A/N: Hi all, CC back again from a small break I took after publishing the last chapter… It was kinda upsetting to have to kill Kruger, a character I'd developed myself from scratch and to have seen your reactions in the reviews and PMs I'd received afterwards to see that you guys and girls as well had grown fond of him, I hope I did him justice in the way he went out.
I had a question asked about the OC's people were submitting to me for the tournament: I'll be using as many as I can in the events leading up to, during and after the Vytal tournament.
In case someone asks this question: about the seasons, from what I can see, Vale is In Remnant's southern hemisphere and so the seasons are in reverse. I.e. summer takes place at the beginning 2 and final 1 month of the year and winter takes place in the middle like it is in Australia.
A little side note, the Tyranniss Grimm was actually suggested to me by t0xicd0g so credit to him for that but I forgot to mention that in the last chapter. –CC Signing on.
Chapter 42: It never gets easier. Thursday Week 8, Simon's PoV:
It had been an extremely quiet week, Id ended up not leaving Beacon over the weekend, choosing to instead stay back and catch up on the pile of homework I'd missed out on being unconscious and in the infirmary while the rest of my team disappeared into Vale, even Weiss and Velvet had gone into the city leaving me alone for the first time in a long time which I put to good use by spending copious amounts of time on the phone to the snipers, catching up with the still bedridden but awake Kale and the freshly sober Shauno when I wasn't writing out essays. As much as I'd enjoyed the quiet and the peace from being infuriated by Teal and Nyanza I'd been glad when my team got back on Sunday night apparently having stayed in Vale all weekend instead of returning each night. The first four days of the school week had passed similarly uneventfully, everyone had been too busy gearing up for a fieldtrip into the forever fall in a week's time to be mucking about.
I'd been quite persistent on running team training drills and trust exercises each day, of course nothing too strenuous as I was certain that if I pushed myself too hard that Peach, the Head Hunter (Not the professor at Beacon, who was mostly harmless) would appear out of nowhere with a scalpel to remove my manhood… It was a legitimate fear I now had, one of a growing number that I had.
Classes for the day had just finished and I was exiting a class with Professor Peach I walked down the halls of Beacon. Catching sight of Cardin, CRDL and Jaune (who was carrying a massive pile of books and several bags) walking in front of me, the CRDL leader shoved a Faunus boy out of his way, knocking the boy over and sending his stuff all over the hall. 'Oh Cardin….. You're going to regret that one.' I thought evilly to myself as I stormed up behind Cardin and slammed him face first into the wall, turning him around and jamming my forearm into his throat to choke him.
"Didn't I warn you about hurting the Faunus students Cardin?" I snarled in a low, vicious tone.
Cardin looked dazed but as he caught sight of who had assaulted him the colour from his face drained and he looked pale as an Atlesian ghost. "Si-" was all he could manage before I pushed my arm harder into his throat, cutting off his ability to speak.
"Shut up, another word and I make good on my threat." I snarled lowly as Cardin only nodded in response.
"Good, now when I let go, you're going to walk over to that boy you pushed. Then you're going to offer him a hand up and apologise to him. And then you're going to be a good human and pick all his books and stuff up and carry them to wherever he wants them taken to, I'll be watching so you do anything untoward then I'll be ready to take two fingers off you." I whispered, ignoring the semi-large crowd that had gathered. Cardin nodded, his face beginning to go blue.
I stepped back, letting him fall face first onto the ground gagging for breath. Deciding he wasn't moving fast enough I got right up in his face much like Sanderson used to when myself or the other members of Rum Squad acted up. "Snap to you scum! I've seen slugs move faster than you." I barked at the now terrified Cardin, his team not game to try and jump me, I may have mellowed out a lot lately but I still put fear into Team CRDL at least if no one else. Cardin scrambled up off the ground and over to the boy he'd shoved over who'd already gotten up and was watching the display with a large amount of amusement simply rejected Cardin's apology and dumped his textbooks in the bully-turned-servant's hands and walked off, beckoning Cardin to follow.
I heard Jaune sniggering as he followed behind Russell. Dove turned to Jaune looking quite angry "Don't worry Jauney-boy, we're doing some boxing training later and I think you merit an invitation." Came the threat of a certain beating once Cardin's humiliation was complete.
"Oh Man." Jaune sighed sadly, looking to me, pleading for me to save him to.
