Hunters of Justice (RWBY/DC)
Chapter 38: A Hard-Pressed Offer
December 5th, 5:00 AM (Afghanistan Time)
Bagram Airfield, Parwan Province, Afghanistan
There were several reasons why Lieutenant Lucas Fox got up at five in the morning each and every day. For one, it was simply expected for officers of the US Army to get out of bed early so that a proper example may be set. Given his upper-class background, that was an even greater concern for him, as the last thing he wanted was to give the impression that he was some lazy rich boy fed with a silver spoon all his life. Luke Fox was definitely fed with a silver spoon, but that was beside the point. Second, after doing it for so long, he had simply gotten used to it. He couldn't sleep past 5:30 AM even if he tried anymore, so he didn't bother. Lastly, and most importantly, getting up this early gave him an opportunity to actually talk to his father, something he did whenever he got the chance.
"Hey, dad," Luke spoke into the satellite phone just outside the barracks.
"Lucas! It's good to hear from you again," his father, Lucius Fox, replied from the other end of the line. "How have things been?"
"Oh, you know. The usual. A few patrols here and there, interacting with the locals, trying not to freeze to death," Lucas joked. "With how hot the summers get, you'd think the winters would be pleasant, but you'd be wrong."
"Winter doesn't start yet for a few more weeks," Lucius pointed out, but Luke merely laughed and shook his head.
"Tell that to the snow I had to shovel out yesterday," Luke replied. He heard his father chuckle, then as it died away Lucas asked, "How are things in Gotham?"
"They've been very exciting, as I'm sure you've heard."
"I did. Something about a new group of superheroes taking down Gotham's biggest crime lords in less than a week?"
"More like a single night. They were very efficient."
"Sounds like it. They still around, or did they move to greener pastures?"
"From the looks of it, they now live in Metropolis."
"Looks like they and the Batman didn't get along."
"So it would seem," Lucius said. There was a hint of sadness and reluctance in his father's voice, which Lucas readily picked up on. He decided against drawing attention to it, knowing that the topic made his father uncomfortable, and decided to shift topics.
"So, interesting thing happened," Lucas revealed. "The Army finally decided to upgrade our equipment. For some of us, at least."
"Oh? What do you mean?"
"The Pentagon are fielding some new experimental weapons and are wanting to see how they stack up with what we currently got. Camp Leatherneck got all the fancy new gear, Shindand got a mix of old and new, while we're stuck with the old."
"You don't sound upset," Lucius pointed out, and although his father couldn't see him, Lucas nodded.
"The new weapons came from LexCorp, apparently," Lucas revealed, then shrugged. "I know I've never met the guy, but based off everything you've told me, the further away I am from what he makes, the better."
"Ah, I see. That's perfectly understandable," Lucius replied, his voice remaining neutral despite his dislike of the world's richest man.
Instinctually, Lucas did not like Luthor. By all public accounts, Luthor was a well-respected entrepreneur, innovator, investor, and philanthropist. The living embodiment of the American Dream, seeing as how he rose out of poverty from Metropolis' Suicide Slum to become the richest and arguably smartest man in the world. Yet, from what his father described, he knew that Luthor was far from the generous persona he presented. That beneath the surface was a dark and manipulative individual, one who was willing to run over anyone to get what he wanted. Basically, the kind of person Lucius Fox despised most in the world of cutthroat business. Bruce Wayne didn't like him either, and both of those opinions combined were more than enough for Lucas to share their apprehension.
That and he was a proud Gothamite, and since Luthor was from Metropolis, that meant he was his enemy by default.
Lucas then thought back to some reports over the past few days, and remarked, "There's also been an uptick in Grimm activity in the region. Came across a few destroyed towns and villages while out on patrol."
"That's…concerning," Lucius slowly replied, and Lucas nodded again.
"Yeah, but the weirdest thing was the ones being hit. Half of them were held by insurgents."
"Grimm, by all accounts, are drawn to negative emotions. I can't imagine living under their harsh conditions would lead to a pleasant environment."
"I would agree with that, but they were ones we were planning on liberating soon," Lucas revealed. "It's how we found out they were wiped out. UAVs saw a suspicious lack of activity and we were sent in to check everything. It…wasn't a pretty sight."
"Did you…?"
"No, the Grimm were long gone by the time we arrived," Lucas revealed, then frowned. "Something about this doesn't seem right. Dad, think you can pass this along to the right people?"
Lucius was silent for a moment, then he quietly answered, "Of course. I have to get going, now. The Wayne Foundation is hosting a gala soon, to help raise money for the victims of Crane's attack a few months ago."
"Well, that certainly sounds pleasant. Never been a fan of those high-society functions."
"Oh, that's because you've never found the right person to come with you," Lucius teased, and Lucas smiled before shaking his head.
"I'll talk to you later, dad," he said.
"You too, Lucas. I love you."
"Love you, too," Lucas replied, then hung up at the same time as his father.
Placing the phone back onto a crate, Lucas sighed and leaned against the barracks wall. Although he had no reason to suspect anything was wrong, a lifetime living in Gotham City had taught him to pay attention to the most minute of details. It had served him well thus far, allowing him to spot IEDs and ambushes before they could harm him or the men under his command. Something that his men deeply appreciated and respected him for. Right now, those feelings were screaming at him that something deeper was going on, and he could only pray that he was either mistaken or could spot the threads before they entangled everyone.
At the moment, though, he had more pressing matters. Namely, the fact that no one else in his squad was up yet. So, with a smile on his face, he walked inside the barracks then flipped on each and every light inside, and a chorus of groans went off as the soldiers sleeping in their beds tried to block out the light.
"Rise and shine, everyone! Got a big day ahead of us!" Lucas called out.
"Ugh, screw you, Fox," a grumpy soldier muttered as he rolled out of his bed.
"What was that, Smith?" Lucas asked, and Private Smith groaned once more.
"Screw you, Sir," Smith replied, and Lucas smiled.
"That's better. Now come on, we got five laps to do before the sun rises."
The groans came again, but all of the soldiers nevertheless complied as they followed their lieutenant outside.
December 5th, 9:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time)
Gotham City, New Jersey, United States of America
Even after all this time, Ruby still found it hard to walk around in high-heels. Or, as she preferred to call them, "lady stilts." It felt as though each and every step would make her lose balance and fall flat onto her face. Only through her invaluable experience as a Huntress was she able to remain upright, although she tried to avoid walking as much as possible.
"Hmmph! Blake, you gotta try these!" Yang insisted as she held up a plate of cocktail shrimp. Keeping her eyes on the party around them, Blake reached over and grabbed one of the crustaceans, then dabbed it in some cocktail sauce before eating it.
"Must you keep shoveling those in?" Weiss chastised, lightly glaring at Yang while placing her hand on her hip.
"Yes, yes I do," Yang immediately replied, eating the last of the shrimp in emphasis. "In fact, I'm going to get some more."
Weiss could only groan as Yang walked off to catch the attention of another server, while Ruby merely giggled at her older sister's antics.
Both team RWBY and team JNPR were back in Gotham City. Only this time, they weren't here on account of their jobs nor any superhero business. Instead, they were joining Weiss in attending a Wayne Foundation fundraiser organized by Lucius Fox. Surrounding them were some of the wealthiest and most powerful men and women in Gotham and Metropolis, all of whom were eager to throw around their wealth and status in front of their peers.
It was a scene all too familiar to Weiss Schnee, who had to attend plenty of these events during her life. Ones both organized by her father, as well as others hosted by the rest of Atlas' high society. As before, she hated being here. The people around her radiated vanity and pride, acting as though they cared about what the gala was actually for when they were instead so far removed from it that they really couldn't comprehend it. To be sure, plenty of them were honestly attempting to help however they could, and donating to the Wayne Foundation was one of the most effective and surefire ways to ensure their resources were properly used, but there was always that sense of detachment to them.
At the same time, however, Weiss couldn't help but notice the distinct absence of one person in particular. Bruce Wayne was nowhere to be seen, which Lucius even commented on with a joke at his expense. That suited Weiss and her teammates just fine. None of them were quite ready to be with Bruce again, even if in a civilian capacity. Besides, they knew exactly what he was doing in lieu of attending this gala, so they didn't worry about his whereabouts.
