Team CYAN: Raging Storm

by Phantom Thief Reaper

Celena Verde shoulders the responsibility of fixing a new crisis brought about by a missing villain... And this crisis also gets her involved in the Storms family issues.

8. Demolition Derby

Team CYAN: Raging Storm

Chapter 8: Demolition Derby

(Note: I do not own RWBY, all rights to RWBY go to Rooster Teeth in honor of its creator, Monty Oum)

Today is Ned's first day at the shelter. I have time to help him out a bit before Rika's relocation. I overhear a problem on my way through... a rather related problem. I see Ned in an alley with two thugs.

Thug 1: "Whadda you doin' here?" He shoves Ned to the ground. He then tries to kick him as he tries to get back up but he misses and Ned takes that moment to tackle him.

Thug 2: "Ho! We got a fighter!" Ned's on top of him and tries to punch him in the face multiple times but the second thug gets him off his partner and throws him against the wall as the first thug gets up.

Ned: "Ugh... Why do I never bring my sword..."

Thug 1: "You just made your last mistake. Punk." That's when I cut in and knock them aside. One of them does a whistle signal and more guys show up.

Celena: "Does it seriously take this many guys to rob a teenager?" Ned and I don't have time for this so I take them out quick with a streak attack and then turn my attention to Ned. "You hurt?"

Ned: "No, I'm fine. Thanks for that."

Celena: "Come on. Let's not be late. But hey, listen, that was really brave, but next time your unarmed, leave the fighting to the pros, OK?"

Ned: "OK, but what if there aren't any around?"

Celena: "Well... you can't just go swinging at someone twice your size. I mean, don't get me wrong... I've foughten guys stronger than me before. But, like everyone else, I've got fight smarter, not harder. And my powers, it's about being quicker. OK?"

Ned: "OK, but that's-that's easy for you to say. Sorry, I just can't do what you do." There it is again. The lack of confidence. It's probably gotten worse now that his Dad's gone. I've seriously gotta help this kid. He's got such a bright future ahead of him, he can't just let it slip by him.

Celena: "Alright, put 'em up."

Ned: "Seriously?"

Celena: "Yeah, come on." We both have our fists up. "OK. This is incase you ever have to fight unarmed again. First thing... don't let the adrenaline get to you. Breathe slow, breathe deep. Relax. Hips square to your opponent, let them make the first move. Now use your feet, and when they go off-balance look for an opening." He moves his fist and hits my open palm. "Boom!"

Ned: "Like that?"

Celena: "Yeah, yeah, that's it. Now, your main problem is confidence. But guess what? Most Huntsmen have the same problem, until they realize that they have something in their lives they need to protect: being anyone close to them. If you ever feel like you can't do it, just remember that you have friends and family that need your protection. Just like me. Just like all the greatest Huntsmen in history."

Ned: "Right..."

Celena: "Anyway, come on. We need to get going." I lead the way to the shelter. Ned gets a call while behind me.

Ned: "Oh, hey Mom."

Liz: "Hi honey, did you make it to the shelter okay?"

Ned: "Uh, yeah. Almost there."

Liz: "Ned... you don't have to work at that shelter, you know."

Ned: "You said I did."

Liz: "No. I gave you a choice."

Ned: "Yeah. And I chose this over more therapy. I mean it was helpful. The guy said everyone grieves in their own way. This is mine."

Liz: "Okay. I'm sorry..."

Ned: "Mom. Just because I don't wanna talk about it doesn't mean I don't love you."

Liz: "Oh, honey... I love you so much. We'll get through this, okay?"

Ned: "I gotta go. I'll call you on my way home." I can only imagine that conversation was heart warming. That's when we reach the shelter and get inside. "This place looks pretty peaceful."

Celena: "I'm just glad Mondai's not getting it involved. I'm sure you heard the news, but the manager is the man behind the Riddlers. His true name is Nazo and he's got some kind grudge against councilman Storm."

Ned: "Then this place could use all the help it can get. So... What can I do to help?"

Celena: "Okay so, the best way to start is just by getting comfortable with the place. Meet a few people." Then I notice the coffee pot. "You know what, everybody loves coffee."

Ned: "Coffee. Alright."

Celena: "And I'll be back in a little while to check on you, is that cool?"

Ned: "Yeah..." We go our separate ways as I go to help more people while Ned goes to a man working on the crossword. "Coffee?"

Man: "Thanks." He tops him off and notices the puzzle.

Ned: "Need some help?"

Man: "Not unless you know what the hell a magnum is."

Ned: "It's a high caliber firearms. It's cartridge size is bigger than that of similarly shaped guns like a revolver."

