Author's note:

Sorry I know I promised posting all five of these chapters in one go but no plan survives first contact with the enemy. And my enemies include: Time, Work, School, family obligations, my fucking cat(Love her), and exhaustion.

Honestly the bug didn't affect my writing because I still wasn't finished. I only posted the four chapters earlier because I felt like I made you guys wait long enough. I was fine with breaking my goal of a bulk 5 chapter post.

Will try my best to get a season 10 episode out shortly.

Thanks to AceMan88 for a special SS story idea.


Cover Art: Cruz7808

Check my profile for polls and planned fics!

Review, point out mistakes, and flame!


Chapter 35- The "Mission"

Open to starry space, "The 'Mission'" title credit appears.

"Aww I wanted to hear Vic." Nora whined.

"Yeah his voice is really funny." Ruby giggled. "I mean.. it is my dad's voice but.." she shrugged.

"I think it's funny too." Nora gasped, "I want to hear your dad do the voice."

Yang snorted, Ruby laughed, "Yeah me too, I think he's out on a mission though."

Open on snowy plains.

"Oh Sidewinder." Ruby pointed

"Because every time a single speck of snow appears in this show, it has to be Sidewinder." Weiss rolled her eyes.

"That's the rule yeah." Ruby acknowledged.

Weiss rolled her eyes with a smile, "To be fair, it does actually look like Sidewinder. But not every snowy place is Sidewinder."

"They should rename Solitas." Nora commented causing Weiss to chuckle.

Idaho: "Here's our big chance, she says."

Cut to Idaho and Ohio walking across the plains.

Ohio: "Idaho…"

Idaho: "Here's our big break, gonna finally get to hang out with the cool kids, she says."

Ohio: "I'm right here."

Idaho: "Oh, I know. That's why I'm saying it."

"Where's Iowa?" Pyrrha frowned.

"Probably off crashing another mongoose." Yang guessed.

Ohio: "Oh, thanks! I really appreciate it, Spuds Mackenzie."

Idaho: "Is that a fucking potato pun?"

"I don't get it." Yang pouted.

"Good." Ruby laughed.

Idaho: "You know I didn't get to choose which state got assigned to me, right?"

"I'm guessing potatoes are important in the state of Idaho?" Ren raised an eyebrow, turning to Jaune.

Jaune shrugged in answer.

Ohio: "No, no why don't you tell me more about the project, asshole?"

Idaho: "Okay, fine! I'll tell you more when you tell me more about the mission!"

Ohio: "We have gone over this."

Idaho: "You know it's not really a 'mission' if the 'mission' doesn't have a specific objective, right?!"

"The director is truly an awful person." Pyrrha shook her head. "To leave them there."

Blake nodded "Idaho understands they were left to die."

"Yeah you were right, he is the pessimist." Ruby nodded to Blake.

"I'm beginning to think he's more of a realist." Blake shrugged.

Ohio: "(stammers) They forgot to send the mission objective! Y'know? Something... got disrupted... in the–the downloads! The–and–the–there's gotta be an explanation!"

"And she's in denial." Blake added.

"I would be too, imagine if Professor Ozpin sent us on a mission without any details." Yang sympathized.

Ruby snorted and scoffed, "Professor Ozpin is not the director."

Idaho: "There is. I've been telling you. There. Is. No. Mission! They just dropped us here!"

Ohio: "I know, okay?! Okay? I get it, I... I... I get it... (breaks down into sobs)"

Ruby, Jaune, and Pyrrha winced.

"It's like when Sarge found out about everything." Nora saddened. "Sarge was strong enough not to cry but he.. he kind of broke in his own way."

"It is kind of similar isn't it." Jaune acknowledged.

Nora looked up and grinned, "But Sarge put himself back together quick, I bet she can too!"

Idaho: "(flatly) Really? Crying?"

Ruby frowned, "I thought he was her friend."

"He is." Yang smiled, "He's being a solid force, that's kind of important when someone breaks down."

Blake blushed and looked away, no one else seemed to notice.

"He's still a little mean about it." Ruby frowned.

"Just watch." Yang smiled.

Ohio: "(sobbing) I hate my life…"

Weiss cringed, "She cannot be more of an opposite to my sister."

"Is hearing her cry hard?" Ruby asked, moving closer to Weiss.

"Yes but not in that way." Weiss chuckled, "It's kind of.. annoying? It's over dramatic."

"Some people are like that." Yang shrugged.

"It's just strange hearing my sister, Ohio and her still sound completely different, but I can hear it." Weiss explained. "And hearing her cry like that? It sounds fake."

"That's because you know your sister, it sounds real to me." Yang gestured to herself.

"One of my sister's cries like that, she calls it ugly crying." Jaune added.

Weiss frowned, "And I don't think I've ever seen Winter cry.. it sounds forced."

"Maybe your sister is just a bad voice actor." Yang teased.

Weiss smiled, "I am the better singer."

Idaho: "(sighs) I didn't want to believe it either, but it seems pretty obvious."

Ohio: "(sobbing) I know... (gasps) Oh my god. It's one big, fucking metaphor, isn't it? I mean they are freezing us out of the program. They dropped us here because this is one giant cold shoulder of a planet."

Yang laughed a little, "They're on the wrong side of a job freeze."

"Doesn't even make sense." Weiss shook her head.

"Hey she took the good ones." Yang pointed.

