Chapter 3: (Not So) Touching Reunions
Alice finally worked up the courage to visit Luc in the infirmary a week after she and her team brought him back. During that time, she found every excuse she could think of to avoid seeing him.
For the first few days, Luc was unconscious and recovering both from surgery and from the state of exhaustion they found him in. Seeing as she wasn't in the mood to have a one-sided conversation, she settled for coming by his hospital room for a few minutes to watch him from behind the room's plexiglass windows.
It was during those first few days that Alice realized whatever feelings she did have Luc leaving did not go away once she unloaded Cassidy into him, though she'd be lying if she said she didn't feel any catharsis.
The feeling of catharsis was always followed by a pang of guilt in the pit of her stomach. Loni and Ulric were gone, shouldn't she be happy that she at least got her partner back?
Not only had Luc left, he hadn't bothered to explain why he felt that he had to go alone. If someone was responsible for Loni's and Ulric's deaths, Luc and Alice would bring that person to justice. Together. And if they were going to mourn, they'd do that together too.
Instead, Luc left the moment he was able and did so without a word. Not even a goodbye.
And Alice, the remaining member of Team LUCD, was alone for over a year. Sure, she had other friends in her class but they weren't her partner. They weren't Luc.
Much to her chagrin, Alice had a lot of feelings to work through before she spoke one word to Luc.
So rather than rushing to his side the moment she had heard he was awake, she spent several hours at the school's firing range and metal shop. While at the metal shot, she took meticulous care stripping and cleaning every inch of her revolvers. A jammed revolver could make the difference between taking down an Ursa midcharge or becoming Grimm bait.
The firing range had practically been a second home over the past year. There was always room for improvement, even her prodigious skill with her revolvers. Anja and Shiro didn't complain of course, as it was Alice's sharpshooting that subdued Luc before anyone could get hurt.
The following day, Alice spent the majority of her time in the school's library. Second term had yet to start but she reasoned that was no excuse to not apply herself. Knowledge was as crucial as a properly maintained weapon while on the hunt. Although she picked up plenty of survival skills and knowledge of nature during her childhood days in the forests on Patch, that was no excuse to slack off in her studies. Once again, her teammates couldn't find it themselves to complain about Alice's hesitance to speak with Luc.
Alice finally realized that she couldn't continue to put off their reunion for much longer. Luc would get out of the hospital sooner rather than later and he would rejoin the team. At which point, she would be forced to deal with the Goliath in the room.
Alice could wait it out until then but she would be no less prepared to deal with the fallout than if she dealt with it sooner. No, she knew she had to face this head on and on her terms.
Which was why she found herself descending in one of Beacon's many elevators in Beacon's infirmary. Although, even she had to admit calling it an infirmary didn't do it justice; Beacon's infirmary was much more akin to a hospital complex than a one-room nurse's office you might find in a civilian school.
Beacon's infirmary complex consisted of 45,000 square feet split between two buildings and was fully equipped to meet the medical needs of Beacon's hunters-in-training. It could house up to 800 patients and was staffed with medical professionals specifically trained in treating hunters.
Ozpin certainly spared no expense when it came to the care and wellbeing of his students; they were the next generation of Remnant's defenders after all. Or in Luc's case, one of Remnant's many troubled rogue huntsmen and huntresses.
Luc's hospital room was situated in one of the hospital's sub-basement levels, one tasked with caring for rogue hunters in need of urgent care. The hospital rooms in the sub-basement were equipped with reinforced, sliding metal doors. They were also outfitted with reinforced plexiglass windows that allowed guards on the outside to see into the patient's room and, for an added security measure, were equipped with CCTV cameras hidden in the room's wall panels and equipment.
One could only enter this particular floor of the hospital with Ozpin's clearance and, much to Alice's surprise, she was given exactly that.
Ozpin had given Alice the necessary security clearance after he had briefed her on what his intentions were regarding Luc once he accepted Ozpin's offer.
Maybe she was selling herself short but the idea that Ozpin would trust her without her even having to ask for permission swelled her chest with pride. Though what pride she felt was swallowed by the growing pit in her stomach.
