Opening notes: Oh dear..I kind of need an explanation for why this chapter was delayed by so much. Well, in essence, I kind of..forgot about the story for a while. I know, that's not a very easy answer to swallow, but bear with me a bit.

Something about Volume 4 made me lose interest in the RWBY series. I still like my personal head-canon of the characters and I even like some of the characters that were introduced later like Ilia, but I just wasn't feeling it. Character powers changing how they work (Ruby's speed that happens to leave flower petals behind shifting to turning into incorporeal flower petals), characterizations feeling off-kilter for some reason (it almost felt like Weiss was meeting her own father and little brother for the first time considering how easily she was disowned..and if it was that easy for that to happen than why hadn't she been disowned for, I don't know, daring to be more than daddy's little songbird and going to Beacon or not bothering to pick up the phone when he calls, and on a related note why did Blake run away from home and never contacted them until volume 4 if she's got the most loving, completely perfect family of the entire cast?!), certain events had less weight than they should have (I feel like the show spent more time with the bullying plot in volume 1 than it did with Ren seeking vengeance against the Nuckulavee..great character moment, but it felt like they resolved it way too quickly, and did we really need an upskirt joke in the middle of a major battle), the regression of several villains to the point I can't take them seriously (White Fang was angled to be something similar to the Brotherhood from X-Men, with several good points and being just sympathetic enough while still crossing the line. I was willing to take Adam having an obsession with Blake, but turning him into a Hitler wannabe? And killing off the previous leader of the Fang so easily? Then having members of the Fang considering killing Adam mere days after helping him become in charge? And that's not even taking into account how Cinder went from being the single greatest threat in the show and eliminating an entire city, resulting in the deaths of two named characters we'd all grown attached to, magnificently manipulative and likely angling to do something like crown herself queen or something to that effect to..being just another lacky to some "greater evil" who got severely injured due to a deus ex machina in our hero's eyes and not showing any of her previous cunning at all post volume 3) then add in the fact that I've grown to outright hate when stories throw in a Chosen One bullshit (Ruby and her silver eyes..I know it was hinted at in the very first episode, but that doesn't mean it didn't annoy me, and considering Ruby hasn't been trying to learn how to use those things it feels like she isn't a fan of them either) and after all that..I haven't really felt all that inspired to write. I've just occasionally watched some episodes and hoped that the writers could do something to make me feel interested in current events again. They have not. At best I enjoy RWBY Chibi because it feels they're better with short character skits.

Don't get me wrong, I like the characters, I like the universe they were put in. It's just hard to push yourself to write fanfiction for a universe where you disagree with so many of the canon decisions. Still, it was unfair to the various people who enjoyed this fic so far that I just dropped it the way I did.

Oddly enough, it was when I was playing a game called The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel that I felt inspired to continue this story. I'd suggest trying it out, it and its sequel are on Steam right now. Larger threat on the horizon and a bunch of schoolkids deal with it, growing closer together despite their differences. That is 'exactly' what I was expecting from RWBY.

So here I am..getting back into a story that's been sitting on my computer for over two years. Again, really sorry I let it sit like this for so long. After posting this chapter, I'll spend some time editing the previous chapters before making any more progress, but that shouldn't slow me down as much as my loss of faith in the main series' writing..


Chapter 28

As the area near the bog was finally cleared, with any remaining enemies either running or dead, War Pig's radio man sounded kind of sheepish as the tank advanced forward, crushing a car in its path. "Uh, Bravo Six, possible ambush area up front. We'll, uh, move up when you've cleared the area ahead of us, over."

Jackson might have chuckled at the tone of voice if he wasn't trying to think of a good position to take cover in the next street. Anywhere on the actual road probably wasn't a good idea. He'd rather avoid getting run over by the tank when it decided to start moving.

[Ruby: Okay..I don't really see any great place to set up for those guys that got us last time.

Blake: Where you were before was just fine. The only problem was you ran out of ammo at the absolute worst moment.

Ruby:..I think the problem was that I didn't see them until we had to reload. But it just doesn't look like there's anywhere with decent visibility and cover.

Yang: Hey, work with what you've got, not what you wish you had.]

It was hard to count just how many people were in the street, mostly because Jackson was trying to cut down every enemy the instant he saw them. Thankfully they were mostly sticking to a pair of buildings down the street.