In Bruce's place was Damian, who clearly did not care for this entire thing and would rather be with his father out on patrol. That being said, he was still doing an admirable job of fulfilling his duties as the Wayne family heir to expert precision, if a little cold and blunt while doing it. Thus far, they had only directly interacted a few times since the gala began, and those were only polite nods and gestures. Otherwise, both Damian and the Remnantians kept their distance.
"Seriously, we need to dress up like this more often! We look good!" Nora exclaimed as she gestured to herself, wearing the same dress she wore to JNPR's disastrous double-date. Pyrrha was wearing her previous dress as well, and Ren and Jaune were wearing their suits.
Part of Weiss wondered if it was perhaps a tad bit too much to wear them given what happened last time, but Nora had surprisingly made some valid arguments. For one, she had explained, they had already paid for those dresses and not wearing them would be a waste of money. Second, in a high-society event such as this, they fit perfectly. Finally, and most importantly in Nora's mind, choosing to wear those dresses silently sent a message to Poison Ivy that they weren't going to let her win. That last argument was what finally convinced the rest of JNPR to follow suit, and from what Weiss could see, they were having a pleasant time.
Team RWBY was similarly dressed in fine attire. Weiss herself was wearing a long dark blue dress that slowly turned white the closer it got to the bottom, which went down to her ankles. A slit along the side of her legs allowed for easy movement, so she didn't feel constrained. Yang was wearing a gold-colored dress whose skirt was much wider than Weiss' but still allowed for easy movement. She was showing the most amount of skin out of everyone, but it was still classy with only her back and shoulders exposed. The look certainly suited her. Blake, meanwhile, wore a dark purple dress that seemed to sparkle under a certain light, with the skirt itself being layered. Ruby, meanwhile, visibly struggled with her lacy red and black one-shouldered dress, trying to remain out of sight due to a sense of embarrassment. Weiss personally felt Ruby had nothing to be embarrassed of, as she looked gorgeous tonight; she'd even been convinced to wear a bit of tasteful makeup for this special event. Coupled with the flower tucked into her hair above her ear (a ruby red rose, of course), and it lent a rather enchanting cast to her features, but Ruby refused to move away from her corner. Part of Weiss felt it was humorous. Ruby could stand up to heavily armed and threatening gangsters and supervillains all day long, but put her in a dress and place her in a high society event, and she crumbled under nervousness.
From the corner of Weiss' eye, she spotted Damian once again stealing glances at Ruby, who remained oblivious. He had been doing so all night ever since they arrived, and by now the rest of team RWBY, except for their leader, had noticed. It was certainly an odd behavior, and none of them quite knew what to make of it.
At the same time, though, they were here to have a good time, not concern themselves over the odd behavior of a teenage boy. So they let it be, instead turning their attention back towards the party.
"Weiss, there you are," Lucius greeted as he walked over to both teams, a warm smile on his face that Weiss and the others happily returned.
"Hello, Mr. Fox. Thanks for inviting us!" Ruby thanked her employer, who gently raised his hand while shaking his head.
"Think nothing of it," he insisted. "I know this might not be the most exciting affair, but I still hope you all are having a good time."
"Hmm-hmm," Yang replied, giving Lucius a quick nod. "Been loving the appetizers, by the way."
"I can see that," Lucius said, then chuckled. "Be sure to save some room for the actual meal, and don't worry. I'll be covering all eight of you."
"You might regret that later," Blake pointed out, subtly pointing to Nora, who was practically drooling over the main courses as they were wheeled out. Lucius merely smiled and shook his head, having already been made aware of the Pink Lightning's enormous appetite.
It was then that the soft quartet of strings died away, signaling that the band hired for the event had finished playing. At once, the audience around them politely clapped, including RWBY and JNPR while the musicians bowed.
"Aww, is the show over?" Nora asked, and Lucius nodded.
"They'll be back, don't worry," he explained. "Right now, we're going to have our next performer."
"Oh, who's that?" Jaune asked, then to his and everyone's surprise they saw Weiss straighten out her dress and confidently step forward towards the stage as the musicians walked away, their instruments in hand.
"You convinced Weiss to sing?" Pyrrha asked, and Lucius shook his head.
"Heavens, no. I did no such thing," he replied. "She was the one who came up with the idea. Weiss felt it would help add a more personal touch to the overall atmosphere."
"Ooh," Ruby hummed. While Weiss didn't sing very often, it was always a treat in her opinion, so to hear that Weiss was going to sing was welcome news to her.
When Weiss finally stepped next to the stage before waiting for the master of ceremonies to introduce her, she faced the crowd as they sat at their tables, servers bringing food and silverware to them. The MC then gently cleared his throat and leaned closer to the microphone, and announced, "Now presenting, Wayne Enterprises' very own: Weiss Schnee."
There was a polite scattering of applause from the attendees, with some noticeably less restrained clapping coming from where she had just left her friends, as Weiss daintily stepped up to take the man's place at the microphone. She leaned back and closed her eyes, then took a deep breath before she began to sing, accompanied in the background by the soft keys of a piano.
"When I was young. If I could just close my eyes. Then I could go anywhere," her voice sang out, enrapturing the audience. "Dream of any place. Imagination set the place. And my heart was happy there." Then her voice rose as the song started shifting gear.
"What a shame that you came 'round and told me. Said my dreams can't come true. 'Don't be foolish, give up your wish. Big things aren't for you.' And how you'd scold and chide me. Forever criticize me. But now I think I know the truth.
"You were the one. Who held me down and told me. I was heading nowhere. You said, 'Know your place. Accept your fate and show good face. And be thankful that you're there.' That was so long ago when you owned me. I believed it was true. Bend me, shape me, build me, break me. Why was I your fool?
"and now I'm so much stronger. I'm not yours anymore! I've got a message here for you. Time for you to learn. It's my turn. I won't be held down any longer. I've waited all my life, and finally it's here. It all begins, a chance to win. A dream that's been a lifetime. And endless, vast uphill climb. The day I've waited for is drawing near."
Weiss continued to project her voice, so captivating to the audience that they weren't touching their food. Even the servers stopped to simply listen, which Weiss noticed and gave a gentle smile towards. While only her friends knew her well enough to fully understand what the lyrics were about, it was clear to everyone that the song was coming from her heart, and when she finally finished everyone stood back up and applauded. Weiss gave a polite curtsey, then stepped off the stage to return to her friends. She passed by Lucius, who smiled and shook her hand before taking her place on the stage.
"Give it up for Weiss Schnee, everyone!" Lucius declared, and the applause grew louder. "When Weiss told me that she could sing, I certainly wasn't expecting that. Thank you for sharing your gift with us tonight."
Weiss smiled and gave Lucius a polite nod, and he nodded back before continuing on. "But, for now let us return to the true meaning of tonight. We are here to raise money for those harmed by Doctor Jonathan Crane's cowardly actions just a few months ago. Thousands were harmed, and while much of the city has finally begun to feel a sense of normalcy since then, many others have not been as fortunate. As the upper echelons of Gotham City and Metropolis, it is our duty and responsibility to lend a hand to those in need. We cannot just sit idly by in our ivory towers as those less fortunate struggle. The Wayne Foundation and I thank each and every one of you for taking the time to lend a hand tonight. May it lead to a brighter tomorrow."
Once again, the room applauded, and Lucius smiled and waved before returning to his designated table. Rather than go to their own table, RWBY and JNPR decided to stand and watch over everyone. They weren't quite ready to sit down and eat just yet, and as Weiss finally returned to them, her teammates smiled at her.
"That was amazing, Weiss!" Ruby exclaimed, beaming widely as Yang clasped Weiss' shoulder.
"I don't think I recognize that one," Jaune admitted, rubbing his hand over his chin before pointing at her. "Was that the thing you were working on all week?"
"Yes, it was," Weiss confirmed, and Jaune nodded.
"Well, your efforts certainly paid off," Nora praised, giving the former heiress two thumbs up.
"The song was lovely," Pyrrha added, giving Weiss a smile.
"I liked it," Ren declared, giving Weiss a polite nod. Weiss nodded back then smiled towards her friends.
"Thank you. Honestly, I'm happy it turned out so well. It's been a while since I've sang in an event like this," Weiss explained.