Ohio: "And this is what we deserve. (sniff) You know, just let us slowly die of hypothermia over the course of several months on this, this... what is the name of this planet, anyway? Snowball? Deep Freeze?!"

"Sidewinder!" Ruby and Nora chorused.

Yang snorted, "An ice planet named snowball, she's good."

"For the record, my sister does not make puns." Weiss informed.

"Ohio isn't your sister anymore than Carolina is me." Pyrrha gestured to herself.

"Carolina is still similar to you." Weiss complimented, "But Ohio could not be anymore different."

Ohio: "(sighs, sniffs) All I wanted was one assignment. You know, just one chance to be given a purpose. (deep sigh) I've been trying too hard. (turns to Idaho) And the thing is, I was trying not to do that, y'know, as a woman."

"What?" Yang raised an eyebrow.

Several of the others shrugged.

Idaho: "What does that even mean?"

Ohio: "The top women here are either total hard-charging badasses or phoney-as-shit little ingenues."

"We've only seen the hard charging badasses." Yang commented.

"Especially Tex and Carolina." Jaune added.

"What's an ingenue anyway?" Nora frowned.

"Someone innocent and unsophisticated." Ren defined.

"So… Ruby?" Yang asked.

"Definitely unsophisticated." Weiss agreed.

"Hey! I thought I was a hard charging bad.. badass." Ruby pouted. Yang snickered at her hesitation.

"You're both." Jaune shrugged.

Ruby smiled, "Thanks Jaune, you're both too."

"Is unsophisticated not an insult to you two?" Weiss asked.

Both shook their heads.

Weiss rolled her eyes and turned back to the screen, "She's not an ingenue by the way, unsophisticated yes but innocent definitely not."

Ohio: "All I want is meaningful work while still being myself."

Weiss smiled, "I can understand that.. and Winter could too. She joined the military to avoid working for our father."

"Maybe they're not so different after all?" Ruby asked.

"That may be their one and only similarity." Weiss raised one finger to emphasize her point.

Idaho: "Which is what, exactly?"

Ohio: "Pfft. A dork. A fuck-up. Just, I don't know, a person who likes geeking out about kung fu movies with you idiots and eating cake after midnight. And who also happens to be a pretty good shot."

"I like geeking out over this show with all of you." Ruby smiled.

"I do too but I don't geek out." Weiss frowned.

"We're all geeks about this show now, we've been watching it for ten days now." Jaune pointed out.

Weiss grimaced as the others chuckled.

Idaho: "But not a good enough shot to get sent on an actual mission, right?"

Ohio: "(snorts) No, I suppose not. Better shot than you, though."

Ruby laughed and nodded.

Iowa drives by on a mongoose.

"Hey I was right!" Yang laughed. "He's gonna crash it any second now."

Iowa: "Guys! Guys, I found something!"

Ohio: "(calls out) What did you say? Crap, he's turning around."

A crash off-screen.

Yang pumped her fist.

Iowa: "I found the mission!"

Cut to Ohio and Idaho standing, facing Iowa.

Ohio: "And you're sure it's a base?"

Idaho: "And not like, you got too much snow in your helmet and got brain frostbite and had a near-death experience where you hallucinated we were finally on a mission?"

"That's oddly specific." Pyrrha frowned.

"He knows Iowa." Ren shrugged.

"Caboose." Nora whispered.

Pyrrha chuckled, "I don't think Iowa is Caboose, they're similar but.. too different. I love the theory though."

"He just got brain damage again! Or was acting at first, come on it makes sense." Nora huffed.

"I love the conspiracy theory." Pyrrha amended.

Iowa: "Well…"

Ohio: "Ah-ah-ah. Focus. Are... you... sure?"

Iowa: "Fact. I saw a base on the other side of a big bridge I had to go across. Fact! I saw a base and crossed the bridge after I got snow in my helmet. Fact, I went up to the base and I touched it. Fact! I touched it with my tongue. It got stuck until I breathed hot on it."

Nora gestured to the screen, "That's something Caboose would do!"

Pyrrha laughed, "Probably."

Ruby turned to Weiss. "Hey Weiss have you ever licked a cold pole? Being from Atlas you know?"

Weiss flushed, "No!"

"You did!" Ruby gasped.

"You have no proof." Weiss snapped.

"What happened?" Yang asked.

Ruby leaned in closer, Weiss groaned, "I was five okay? And nothing I.. Winter told me to blow hot air until it got unstuck."

"Aww that's sweet." Yang cooed.

"Oh be quiet!"

Idaho: "Jesus, you licked the base?"

Iowa: "I knew you were gonna ask me if it was real, because after I put on my helmet filled with snow, how could I be sure?"

Ohio: "And then you thought of the least likely way you could prove that it was real."

Iowa: "Yup, I licked it! I licked the base!"

Nora giggled, "He's proud of himself." Pyrrha joined her in laughing.

Idaho: "Oh yeah? Then what did it taste like?"

Iowa: "A White Russian! But not like, a person of Russian descent. Like the drink."

"There's a drink named after a race? That's strange." Blake cringed.

"I guess they were Russian to think of a name." Yang grinned.

"Not five seconds after you heard the word you made a pun." Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Heh, still got it."

Ohio: "Iowa, you are really and truly a fucking moron."

Idaho: "Come on, O, you said you wanted an objective."

Ohio: "(sighs) Well, I guess it's either sit here and freeze to death or go check it out. And... freeze to death."

