(A/N) This is, once again, a little later than I'd hoped, but it's also a longer chapter (6.3k as opposed to the usual 5k), so hopefully that balances out. In other news, this is now the second most favorited Halo x RWBY crossover on the entirety of Fanfiction dot net. That is honestly amazing! Thank you guys so much!
One last thing before the chapter, I'm working on actually drawing Valkea. I've been meaning to do that for a while, but a school project came up and I figured "Hey, why not?" So yeah, that's gonna be a thing. It's not done yet, but it will be before the next chapter goes live, so I'll post a fanfiction-friendly link on that one.
Anyways, enjoy the chapter!
Volume Two
Chapter Eight – Hear Them Whisper
/-\ Ruby Rose /-\
I walked through the alleyways of Vale, my old disguise shielding me from prying eyes. This area was a lot fuller than I remembered, mainly occupied by people clad in flimsy and disintegrating servant's clothes.
'Atlesians.' I thought. 'At least the lower-class ones.' Most gave me curious looks, but quickly shied away when the usual occupants of the alley did the same. Soon enough and I'd arrived at my destination; the Three Bears dance club.
I could faintly hear the music as I approached the backdoor, the henchie standing guard giving me a quick nod upon noticing me and knocking three times. The door slid open a moment later, bringing me face-to-face with another henchman who led me to the usual conference room.
Cel awaited me there, my guide departing as soon as we reached the room. She crossed her arms. "So, mind telling me why you missed my last payment?" She asked.
I shrugged. "The gang and I went on a mission that lasted a bit longer than expected." I said, pulling out two envelopes. "One has your money; both this month's, last month's, and a little bonus. The other has your updated procedures as well as new contact info; my old burner scroll broke." I lied, covering up the fact that I was actually giving her the scroll number of Major Foley. I'd already informed him of his new quote-unquote 'agent' and how we usually communicated.
Cel snatched both envelopes right out of my hand, opening the larger one and swiftly counting out the Lien inside. "It's all here." She said before handing me an envelope of her own. "That thing up in Atlas's got 'em nervous. They're mobilizing for the first time since you started hitting 'em."
I nodded, taking her report. "Good to know. We'll be in touch, agent." I said, striding out the door. An hour later, I sat down on the couch inside the ruined cabin that housed our bunker, having shed the more annoying aspects of my disguise. I dove straight into her report, a cup of coffee helping me to shake off the fatigue that was finally setting in after three days of nearly zero sleep.
As I read on, though, any trace of exhaustion was completely and utterly erased. I hid the report in the wall and reached for my radio. "Commander? We've got a… situation…"
I silently crept into our dorm, stalking towards Blake's bunk as she slept peacefully within. When I reached it, I clamped a hand down over her mouth, ensuring no screams would escape. Her eyes snapped open, hands instinctively trying to wrench mine from her face.
I held on, making a shushing motion with my other hand while she struggled. Soon enough, the panic started leaving her eyes, replaced with annoyance as she recognized who was doing this. I repeated the shushing motion, causing her to nod, before slowly removing my hand.
She raised an eyebrow, clearly agitated. I passed her a note that told her to meet me at the bunker, knowing she'd be able to read it with her nightvision. Instead of waiting for her response, I quickly, and quietly, snuck over to my partner's bunk, repeating the process.
Like Blake, Weiss's eyes snapped open once I covered her mouth, though she was paralyzed with fear. I could almost feel her heart pounding through her chest. I clicked on a flashlight for a moment or two, just long enough for her to recognize me.
She shakily exhaled from her nose, calming down slightly. I made the same shushing motion I did with Blake, but her eyes only narrowed in anger. My partner tried to backhand me, but I dodged out of the way and repeated the shushing motion.
She fumed, but eventually nodded, allowing me to safely remove my hand. I leaned down to her ear "Meet me in the bunker. Don't wake Valkea." I whispered before turning around and silently exiting the room.
In a few moments, I was outside the dorm building. I paused for a moment, rethinking my approach, before turning to my left and heading towards the staff dorms. And that's how I found myself face-to-face with a bleary-eyed and very angry Winter Schnee.
"Why, pray tell, did you wake me up at zero-dark-thirty?"
"Because we have a problem. A big one." I said. "Throw on something over your skivvies and follow me. This place's a little too noisy, if you catch my drift."
She blinked, her face scrunching up in confusion for a second before she seemingly got the message. "Give me a minute." She said with a yawn, not even bothering to close the door. The Specialist didn't don her uniform, instead throwing on a green trenchcoat (Vale's twin axes proudly emblazoned on the right shoulder) and her boots. Lastly, she secured her saber at her hip before turning back to me. "Lead the way."
