I LIVE!
I apologize for the long wait on this chapter. Unfortunately my laptop kept updating while i was in the middle of typing, so i'd lose my work.
Now, a couple things before i begin:
I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT CAL-141 WHEN I GAVE RUBY THE NUMBER! So sorry about that. I neglected to watch Halo: Legends before starting this story, so the info was buried in my brain. My thanks to the multiple people who noticed that and pointed it out.
Next up, I am trying very hard to update this faster, but i have about four other stories in the works right now, so it might be a bit before chapter 4 comes out. BUT I AM IN NO WAY ABANDONING THIS STORY, SO PLEASE DON'T GO ASKING AGAIN AND AGAIN IF I AM ABANDONING IT!
And finally, if you don't like the story, Don't Read It. It's as simple as that. I am really getting tired of folks PMing me just to tell me that it sucks or that i should just delete it from how bad it is. If you don't like it, that doesn't mean nobody else wants to read it. Everyone is allowed their opinions, but please don't be a jackass and PM me just to put me down. I'm not saying don't review and give me suggestions. I would never say that. Hell, i love reading your comments and getting ideas from them. But don't review just to be an asshole. That makes it so much harder for me to get back into my groove because i think nobody likes what i write.
Yes. I'm that self-conscious. Don't Judge Me, Humans.
Okay, tiny rant done, now ENJOY THE STORY AND I'LL SEE YOU IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!
Ruby stood near Beacon's air docks, leaning against a sturdy tree as she watched the new arrivals disembark from the transports.
The Spartan had debated accepting Ozpin's offer for several hours before she had accepted. Apparently, acting as a bounty hunter without a license was illegal, which would've had the authorities coming after her, regardless of whether or not she was doing good work. Becoming a Huntress was a way to circumvent that issue. Had Remnant been a part of the UNSC, she might've turned the offer down in exchange for getting a ride back to Earth to tear into the head of ONI; one Admiral Osman; for tearing her away from her family.
But since it wasn't, she opted for staying. Given that she had been raised away from her home-world, she only knew the bare minimum of the history and culture of her world, so going to Beacon was the best way to learn those things. That and the Academy had combat training, which the Spartan was eager to use to keep her skills sharp.
She refocused on the transports as the first out was a blond boy in medieval style armor with a sword at his hip running for the nearest garbage can, heaving up his last meal. The Spartan made a face at the sounds. Motion sickness? Sucks to be that guy.
Undoubtedly, Ruby would've looked very much out of place in the crowd of the Huntsmen in Training. At least, she would've if her active camo wasn't active. Now, she wasn't hiding out of fear of retribution. She was rated Hyper-Lethal for a reason. She could've taken everyone in the courtyard all at once without so much as a scratch if they were hostile. No, she was hidden to avoid unwanted attention. Given that she was just under seven feet tall and covered from head to toe in pitch black armor, she preferred not to be stared at. And since she was standing absolutely still, she was effectively invisible. Especially to a former White Fang member wearing a bow to hide her cat ears.
The noirette in question was looking around in a paranoid manner as she strode across the courtyard quickly, the movement easily passing as nervousness as she brushed past several people.
Next up was a girl with dark hair and pale skin, her brilliant blue eyes visible even from Ruby's position. She was dressed in some form of armored skin-suit, the suit itself colored a pearly white while the plates were a shade of dark blue. The plates covered her shoulders down to her knuckles, covered either side of her chest up to her neck in a high collar that stopped two inches beneath her chin and down along her ribs and on her thighs down to a pair of pale blue combat boots. The entirety of the suit was decorated in oddly familiar lines that were etched vertically into the plating and under-suit. The girl's face looked…familiar, but for the life of her, she couldn't place it.
She shook her head to clear it as she watched Vomit Boy stumble away from the garbage can only to trip over the crates the blue-eyed girl had just placed on a trolley, knocking them all over and letting several vials of what looked like Dust roll across the courtyard.
The Spartan watched as the young woman rushed to help the young man to his feet, asking if he was alright with a voice that sounded so familiar. As the Spartan watched and listened, Vomit Boy nodded as he rubbed his neck sheepishly before he bent over to help the young woman begin collecting the vials that had been strewn across the courtyard.