"Might as well do something until then." Yang shrugged. "I like her logic."

Iowa: "Mission!"

They stand looking up at a huge structure with a bridge.

"Woah, that looks cool." Ruby stared in awe.

"It's another alien structure." Ren noted. "From the aliens the other aliens worshiped."

Idaho: "I'll be damned. There really is a giant bridge."

Ohio: "Well now I wanna know how he got up there."

Iowa: "Finger strength, man."

"I bet the armor could be strong enough to work like ice picks." Ruby commented. "I like that armor."

"Me too." Jaune nodded.

Idaho: "You always were a good climber. Wait, is that a path over there?"

A sign can be seen saying "THIS WAY TO BRIDGE"

Idaho: "Why didn't you just take the path?!"

Iowa: "I did, on the way down."

Weiss shook her head at the 'logic' of Iowa.

Ohio: "looking through her rifle scope) Oh my god."

Idaho: "My thoughts exactly."

Ohio: "No, guys, there are soldiers up there!"

Cut to her sniper view, she's zooming in on an "upskirt" view of two soldiers through glass flooring.

"So they actually have a mission?" Ruby asked.

"Maybe it's a test, to see what they do." Jaune suggested.

"Yeah, and I bet it's reds and blues up there." Yang added.

"They were essentially lab rats to test the skills of the freelancers." Blake nodded. "It could also explain the lack of information."

Idaho: "What?!"

Ohio: "Come on. We're getting up to that bridge for a closer look."

Cut to a sniper view from Sherry watching the triplets.

Darryl: "What are they doing?"

"Standing around talking, that's all they ever do is stand around and talk." Jaune quoted.

"We really are geeks about this show aren't we." Weiss sagged.

"Admit it Weiss." Ruby grinned. "One of us."

Weiss rolled her eyes, "No."

Sherry: "That's what I'm trying to figure out. They're just standing there, talking."

Darryl: "Is one of them the guy who licked our base?"

Pyrrha and Nora chuckled.

"It is reds and blues up there." Yang commented. "I bet they think the triplets are blues."

"They have the mentality for it." Weiss commented dryly, Blake chuckled.

Sherry: "Yup, and he brought company. Two more."

Darryl: "Who the hell licks a base? Especially in the cold?"

Ruby grinned as she turned to Weiss, Weiss ignored her.

Sherry: "Oh wait, looks like they're on the move."

A third soldier walks up.

Terrill: "Maybe this has something to do with our mission."

Sherry: "How many times do I have to tell you guys, there is no mission. Charon Industries abandoned us here."

"Charon? These soldiers are insurrectionists." Blake's eyes widened. "They even have the same helmets."

"How does being from Charon industries make them insurrectionists?" Ruby asked. "We don't even know what Charon industries is."

"There have been a lot of clues, like the mugs and the spacecraft the insurrectionist leader used." Blake explained.

"Oh yeah.. the ship kind of is a hint." Ruby blushed. "So they were abandoned too?"

"Looks like it, unless there is a mission neither team can see." Blake shrugged.

Terrill: "Well, at least they left us with booze. Who wants another White Russian?"

"Must be a popular drink." Yang commented. Hope Uncle Qrow doesn't find out.


Bird's SS— Not Canon


"You want one already don't you?" Raven asked.

"It sounds strong." Qrow shrugged.

"Only the weak use a drug to escape their pathetic reality." Raven smirked.

"Don't get high and mighty here Raven, you stay with the tribe because you feel safe with them. And you sound like a damn AA counselor." Qrow growled.

"The tribe is safe, with me as their leader. We are far from the petty squabbles of kingdoms and far from her." Raven explained.

"You're naive to think anyone is far from her reach." Qrow's face hardened, "Especially if you have something she wants…" he trailed off, looking at her and raising his eyebrows.

"I will order every bar outside Mistral to blacklist you, you know they will listen to me." Raven scowled.

"The all mighty raven, raiding petty villages, killing the old and orphaning children." Qrow mocked.

"You are in no position to judge me." Raven snapped.

"Being an alcoholic is a lot better than a killer." Qrow growled. "But Ozpin will forgive you."

Raven scoffed "You treat him like a god, as if he saved you from the tribe."

Qrow sighed, "We've had this argument before, I'm done."

"Already backing down?" Raven smirked.

"I know when to fight my battles, this isn't it." Qrow shook his head. "Let's just relax for a bit, the episode isn't finished yet."

Raven smirked as she hit play, happy that she won.


Darryl: "Well maybe if you had let us take that guy out when he was stuck to our base by his tongue, that could have become our mission."

Terrill: "Ooooh, yeah. But wait, Sherry's pretty smart. Maybe she knew that our mission was a test to realize there isn't a mission. And we did the right thing by not killing that guy, in which case…"

Terrill and Darryl: "Mission accomplished!"

"They're idiots." Weiss shook her head.

"These three are probably the triplets of the insurrectionists." Blake made the connection.

Darryl: "Yeah, baby!"

Sherry: "There isn't a god damn mission!"

"I like these guys." Nora laughed.

"Sherry reminds me of Church." Ruby added.

Darryl: "That's what she said."

Terrill: "Ha ha ha, nice."

"That didn't even make any sense.." Yang frowned, "It wasn't an innuendo and- oh HA! She did say it." Yang laughed as she got the joke… or made her own joke.