I nodded, heading for the bunker. By the time we got there, Weiss was already nodding off on the couch and Blake looked to be opening her third can of tuna. I let Winter go in first before slamming the door behind me, causing my partner to jump off the couch in fright. "Ugh, you oaf!" She shouted. "What is the matter with you?! I thought some deviant had snuck into our dorm and was going to-"
"There's a spy at Beacon." I interrupted, causing them all to stiffen.
Winter's hand hovered over her saber. "I need details."
I produced Cel's report. "It's all in here; the spy we've got in the 'Fang overheard Adam talking about how Sienna's got one of her people here." Winter snatched the envelope from me. "No names, though."
She abruptly stopped reading. "Wait… you have a spy in the White Fang?"
I shrugged. "I like to keep tabs on the little innies; old habits die hard, I guess."
"Old habits- We've been trying to accomplish that for years, and you just suddenly have one?!"
"I've got experience with this stuff." I said. "But let's get back on track. She doesn't name any names, but I've got a few suspects. Valkea's at the top of that list."
Weiss crossed her arms. "I know she doesn't like me, but that doesn't automatically mean she's White Fang."
"Nope, it doesn't, but that isn't the only clue." I said. "When I met her, she stuttered on her last name; implying she was using a fake one. When she met Winter, she froze up and reached for her weapon."
Winter raised an eyebrow. "So, you noticed it too."
I nodded. "Then to top it all off, Ozpin knows she's hiding something. Something that only we can handle, apparently."
"Alright, you have me convinced." Weiss said. "When are we moving to apprehend her?"
"Not right this minute." I said, drawing a raised eyebrow from my partner. "Think about it. If Sienna knew that her agent made it to Beacon, that means either they're communicating somehow, or Valkea isn't the spy."
"Or not the only one." Blake said.
"Or that. I'm certainly not ruling it out; we've had eyes on her ever since she joined the team, but she might've sent something before that." I said. "You've got the best picture of how the 'Fang operates, what would they do in this situation?"
She hummed. "Adam works in a system of twos; no one does anything dangerous alone."
"But this isn't Taurus." Winter cut in, holding Cel's report. "This says that Adam was quoting a message from Khan."
"This goes all the way to the top…" I muttered. "Did you ever work directly under her?"
She shook her head. "I've only met her a few times, and that was when my father was still in charge."
"So we're working blind." I crossed my arms. "I guess I've had worse counterinsurgency ops…"
Winter raised an eyebrow. "Do I even want to know?"
"No." We all said in unison.
She pinched her nose in a very Weiss-like fashion. "Very well. What do you suggest we do?"
"I'll take this to Ozpin, you'll go to Ironwood." I hummed in thought. "Blake, do you think you can befriend her?"
She shrugged. "Maybe, I don't know."
"Good enough; just keep an eye on her." I said. "If she tries to get away from you, be sure to tail her. Maybe try to have a look inside her backpack when she isn't looking; see if you can't find anything suspicious."
"I'll see what I can do." She said. "Maybe I can convince her to come around to our way of thinking."
I sighed. "Just don't reveal that we're on to her. If I'm right, I don't wanna spook her."
She nodded, a grateful smile on her face. "Thank you."
"What about me?" Weiss asked. "She absolutely hates me; I'm honestly not sure what I can do. Any ideas?"
I hummed. "Not at the moment, but I'm sure I'll think of something." I said. "In the meantime, let's get some training in, since we're out here."
They all groaned, but no further objections were made.
"My, you're up early, Miss Rose." Ozpin said.
"Up still, actually." I said, getting up from my chair. "There's just too much to do; I can sleep later."
"The bags under your eyes tell another story." He said before motioning to the elevator. "Come; I'd imagine you haven't been sitting in my waiting room for gods know how long just to wait some more while I get settled." I nodded, joining him in the elevator. "Coffee, Lieutenant Commander?" He offered, retrieving a cup from the wall.
I nodded. "Please."
He retrieved another cup, filling it just in time for the doors to open. I sipped at it as we sat down, not minding the scalding temperature. "So, what has brought you to my office at six this morning?"
"There's a spy at Beacon." I said, setting the coffee down. "One working for the White Fang."
He nodded. "Any suspects?"
"A few." I said, cautiously. He wasn't acting like I thought he would; you'd think he'd be surprised by the notion of a terrorist spy at his school. "Valkea Smith is at the top of that list."
He hummed, sipping at his own drink. "It seems James owes me ten Lien, then."
I blinked. "What?"