I kinda felt guilty for causing Jaune to get his ass kicked like he was about to but I decided now was a time for some fun. So walking up to Jaune I placed a hand on his shoulder and gave him an encouraging look
"Just cop it on the chin and then smile straight back at whichever one hit you, it shows you won't back away from insurmountable odds even if it means pain…. Women, especially Weiss, love a man that can get beaten and then get right back up smiling. It show's you're capable of protecting yourself and them if need be." I said encouragingly even though my advice was total bullshit, Jaune just nodded, now with a very determined look about him turned to follow CRDL, giving me a thumbs up as he went, I returned the thumbs up, trying so hard to not just start laughing that Jaune had believed me.
As soon as the Faunus, Jaune and CRDL were gone I just collapsed against the nearest wall, laughing my guts out at the thought that Jaune now thinks that getting the crap kicked out of him will help him get with Snow Angel as he called Weiss. 'Oh my…. How fucking dumb can a guy be!' I thought as my eyes began tearing up from how much I was laughing.
"You know Weiss will probably kill you if she finds out you're encouraging him." I heard a distinct voice, looking up I saw an amused looking Yang with a not-so-impressed Blake standing in front of me.
"She can try…. But I can get away with these things, because well, it's me and she'd miss me if I died." I replied, my laughter suddenly gone with the colour from my face at seeing Blake.
"Ice queen missing someone? Hey Blake, reckon we should kill Simon to test this theory?" Yang said as just a joke, but my face just drained of all colour as Blake looked like she was genuinely thinking of agreeing with her partner. But I allowed my heart to start beating again when her reply did come.
"Maybe next time Yang, I think he deserves a respite from pain after the way he handled that bully, Cardin, even if he did feed Jaune to the wolves for the sake of a joke." Blake replied, trying her best to scold both Yang and I for having fun out of Jaune's misfortune.
"You're no fun Blakey, I'm sure Jaune will be fine…. If he isn't then you can kiss him better." Yang teased, much to the annoyance of the incognito Faunus.
"You go on ahead, I'll catch up in a moment." Blake said flatly, dismissing her partner not giving the blonde brawler a chance to make any more puns or jokes. Yang just shrugged, looking kinda annoyed now but nonetheless she walked off towards the dorms.
I was now on guard, Blake had mostly avoided me since our incident in the sparing arena where I'd ended up hospitalising her. I stood up and dusted myself off "Yes Blake?" I asked coolly, wandering what she had to talk to me about.
"I saw what you did…. I didn't know you were that protective of the Faunus? I'm sure that display means a lot to all Faunus to see not all humans are like Cardin." Blake asked curiously, her facial expression one of curiosity and slight confusion.
The look on Blake's face was priceless, She thought she was just conveying the appreciation of the Faunus while hiding the fact she was a Faunus and she thought I was just as clueless as to what she was as everyone else, but I knew better and I was honestly pretty damned surprised that Blake was actually commenting on the scene that had unfolded.
"But I'm also sure that most Faunus would also prefer violence to be avoided, they've suffered enough from violence that they themselves caused…. They don't need to suffer the consequences of violence done on their behalf. Violence, even in response to violence only breeds more violence." Blake rebuked almost instantly, causing me to raise an eyebrow.
"Sometimes the only answer is violence, especially in response to violence, besides I still got serious beef with Cardin." I responded, ignoring the rebuke from the incognito Faunus.
Blake just rolled her eyes before walking off without another word, deciding my stubbornness wasn't worth arguing with. I studied her as she walked away, I could see or feel no vicious or malicious intent from the orphan girl towards me and that just confused the hell out of me. 'If she doesn't know who I' am and what I've done, then how did she come to somehow end up at the same school at the same time as me….. This can't just be a coincide-' and then a theory popped into my head 'Ozpin!' I didn't know what the Headmaster was playing at with this or even if Ozpin knew about the history that tied myself to Blake, the history which was my deepest, darkest secret kept even from my closest friend and confidant, Weiss Schnee.
Pushing those thoughts of my past out of my head I looked to the now distant form of Blake, slight pity replacing the suspicion I'd previously held. 'Soon' I mentally commented, promising myself to come clean within the next few weeks, I just had to work out how…. Maybe the same way I had with Weiss, leaving my journal in her bed, I immediately quashed that option, this time I wasn't taking the coward's way out, this time I was going to confront it myself face-to-face. I felt a tap on my shoulder, snapping out of my trance and straight into combat mode I spun on my heels, ready to land a chop to the person's neck…. Only to catch myself as I saw Weiss behind me.