"With a performance like that, I feel like you should do it more often. Doing otherwise would be putting your talents to waste," a man suddenly added. Weiss and the others turned around to thank him, only for the words to die in their throats as they immediately recognized him.
Giving the eight teenagers a smile, the man offered a hand while saying, "Lex Luthor. CEO of LexCorp."
Weiss and the other stared at him, their faces neutral despite every fiber of their beings screaming out to confront the vile man before them. Weiss then coldly replied, "Charmed. Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Luthor. May I ask why you are here?"
"You're very much welcome, Miss Schnee. As for my presence here in Gotham, it's as Lucius said. I'm the wealthiest, most powerful man in the world, and it's my duty and responsibility to lend a hand to help others up. Besides, it was an open invitation, and while normally I'd simply donate, tonight's gala caught my interest," Lex answered, standing upright and placing a hand in his pocket. He then turned towards the others, and said, "Ah, these must be your friends. I hope I'm not disturbing anything."
"No, we were just talking," Ruby replied, giving Lex a deep frown.
At the same time, she glanced around them and, to her surprise, noticed that there was a considerable distance between them and everyone else. A faint line of what she assumed to be Lex's bodyguards had formed a barrier between them and the rest of the party, and as the music picked back up, no one noticed their conversation. In the distance, they could see Damian Wayne glaring at them, visibly wanting to step in, but he kept getting preoccupied by others demanding his attention.
"I see. Well then, I don't want to take up too much of your time, Miss Rose," Lex declared, causing Ruby to jump slightly. Lex chuckled, then remarked, "Yes, I know who you all are. After all, the news that a sixteen-year old prodigy and her older sister are hired by WayneTech travels fast. Not to mention Miss Schnee herself. Several of my colleagues have spoken very highly of you and your professional conduct under Mr. Fox."
He then consciously gave the rest of them knowing looks, and they all knew exactly what he was telling them beneath the lines. Clenching her fists, Ruby demanded, "What do you want?"
"My, such hostility," Lex said, his smile growing more calculating. "Might want to tone that down. Don't want to cause a scene, do we?"
He gestured around him, reminding the superheroes of where they were. At the same time, they noticed an Asian woman wearing glasses walk over to Lex, handing him a tablet that he immediately took and began tapping his fingers against.
"Thank you, Mercy," he stated, then handed the tablet back to his assistant who remained standing next to him. "Now then, where were we? Ah yes. I have been watching you all with keen interest, and I have to say that you've impressed me."
"That wasn't our intention, I assure you," Blake dismissed, her feline ears underneath her bow pointing backwards in agitation.
"Yet you did, regardless," Lex immediately countered. "I say that speaks very highly of you."
"Can't say the same about you," Nora remarked with a low growl. "We know what you've been doing."
"Is that so?" Lex raised, raising an eyebrow. "What, exactly, is it that I've been doing?"
"The Grimm," Jaune answered, clenching his fist. He took a step forward, but when Mercy shot him a harsh glare he involuntary stepped back.
"Ah, yes. The creatures that came from Remnant, was it? Monstrous things, really. Such a shame that they've been spreading out of control as of late."
"They've only done that because of you," Ren countered, visibly having to hold himself back.
"That baseless accusation again." Lex shook his head in amusement. "If anything, it's because of the Justice League's failure to properly contain them when they first arrived. Of course, they had…other issues to attend to first, so I can't exactly blame them. I can assure you, though, LexCorp is doing everything we can to ensure that the threat of the Grimm is properly contained."
They all immediately saw through Lex's lies, but like him, they knew that at the moment they had nothing to nail him with. Accusing him would accomplish nothing, and trying to apprehend him now anyway would only serve in his interests, and so they bit their tongues to keep from lashing out.
Ruby then steeled her gaze and remarked, "I think you're underestimating the true threat the Grimm pose to the Earth."
"They are a certainly a threat," Lex acquiesced, waving his hand gently, "but I would say that we've faced worse before. I'd wager that climate change is a more pressing matter."
"Climate change doesn't eat people and tank bullets," Yang countered, her eyes flashing red. Rather than be intimidated, Lex merely chuckled.
"That it does not," Lex said, then he took back the notepad from Mercy Graves and tapped his fingers into it again. "Enough idle chatter. Let's focus on what's really important."
He handed Weiss the tablet, who reluctantly took it and began to look it over as he explained, "In response to the Grimm threat, LexCorp is starting a new division. I want you all to be part of it. Each of you would be heavily compensated, with the best benefits packages available in the entire world. Full health coverage, six-figure salaries, stock options, grants for higher education, all living expenses paid for by LexCorp, and more."
Weiss and the others quickly read over the contract, and true to Lex's words, it was quite generous. The salary alone was enough so that only one of them would have to work and their entire apartment would be covered for, including Bruce's portions. But they didn't even give it a second's thought before they thrust the tablet back into Lex's chest.
"We're not interested in helping you solve the problems you're helping to spread," Ruby declared. "We will never work for you, Lex, so don't bother trying."
"Well, that is disappointing," Lex admitted, then he shrugged. "Regardless, my offer is still on the table. If you ever change your mind, give me a call and we'll work out the details. When you see Mr. Wayne again, give him my regards. I had hoped to see him tonight, but I guess we all know about his nighttime proclivities."
He gave Weiss a business card, then before any of them could say anything else, he turned around and walked off. Mercy Graves was right behind them, and subtly his line of guards drifted away as well. RWBY and JNPR glared at him as he disappeared from view, and a moment later Damian marched up to them.
"What happened?" he demanded, and without taking her eyes away from Lex's retreating from, Ruby scowled.
"Lex happened," she answered, then turned her head towards Damian. "He knows."
Damian's eyes widened, then he turned towards Lex as well who gave the teenagers one final grin and nod before sitting back down at his table, not caring at all about the murderous glares he was receiving. All of them were able to read the silent message Lex was sending them. That despite their powers, he was the one in control of this situation, and there was nothing they could do to stop him. It was then that they heard Nora growl, and everyone turned to face her.
"That bastard… He trapped us," Nora explained. "He trapped us in societal convention. Very clever…"
Weiss and the others slowly realized that Nora was right, and they all joined her in glaring at the man. All of them silently vowed that it didn't matter how long it took. Lex may not take the threat of the Grimm seriously, but they did, and they were going to make sure he paid for unleashing them upon the world.
December 6th, 1:00 AM
Atlantic Ocean, 50 nautical miles off Eastern Seaboard
Lex Luthor watched as his private helicopter flew over the seemingly endless Atlantic Ocean. In the dark of night, only the moon and stars illuminated their path, but not by much. It was only thanks to the specialized night-vision gear his pilots were wearing that enabled them to see where they were going, which suited Lex perfectly. There wasn't a single light shining out from the helicopter, and the only hint of their presence was the faint thumping of the spinning helicopter blades and a dark silhouette moving past the stars. Combined with the stealth technology built into the aircraft, they were effectively invisible.
"Mr. Luthor, we're nearing our drop-off. ETA, two minutes," the pilot announced, and Lex nodded while looking over a tablet detailing the latest shipments of LexCorp products around the world.
"Perfect," Lex said, never taking his eyes off the device. Nodding towards his employer, the pilot returned his attention to the empty space in front of him, allowing Luthor to continue his work undisturbed.
He had to admit, while he was somewhat disappointed that the eight alien teenagers deigned not to take his generous offer, he was expecting it. From the intelligence he had managed to gather, they were quite the idealistic lot. It must have been why the Justice League was so taken with them. Regardless, he had done all that he could. Despite knowing that their experience against the Grimm would be beneficial to him, they made their choice abundantly clear. If the Remnantians chose to continue hindering his plans, they couldn't say he didn't offer them a way out. The consequences of their naivety fell entirely upon their heads now.
Moving past tonight's expected disappointment, he shifted his attention towards the Grimm. Illicit sales of the creatures had increased, as had sales of armaments meant to counter them. This had led to quite the substantial increase in LexCorp earnings, falling exactly in line with his plans. If things continued the way they were going, LexCorp's weapons division would boast a record profit not seen in years.