Man: "High caliber. That fits! Good one, kid." Then he hears an older man by the holo-TV.

Elder: "Piece of junk!" He can be seen beating on it so Ned heads his way.

Ned: "Mind if I take a look?"

Elder: "Eh?"

Ned: "Oh, we have a couple CCTV's at school, I know how to fix these when they're-"

Elder: "CC-what? No, no, you just gotta smack it... a couple times... get it goin'..."

Ned: "Or... could be a loose transmission cable." A quick moment of silence.

Elder: "Alright, alright. Be my guest, mister smarty-pants. Please, go ahead..." He gets behind it and was right so he fixes it and the screen shows the news talking about... Nick.

News: "Tributes continue to pour in for Officer Nicholas Fuko, the hero killed in the City Hall bombing, as reports emerge that he used his own body to shield others in his last moments of life. Fuko is survived by his wife Elizabeth and son Nedry, as well as a brother, Gregory." The news continues as Ned decides he's heard enough and heads into the kitchen where I run into him.

Celena: "Hey, you doing okay?"

Ned: "Yeah."

Celena: "Come on, Grandma will wanna meet you." We see Grandma in the kitchen with a plate of sandwiches. "Hey Grandma, I gotta take off, but I brought some help for you."

Marie: "Hi Ned! Nice to see you. Well, grab an apron, wash your hands, and I'll show you around."

Ned: "Hey, Celena? Thanks for helping with this,it means a lot."

Celena: "Of course." I walk away and look at the time. "Almost noon. Atlas should be moving Dr. Rika. Better get to Vapor now." Leave the shelter and call Dad. "Hey Dad, I'm heading to Vapor to sure Rika gets to his new safehouse, y'know, safely."

Aidan: "Winters been a little testy about accepting help from most of our Huntsmen but maybe she'll be more willing with members of Project Guardian like you."

Celena: "Maybe but just in case I'll just be in the neighborhood at a safe distance and cut in if things get serious."

Aidan: "Okay, but first be straight with me, if this Grimms Blood gets loose in the kingdom, what's our worst case scenario?"

Celena: "Most likely a global pandemic if we can't contain it. It may even get close to an 'end of the world' kinda thing."

Aidan: "Why did I even ask?" He hangs up on me when I reach Vapor Street. Atlas APC's surround one building in particular. That must be the safehouse. Cut to inside, we see a man in a red dress shirt, tan pants and blonde slicked back hair, with a small group of soldiers.

Soldier: "We're ready for you, Dr. Rika. Is that the Grimms Blood?" An open briefcase containing a tube of a black substance. Rika closes then cuffs the case to his wrist.

Ben: "It's called RT-13, not..." He quits while he's ahead as he knows their not gonna get it. *sigh*"Just be careful, in the wrong hands this could-"

Soldier: "Don't worry, we're the best in the world."

Ben: "I feel so much better..." Sarcastically. He doesn't exactly trust people who think so highly of themselves without seeing it himself first.

Soldier: "Code three eighty-one, package is on the move." They get outside and escort him to his car. "This way, Dr. Rika." But before he can even get in his car, the Riddlers show up from around the corner in Juniors giant vehicle and completely wreck their baracades. I decide to intervene but then... Miltia Malachite cuts me off at the ledge, forcing me to step back a bit. I turn around to see Melanie behind me.

Melanie: "Consider this revenge for our Mother."

Miltia: "Plus, Nazo will get what he wants as well. A win-win." Meanwhile the military is getting wrecked. The trucks got Riddlers sticking out using rocket launchers and using them to wreck Atlas' APC's. None of the soldiers guns are doing anything and the Riddlers are tearing through them. A Riddler with a shield of ice Dust gets out and goes straight for Rika, freezing the soldiers guarding him and drags him into the front seat where Nazo and a Riddler in the driver's seat are.

Nazo: "Welcome aboard, Doctor." They seat him between Nazo and the driver. The twins have me stuck up here when I see them drive off with Rika. I get the twins off me with a light infused spin attack and take off after the truck. Better call Dad.

Celena: "Dad. I'm in pursuit of Nazo. He's got Dr. Rika, and the Grimms Blood."

Aidan: "Copy that. More units coming your way."

Celena: "He took Rika alive, so that's good."

Aidan: "Probably so he can force him to make more Grimms Blood..."

Celena: "I have to stop that truck before things get out of hand. But I think the Malachite twins are also after me. Things could get tricky." I hang up and get aboard the top of that truck. Riddlers come on top and try to fight me off but I end up knocking them off first. The guys with shields will block my attacks unless I get behind them. More military cruisers join in the chase, including Winters jet. She talks over a speaker.

