RWBY: Shadow Company
Chapter 8
Mountain Glenn.
Vale's first and last failed expansion. Before its downfall, the city became a vast financial and industrial hub, built with an elaborate subway system to travel through the two capitals with relative ease. It happened in such a short time when the city began to grow.
Some would say it's almost becoming more advanced like Atlas themselves.
In a new land, there's plenty of rich resources to go around. So everybody flocked to the city of opportunity to get a fresh start. Business corporations from the other kingdoms were also interested in Mountain Glenn. And they were investing lots and lots of money in its development, allowing for rapid growth in economics and trade businesses. Like, one of those stock markets, except only bigger and a lot more popular.
But, apart from all the great things that have happened to the city. It had a lot of bad ones as well.
Overcrowding was one of its main issues after its official opening to the world. They didn't expect a lot of people to move in so quickly. Lack of jobs soon became another issue when there's no more room for employments.
Poor infrastructure was another issue as it had been build in such a short time. Its reason was nothing special. The investors wanted their new city to start opening their businesses as soon as it opens. So they rushed the construction, which had proved to be a horrible and stupid idea when they finished it.
Complaints soon came in of how the floors would bend so suddenly when you stand on it and how the walls would break so easily if one were to crash into it. And why are their ceilings constantly leaking?
The buildings were so fragile that even a single Grimm could knock it down in one hit.
They were a lot of problems in this city, and it's far from perfect in reality. It sounded a lot better on paper.
However, there is one company that manages to overcome these problems and flourished.
It was a new research & development corporation known as the Merlot Industries, founded by Doctor Merlot. A well-known scientist from Atlas.
But that's another story for another time.
After a year, the city finally has met its downfall.
It was a typical day like any other when the Grimm attacked the outer defenses. Usually, they would fight for a while and then retreat like usual. But when they came back, they weren't in a pack. They came back as a horde.
First was the Nevermores and Griffons that breached the air defenses. Then all the land Grimm pushed to the walls. They piled themselves to climb over the top. The Goliaths charged, tearing down the walls.
The others ran for their lives, it was madness, and their fear was at its peak, attracting even those not involved with the horde towards it.
The situation became more dangerous, making it harder for the huntsmen alone to defend the city by themselves. Unfortunately, the Grimm had overwhelmed the entire city's defenses. And the onslaught commenced.
No one at the time knew what had caused the Grimm to be unusually more aggressive than before.
Soon, the news got out that a Grimm invasion was happening at Mountain Glenn.
The city was expecting an army of huntsmen to come to their rescue.
But instead, there were only a few of them that came.
Fortunately, Shadow Company was the first to arrive to assist the evacuation.
They came in from the skies, flying over the mountains as they began to hunt down the Grimm. Both from the sky and on the ground.
The Black Angels provided air support and protecting the bullheads flying in and picking up the survivors. They dominated the skies, cutting down as many Grimm as they can.
The General and his Black Centurions deployed on the front lines, dropping right in the middle of the Grimm Horde, buying time for the civilians to escape, and distracting the Grimm to come to them instead.
But Qrow and his newly established Black Ravens were on a different mission. To escort their high valued clients who paid them to get them out of the city. I mean, they are still a private security company.
When it was time to retreat, there was still a ton of Grimm coming into the city. The General gave the order to plant explosives on the support beams of the subway entrance leading to Vale.
The Centurions hold them off until no one else was coming in. They blew up the entrance and guided the rest back to Vale. The rest had evacuated by air.
The evacuation was a success despite the number of casualties.
But the number of survivors saved was higher, another astounding achievement for the Shadow Company.
But, the council declared the huntsmen that defended the city are the true heroes of that day. And that they were the bravest warriors who made the evacuation possible.
In the aftermath, Mountain Glenn was on its last leg. The damages were too expensive to repair and ultimately fenced off from the rest of Remnant shortly after.
Glenn had remained abandoned until this day. It was off-limits to anyone who tries to get in. Not even the huntsmen are permitted through unless given the clearance. Nature and the Grimm have taken back the city now.
