A/N: Eh, close enough to 'Next Week'. For those that have missed it, I've updated the first chapter to have a smoother transition of Six's description and introduction.
Progress is now the speed of a dying snail: This little gap before Canon is difficult to write around in the fact that I don't own "After The Fall"; and that I have no idea what goes down in it other than CVFY just having their first year(I genuinely have no clue what happens during it).
Truth is, I'll probably just have to wing it and toss all concept of Canon out the window for now.
Oh fuck, Ruby and Weiss' fighting styles are going to change because of their back-up weapons now.
Stay tuned as I continue to dig my grave ever deeper in this story!
Remnant, Vale, Sanus
August 20, 2553
0900 Hours
Sierra Beta-312
The UH-144 Falcon thudded onto the ground as the rotors slowed.
Stepping out, I was greeted by Ozpin and his assistant, the Purple Blonde Witch.
"This is awkward." I said, unsummoning the Falcon and standing there in my Mjolnir.
"Glynda, I suppose you were not quite informed of Markus here. He has a knack for making a terrible first impression; apparently."
"I do not contest that."
"Ozpin, this man literally killed multiple people and has injured the both of us." Glynda growled.
"That was another time?" I suggested.
"Glynda; other, more pressing matters at hand have emerged, and Markus here is at the center of the solution. He is more than willing to try to make it up to you, if you let him." Ozpin said evenly, sipping from his mug.
"How is it enough to ignore the fact that he has killed people?!"
"Sometimes you need to get your hands dirty; what can I say?" Shrugging, I held my hands behind my back. If she tried to strike, I could grab the baton and fight back.
"That is not an acceptable answer! See Ozpin, this is why we need to-"
"Actually, he is being kept in because he is very central to future events." Ozpin cut Glynda off.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Ozpin." Glynda spat, before walking off.
"Now, Six. Welcome to Beacon Academy. I hope you enjoy your tenure here." We walked into the Academy itself.
"I get it. The machine's already installed?"
"Indeed. Shall we? The mechanics might not have installed it right." Ozpin gestured towards the elevator.
Stepping in, the elevator descended. When the doors opened, the room was dimly lit, with only a few torches on pillars to light the way.
"Now, come. Amber is currently being held in a less advanced life support machine."
Eventually the room came to a stop and the machine appeared, two Cryotubes mounted on the wall. Amber was on a hospital bed, with several large machines surrounding her.
Looking over the mechanisms, everything seemed fine. "All systems green. She needs to take this; though." Passing along a canister of bronchial surfactant to Ozpin, I readied the syringe of cytoprethaline.
"Amber, you need to take this." Amber groaned weakly, before slowly drinking the slimy liquid.
"It'll taste bad, but it will keep you alive when we put you in cryo." The hatch slid open, and I set the syringe aside. "Ozpin, help Amber undress as much as can be decent. Going to want to avoid freezer burn if we can." They took off her gown, leaving only a bra and shorts on.
Grabbing the syringe, I injected it into Amber. "Load her in." Ozpin nodded, and gently placed her into the cryochamber.
I walked over to the console and sealed the hatch, with the cryostasis function kicking in once the Cryochamber was sealed. "And all systems look green; patient is stable." The glass screen on the Cryotube frosted up, with the glass slowly being covered in a thin fog.
"She's good. Just have to provide it with the power it needs."
"Wonderful. Let's discuss your position here at Beacon."
Remnant, Beacon Academy, Sanus
August 20, 2553
1600 Hours
Sierra Beta-312
The airship pulled up alongside the cliffside, and the students filed out.
I was sat on a bench, there to make sure every student made it to the orientation. The coffee cup in my hands was warm, and I watched as the students looked around to try and figure out where to go.
One came up to me. "Excuse me! Do you know where the orientation is for the first-years?"
"Yeah; should be over there." I gestured to the auditorium building, which was off to the right of the main campus.
"Thanks!" Sipping my coffee, I smiled as the other students milled about, confused.
A few got the hint and followed the student I had directed over, and soon the majority followed.
What a diverse selection of students. A fashionista, a Faunus in a jumpsuit, a hulking man almost as tall as a Jorge, and all sorts of varied people with different colors, heights, and clothing.
