RWBY vs. Blue: Freelancers Forgotten
Emerald Forest, Vale
"Why on Remnant does Adam want us to help that human scum Torchwick?" Asked a White Fang goon with a cutlass that glowed in circuits along the blade. Many of the other Faunus in his squad were nodding in agreement, including two oxen Faunus pulling carts full of Dust crates.
Up ahead, the captain of the squad growled. "Don't question our leader's methods. He knows what he's doing, and if he hasn't told you his reasons, then you don't need to know." Standing around 6 feet tall, this figure was well built, with a rifle on her back. A bushy red tail with a white tip extended from grey trousers.
"Yes Vixen." Came the grumbled reply around her.
The squad leader, Vixen, groaned. "Let's just get this Dust to Torchwick and get settled in. I heard he just got beat at that store he was hitting tonight by a scythe-wielding, red-hooded teenage girl."
"He got his ass handed to him by a little girl?" One Faunus scoffed, "And he's supposed to help us?"
Others broke out in muttering agreement once more, then waited for Vixen's words. After a few seconds, she spoke. "I can't stand that human either, those cigars he smokes smell the place up like crazy, but until Adam's word, we're stuck with him."
Up ahead, there was a high whine, annoying those with more sensitive ears, and a light growing brighter in the trees.
"What's that?" One tiger Faunus asked.
Vixen's voice was wary when she answered. "I don't know, but weapons out." She ordered, sliding her rifle into her hands. Behind her, Faunus drew an assortment of weapons. "You four, stay and guard the Dust, the rest of you, we're checking it out."
As the exploring Faunus separated from the caravan, the light continued growing brighter. As the White Fang grunts closed in, the whine had a few Faunus covering their ears in pain. Vixen looked to see a bubble of white light growing on the ground, reaching its climax in pitch and size.
In an explosion that made all their vision go white and their ears to pop from pressure and volume, the bubble of light popped, blowing leaves back and launching a few Fang off the ground.
"Hey, D. What just happened?" A voice asked, and Vixen, as her eyes cleared and ears healed due to her Aura, saw a figure in full armor, colored gold with silver trim, standing and shaking its head.
"I am calculating possible explanations now, however motion trackers are showing multiple signatures in the area, I would advise you to focus on them."
A robotic voice crackled through the speakers.
The armored figure turned to look straight at Vixen and her troops and pulled a rifle from his back. "What's their status?"
"Currently their vital signs are elevated, I conclude they are nervous, but may become aggressive, I suggest you either try to defuse the situation or prepare for a fight."
"Uh, I come in pea-'' The armored form was cut off when a Fang member fired. Yellow energy burst over the armor and the figure seemed unharmed.
The figure gave a tired sigh and raised his weapon. "I guess it's a fight, then."
Vixen cursed and rolled behind a tree as the rifle spat out triple round bursts, cutting into four of her men, and killing two that didn't have Aura. The other dozen were rushing into cover, while five were out in the open, spraying the area with their guns.
But the gold-armor was nowhere in sight. Vixen shouted orders. "Fan out, find that thing."
"What do you think it was?" One Faunus asked.
"Some sort of android?" One guessed.
"Might be new Atlas tech." another supplied.
More gunshots rang out, and Vixen saw the muzzle flash in the trees as another of her men went down. "There, Fire!" She cried, pointing.
White Fang members all opened fire on the area where she was pointing, but as muzzle flash illuminated the tree, there was no sign of the figure.
"Vixen, I think we should get out of here." A boar Faunus suggested, scanning the trees nervously.
Vixen nodded. "Retreat back to the carts, we need to get to Vale. Someone call for reinforcements." She ordered, backing up towards the area where they'd left the cargo.
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Emerald Forest, Vale
York waited until he was sure they had all left, standing stock still behind a wide tree trunk as soon as one of his attackers had suggested a retreat.
"Agent York, motion trackers are reading all clear. I believe that, for now, we are secure." Delta told him.
With a sigh of relief, York relaxed and travelled down the tree he was concealed in, a few yards away from the one he had fired from previously, which was now riddled with bullets. Dropping to the ground, the Freelancer reloaded his Battle Rifle, then checked over his other weapons. His magnum was fully loaded, and he still had four frag grenades.
"D, what happened? Last thing I knew, I'd been shot, and you said I wouldn't make it. Did Tex do it? Did she get Wyoming?" York checked over himself for injuries, finding nothing major except a mild sense of nausea and the feeling of going over the edge of a roller coaster drop.