Once the two were on their way again, the Spartan returned her attention to the transports. Her silver eyes immediately spotted her quarry. A mane of messy blond hair moving through the crowd, the owner's pale lilac eyes focused as she moved through the crowd. Yang was clad in a tan jacket that exposed her midriff, revealing a hint of finely cultivated abdominal muscles. Under the jacket, she was wearing a low cut yellow crop top that bared her bountiful cleavage to the world, the yellow crop-top carrying her burning heart insignia over her left breast. An orange scarf hung around her neck. She wore a pair of black mini-shorts with a pair of leather pleats hanging from her belt, which carried several pouches. Her legs were covered by knee high boots, orange over-the-knee socks and a gray bandana tied around her left knee. Yang; unlike the rest of the students, who were towing large luggage containers; carried only a black backpack.
The blond-haired teen stared at Beacon Tower for a few moments; likely taking in the sights; before her shoulders slumped and she continued. Ruby sighed as she watched her older sister pass right by where she was standing cloaked. I'm gonna have my work cut out for me.
Ruby waited a few moments more before she decloaked and followed the students into the auditorium, where she moved towards a pillar a few dozen meters behind Yang as she and the other students listened to the Headmaster give a rather uninspiring speech. The Spartan shook her head.
John gives better speeches than this guy, and he barely ever talks to anyone who isn't Blue Team!
Once Professor Ozpin was done and Goodwitch had directed the students to bather in the ballroom, Ruby pushed off the pillar and headed into the school for her remedial lessons with Professor Goodwitch, who wasn't actually a complete hard-ass. She was just strict to keep her students alive.
Having grown up away from her home world, Ruby needed one hell of a head start to catch up with the rest of the students. The only thing she was reasonably advanced in was her 'Aura', since she had been using it for nearly a decade. Now if only she could figure out her 'Semblance'…
It was well into the night before Ruby got done with her remedial finals. Having nothing else to do, she decided to head to the ballroom for some shut eye. She was about half-way there when she heard the screams. The Spartan immediately drew her M57 SOC sidearm and moved, methodically clearing each hallway as she moved towards the screams.
As she rounded the corner that headed out into a courtyard/garden, Ruby realized the screams weren't from pain or fear, but from exertion. On a whim, she activated her Active Camo and peeked around the corner. Her eyebrow raised at the sight before her.
There was her sister, training well into the night, sweat pouring down her back and soaking through her black sports bra and boy shorts as she threw punches and kicks at invisible enemies, the shotgun gauntlets Ruby had seen back in the club nowhere to be seen.
An idea popped into her head as she stowed her sidearm back on her right thigh, deactivating her Active Camo as she quietly moved across the grass and plucked the half-empty water bottle off the bench.
"Heads up!" Ruby shouted as she tossed the bottle at Yang. The older teen immediately whirled around and dodged it, dropping into a boxing stance, her eyes a fiery red. "A little jumpy tonight, eh?"
The blond sighed and blinked, muscles loosening as her eyes faded back to that pale lilac. "Oh, it's you. You following me?"
Ruby chuckled under her helmet. "No. I'm here as a student. Heard a commotion, figured I'd come check it out." She extended a hand. "Call me 141 for now."
Yang gave her a look that suggested suspected insanity before she shook the Spartan's hand. "That's an odd name, but whatever. I'm Yang…I guess." She forced a small smile for a moment before her face returned to her normal depressed expression. "So what are you doing here?"
Ruby shrugged as she pulled her rifle off her back and leaned the weapon against a nearby tree. "When I saw you practicing, I figured you might want a sparring partner. I know from experience that training in CQC on your own is no good for your skills."
Yang blinked and took a few moments before she responded. "Um…okay, sure."
Ruby smiled under her helmet as she mentally shut down the systems in her armor that enhanced her strength and speed before she took a boxing stance. She didn't want to kill the girl, because that's exactly what would've happened had she kept the reactive gel-layer in her armor active during the fight. As it was, she would have to hold back a great deal anyways thanks to her augmentations.
"Ready when you are, Blondie." Ruby quipped as she watched the teen's eyes.
Yang's eyes flashed blood red as she surged forward, letting loose a battle-cry as she closed the distance. Ruby's sister unleashed her fury in an instant, besetting the Spartan with over a dozen punches in barely half-a-dozen seconds. No normal human would've been able to block those blows…of course, Ruby wasn't normal. Yang kept up the barrage for about ten seconds before she stopped, hopping back a step or two as her chest heaved from exertion.
