Whoa!
Hey wait get back here, I know I normally save this for the end and trust me I have but I need your help Guardians, details are encrypted for your Ghost (see bottom of page).
Weiss's footsteps echoed around the metal corridor as she strode angrily along its length a dark aura surrounding her, she had been searching for that stupid Cat-4 all morning in an attempt to apologise to him. It had taken her nearly a whole day to swallow her pride and convince herself that this was the best course of action; she didn't have to really mean it he just had to believe that she did. And now it turned out it had all been for nought the idiot had been dragged off to Russia with none other than the biggest pain in her life, Yang Xiao Long and her dunce of a little sister who was the root of her original problem, why had she been larking around without a helmet on anyway? Meaning that Jaune had to step in a save her sorry life. To say Weiss was angry would be an understatement, she was livid.
With her thoughts occupying her attention her feet wandered freely and she eventually found herself lost, with a sigh she summoned her Ghost, the small floating sentience didn't say a word as it appeared over her outstretched left hand. Its silence marked it out as unusual among the other Ghosts of the Tower who would endlessly chat to their Guardians, she and her Ghost shared a mutual understanding.
With a slight bob of its pearl white form her Ghost displayed a holographic map of the Tower in front of her, "Weiss I think it would be very sensible for us to leave this area as quickly as we can." the Ghost stated plainly.
Out of the corner of her eye Weiss watched two Awoken, one male and one female, stood up from the crates on which they had been sitting and begin to approach her.
"We are all Guardians, we are all on the same side here." she said correcting her Ghost but her voice lacked conviction, most of the Awoken had at least a disliking for her or at least her name.
"Look at this brother the great Weiss Schnee graces us with her presence." the female, a Hunter by the look of her armour sneered as she circled around behind the Voidwalker effectively trapping her in the corridor.
"This is an honour," the male agreed as he bowed mockingly to her.
"It's a pleasure to meet you fellow Guardians." Weiss responded sensing that the encounter was quickly turning sour and hoping to defuse the situation by acknowledging the common ground they all held as Guardians.
"Hah, a pleasure is it?" the woman sneered drawing uncomfortably close to the Warlock's back. "I've heard that Weiss is the word for white in one of your old tongues, the colour of purity but do you know what the worst thing about the colour white is?" Weiss shook her head in reply, "It's hard to hide the blood that stains it."
The Archivist slowly approached her destination, the humans that lined the street of the city below the Tower forcing themselves out of her path allowing her to progress unimpeded. She always found the reactions of the non-Guardians amusing, it was a mixed bag of course there were the wide eyed children who stared at her with glee, revealing in the presence of 'a real hero' and the old half-blind elders who remembered the Guardians of old who had given their lives to protect the city, who would give her a respectful nod as she passed by. But amongst the smiling faces were eyes that only held scorn for her or rather for what she represented. Life was hard for the people living in the City which was more of a slum than a city and the shining Tower that loomed over them a constant reminder of the difference between them and the Guardians above.
Though most would just accept the difference given the risk the Guardians faced when trying to protect them, though there were others that resisted and acted of their own accord venturing out into the wilderness, they were known as Renegades and her current destination belonged to one such man.
"Welcome to Junior's bar…" the large man cut his sentence short as he recognised her as a Guardian, "You know we don't serve your kind here." he stated bluntly as two girl stepped out of the shadows from the far side of the bar.
The Archivist recognised the pair, the Malachite sisters, Miltiades and Melanie two known Renegade Hunters. Both were exceptional combatants with knives each with a unique fighting style, Miltiades keeping a pair of knives strapped to her forearms up her sleeves, while Melanie kept hers tucked safely in her boots.
"I was told to meet someone here." the Archivist replied curtly from behind her expressionless mask.
The three Renegades remained silent and unmoving until a voice called out to them, "It's okay Junior she's with me." The Archivist smiled from behind her mask as the Renegades parted allowing her access to a small table, sitting across from her as she sat was a man his face also obscured by a white porcelain mask, the red accents matching his dark red hair.
"Archivist."
"Emissary."
"Your report is late, I've had to extend my stay on this blasted planet and I think the smell is starting to stick." the voice behind the mask portrayed no emotion just like the expressionless mask.
"Don't be so dramatic…"
"Regardless your report is late, I assume you have an explanation." she recognised that he had avoided asking for an excuse.
"The Vanguards hav…"
"Just because I recognise you would have an explanation, that doesn't mean I want to hear it." the Archivist had to bite her tongue to hold her barbed retort back behind her teeth. "Did you find the information we are looking for?"
"I have been granted access to the Vanguard's Archive but I haven't found any information yet."
"That is… Disappointing…"
"I've run into several obstacles during my investigation."
"And you want us to take care of them." the Emissary inquired.
"That won't help."
"I don't see why not."
"Zavala is one of them."