Ruby rolled her eyes.

Sherry: "You realize this is why they dumped us here, right? You're incompetent. He's incompetent. Talking to you makes me incompetent. Killing us and touching our dead bodies would have only made them incompetent. It was their only choice."

"They could have just fired them or whatever the military version of firing someone is." Ruby complained.

"Firing squad?" Yang quipped.

"Military discharge." Weiss answered, ignoring Yang's joke while trying not to laugh. Winter would have enjoyed that joke… maybe.. I dread the day Winter meets Yang.

Terrill: "I'm pro-choice, by the way. Just wanted you to know that, for future reference."

"Pro-choice… as in there are people Pro-no free will or something?" Jaune asked.

"That sounds like a bad dystopian plot." Blake commented with a small grin.

"It sounds political to me, pro-something is always political." Weiss explained. "It's probably about voting."

"This conversation is already boring." Ruby whined, "I hate politics."

Weiss laughed, "Me too."

Sherry: "Good for you, Terrill. You want a cookie?"

Terrill: "No man, I just like choices. Jeez."

The Triplets walk into the base, setting off a sensor.

Blake facepalmed, "That could have easily been avoided."

"On the bright side it means the reds- I mean the insurrectionist rejects aren't completely incompetent." Weiss pointed out.

Sherry: "Uh oh."

Darryl: "What is it?"

Sherry: "(sighs) Looks like our friends made it up to the bridge."

Terrill: "Okay! I'll go make us some drinks to celebrate."

"That one really wants to drink." Jaune commented.

The Triplets stand inside the base.

Idaho: "You think they see us?"

Ohio: "Maybe. No wait. One of them's making cocktails. I think we're good."

Yang, Ruby, Blake, and Pyrrha chuckled.

Iowa: "O-Oh, y-you think they know how to make a whiskey on the rocks?"

Idaho: "God I hope so."

Ohio: "Will you two please just focus for once? This might actually be my chance at an actual mission, and I will not have you two losers ruin it for me!"

They look at her in silence.

"She's being horrible to them." Ruby scowled.

"She's been horrible to them ever since we met her." Jaune added.

"She's got one thing in common with all the other women at project freelancer at least." Yang laughed. "She's really mean."

"I don't think Carolina is… well sometimes she is." Pyrrha laughed nervously.

Ohio: "What?"

Idaho: "Ohio…"

Ohio: "What?!"

Idaho: "Fuck it. Vera. Can I call you Vera?"

"So that's her actual name?" Nora asked.

"I think so.. it's a pretty name." Blake commented.

"Vera sounds like an old name to me." Ruby shrugged.

Ohio: "(stammers) Sure, I mean, I.. I guess. What is it?"

Idaho: "It's just... It really hurts my feelings when you call us losers."

Ohio: "What?"

Idaho: "I mean, it's like you don't value me or Mike. We're just your temporary friends, and you're only waiting for the chance to trade up. And I mean, if that's how you feel, that's how you feel, but I mean…"

"I hope she's not like that." Ruby commented.

"I doubt she is, she's just caught in the manipulation of project freelancer." Blake explained.

"That ranking board." Pyrrha shook her head, "It drives them towards hating each other."

"I wouldn't put it all on the ranking board though, she has to take some responsibility." Weiss explained. I can't and shouldn't use my upbringing as an excuse for how I acted.. I was awful.

"..did NONE of you notice that!?" Nora gasped. "Didn't you hear Iowa's name?"

"No.. what was it?" Jaune asked.

Nora laughed, "MIKE!" She raised her fists. "Mike-Michael J. Caboose!"

Pyrrha gasped, "Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Nora pumped her fists in the air.

Pyrrha laughed, "I guess your theory is proven true then."

"Similarity is one thing." Ren hummed, "But there have been too many similarities and hints, Iowa is most likely Caboose."

"Caboose was a freelancer!" Nora shouted. "I knew it!"

"I can't believe it, it's insane." Ruby grinned. "And awesome! His voice and his different armor is probably why no one recognized him in Blood Gulch."

"And the second time his suit turned off in Blood Gulch, he got to hold his breath again and forgot ever being a freelancer." Jaune explained. "Nora.. you're a genius for seeing it."

"Thank you, thank you." Nora sat up straight, "I'm queen of the castle and theories."

"I wonder if that is the point of these episodes, to sneakily tell Caboose's backstory." Blake mumbled.

"Mike.. I can't believe it." Pyrrha laughed, "It was interesting but I didn't expect it to be proven."

"There is the chance that this has all been coincidence." Ren mumbled, "But it is a small chance."

Ohio: "Oh man, Idaho... Ezra, I don't– I don't feel tha- Look I-I'm sorry, I-I guess is I mean what I'm trying to say, look... (sighs) Look guys, I know I can be a bit of a hard-ass, but... Don't make me get all mushy, okay? You're... okay, okay? You too, Mike."

"You're okay for her probably means I love you guys." Yang pointed out.

"I don't like that she couldn't say it." Ruby frowned, "I hope she stops being so mean to them."

"Me too, I like Caboose." Nora grinned.

"I think she just needed to realize for herself that she was being mean, and bratty." Weiss commented. "You all remember how I was."

Ruby huffed, "You're still mean to me."

Weiss opened her mouth to argue but thought against it. Her face softened, "Sorry Ruby, I don't mean it."

Ruby smirked, "It's ok, I know you're just grouchy!"