But that wasn't the main goal of the operation in Lex's mind. Yes, making a profit off of the Grimm was an added bonus, but his chief concern was using them to blacken the Justice League's eye. Earth's greatest defenders, unable to protect the world against mindless beasts. Granted, said beasts could withstand most of humanity's arsenal, but that merely presented a challenge in Lex's mind. Through the Grimm, Lex was provided with an opportunity to unleash an enemy mankind could vanquish without the need of the Justice League, showing the world if only for a moment that they did not need so-called gods looking out for them. That they could take control of their destinies for themselves once again, much as he did.
The way he saw it, the children from Remnant were letting their personal biases cloud their judgement. While the Grimm may have been a threat to their civilizations, they were an established presence for thousands of years, at the very least. Not to mention the mere fact that it wasn't the Grimm who brought them down. Rather, it was another alien who showed up out of nowhere and stomped them like ants. In contrast, the Grimm had only been on Earth for a few months, meaning they were weaker and less coordinated than they ever were on Remnant, and Earth had already faced the threat of alien invasion three times and emerged victorious.
Everything was under Lex's control, as it was supposed to be.
His thoughts were finally interrupted as they reached their destination. Ahead of them, he at first saw only the emptiness of the Atlantic Ocean. But, as they passed a certain point, the air around them shimmered, revealing itself to be a cloaking field encasing a large artificial island. Lex Island was in the shape of a hexagon and twice the size of Oahu at one-thousand square miles in area. He had spared no expense in its construction, containing a single laboratory complex nestled alongside an artificial mountain, with the rest of the island covered in a vast forest, glacier, a small desert, rivers, and coastline. It had taken nearly a decade to construct in secret and billions of dollars' worth of time and resources to bring fully online, but as Lex's helicopter descended towards the waiting helipad, he could think of nothing more than satisfaction.
His naysayers said it couldn't be done, but what say they now? Lex hadn't seen the enormous cost of such a construction as a hinderance, no. He saw it as a challenge, one that he had crushed much like everything else. Now he had an island all to himself, one where he could conduct the most clandestine of experiments without the worry of watchful eyes looking over his shoulder. Then, once he was done with it, he could turn right around and reveal it to the world, offering it up to the masses as a resort and nature preserve.
When the helicopter finished its descent, its doors opened. Mercy Graves was the first one out, followed immediately by Lex Luthor. Stepping onto the steel landing pad, he breathed in and smiled before walking towards an arriving monorail tram. The two partners stepped onboard, which then immediately headed towards the laboratory compound at the heart of the island.
"Live-fire field tests should be ready to proceed in just a few days," Mercy explained as she read the latest development off her tablet.
"Have everything placed into position," Lex immediately ordered, folding his arms behind his back as the tram continued to speed along the track. "Are the canisters in place?"
"Yes, Mr. Luthor," Mercy replied, then frowned as she read another update. "Unfortunately, there appears to have been a few leaks. A dozen employees were accidentally exposed to the gas and are currently in psychiatric care."
"Unfortunate. See that their needs are attended to and that they can return back to work as soon as possible," Lex stated, watching the forest shoot past. "Have there been any more updates regarding the interference on the Grimm?"
"As of yet, no, however the science team does believe that the interference is not coming from Earth," Mercy explained.
"Off-world?"
"That's what the data indicates. They believe that if they can get powerful enough sensor equipment, they might be able to pinpoint its exact location."
"Without a means to see what's causing it, knowing where it's coming from doesn't help us," Lex pointed out, frowning slightly. "Have the science team continue their work, and find ways to actually get us there. I want to see whatever, or whoever, is interfering with the Grimm personally."
"Yes, Mr. Luthor," Mercy immediately replied, typing away the orders and sending them out to the appropriate managers.
With the immediate needs dealt with, Lex and Mercy settled into a comfortable silence as the tram continued its journey. Finally, they arrived at the laboratory. It was a stark white, three-story stepped tower that, from the outside, looked like an L. On the very top was the ubiquitous LexCorp logo, subtly reminding all who owned this entire place. Buried underground were ten sub-levels, each one devoted to an entirely different spectrum of research. Research that was far too dangerous, or illegal, to conduct in the continental United States or any other country.
As Lex and Mercy walked through the automatic sliding doors, the security officers immediately sent them greetings, which neither of them returned. Instead, they walked straight to the elevator, where they saw an orange-and-black armored man with white hair and an eyepatch over his left eye leaning against the wall, waiting for them.
"Mr. Wilson," Lex greeted the mercenary, who immediately nodded back before getting off the wall and joining them.
"Mr. Luthor," Slade Wilson replied as the elevator doors sealed shut behind them. Then, with the elevator beginning its descent to the bottom levels, he added, "Had another training session with him again. Nearly had me, but I managed to beat him."
"So Project Krypton is improving, then?" Lex asked, and Deathstroke nodded.
"Nowhere near as strong as the real deal, though. Which he seems to recognize, so he's trying to compensate through clever tactics. But yeah, Superboy's getting better."
"'Superboy?'"
"One of the new guys started calling him that," Deathstroke explained while giving a nonchalant shrug. "It kind of stuck, especially after he took the name for himself."
"Hmm," Lex hummed, scratching his chin.
He knew that Project Krypton had been chafing under its 'name' for some time now, and it was more than likely that it had simply taken the first semblance of a real name for itself the first chance it could. Part of Lex was angry that his creation had chosen a name so similar to his most hated enemy, but at the same time the logical part of him recognized where it came from. Superboy was certainly an accurate descriptor for Superman's younger clone.
If it helped to pacify the restless clone, he'd allow it. It took no real effort on his part to do so, after all. It didn't mean he'd refer to the clone as Superboy, though. That way it would be reminded as to who was actually in charge.
When the elevator finally stopped, Lex, Mercy, and Deathstroke immediately stepped out and into the hallway. As they walked, they heard a deep thumping from behind the walls. None of them were worried about the sound, as they knew exactly where it was coming from. Their thoughts were confirmed as they entered a testing area, where they saw a large, barren concrete room holding a single teenaged male with short slightly spiked black hair, wearing a skintight white jumpsuit accented with green lines that did nothing to hide its dense musculature. The clone radiated power, the evidence of which was all around it. The floors and walls were cracked and cratered, and broken bits of weapons and machinery were laid strewn across the room. It wasn't phased in the slightest, remaining fully upright with its back turned towards the one-way mirror. Then it slowly turned around and looked through at the mirror, its green eyes focusing immediately on Lex Luthor. Lex stared right back, glancing at the green LexCorp logo emblazoned on the clone's chest, and how its face looked remarkably like Superman's with an added Luthor flair.
"Superboy, we're proceeding to the next test," Doctor Donovan spoke into the microphone, his voice being amplified by the speakers, but everyone knew he didn't need it. The clone responded with a nod, then turned towards an opening in the floor as a sealed cage rose up.
"Commencing Grimm Combat Test," an automated voice rang out. A moment later, the cage opened, and a spinning blur shot out straight towards Superboy.
Rather than flinch or attempt to dodge, Superboy remained motionless where it stood, then caught the Grimm as soon as it reached it. The creature looked similar to a boar, albeit one with pitch black fur and white osteoderms around its face and back. A pair of curled tusks came out from its jaw, which it attempted to gore into Superboy's body as it held it overhead. When the tusks finally made contact, however, they harmlessly bounced off, then Superboy frowned before slamming the Boarbatusk onto the ground with enough force to form a crater. The Grimm laid there in a daze, then Superboy's eyes glowed red hot before twin beams of heat centered onto one of the beast's four eyes, which boiled away. For a brief moment, the Grimm squealed and thrashed in pain, then it went still and disintegrated into ash.
"Well done, Superboy," Doctor Donovan called out as Superboy walked way, grabbing a bottle of water that shot out towards it from an opening in the wall.
"Thank you, doctor," Superboy replied as it took a swig from its drink. It then turned back towards the mirror and called out, "Hello, father."
Lex remained impassive as everyone's attention turned towards him, then without even leaning towards the microphone he said, "I see your progress has been improving. Your performance was…satisfactory, although I know you could have killed it faster."
"I wanted to see if it could harm me. As with the rest of the Grimm, it could not," Superboy explained.
"None of them should," Lex replied. "Be sure to remember that the next time you train against them."
"Of course, father," Superboy replied. It then glanced towards Doctor Donovan, Deathstroke, and Mercy Graves, then looked back at its creator and asked, "When will I be allowed to leave the island?"