No amount of pride would matter if she and Luc couldn't come to some sort of understanding. The chasm that grew between them because of Luc's departure couldn't be closed in the span of one conversation. Brothers' knew how much work they both would have to put in to obtain some sense of normalcy between them but Alice was at least willing to meet Luc halfway.
She only hoped he felt the same way.
When Alice finally arrived at Luc's room,a pair of Atlas soldiers were posted at the door. An awkward moment passed as the soldiers stared her down. Did they not know Alice was here to see Luc?
"State your business, " one of the soldiers commanded gruffly. Alice rolled her eyes at the soldier's bluntness. She needed to hold her tongue. Responding in kind would cause more problems than good.
"I'm Alice Darby, Professor Ozpin gave me authorization to see Luc. May I go in?" Alice replied with a smile. The soldier grunted under his breath while his comrade barked into his comms.
Without a word, the doors slid open and the soldiers ushered Alice inside. The soldiers may have lacked manners but they worked fast, she'd have to give them that.
Aside from the fortified windows and doors, Luc's hospital room wasn't unlike any room in a civilian hospital in Beacon; although she did notice the CCTV camera conspicuously placed along the far corner of the room, with full view of the room's occupants. IV drips and an EKG machine was just to the right of the hospital bed. The bed was empty, much to her chagrin. Luckly, she didn't have to look far for Luc.
She expected to find Luc bedridden, recovering from his injuries. Instead, she found him on the floor. With his right arm, Luc pushed himself up off the ground only to lower himself again. Luc groaned with each push and sweat drenched his face. Given how his arm practically vibrated with each effort, Alice imagined Luc should still be bedridden.
"You know, my recovery would go a lot smoother if you'd let me outside," Luc grunted between breaths. Despite exerting himself, his voice was steady. "Instead of me rotting down here."
"You might want to take your complaints up to Professor Ozpin if the accommodations aren't your liking," Alice said.
Luc shook upon recognizing her voice and lost his balance. His right hand slipped and without a left hand to brace his fall, he faceplanted onto the floor.
Alice chuckled under her breath, Luc's aura must still be low because his Semblance enhanced senses would have figured out it was her the moment she had entered the room from her scent alone.
"Alice?" Luc gaped as he forced himself upright. He sat with his left leg draped over his right thigh but winced when his left foot settled.
"Howdy Luc. Long time, no see?" Alice greeted, adding extra emphasis on the last part. She didn't think Luc was dense but she more than earned the right to be angry with him.
"Yeah, it's been a while." Luc said, shrugging his shoulders. He stared at the door behind her, either to avoid meeting her eyes or to stand watch for any other 'guest ', she wasn't sure.
He had some nerve though, with that blasé greeting. He greeted her as if they were meeting up after spring break and not as though he had abandoned her over a year ago. In that case, she would need to apply some more finesse.
"What're you doing on the floor?" Alice asked in a snide tone. Luc shrugged her off with the wave of his hand.
"Doing push-ups. I've been in bed for too long". Luc said, pointing his thumb at the bed beside him. Alice couldn't help but roll her eyes, he said that as if it was completely natural for him to do. "The quicker I work the cobwebs out, the better."
"And you were cleared to get out of bed?" Alice questioned, quirking her head slightly. She began to thumb the inside of her fingers in agitation though she stopped once she realized what she was doing.
"Nope. The doctor said I should get two weeks of bed rest." Luc shrugged, rubbing his bandaged thigh with his hand. He had an annoyed glint in his eyes as he did so.
Exasperated, Alice pinched the bridge of her nose. Maybe being half-dead killed some of his brain cells.
"So you thought it was a good idea to get out of bed and strain yourself way before your body was ready to?" Alice asked although she feared she already knew the answer. She shook her head as Luc shrugged at her. She tapped the ground with her right foot and not-so-subtly huffed in the frustration. She wasn't getting anywhere with him.
"Need help getting up?" Alice said as she offered him her hand. Luc blinked at her and then narrowed his gaze for a moment before shrugging and finally accepting her aid.
