RWBY: Shadow Company

Chapter 10

"Identify yourselves! How did you enter the tunnels!?" Ares demanded.

"Why do you wanna know, mercenary?" Coco coughed.

Ares grabbed Coco's turtle neck, lifting her out of the humvee and off the ground up to his height, catching her by surprise, "I said. Where did you all come from, and how did you enter the tunnels?" He asked again.

"Hey, a little personal space here would be nice," Coco said as she tried to break free from his grip. Ares removed Coco's shades and used his facial ID scanner in his helmet visor.

"Hey, that's mine!" Coco yelled.

After a few more seconds, Ares lets Coco down, "So, you're all second-year Beacon students. That won't change much. You're all still kids to me. Especially you," He points at Coco. "You still act like one as well."

"Fuck you."

Ares smirks, "Thank you for validating my point."

"Guns down, they're not hostile. They're just kids." Ares said. Grey and Wolf lower their weapons but remain on high alert.

"You two get the rest out of the humvee. I need to go make a call with her."

"Wait, who are you calling?" Coco asks. But Ares ignores her entirely. Coco started sweating as she watched Ares pulls out his scroll and dials a number. She was praying that he wasn't going to call someone who she hoped it wouldn't be.

She leaned over to see his screen as the other person on the line answered. As soon as she saw who was on the other end, her whole body went pale.

"Colonel." Said Glynda.

"Goodwitch, we got a problem over here."

What? Of all the people you could have called, you had to call her!? Coco thought. She was trembling as Wolf tried to get her to sit down. Yatsu and Fox heard Glynda's voice as well. All three stared in horror as Ares continued to discuss with her.

Everybody knows how scary she can be when she is angry, and right now, not one of them felt like going back to Beacon.

The smoke from the broken humvee started to fill up the top of the tunnel as Ares safely lifted Velvet out of her seat. The poor girl was still unconscious from the crash.

Coco felt guilty as she saw Wolf gently setting her down on the ground next to her, allowing Velvet to rest her head on her lap. He was kind enough to patch up the bleeding from her head. She must have hit her head against the wheel too hard.

Coco couldn't do much when they arrested her. Her bag flew out of reach when she tried to look for it. Luckily, it didn't fly out of the humvee. But it's in the hands of Greyhound, along with the rest of her team's weapons.

"A handbag and a camera for a weapon. Sometimes I don't get huntresses nowadays. Each generation just gets weirder than the rest." He said.

"It's more than just a handbag." Coco retort.

What's worse is that her clothes were all dirty and all torn up in a few places. Her bag would have cost her more than her outfit. A lot more if she had to replace it.

Yatsu was compliant.

He may be larger than the rest of the team, but he's anything but a brute. He knows that the shadows don't mean any harm to them, now that they recognize they're huntsmen in training. Still, he did feel intimidated by their presence alone.

Their armor has completely hidden any recognizable features from them. And with their vocoded helmets, it's harder to identify them by their voices alone. They are ex-military, and so it would make sense of the prominent use of guns.

The one wearing a red cape on his shoulder appears to be the leader, given that he's the only one giving out orders to the others.

It is interesting getting to see the shadows up close and personal. Whether you are a huntsman or a civilian, you are not allowed to go near them.

Fox, on the other hand. He is busy trying to free himself as he yells through the cloth stuffed in his mouth. Yelling colorful words at them while they forced him out did nothing but irritated them.

Whatever he was trying to accomplished had failed, and now he's not only gagged but is now zip-tied to both his hands and feet. All he could do now was to wiggle his way out like a worm.

Yatsu rolls his eyes as he watches Fox struggling.

"Who's the one worried now?" He smirks. Fox glares at him and flips him off while doing so.

At least those two are fine.

Well, this wasn't how she had thought her grand adventure to Mountain Gleen with her team would turn out to be. It was supposed to be their late celebration on progressing to their second year. And what better way than to celebrate it by killing some Grimm in an abandoned city.

But getting caught and almost getting killed was not part of it.

Coco was fussing about from the pain in her head. If she hadn't climb back inside in time, she would have flown out and got even more than just a headache.