Lex couldn't help but sigh and shake his head, then remarked, "I told you before, you aren't ready. You've only been stable outside of your birthing pod for a few years."
"I understand that, but I haven't had an incident in years," Superboy pointed out. "If I'm to protect the world, then I need to see more of it than just a single artificial island."
"Yes, but not yet," Luthor insisted, his voice firm and unflinching. "Understand this. The world outside this island is dangerous and hostile. It is filled with people who will seek to use you, such as Superman and the Justice League. The only person you can truly trust to look out for you and your interests is me. Until I am absolutely certain you are ready and your body won't fail you, you are to remain here. Am I understood?"
Superboy was quiet for a moment, and it and Lex stared deeply at each other. Finally, Superboy nodded and remarked, "I understand, father."
"Good. I don't want to have this conversation again," Lex declared, then he turned around to walk out of the observing room. Doctor Donovan and the other scientists dismissed Superboy, instructing it to return to its room as they followed their employer to wherever he needed them next.
Had they stuck around, they would have noticed that Superboy remained standing where they left him, watching his father and his compatriots as they walked away, tracking them through the walls. With his fists clenched and his face in a small frown, Superboy only walked away once they disappeared behind a lead wall. As he walked back to his room, Superboy's thoughts remained focused on what his father had told him. Had been repeatedly telling him ever since his body fully stabilized. By now, he had realized a few things. One, his father was correct in that the world was a dangerous place, filled with people who would want to use him.
But if Lex Luthor thought he could convince his creation that he had his best interests at heart, he would be greatly mistaken. For as much of him that came from Lex Luthor, Superboy was equally Superman, and he was able to see right through Lex's lies and deception. He'd play along for now, but as soon as he got a chance to finally throw off the yoke controlling his life, Superboy was going to seize it.
December 6th, 12:00 PM
Brainiac's Mothership, Unknown System
Penny had been stuck in this room for nearly a month now, and thus far things had not gone the way she expected. For one, outside of sensors he had attached to her body when she first arrived, Brainiac hadn't once so much as touched her. He was seemingly content to leave her to her own devices. That didn't mean he wasn't watching, though. Penny had detected dozens of sensors embedded around the room, from visual cameras and audio feeds to more advanced technologies meant to observe her Aura and the rest of her mechanical body, gathering information about everything she did that undoubtedly went straight back to Brainiac for his analysis. Even if he wasn't there, Brainiac was studying her, and Penny Polendina felt less like a girl and more like a lab rat. It was humiliating more than anything, but at the same time she knew she had made the right choice. She couldn't bear to have Winter or anyone else die for her, and if she had to make the choice again, she'd do it in a reactor-beat.
At the same time, Penny wasn't completely alone. She shared her 'cell' with another, an elderly human woman named Fria who had proven to be quite a wonderful companion. Fria was kind, almost motherly, and had taken to Penny almost like a granddaughter. Had they met back in Atlas and they were able, Penny was certain that Fria would have gladly doted on her like a grandmother as well. It was a thought that made Penny happy. After all, she'd never had a grandmother before.
But, at the same time, Penny could read the signs underneath the surface. Fria's frail body was failing her, and Penny estimated that she only had a few more months to live. With each passing day, Fria grew weaker, finding it harder to walk around their cell or simply take care of herself.
Her mind was also slowly ebbing away, struggling to focus or remember things. Sometimes she would forget where they were and why, confusedly asking if they could please go outside to see what the weather was like today. Her sense of time would flow or skip, losing track of herself while regaling Penny with stories of her long life, only to lose herself in the memories as if she were still living events that were now long past. Though the episodes that hit Penny the hardest were when Fria was unable to recognize her, politely greeting her and introducing herself to Penny as if they were still strangers. The gynoid could only take solace in the fact that such lapses didn't last long, with an apologetic Fria quickly demonstrating that she hadn't truly forgotten her. At least not yet. It was heartbreaking, but Penny vowed to herself that she was going to be with her every step of the way.
There was one thing, however, that the elderly woman refused to forget. A duty that she held onto with an unbreakable grip, no matter how badly her body and mind might fail her.
When Fria, currently laying in her bed, had another violent coughing fit, Penny was immediately beside her, offering a small glass of water that Fria graciously took. She took a sip, then smiled at Penny and said, "Thank you, dear."
"You're welcome, Fria!" Penny replied, sitting on a chair next to the bed.
Fria took another sip, then frowned slightly at the room temperature water. After a moment, she narrowed her eyes, and out of both came a blue flame. It wasn't hot. In fact, it didn't have any temperature at all, and instead Penny picked up that the glass of water's temperature decreased considerably. Once she was satisfied, Fria smiled and the flame went away, and she took a satisfied sip of her now ice-cold water.
"Aah, that's better," she whispered, and Penny nodded.
"I'm sorry I wasn't able to make it cold," she remarked, but Fria shook her head.
"No need to apologize," Fria insisted.
"I know, but still!" Penny replied, giving a soft smile that Fria could only laugh at.
It hadn't taken long for Penny to discover why Brainiac was holding Fria. She was the Winter Maiden, one of four women around Remnant gifted with vast magical powers, each one named after a different season. It had been hard to believe at first, but Penny's sensors didn't lie. What Fria could do was far beyond anything Aura or Dust could provide, and the only explanation left was actual magic. The two of them had had plenty of conversations regarding it ever since the truth came to light, and Penny had immediately found it fascinating. According to Fria, she had obtained the Winter Maiden powers when she was a young girl. How, exactly, she got them or who had trained her was unfortunately forgotten, but regardless she was a master in their use. While she preferred to use her powers over ice, Fria was more than capable of conjuring intense winds, heat, and apparently lightning as well, among others. Penny was confident that Fria was the most powerful woman she had ever met, but even that wasn't enough to stave off the ravages of time nor Brainiac's assault.
Once again, Fria began to cough, and the water threatened to spill out of the cup. Penny immediately and gently grabbed her hands, preventing the water from spilling, and once the fit was over, Fria looked at Penny and smiled.
"Thank you, dear," she told the gynoid, only to begin coughing again. Penny didn't leave her side, and wouldn't do so for however long Fria needed.
Once the coughing subsided, Penny slowly removed her hands, then looked over to a table on the opposite end of the bare room. She got up and walked over to it, then grabbed a few objects she had painstakingly assembled over the past few days. It had been hard, and required a fair amount of creativity to simply come up with the alternatives, but Penny was happy with the end result. If it made Fria happier, it would be all the better.
"Oh, hello there. Who might you be?" Fria remarked as Penny got closer, once again forgetting her companion. Rather than show sadness, Penny softly smiled then sat back down next to the bed.
"My name's Penny Polendina," Penny introduced herself again. After a moment, Fria's face softened as she realized what she had done, but before she could say anything, Penny gently gave her what was in her hands. "It's alright. Here, I made you something."
Surprised, Fria looked at the objects that Penny had given her. One was a pressed flat piece of grey metal, another was a metal rod with strings of Penny's hair attached to one end. Inside a metal tin was a black liquid, a mixture of soot and oil that Penny had slowly accumulated once she set her plan in motion.
"Is…is this…?" Fria began, and Penny nodded.
"You said you liked to paint," Penny pointed out. "I know they aren't actual painting supplies, but I hope they'll work."
Fria looked at the makeshift painting equipment silently for a moment, then she looked up at Penny with tears in her eyes. She gently grabbed Penny's shoulder then said, "Thank you, Penny. I love it."
Penny smiled, happy that her idea had worked. Fria had mentioned repeatedly how she had wanted to do something to pass the time other than laying in bed, and eventually the subject of painting came up. Back in Atlas, it had been Fria's favorite pastime, a way to cement what she saw into her shaky memory, and she had expressed a desire to do so again. Penny had requested Brainiac to allocate some supplies afterwards for that purpose, but he had immediately refused. In the Coluan's opinion, the use of resources for painting or other forms of artistic expression was illogical, pointless, and a waste of resources, but Penny was undeterred. Seeing how happy Fria was, perhaps the happiest Penny had seen, told her she made the right decision.
Then Fria held up the metal plate and dabbed her paintbrush into the black mixture, and told Penny, "Sit still, please."
"Why?" Penny asked, but otherwise did as she was asked.
"Because I want to paint you," Fria answered.