"Thanks," Luc said as she hefted him to his feet. "By the way, I heard from Ozpin -" Before Luc could get his balance under him, Alice decked him across the face, sending him sprawling against the floor.
"That was for leaving and this," Alice began, kicking Luc's leg right where her bullet pierced it a week earlier. "Was for trying to kill us when we found you."
She couldn't help but wince as Luc clutched at his leg. Maybe she'd gone a bit overboard with that kick. Still, she needed to drive the point home that Luc had screwed up royally. Just maybe without her exacerbating his gunshot wound.
"Yeah, that's fair," Luc groaned, clutching at his leg and doubled over. "Holy shit that was a good kick. Did you even use Dead Eye for that?"
Alice rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure if Luc was purposefully avoiding the subject or if he was trying to diffuse the tension between them. Knowing him, it could be both. Both options weren't exactly mutually exclusive.
"Luc, focus," Alice said curtly. Luc frowned and furrowed his brows in thought. After a moment, he shook his head.
"You're right, no two ways about it," Luc said rather matter-of-factly. "I fucked up and I'm sorry."
Alice blinked. He was sorry? Seriously? He wasn't going to argue the point or try to equivocate?
Alice shook her head in disbelief. There was no way Luc was just going to roll over and offer his belly to her.
"So, you're sorry for leaving then?" Luc quirked a brow as he pondered Alice's question. It was almost as if they were having two separate conversations.
"For leaving? Nah," Luc said. "For not asking you to come with me? Yeah, I'm sorry."
Alice could feel the vein sticking out of her forehead. She covered her face with her hands and took a deep breath. It took all of her restraint to stop herself from shouting at the top of her lungs.
"Do you, maybe, want to rephrase that?" Alice deadpanned. She seriously considered kicking him in the leg again.
Luc closed his eyes and took a deep breath. For the first time since she entered the room, Luc met her gaze. It was then that Alice noticed how tired he looked; the stress marks that surrounded his eyes only highlighted the dimness in his eyes. Yet there was a hardness to his gaze. They were the eyes of one who had not known a moment's peace for a long time.
"I'm not apologizing for leaving. I can't trust Ozpin. I just can't, not after Hearth Glenn." Luc shook his head as if to belabor the point. He clenched his fist at his side as Ozpin's name left his mouth.
"But that's no excuse for leaving you. You were a part of Team LUCD too, so it was wrong to go after Ulric without you."
Alice's shoulders sagged, she wasn't quite sure what this was. She felt some of the weight fall from her shoulders but Luc's admission did nothing to allay the tension creeping in the back of her mind. What relief she did feel was quickly replaced with growing annoyance. She bit it back for now, she wasn't going to get any answers if she flew off the handle.
"Okay, assuming for argument's sake Ulric is even alive, why are you so obsessed with finding him?" Alice said, her hands thrown up in exasperation. The corner of Luc's mouth twitched when Alice mentioned Ulric, almost as though he were holding back a snarl.
"You know damn well why. He murdered Loni." Luc spat through gritted teeth. He clenched his fist so hard it began to shake.
Alice shook her head in disbelief. The search-and-rescue teams never found Ulric's body, not a scrap of clothing nor a drop of blood Ulric was her friend just as much as Luc was. She had trusted Ulric with her life, there was no way he was capable of that kind of betrayal.
The last time her team was together was when they had arrived at Hearth Glen. Vale had lost contact with the city and Team LUCD was dispatched to investigate. Team LUCD proved to be a team that Professor Ozpin could rely upon time and again, which was why Alice had assumed he sent them.
When Team LUCD arrived, Hearth Glenn was under siege. The Grimm were running rampant in the streets and the city's CCT relay was offline. While the others split up to search for survivors, Alice went to work at the relay. Her father maintained the CCT relay on Patch and she studied under him before she decided to become a huntress. By the time she jerry-rigged the relay and sent out an emergency message to Beacon, Hearth Glenn had gone quiet. She found Luc unconscious amidst the rubble, Ulric and Loni were nowhere to be found.
"How do you know?" Alice pleaded. Luc's eyes softened and his gaze drifted down to his lap. His iron grip softened as he relaxed his hand yet the tremor remained. His breath quickened as he slouched forward.
