Greetings, Hunters and Huntresses from across the Verse and welcome to the next chapter of Team ARCG: Wrath Of A Knight.
Sorry for the delay I have been a bit busy, I hope you enjoy and on to the story.
In an elegant twilit pavilion area of ivy-covered pillars, rounded archways, and lion-decorated fountains, Weiss and Winter are sitting at a simple table with a plate full of croissants and strawberries. Winter is sipping from her teacup as Weiss repeats the news she was just told.
"You're... leaving?", she said.
"Yes, I was merely needed to oversee the transport of additional units to Vale.", Winter setting her cup down, "Our last shipment was lost to an ambush. I believe you had a run-in with its cargo, actually. It's fortunate those Paladins were in the prototype stage; otherwise your team may not have fared so well."
Weiss sighs and looks down dejectedly, she grabs her sister's hand, "Weiss, you've done well, out here, on your own. You should be proud. ", Winter said reassuringly, "But there is this rumor going around, is it true you got yourself a boyfriend?"
"Oh, yeah... I have.", Weiss said, a profound blush on her cheeks, "I am surprised myself that we have grown to be boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"And who is this young man, I might ask?", Winter said, but it seemed her sister lost her nerve at that question, "Or young woman, I won't judge."
"N-no! It's not that!", Weiss said quickly, "It's just... He is a smug, arrogant, egomaniac Faunus..."
"Sound's like your dating Avaro Drayce.", Winter teased, but a silent fell between the two sisters, as the older one looked at her younger sister with her wide blue eyes, "Your dating the CEO of Drayce Corp, father's biggest corporate rival and the embodiment of everything he hates?"
Weiss nodded at this, only looking up when she heard her chuckle, "Weiss, dating what father absolutely hates? I am impressed.", Winter said, whipping a tear from the corner of her eye, "I'll be honest, I can't wait to see father's face the day you tell him."
The younger Schnee sighed in relieve when she was told that.
"Pretty sweet dorm room, you got.", Qrow said as he was sitting in Team ARCG's dorm room, playing a video game against his nieces, Gabriel and Ciaran, "Can't remember them looking quite like this when I went to Beacon."
"It's because of Avaro.", Gabriel explained.
"You'll never beat me, old man!", Ruby said, as her character attacked.
"You're nothing but talk, kid!", Qrow said, countering the move.
"You can do it, Ruby!", Yang shouted.
Just as she did, Ruby's health bar reached zero, the announcer from the tv saying, "Aqua Sutakira Wins! Flawless Victory!"
Qrow grins at his victory as Ruby lowers her head in shame, "And by the way, don't ever call me old."
Yang pushes Ruby out of her spot as she grabs the spinning controller from the air, "My turn!", selecting her character in his Batsuit.
"What's your deal?", McGrath said.
"I fight for justice.", Aqua said.
"Haven't heard that a thousand times before.", the male quipped back.
And the game begins again.
"Now, where was I?", Qrow said as he began the fight.
Popping up from behind the two players excitedly, "You were telling us about your last mission!", Ruby said.
"Right, right...", Qrow said, "I'd come across a small village in the swamps west of Mistral. Right off the bat, I knew something wasn't right."
"What were you doing there?", Gabriel said.
"I needed information.", Qrow explained as he continued the story, "Tired from battling Grimm along the way, I decided to start my search at the town's inn. The place was crawling with lowlifes and thugs, even a few Huntsmen that I could only assume had been hired by less-than reputable people for less-than respectable jobs. And that's when it happened."
"What happened?", Ciaran said, laying on the ground kicking his feet as he watched Qrow with interest.
"I was defeated... by the mere sight...", Qrow continued weakly, suddenly grins at what he saw is revealed, "Of the innkeeper's skirt length!"
Qrow is interrupted by a thrown dog-head pillow, which Qrow deftly catches much to Yang's ire as the announcer called once more with, "Aqua Sutakira Wins! Flawless Victory!"
"You are the worst!", Yang shouted as Ruby and Gabriel laughed.
"Can I try?", Ciaran said, catching the controller Yang threw at him, "Thanks babe... So which Character's are good?"
"Well Morgenstern has high damage and insane juggle potential, Skywalker has the high damage output, ranged attacks that build meter, and a two infinite combos. And Lord Drakkon has...", Ruby began to explain but was interrupted by her sister's boyfriend.