Penny gave a quick, knowing nod, a sad frown passing her face before she settled into a soft smile. Serendipitously enough, Penny served as the perfect painting model, able to hold her pose and wide trademark smile with perfect stillness for however long it took. As Fria began to work, glancing up and down from the plate back up to Penny, the mechanical girl hoped that, if nothing else, Fria's efforts would not be in vain.
Ozpin stared impassively as Brainiac once again won their game of chess. It was an outcome he had fully expected, and he was already shifting his attention towards Brainiac as he began to ask his question.
"Am I correct that the Four Maidens, as your people call them, came directly from you?" Brainiac asked, and Ozpin nodded.
"You would be," Ozpin answered. "I can't remember exactly when I split those powers from me, only the circumstances around their creation. After lifetimes of trying, and failing, to contain Salem, I had given up and decided to live the remainder of my days as a hermit. Eventually, however, I was visited by four young women, who restored my faith in humanity. As thanks, and with the hope that four could do what one could not, I divided much of my power among them, creating the Maidens."
"An illogical decision, giving up that much power," Brainiac criticized as he set the next game up. "It would have been more logical to keep the powers for yourself, or at the very least have them return to you once those women died. That way they would remain under your direct control."
"That may be, but I don't regret my decision," Ozpin countered, furrowing his brow and once again resisting the urge to attack the Coluan as his back was briefly turned.
"Which brings me to another question of mine. I have scoured Remnant's history, and have determined your most likely previous incarnations," Brainiac began. "During which I noticed a pattern, most exemplified by the end of Remnant's Great War. You amassed great power for yourself, only to divide it among others and see it inevitably crumble. Why?"
"Because I don't believe any one man, or woman, should hold absolute power," Ozpin declared. "My predecessor could have ruled the world after the Great War, yes, but that wouldn't have solved the world's problems. If anything, it would have only put a gilded mask over them, and my hope was that by lifting everyone up and making them equal, we could work on solving those problems together. There were hurdles and speedbumps along the way, yes, but until you arrived I believed we were making excellent progress."
"That belief was merely an illusion, a willful self-deception that ignored the rot threatening to spill over," Brainiac replied as he finished setting the board. "You may ask your question."
"Of course," Ozpin stated, furrowing his brow and bringing both of his hands together. He already had his question in mind, and he asked, "What are you planning with the Four Maidens?"
Brainiac stared at him for a moment, then began to walk away from the board and ordered, "Follow me. This inquiry will be easier to answer directly."
Ozpin dutifully followed, keeping his cane in hand as they walked through the ship towards one of the many specialized labs inside. As they walked, Brainiac began to explain.
"Above all else, I am a scientist," Brainiac declared. "If I see something I do not fully understand, I immediately seek to rectify that by conducting tests and thorough observations. Magic has always been one of those inquiries, and thus far its study had proven to be difficult on account of its wide variability. Which is why the Maidens interest me. Their powers are completely magical, and despite the naming convention, are all functionally identical to one other. The only notable differences between them are from experience and personal preference, making them perfect for study."
They rounded a corner, and Brainiac added, "The number of them also afforded me an opportunity to enhance my testing. Proper study requires controls in order to be verifiable, and to accomplish this I have designated one of the Maidens as my control. Specifically the Summer Maiden, currently residing in Vacuo, has remained untouched and only monitored from afar, allowing me to observe how a Maiden operates in her natural environment. The other Maidens serve as test subjects, albeit to varying degrees."
They passed an open room, the same room that Ozpin repeatedly came into the ship from, where Ozpin saw Raven and the rest of the Branwen Tribe laying about. Without pausing, Brainiac noted, "The Spring Maiden, known to you as Raven Branwen, is one such test subject. Rather than affect or modify the powers themselves, I instead direct them in ways I desire, thereby allowing me to study their baseline applications."
A door next to them opened, and Brainiac went inside and allowed Ozpin to follow. They found themselves in an observation room, watching over Penny Polendina as she cared for Fria, the Winter Maiden. Seeing both of them in such a state broke Ozpin's heart, and the loss of Penny to Brainiac had been a crushing blow to morale inside of Vale, but at the very least she was unharmed.
"The Winter Maiden, known to you as Fria, was recovered in Atlas and was previously protected by Atlesian special forces. Due to her advanced age, she was far too weak and frail for direct testing, and there was no guarantee that she'd survive. But, she did allow me to test another property of the Maiden powers with little to no risk, which is being combined with my study of the gynoid's Aura and emotional capabilities," Brainiac explained.
Ozpin thought over what Brainiac was implying, and soon he came to a horrified realization. He turned his head towards Brainiac and said, "You're using her to study the Maiden transfer."
"Precisely," Brainiac answered, "as well as what variables affect who, and what, can receive them."
Before Ozpin even had a chance to say anything else, Brainiac turned around and walked away. The Headmaster of Beacon stole one last glance towards Penny and Fria, frowning at what he knew was coming but unable to do anything to stop it, then walked after Brainiac. At the same time, he made sure to memorize the layout of the ship, keeping his thoughts and machinations to himself.
They then reached and went inside another lab, and Ozpin immediately noticed and recognized a woman embedded into the wall. Her lower body was completely encased in metal, with tubes and wires flowing underneath her skin. Her upper body was bare, with much of it covered in metal plates that appeared to be merging with her body rather than placed on top of it. There were also inky black sections of her body centered around her left arm, and a sinking feeling filled Ozpin's gut.
"Taking the data gathered from the other test subjects, I then focus my attention on the last," Brainiac declared as his drones continued their work on her body. "This is the Fall Maiden, known to you as Cinder Fall. Perhaps the greatest example I can see of how illogical it was to divide the Maiden powers the way you did. Recovered during the preservation of Vale while acting as an agent of the being known as Salem. The subject attempted to resist, but was quickly subdued and brought here for study. Despite having the Maiden powers, she herself is not the true Fall Maiden. That belongs to the Grimm parasite living within her."
"She has a Grimm living inside of her?" Ozpin whispered, horrified at the implication, to which Brainiac nodded.
"Indeed." Brainiac droned, his face passive and neutral despite the sickening subject matter. "A completely illogical and reckless decision, given the risks involved. Had her situation continued naturally, there is no doubt in my mind that she would have eventually become some sort of human-Grimm hybrid, with the Grimm as the dominant party. Nevertheless, Cinder Fall has proven to be an interesting test subject, specifically regarding how my technology can interact with the Maiden powers. She has been subjected to cybernetic augmentation ever since, the results of which have resulted in an exponential increase in magical output. Once her modifications are complete, I intend to test them against natural Maiden powers."
Ozpin stared at Cinder and narrowed his eyes. On the one hand, Cinder had been an enemy to the people of Remnant. A woman more than willing to throw away her own humanity and send millions of people to their deaths in the pursuit of her own goals, so seeing her suffering such a fate was well deserved. But, at the same time, he couldn't help but feel somewhat tempered at the cruelty in her treatment. Being made into Brainiac's guinea pig wasn't a fate he wished on anyone, not even her.
Then Brainiac turned around and declared, "Come, I have yet more questions of you."
Ozpin sighed and without sparing Cinder a second glance turned around to follow Brainiac. As he did, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise as Cinder finally moved to glare hatefully at them, but Ozpin ignored her as the doors sealed shut behind them.
Bottled City of Vale
Qrow Branwen sat atop a building, looking over the empty, ruined streets of Vale. In the distance, he could hear potshots go off as sporadic fighting broke out, but Qrow merely remained where he was. Taiyang Xiao Long was standing next to him, both waiting for Ozpin's return.
"You sure she'll stay?" Tai asked, and Qrow shrugged.
"I don't know," Qrow admitted, taking another swig of moonshine from his flask. He grimaced at the foul taste and texture, but with the actual alcohol gone, it was the only way he could get a buzz anymore. He then handed the flask to Taiyang, who took a drink and had the same reaction he did.
"Well, she better," Tai declared, handing the flask back to Qrow who took it back then pocketed it.
"Yeah," Qrow said, frowning deeply. He knew it was a long shot, but it might be the only way to finally get answers.
The two of them fell into silence. Neither could say it was comfortable or unpleasant. It simply was. The only sounds they heard was the creaking of buildings around them along with faint pops in the distance. It was an eerie scene, one enhanced by the distinct lack of wind ruffling against their skin. Instead, the air was still and dry, and felt, for all intents and purposes, dead. Qrow supposed that was apt as he stared at the glass-like barrier that encased the city.