"Stop scowling, kid. Be thankful that I didn't shoot you and your friends. That injury's nothing to you since you're a huntress. A regular bandit or a civilian would have suffered a more severe injury or died in that crash just now." Greyhound said.

He leans towards her. "If I were you, kid, I wouldn't come here in the first place. You shot one of my brothers, so I say this makes us even."

"That's why we are here, and mercenaries like you aren't even strong enough to shrug off one bullet." She mocks.

He smirks, "That's big talk coming from you, and you're not even a full-fledge huntress yet."

Wolf pulls him back, "Relax, partner. They're just kids." He said.

Coco glares at them, "We wouldn't be in this mess if you guys didn't show up, and we were just fine by ourselves." She continues to argue.

Greyhound laughs, "Yeah, you keep telling yourself that."

Meanwhile, Ares was nodding as Glynda rants in frustration, "Yes. I understand the situation that is unfolding right now as we speak. But abandoning our objective now would be a huge blunder when we are so close to completing it. If we leave that pack alone, then it will continue to grow more dangerous if we don't stop it soon." He explains.

Back in Beacon, Glynda was pacing around her office as she spoke to Ares.

"I know, Colonel. I didn't expect my student to be pulling this sort of behavior behind my back, especially when I have encountered their previous shenanigans." Glynda said as she rubs her forehead.

Team CFVY was a unique bunch. They had a hard time getting along with each other during their first year. It took them almost a whole year to finally work together. Their performance was promising while they would still stir up trouble here and there.

But seeing this drastic change of pace had been quite shocking. Words would do poorly to describe the amount of worry and disappointment that Glynda is feeling right now.

"So what's the call? Do we drop the mission and bring the students back to the Academy? The Grimm will go uncontrolled if we do that." Ares asked.

Glynda thinks through her decisions, the student's safety is of the utmost importance to her as a teacher, but exterminating the Grimm for the benefit of Remnant is another.

Take one and lose the other.

The mission had been carefully processed for her shadows to initiate a guaranteed success given how dangerous it would be. Ozpin couldn't send any huntsmen as none of them were willing to accept it.

He handed the operation over to Glynda, granting her some control of the shadows, mainly Ares's chapter. She favored the Black Angels over the Ravens and Centurions as they were more mature and reasonable.

But the sudden appearance of her students in the mix quickly became an entirely different situation.

She sighs, "How close are you now to your objective?"

It better be worth it.

"We searched through the city, but no sign of the target, and the only place to check now is the tunnels. That's our best chance of finding it."

If Doctor Oobleck's data is correct from his latest visit to Mountain Glenn,

then there's confirmation that a rare Alpha King Taijitu is leading that very pack.

If that's the case, then, "Drop the mission, get my students back here. That's an order." She said. Hopefully, they could find that pack again next time before it's gone.

"Are you sure?" Ares said.

"Colonel, don't make this decision any more difficult than it already has to be. Just get those students back here, alive, please."

Ares nods, "Understood."

He pitied her. He saw the disappointment on her face as she made her final decision. She had been planning this mission along with her other work in Beacon. She's going to burn out if she keeps this up. And Ozpin, what was he thinking, giving her the burden of the shadows.

She didn't want it. Never ask either.

But since she has it now, she might as well put it to good use, enough with escort duties. Grimm hunt wouldn't be a thing if it weren't for her.

He sighs, "Grey, Wolf. Radio the others, we're going back to base."

They quickly spun their heads to him, "What!?" They said in unison.

"You heard me. The boss can't risk her students being here while we complete our mission at the same time. She called it off. We're leaving."

Ares walks past Greyhound. He stops in front of Coco and kneels in front of her, "Hope you enjoyed your trip while it lasted, kid. We're taking you back to your professor now."

No shit, she had been listening to them the entire time. What else could she say to them? Of course, she would want them back. A frustrated growl came from Greyhound, "Come on. You got to be fucking kidding me right now."

Wolf pats his shoulder. "Maybe next time," He said.

"Yeah, sure."