"Oh, I pick Drakkon!", Ciaran said as he watched the loading screen, "He looks like an evil Power Ranger."
"This is not your Verse to protect.", Drakkon taunted.
"I will save it on principle.", Aqua said.
"But will your principles save you?", Drakkon asked, holding up his Dragon Dagger.
And the battle began.
"So, Uncle Qrow, did you get in trouble with Ozpin?", Ruby asked.
"Nah, me and Oz go way back. We're cool.", Qrow said, waving the question off.
"Cool for an old guy.", Yang said, her uncle looking mad now, "So, what are you doing here anyway? I thought Dad said that you would be on a mission, for like... ever."
"Well, a professional Huntsman like myself is expected to get results, as soon as possible.", Qrow said, hearing his nieces tell him how they are pretty much pros as well, seeing as they saved Vale.
Qrow was about to talk back but he looked horrified at the screen, his eyes widening at the sight of his health bar.
"Lord Drakkon wins! Flawless Victory!", the announcer said.
"Best two out of three?", Ciaran said with a smirk, as Ruby, Yang and Gabriel cheered, someone finally having defeated Qrow.
"Oh, your on kid.", Qrow said, looking for a new character to use, "I heard Vale suffered a Grimm, attack after you almost managed to stop a train. But they don't give out medals for almost."
"They do, and it's called silver!", Ruby said resolutely as the fighters loaded on the screen.
"You really think you can beat Jason?", Lily said.
"I have every advantage.", Drakkon told her.
"You don't have friends.", Lily pointed out.
"Well, we helped take down Roman Torchwick!", Yang said, proudly, "He's locked up in Ironwood's ship and crime's been down ever since! That's basically a bounty mission!"
"Sure, you may be acting like Huntresses, but you're not thinking like one.", Qrow said, You really think four girls and their friends could end all crime in a Kingdom?
"If we have some heavy hitters like Ciaran and Avaro...", Gabriel pondered, rubbing his chin.
"Avaro? That pretty rich kid? What is he going to do?", Qrow said, before taking a more serious tone, "Violence hasn't dropped since Roman got nabbed; it's stopped, completely. No White Fang activity around the city."
"Like how when you cut off the head of the King Taijitu, then it's second head takes command?", Ciaran said with a satisfied smirk, as the announcer said "Lord Drakkon wins! Flawless Victory!"
"Yeah...", Qrow growled, "That's what Ironwood can't get through that thick metal head of his.
Ruby, Yang and Gabriel exchanging a look. "You... know the General?", Yang asked.
"I know everybody to some extent.", Qrow said, back to his usual playful maner, "Remember, you're talking to a member of the coolest team that graduated Beacon!",
"Ah yes, the legendary Team STRQ... I think team GREG were a bit cooler than them.", Gabriel said with a smirk.
"I think Team ARCG has them both beat!", Ciaran said in defense of his own team.
"You two kids are biased to those teams.", Qrow waved them off, not noticing the looks of amusement Ciaran and Gabriel shared, "Ciaran is biased for his own team, and Gabby is of course biased for his parents old team."
"I don't think Team STRQ was that cool.", Ruby said, "They had crummy fashion sense!"
"It was their specialty.", Gabriel added.
"Hey, we looked good!", Qrow protested, "And I have a number of inappropriate stories to back that up! But, I'll save those for when you're like thirty.", he wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.
"Oh gross!", Ruby shouted, recoiling in disgust.
"What kind of stories?...", the white haired young man asked.
"Stories like what we do under the shower.", Yang whispered in his ear.
"Oh, but now I want to know!", Ciaran protested, "And I won't be thirty for another twelve years!"
"Your eighteen?", Gabriel said with a raised eyebrow, turning to his white haired leader.
"I don't know! I have amnosia, remember.", Ciaran said, throwing up his arm.
"I think you mean amnesia.", Ruby said.
"No, I meant amnosia.", Ciaran said, "Besides who knows how old any of us are! Gabriel looks like he could be fifteen, Ruby looks like she is twelve, Glynda looks like she could be in her mid twenties and Ozpin looks thirty!"
A silence followed, as they stared in disbelief at Ciaran, before Qrow let out a amused chuckle, "You sure know how to pick your boyfriend, Yang.", the uncle said, getting up, "I'm too old to be hanging out with a bunch of kids. You're gonna cramp my style."