"We had a friendly wager, General Ironwood and I." He started. "I bet that your teammate would be outed within the first week. It seems I was correct."
My jaw hit the floor. "If you knew she was an innie, then why in the world did you let her in here in the first place?!" I shouted.
He calmly sipped his hot cocoa. "Have you noticed something… familiar about Miss Smith?"
I crossed my arms. "If you're going to compare her to Blake-"
"I am aware her situation is different from that of Miss Belladonna." He interrupted. "I meant on a more… physical level." He took another sip of his drink. "Miss Rose, what color are her eyes?"
I paused, picturing the terrorist's face in my mind's eye. "They're… silver…" I let out, putting the pieces together.
He nodded. "With Atlas gone and Mistral being Mistral, we need every advantage we can get in the war against the Grimm." He took another sip. "Plus, my placement of her on your team has other benefits besides the impossibility of keeping secrets; that being a chance at rehabilitation."
"What do you mean?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"Earlier, you were worried I was going to compare her situation with Miss Belladonna's. While they attend this institution on two very different circumstances, there are similarities; ones I hope allow for her to be positively influenced." Another sip. "And also, the Belladonna name carries weight within the Faunus community, making it more likely that Miss Belladonna will be successful in her endeavors."
I hummed. "I thought Blake'd be able to get closer to her as well." I said before realizing something. "Wait a minute, how did you know about Valkea being a spy?"
He chuckled. "You don't get to be my age and not be able to read people." He sipped his drink. "I'll admit you were fairly difficult to read, but Miss Smith was only slightly more difficult than an open book."
I crossed my arms. "Fine. I guess the UNSC teamed up with the innies against the covvies a couple times; maybe we can convince her to fight the Grimm with us. That still leaves the question of how, though."
"That, Lieutenant Commander, is an issue I will leave to you." He checked his watch. "But until then, I do believe you have a funeral to prepare for. However, I do still have those books on your heritage if you wish to take them while you're here…"
/-\ Pyrrha Nikos /-\
I tapped my fingers on the desk in front of me, both anticipating and dreading the ringing of the bell. Specialist Schnee stood in front of the class, bags under her eyes. "Now," She said in her commanding tone. "who here can summarize today's lesson?"
An ashen-haired girl sitting next to the new member of Team RWBY raised her hand, the R, W, and B of that team conspicuously absent. "Most Covenant don't have aura."
"No Covenant have aura." She corrected. "Some do have energy shielding, though, and that functions similarly to the protective aspect of aura. However, it is not actually aura." She said, turning around and writing 'No Covenant have aura.' on the board. Oddly, she started with her left hand and then switched partway through, sighing when she did. She turned back around. "That was part of the lesson; who else has anything to add?"
Ren politely raised his hand. "Their weaponry is highly effective against our own aura, and therefore, despite their lack of our abilities, they are not to be taken lightly."
She nodded in approval. "Correct. I will freely admit that there were several times during the invasion when I wasn't sure if I would survive." Suddenly, the bell rung, causing all the students to begin packing up their things. "Miss Nikos." She said.
I paused. "Umm… yes, Specialist?"
"A word, please?" I strode over to her, very nervous of what she wanted to talk about. She sighed. "Miss Rose has informed me of your… Maidenly situation…" She said, causing me to stiffen. "I just wanted to let you know that you can talk to me, if you so desire."
I glanced towards the door, seeing that new girl paused there, before turning back to Winter and giving her a strained smile. "I'll… keep it in mind. Thank you."
"That is all I ask." She said before stepping away and turning towards the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the new person quickly run out of the classroom. Winter then made for the door, her face as stoic as ever.
I blinked, not really sure what to make of that interaction, before clearing my mind with a shake of my head. Just then, I remembered my plans for today. Now that the last class of the day was over, I felt my anxiety rise again.
I grabbed my things and headed out the door to my destination, my legs getting shakier and shakier with every step. 'This may be the last week you are still truly you.' I remembered Ozpin saying. 'Do not waste it.' The week was already half over, and I hadn't done anything that I wanted to yet. But Ozpin was right; I couldn't waste this. With that thought, I entered the dorm room, surprised to see only two of my teammates present.
Nora glanced at me, looking away after a moment but quickly did a double take. I nervously smiled at her, giving a shaky wave before my eyes drifted to Jaune, who was nose-deep in a comic book. Nora's eyes darted between us before she let out a squee of delight, causing me to blush.
"Is she looking up pictures of sloths again?" My partner asked, not turning away from his comics.
I rubbed the back of my head. "Umm… sure…" I nervously laughed. "Let's go with that."