"Because I was there," Luc choked back a sob. Their eyes met again but instead of tiredness, Luc's eyes were alight with rage. "I saw him run Loni through with his fucking sword."
Luc's breath hitched as tears threatened to run down his cheeks. His gaze darted back to the floor and he choked back his tears with a snarl.
"I wasn't even ten feet away from them when he did it. And I still couldn't stop him."
Alice sagged to the floor and tears swelled in her eyes. Luc wasn't a liar, she had never known him to be. He could be an idiot and horribly blunt at times, but he was honest. Yet she desperately wanted him to be lying but the rage-tinged sadness in Luc's voice told her otherwise.
"Why..?" Alice managed in between her sobs. It felt like she just tore open a wound that had scabbed over. She cursed inwardly, she thought she had already processed her feelings from Hearth Glenn but Luc's revelation tore away her pretensions. Until now, she never had to imagine what had happened to Loni and Ulric. Luc's words shattered the wall of ignorance she barricaded herself with.
Her tears flowed freely but she never broke Luc's gaze. Luc shook his head and laughed. It was an abrupt laugh, the sort one uses when they're choking back their despair.
"He did it to prove his loyalty to his master, the Black Queen," Luc said. Alice tilted her head in confusion. "Ozpin didn't tell you, did he?" Alice shook her head.
"Of course he didn't," Luc spat, the vitriol in his voice swept away what sadness he had left. Through gritted teeth, he forced himself upright and onto his feet. Alice flinched, she could have mistaken him for a wolf baring his teeth. Back straight, he glared at the security camera along the edge of the room. Alice didn't have to guess who the glare was meant for. "The Black Queen talked about Ozpin like she knew him. Like they were old fucking friends. He had to have known what we were walking into and he didn't say a damn word. Loni got killed because of it. That's why I left."
Luc hummed in frustration, stretching his left arm in front of his body. His prosthesis never quite fit on his arm, such as it was. He wasn't surprised because the prosthetic arm wasn't designed with him in mind but it didn't make it any less annoying. If he didn't set it right, it'd chafe against the stump of his arm for the rest of the day. It was rustic in its design, constructed in aura-tempered steel, that would more likely be found in a museum these days, but Luc didn't need state-of-the-art tech. Sure, it didn't have any dexterity but he could still grip a sword with it thanks to its magnetized palm. It was much easier to maintain since it lacked any cybernetic parts and when a few surprises were thrown into its design, it saved his life more than once. He'd never give it up, not for anything in the world.
He stood in Beacon's student assembly hall alongside his new teammates. Many of the hall's holographic monitors lay dormant and aside from them, the hall was deserted. From what Luc remembered, the academy did not issue missions to students in between semesters, which was probably why Ozpin thought it was the perfect place to brief the newly minted Team LSAD on their first assignment.
"I can't believe you held onto that antique," Shiro chuckled. Luc rolled his eyes as Shiro flexed his own prosthetics. "What, was there no room in Beacon's budget to spring for a newer arm?"
"New does not mean better, friendo. Fewer moving parts makes it easier to maintain," Luc retorted. Despite the mirthful tone in his voice, the sharpness in Luc's gaze betrayed his intent. "Besides, I seem to recall it knocking you flat on your ass." Luc expected Shiro to go on the attack but was surprised when he chuckled and folded his arms. Anja shook her head at Shiro although she appeared to be teasing him given the subtle smirk gracing her lips.
"I'll admit you caught me off guard but just you wait. Once we spar, I'll knock you on your ass," Shiro chortled, gesturing a thumbs down at Luc. Luc grimaced and shook his head. He would have reached for Wyrmsbane if he thought Shiro was worth the energy.
"Easy now, boys," Alice cut in. She smiled, tilting back her cowboy hat. Luc wasn't the only one who had changed their look during their time apart. She still dressed as though she was fresh off of her family's ranch with her tan leather vest over a brown collared shirt and denim jeans. She now wore an orange poncho over her vest and shirt. Her right arm was still free and her trusty revolvers, Oakley and Cassidy, were strapped to her right thigh and waist respectively, so he doubted the poncho slowed her down. Luc was surprised that she grew out her hair to shoulder length. She'd been a bit of a tomboy during their first year but now, her braided brown hair ran down her back. "Let's save it for the enemy, yeah?"