"You realise you're standing in the middle of the hallway with the most absentminded expression I've ever seen…. And I live with that dolt Ruby!" Weiss chided, pinching her nose as I went flush and looked absolutely sheepish.
"Sorry, just zoned out thinking about something." I replied, hoping Weiss would drop the subject.
Weiss looked at me, subtle concern showing on her face "Well whatever it is, I'll meet you on the roof tonight to discuss it, I'm ahead on all my assignments and homework so I got time if you want to get whatever it is off your chest."
I smiled at my friend "What, not able to talk here? Too afraid your icy reputation would suffer, Snowflake?" I joked teasingly.
Weiss raised an eyebrow and scowled at me "Just because I choose not to put socialising or secret, life-threatening missions over the importance of my studies does not mean I have an icy reputation." Weiss shot back, simultaneously rejecting my argument and rebuking me over my clandestine activities.
"Hey!" Was all I could manage before I leaned in towards Weiss. "We'll talk about this tonight, now I gotta go make sure that my team hasn't trashed anything and you need to attend to your dolt." I said, pointing down the hall towards the blur of red coming our way.
I stepped back to avoid the incoming Ruby, watching as the blur all but knocked over Weiss and just kept going.
Weiss looked crestfallen "Someone's given her sugar by the looks of it. This is going to be such a long afternoon, I'll talk to you later Simon….. If Ruby doesn't drive me around the twist first." The heiress said forlornly as she followed the trail of rose petals left by the red reaper.
"What a bloody weird team" I muttered under my breath as I headed towards the SNST dorm to meet my own insane comrades and hopefully a few moments of peace to go over my thoughts of the day's events.
That Night, SNST dorms. Simon's PoV:
I'd taken SNST for a light run in the afternoon when it had cooled slightly, it was the beginning of Autumn so the weather was beginning to cool making it much more enjoyable for me, less so for my team who'd all sprinted back to the dorm to warm up when we'd finished just after SuNSeT. I opened up the dorm door having jogged and warmed down even after my team had bailed on me to find Teal studying what looked like our readings from Professor Port while Sienna and Nyanza were sitting on Sienna's bed playing cards.
"You guys suck…. When I get the chance I'm taking you all up to Atlas and we're going to go running through the highlands." I said sarcastically after slamming the dorm door shut.
"So long as we can bring Yang, I'm sure we will be fine. Just gotta piss her off and make her go nuclear, she'd melt the snow for miles while she calmed down." Nyanza laughed as he dealt a hand of what looked like poker.
"You should sit down and join us Simon, just teaching Sienna how to play Hold 'em." Nyanza added on as an afterthought.
I smirked, having plenty of good memories up in Atlas of card nights between missions with Rum Squad, Bourbon Squad and even Whiskey Squad before the last group became a bunch of backstabbing asses. "Maybe another time guys, we'll get some of your friends over Nyanza and I'll clean them all out of ever Lien they have." I joked, remembering the bitching from Lachlan and Sanderson when I won a big pile of their Lien one night, gambling had been one of the main ways we relaxed, the only way during the harsh winter nights.
"We'll see Simmo, not sure I trust you to play fairly…. Bet those Mercs you ran with taught you how to count cards and shit." Nyanza shot back as he laid down three cards for the flop and then threw some chips in, waiting to gauge Sienna's reaction.
"For the record….. I taught them how to cheat." I joked before flopping back onto my bed and plugging in some earphones to listen to Grimm Reckoning, a band that the snipers had recommended me listen to.
I must have dozed off because one moment I was listening to music and the next my eyes shot open as I felt my scroll vibrate on my chest, looking bleary eyed at the screen I saw the name Ty come up, I shot straight up and placing on shoes and a jacket quickly I stormed out the door, not saying a word to my now perplexed team. I walked quickly, forcefully and deliberately down the halls towards the roof, not even noticing as I stormed past Weiss as she exited her team's dorm. I nearly sprinted up the stairs and prepared to call Kruger back, but unusually I found that a voice message had been left. 'Odd, Ty never leaves messages on scrolls when I miss his calls.' I thought uneasily as I opened the message:
"Hello Simon, my name is Opal Kruger. I am-was Ty's wife of many years, including the years he was away fighting with the fist alongside you."