Just then, Ren exited the bathroom. Nora's eyes immediately shot to him, a devious smile on her face. She winked at me before striding over to the closet and grabbing her hammer. "C'mon, Renny! We're gonna go ride a Nevermore like Ruby did back in initiation!"
He sighed. "No, Nora. We're not going to- aaand she's gone." He said, commenting on the now-open window. He rolled his eyes, setting down his towel and stowing his Stormflower in his sleeves. "Hopefully she hasn't made it to the forest yet…" He muttered, exiting the room through the door like a normal Human being.
I blinked. 'Did… did Nora just help me?' I thought shortly before shaking my head, refocusing on my objective. I took a deep breath. 'Come on, you can do it. He'll probably say yes. Probably. Oh, gods, what if he doesn't? Who else would ever see me as-' I shook my head again, trying to banish the negative thoughts. 'Come on, Pyrrha, just… get his attention! Just open your mouth and say-' "J- Jaune?" My eyes widened. 'Oooooohhhhh no, what did I just do? M- maybe he didn't hear me. Yeah, that would be-'
"Yeah, Pyr?" He asked, innocently.
I made a choking noise. 'AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH! WHAT WAS I THINKING?! THIS WAS A TERRIBLE IDEA! AND NOW HE'S STARING AT ME LIKE I'M SOME LUNATIC! OH MY GODS, NOW I NEED TO SAY SOMETHING!' "Umm… I like your hoodie?" '…Okay, not the weirdest thing I could've said…'
"Uhh… thanks?" He said, pausing for a moment. "…Are you feeling alright, Pyr? You're acting really weird."
I chuckled nervously. "Ah, yes, I'm quite not definitely very good, thanks!" 'WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! YOU'RE MESSING EVERYING UP!'
He stared at me incredulously. "…If you say so…" He said, turning back to his comics.
'NO NO NO NO! DON'T DO THAT!' I wanted to shout. "Umm… actually…" I started, forcing the words out. "I was wondering if you would… like to… hang out… on Friday…" 'Pleasesayyespleasesayyespleases-'
"Huh, yeah, that sounds awesome! Let's ask Ren and N-"
"No!" I said a little too quickly. I smiled nervously, clasping my hands behind my back. "I mean… I was thinking that it could just be… us two."
He blinked. "Oh, like a partners day? Sure, when and where?"
'P- partners?' I mentally stuttered. 'Like… boyfriend/girlfriend partners?' My smile slowly turned more genuine, happiness filling me like I was basking in the sun on a warm summer's day. "Well… I was thinking we could grab a bite to eat in the city after class." I said, somewhat more confidently.
"Sounds good to me." He said.
I couldn't control it anymore; the happiness was just simply too much to comprehend. At a loss for words, I walked over to my bed and collapsed onto it; my pillow muffling the happiest squee I'd ever squeed.
/-\ Ruby Rose /-\
A solitary tear trickled down my face as I knelt in front of the new grave on the Rose Family graveyard; a place I wished would just. stop. growing. Nothing was buried beneath the grave itself; there was nothing to bury, her body was gone.
Yang's grave was different than the others; adorning both my rose emblem as well as her own burning heart. "An inferno built from embers but extinguished too soon." I muttered, reading her epitaph. Despite the situation, I thought it fitting that her epitaph mirrored mine. I sighed, part of me wondered if it was possible that Raven just sent her somewhere else, but the unbidden memory of my mom's body squashed that hope.
I wiped my tear, nodding to the grave before getting up and stepping back into line. Beside me were my family; Weiss, Blake, Qrow, Dad. Behind us stood the half-dozen others that came; Winter being the only person I knew.
The pastor said a few more words, none of which I paid attention to, before concluding the ceremony. The people I didn't know all left, leaving only those closest to me. I glanced back at my sister's grave, wishing that she could stand here with us. The others dispersed; still within earshot, but far enough away to where I was alone.
I heard footsteps behind me, their pattern giving away who approached. "…You didn't have to teach today, y'know?" I said. "Ozpin said he'd give us the day off."
"I am aware." Winter said, standing beside me. "I may not have known her for very long, but I feel that Yang would have wanted others to be prepared for what may come. And every single day counts."
I shrugged. "I guess I can't fault you on that." I said, looking at her. She glanced away, nervously shifting on her feet. "What's on your mind?" I asked, recognizing the mannerism from Weiss.
"It's something I've been thinking about for a while now..." She shook her head. "It is merely a thought, but portal semblances don't usually allow people to be sent to dangerous places."
"Raven said she was sending her to Summer; I wouldn't imagine the afterlife to be dangerous." I said.