A week had passed since Luc and Alice first spoke to each other. She hadn't quite forgiven him but she did offer him an olive branch. If he wanted to repair their friendship, which he did, they would have to work on it. He wasn't keen on being Ozpin's attack dog but if doing that meant he could patch things up with Alice, he'd put up with it.
After their first heart to heart, she had convinced him to wait out the week before he tried getting out of bed again. He grumbled of course but not before he forced himself back into bed. It was not as though there was no fight left in him. Quite the contrary, he was all but begging to get some action but none of that was directed at Alice. He could name a few people he had a bone to pick with and he had plenty of grudges to go around. Ulric and the Black Queen were going to get what was coming to them even if he had cut through all of the Grimm on Remnant to do it.
Then there was the good general. Ironwood, understandably, wanted to see Luc dead. He hadn't meant for his scuffle with that Atlas reconnaissance team to go down the way it did. His memory of that day was still patchy. He'd been wandering through the wilderness, with little food and sleep, for over a week following a lead on Ulric's whereabouts. Before he could even react, the Atlas scouting party was on top of him. Words were shared although he couldn't exactly remember what was said. He assumed they had thought he was responsible for the string of destruction and mayhem plaguing several settlements in north-eastern Sanus.
Luc tried to explain it wasn't his fault, that he was hunting the damn thing that had caused the destruction but the next thing he remembered was driving his sword through a soldier's chest before being set upon by a pack of Beowulfs.
It didn't matter at any rate because by the time the Grimm had interrupted them, Luc had already killed five of the scouts. Their blood was on his hands, he and Ironwood could at least agree on that. Although he'd never give Ironwood the satisfaction of knowing that.
There were also his two newest teammates to consider. He wasn't sure what to make of Shiro and Anja. Shiro was far too laid back for his tastes. Sure it helped not to be wound up too tightly but Shiro took it further. He only hoped that Shiro would be able to stow his devil-may-care attitude, otherwise it could get them all killed. Anja was at least the most focused of the pair. Perhaps too focused, Luc swore he could feel her eyes boring a hole into the back of his head whenever she thought he wasn't paying attention.
Anja nudged Luc out of his reverie, motioning to his head. There was a concerned glint in her eyes. Luc swept his forehead with his right hand and winced when he brushed against swelling above his right eyebrow.
"When did that happen?" Anja asked.
"I was gonna say," Shiro jumped in with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Did you walk into a door or something?" Luc rolled his eyes, he hoped that no one noticed his little blunder.
"What? I'm half blind and my Semblance wasn't working, what do you want me to say?" Luc said, his lips forming the start of a snarl. Alice couldn't help but scrub a hand across her mouth. Before Alice could get a word in edgewise, the clamor of footsteps behind them announced their professors' arrival.
Ozpin, with a piping mug of coffee in hand, approached the team of students with Professor Goodwitch, who for her part had a tablet in hand. Luc took a deep breath and sighed; he hated to admit it but Ozpin had good taste in coffee. He'd have to get some after the briefing or else he wouldn't be able to think about anything else.
"Good evening, students. I am glad to see you all getting along," Ozpin said, taking a deep sip from his mug. He eyed Luc and smiled. "I am especially happy to see you settling in well, Mr. Fenrys." Luc responded with a noncommittal shrug of his shoulders.
"Now for your mission," Ozpin looked over to Professor Goodwitch and nodded. Her fingers danced across the tablet's surface and a holographic screen came to life behind them. The screen displayed a series of schematics; blueprints to rifles, dust ammunition, and androids flashed across the display. Luc's eyebrows quirked as the screen settled on a final design; it looked like a large, blocky robot equipped with a bevy of micro-missile launchers and hand-mounted miniguns. He grimaced as it dawned on him that, whatever this machine was, standing at 18 feet tall was too large to be an android.