He walks towards the door, opening it and turning back to the kids in the room, "Look, just remember that you've still got a long way to go...", Qrow said, holding a finger up to express his seriousness, "And don't think for a second that graduating means you're done. Every day out there is worth a week in this place. You kids are gonna go far, but only if you keep learning; if you never stop moving forward."
With these immortal words of wisdom, Qrow exits down the hall.
The four teens continued playing, but much to the dismay of Ruby, Yang and Gabriel, Ciaran continued to kick their collective asses. Even playing with one hand, half blinded by having Yang's breast pressed in his face and having Gabriel sing directly into his ears.
"Okay, let's established a new rule.", Ruby finally said, "Ciaran is not allowed to play anymore; because he likes to kick people into the corner, like a jerkass."
Avaro meanwhile was sitting in his office at Drayce Corp HQ in Vale. His gloved hands, glowing white lines on the flat sides of his hands, was swipping in the air, his new Scroll screen right in front of his eyes like sky-glasses.
A call from his secretary, light up his glass, notifying him of the arrival of Weiss Schnee.
The door slid open to reveal his girlfriend, "Hey, Avaro.", she said, looking how he was waving his hands around. It looked pretty ridicules.
"Hey Weiss.", Avaro said, gesturing to a similar earpiece he was using on his desk.
Picking it up, she placed it in her ear. The screen covered her eyes, pulling her into blackness. White words lid up in front of her eyes, saying 'Welcome, Ms. Schnee'.
The letter's disappeared, the blackness vanishing, transforming into a massive space station. She saw Avaro standing in front of a massive window, giving a magnificent view of the planet down below.
"So this is where you have been hiding.", Weiss said, seeing the floating screens around himself, moving them around.
"Just testing my new software. Once it's perfected, the way we interact with the internet.", Avaro said, dramatically, pushing his arms to the side, the screens disappeared and the window opened, allowing them to stand in space.
"How was lunch with your sister?", he asked, as the two floated the planet down below.
"It was good! We practice on my summoning.", Weiss said, floating after him through the clouds, "We talked about how father has cut off my card."
"Maybe so that you'd stop avoiding him and call home.", Avaro said, not looking as the two landed in the virtual representation of the Schnee mansion, specificly the office of her father.
Avaro walked around the desk, sitting in the chair, "It sounds to me like you have two choices in front of you. You can either call him, beg for his money back, or you could continue to explore Remnant, discovering more about the world and honestly, more about yourself."
He allows Weiss a moment to absorb this information before turning to Weiss, as she sat on the desk, "Have you... Told her about us?", he asked
"I more or less did?", Weiss said softly, swinging her legs over the desk, now facing him.
"More less or less more?", Avaro said, crossing his arms, "Which is it?"
"She knows.", Weiss said, pushing herself off the desk, sitting on his lap with both legs on his sides, "She can't wait until I tell my father."
"Neither can I.", he said with a smirk, their noses brushing against each other.
They smiled at each other, until Weiss let out a yelp when she felt something poke her side. "Well someone is excited.", she mumbled, looking down between his legs, "Does the thought of snugging with me in my father's office turn you on that much?"
"It does.", Avaro said, giving her behind a squeeze.
"W-Wait... How come I feel inside a simulation?", Weiss said, feeling his hands on her behind.
"It's because your sitting on my lap in real life.", Avaro pointed out.
The next day in the Amity Colosseum's mountain biodome was being bombarded by several explosions all around the area.
Russel Thrush, daggers in hand, is running from the mayhem before spinning around, ready to face his opponents, who turns out to be Penny and her beret-wearing teammate. With an ever-present smile and simple arm movements, she summons six floating swords from behind her and rears them back before launching them in a ring at Russel, who barely manages to duck behind a rock to protect himself.
Wasting no time, Penny raises her hands like a puppet master and uses the near-invisible strings attached to each hilt to lift the giant rocks up in the air, with the screaming Russel and Sky still hanging on. Bringing her arms down to her sides, the stones come crashing to the ground as well, leaving Penny's opponents in the grass. Her swords come back to her pack as the buzzer rings.
"And victory goes to Penny and Ciel of Atlas!", Oobleck said over the broadcaster's system.
Placing a fist in her palm and bowing in respect to her fallen foes, "Thank you for a wonderful time.", Penny said still smiling.
The two victors turn to leave the stadium as Russel feebly reaches out, only to get hit in the head by an errant stone.