"And that's the part that doesn't add up. There have been no recorded incidents of-"
"Umm, Ruby?" I heard another voice suddenly ask.
I sighed. "Yeah, Qrow?"
"I couldn't help but overhear you two, so I want to clarify what you said just now." He paused, taking a deep breath. "Did Ravensay she sent Yang to Summer… with a portal?" He asked, his hands shaking slightly.
I blinked. "Yeah…?"
He froze; his breath hitching as a shocked expression flashed onto his face.
"Uncle Qrow?" I asked, trying to snap him out of it. I snapped my fingers in front of his face. "Uncle Qrooooow?"
"They're alive…" He whispered, a smile crawling onto his face. "They're alive!"
"What are you talking about? Who's alive?"
"Summer and Yang are alive!" He shouted, drawing everyone's attention.
I sighed. "Qrow… I saw both of them die right before my eyes. As much as I'd like to think they're out there somewhere… they're not…"
"No, Ruby, you don't understand. Raven's semblance doesn't work on the dead!"
I burst into Ozpin's office, the monochrome duo at my heels. "Yang's alive!"
He blinked. "And how, might I ask, did you come to that conclusion? You made it rather clear that your sister had been 'killed in action', as you put it."
"Because apparently, Raven's portals don't kill people." I said, simply.
Goodwitch, who was sitting across from the headmaster with a half-eaten sandwich in her hand, raised an eyebrow. "That's how Miss Xiao Long died?" She asked. "Who did she send her to?"
"She sent her to my mom, who's apparently alive too."
Their eyes shot wide open. "Summer is alive?" Ozpin muttered.
"I don't know how, but Qrow says she is." I said, crossing my arms. "But now there's a little… problem." My eyes narrowed. "You replaced Yang before she would've been cold, and now there's a possibility of her coming back. So I'm going to make something abundantly clear." I strode up to his desk and leaned forward, my face coming within an inch of his. "When she comes back, she is not to be reassigned to another team. I don't care how many strings you have to pull, but Yang Xiao Long will be on the same team as myself, Weiss Schnee, and Blake Belladonna. Clear?"
He nodded. "Crystal."
I stood up straight and smiled. "Glad we understand each other." I said before turning around and heading for the elevator. "You heard him, ladies. Team RWBY'll be back; let's just make sure our number four has something to come back to!"
"Oorah!" They shouted as we entered the elevator.
As soon as the doors closed, Weiss crossed her arms. "I still think that was too risky; it's almost unheard of for students to make demands of their headmaster like that."
I shrugged. "Sometimes you've just gotta do what needs to be done." I said. "Wait, that gives me an idea."
My partner pinched her nose. "I've got a bad feeling about this…"
"You should, though you'll have until combat class on Friday to prepare for it." The elevator dinged. "You guys go on ahead, I need to look into something…"
They both walked out, Weiss looking back. "Just… don't take too long, okay? You've been pushing yourself hard these past few days; you need to rest."
"I'm a Spartan, Weiss. I'll be fine."
/-\ Weiss Schnee /-\
I took a deep breath and twisted open the bathroom door, stepping into our dorm room proper. My eyes immediately flicked up to my partner's bed.
Still empty, as it had been for the past several nights.
I looked over to Blake, who was taking the first shift in our new job of 'making sure Valkea didn't snap and try to murder us or something'. She raised an eyebrow, looking up from her book. I walked over to her bunk and leaned in to whisper in one of her Human ears. "I'm going out to look for Ruby. I'll be back soon, hopefully."
She hummed in acknowledgement, eyes trailing back down to her book. I slipped on my cloak and combat boots, hesitating a moment before strapping Myrtenaster to my hip and heading out the door. As the door clicked shut behind me, I began to wonder where she would've gone. Unfortunately, she'd disabled her scroll's tracking app, so I couldn't use that to track her down.
Instead, I had to do this the old-fashioned way; looking in every likely spot and ask anyone there if they'd seen her. I know I could've called her, but I had the sneaking suspicion that I'd have to drag her to bed. My cheeks flushed as I realized there were… alternate implications to that thought.
I shook my head as I arrived at my first stop; the balcony. She probably wasn't here, per se, but if she was on Beacon grounds, I'd probably be able to see her. Even if the light was fading fast, I would still be able to pick her out easily if she was doing anything drastic for her training right now.
I frowned, not seeing anything out of the ordinary in the courtyard in front of me. That still left the other side of the building, though, so I turned around, summoned a glyph and-
…paused…
I dismissed the glyph; I didn't need it to climb the ten or so feet until I got onto the roof proper. Instead, I leapfrogged off a nearby bench and scurried up onto the roof. I still wasn't as graceful as Ruby, but maybe I could be one day…
I frowned; I needed to find her first, and then I could fantasize about having her physical abilities. I crawled to the roof's peak, staring out into the distance. I looked for a good few minutes, noting that the dorms had already cast a shadow onto the ground there.