Brawler and Spartan began to circle each other like animals, sizing one another up as they each looked for something to exploit. Thanks to her training, Ruby counted no less than ten different weaknesses for her to exploit when the time came. Yang exploded into motion once again, this time winding up to concentrate everything she had into a single monstrous punch. Unfortunately for her, both Hunters and Brutes used that same tactic, so Ruby was ready for it. The black-clad Spartan dodged with barely an inch to spare between her abdomen and Yang's fist, but that was intentional. Before the blond could hop away, the Spartan's hand wrapped around her outstretched fist and pulled her close, slamming her knee into the blonde's abdomen several times before she snaked her other leg around Yang's and kicked them out from under the Brawler. The Blond recovered well, turning the fall into a back flip before hopping back several steps.
"Nice move," Ruby commented as she returned to ready position. "How's your Aura?"
"About sixty, I think," Yang replied, the shade of a true smile touching her lips. "You?"
"Full," Ruby replied.
The Blonde's eyes widened as Ruby surged forward, crossing the space between them in the blink of an eye as she launched her fist at Yang's face, moving just slow enough for the teen to either block or dodge the blow. She chose the first, her tape-wrapped hand moving up to block the fist, actually managing to stop the blow dead in its tracks. Unfortunately, the blond missed Ruby's free left-hand curling into a fist to hammer into her midsection, knocking the air from Yang's lungs as her Aura crackled; the teen's body going airborne for several moments before she hit the ground hard, gasping for air as her arms wrapped around her abdomen as Ruby stood straight, her eyes never leaving Yang's body.
"You okay to continue?" the Spartan asked.
Yang shook her head, sweat-drenched hair flying left and right as she did. "I'm…done," she wheezed as she slowly pushed herself into a sitting position. "You…hit like a damn tank!"
The Spartan didn't respond as she restored her armor's systems. "Better you learn to fight against me than the air. I'll put you on your ass until you can put me on mine."
The blond scoffed as she rubbed her stomach where Ruby's fist had made contact with her flesh. "Yeah, that'll happen. I couldn't even touch you!"
Ruby smiled softly under her helmet. "Difference in training. You trained to fight Grimm. If you had been going up against one of them, you would've pulverized them."
She seemed at a loss for words, her eyes bleeding back to a pale lilac. "I…um…thanks?"
Ruby nodded and extended a hand. "Don't mention it."
Yang looked at the offered appendage before the lightest of smiles touched her lips and she took it. Ruby pulled the smaller girl to her feet with ease, giving Yang's hand a gentle squeeze before she let it go. She silently moved over to her rifle and picked it up, before returning the weapon to her back. "We should probably catch some rack-time before morning."
Yang blinked in confusion before looked at her wrist, where a slightly worn watch sat quietly. She jolted at the time. "Right! Yeah, we've got a big day tomorrow, don't we?"
Ruby gave a nod as she turned back the way she had come. "That we do."
Walking along a bridge made of blue light, the shade reminding the Spartan of her companion. Ahead, the Forerunner device known as the Composer was unleashing its massive payload upon Earth. The HAVOC nuke at the base of her spine felt heavy.
Concern blooming in her chest as her head turned left and right, searching for her target. She should've tried harder to keep Cortana safe. That was the mission Halsey had given the Spartan. The Mission Noble Team had died for.
"You persist too long after your own defeat," came a raspy voice from all around her, causing the Spartan to snap around, SRS-99-S5AM Sniper Rifle raised and finger on the trigger, ready to blow a hole through her adversary.
Nothing. She remained still for a moment before slowly backing towards her objective, head tuning left and right as she searched for the Enemy. Still nothing. She turned back toward the Composer.
She stilled. Movement behind her. Single combatant. Heavy, probably outweighing her by several kilos. The sound of metal touching something solid, the same sound of her boots touching the hard-light bridge. "Come then, Warrior. Have your resolution."
She snapped back around; weapon raised. The Enemy swung his hand, the air rippling around his body as an invisible wall slammed into 141's chest, hurling her a good dozen feel across the bridge. Her weapon skidded across the bridge, stopping just shy of the edge. The HAVOC was knocked free of her spine, landing several dozen feet away. She got her feet under her, skidding to a stop after a meter or so. Her head moved from the Enemy to the bomb.
