Book 1, Chapter 12
Epilogue
Ozpin was many things, throughout his many lives. He'd been a General, a king, a War Hero, Headmaster... he'd even been humbler things, a bartender, a farmer, a coffee shop owner too. However, with the news of recent events, specifically this most recent one at the docks that very nearly cost one of his students their life, he couldn't help but feel like he'd made a grave misstep. If he'd ever had a come to Jesus moment in his life, this news was just that, and the regret he felt was far beyond that which anyone could possibly conceive.
He never thought that he'd come to a point where he'd regret sponsoring the oppression of Pariahs. After all, it was for the good of the rest of Remnant... but now he was left with a very tricky situation. The last of the silver eyed warriors was a pariah, one that also both knew how to fight, and was under the employ of their enemies. It was an absolute worst case scenario, and the comatose brawler laying in the hospital bed beside him only served as a cold reminder of his most recent failure.
"I am sorry, Miss Xiao Long. Had I been more attentive, I wouldn't have ignored this threat before it became one... and you have paid the price for my negligence." He turned to the other man in the room, one that he imagined must be distraught at the sight of his own daughter in such a state. His muscles were tense and there were still a few fresh wounds not fully healed marking his body from his most recent hunt, and he held a very worried expression over his features.
"Oz, I just want you to tell me one thing: Who did this?" He asked, his voice steely and firm, yet showing obvious signs of rage behind his hardened demeanor.
"I'm afraid that would be your other daughter, Tai." He answered with a sigh, drawing forth an angered, almost animalistic snarl from the blonde man.
"The pariah... that can't be right, she's never even been able to hit Yang in the past. That can't be right."
"I fear it's all too true. The security footage doesn't lie, Ruby Rose is Devil of the Lone Wolves Mercenary Squad. The evidence is all too damning, I'm afraid."
"...and that beat up helmet beside her bed? Was that Ruby's?" He seethed, pointing at the mercenary helmet that sat dented and banged up with a shattered visor and a bent rangefinder beside her bed on the bedside table.
"Yes, the helmet belonged to her... it is curious that a Pariah of all people could afford such high quality equipment, though." Ozpin mused, scratching his chin in idle contemplation. "Reaper Arms is exceptionally expensive. She must be making a lot of money to be packing this equipment."
"I've fought enemies that used their equipment before... can turn even your average street thug into a dangerous foe even for hunters. In the hands of a pariah? A pariah that learned from someone, somewhere how to fight? We need to kill her before she gets any more powerful!"
Ozpin was silent at his declaration, knowing fully that the chances of them actually getting to her were remarkably slim... but he was right, nonetheless. Devil, or rather, Ruby Rose has demonstrated that she was incredibly dangerous, especially when she's fighting on her own terms. Team RWBY was lucky to fight her while she was on her back foot, but he doubted they'd ever catch her in a such state a second time.
"Not just to avenge my real daughters' defeat at her hands, but to ensure we don't have another genuine hunter-killer on the loose..." Tai growled, thinking back on how Roxanne was hospitalized as well from the damage she took... but to him, at least she wasn't in a coma like Yang was...
"We'll make our move when the time is right, but we cannot afford to act rashly. Our preparations for the Invasion are proceeding smoothly. Mistral is ready to attack whenever the rest of the preparations are finished, and we should be ready to strike within a week after the Vytal Festival, though Vacuo is a day behind schedule. I assure you, if she is still alive by then, she won't be afterwards."
"Well... I suppose that is good... she has much to answer for... and if Yang doesn't..."
"She will awaken in due time. She is strong, with certainty I say this, she will not be long now... but she has been through much. The battle at the docks and the subsequent surgery she required to survive have taken their toll, and she needs her rest." Ozpin stated, receiving a nod of agreement from the girl's father.
"Agreed... but if I may, I would like to assist your efforts at New Saunders. Surely having another pro on the field will help, right?"
"We'll gladly accept any help you can offer, if on the frontlines... I'm sure when Yang awakens, she'll be eager to even the score, too." He beamed, before looking out the window at the city. "Though, our greatest asset will be the element of surprise. There's no indication so far that they even know we're planning on attacking, so if we can keep it that way, then steamrolling the enemy will be child's play."
"I hope you're right about that, Oz... if you're not, then it'll be a battle far worse than anything seen during the Great War..." Tai grimaced, joining Ozpin by the window and looking out at the city spanning before them, a tense frown spreading over his brow as he tried to imagine just how gritty such a battle would be. "One way or another, it'll be a massacre... I suppose whether it's on just one side or both is all dependent on whether they know or not..."
"What do ya think, kiddo?" The armored inquired, with the girl looking herself over a few times in the mirror before looking back to him and nodding in satisfaction.