The lieutenant yelled one extra bit of advice while the squad spread out and took defensive positions around War Pig. "Watch for silhouettes on the rooftops!"

[Ruby: Oh trust me, I'll be paying very close attention. Not going to get me with the same trick twice.

Weiss: I trust you'll just get caught with something new.

Blake almost chuckled at that until she saw Ruby seem to tense up for a second before visibly forcing herself to calm down. Something about that reaction to a comment like that made the image of Ruby wearing a certain white mask flash through her head.]

When the tank stopped pushing forward, Jackson kept it on his right side while taking cover behind a yellow car. Sure, that might make it difficult for him to shoot anyone on some of those rooftops, but at the same time he didn't have to worry about being exposed in that direction.

And even better, the tank wasn't just going to passively wait for the infantry to clear the way. It was spraying machine-gun fire into the mix, and warned over the radio, "Marines, stand clear! We're gonna get some rounds into those buildings! Gunner, two story building at one o'clock! Second floor!"

Jackson had maybe two seconds to wonder if he was in any danger considering how close he was to the tank's gun. While he wasn't in its direct path, his ear was still uncomfortably close to the muzzle. "Target acquired."

Before he could think to do anything though, the first shot rang out as the tank commander yelled "Fire!"

It was at this point that Jackson's hearing shut itself off, replaced with a soft buzzing, and to make matters worse, he lost his balance just from the shockwave of the shell. He couldn't aim his gun straight, could barely kneel straight..

[Blake: Yikes, that's some definite ear damage. Probably going to have some permanent effects on Jackson's life, especially since he doesn't have aura.

Yang: Oh come on, it's not like he was directly under it when it went off!

Blake: Tell that to his ear drums if they ever stop buzzing.]

It's extremely awkward to be in the middle of a gunfight when you've lost all sense of balance. Jackson tried to stay on his feet and keep contributing fire towards the seemingly endless number of enemies coming down the street. He even managed to take down a guy on a rooftop who was about to send an RPG at the tank before finally recovering. Unfortunately, the first words he heard were "target acquired" again, and he was still pretty close to the tank.

[Ruby: Uh oh.]

He didn't have time to move before the next shell launched into the other building, didn't even have time to think about moving before he was off balance once again. As if the universe wanted to drive home the fact that this wasn't a great place to take cover anymore, the car in front of him had a very noticeable fire as well.

[Yang: Well, when it rains it pours.

Ruby: Did it have to pour fire?!]

Somehow he had enough coordination to reload while he shakily stood up and ran away from the soon to explode car. Maybe it was the fact that he'd reloaded an M4A2 rifle so many times that his muscles didn't need nearly as much help from his brain as aiming. Of course if that was the case than why was he having trouble jogging in a straight line?

The stumbling way he was moving proved to be a lifesaver as a spray of bullets from above rained onto the ground just in front of him. His equilibrium returned pretty fast at that point, and he turned to face the rooftop, cutting down one, two, three enemies who were doing a good job of flanking the entire squad.

[Ruby: Ha! I was worried for a moment.

Weiss: Oh? I thought you said you couldn't be caught by the same trick twice.

Ruby: It's not like I was expecting this game to put that much thought into someone taking inner-ear damage from a cannon firing next to him!

Weiss: True, you'd think that soldiers like this would wear some kind of ear protection on a battlefield.

Blake: Stand close enough to a big enough gun and it doesn't matter if you've got ear protection. It'll still leave you reeling.]

Turning back towards the buildings that the enemy were swarming over, Jackson noticed what seemed like a pair of shadows in the distance, saw a streak of smoke come from one of them as one turned out to have an RPG. The guy was hilariously inaccurate from that distance, hitting a building behind the tank about a floor and a half up. He didn't get a chance for another shot as Jackson shot both him and the other vague shape in the distance.

Slowly but surely the squad kept pushing forward, giving the tank enough confidence to advance down the street as well. While it was impossible to tell just how many of their own were dying in the chaos, it almost felt like hundreds of the enemy were dropping in their wake. Though it certainly didn't help that enemy after enemy fell in the same spots, making it impossible to tell if the masked man poking their head over cover was the same guy getting back up after being hit or someone fresh. It felt like an eternity before Jackson felt enough confidence to push from a broken piece of wall to the two story building on the left side of the street.