I sighed; no, she wasn't outside. Just as I was about to give up and look in the next most likely spot, I spotted a light on in one of the library's private study rooms. I raised an eyebrow, knowing that the building itself was closed at this hour. I shrugged. "It's worth a look, I suppose…"
I slid down the roof, landing with a roll and heading towards the library. A few minutes later, I was completely unsurprised to find the front door locked. Instead of breaking it down, I skirted the building and peered into the open window of the study room in question.
Inside was my partner, her head propped up by a fist and oddly so absorbed in her book that she didn't notice me. I crawled through the window, landing with a quiet creek of the old floorboards. Still, she didn't react and, starting to worry, I gently squeezed her shoulder and sai- Found myself on the floor. "Gah!" I let out as a fist impacted my cheekbone. "Ruby, it's me!" I shouted.
Her half-lidded eyes snapped open. "Weiss?! What are you doing here?"
"Caring for my Oaf of a partner." I said, getting back up.
She sighed. "Sorry, you just… surprised me…"
"…That's not a reason to just punch me, you know." I rubbed my sore cheek. "You're lucky I managed to get my aura up in time. We both know what could've happened otherwise."
Her gaze trailed to the floor. "Yeah, I know…" She said, sounding ashamed. "Look, I just… I appreciate you checking on me, but I need to keep studying."
I crossed my arms. "You fell asleep, didn't you?"
"I was-" She yawned. "…meditating…"
I reached over and closed her book. "You're done for tonight." I said. She opened her mouth to protest, but I silenced her with a wave of my hand. "How you've managed to not get a good night's sleep for three days and still remain half as functional as you've been is beyond me, but augmentations or not, you're still Human. And that means it's bedtime." I said, feeling like a mother scolding her child.
"But Weiss-"
"Bed. Now." I said, glaring at the taller woman.
Her shoulders slumped, realizing that I wouldn't relent. "Fine." She said, walking over to the window and climbing out.
I glanced at the book she left, raising an eyebrow. "Songs of the River: A Tale of Mirrored Eyes. Huh." I said, picking up the tome and following my partner. I had to make sure that Oaf didn't wander off, after all…
/-\ Emanuel Witherson /-\
I yawned as I entered the bridge. "Commander has the bridge!" My XO said.
"Commander has the bridge." I repeated. "Anything interesting happen while I was asleep?"
He shook his head. "Nope; commsats are still doing their best to map the planet, but they aren't mapsats. It'll still be months before we have a complete picture to work with."
"Well, no news is good news, sometimes. Alice, anything on your end?"
The female 19th century admiral she used as an avatar flickered into existence. "No sir, all clear on my-" She paused. "Well, speak of the devil and he shall appear. Someone is trying to hack our systems." She said.
I raised an eyebrow. "You seem… calm about that."
"That's because whatever software they're using was most certainly not designed to hack an AI-equipped UNSC warship. I've gotta give them credit, though, haven't seen anyone try to hack in through laser comms."
"Can you trace it?"
"Trying, but this guy's sneaky. He's using an array of lasers all around Vale and switching between them every half-second, so I can't really get a bead on- aaaand the attack's over."
I blinked. "What do you mean, it's over?"
"They stopped trying to gain access. Didn't get anything, either."
"Well, that's good. Keep me posted if they try again."
/-\ Weiss Schnee /-\
Professor Goodwitch stood in the center of the combat ring, steely eyes gazing over all of us as she pressed a few buttons on her tablet. Above her, the scoreboard began the randomization process, our portraits spinning like a slot machine. Eventually, it landed on two faces. "Weiss Schnee and Sun Wukong!" She shouted.
Both of us got up, but I didn't remain quiet; as was the plan. "Professor Goodwitch, if I may?"
She nodded. "Go ahead, Miss Schnee."
"I wish to issue a challenge to one Valkea Smith."
"Very well." She said, having been informed of this in advance. "Mister Wukong, do you accept Miss Schnee's wish to fight someone else?"
He shrugged. "Yeah, sure."
She nodded. "Miss Smith, do you accept Miss Schnee's challenge?"
A cruel smile crawled its way onto Valkea's face. "Are you kidding? I've been wanting to fight a Schnee for years!"
Goodwitch frowned. "Please do remember that this is a friendly sparring match, Miss Smith, and that harming your opponent will have severe consequences." She turned back to me. "In light of her statement, do you wish to retract your challenge, Miss Schnee?"