"As far as I recall, Agent Texas did succeed, I opted to stay with you to run the healing unit, and to be with you until the end, but something happened."
York pulled off his helmet and set it on a nearby rock as he went to examine his downed foes. Each wore a white mask and black hood, with light armor covering vital areas.
"As far as I can read from the suit's systems, while I was running the healing unit, Wyoming's Time Distortion activated, or some other interference came to life. When it hit us, there was a flash of light and we seemed to have entered Slipspace."
"What happened then?" York asked, noting one had some sort of furry ears like a headband.
"Scans show that we remained in Slipspace for 48 hours. Your wounds had time to heal within the suspended reality and vacuum."
"Wait, wait, wait." York started. "You're trying to tell me that my wounds magically sealed?"
Delta flickered. "Not by magic, there are multiple scientific possibilities. Perhaps Wyoming's Time distortion unit caused your body to go back to before the wounds were inflicted before we entered Slipspace. Alternatively, the TDU may have frozen time within Slipspace and aided in the healing process."
"Hmm." York sounded thoughtful, then shrugged, examining a corpse. "Whatever the case, better I'm here than dead."
"Affirmative, I am… glad you are alright." Delta said.
"Aww, thanks D." York grinned, pulling back on his helmet. "Now, what can you tell me about these guys?"
"These opponents all seem to have some sort of animal trait. Perhaps this is a variant on evolution that caused a subspecies?" The AI analyzed.
York cocked his head to the side, examining the strange structure of their armaments, which had odd ridges and break lines. "Maybe, D. But take a scan of their weapons, something doesn't seem right…"
A beam shot out of York's visor as the AI took a scan, then Delta hummed thoughtfully. "This is interesting."
"What is it?" York asked.
"York, move around, I need to study each weapon." Delta told him.
York followed the command and waited as Delta examined each weapon.
Finally, he'd finished, and York stood as Delta analyzed.
"I've never seen anything like it in practice, but they seem common in this world."
"What's so special about them?" York rose an eyebrow.
" -or, at least to this organization. Perhaps we'll find out more after we enter an organized dwelling. I wonder if they have cities or-"
"Delta, what the hell is so special about them?" York demanded.
"My apologies, York. Most of these weapons seem to have two functions. Although they can vary, most have a ranged and melee mode, though some seem able to change into an inconspicuous mode for secrecy or comfort."
"Huh, so how do you activate it?" York questioned.
"It seems that this model, which is a combination of a knife and a grappling hook, is activated by twisting the hilt and bending the blade back."
York shrugged. "Alright, let's give it a try." He suggested as he bent to retrieve the knife, which was a combat knife with a five-inch-long blade and a saw edge on the back towards the handle. With a breath, York turned the hilt and bent the blade over, down to the hilt. A small trigger popped out of the hilt.
"Let's see here…" York said to himself, then pointed the adjusted blade at a tree branch, then fired.
The blade, attached to a cable, was sent flying into the limb. Then, he began to be pulled towards it, sent into the air, and landed on the limb as the knife retracted back into the hilt.
"That's pretty cool." York stated, then slid down back to the ground, tucking the knife into the magnetic plate at the back of his waist. "Let's see what else I can find."
"Wouldn't that be stealing, Agent York?"
York looked down and sighed, shaking his head. "D, have you even been with me while we were lock picking into houses and stuff?"
"Affirmative."
"I steal stuff all the time. It's kind of part of my job. Besides, it's not like they're going to need it, they're dead. All they need is a casket and a man with a shovel."
"I see, but then what is the point of burials and other cultural traditions." Delta asked.
York sighed. "I guess it's one way to honor and remember a loved one or someone who did something special." He shrugged. "That and it's unsanitary to leave corpses out in the open."
"That I understand. And I suppose burials are mostly semantics, and the artifacts or personal belongings left behind, like those left in pyramids in ancient Egypt, are basically useless in their care." Delta intoned.
"Alright, D. That's good enough. Have you found out anything else about this place?"
"I've sent out a signal and tapped into some sort of communication and information system this world contains. It is apparently called Remnant by the locals. The world, that is, and most of its population lives in four kingdoms, although there are some villages and towns."
"So, relatively unsettled, small population, how advanced?"
"Extremely. You can see by their weapons and the fact they have global communications that the world is well adjusted." Delta informed him, then continued. "Those men we fought were members of a radical group of Faunus, which is what they call the subspecies with animal traits. They seem have an interest in the nearby city."