Doctor Merlot and his team had been rescued and evacuated as well, thanks to the Black Ravens. The corporation lost its main facility in the fall of Mountain Glenn. He now works for the Shadows in return, then returning to Atlas.
A sad yet dark end of Mountain Glenn, "And they just gave all our hard work to the huntsmen, fuckers. As if we were never there." A shadow said as he sits on the ledge of the Blackhawk, reminiscing about the invasion.
"Can't complain about it now. That was years ago now. The council's already made their conclusion. I mean, so few of them showed up when they expected an army of them, and that's a serious image for them. But we can't blame them either. The Huntsmen got lives too."
"And us too, you don't see any of us complaining about coming here. We wanted to come here and help. We risked our lives for them while our 'heroes' are back at home sucking their thumbs and crying for their lives." He said as he racks his rifle.
"At least I fight to save lives. And the coward survives while the brave dies."
The shadow pats him on the shoulder.
"Alright enough chatter, listen up, Angels. I want everyone to stay sharp down there, and I don't want anyone doing anything stupid. Their numbers are growing again, and we're going to bring it down, just like always. Watch each other's backs and keep them away from the tunnels, am I clear?" Ares said.
"Yes, sir!"
"Attention, this is your pilot speaking. We are approaching Mountain Glenn in less than five mikes. We like to thank you for flying Shadow Airlines. It's a perfect night for today's main course: All-you-can-eat-Grimm. You boys have fun down there, and Colonel, call us when you need a pick-up."
"Roger, Blackhawk 3. I swear you're like a damn comedian sometimes."
"I do what I can to keep everyone entertained, sir. Approaching the LZ now."
The Blackhawk makes it descend onto the empty streets. "Masks and night visions, on." Everyone pulls down their NVGs, allowing their green optics to light up.
Ares was the first to get off, followed by the rest. They spread out and form a defensive circle around him as they could hear the Grimm nearby, "Looks like the welcome party is here." Ares said as he puts his mask on and pulls down his quad NVGs.
"Angels are on the ground, taking off. Good hunting." Said the pilot as he flies away. "Alright, the ride's over, Angels. Let's get to work." Ares signals his men to advance.
/-/
"So let me get this straight. What you're telling me is that you're the son of General James Ironwood. A member of the Atlas council, Headmaster of the Atlas Academy, and head of the Atlas Military," Jaune said as he paces around their new room, trying to grasp what he had just heard back in the hanger before he was dragged away by Will.
"Yes, I am," Will replied with a nod.
"And, Professor Glynda Goodwitch, a well-known huntress, a renown teacher, and a councilwoman of Vale from Beacon Academy, is your mother."
"Yup, that is correct."
Jaune stops and turns to face Will, pointing his finger at him, "Then how come I've never seen you before? I've only meet Ironwood a few times, but he never said anything about having kids."
"Dad doesn't like to talk about me often unless they asked, of course. He prefers to keep me out of the media as much as possible." Will said.
Jaune walks to his bed and sits down.
"How come?"
"Uh, I'm not comfortable sharing it right now. It's kinda personal to me." Will rubs the back of his head. "But mom does it a lot though, well mainly to her colleagues and her close students. Some of them told me that I am a combination of both of them. I have my mother's eyes while I am also a carbon copy of my father."
"Oh, okay, but how come they are not living together then? I mean, are they..." Jaune pauses.
"Oh, god no, they are still in love. It's just that their work forced them to be, uh, separated, is all, heh." Will explained. Maybe that wasn't a good thing to ask. Great, Jaune. You have done it again. Apologize to him now.
"Right, cool. Sorry, I shouldn't of ask that." Jaune apologizes.
Will shakes his head, "No, it's alright, Jaune. I had this question before."
Well, this was completely unexpected. Will is an important person, and here he is, sitting down quietly in front of him. Considering his family background and all, it made Jaune look like a peasant. He wonders if Will could turn out to be something like Ironwood or Goodwitch.
"But I have heard of your name before, son of the founder of Arc's Armaments, making weapons for the army. Who else in Atlas has the name Arc?"
True. After the Arc Knights faded from history with his grandfather. They shifted from a clan into a corporate business, manufacturing high-quality weapons for the Atlas Military and the SDC. Left the small settlement of Ansel and moved the family to Atlas.