I shook my head. "No, Professor; I do not."
"Very well; both combatants are to proceed to the locker room."
We both nodded and did as instructed. Fortunately, our lockers were on opposite ends of the locker room, sparing me some awkwardness. If there was any doubt left that Valkea was the spy, it just evaporated right before my eyes. Sighing, I began to don my new combat outfit.
First came the dress; similar to my original but primarily snow white. The hem, however, abruptly changed to ruby red, a ruffle accenting the change even more. Next was the bolero jacket, its features matching my dress. I then pulled up my white stockings, a pair of red-accented white combat boots going over them. Nearing the end, I fastened one of my pauldrons – the one bearing my emblem – to my shoulder; I tucked my cloak behind it, making sure my outfit would not be hidden.
I secured Myrtenaster to my hip, the cloak not concealing it in any way. On the way out, my hand brushed by the holster on my other hip; the one containing the revolver that the old Atlesian woman gave me. I gave a resigned sigh as I entered the arena; this was going to suck.
I raised an eyebrow at my opponent's absence from the ring; it seems I actually beet her here. With a shrug, I walked to the far side of the arena. Only a minute later, Valkea strode out of the locker room, chambering a round in her rifle as the bayonet gleamed in the artificial light.
She stared at me with unflinching hate in those mirrored eyes of hers. For a moment, I idly thought if this was the last thing many Covenant saw, but I shook my head and refocused on the plan. I drew Myrtenaster, idly twirling it to warm up my muscles.
"Are both combatants ready?" Goodwitch asked, to which we both nodded. "Very well. Three, two, one, begin!"
Her rifle blurred to a firing position, actually firing a split second later. I elegantly cut the bullet out of the air, doing it again only a moment after that. She was able to work the bolt on her rifle extremely quickly, as if she'd been practicing for her whole life with that rifle. After I'd deflected the ninth round, the rifle let out a loud -PING- and a piece of metal fell to the ground.
Rather than replace the clip to keep plinking away at my rapier, she adjusted the grip on her rifle and charged me. I took a deep breath and waited for the inevitable. Normally, Professor Goodwitch would stop the fight here, as I obviously had no intention of fighting back, but she was in on our plan. Meaning she did nothing.
A moment later, I was thrown to the ground by the sheer force behind Valkea's charge. Even if the bayonet had deflected off my aura, it still felt like I'd been stabbed. I rolled out of the way of a follow up stabbing, leaping to my feet in the same motion.
My opponent then, instead of using her bayonet for the third time, decided to bash my face in with her weapon's stock, whipping me around 360-degrees. The woman then elbowed me in the gut and sent a clumsy kick into my side.
I gasped but stood through the pain. For not the first time today, I wondered just why in the world I'd agreed to this. Another punch landed in my gut, driving the air from my lungs as I collapsed.
My opponent backed off, quickly reloading then leveling her rifle at me again as I stood up. We stood opposite each other for a few moments, neither of us moving a muscle.
Eventually, she lost her nerve and lowered her rifle slightly. "Why aren't you fighting back?" She asked, her voice suspicious.
"Because the challenge was never about fighting." I said, spitting on the ground. "You've hated me since before we've met, and I have done nothing to deserve it." I sighed. "So go ahead. Work out your frustrations." I sheathed my sword. "I won't fight back."
She growled, raising her rifle. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, waiting for the inevitable.
…
And waited…
…
I opened my eyes and saw my opponent just standing there, her weapon shaking in her hands. I saw her finger inch slowly into the trigger guard but stop just short of firing the rifle. "Fight me!" She shouted.
I remained silent and unmoving, more than content to play my part in the plan.
She screamed in frustration, lowering her weapon before storming off the stage. I blinked. 'Did… did that actually work?' I thought.
The buzzer interrupted my thoughts. "Miss Smith has forfeited, making Miss Schnee the victor." Goodwitch said, unnecessarily. No one clapped or even did anything to acknowledge the 'fight' was over. Instead, everyone in the audience sat in shocked silence at what had just unfolded before them.
I nodded to the Professor before turning on my heel and walking back to the locker room. Once I was in private, I couldn't help but chuckle to myself; I hadn't expected that to actually work.
/-\ White Fang Infiltrator /-\
I popped up from my hiding place behind some crates. "You didn't have to kill him, you know…"
My partner got up and dusted himself off, flicking the guard's blood off his knife and into the snow. "Did you really want a Human like that on the loose?"
"No, but…" I sighed. "Just… maybe we could've snuck past him, Yuma?"