As the remaining students made their way over, I tossed the empty coffee cup into a trash bin and followed the group. I entered the auditorium, to find Ozpin and Glynda giving a speech to the students.
I made my way through the crowd to meet Ozpin.
"Ah, Markus. Come, you should meet the rest of the staff."
"So, what exactly is my job here?"
"You're going to be considered as a teacher's aide; probably either in the combat class, weapons crafting and upkeep, or military strategy."
"So I'm being assigned to only one class?"
"No; you're being distributed among two of them. Due to your...inexperience with Dust, you are being assigned to help in Professors Goodwitch and Port's classes."
"Wait, I'm being assigned to help the woman who has a grudge against me?!"
"Think of it as 'team-bonding' and 'forging workplace relations'."
"Fine; don't blame me if I retaliate when she inevitably attacks me."
"Please refrain from hospitalizing the other staff."
Remnant, Beacon Academy, Sanus
August 21, 2553
0750 Hours
Sierra Beta-312
Ozpin approached me as we awaited the students to arrive for their initiation.
"What is it Ozpin?"
"I would like to see if you can keep an eye on the students, to prevent them from dying. We like to let them try and handle themselves, but it really is unproductive for us to lose students in such a meaningless way."
"Got it. I can get a Hornet in the air for immediate air support. Just tell me where and the support can come on down."
"Understood. I take it you are capable enough to not require assistance?"
"I can fly them back here; since they've technically failed initiation."
"You may wish to prepare. The students will be here soon."
"I'll dust off in less than five." Summoning the Hornet, I gave it a lookover.
The aircraft itself looked like it had been through hell, but the previous physical damage must have been far worse than the aesthetic damage. Probably was shot down by Banshees.
I hopped into the cockpit, running through the diagnostics.
The screens lit up, the systems flickering as they adjusted to the upgrades.
"All systems green, dusting off." I said, more out of habit than for any real purpose. I mean, nobody could hear me on this encrypted frequency except other UNSC.
I would have heard about other UNSC on this planet. I had been monitoring comms. No Covenant chatter. Good thing; that meant this planet was hidden so far.
The Hornet rose into the air, as the students began filing out.
I know that Ozpin was going to launch those kids, so I should probably stay low and near the cliff to avoid hitting some kid.
Hovering by the cliffside wasn't that hard, but I couldn't lock my altitude like with the Falcon. Still, at least it was relatively easy to just hover.
At some point, the pads thumped, and the first-years were sent flying.
Remnant, Beacon Academy, Sanus
August 21, 2553
0830 Hours
Sierra Beta-312
They were making their way to the relic location, with only a few people who hadn't paired up yet.
Ozpin's instructions had been fairly simple. I was to ensure the students didn't die during the initiation, but if they received help from me, I was to evacuate them back to Beacon where they would be failed and sent home.
I hadn't had to help anyone yet, but the students were struggling.
Hell; if my whole job was just sitting around and waiting for them to finish, this was going to be boring.
Remnant, Beacon Academy, Sanus
August 21, 2553
1145 Hours
Sierra Beta-312
That was relatively easy. I just hovered in the air and watched the students to make sure none were in real danger of dying.
The students had returned, and were being assigned teams and dorms.
"So, I'd like to start with the fact that I am sorry for launching you across the city."
"That doesn't excuse your senseless murder of the White Fang!"
"They were going to kill civilians that had no place in that, and I stopped them."
Glynda sighed. "Whatever. Let's just teach this class."
"Agreed. Just tell me if you need anything."
Then, I walked off to Professor Port's classroom. 'Military Strategy'; was it?
The campus was somehow simultaneously huge and small, with only eight classes total; that all students took for the entirety of their time at Beacon.
Here it was; this classroom. It had a huge window and a very decorated desk.
My jacket rattled slightly from all the weight of the attached knives. The recently sewn in ballistic weave probably didn't help; either. Then again, if I had to rely on the jacket for protection, I'd have a lot more to worry about than getting shot.
"Ah, you must be the new TA!" The professor turned to face me. He was...girthy; and seemed to have aged relatively well.