Ruby and Remus get up from their seats, catching up to the winning team at one of the exits.
"Penny!", Ruby shouted, spreading her arms.
"Ruby! Remus!", Penny shouted, lifting up her own arms, she tackles her friends into a hug that leaves the three of them on the ground.
"I think I broke a few ribs.", Remus grunted weakly as the ginger haired robot girl gets up energetically and gestures to the other girl.
"Ruby, Remus, this is my teammate.", Penny said.
"Ciel Soleil.", the girl said with a bow, "Ruby Rose. 15. Hails from Patch. Leader of Team RWBY. Status: Questionable. Remus Torchwick. Seventeen. Member of Team ARCG. Status: Dangerous."
"Okay...", Remus said.
"You two were incredible out there.", Ruby said turning to Penny, "How do you keep control of all those swords? It's so cool!"
"Penny?", Ceil said, looking at her watch and gestures at it, "I believe it is best if we move on to our next location."
Penny exchanges a look with Ruby and Remus before asking Ciel, "Could we have just a minute to talk?"
In response, Ciel checks the time, then takes a step back and nods, starting the countdown.
"She seems friendly.", Remus said.
"She is! She's like Blake!", Penny explained, "But if Blake was ordered to spend time with you."
"That's Weiss.", Remus said, "Don't worry, I often get them mixed up as well."
"Does she know about... y'know.", Ruby whispered, moving her body abruptly as if imitating a robot, leaving her arm to hang with a noticeable squeaking sound.
"Oh no. General Ironwood doesn't really want anyone to know. There was an incident with a magnet, but I was able to play it off.", Penny said, shaking her head, before getting serious, "There's something I've been wanting to talk to you two about."
She glances over at Ciel before leaning in and whispering, "I want to stay at Beacon."
"I hope you got a plan for that.", Remus said, crossing his arms, "Maybe rob a Dust store and have Ruby capture you. They will offer you a place here."
"That only works for you.", Penny said, grinning with mischief, "I'll think about it!"
At that moment, Ciel steps back up to Penny's side and pointing to her watch, "It's been precisely one minute, ma'am."
Coming back over the stadium speakers, Port announce, "Our next match will begin in 15 minutes!"
Ciaran and Avaro walked past them, their duo match coming up. Greeting the two, Penny waved at them, "Good luck you guys!", she said, "See you in the final round!"
"Good luck?", Ciaran asked, stopping in his tracks. He let out cold chuckle, "No one is going to stop Team ARCG from making it into the finals. Luck isn't necessary."
This left Ruby, Remus, Penny and even Avaro a little stunned at the cold tone in his voice, but followed his leader.
"I'll talk to you more soon, Ruby, Remus.", Penny said, the two Atlesians leave, but Penny turns to give a wave of farewell.
"Did something seem off about Ciaran?" Ruby said, looking after their friends.
"... Maybe Avaro rubbed off on him?", Remus said, a bit unsure.
The two members of ARCG were standing in the middle of the field, Avaro readying his gauntlets and boots, but to his surprise, Ciaran hadn't taken his Fusion Blade with him. Instead he was holding the katana he was gifted from Cinder.
Before he could voice his thoughts on the matter, a rainbow zooms past the two, coming to a stop opposite them, revealing a pigtailed Faunus girl with roller blades and a cat tail swishing around her weapon next to a young man wearing a fedora and sunglasses, holding a trumpet in one hand.
"Well that's a surprise.", Ciaran said, an unsettling hunger in his red eyes.
"Hey!", the male with the trumpet said, "Your Avaro Drayce, right? The CEO?"
"What if I am?", Avaro said.
"Your company crushed my mother's dream.", the young man said.
"That doesn't tell me much.", Avaro said dryly, "As the president of a major corporation, I have to do that every day."
"Do that every day!", the Faunus said, in imitation of Avaro, "That's what you sound like!"
She then turned to Ciaran, who had remained quite the entire time. "I thought you were quite the chatterbox, but it must be nerves.", she said, as she starts spinning in place, "You should try rollerblading sometime! It's super fun! It'd probably take you a while, though."
Ciaran didn't say anything as the holographic roulette begins. Both teams prepare themselves for battle as the field opens around the four combatants, and up rises the volcanic area, sandy desert, steaming geysers, and ruined buildings.
Right as it starts, Flynt raises the instrument to his lips and blows, issuing forth a sound wave that blows both Ciaran and Avaro back from the force.
