A Minor Hiccup
A bullhead flies through the skies towards a dock. As the airship lands, Ash, in Lancel's armor, watches from atop a nearby crane. The airship takes off and begins flying away, and Ash runs along the arm of the crane before jumping off of the edge, nosediving towards the ground. Ash deploys Lancel's helmet and then takes flight. He swoops under the bullhead before turning around and flying towards the cockpit. Ash draws one of the blades of Astraea, converting it into its rifle mode, and fires into the cockpit, shattering the glass. Ash then lands inside, holstering Astraea on his back.
"I think you both know where this is going." Ash declares.
The pilot and copilot get out of their seats and charge at Ash. Ash punches the copilot and then kicks the pilot, knocking them down. Ash throws a Hard Light Dust grenade that creates a dome, trapping the two. Ash then makes his way to the bullhead controls, leveling the airship and disengaging Lancel's helmet.
"Hey." One of the pilots called, "I know you. From Atlas."
Ash glances at him.
"What you don't remember me?" The pilot asks, "I'm the one who killed your friend. Ash."
Ash glares at the pilot.
"I remember." Ash states, disengaging the Hard Light barrier around the pilots.
Ash then grabs the pilot and looks into his eyes.
"And you're never going to hurt anyone again." Ash declares.
While Ash is distracted, the other pilot grabs one of the Eos blades from Ash's waist.
Ash turns as he hears the blade extend, green flames surrounding its edge.
"You're dead." The pilot declares before stabbing Ash in the chest.
Ash gasps in shock as everything around him fades returning Ash to the white abyss. He and Lancel are performing training exercises by having Ash face significant people from his past.
"Did pretty good up until then." Ash notes.
"Then you were killed." Lancel states, "Pretty good won't cut it. You showed your face."
"The armor is extremely uncomfortable on my skin." Ash counters.
"You let your emotions get the best of you." Lancel says, "Now let's go again."
"Again?" Ash asks, "We've done this training exercise four times."
"That's not enough." Lancel declares, "Again!"
"Yes, sir." Ash says, sarcastically.
"Focus." Lancel orders as Ash deploys the helmet.
Four combatants appear in front of Ash as Lancel fades away, the white abyss becoming a shipping yard. Ash grabs the arm of the first to approach him, who was swinging a sword. Ash throws him to the side while kicking the second combatant. The third tries to punch Ash, but he catches his fist and flips him over. The fourth one shoots at Ash, but he leans back to dodge. Ash cartwheels to the combatant, wrapping his legs around his neck while on his hands and throwing him as he flips to his feet. The first combatant returns, but sweeps his legs, while the combatant is in air, Ash knees him in the stomach with one leg before kicking him with the other.
A fifth combatant appears, taking the shape of Cole Carne. He smirks before his helmet forms. Cole then draws his sword, slashing downwards as he leaps towards Ash. Ash blocks with the shield on Exousia and ducks under the second swing, taking a few steps backwards. Cole stabs at Ash, but he performs a backwards handspring, letting Cole stab his blade into the ground. Cole dashes forward and stabs, but Ash blocks with Themis before jumping back to avoid a swing. Cole performs two spin kicks, one with each leg, but Ash dodges them both. Ash stays on the defensive, waiting for his opening. he blocks and dodges all of Cole's attacks and has yet to counter. Finally finding his moment, Ash grabs Cole's wrist and activates Exousia's blade. He then slashes upwards, cleaving Cole in two.
Ash opens his eyes and sees that he is no longer in his mindscape, now back to reality. He glances at the clock and internally groans as he waits for classes to end. Ash looks to his right, seeing Cataline using his shoulder as a pillow while she sleeps through Port's story. Ash looks past Cataline to see Iris drawing in a small notebook. Ash looks at the unfinished drawing and sees that it appears to be her weapon, though not in its collapsed state. Ash turns to his left to see Cora twirling the ends of her hair around her finger as she boredly listens to Port. Ash lets out a sigh as he closes his eyes again, turning his head to look forward.
Ash arrives at the Providence office and enters the elevator. Kismet sets the floor and Ash heads down to engineering. Upon exiting the elevator, Ash walks down the hall until he enters a workshop. Inside is a woman. Her face is youthful with dark brown eyes and her dark brown hair is cut short, barely passing her ears. She is wearing a sleeveless orange top with black around the collar tucked into dark brown cargo pants with dark brown boots.
"Hey, Ash!" The woman greets, "it's been a long time."