"For the past several months, the White Fang has perpetrated a series of robberies, which previously only focused on dust shipments from the SDC into the Kingdom of Vale. Until now," Ozpin said, pointing at the display with his cane. "Three days ago, a train transporting weapons and munitions from Atlas was raided. Eye-witness accounts have indicated that the White Fang perpetrated the raid although, as of yet, the White Fang have not claimed responsibility."
Luc's grimace deepened as he clenched his good hand. He'd been grateful that Ozpin was willing to send him out on missions so soon but he wasn't expecting that he'd be going after the Fang. At least, not this early.
"Our primary concern is the White Fang's theft of the AP-290 Paladin. It's a mechanized weapons platform that, given its arsenal, can wreak untold carnage upon the Kingdom of Vale. Luckily, given the Paladin's size, there are only so many places in Vale it could be hiding."
Luc clicked his tongue in frustration. If that's the case, why didn't law enforcement handle this? Or the damn army?
As Ozpin spoke, the holographic screen behind him shuttered, now displaying a map of the City of Vale. Three warehouses in the city's Commercial District were highlighted. "We have narrowed down the machine's probable location. While General Ironwood suggested deploying a company of Atlesian soldiers at each of the warehouses, I have decided that a scalpel, not a hammer, is the appropriate tool here, which is where Team LSAD comes in; you are to investigate each of these sites. If you are able to locate the Paladin and secure it, then by all means do so. However, if it appears that it is too heavily guarded, you are to pull back and report your findings."
Luc folded his arms across his chest and his shoulders grew tense. This wasn't about precision. It was about plausible deniability. The White Fang would likely escalate their attacks if law enforcement or licensed hunters were deployed against them. If a team of nosy hunters-in-training were to happen upon the mecha and capture it, the Kingdom and Beacon could pretend as though they had nothing to do with it. A pit formed in Luc's stomach as he considered Ozpin's plan. He didn't think that Ozpin would change his methods but now he was just throwing his lies in Luc's face.
"Any questions," Ozpin asked and Team LSAD collectively shook their heads. "Then if there is nothing else -" Professor Goodwitch placed a hand on Ozpin's shoulder as she leaned into her earpiece. Without losing her composure, she sighed and shook her head. Ozpin raised a brow questioningly and Professor Goodwitch furiously tapped at her tablet. Behind them, the holographic screen shifted to the Vale News Network. It showed four girls, seemingly close to Luc's age, standing triumphantly amidst mechanical wreckage.
"If you're just joining us, this is Lisa Lavender with VNN reporting live on station. A mecha of unknown origin wreaked havoc on the streets of Vale this evening. It was stopped thanks to the valiant efforts of Team RWBY, an intrepid team of huntresses-in-training in attendance at Beacon Academy."
"Well then, that is a pleasant surprise," Ozpin chuckled. Luc's shoulders sagged in a huff; he had gotten himself worked up over nothing. Well, there would always be other missions, he was sure. Professor Goodwitch grumbled under her breath, apparently annoyed with Ozpin's reaction.
"I have been informed by the Vale Police Department that Team RWBY is being held for questioning," Goodwitch said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "The city is not pressing charges, I suspect that they are deferring to you for disciplinary action." Her eyes narrowed as Ozpin silently smiled to himself. "Did you know this would happen?"
"The thought did occur, given Ms. Rose and her team's propensity to find trouble but I did not expect them to get this involved in local affairs. That's the gods' honest truth," Ozpin explained. Goodwitch frowned and shook her head in disapproval. She didn't appear to believe that last bit.
"In any event, the police department has requested that you retrieve the students in person."
"Then it is best that we not keep the girls waiting," Ozpin said with a smile. He looked over at Team LSAD and pointed at the screen behind him with his cane. "You are dismissed for the night, students, but I would commit their faces to memory." He jabbed at each of the girls on screen with his cane as if to emphasize the point. "Because you will be meeting them very soon."
Author's Note: Yikes, almost a little late according to my arbitrary deadline. I'm more than happy to write longer chapters, provided that you guys are willing to wait a couple of extra days. As always, thanks again for reading.