She chose the bomb. She took off like a MAC round, reaching her max speed of 65 kph in a split second. It didn't matter. As she lunged for the HAVOC, something caught her just as her fingers brushed the warhead. Stasis Field. The Enemy had stopped her.
He lifted her up, her arms forced to her sides as she groaned in discomfort, the Field feeling like a vice around her body, slowly tightening with each passing second. 141 was pulled around, her bones creaking from the force of the stasis field tightening around her body.
Her Enemies helmet disassembled as he marched forward, orange eyes gleaming triumphantly as his tusked mouth turned up in a grin.
"So misguided," he grinned as he held 141 over the edge of the hard-light bridge. She glared at him from behind her visor, ready to use her thrusters to boost towards the bridge the instant he released her. She would NOT let this bastard destroy humanity. She would make him pay for what he did to Cortana. Silver eyes gleamed with hate as she readied herself.
"Humanities imprisonment is a kindness," the Enemy growled as he tightened his grip on her, 141 gritting her teeth to keep from crying out in pain. The weight of the stasis field was akin to being hugged by a thousand-year-old Hunter colony.
Movement caught the Spartan's eye, the soldier forcing her head to look down at the bridge. It was stuttering, fluctuating as very family data-lines appeared on the surface.
Cortana…?
Ten human sized copies of 141's partner rose from the bridge, bright blue eyes narrowed dangerously at the Forerunner warlord as they all spoke as one. "IN THAT CASE, YOU WON'T MIND IF WE RETURN THE FAVOR?"
"Your compassion for mankind is misplaced," Didact sneered at her companion.
Cortana's answer pulled her up short. "I'M NOT DOING THIS FOR MANKIND!"
The hell does she mean by that? 141 thought.
No more words were said as the AI leapt at the Didact without hesitation, each version of her becoming an anchor to hold the Enemy to the bridge.
141 fell, chestplate crashing against the bridge as she scrambled for purchase, gritting her teeth as she barely managed to hang on with one hand, her eyes looking down at the swirling field of orange energy that would tear her apart. She rose her head to look at the bottom of the bridge just below Didact. He was struggling, the chains borne of hard-light energy slowly fading as he pulled with immense strength. Her silver eyes were drawn to Earth, where the Composer was unleashing its energy upon the people she was sworn to protect.
Her lips pulled back in a snarl as she threw her right arm up, hand taking hold of the bridge as she pulled herself up onto the ledge, her left hand taking her last Pulse Grenade from her belt as she clambered onto the platform. She didn't hesitate, and charged the Didact as he began to free himself from Cortana's chains.
In less than a second, she had crossed the distance between the two of them, her hand punching the grenade into his chestplate just as he freed his right hand, the Forerunner steel clad limb lashing out to strike her across the faceplate, sending the Spartan to her back as he finished freeing himself.
His left hand shot out and gripped the air as though he were choking someone, the stasis field gripping the Spartan around the neck as Didact lifted her off the bridge once more.
BOOM!
The grenade detonated, blowing the Forerunner Warlord off the bridge and into the swirling slip-space energy below, where he disappeared into the hellish energy.
See you in hell, she grumbled as he vanished before turning her attention to the HAVOC nuke. 141 groaned as she pushed herself towards the Nuclear Weapon, her legs collapsing under her before she took two steps. She crashed to the bridge, gritting her teeth as she forced herself to crawl towards the weapon, only one though rushing through her mind.
I am your Sword; I am your Shield.
The oath she had fought and bled for, the oath her team had died for. It had shaped her whole life. Time to make it count.
The Spartan made it to the bomb, taking it in both hands and twisting the end to prime it.
Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep.
Her head turned up to the Earth. The planet she had never set foot on, but had lost everything to protect. Her family, her childhood, her team. Everything. Was it worth it?
She looked back at the HAVOC.
Hell yes.
The Spartan slammed her hand down on the weapon, and her world was engulfed in searing white light.
Ruby shot upwards, her pistol in hand as she scanned the area, her chest heaving from the dream. It took her a moment before she realized that she wasn't in combat, but laying in the Beacon Academy ballroom. She lowered her weapon, gloved hand raising up to press against her faceplate.