"Wait, D. If this civilization is so advanced how come much of the planet isn't settled?"
"There is another predator common throughout the world, especially in this area."
"Which is…?" York prompted.
"Emerald Forest. It is near the city of Vale, which I mention-."
"No, what's the threat?"
Behind him, there were many canine growls as Delta said two words. "The Grimm." He said grimly.
York gulped and turned to see glowing red eyes. "Are those Grimm?"
"Affirmative. There seem to be a pack of twelve 'Beowolves', according to your motion tracker. They are basically evil versions of large, nearly humanoid wolves. They have armor composed of dense bone, but their bare sections are very vulnerable."
"So, big bad wolf like the fairy tales. Got it." York took his SMG in hand, ready to face this new threat as Delta continued.
"If you can identify and take out the Alpha, it will most likely demoralize the others, perhaps make them scatter."
York clicked off the safety and checked the ammo counter in his head. "Just like the simulations." he chuckled. "Alright, help me identify the Alpha, I'll be a bit occupied."
"Scanning now."
One Beowolf growled and charged on all fours. York fired, hitting the leg of the Grimm, making it rear in a painful howl. York fired again, striking the creature's underbelly. The Beowolf died, falling to the ground as more began to advance.
York threw a grenade and fired his weapon, backing away as it exploded, launching them into the sky howling.
"Agent York, I have identified the Alpha."
As York switched to his BR, he spoke. "Where?"
"To your left, you can't miss him."
York turned and his eyes widened to see a ten-foot wolf with more plating than the others.
"Oh, that's easy." York stated, lifting the BR, and gazing through the scope, then firing into the Alpha's eyes, then an uncovered part of its neck. The wolf staggered back, and York charged forward with the grappling knife, driving it between its ribs and into where a heart would reside. The Alpha fell with a final roar, then remained dead on the ground.
The rest of the pack looked to their dead Alpha, and their fellow pack mates, who had been dispatched so easily. Then one howled a retreat, and they disappeared nervously into the forest.
"We need to get to safety, perhaps the nearby city?" Delta suggested.
"Okay. Do you know the way?" York asked as he reloaded, searching again for new ordnance among the dead Fang members as Delta spoke.
"Indeed, I can, Agent York. I'll set a waypoint Momentarily."
York bent to pick up a double-bladed sword that could shift into a chakram, whatever that was, as well as split into two swords. "The hell is this?"
"A chakram is a throwing disc from India used as a weapon, usually 12-30 centimeters in diameter. However, this one in about one and a half feet in diameter."
"Thanks, D."
"That can also turn into a compact rectangular shape about the size of a phone." Delta stated, and York's visor highlighted a switch. When York pushed it, it collapsed into the civilian form Delta had mentioned.
That doesn't seem physically possibly. How does this big ass sword compact into this tiny thing? It doesn't obey the laws of physics!"
Giving no answer, Delta's waypoint appeared, showing the way to the nearest city. York placed the two new weapons on the magnetic plates on his left thigh and back, keeping his BR in hand as he began walking.
"Agent York." Delta said. "This world seems to need some serious help. These Grimm are just the threat everyone knows of. The White Fang, the underworld of Remnant, and a rising plot that seems more sinister. Reports of the White Fang working with a criminal and becoming more organized, mysterious deaths…"
"What are you saying?"
"You are a Freelancer, perhaps you have fallen to a lower level, but did you not sign up to protect the people?"
"Alright, alright, I get it. Damn D, way to insult my ego, 'Fallen to a lower level'?"
"You were picking your way into businesses last week, York." Delta reminded him.
"Semantics, D. Anyway, not like I have anything better to do. I'll help. Perhaps we can find a chance to redeem me from this 'fallen state'." He put up air quotes as he started trekking through the forest.
"You could start by burying those bodies." Delta stated. "That seems like something honorable people do."
"Baby steps, D. Baby steps." York said, though he winced, feeling slightly guilty.
Minutes later, as they continued down the road, Delta piped up "What about income, how will we blend in?" The AI asked.
"I'll figure that out after a night of sleep. Let's get somewhere safe first."
"Agreed, Agent York."
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AUTHORS NOTE:
*Stretches* Hot DAMN it's been a while. Welcome back, folks. Editing is happening, new stories coming forth, and promises to keep. Stay posted and check out my YouTube and twitch channels for some gaming fun.
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Phoenix