Suddenly, something big sounded off from behind them, catching CFVY's attention. Coco felt Velvet moving from her lap, "Where am I?" Velvet mumbled as she opened her eyes.

"Colonel, we got a situation." A shadow said through his radio.

"Report," Ares said as he looked at the shadow at the other end of the tunnel.

"There's a lot of Grimm out here, and they are surrounding us from all directions. There are lots of Boarbatusks and Deathstalkers out here, and they're not attacking. They're just standing there."

"All of you, stay calm. Get those ballistic shields up and form a shield wall, and get those gas canisters ready." Ares instructed. "Yes, sir."

"Just great. What do we do, Colonel?" Greyhound ask.

He looks over at the four and thinks.

Ares made his decision and quickly walked over to team CFVY, "We're going to call for evac and hold out until it gets here. This horde will be a problem for us, so you guys are going to help us clear out the front." Ares said as he gave them back their weapons and released Fox from his binds.

Fox stretches himself, "Aren't you all shadows? I thought you guys could take care of anything?" He said.

"Do you want to deal with the horde by yourself then?" Ares said, glaring sternly. Fox went silent after that. "Then shut up, and do as I say." He said.

Coco checks on Velvet, "I think I'm good." She said.

"Uh Colonel, we got more Grimm coming at our six," Greyhound said, looking through his scope. They climbed out of the cracks and holes, snarling as they began to form.

Everyone turned behind and looked in Greyhound's direction. There was so much Grimm that you could see nothing but red eyes building up and staring down at them. "Okay, that's a lot of them." Greyhound said.

The gunfire began erupting back at the entrance, "Colonel, the Grimm outside here has already started attacking our position. Do we hold or fall back to you?"

"Defend and hold as long as you can. If there's too much Grimm, fall back to us." Ares said. "Change of plans. You four are going to help us defend the rear."

"This is insane," Yatsu raises his greatsword towards the charging Grimm, frantically looking front and back, "That's a huge pack. I've never seen this many of them. We can't take them all on," he said.

"Hey, easy big guy," Coco said, "We can make it, okay?"

"You don't sound very confident anymore, team leader. You scared?" Fox said.

"Just trying to be optimistic, Fox. I don't see you being supportive."

Velvet wasn't doing any better. She was visibly shaking, holding her camera tight in her hands.

"Now's not the time to be scared huntsmen. All of you look at me. I've been through stuff like this for as long I can remember, and this is nothing to us. You're all huntsmen, right. So act like it. Put that fear aside and stand your ground. Just do as I say. The Black Angels guarantee that you all will make it out alive, okay?" Ares reassures them.

They felt a tint of admiration when he said that.

Ares resumes to give out his orders as he observes the Grimm horde.

"Greyhound set a sniping position and start shooting. Take out any Grimm in their ranks that could cripple our defenses. Wolf, you too, set up a kill zone in the front. Move it!" Ares instructed.

"Yes, sir!" They both replied.

"All fire team holds your positions. We got Grimm coming at our six as well. Someone call Blackhawk 3 and get his ass over here, now."

"Understood, sir." Said a shadow.

Something big started rumbling again in the tunnels.

"What is that? That doesn't sound normal." Greyhound asked.

Ares backs up, "Looks like we've stirred up the nest now, boys. Get ready."

The other horde stopped moving and stayed in their spot.

"Why are they just standing there?" Greyhound asked.

"Don't know, but it sounds like something big just came in to see us," Wolf replied. Ares felt it as well.

Then, the Alpha King Taijitu suddenly burst through the floor of the tunnel and hissed menacingly at them, "Welp, there it is. Now what?"

Before Ares could reply, the Alpha signals the horde to charge forward at them.

"Watch out! Boarbatusk Charge!" Wolf shouted as they were the first to appear from the sea of Grimm. "Alright, you Grimms. Let's party!" Greyhound started shooting, followed by Wolf's machine gun.

"Fox, you and Yatsu stay with those two and keep watch, make sure no Grimm gets past. Velvet, you stay with me." Coco said.

Fox and Yatsu nodded and went up ahead.