"Yup." I said, looking over his desk and overall classroom set up. They were...eccentric, to say the least.
"Now, Ozpin has told me you are quite the capable man; is that so?"
"That I am." Port reached for his weapon, taking it off the rack above his desk.
"Care to spar? I'd like to see for myself how well you fare in the arena of combat!"
"Sure! I'll go easy on you."
"If you want to; I'll beat you soundly!"
"We'll see about that." I said, as we made our way to the training arena.
Port stepped on, after hooking our devices up to the big screen. I simply placed my shield strength in place of the Aura for the counter. After all, it was the closest thing I had to an actual Aura.
"That is...a very weak Aura for a man of your caliber." Port remarked.
"Hard to train it up when you hardly find yourself using it." That was a fucking lie. My shields had gone down far more times than I could count, and it would come right back up soon after.
"A bold boast! I like it! Shall we?" Stepping into the arena, Port leveled his weapon. Some sort of extremely primitive shotgun with axe blades on the stock.
"Let's do this." Tensing up, I brought out Kat's Magnum and the Humbler. Keeping the Magnum in a ready position, I waited.
The screen counted us down.
"Three."
"Two."
"One."
My arm shot upwards, and I fired.
Lockdown paint, immobilize him and I could whittle down his Aura with gunpowder bullets or whack him with the Humbler.
He tanked the hit, but opened fire.
I dodged right, firing the Magnum. He took several shots, but was still standing.
He tries to move, but is stuck. Reload, fire again.
Aiming for the arms, a glob of paint strikes his weapon out of his hands.
"Neat trick!" He laughs, trying to pull out of the Lockdown paint.
"Is this an automatic win then; or do I need to physically lower your Aura?"
"I'll call it a draw."
"This is the exact opposite of a draw; professor Port."
"Nonsense; I didn't win!"
"Whatever you say…" Rolling my eyes, I walked over. "Now, to get that paint off of you." Pulling out a combat knife, I began hacking at the paint.
His legs soon came free, with only a few bits of the paint still stuck on. His weapon was a different story. The paint had struck it right by the trigger guard, which meant it could go off if we tried to remove the paint.
"I can remove it, but you're going to want to tell me how to unload it."
"Just fire all the rounds! They are fairly easy to get."
More hacking at the paint, and the gun went off several times. Eventually, the trigger guard was cleared out, and the paint was just flakes and bits.
"Sorry about screwing up your weapon, but I didn't want to use a lethal round."
"Well, those certainly are nonlethal." Port grumbled, trying to pick the purple chunks out of his shirt. "That wasn't fair. You used trickery to win."
"Isn't that the whole point of fighting? Not to fight fair?"
"Why, where's the fun in that?!" Port cried out, as we entered the classroom.
A/N: Now, should I make a chapter detailing all the ideas I had that I didn't use?
Some are quite funny. If not, I'll just mention a few in the Author's notes in the next couple of chapters(done chronologically to avoid potential spoilers and so I don't have to toss out ideas).
Might turn them into full-blown segments for April Fool's chapters of sorts. 'Deleted Scenes', of a sort.
After all, Six was always meant to be a mentor figure to team RWBY.
But there was going to be a whole spiel where he becomes a father figure to Weiss(Obviously very much scrapped, Weiss barely knows him as anything but an occasional mentor in this version).
Comments:
Halofan2117- Here's another!
Sm0keyPanda- Oh right, I almost forgot about that. But who said Ozpin or anyone else will know that Six is planning to nuke the Gravemind?
More foundations for conflict to be laid.
SSJ4- Of course, but you have to admit the image of a shit-faced Spartan-III trying to perform the Warthog jump is hilarious. After all; he failed the first time and learned what a tire tasted like.
Mr. Quack- I get it, but the way you had it set up made it seem like a lot of purple prose, and the idea here is that this is in the perspective of the characters. Six isn't going to reminisce on his teachings back in Camp Currahee while on mission or anything like that. The most that will happen is and most likely will always be is a brief explanation.
It's very effective for hinting at bits of backstory that I'm too lazy(wait what?) to actually write.
Guest- Glad you like it!