Weiss narrowed her eyes, "Thank you." She gritted out.

Ruby giggled evily.

Iowa: "Awww."

Idaho: "Hey. We're supposed to be the best at being us."

Ohio: "Yeah, and what's that?"

"Screw up geeks that watch kung fu movies, eat cake after midnight, and are ok shots?" Ruby asked.

Idaho: "A team. So if we're gonna win or if we're gonna suck, let's just do it together."

Ohio: "(sigh) Roger that. Now just this once, let's mission the shit out of this thing, okay?"

Idaho: "Okay!"

Ohio: "Let me do the talking. And whatever happens, happens to all of us."

Idaho: "Okay!"

"They are definitely the best team at project freelancer, maybe not in skill but they genuinely care about one another." Pyrrha smiled.

"The others in project freelancer work well as a team and care about each other too." Ruby pointed out. "Maine took the bullet for Carolina, remember? And Carolina cared when he got shot."

"He also threw the grenade.. but he may have been ordered to." Pyrrha frowned. "As for Carolina, I believe she cares about her comrades but in the end she cares about her top spot more."

"The others also aren't the best either. Except for Wash, York, and North. They probably the best team players out of all of them." Yang added.

"Coincidentally they're also the ones that care the least about their scores." Blake added.

"Ehh, Wash seemed to care a little.. can't call him by his first name anymore remember?" Yang asked.

Blake frowned, "Hmm I guess you have a point. Still compared to the others though…"

"Yeah." Yang nodded.

Iowa: "(off screen) Heyyy, you guys know how to make a whiskey on the rocks?"

Ohio and Idaho hang their heads.

The group burst out laughing.

"Knowing that Iowa is.. most likely Caboose. His actions make more sense." Pyrrha commented.

"Either way I love Iowa." Yang laughed, "Professor Ozpin sounds great."

A new round of laughter ensued.

Iowa: "You put ice in it! It's pretty easy!"

Ohio: "Oh for fuck's sake."

Sherry: "(calling out) Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Iowa: "We're coming to investigate your base!"

"Smooth, very smooth." Yang snickered.

Ohio: "What don't you understand about 'let me do the talking'?!"

Darryl: "Why'd your guy put his tongue on our base?"

"Good question." Blake chuckled. "The answer is even stranger than the action."

Ohio: "It's a long story!"

Sherry: "We got nothing but time!"

Darryl: "Are you guys a test?"

Ohio: "A what?"

Darryl: "A test! We're from Charon Industries, and we're waiting to find out what we're here for."

"Those two guys look exactly the same." Ruby pointed at Darryl and Terrill. "How can you tell them apart if they're not talking?"

"In the past every soldier has always had at least one identifiable armor piece or color." Ren added with a frown.

"I doubt we'll see a lot of these soldiers, this is still a part of the anthology." Blake reminded them.

Sherry: "Ex-Charon Industries! We're not really waiting for anything though, except maybe like, a quick, merciful death."

Ohio: "Are you the leader?"

Sherry: "We don't exactly have a chain of command anymore. I'm mostly in charge though, because I'm not a complete fucking waste of brain cells. My name's Sherry, this is my partner Darryl, this is my other partner Terrill."

"She's so much like Church." Ruby laughed.

Pyrrha frowned, "Do you think Iowa could simply be similar to Caboose?"

"There's so many similarities though, so much they have to be foreshadowing or hinting it or whatever." Nora explained.

"It does feel like foreshadowing." Blake supported Nora.

Darryl and Terrill: "Hi!"

Ohio: "(indicating with her head) Ohio, Idaho, Iowa. Agents of Project Freelancer."

Sherry: "Lemme guess. You guys got dumped here."

"She's smart, I wonder why she got dumped here. Those two I understand." Weiss pointed. "But not her."

"Yeah I know what you mean." Ruby nodded.

Ohio: "Wha–I... How did you know?"

Sherry: "Body language! That and there's no reason to come here. For anyone, like ever."

"She could tell that from body language?" Jaune frowned. "How?"

"I'm guessing they'd probably be sagging a little because they're down." Yang shrugged. "It's little things like that."

Ohio: "Good eye!"

Sherry: "Yeah, it's a fun party trick! Only thing I'm good at. Got more if you want."

Idaho: "Really?"

Sherry: "You! You're the one that just wants to go unnoticed. You used to love her, but you've accepted that she!.. likes the ladies."

"She's incredibly intuitive." Blake complimented.

"She's a mind reader!" Nora gasped.

"Or that." Blake chuckled. Ren shook his head.

Ohio: "Wha–! Hey! How did you–?!"

Sherry: "Come on girl, it is obvious."

"She's intuitive and has a strong gaydar." Yang laughed. "An accurate lesbometer."

"Are you done?" Ruby asked.

"I'll let you all know if I think of another." Yang said.

"Please don't." Weiss sighed.

Weiss and Ruby gave each other wary looks.

Terrill: "Maybe you guys can date."

Sherry: "(looks at Iowa) And that one got messed up somehow, but he has the most upbeat attitude, so net-net, I guess. Here, we'll come over, we can compare notes."

"That definitely sounds like Caboose." Pyrrha chuckled.

"Remember when Church really wanted to know what it would feel like to live in Caboose's world." Ruby added.

"Caboose has a really fun time in his world." Pyrrha smiled, remembering the scene Ruby was talking about.