"I see…" she had expected the Awoken man's reaction, even the most zealous Reef born wouldn't make a move against the Commander no matter what the prevailing opinion about him was. "Very well continue with your investigation as you have been."
The Archivist stood to leave, the meeting having been a tremendous waste of her time. "Wait…" the Emissary said his deep voice taking a hard tone as he steeped his fingers, "There is another matter I feel we should discuss."
"Very well," the Archivist replied as she returned to her seat, "What is it?"
"Your recent performance in the Crucible was quite a victory." the Emissary said dropping into an almost conversational tone as he stirred the drink in front of him.
He was trying to unnerve her with a relaxed attitude and if it had been anyone else she would have pointed out how stupid they were being given that they would be unable to drink while wearing that mask, unless they had a straw, unfortunately he was not the kind of man who would use a straw and was along with Petra an emissary of the Reef. However while Petra's business was strictly above board he was responsible for the more unsavoury business of the Reef.
"I was very impressed by the final strike, taking out two Guardians in under a second that is quite a feat," the Archivist remained silent as he continued, "Granted the boy was, what was that quaint Earth saying… Green as grass, but Weiss Schnee… Now there is quite the accomplished young lady."
She knew where he was going with this line of conversation but she refused to rise to it, her silence seemed to anger him as he slowly clenched his fist.
"Don't tell me you have gone soft…" he growled. When she failed to reply again he snapped slamming his hands down on the table before grabbing the front of her scarf and pulling her to her feet, "She was right there! It would have been easy!" she didn't react as he stared through the slits in the mask and into her eyes, anyone else would have already had their throat cut for treating her like this, but she couldn't take action against him he was her superior and she had failed to carry out his orders.
"Sir I'm going to have to ask you to release the lady." the owner said politely his tone screaming that refusing would be a poor answer.
The Emissary looked over the giant of a bartender who was looming over him and the two girls by the bar who were pretending to look uninterested, one playing with her sleeves while the other adjusted he laces of her boots, as if he was calculating his odds and weighing up his options.
Releasing her, he brushed her scarf flat before striding to the door, "Do not fail me again, you may be one of them but don't forget your lineage." he said his voice returning to its previous flat emotionless tone as he exited.
"Looks like you lost another customer Junior." Melanie commented dryly as she and her sister settled back into their seats at the bar.
"Good, he didn't pay for his drink anyway." the big man replied as he took the drink before downing it in one go and slamming the glass down on the table.
"Thank you, you didn't need to but never the less…" the Archivist began.
"This doesn't mean I like you," the bartender interrupted, pointing his finger in his face. "I don't care how things work where you're from but a man isn't going to get away with treating a woman like that in my bar."
"You're starting to sound soppy!" Miltiades called from the bar; Junior grunted non-committedly and waved his hand in the air.
"I can pay for the drink," the Archivist offered.
"No need, just leave…"
The hostility the Awoken siblings had for her wasn't much of a surprise for Weiss, while most of the Earthborn Awoken had little or no connection to the Reef they still hated her family for the invasion of the homeland of their people.
"Leave her alone." a stern voice interrupted, causing the two to back away from the white clad girl, as the Titan Commander approached.
"C-c-commander Zav-vala," the female said.
"What do you think you are doing?" the large Awoken man asked his voice level and flat.
The two younger Guardians stuttered as they tried to formulate an answer, their faces twisted as if they were trying to comprehend something.
"B-but she's Weiss Schnee." the male ventured.
"Are you Guardians?" Commander Zavala asked flatly.
"Umm… Well…"
"Are you Guardians?" the large Titan man repeated.
"Well of course." they replied sticking their chests out proudly.
"Is Miss Schnee a Guardian?"
"Yes, but…"
"No 'buts'," the man interjected, "You are comrades, brothers and sisters at arms, how can you expect her to protect your back if you treat her so poorly."
"I wouldn't want her at my back." The young male Awoken muttered.
"Where you there?" Zavala asked only to be met with blank stares, "You casually make reference to the war for the Reef, but were you there during the Blitz? The answer is no, one group left to fight for our people I don't remember you being on the stolen ship we took out there, I don't remember taking cover with you as the Schnee Dreadnoughts bombed Vesta."
Weiss understood that the Titan Commander was trying to help her but his words dragged dark, unwelcome thoughts kicking and screaming to the surface, this was her family's legacy, the reason she had chosen to accept the call when she began to manifest Warlock powers, to pull the name Schnee from the mud her ancestors had dragged it through, but the Awoken girl had been right the blood was hard to remove.
"You are pups who know nothing of what honour means, you blame this girl for the mistakes of others, judge others by their own actions." the large man finished, "Now get out of my sight, both of you." he added when the younger pair didn't take the hint from the tone in his voice.
"Commander Zavala." Weiss greeted the man with a curtsy.
"Save your pleasantries," he replied curtly pricking the Voidwalker's already frayed temper.