I paused the message and was instantly on guard and nervous when she said was as well as by the mournful, tearful tone she spoke in. preparing myself for the worst I pressed play again
"I honestly don't know how to say it given I don't even know how to comprehend or believe it myself…Ty was killed in action this week while on operations in Vacuo's deep desert under circumstances that are classified on some stupid mission that he'd become fixated with and sacrificed his peaceful retirement for, it is what he always did."
I nearly cracked my scroll with the force that I hit the stop button, my world was coming tumbling down once more. A man I'd have followed down into the deepest pits of hell for without question or hesitation, a man whom I admired and had based a lot of myself upon, a man who'd partially filled the void my parents had left was now gone…. I saw there was still more to the message and pressed play, despite not really wanting to hear what came next.
"I know you looked up to him as not just your commanding officer but as a father figure and I know he considered you family as he did every soldier he ever commanded. I thought you deserved to hear this sooner rather than months down the track. I don't know why he needed to put a uniform back on, you probably know better than I what he was up to out here as he always kept me in the dark but if you do know anything then please finish what my Ty started and make sure his death wasn't in vain and those who took my husband, my life and joy away from me do not get away with it. Yours sincerely, Opal Kruger."
The message ended, I could only imagine what that woman was going through…. She and Ty had been married for longer than I'd been alive at least. My mind swam with too many overwhelming emotions, namely disgust at myself: I'd been sitting idle in Beacon, playing pretend huntsman while the Snipers, Gregory and Ty had all been out there fighting the forces that would see Remnant crumble. In a fit of rage and self-loathing I went to toss my scroll over the ledge of the building only for my arm to be snared in an immobilizing glyph.
"How much of that did you hear Snowflake?" I asked, my voice cracking as grief washed over me.
"All of it, you never mentioned names of your squad mates in your journal… I'm guessing Ty was a close friend?" Weiss said, stepping out of the shadows and moving next to me as she released my arm from the glyph.
"Ty was my captain….. He was working out in Vacuo on something and he got himself fucking killed. He was more than my captain, more than my friend… he filled the void left by my parent's deaths and now that hole has been gouged right back open!" I whimpered quietly, tears starting to fall as I sat down to steady myself. "He should never have been there… he never could admit that the battlefield is no place for people of his age!" I cried softly, aware that voices carry in the cool night air.
Weiss stood behind me, giving me a moment of space to vent my emotions before sitting next to me, pulling my head into her shoulder, letting me sob knowing I had a friend who wouldn't judge me for letting my emotional armour crack to reveal the still broken child underneath the façade of a leader, a soldier.
"You'd think I'd be used to loss by now…. Death and loss of comrades has been a part of my life for years now, I've lost almost everyone I've ever known before I came into your service, only about half a dozen people from that life are still alive, it never gets any easier to hear that another survivor of the Fist that I knew is gone. Despite what we've done those who did get out deserve a second chance like I got and it hurts deeply when they don't get it" I whispered, my breath hitching as I tried to rein in the tears and get myself back under control.
I could tell Weiss was thinking, she obviously wasn't too used to having to comfort a grieving friend, she had no idea what to say. Instead she simply sat there, rubbing my shoulder as I eventually managed to bring myself back under control.
"Thanks Weiss, thi-this means a lot to have you here." I said as I wiped my eyes on my sleeve.
"It's ok Simon, I've always got your back. You were there for me during my struggle with my father, helping me get the opportunity to get to Beacon. I know I was going to grill you over how you got hurt, but I think I'll give you time to grieve for your captain, just promise me not to do anything stupid to honour or avenge him? I don't want to see you get hurt again…. I've seen you hospitalised enough already." Weiss responded caringly, a serious rebuke given in a playful tone at the end that managed to make me smile ever so weakly.
"For an Ice-Queen, you have got quite a warm heart." I joked as I turned to my friend who rolled her eyes at me.
"Thanks Simon, anyway I'm going to let you have some time to yourself, I imagine you got calls to make… but if you feel like it's overwhelming you, just come and knock on RWBY's door….. I'm normally there outside of class.
"What, don't you have a scroll for me to shoot a text?" I replied, confused why I'd need to go to their dorm.
"I do but I keep it switched off, allows me to more easily ignore calls from father." Weiss replied somewhat guiltily.