"Same old look, better rating... did the Weaponsmith finish the modifications on the blasters?" She hummed in satisfaction before raising the question to the Armorer.
"Yep, the bolt accelerator mod was successfully installed in both blasters. It should be considerably more difficult for opponents to react to your shots now... what did ya spend, kiddo?"
"The total cost of the upgrades, replacements and the new rifle puts the tag at about 380,000. All in all, I'd say that having a buffer of about 75,000 is nice." She answered, before stepping away from the mirror and taking her blasters from the case they were in, sliding them into their holsters after spinning them on her fingers.
"Ah, you're becoming just the kind of fine Mercenary we adore here at Reaper, you know that?" He sighed with satisfaction, before setting the case back down on the table and gesturing to the shoulder-cape on the wall. "You know, if you're interested, we have this fine shoulder cape that would look great with your armor! Durable, fine, elegant... and on the house too, if you want it!"
"What makes it so special?" She asked, looking to it and cocking her head.
"Er, well, nothing in particular. Really just some extra flare that we give to loyal customers. Normally, a shoulder cape like this would cost you about 5,000 lien in the kingdoms... but for you?"
"Well... it is the same shade of blue as my armor's trimming..." Ruby scratched her chin in contemplation, before shrugging her shoulders as if to say screw it, and nodded to him.
"Wonderful! Here, allow me to attach it for you..." he cheered, taking the cape off the rack and throwing it over Ruby's shoulder, pinning it into the armor and letting it hang back behind her shoulder, giving her a more veteran-like look in his own eyes. "Ah... yes, this look suits you, I think."
Looking back in the mirror, Ruby let herself don a content smile, before snapping her new helmet on and giving herself another once over. Satisfied with her new decoration, she happily shook the Armorer's hand, before transferring the lien over, and seeing herself out.
She still had a meeting with the Student Council to appraise them on the progress of her operation, and she still needed to report to her captain for her after action report. Both things she'd rather she didn't have to do, but it was what it was. That being said of course she didn't have to report for another few hours, so she'd be lying if she said she wasn't gonna waste a few of them browsing new gear and getting food...
She considered bumping into Whitley on the way to the pub a blessing, as it turned out that he too was apparently in a famished state. He too had just finished a mission, his first solo, as well, which made an odd sense of pride swell up in Ruby's chest. Apparently he'd had a very good showing as well, which was made evident by the gossip about his op from other mercenaries that were milling about...
"So, how did your mission go, Ruby?" He inquired, tucking his helmet under his armpit while matching her pace. She mirrored his action, revealing bandages still fresh from the wounds her sister had dealt to her.
"It could've gone better, but I got it done. 400,000 lien payout, three fully fledged hunters dead, one student in critical condition, hopefully going to die." She listed off everything, gingerly touching the bandages and wincing slightly. "Fighting on the student's terms wasn't ideal, and the healing properties of healing dust aren't as dramatic without an aura to interact with."
"That must've been one hell of a battle, then. I don't imagine I myself would be able to succeed in such a situation if it put you in such a condition..." he mused, before adopting a bright, toothy grin and boldly throwing an arm around her shoulders, making Ruby jump slightly at the sudden contact. "But I imagine they got off far worse, am I not mistaken?"
"Hah... no, you're not wrong. I put a hole through their back and out their chest. If they ever recover, they'll never be able to fight the way they used to ever again." She eased up a bit when she realized the action was more in a friendly manner rather than a flirtatious, though she would admit she probably should've minded the invasion of personal space a little more than she did.
They walked onwards silent for the most part, just letting the pleasant air of the island, the distant crashing of waves and the island's atmosphere in general soothe them. It was about 6 in the afternoon, a Sunday, with a gentle trickle of rain, not so much that it was unpleasant, rather the type of comforting sort. The city was busy as ever, with expensive-looking cars bustling to and fro, the trains running around the clock, and street vendors loudly advertising their goods.
It was certainly more active than Vale usually was, far friendlier, too. Not to mention, it never ceased to surprise her that roughly one in every eight or nine people was a pariah like herself. Here in the city, her kind were just another average joe, which brought a genuine smile to her face. Oh how she wished she'd grown up in New Saunders, how she wished her childhood hadn't been so lonely and dreadful... how she wished she could just she'd all the hatred her homeland had instilled into her.
Alas, her hatred would never diminish, and her rage would burn eternal, boiling just under the surface. Of course, she didn't shun this. No, her rage and hatred only served as an advantage in her eyes, especially since she didn't let it cloud her judgement. It's just that since she hated the people of the kingdoms with intense passion, she didn't have any problems killing them and getting a good night's rest later or having to worry about being haunted by her actions.