Winter: "This is the Atlas military! We have authorization for deadly force! There will be no further warning!" I get in a moment to call Winter personally on my comm.

Celena: "Whoa, whoa! There's a biological weapon in there-!" She now talks to me on my comm.

Winter: "I wasn't talking about from my troops!" That's when she put the ship on auto pilot and joins me on the truck. We go through their forces faster this way. "You know, I don't think I've fought together with any of your family!"

Celena: "I know! This is quite the honor!" Eventually the Riddlers stop coming. But just when we think it's safe to go after Nazo, the Malachite twins join us.

Miltia: "Way to ditch us back there!"

Melanie: "We're not done with you yet!"

Celena: "Look, I know you guys are acting on Juniors orders but he should in prison by now, you really don't have to do this!"

Melanie: "Juniors orders were simply to watch Nazo!"

Miltia: "But this? This is personal! For Mother AND Junior!"

Winter: "Seems like your popular!" As she splits her sword.

Celena: "Okay, technically, Juniors arrest wasn't my fault!"

Twins: "Don't care!" They attack us both relentlessly.

Winter: "We don't have time for this! You go after Nazo! I can handle these two!" I manage to escape them and let Winter take over while I reach the front and break Nazo's door window.

Nazo: "So, it all comes down to this, huh?" He gets me in the face with his staff which almost knocks me off until I recover back to the roof. Nazo opens his door and climbs up here to, which is when he notices Winter and the twins. "Now, this won't do at all! Let's make this more private!" He takes out a remote and pushes a button that splits the truck in half, leaving the back end with Winter and the Twins behind, while me and Nazo keep going on the front end. "That's better! Now let's dance!" He's no slouch, that's for sure. He's efficient with his staff, and can well time his shots when it enters it's gun form. "Your strong! But are you smart? Riddle me this: I have keys but no locks. I have space but no room. You can enter, but can't go outside. What am I?" We enter a hold.

Celena: "Nice try, but I'm smarter than I look! I know how you work, and I'm not gonna let myself fall for it! You want an answer? It's a goddamn keyboard!" I break it and hit him good.

Nazo: "Gh! There are three stoves: a glass stove, a brick stove, and a wood stove. You only have one match. Which do you light up first?"

Celena: "Trick question! You light the match first!" I kick him in the face.

Nazo: "Gah!"

Celena: "Face it! You'll never get into my head! I won't let you!"

Nazo: "Then I guess it's time we split!"

Riddler: "Sā, mondai ga hassei shimashita. Torakku o bunkatsu suru to, kyūkei ga kiremashita! Yame rarenai!"(Sir, we've got a problem! Spliting the truck tore up the breaks! I can't stop it!)

Nazo: "Don'nani! Watashitachiha watashitachi ga kita mono o motte imasu! Hitsuyōniōjite tatemono ni tsukkonde kudasai! Kanojo o oiharau dake!"(No matter! We have what we came for! Ram into a building if you have to! Just get rid of her!) He grabs a jetpack along with the briefcase he forced off of Dr. Rika, straps the jetpack on and flys away. I zip into the car and get out with Dr. Rika, then summon Kusabira and have her stop the truck with all her strength. They nearly smashed into a building if she hadn't tipped it over. That's when Winter caught up to us in one of their cruisers, with the twins cuffed in the back seat.

Winter: "Is Dr. Rika safe?"

Celena: "Yeah, but Nazo got away with the Grimms Blood."

Ben: "RT-13 is highly contagious. All he needs to do is infect one person with and it'll spread like a wildfire. Imagine what'll happen if he unleashes in a crowd?"

Winter: "It'd lead to a global pandemic."

Celena: "Why the hell is Storm developing a bioweapon in the city anyway? Shouldn't this be in a bunker in the middle of nowhere? Like the desert or the artic?"

Ben: "Grimms Blood is personal for Jack, it's been his obsession for decades. The project breaks every federal regulation in the books, but he doesn't care."

Celena: "If the city finds out, he can kiss re-election goodbye."

Winter: "Nevermind re-election. He'd be tried in the Hague for war crimes."

Celena: "But why are you telling us all this? Aren't you just as culpable as Storm?"

Ben: "Yes. Completely. But Nazo's actions have been a wake up call. We've ignored the projects risk for too long. I trust you guys. Especially Hunters like you miss...?"

Celena: "Celena Verde."

Ben: "Ms. Verde. You and general Schnee are the only ones trying to do the right thing. Please, protect the kingdom from our mistakes."

Winter: "I'll escort Dr. Rika to his new safehouse. They might come after him again. You focus on tracking down Nazo and the Grimms Blood."

Celena: "Will do." Better get to it. I hope the twins are having better luck at the station.