"Chief Engineer Wenge." Ash says.
"I keep telling you to call me Kobicha." Kobicha pouts, "No need to be so formal when it's just the two of us. It's not like Providence is gonna suspend you for using my first name."
"Do you have it?" Ash asks.
"I've already modified the Swords so it's compatible with your weaponry." Kobicha states, "All except Koah Mk II but the armor itself should be able to achieve similar results."
"And the Eos Blades?" Ash asks.
"Right over here!" Kobicha gestures to a box that opens.
They are a dark grey with light grey handles and blue detailing. The blades themselves are white with silver edges and are a pentagon shape. They get thicker from the base to about an eighth of the length, then it becomes narrower until you reach the tip. Unlike Sovereign, these blades have no crossguards.
"The Eos Blades are made exclusively for you." Kobicha states, "They are powered by the same gems as your other weapons. They'll easily cut through armor plating."
Ash stares at the blades.
"Well?" Kobicha asks, "Are you impressed?"
Ash grabs the blades and begins walking away.
"Hey!" Kobicha shouts, "What's wrong with you?! I rushed just to get these blades ready for today, you'd think you'd be a little more grateful than that."
"Don't worry, he's very grateful." Kismet's avatar appears on Kobicha's desk.
Team SCCI stands in the Assault Container. The inside of the airship is bare, with six pods similar to one in the Providence Cache. Only four of them are filled. In the center of the space is table. A hologram showing the mission plan is projected on the face of the table.
"Kismet has given us the details on the mission." Cora explains, "We're going to use the Weiss' scroll to copy the files she's planning on downloading from the SDC. Ash and Iris will follow Blake to the White Fang meeting and infiltrate it. Cora and I will follow Yang. She believes Yang is going to a club owned by a Hei Xiong, aka Junior. His background matches and he did recently have an altercation with her."
"There is to be no contact with Team RWBY." Ash states, "If there are no question..."
Nobody says anything.
"Then suit up." Ash orders.
The display changes to Kismet's avatar.
"It seems Team RWBY has some company." Kismet comments, "The plan is the same, but be ready if they make any alterations."
Team SCCI, now suited up, enter the cockpit of the Assault Container. Cataline's armor is just like the armor used by the other agents of Providence. Her cyan armor with white lining covers her head, upper torso, arms, and legs. Underneath is a black undersuit with white on the front and back of the torso, the outside of the shoulders and biceps, the hands including the thumb and index finger, the side of the hips and thighs, the front of the shins, and the top of the feet. The armor is very angular and unlike the others has the knee guards directly connected to the shin gaurds.. The silver visor of the helmet covers the eyes and the bridge of the nose.
Iris' armor is like the others, colored forest green with moss green lining. Iris' undersuit is the most unique. Instead of two colors, it it entirely black with moss green lining. The armor design is a mix between angles and curves and has no visor. Instead, there are an array of small silver lens covering cameras located all around the armor.
The airship takes off. They fly to a part of the city of Vale between the White Fang meeting and Junior's Club. Team SCCI lands the Assault Container an alleyway and approach the rear.
"Stealth is our first priority." Ash declares, "Kismet, give us proper camo."
The armor of the agents of Providence all change color to midnight blue with black. Their visor switch from silver to a dull black. Even Ash's swords are recolored.
"Now let's move." Ash orders.
In the hangar of the Assault Container are four motorcycles, each matching the armors of the Providence agents. They get on and drive out, heading to their respective locations.
Cole and Roman watch as crowds of Faunus form outside. They retreat out of sight and to the stage, where the Atlesian Paladin is resting.
"I want you to use this should anything go wrong." Roman explains.
"A new Atlesian model?" Cole asks.
"It was a development testing machine but the Flames of Destruction engineers tuned it up." Roman explains.
"You want me to beat a Huntsman with this?" Cole asks.
"Or anyone else who tries to crash the party." Roman says.
"I guess Cinder would be more cautious now that her kids screwed up." Cole comments.
Cole places his hand on the Atlesian Paladin, feeling the power within it course through him. Cole's eyes begin glowing red as he turns back to Roman.
"The parties gonna start soon, better take your seat." Cole remarks as he enters the suit.
A shorter chapter because the scenes between Weiss, Ruby, and Penny are unseen by any of our, now four, protagonists.
Cole will use the Paladin's pilot instead of Roman. Will that change anything? Stay tuned and find out.
Same deal as last time. Next chapter is ready and will be released if I hit another writer's block or the following chapter is finished.