Finally, Taiyang broke the silence and asked, "Do you think they're alright?"
"Yes, I do," Qrow immediately answered, standing up to turn towards his friend and teammate. "Ruby, Yang, all of them are fine and we're going to see them again. When we do, we're going to do what we should have done months ago and kick Brainiac's ass."
Taiyang narrowed his eyes, then nodded. Qrow nodded back, then Taiyang asked, "Speaking of, any idea what's going on with Ironwood? He's been acting…strange lately."
"Like he's hiding something?" Qrow asked, and Tai nodded. Qrow then shrugged and leaned against a wall while crossing his arms, and added, "Yep, felt it too. Got no idea what he was doing, though. Whatever it was, it was connected to Penny."
"That's the feeling I got, too," Taiyang confirmed, rubbing the back of his head. "Why would he keep…whatever he's doing secret from us?"
"Jimmy's always been the one to keep his cards close to his chest," Qrow pointed out, releasing a beleaguered sigh. "Sometimes it feels like the only person he trusts is himself."
"He has to realize that we're all in this together, and keeping us in the dark is only going to make things worse."
"Yeah, well I don't think he particularly agrees with that sentiment," Qrow pointed out. "Probably never has."
Anything else was cut off as they heard a sharp ping coming from behind them as Raven Branwen finally opened a portal. The swirling red mass floated just above the rooftop, allowing her and Professor Ozpin to step forward. Nodding to each other, Qrow and Tai began walking towards her, causing Raven to narrow her eyes suspiciously.
"Raven, good. You're here," Qrow announced, and Raven's hand shot to Omen's hilt.
"Relax, we're not here to fight you. Even if you deserve it," Taiyang muttered that last part, but Raven heard it regardless. A flash of hurt went through her eyes, but almost immediately went away as she glared harshly at them.
"What do you want then?" she demanded, and Qrow stepped forward while keeping his hand on Harbinger's handle.
"Answers," Qrow declared. "Your Semblance can connect and teleport you to people. We were…hoping that—"
"That I could take you to Yang and Ruby," Raven finished the thought, and Qrow nodded.
"Or at least tell us they're alive," Taiyang begged. "Please, Raven. Just…tell us. If nothing else."
Raven stared at them for a moment while Ozpin remained quiet. After a heavy silence, Raven sighed and closed her eyes before saying, "Fine. I can confirm that they're still alive. I don't know where they are, and my connection to Yang is faint, but it's still there."
At once, both Taiyang and Qrow sighed in relief, but before they could ask the inevitable follow-up question, Raven stated, "But I can't take you to them."
That caused both of her former teammates to look at her harshly, and Qrow asked through narrowed eyes, "Why not?"
"Because every time I try, my Aura completely shatters," Raven declared. "The greater the distance between me and my target, the more Aura my Semblance uses. Never mind how difficult it is to go back and forth from Brainiac's ship to here. The only reason why I'm even able to is because of Brainiac's technology, and I can only feel Yang thanks to supercharging my Semblance with the Spring Maiden powers."
"You're the Spring Maiden?" Qrow asked, his head shooting back as he realized the implications of what she was saying.
Raven nodded, but before he could angrily shout at her, Raven bulled ahead, "That doesn't matter anymore. The point is, even with the Maiden powers boosting my Semblance to its maximum potential, I can't reach Yang. She's light-years away, and any portal I create falls apart within a split second, completely draining my Aura in the process. It's hopeless."
She stared at the two men who stared right back at her, then they sighed and hung their heads in disappointment. Qrow then looked back up at Raven and narrowed his eyes, and asked, "How long have you felt her being alive?"
Raven remained silent at first as everyone's attention slowly focused on her, then she admitted, "From the beginning. The tribe and I were already on Brainiac's ship when Ruby was captured, and while I didn't see the fight, I felt it. When Yang and the others were sucked through that Boom Tube, I felt her suddenly go from being very close to very, very far away, and I haven't lost that feeling."
Both Qrow and Taiyang looked at Raven in shock, then that shock gave way to outrage. Raven knew this was coming, and so remained impassive.
"You not only knew that they were alive from the beginning, then let us think for months that they were actually dead, but you could have helped them and did nothing?" Taiyang accused. After a moment's pause, Raven nodded.
"Yes, I did," she answered. Qrow and Taiyang began to seethe and grind their teeth, which only worsened when Raven added, "It wouldn't have made a difference in the end. Brainiac is too powerful, and the only way any of us are going to stay alive is by doing what he wants."
"BULLSHIT!" Qrow suddenly shouted, his Semblance flaring and causing a nearby building's supports to suddenly break. The entire structure fell apart immediately afterwards, and while Tai briefly glanced at it in alarm, Qrow remained focused entirely on Raven. "You are the Spring Maiden, for the Brothers' sakes! Out of anyone here, you could have helped them! If all of you worked together, if you had just helped your damn daughter, we would have stood a chance! But instead you didn't! Now Ruby and Yang are off on some goddamn alien planet, doing Brothers' know what, and you didn't even have the decency to tell us about it! You let us think they were dead!"
"Scream at me all you want, Qrow," Raven coldly replied, narrowing her gaze as brief flickers of crimson flame came out of her eyes. "But you haven't seen Brainiac like I have. He can't be beaten. Others far stronger than us have tried and failed. The sooner you realize that, the better off you'll be."
Qrow harshly breathed in through his nose, and for a moment it looked as though the two siblings were about to come to blows. Before they could, however, Ozpin stepped in between them, defusing the tension by pushing them apart.
"That's enough. Fighting amongst each other is not going to solve a thing," Ozpin admonished, frowning at the two of them. Both Branwens glared at each other, then Qrow backed away and raised his hands in disgust.
"Fine, but this isn't over," he warned. He and Taiyang prepared to walk away, only to stop as Raven suddenly cleared her throat.
"I'm afraid you're not going anywhere, Qrow," she declared. Feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise, Qrow turned around to face her, and to his surprise she had a regretful look on her face. Like she didn't want to do what she was about to do, but would do so regardless.
"What do you mean?" he asked, clutching Harbinger tightly.
"Brainiac has requested that I bring you back with me," she revealed, and Qrow's heart jumped up into his throat. "He's gotten interested in your Semblance as well as our ability to turn into birds, and now he wants to study both."
For a few seconds, Qrow just stared at his twin disbelievingly, as if he was having trouble comprehending this latest low, before scoffing bitterly. "As if selling yourself to that bastard wasn't enough, now you're going to feed me to him too, huh?" He ground his teeth loudly, his hands beginning to shake despite himself, and he asked, "And if I say no?"
"You don't want to do that," Raven urged. "Ozpin himself can attest to what happens if you don't do what he wants."
Qrow immediately understood exactly what Raven was getting at and glanced at his mentor. He had seen firsthand what happened to Ozpin after his previous refusals to work with Brainiac, both what Brainiac did to him as well as what he did to others once he realized that was far more effective. Undoubtedly Brainiac would do the exact same thing, if not worse, to him and the ones he cared about if he refused to comply. At the same time, though, he didn't want to give in to the alien's demands so easily. Especially since doing so would directly help him.
Then he saw Ozpin motion towards him meaningfully, and as he walked away to the end of the rooftop, Qrow followed him. Raven chose not to follow, instead merely staring at them passively while Taiyang stayed where he was. Once they were far enough away, Ozpin subtly handed Qrow a small thumb drive which Qrow looked at in surprise. He knew exactly what this was: a copy of all the information Ozpin had accumulated thus far about Brainiac over the course of their games.
"Oz?" Qrow quietly asked, and Ozpin glanced at him from the corner of his eye while otherwise staring out over Vale.
"I need you to go with her, Qrow," Ozpin whispered, his voice low enough to where even Qrow could barely hear him. "Call it a gut feeling, but I get the sense that fairly soon I'm going to need you in a position to act. You can't do that here."
"I…" Qrow muttered, glancing at the device in his hand while Ozpin gently placed his hand on his shoulder.
"Whenever that opportunity comes, if it comes," Ozpin gently added, "there is a lab half a mile to the left of where you will come in on the floor above. Inside there will be someone you need to help, and you need to get that to her. Do you understand?"