Damn dreams, she grumbled as her silver eyes moved up to the clock in the top left of her HUD.
6:12 am.
Damn, guess I slept in a bit. She mused as she holstered her pistol and pushed herself to her feet. That hasn't happened since I was in Boot Camp.
She shook her head as she turned to look at Yang's bedroll…
…only to find her missing from it.
After their spar the night before, Ruby and Yang had settled down to sleep right next to each other. Ruby had had many eyes on her as she strode through the night before, but she was so used to people staring that it was easy to ignore. She still hadn't figured out when would be a good time to tell Yang that she was her little sister who had disappeared years before.
Probably best to wait until after initiation. Don't want to distract her. But I should probably find her, just to be safe. With a nod to herself, she reached down and picked up her rifle, settling the weapon on her back as she carefully moved through the students that were still sleeping, ignoring the odd girl with the orange hair that started bouncing excitedly as the Spartan walked by.
Ruby checked any likely location that Yang might've gone; the restrooms, cafeteria, the plaza, even the auditorium. Nothing. Eventually, the Spartan made her way back to the clearing the two of them had sparred in the night before, and before she rounded the corner, her sharp ears picked up the sound of her sister training.
She leaned against the building and watched the golden-haired brawler go through her routine, the girl's fist slashing through the air at lightning speed as she ducked and weaved around invisible enemies. She was impressive, her fists little more than blurs as she jabbed at each invisible opponent. Though, Ruby noticed that as Yang got more and more into the fight, her blows became more and more telegraphed, making it easy for the Spartan to anticipate her moves before she made them.
The Spartan watched silently as her sister moved, the minutes passing by quickly before she did something impressive. Using the same technique Ruby herself had the night before, Yang slid out of the way of an imaginary punch, grabbed the offending arm and using it as leverage to land several blows to what Ruby could only assume was the gut, before she swept her free leg under her opponent's before hopping back several feet and resetting. She held the ready stance for several silent moments before she hunched over and let out an explosive breath as her chest heaved.
"Good," Ruby said calmly, her voice causing the muscles in Yang's body to tense as she hopped upright, pale lilac eyes locking on the Spartan and widening in what looked like fear. "Adaptation, Improvisation. But your weakness isn't your technique."
The Spartan pushed off from the wall and walked towards her sister slowly, silver eyes watching her closely from behind her visor. "You're up early." She commented lightly as she moved to stand in front of Yang. "Couldn't stay asleep?"
The blonde's mouth opened and closed multiple times before she clamped it shut and shook her head. Ruby's eyes narrowed as she watched the older girl. "Yang, what's wrong?"
"I—uh—I don't know what you're talking about." Yang stammered out.
Ruby wasn't amused. "You're a horrible liar, you know that right?"
Yang winced at the slightly biting tone in Ruby's voice. "C'mon,Yang. Tell me what's up. Believe me, talking helps."
Words exploded out of Yang's mouth in a flood. "Blaketoldmeyouareakiller!"
Ruby raised a brow. "Come again?"
Yang took a breath, shifting uncomfortably on the spot. "Blake; this girl in the ballroom; told me that she met you a few months back and that you tried to kill her and her friend."
Ruby couldn't stop the snort that came out of her. "If I had been trying to kill her, she wouldn't have been around to tell you."
"So…its true?"
Ruby nodded, eyes never leaving her sister's. "However, I'm a Soldier, Yang Xiao Long, not a killer. I only take life if it means innocent people will live to see tomorrow. My body count may be in the quintuple digits, but trust me, every one of those bastards deserved to die."
"Trust you?" Yang bit out with a glare. "You don't even trust me with your name. How do I know you're not going to…" she trailed off as her brow furrowed in confusion. "I—I never told you my full name…how did you—?"
"Let's just say we've met before," Ruby answered cryptically. "A long, long time ago."
Yang shook her head. "I think I'd remember meeting a giant like you."
Ruby shook her head as she turned away. "I'll make you a deal: we both survive initiation, I'll tell you my name, no strings attached, no questions asked. Deal?"
Yang was silent for several long moments before she nodded, eyes hardened in determination. "I'll hold you to that, Goliath."
The Spartan snorted in amusement as she headed back towards the Ballroom.