Avaro slams his fist into the ground, stopping him from sliding back, "I'll take him.", he said but Ciaran had already Blinked away intercepting a spinning attack from Neon, sending her into the city portion.
In the ruined city, Ciaran Blinks into it, switching to Avaro's Semblance, he began to shoot black bullets at Neon, who manages to roll ahead of every blast, skating on the railings and making faces at an a blank Ciaran.
She continues to flip and slide over any terrain in her way, all the while repeating a mantra to herself. "Never miss a beat! Never miss a beat! Never miss a beat! Never miss a beat!"
She eventually comes down to the ground and charges at Ciaran, becoming a rainbow blue while hitting the white haired multiple times.
Ciaran growls, as Neon smirks and cracks her glow sticks, turning them blue. She comes forward again, dashing past Ciaran before she even realizes the sheeting pain in her leg, making her crash into the ground.
"Seems your bottom-heavy, but I am more of a top-heavy guy.", Ciaran said, his hand folded behind his back as if imitating a gun, he disappears into a streak of black, striking Neon multiple times, sending her into a wall, cracking it behind her, "Thanks for the power-up."
Flynt stops blowing as Avaro charges forward, a second passing until the musician starts playing again. This time, Avaro blast him with a white sphere, allowing him to get close enough to kick him off his higher ground.
"Too bad all that money can't buy you skill.", Flynt said, getting back up as he twirls his trumpet.
Avaro propels himself forward, but nothing prepares him for a second Flynt appearing next to the first, and then another, and another after that, each color-coordinated musician joining their waves of noise together to send Avaro flying back.
"It appears young Flynt has just activated his Semblance!", Oobleck announced, "And quite a remarkable one at that. Ladies and gentlemen, feast your eyes on Flynt Coal's Killer Quartet!"
The Flynt's flip their hats around to the audience, then look up at the scoreboard to see to his shock that Neon was just defeated by way of her aura being drained. He steps forward, absorbing each of his duplicates as he prepares to finish this, but a black beam impales Flynth's chest.
He could just turn around to see a laughing Ciaran began to bombard him with several more piercing black beams, Flynt's aura was dropping rapidly on the scoreboard.
Ciaran kept spamming the attack, he might have continued to attack if it hadn't been for Avaro grabbing his arm to make him snap out of whatever had gotten over him.
"What? I thought you would approve of such brutal tactics!", Ciaran said as Team ARCG was declared the winner, as medical robots quickly went over to Flynt and where Neon was.
"There is a difference between brutal tactics and torture.", Avaro told him as the entire audience in the dome was silent at the brutal display.
Later on that evening in a certain Beacon dorm room, Cinder is sitting on her bed looking through files on her Scroll. Emerald is lying on the floor also playing with her own device, and Mercury is doing push-ups beside her.
Cinder eyes widening in surprise, followed by a smile, as she access a document regarding the blueprints of 'P.E.N.N.Y.'.
She was about to press a button, when she received mail on her device, she opened it and smiled at it's contents, "We're going to be making a slight, alternation in the plan.", she said.
"What does that mean?", Mercury asked as he and Emerald share a somewhat concerned look.
"It means that this will be even easier than we thought.", Cinder said, returning to the replay of Team ARCG's previous match, "Nothing will stand in our way once he returns to power."
Within the headmaster's office at twilight, Professor Ozpin is facing the window, his back to the elevators when the doors open and Qrow steps inside, approaching his desk.
"What do you think your doing?", Qrow said, "Letting someone like him run lose."
"Trying to do right by an old friend.", Ozpin said.
"Well your trying to do right by that friend nearly cost two students their lives!", Qrow said, slamming his hands on the desk.
"Is this really concern for the students.", Ozpin spoke, "OR because of his closeness with your nieces and nephew?"
Qrow flinch a bit, but recovered quickly, not giving an answer to the headmaster's question, "...I hope you have chosen your guardian yet?"
At this Ozpin swirling his chair around to face Qrow, "Maidens choose themselves. I simply believe I've found the right candidate. Ever since the day I met her, I had the feeling she would be the one. She's strong, intelligent, caring... but most importantly, she's ready."
And that's a wrap, hope you enjoyed. Many thanks to everyone who reads, reviews, favorite or follows this story, you beautiful bastards!
For now I wish you all a fantastic day and I hope to see you ladies and gent's next time.