"Were you born outside of Atlas before moving there?" Will asked.
"No, I was born in Atlas. I have a few other siblings before me."
"How many?"
"I have seven sisters."
"..."
Will said nothing as he raises his eyebrows and blinks. Jaune gave a small laugh at his reaction, "Yeah, I have a big family. Having a lot of sisters can be quite troublesome to handle when you're the only son in the family."
"Wow. I envy you. I'm the only child, it was pretty lonesome for me, mom in Vale, and dad always working. I had some friends, but they weren't close to me. They mostly talk to me because of, well, you know." Will chuckles at it.
Jaune gets it. Only the popular would talk to another famous person. Anyone that doesn't seem important is left aside to rot. Altas only care about specific types of people. The atmosphere feels too moody.
He needed to bring back some happy emotions quickly, but how?
Screw it, maybe, this will help, "So, why did you joined the shadows? I thought you might be in the military instead." Jaune said.
Will looks down, "Well, I can't say that I have a solid reason for joining. Mainly because I just wanted to see my mother more. I always talked with her through a screen, and I never saw her in person in a long time. I rarely get to see her. And now I'm taking this chance to spend more time with her. I'm excited about it. I can't wait to see her." Will said, smiling. The scroll left on his night table started ringing. Will picks it up and reads the caller ID. His smile remains as he accepts the call, "Hi, mom."
Glynda was on the other end, "Hello William, how is your arrival to Vale? Did you had a hard time coming here?" She said.
"No, mom. I got here just fine. I've settled in, and training starts tomorrow first thing in the morning."
"That's good to hear, sweety. But now that you're here. How about I visit you tomorrow as well? Oh, and who is your new partner. I want to know the person who will be working with my son for the next few years." She said sternly.
"His name is Jaune, mom. Jaune, come over and say hi to her."
Her voice alone had already made him so nervous. Okay, calm down again. Will's mother may be a compelling and notable figure you should not trifle with, so you have to make a first impression. Don't mess it up.
Jaune walks over as calmly as he could and showed his face to the screen, allowing Glynda to get a good look at him, "Uh, Hello ma'am. I am Jaune, and I am your son's partner for the next few years. It's very nice to meet you." He said. He hopes to the brother gods that it was good enough.
Thankfully, she smiled and returned the gesture, "Hello, Mr. Arc. It is nice to meet you too. I've read your papers as well. And as a civilian, signing up for such a dangerous job is commendable but still foolish. Still, I will trust you in looking after my son as he will for you. Do you understand?"
"Yes, ma'am. Of course, I will treat him like a brother to me." Jaune replied without hesitation. Somehow that manages to cause Glynda to laugh a little.
"William, I hope you will be alright with me meeting you tomorrow evening?"
"Of course, mom. I can't wait to see you tomorrow."
"Me too, sweety. Now off to bed, you two. You have that training tomorrow." She said.
"We will, goodbye mom. See you tomorrow." Will waved goodbye. Jaune waved as well, "Goodbye, ma'am."
"Goodbye, you two."
Will hangs up the call and places his scroll back on the night table. "Well, I think that went fine. She seems to trust you, Jaune."
"At least, the worst could happen is that she wants to replace me with someone else, and I don't think I can go with that. I'm not so good with strangers." Jaune said.
"But those strangers will soon become our brothers in arms." Will lies down on his bed, getting ready to sleep.
"I know. I need to learn how to get used to it."
"What do you think, Jaune? You ready to start your training to be a shadow?"
Jaune sighs as he lies down on his bed, "I hope so. No turning back now, I guess."
/-/
Blake was cautious.
Reily was already digging into her meal, enjoying the food, and forgetting about their current situation at the moment. The man before them was kind enough to undo their binds.
But she doesn't feel completely relaxed just yet. She ignored the food in front of her trying to ignore her stomach from eating itself.
She decided to continue their conversation on where they left off. She has yet to take it all in, and there's so much more that she doesn't know about her home and these Black Lotus, and she wants to find out.
"You said that you are the commander, but I don't know anything about the Black Lotus. I thought shadows are just one big group?"