Ohio: "Okay! (to Idaho) You used to what me?"

Idaho: "(laughs nervously) Yeah, hey! Let's just move past this!"

Jaune's eyes flicked over to Weiss as he blushed, Man I was an idiot.

The two groups stand on the bridge, facing each other.

Sherry: "We were the worst soldiers of our unit."

Ohio: "Ha. Us too."

Darryl: "Terrill here, he detonated a base, trying to heat up a cup of coffee."

"What is it with idiots and explosives in this show?" Weiss asked. "Any time there is someone unintelligent there is also an explosion looming near."

"Hey that's insulting." Nora pouted.

"Nora, you are an expert and have a smaller attention span than Ruby yet still manage to get top marks." Weiss said, meeting Nora's eyes as Ruby rolled hers. "I do not mean you."

Nora smiled, "Aww, as one Queen to another I thank you."

Weiss laughed, "The queen of the castle and the ice queen?"

"You know it!" Nora held up a hand, Weiss patted it with hers.

"...My attention span isn't bad." Ruby pouted, "I just can't focus on.. boring things."

"You somehow manage to get top marks too despite doodling offensive pictures of professor Port in class." Weiss gave her a friendly glare.

Ruby giggled, "That's my process."

Terrill: "Who puts the 'fire all the missiles' button right next to the microwave?"

"Okay that's not his fault, that's a design flaw." Jaune argued.

"I agree." Weiss nodded.

Sherry: "Pretty sure they were just expecting us to accidentally fall down a ravine or... blow up our base and save themselves the trouble of a coverup."

Darryl: "Stone, cold, hearted, man."

Idaho: "Tell me about it."

Ohio: "God fucking damnit. Fuck my life, seriously. Our one chance at a real assignment and we meet you guys?"

"And she's already back to being mean. I don't like her." Ruby crossed her arms.

"Eh she's fine, I like her jokes." Yang chuckled. "'Your mom' and 'snowball' are the highlights."

Sherry: "Oh you're a real charmer, aren't you?"

"I like her more." Ruby pointed.

Terrill: "Boss, I like her. (lowers voice) Seriously, are you gonna date?"

Yang laughed, "He's funny."

"He's like Tucker." Jaune chuckled.

"I don't like him." Weiss crossed her arms.

Sherry: "The long and short of it is, we're fuck-ups. Like you! We're all stranded here, we'll all die here, and we'll all be forgotten."

Silence, as everyone lets this sink in.

Idaho: "Well, least we can do it together."

Pyrrha smiled, "He's right."

"Yeah, if I had to be stranded anywhere I'd want it to be with my friends!" Nora grinned. "Or wait." She frowned. "That would be bad because then all of you would be stranded too."

"Nora I'd be fine being stranded with you." Jaune smiled.

"Me too." Pyrrha smiled.

The two turned to Ren.

"I'm already stranded with Nora." Ren explained. The rest of team JNPR laughed.

Darryl: "Hey, yeah!"

Iowa: "Together!"

Terrill: "(sighs) Together."

Iowa: "You know, I–I think I just learned something. It doesn't matter if the rest of the world wants to push you away, as long as you find friendship and– ICE SPIDER!"

Weiss and Pyrrha involuntarily flinched at Iowa's sudden yell.

Iowa: "(fires his weapon) Oh god, it's going– it's going up your leg! (hits Darryl's leg)"

Darryl: "Ow! He shot me!"

Weiss slammed her hand into her face.

The group erupted into laughter.

"Ice spider!" Nora repeated with a laugh.

"I should have known this was too good to be true." Weiss chuckled. "The two groups seemed on the verge of getting along."

"That's the best part." Nora grinned.

"I wanted to hear the rest." Pyrrha laughed, "Oh well."

Terrill: "You bastards, I'll kill you!"

Idaho: "Iowa, get under cover! That's not cool, man!"

Idaho and Iowa exchange gunfire with Darryl and Terrill. Ohio and Sherry are left standing in the middle, looking at each other. Simultaneously, they sigh deeply.

Ohio and Sherry: "God damn it."

"Those two poor souls." Weiss tsked.

Sherry: "This happen often?"

Ohio: "Yeah. But not as often as– (Missile flies past) Never mind."

Another round of laughter.

Sherry: "Man, I just wanted... I just wanted a chance, you know? To be given a–a mission. To be given a purpose."

"Those two just want a purpose in life." Yang smiled. "They should just go with the flow, they'll find a purpose eventually."

"It's probably hard to do that without a purpose." Pyrrha explained. "I imagine it would be like joining a huntsmen academy without knowing if you truly wanted to be here."

"Yeah, I think we can all say we know why we're here." Jaune smiled.

Ohio: "You want a purpose?"

Sherry: "Yeah. I really do."

Ohio: "(laughs incredulously) Me too!"

They gaze at each other. Then, Ohio raises her weapon and shoots Sherry in the foot.

"WOAH!" Ruby gasped. "Why did she do that?"

Nora and Yang burst out laughing.

"Is she crazy!" Weiss yelled.

"Probably." Yang laughed.

"It- it was so quick." Weiss shook her head. "She shot her out of no where!"

Sherry: "Ow, shit! You shot me! The fuck did you do that for?!"

"That's what I want to know!" Weiss shook her head in disbelief.

Ohio: "Giving us all a reason to be out here, bitch."

"What? What possible reason?" Weiss asked. Pyrrha and Blake nodded.