"We've been mapping out their patrol routes for days now, Ilia. You know as well as I do that he needed to die." He sheathed his knife. "C'mon, darkness is a-wastin'."
(A/N) Even though quite a lot has happened in this chapter, I don't really feel like writing much down here. Actually, I should probably say that, while the shipping has started, it will not become the primary focus of this fic.
With that out of the way, let's go straight to the reviews!
Sm0key Panda said – "That's a very specific, and extremely useful semblance for the young Ms Ironwood to have...
Literally all she would need to do is put on Ruby's armour (and not move, since moving in it would kill her) and it would fix itself!
...
Why do I get a strong feeling that's exactly what's going to happen?"
It is indeed useful, but as you mentioned, moving in the suit would kill her. I like the idea (it honestly never even occurred to me), but Chrys wouldn't be able to move a single muscle for fear of accidentally ripping herself apart. It's honestly too risky and I have an alternate means of fixing her armor on the way anyways.
Also, sorry about the helmet thing we talked about; there wasn't a good place to fit it in. I haven't forgotten about it, though.
Joeyginise said – "wait, Adam lived right? I can't remember its been so long. Also EVEN MORE PLOT. Why is Adam alive."
Adam did, indeed, live. IIRC, it was because he managed to slip away after Rubes knocked him through a building. He did forfeit his weapons, though :)
Shadow Walker of Fire said – "Great chapter. Is there anything keeping Weiss, Blake, and Yang from enlisting in the UNSC?
Blake: I have a bad feeling about this...
Me: No feelings were harmed in the making of this scene, I mean chapter."
There's nothing explicitly stopping them from joining the UNSC. Actually, I just realized Blake isn't 18 yet, so maybe that. Then again, I'd be surprised if the UNSC, this late in the war, DIDN'T lower the conscription age.
Guest 001 said – "So i have an So I have an interesting idea for Crescents rose Design for the sniper part using Forerunner Z-750 binary rifle and for the Scythe part can be made out of Hardlight Blade and it's made out of forerunner Alloy so it will be Nearly indestructable. Also can we have Aurora help upgrade Ruby and red Team armor to level 12 combat Skins made a forerunner Alloy at all just having them have hard light Shields and vacuum energy collectors the power suits would be awesome also Aurora can help Anders is personal pet project was to vacuum energy technology finish it because the forerunners all ready made it."
A hardlight scythe blade isn't a bad idea, honestly. But the thing is that Aurora isn't all too skilled with machinery. By Forerunner standards, she's pretty much just a hobbyist, so I doubt she'd know how to make Forerunner alloy from scratch.
Guest 002 said – "Will we get to see a certain Huntress whose Semblance allows her to tell if someone is lying!? Could Aurora perfect the Aura Transfer Technology!?"
Possibly on both counts. I doubt Aurora would just flat-out know how to perfect it, but another mind certainly wouldn't hurt the research effort.
bigbossHayden98 said – "So when Summer shows up will Tai React to her return Well he fraint like where He saw ruby or something else happen. And at some point will the cat ride the Dragon and a new Rose will Bloom."
That, my good friend, is a spoiler :)
PoofyOhio said – "I personally have a hard time believing Qrow actually thinks Yang is dead. He knows how Ravens semblance works, so that would also mean he knows she cannot just send someone to death/the afterlife. So is there a proper explanation for what in the hell compels him to think she's actually dead? Or is it just a thing which slipped your mind? Perhaps I forgot something from a previous chapter."
The explanation was that he didn't know the specifics of her """death""". Funnily enough, the conversation we had following your review actually got me thinking about this again and that's the primary reason why this chapter turned out the way it did.
Guest 004 said – "So i just read the comments and forerunner based Crescent rose Weapon sounds Awesome so yes you should make it it will be cool as hall and the level 12 combat skins go for it hard light shield awesome Vacuum energy collector go for it awesome. So Ruby Weighs 250 pounds is that counting Her augmentations as well and what is the height of Weiss Blake and Yang at and what is there weight at and Finally what is Remanent gravity at how Much is it at."
Not quite sure why you're interested in the heights/weights of the cast, but they're pretty much their canon selves in that regard; Weiss is 5'0" without heels, Blake is 5'6" and Yang is 5'8". I honestly don't know their weights, but Remnant's gravity is exactly Earth-standard (9.8m/s/s).
475213 said – ""Maybe try going further afield"
They gods are Precursers, aren't they?"
Maybe try going further afield :)
Aaaand that's all for this chapter! Again, I don't have a name for next chapter yet because I've gotten behind on the whole planning thing, so… I'll see you guys next time!