I nodded and took my scroll out, twirling it in my hands "Thanks for being here Weiss, but mind giving me a little privacy…. I got a call or two to make. I'll see you tomorrow Snowflake." I farewelled Weiss with a hug as she stood and left to return to her dorm.
I sat there staring at my scroll for a few moments, entirely unsure of even how to break the news to the snipers, I didn't know how they'd react…. Given their habit of just covering real emotions with jokes and perverted comments when confronted with situations they can't handle. I sighed and punched up their frequency and waited for them to pick up.
"Hello, Simon what's up?" I heard a tired Shauno answer, obviously having been woken up by my call.
"Hey Shauno, mind putting me on speaker? I got big news and I think Kale needs to hear it." I asked politely, trying my hardest to hide the sorrow in my voice.
"Ummm ok, just let me wake him up dude, give me a moment." Shaun answered, on edge having detected something odd in my tone.
I waited for a minute or two until Shauno came back to the scroll.
"Ok mate, Kale's up and listening. What's this big news?" Shaun asked puzzled about why I was calling.
"I bet he finally got laid." I heard Kale laughing in the background, his voice slurred from drugs that the doctors gave him.
"Ha! Nice one Kale…. Who was she Simon?" Shauno asked, still puzzled but now with humour in his tone.
I knew they were doing this to steady themselves for whatever I was about to hit them with, so I decided to play along to help soften the blow. "Heh, funny you two…. No I haven't gotten laid, but I do have a girlfriend now." I answered, a humour in my voice that I didn't think I could exhibit at a time like this but I was trying to steel my friends for the news.
"Wait, what?! You aren't just shitting with us Simon?" I heard Kale in the background, almost choking.
"Yeah, I do guys... but that isn't why I called, I got news from Vacuo, from Kruger." I replied, my tone going dead serious.
"Ty? What's he need? If he needs help over in Vacuo we'll book the next available airship to follow him to hell and back." Kale replied almost instantly, if you could inspire this type of loyalty in people like the snipers, then you've certainly could get anyone to follow you.
"He was on a mission, I don't know much, and he kept most of it secret, though I think that Sanderson might know more. But the message was actually from his wife, Opal. Ty was killed in Action earlier this week, killed on a raid in Vacuo's deep desert, the details are classified so Opal had very little information for me." I broke the news in a mechanical monotone, trying to not let myself break again. I heard dead silence on the other end.
"Simon you can't be serious? We've seen Ty face down mechs, hunters, Faunus and Grimm with not but a rifle and blade. That badass is invincible!" Shauno whimpered, his tone one of utter disbelief, Kale was still silent.
"I'm sorry Shaun, but it's true: Someone finally brought down the God of War himself, but at least he died in battle, doing what he'd sworn his life to do… I don't think dying of old age was ever something he had an intention of doing, it would have been an undignified end to such a dignified officer." I explained to the distraught sniper.
"Simon's right, we all knew Ty had an obsession with the battlefield and protecting his troopers…. I put my money on he sacrificed himself to give younger soldiers a chance to escape, I don't know how many times he lectured us on how 30 should be the minimum age for enlistment." I finally heard Kale speak up, his tone subdued and sombre.
"I personally think you're right Kale…. Next time I head to Vale unsupervised I'll grab a bottle of that Atlesian scotch he always liked and we'll drink a toast to a great man. Now I gotta go, gotta make sure my team has not destroyed our room and try to get some rest to collect my thoughts." I answered the older sniper.
"Ok you take care Simon, and I damn well mean it! I think our ever shrinking group of Rum Runners has had enough losses, there's only four of us left." Shauno responded commandingly.
"Also, try to get in contact with Sanderson when possible, make sure he's ok. He's known Kruger for nearly as many years as you've been alive, this news is going to hit him hard." Kale added on before their line clicked off, the three of us each left to our thoughts and memories of our captain.
I pocketed my scroll before simply staring out into the night sky, enjoying the cooling breeze 'It's spring time in Atlas, perfect time for you to finally go home and be at peace Ty'
A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long, I've had it done for a while now…. Just been travelling and have not had an internet connection for my laptop in a while, the next chapter is well underway and will be uploaded hopefully within the next week. Once more, thanks for being patient with my slow uploads and I hope you all enjoy this chapter. –CC Signing off.