Sherry: "What are you, crazy?!"

"Yes, she's crazier than I thought." Nora giggled.

Ohio: "Eh, probably. But I'm done waiting on someone to give me a purpose. I'm making one for myself."

Yang began to clap, "Yeah! That's the spirit."

"It's a good growth for her to do that but I still don't understand." Pyrrha frowned.

"I think I understand, but I'll let her explain it." Blake gestured to Ohio.

Idaho: "Ohio, come on, we have to get out of here!"

Sherry: "You're going down, sweet-cheeks."

Ohio: "Aw, that's the spirit! It's a shame, though. You actually seem like my type."

"I like her, she's bold and not afraid to make a decision that will change her life." Yang grinned.

"She shot the nice lady for no reason!" Ruby snapped.

"Like I said, I like her." Yang laughed.

Ohio: "(returns to Idaho and Iowa) Come on guys, let's roll out."

Idaho: "What? (sternly) What did you do?"

Ohio: "I just gave us all a purpose for being here."

Idaho: "Which is?"

Ohio: "To keep an eye on those assholes."

"Oh, oh I get it." Weiss began to laugh, slowly at first. "Red vs Blue."

Blake laughed and nodded, "It's fitting isn't it?"

Weiss nodded.

"What?" Ruby looked between the two.

"Their purpose is to fight each other now." Weiss explained.

Ruby's eyes widened, "Ohhh, ohhh!" She laughed.

"It is fitting you're right." Yang nodded. "They were like simulation troopers in project freelancer, and now because of the project abandoning them. They are basically blues now. It came full circle."

"Freelancers turned blues, they're like Wash in a way." Blake chuckled.

"She made them into mortal enemies." Nora giggled. "She started the war."

"Even before now they were enemies, project freelancer vs the insurrectionists." Jaune pointed out.

"They could have still made peace and been friends." Pyrrha pointed out.

"Where's the fun in that?" Nora asked.

"They could have simply had a friendly competition." Pyrrha added.

Iowa: "All I wanted to do was kill the ice spider."

Pyrrha, Nora, and Ruby laughed.

Idaho: "But...! They just said they aren't doing anything! Why do we need to watch them?!"

Ohio: "That's where you're wrong. They are doing something now. They're watching us. Because now we've shot two of them."

Idaho: "Seriously? You're saying the only reason we need to be here is because they have a base over there, and the only reason they need a base is because we're here?"

The group laughed.

"The purpose of all Red and Blue soldiers." Weiss chuckled.

"Simmons said that in the very first episode." Jaune added.

"It's poetic." Ren chuckled. "The reds and blues we know didn't choose their purpose and Ohio did. Yet their purpose is the same."

Ohio: "(giggles) Yes! We finally have a purpose in life. Isn't it glorious?"

"Oh no, she's become a blue fanatic." Weiss's eyes widened in horror.

"Yes! She's gone crazy! Go Ohio!" Nora cheered.

Sherry: "You guys are a bunch of psychotic assholes!"

Ruby and Blake laughed.

"I agree when it concerns Ohio." Weiss shook her head.

Ohio: "You'll thank me later, fuckface!"

Sherry: "You're super uncool! You know that, right?! You're all losers!"

Ohio: "Yup. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

Music plays as the screen backs up to show the teams staring at each other.

"You know it actually makes sense, now they'll have something that will take their mind off being stranded." Jaune commented.

"Being constantly on edge because of an enemy team living so close?" Weiss asked.

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up." Jaune chuckled nervously.

Weiss chuckled too, "I see your point but.. their purpose could have been to escape the planet."

"But what would they do after?" Nora asked.

Weiss frowned, "Hmm, I guess however crazy it is.. she did have a reason."

"Yeah, nothing distracts you more than war!" Nora laughed. "Who are you guys rooting for?"

"Red team, I still don't like Ohio." Ruby huffed. "But I do like what she did."

"Red team." Jaune shrugged, "They're interesting."

"Oh blue team all the way, Ohio is a genius." Yang laughed.

"Yeah!" Nora shouted.

"Ohio made an interesting choice." Ren added his support.

"She chose her own destiny." Pyrrha shrugged, "I'd root for her. And Caboose is possibly on the team."

"Red team because of their leader being somewhat competent." Weiss explained.

"I also support Red team." Blake nodded, "I like their leader."

"Yeah me too, I want to see more of them." Ruby nodded.

"I hope this isn't just a two parter." Jaune added.

Back aboard the Mother of Invention, Wash approaches South and C.T.

Wash: "I haven't seen the triplets in a while. I was gonna join them for lunch."

Blake grinned, "They didn't lose him I knew it."

"Aww I love Wash." Ruby grinned, "He's a great friend."

"He is." Blake hummed, "I wonder if being friends with the triplets allowed him to handle being friends with the reds and blues. They probably reminded him of them."

"They are similar aren't they, insane personalities." Pyrrha laughed.

"If only they weren't- wait!" Weiss's eyes widened and she groaned. "Oh my god.. the suspicious activity was the Insurrectionists.. they did have a mission and could have gone back."

Yang burst out laughing, "Oh that's too good."

"That's horrible! They did have a mission and didn't know it, it's tragic." Pyrrha shook her head.

"Hey it worked out in the end, they all have a purpose now." Ruby pointed out.

"I guess." Pyrrha gave a wary shrug.