Qrow stared at his mentor for a moment, then he steeled his gaze and nodded. He took one last look over Vale, certain it would be his last, then pulled out his flask and uncapped it. Subtly placing the drive in his mouth, he downed it with a swig of moonshine, and grimaced at both the foul taste as well as the uncomfortable sensation of the thumb drive traveling down his throat. He didn't know how long he would have to keep it down, but it wasn't the first time he had to hide sensitive information like this. With careful applications of Aura, someone could keep anything down for as long as they needed to.
With one final nod, Qrow turned around and walked back to Raven, saying, "Alright, fine."
"What?! Qrow!" Taiyang shouted, but Qrow shook his head and raised his hand placatingly.
"It's alright, Tai. Better me than someone else," he justified. Tai looked as though he wanted to protest, but when Qrow shot him a look, he backed down and sighed while clutching his hair.
"Good, you're finally seeing reason," Raven said.
If she had any hint as to the deception Qrow and Ozpin were playing at, she didn't show it. Either she truly had no idea, which Qrow personally doubted, or she was keeping it to herself. Perhaps out of some small shred of family loyalty or decency that she still had left. Or maybe she just didn't think any 'futile' gambit of theirs would matter one way or another. Regardless, it suited them just fine. When Raven opened up the portal back up to Brainiac's ship, Qrow stole one final look at Taiyang and Ozpin before giving a faint smile.
"Wish me luck," he took his leave, then walked through the portal. Raven looked at her former husband and mentor one last time as well, then followed her brother through the portal, closing it behind them.
[~][~]
Hello, everyone! Here's the latest chapter of Hunters of Justice! Special thanks to Jesse K and NaanContributor for their help in bringing this to life.
A bit of a calmer chapter this time, but plenty of important things occurred. Not only did we finally get to see Luke Fox and Superboy in person for the first time, not to mention seeing things from their perspective, we got another update from Brainiac's ship. As you guys can see, it's not pretty by any means, which is to be expected.
Now before I go onto the Q&A, I just want to make something clear. I have been receiving a lot of Guest reviews asking about the status of the next chapter. I want to make something clear: do not ask me that. Writing fanfiction is a hobby of mine. One that I enjoy, but still a hobby. Real life comes first. Not to mention I have three other active stories to handle. Coupled with the fact that you guys got two chapters last month for HoJ, I felt it was fine to wait a month to focus on the others. Now, I do intend to get something out by Halloween, but it might also take a few days to get it out. Regardless, do not ask me about when I'm going to update. Just know that I am working on it.
Q&A
YoJoe: I don't do requests for Elseworlds or other types of stories. If I do something, it's because I want to do it.
Brian.H.H: Yeah, that was a favorite line for me, too.
Alank2: Happy you enjoyed the chapter so much! Really appreciate it and glad you're caught up.
Alexbaker42: Maybe, it all depends on if it fits the chapter.
23debal01: You'll have to wait and see on that. Even then, it really all depends on the needs of the stories. For example, Maria Calavera. I love her, but her purpose in canon was to introduce Ruby to proper use of her Silver Eyes. In HoJ, I have other characters able to do that, so there isn't as much need to utilize her in any major way outside of a cameo. Don't take that as gospel, though. Just a hypothetical to make my point.
Sinbad jr: Once again, please do not make requests of me. I write what I want to write, and I do not intend to adopt a story from someone else nor do I intend to write something that someone wants me to make.
Zephyr47: Thank you, I'm really happy to hear that. I try to make my stories as accessible to people as possible, regardless of whether or not they're well-versed in either fandom. I fully expect that the majority of people who read my stories are only familiar with one or two, so I try my best to make it accessible. That being said, I do throw in a lot of winks and nods that the well-versed reader can understand, but they aren't needed to fully understand the story. It helps that this is my own continuity, so I can do a lot more without being held back by what others have done.
thekingsfun: Happy to hear that. It must have been quite the effort to binge the entire story in just a few days, and I'm glad that you enjoy my work so much.
Megamastermaind: I won't be doing that as while my story has shown that other things, such as the TMNT, are part of the multiverse, I have specifically excluded Marvel entirely from it due to it raising way too many worms that I don't want to deal with.
Echo Five: It's whatever you want them to be.
mastergamer14: Probably not, at least not in any major capacity. I've already created a brand new continuity for my story to work with, and DC already has hundreds if not thousands of characters for me to use at my disposal. As for Lucifer, you'll have to wait and see.
gordhanx: Yeah, this was a fun chapter for me to do, and it was a great and creative way to reference RWBY's real-life inspirations. Had the Queen of Fables dealt with JNPR, she would have seen them as their inspirations as well. Very meta, in a way. As for the Doom Patrol stuff, that was the point. I've leaving what happened to your imagination.
Crossovernaru: Thank you. Time really flies, huh? And yeah, we had a lot of fun doing the fairy tale reenactments. Weiss just being done with it all and dragging her heels through the whole thing seemed like something she'd do, which made her eating a poisoned apple, normally a very bad thing, into comedy gold. And yes, that was the point with Ruby's kiss. It was love-filled, but not romantic love. Basically, she pulled a Frozen. In contrast, Yang going all out and hamming it up seemed like something she'd do, which was great. I'm glad that you liked how we did Blake's segment. We figured out of all of them, hers needed the most gravitas and poignancy, but we were still able to throw in some humor with the Blake/Yang interactions. The final battle against the Queen of Fables was also a treat for me to write, even if it was a bit shorter than the rest of the chapter. That was on purpose, as the Queen of Fables wasn't the real point of the chapter. The point was RWBY reliving their fairy tale inspirations, with the Queen of Fables being a plot device to facilitate that story being told. Also, the whole U.S. Tax Code came from the comics, not originated by the Harley Quinn tv show. Just pointing that out to everyone. She might show up again in the future, but it all really depends on what is needed for the story. As for the reference to the the actual book of Remnant's fairy tales, it was a bit of both. I did know about it, but the chapter posting right before it released just happened to be the case. That is a funny skit idea with the Zwei butt triggering Nora and the rest of JNPR.
And yes, the Grimm are picking up focus.
Guest: Yeah, especially for JNPR. Which was the entire joke.
6tailedninja: That is kind of how it happened, yeah.
mellra: No, I was planning on doing the Fables chapter for months.
I Am The Prophet: Some probably do, to some extent, but obviously not 100% the truth. Others are most likely complete fabrications or simply stories.
Jackalope89: That they most certainly are.
Visit-97: I do intend to do crossover ships with this story. What, exactly, they are will be revealed in due time.
midnightson41: Any ships that I do in this story, which is not the main point but rather just a topping, are ones that I both like and feel best suited the story. Not to mention how I interpret the character interactions. For example, White Rose. I like White Rose. I think its cute and they work together, but when I take my shipping goggles off I do not see Weiss or Ruby actually viewing each other that way. They're just close friends, and that's how I write them. That isn't really the case with Blake and Yang, so I write them accordingly. And as for characters dying, it all depends on the story's needs. I'm not going to kill someone just because they died in the show or a cliche reason. Everything I do has a purpose.
Helljumper206: They certainly traumatized JNPR.
bowser3000000: Maybe, but then she'd turn into a grammar Nazi. The world doesn't need that.
Sora with an S: The actual character I was referring to from Fables is actually named Prince Charming. That's why I went with it. But yeah, fairy tales were dark.
Notros: Yes, she is. Coco was revealed to be a lesbian in After the Fall. Apparently she was a bit of a player, too, leaving a bunch of broken hearts in her wake.
Haxorous knight: Probably, but that's what you get with the Doom Patrol and the Queen of Fables. Weird stuff happens.
Steelrain66: I like Lancaster, too It's one of my favorite ships, but I didn't feel like it helped this story to have it happen so it won't. As for the Doom Patrol thing, it was meant to really just be a joke. You'll see a lot more of that in the future, sometimes with RWBY getting the background stuff while other times its JNPR.
RandomName3064: Just to be clear, that wasn't the actual Adam. The real one would obviously fight differently. Also, that wasn't romantic White Rose. More just goodnatured teasing. Don't read too much into it. The Bumblebee moment, however, is a different story. Read into that all you want.
That's it for this chapter. I hope you all enjoy and let us know what you think!