"Anyways..." Ruby began, yawning slightly as they approached the pub. "What was your mission, eh Whitley?"
"A team of hunters in Vacuo needed assistance with defending a town. The Captain sent me." He boasted in a low key manner, shaking his head with a content smile playing over his lips. "They would've been hopeless without my expertise and equipment. Payout was fairly modest, but really, with the SDC's income, I could really care less about the pay."
"Well, good to hear everything went so smoothly." She replied, allowing him to push the door open for the two of them. The pub still had the rustic appeal that it always did, and the staff moved quickly to get them priority seating like they always did for the nation's mercenaries.
As soon as they were seated, the two kicked back and allowed themselves to properly relax in their booth seats. They set their helmets down on the table against the wall so it wouldn't be in the way, before mulling over the menus on the table...
"Still strange to think this nation would idolize mercenaries of all people." He started, scratching his chin as he continued to look down at his menu. "With the kingdoms, I can understand why they'd practically worship hunters, even if I disagree with them... but looking up to mercenaries?"
"Don't forget that by technicality, we are the guardians of New Saunders. As the hunters defend the kingdoms out of obligation, so too do we for New Saunders." Ruby answered, finally spotting what she wanted, settling on a big burger with a side of fries and a pint of beer. She made a mental note to hold back, though, since she still had to be functional enough to report to the Student Council and to her Captain in two and a half hours now.
"I suppose that makes sense... anyways, I'm looking at the herb grilled salmon, you?"
"The Whiskey River BBQ Burger. Something I haven't had yet, but it looks really good."
"Ah, yes I've had that one. Very good, I'd imagine it's even better with a pint, eh?" He suggested, eliciting a curious look from the girl in front of him.
"Been drinkin, Whit?"
"Nagisa introduces me to the wonderful world of booze shortly after our mission together." He answered, before taking out his own wallet and setting it on the table. "My treat today, Devil! Hope you don't mind."
"Not at all! But we'll have to wait to have a drinking competition, I still gotta report to the top after this..."
The two continued to laugh and joke and eat for about an hour and a half, before finally paying their tab and shuffling out the door, their bellies full and their cheeks lightly flushed from the booze. Nonetheless, both still maintained all their facilities and remained in operation-ready condition as they took a cab back to the academy and went their separate ways. Whitley went back to the dorm, saying something about needing to clean his armor, while Ruby made her way straight to the student council chambers.
To her surprise, her captain was waiting there with the rest of them, with herself just barely walking in on the back-end of the conversation...
"... finally, the total expenses of such a proposition would far exceed what we can currently afford. It just isn't practical without a juggernaut in the business backing up the effort." It was Alison, who had her arms crossed with a frown over shut eyes.
"Yeah, especially with resources being directed towards our army of scoundrels. Keeping it discreet has been even more challenging, and has put even further strain on funding. Besides, with the incoming attack, diverting funds to such a project would be pointless. It would be a prime target, and not even near completion when-" Kamina stopped, looked back and noticed Ruby standing in the doorway with her helmet on. "Devil. Welcome back to our dank suite. What's your mission status?"
"The anonymity behind my code name was unfortunately broken, but I was able to successfully secure a long-term contract with Miss Fall." She informed, receiving a small nod from her Captain.
"Well, the anonymity only lasts so long. Where you currently are with rep is where it's usually lost, so I wouldn't worry about it too much." He dismissed the first point, while Kamina presses his fingers together with a satisfied expression on his face.
"Well, no matter. What matters is that you were successful in your attempts to link with the terrorists. Do you know of their plans going forward?" He cut in, seizing the room's attention.
"Unfortunately, they seem to be keeping me on a need-to-know basis. All I'm aware of right now is that the organization is laying low for now, and will contact me again once they start moving onward with their plans."
"Hm. Disappointing, but not unexpected. Very well, keep us appraised, got it?"
"Yessir!" Ruby brought a fist over her heart, saluting the Guild Master.
"Now..." Captain Shiota began, looking down at Ruby from a few meters away. "Deliver your after-action report. From what I've been told, you've had quite the exciting night, and you know I love details..."
A low groan hummed through the room, drawing the attention of none of its zero occupants save the patient. Slowly opening her eyes, she brought a hand sluggishly to shield her eyes from the bright hospital lights before trying to sit upright.
Intense pain in her chest halted that, encouraging her to just remain in a laying position. Breathing heavily, she looked to her side, noting the mercenary's battered helmet sitting idly on her bedside table. It didn't hurt to move her arms, so she quietly reached over and picked up the helmet, examining it slowly as not to miss anything.