C.T.: "You didn't hear?"

Wash: "No, hear what?"

South: "They dropped out of the program, or... something."

C.T.: "It's pretty hush-hush."

"Hmm nevermind then, I guess they were abandoned." Weiss hummed.

"I wonder if this is where C.T. began to distrust the project. She's already suspicious." Blake pointed out.

"Could be." Ren hummed.

"And I guess this disproves the theory about Caboose." Pyrrha sighed.

"What? How?" Nora asked.

"Iowa is stranded on Sidewinder, the project left him there." Pyrrha grimaced. "I don't see how or why he would come back and join blue team in Blood Gulch."

Nora sagged, "Gahh! But it makes so much sense!"

"The director wouldn't take him back." Blake added.

Nora sighed. "I know you two are right but come on! There were so many hints."

"I believed it too." Blake nodded.

"Yeah me too, I mean his name is Mike!" Ruby threw her hands up.

Nora gasped, "Maybe he's Caboose's brother!"

Blake and Pyrrha laughed. Ren shook his head with a chuckle.

"Now that's another theory I like." Pyrrha laughed. "But Caboose said himself that he doesn't have a brother."

"A long lost brother he never knew about. How sad would it be to lose a brother and not have a brother all in the same day remember? He knew it! He didn't have a brother and lost a brother!" Nora gasped.

"..what?" Weiss looked bewildered.

"I like the theory." Jaune laughed.

"Mike and Michael Caboose. Brothers." Nora finished.

"I hope they reunite." Pyrrha smiled.

Wash: "Man, nobody ever tells me anything."

South: "Who cares? They were never gonna amount to anything, anyway. Best we just forget about them."

Wash: "Sure. I guess so."

"He doesn't seem sad over them leaving." Ruby pointed out.

"He doesn't know they were abandoned, he probably thinks they just left." Jaune explained.

Ruby nodded, "Yeah, at least he was going to join them for lunch."

C.T.: "Hey. Five things nobody ever tells Wash. Go."

"Wait they play five things too?" Ruby laughed. "So it's just a freelancer thing."

"Looks like it, or they stole it from the triplets." Blake shrugged.

Ruby gasped, "I bet they thought it was cool!"

South: "He's a dork."

Wash: "Hey!"

C.T.: "One."

Blake laughed, "Wash really was a dork before everything happened."

South: "He's... gullible."

C.T.: "Ohhh! Two."

Wash: "I am not."

South: "Heh. He's got something in his teeth."

Wash: "Wait, I do?"

Blake shook her head, "He used to be so trusting."

"I like old and new Wash." Ruby commented.

"Me too." Blake smiled. "It's just a little sad."

"Yeah, but he made new friends and is a lot better." Ruby smiled.

"Maybe he could even find the triplets again." Blake added.

C.T. laughs. Fade to black.

C.T.: "Three."

The episode ends.

"That was a great two parter, unless there's another." Jaune said.

"I think that's the end of it, it was an interesting story." Pyrrha nodded. "I like the different themes, especially the one about choosing your own path."

"Me too." Blake nodded.

"I want to see more of them all." Ruby added. "I loved that they became reds and blues."

"In two short episodes they created the possibility of a reboot with new teams." Blake pointed out.

"Yeah they did! It was incredible!" Ruby gasped.

"More red vs blue shenanigans!" Nora cheered.

"I wouldn't mind watching them." Weiss commented. "As long as we finish the current group's story first."

"Yeah, I hope next episode is a season ten episode." Jaune admitted as he hit play.


Winter SS— Not Canon


"Friend Winter, it's undeniable. Your voice is in the show."

"I know." Winter responded, looking up at Penny. "It's just strange, it's very very strange."

"I think it's sensational! And you are sure you do not recall voicing Ohio?" Penny raised an exaggerated eyebrow.

"Yes, completely sure." Winter left no question.

"But you could not know yourself! Has someone affected your memory?" Penny questioned.

"What? No." Winter shook her head.

"It's ok friend Winter, the Atlas military has great mental health insurance just like project freelancer." Penny smiled.

Winter sighed, "Thank you, Penny… so now both I and my sister are in the show."

"Do you think someone affected her memory too?" Penny asked.

"No, but if I know my sister then she doesn't believe it's her voice." Winter chuckled, "She can be very stubborn."

"So can you, your memory is affected but you don't believe it." Penny cocked her head to the side with worry.

Winter sighed, "Stubbornness is a trait you share too."

"I will not rest until your memory is fixed friend Winter!" Penny saluted.


As always if I write a bad chapter, let me know. It's easy to go back and rewrite certain scenes. Some of you are annoyed with how Weiss always denies the multiverse/her voice being in the show. There is a reason for that, to keep her in character and something else. It won't last forever. Thanks for letting me know it got annoying. And Weiss will be nicer to Ruby, it comes more naturally to write teasing/argument scenes and instead of nice scenes. They always come off cheesy and fake when I try to write them. I'll try to do better, thanks.

VOL 8 SPOILERS:

I thought the first episode was ok, love Ironwood just killing the idiot counsel member. "Martial law?! Why would we institute that?! Who cares about the giant fucking whale on our doorstep?!" That was the highlight of the episode, Cinder is still an ok character in my opinion. Tyrian's voice sounded different which was weird but eh whatever. This volume has the potential to be great. Glad they didn't shoehorn in the teams dividing, it felt real and developed.