"Don't be a hypocrite, if you hate me don't feel 'honour' bound to defend me. I can look after myself." she snapped.
"I'm well aware of that Miss Schnee…" Zavala sighed, "And I commend you for not rising to them."
"Fighting them would only confirm in their minds what they expect me to be," she replied.
"That is very true," the Titan said nodding his head, "And I don't hate you Miss Schnee, I meant every word I said. Just save your pleasantries for someone who deserves them."
"Glynda!" the female Warlock grimaced as the contemplative silence of her office was ruined by a familiar robotic voice.
"I'm sorry Ms Goodwitch," a voice called from behind the Exo who stood grinning in front of her, "I tried to stop him, but Vanguard Cayde is surprisingly fast."
"It's okay Miss Scarlatina, you may leave him here for me to deal with."
The Awoken girl seemed almost hesitant to leave as she quickly glanced between the two powerful Guardians before backing out of the room with a slight bow.
"I hope you're not going to be this abrasive on our date." the Hunter chuckled as he helped himself to the seat across the table from her and kicked his dirty boots up on to the desk.
"Surely you can't be serious…" Glynda replied flatly, while pulling a miniscule rip in the fabric of space-time and using the ensuing cascade of energy to lift the Vanguard's feet up of the table and down to the floor.
"I am," Cayde replied while readjusting himself in his seat, "And don't call me Shirley." he added with a grin, obviously pleased with his joke however Goodwitch seemed less than impressed.
"You can't expect me to up hold that bet; the whole thing was just a ploy to force Mr Arc's abilities out."
"Yes it was, but never the less we made a bet and I take my bets seriously." the Voidwalker just stared back at him darkly; "I'll get Shaxx involved." the Hunter teased.
The Warlock noticeably tensed at the name of the Crucible Handler, "You wouldn't…" she hissed.
"Don't force me." Cayde replied with a light laugh.
"Very well…" Goodwitch replied as she smoothed out her shirt, "When to you propose this date will occur?"
"How about right now?" the Vanguard asked as two covered dishes appeared on the desk that sat between them scattering pages of important documents to the corners of the room, much to the ire of the Voidwalker. With a flourish the Hunter removed the covers revealing plates of finally cooked food.
"I can't believe you used the storage system for this…" Glynda sighed as she rubbed her temples.
"Don't be such a stick in the mud, you should relax more all that frowning will give you age lines." the Hunter's comment was met only with a deepened frown, "Like I said they're getting worse already."
"Cayde be serious." she chided.
"Alright let's be serious," he replied this voice dropping as leaned forward and interlaced his fingers in front of his chin. "They're mobilising…"
The Warlock's calm demeanour cracked, "Is she with them?" she asked while drumming her fingertips lightly on the table the food Cayde had bought quickly forgotten.
"My Hunters haven't been able to confirm her presence, but the bodies of two Hunters who were following her were found burnt to cinders we were only able to identify them by the data from their Ghosts."
"What about the other two? The Titan and the Hunter?"
"Their Ghosts were found mangled beyond any form of recovery and discarded in the Hellmouth; they obviously didn't want to be followed."
"Exactly like her Ghost…" the female Guardian muttered the rhythm she was playing slowing to silence.
"Have your contacts in the War Cult heard anything?" the Exo asked before adding, "The purple accents on your weapons and armour aren't very subtle." when a shocked expression passed across Goodwitch's face.
"Nothing, if they've heard anything they obviously didn't deem it important. What about your friends in Dead Orbit?" she asked quietly.
"Ship movement logs, three short range jumpships with no IFF tags entered the Reef and have not been seen since."
"Are you saying the Awoken are working with them?"
"Maybe, it's just as likely that the Queen had them shot down and solved our problem for us. But when have we ever been that lucky?"
Author's Note: And the next chapter is done! Massive thanks for the positive reviews it genuinely gives me a kick up the ass and shout out to College Fool for his lengthy review (seriously if you haven't seen it check it out) he/she bought up some really good points and had some really cool ideas about how other characters from the RWBY universe could be implemented. I love seeing your ideas about the progression of this story so feel free to make the review section a place to drop your theories, I get a kick out of reading them because it gets me thinking about this story.
Also let's get hyped for House of Wolves! With the second piece of DLC only a month away I'm saving up for all that lovely new Legendary gear!
Right now that's over with let's get serious for a bit I've been kicking around a few ideas and if I want to implement them I need to start working them in now, however I don't know how you guys will receive it (get your minds out of the gutter, I know what you're thinking) so I want to ask for your guys help by running it past you (fair warning if its well received and written in you guys will have had a major plot point spoiled). So if you want in shoot me a PM or leave a little comment in the reviews.
Anyway lengthy author's note is over so I'll see you next time Guardians!
(Also there are some Easter Eggs in this and previous chapters)