All things considered, the helmet was still in fairly good condition, she noted. Sure, the visor had been shattered, it was slightly dented, and the rangefinder was bent out of shape, but it wasn't anything someone like herself couldn't fix with the right tools. All the internal components were undamaged, and the padding on the inside prevented the dents from being noticed while being worn, as she discovered after sliding the banged up helmet on.
"This helmet sustained several direct blows from me, and is still in serviceable condition, all things considered..." She continued examining the helmet, before setting it back on the table and grabbing her scroll which sat next to it. It wasn't plugged in, but still had a little charge left on it... at least enough for a few minutes. She hadn't let even any of her own team know, but she'd set her scroll to record audio before they engaged Roman and Ruby, just in case she said anything while they were fighting.
To her amazement, it was still recording. She assumed nobody noticed, so, after plugging her scroll into a charger on the table so it wouldn't immediately die on her, she stopped the recording. Her hope now wasn't so much to replay what happened that she knew about, rather an idle curiosity about what had happened since she'd passed out.
Despite being in a coma for, according to the time stamp, three whole days (thanks airplane and power saver mode), there was fairly little actual audio picked up, at least save for the occasional doctor's notes, and a rather disturbing conversation between two voices she recognized as both Ozpin and her own father.
"Invasion... Killing Ruby... that's the last thing I want, now..." Yang said aloud, furrowing her brow in anger at the concept. She may have been very nearly killed by the girl, but in her eyes, that was justice for all these years of abuse and violence. If she were to be honest about the idea of an invasion, she felt that after the incident at the docks, and after realizing just how much she'd hurt her own little sister, she'd had enough of violence...
"...and you and everyone else are to blame." Ruby's words came to mind for a moment, snapping her attention to her helmet, a moment of deeper thought coming to her in that instant. What did she mean by 'everyone else?'
"I know Pariahs have it bad... but I thought it was just myself and Roxy giving her a particularly hard time..." She wondered aloud, grasping at her scroll and sifting through her applications before finally stopping on a search engine. "I was never given a better reason to hate them than the surface crap that everyone pedaled... I could only know all she's been through by asking her... but maybe, just maybe, if I can trace all of this back to its origins..."
She stopped however, remembering that she could technically contact her little sister since she knew who she was as a mercenary. She doubted she'd find much legitimate contents pertaining Pariahs in the Kingdom's own archives, since the discrimination was quite literally state-sponsored. Most of the information, she imagined, would be altered to fit the narrative, or censored if it couldn't do that.
However, New Saunders did not view them as the enemy. If anyone had a more complete, uncensored archive, it was them... however, she could not access their archives from where she lie now, and transport to and from New Saunders and Vale was currently halted on account of the battle at the docks... but communication wasn't.
Pulling up the Mercenary guild's public page, she explored the page with careful eyes, eventually finding the Mercenary Catalogue. A simple search for "Devil" under the Lone Wolves category was all she needed to find Ruby's menacing silver portrait, with contact details all listed in such a convenient way.
She hovered her finger over the number, idly contemplating just what she could possibly say that would get her sister's attention. She wasn't nearly rich enough to hire her, but perhaps knowledge of the incoming attack would be sufficient?
She was starters when in the middle of class, her business scroll started ringing away. She didn't recognize the caller, but knew it would be bad for the bottom line if she were to decline the call. So, quietly excusing herself from the classroom, she stepped out into the hall and answered her scroll...
"This is Devil of the Lone Wolves, correct?" The voice was familiar in the most negative way possible, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it due to the scroll naturally warping her voice some.
"This is her. You got a job for me?"
"Sort of... its more of an... information trade.""Im not an information broker, you know. There's different guilds for that."
"What if I told you that this information involves sensitive info about an imminent attack on New Saunders?" Ruby was struck silent at the declaration, though quickly recollected herself.
"Ok... what do you want?"
"I want a digital copy of New Saunders' archive on the history of Pariahs. That's it.""That's it?"
"That's it. I'm a student at Beacon, one that you have... opened the eyes of." Ruby took a second to think about what she said, before sighing in frustration.
"Yang... why should I believe anything you say?"
"Ruby, please, just hear me out here, Alright?" She pleaded, before sighing and continuing. "I had my scroll set to record audio during our fight just in case you said anything important. It was never shut off, and it picked up sensitive information, information that came directly from Ozpin himself about an invasion."
"Ugh... tell me you're not using your school scroll, are you?"
"No, if I was, Ozpin would be able to listen in, making the information I'm giving you useless." She confirmed, drawing another sigh from the young Merc.
"Very well then... I'm listening..." Ruby started, making her way off towards the National Library while keeping her sister on call. If she was right, then it didn't matter if she hated her. She had information that would benefit the people of New Saunders, and she had a duty to uphold...