosion of rose petals. The knife disappeared from the coat. Ruby appeared, knife hovering in mid air where Jane's head used to be. A hand came up grabbing not the knife, but the small hands holding it. Pivoting on one foot, she used the other to pull Ruby in a circle, using her momentum against her. A small jerk and the brunette changed direction, another puff of petals propelling her into the floor. Jane didn't get a chance to react, a third explosion rocketing against Jane. She managed to flatten the blade between herself and Ruby, but the small girl's momentum sent the two of them through the wall of the workshop.
Twisting, Jane forced the small girl below her, the two of them flying throughout the air. Ruby tried to hit her, a fist flying forward. Even in mid air, the older woman blocked Ruby, the fist going wide. A pajama clad leg flew forward, a small explosion of petals behind her knee.
THAT did hit her, striking her solidly in the stomach. She hadn't noticed it before, but apparently Ruby packed the power of a mortar in that initial strike, her aura having been kicked to nothing. Air exploded from her lungs, the force flipping the duo back. Jane landed on her back, using her knees to throw the smaller girl off of her back. Quickly getting to her feet, she adopted a fighting stance, staring at the younger girl.
"What the hell Ruby!" shouted Jane. She was very much aware they were in a field now. No doubt Yang was getting Taiyang to grab Ruby. The younger girl still had the knife, although upon closer inspection, Jane saw she was holding it poorly; too much emphasis on slashing or stabbing. Clearly she had no real experience using a small blade.
"RUBY!"
Jane didn't look, but the familiar voice of Taiyang echoed across the field. His footsteps sounded heavier, but he made good time none the less.
He arced into her field of vision, placing himself between Jane and Ruby. Relaxing, she held her position, observing. The older man walked up to Ruby, the two of them talking. She still had the knife, but apparently her father's presence was calming, her stance becoming more relaxed.
Putting her hands in her pocket, Jane watched, for the first time in a while craving a cigarette.
"After a day like this, I'd walk over my old man's grave for one," she mumbled. A second later she snorted, the image of her doing just that flashing through her mind.
"Ah well," she groaned, seeing Taiyang look back at her, a worried look in his eyes. "Looks like things got even more interesting."
A second passed.
"Is it too much fucking trouble for my life to be easy? Seriously? One day!" she cursed, kicking the earth below her. Taiyang started to walk towards her, Ruby protectively under one arm. She noticed that he possessed the knife now, and his grip on it was in no way calm.
"Shit."
I do not own RWBY or Fallout 3. All works belong to their respective creators.
So this one was a fair bit faster than the last update. Hoping I break 100 reviews with this! Honestly, figuring out how to branch out is fun. Without much of the source material being well defined, I've made a huge bubble chart on character motivations, connections, events, crap like that. Honestly, at first glance it looks like one of those government conspiracy red string wall creations. You know them.
And an absolutely HUGE shout out to askasknot for agreeing to create a cover image! It's currently in the works right now but I've seen a bit and DAMN does it look glorious!