"No, we work in chapters," he said.
"Chapters?"
"Different groups, or units. Plural, more than one." He jokes lightly. "But we mostly work in smaller groups than working as one big cohesive unit, especially with a company of shadows."
Okay, this is new to her. She never thought about the different variations of shadows. She just assumed that they were all the same. She recalled the black lotus patches on their shoulders. She recognized the ones back on the train was not the same. But her memories are a little foggy to her except for one thing she noticed.
"I remember them wearing a patch that had an old, ancient helmet on it. I'm not sure what unit that is. I never fought anything like that before." She said.
The shogun was quite surprised to hear it, "Oh, you managed to survive them? Incredible, truly incredible." He said.
"Wait, what do you mean by that. Were those that we fought were elite shadows or something?" Reily said.
He nods his head, "Yes, I believe that unit you've faced was the Black Centurions."
"The Black Centurions?"
"Elite fighters. The very best of the best that the shadows can offer. My General's shadows. The first company."
First company? What do all these titles mean? That still doesn't explain why the White Fang left the island at all.
"What about the White Fang? Where are they, and why aren't they on the island?" She finally asked.
The shogun looked confused for a moment before answering her, "They didn't tell you? Sienna Khan and the rest of the White Fang had left Menagerie. They no longer reside here, unfortunately."
Blake was distraught upon hearing that. Reily stopped eating and looks at him. She lost her appetite and placed the food back on the table.
"Why, what happened?"
"Your leader, Sienna Khan, didn't correspond well with our presence, cooperation, and much less our good intentions. So, being a stubborn lady, she decided to ignore our assistance and tried to put us in an immoral way. But at the same time, the people of Menagerie began to see them differently. That was until we received reports of missing families and children among the public." He said.
"Okay, but what does that have to do with her?"
"She was the one responsible for the missing people." He said.
Blake was shocked, "But, that's impossible! Sienna Khan would never force her people to join the White Fang." Reily said.
"Well, apparently she did, by beating up the others to convince them to join. Threats of death and banishment from the island to get them to shut up. And well, the majority didn't like it."
"So you decided to force them out? Menagerie is their home." Blake and Reily stood up defensively.
He puts his hand on their shoulders to stop them. They reluctantly stopped and went back to listening, "I never said that. What happened was that your high leader chose to leave the island, even though we explicitly told her not to. It didn't help when her people had started to kick her out as well. In the end, they still left. Luckily, others had managed to convince their family members to withdraw from the White Fang entirely before it was too late. The rest, however, were not so successful and got dragged along with them by force. Now, they are stuck in Mistral. With my colleagues from Black Delta trying to convince them to return here as we speak."
Blake was at a loss for words. She couldn't believe what she had heard right now. First, she comes back home, then finds out that the enemy she hated so much is in her home.
"It won't be long until Delta starts forcing them."
"Could you stop them or something?" Blake asked.
"Sorry, but that's not possible. The White Fang already had a bad reputation among the kingdoms. The council of Mistral had already hired them the moment Sienna Khan stepped in. But Delta wanted to try an open-handed approach first."
Blake sits back down and stares at the floor. There's not much she can do. Reily sits down beside her and comforts her. The shogun sighs, "It's not that we want to kick them out of their own home. That is not our intention. Your father asked for our assistance, and we obliged. But when we got here, things were so much different back then. We were just like you in the kingdoms. They treated us like freaks and attacked us without warning."
What? Her father was the one who called them here?
"It took a while to gain their trust. But after your high leader's quarrel with us, things have turned out much better now. We have done no wrong to your people here. We treated them fairly and protected them from harm." He said sincerely.
Judging from this man's voice, she could tell that he was genuine. Should she be glad? Maybe, but Sienna Khan forcing her kind to join her sounds so ominous. That didn't sound like her at all.
"Captain-General? I'm back from the council meeting. Sorry, I'm late." A familiar voice came from the main door as it opens.
"It is alright, Mr. Belladonna. I hope your meeting went well. I have a surprise for you. I think you'll be quite pleased."
Blake stood up again, "D-dad?"
End of Chapter 8