It was impossible to say what that store used to sell, the grey stone was covered in nothing but bullet holes, blood stains, and scorch marks. The black and white chessboard tiles on the ground covered in bodies and stained crimson was hard to look at, but Jackson felt he had to pay just enough attention so he didn't lose his footing on top of spent shell casings or trip over a corpse.

[Weiss wasn't sure if she should be amazed that whoever was in charge of visuals in this game decided to put so much attention to detail, or disturbed that supposedly peace loving civilians were grabbing this kind of entertainment. "You know, somehow I wasn't expecting this game would go out of its way to show how grueling war could be."

Ruby:..well, not completely out of its way. I just can't really..not look. Sure, I've read plenty of stories where the good guys fight against bad people, some of them even have the main villain die at the end, but..yeah. Part of why I was uncomfortable with this idea when I first heard about it.

Yang: We could always stop if it's feeling too brutal for you.

Ruby didn't answer. Just took a moment to make her character lay prone while she quickly scratched an itch on her back and then got back into the action.]

"Enemy personnel, up on the second floor!"

The building across the street was still swarming with the enemy, one managing to land a few hits on Jackson the instant he poked his head out of cover. Getting back into cover and flipping to the grenade launcher on his gun, Jackson took a shot. The grenade landed on the side of the building, probably not hurting the man he was aiming for, but it certainly convinced the bastard to take cover and Jackson used the opportunity to sprint over to the other building.

Up the stairs, he almost didn't notice the door in front of him shut. Out of sheer reflex he opened fire near the doorknob and it was with an almost sense of relief as he watched an enemy drop from the now open door.

[Blake: Was a little worried that was just a random civilian trying to hide from the battle.

Weiss: Oh please, as if anyone would be crazy enough to stay overnight in a place so close to a battle.

Blake: For one thing this is a city and most people like to stay near their home regardless of how hellish it might become. Second, considering how vicious these guys seemed in an earlier scene, I get the feeling they'd probably treat anyone who tried to escape as traitors.]

Still, relief isn't something you should be consumed by on an active battlefield. Especially when people are still shooting guns in the same building you're in. So as another enemy stepped into view, he took three bullets to the gut for his trouble. Turning to the door on the left, the man who'd nearly killed him was still shooting at the marines just outside. After Jackson shot him, the poor bastard almost made a motion as if he was flipping as he fell out the hole.

Stepping into the room just to be sure it was clear, Jackson couldn't help wondering how the rest of the building was torn up but the tube television was in perfect condition. That momentary distraction was enough for a man to burst out of the closet next to him gun blazing.

[Ruby: WHAT?!]

There was very little time to react. Just open fire and run back out of the room. Jackson missed every shot, emptying his gun, and without thinking he crouched at the corner of the door..

[Yang saw where this was going, the laugh in her throat an instant before it happened. Weiss saw where this was going, a smirk growing on her face. Blake saw where this was going, hand already moving to slap her own forehead. Really the only one who didn't see it coming was Ruby, the person about to do it.]

..and the instant the enemy turned the corner, Jackson shoved his combat knife right into the bastard's crotch.

[Yang let out a gut bursting laugh before the character on screen hit the ground. By the time the video game corpse hit the simulated floor and Ruby paused, Weiss's poorly restrained laughter sounded like a pig being strangled, and Blake gave a quick snort before giving an annoyed Ruby an apologetic glance. "Sorry, but..really? What is with the groin gouging reflex there?"

Ruby: I don't know! It's just..happening!

Weiss: I would have bought that if it happened just twice. But how it's too much of a trend.

Yang: Sis if it's because you don't like guys just say so! I won't judge.

Weiss: I would.

Something about that felt way too inviting for Ruby, so she took the opening after a quick groan. "Of course you would, you were probably born with a judge's gavel in your hand."

Now that got Blake to burst out laughing. The combination of not expecting that response and Weiss's sputtering was the most fun she'd had in a long time.]


Closing Notes: Hope this was fun and I certainly hope I make the next chapter in a reasonable amount of time. First am going to do some edits across the whole story just to help put myself back in the flow of it after a several year absence.