"Hold on. I'm going turn this humvee upright," Ares said, running to the downed vehicle. They both gathered behind him as he pointed his hands towards it. "Alright, stand back. I'm going to lift it."

"Huh? What are you-" Coco asked.

She stopped when she saw Ares concentrate, and the humvee began to lift itself off the ground and slowly rise back up. Velvet was also surprised that this shadow had a semblance, leaving her speechless. Once he sets the vehicle back down, he climbs up and checks the minigun.

"Wait, your semblance, were you a huntsman before or something?" Coco asked.

"It's nothing, no time to explain, Adel. Now get up here." Ares said. Coco wasted no time and climbed up the vehicle.

"The minigun still works. I need you to cover me and help my boys out while I do something with these ordnance and fuel cans that you stole as well."

Coco stared at him, "Uh, I'm sorry?" She said as she smiled sheepishly.

"I'll let this slide for now. Just don't do it again."

"Okay, got it. Won't happen again."

"Good girl. Now heads up, huntress, we got targets coming in fast," Ares said. "Start shooting, kid."

"With pleasure," Coco said as she hopped into the gunner seat.

"Wait, what do I do?" Velvet asked. "Just rest, Velvet. I can take it from here."

Ares runs ahead with the fuel cans and starts pouring out its content all over the floor, moving across from one side of the tunnel while avoiding the crossfire and the Grimm. "I'm going to make a fire. Keep them off me!"

Yatsu cuts a beowolf's head off as he notices the horde getting closer. "Uh, guys. The horde's getting closer!" He said.

Another call came through the radio. "Colonel, it's getting too hot out here. We're falling back to you now. Blackhawk 3 just came through. He said he'll be here in ten mikes!" Said the shadow.

"Oh great! Now we are trapped here in this tunnel!" Greyhound said. "Just keep shooting them, Grey!"

Coco guns down as many Grimm as she can, but every Grimm she kills, ten more would take its place. Never in her huntsman career had she seen this many Grimm in front of her in a single day.

"Hurry up!"

Ares pours the last fuel can and lights his lighter, "Okay, this should do it." He lits the ground and out comes a blazing rush of fire. Yatsu and Fox killed off the last Grimm and quickly moved away from the fire.

"Yatsu, Fox, get back here!" Coco shouted.

"Burn you fuckers! BURN!"

The Grimm growled back as they retreated from the fire. Coco continued to shoot back at them regardless.

"This fire's not going to hold for long. We need something stronger." Ares said. He looks around and sees the metal support beams around him. Maybe, but there's no telling if the tunnel would collapse on them as well.

"I'm going to use my semblance to pull down some of those support beams on them."

"Wait, is that wise, Colonel?" Wolf said, "Those beams are too big for you to move it, even if you can manage, it's going to cost you most of your aura."

"I know that, but if it's going to get you boys out, then I'll do it," Ares said.

Velvet watches the Grimm gathering at the other side of the fire. They seem very agitated that the fire is preventing them from advancing any further. If she knew any better, it might be making them even angrier. The others are trying their best to kill as many as they can before the fires die out. A few of them still made it past the barrier but were quickly dealt with by Fox and Yatsu.

"Friendlies coming in!" She turned around to see the rest of the shadows from outside regrouped with Ares. Their backs were facing them as some were holding up ballistic shields, forming a shield wall and firing back at them while slowly retreating.

"Alright, hold here. Throw another two gas canisters." They toss two black smoke grenades. White smoke emits from the grenades and spreads around the area.

Whatever that stuff is, it managed to stop the other horde in their track. It seems to act as a repellent, killing a few in the process.

The squad leader runs up to the Colonel. "Sir, we did the best we can, we managed to hold them off, but their numbers are getting too big to handle." Said the shadow.

"It's alright. You boys did well out there. Alright, Angels. Listen up, our situation is bad right now, and I don't think we're going to get our bonuses tonight. They know we're here, and they're throwing everything they got at us! Blackhawk will be here soon. We have to hold on as long as we can until he gets here, understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Everyone responded.

"It's an honor to fight beside you, sir." Said another shadow.

"We're not going to die here, soldier. The Black Angels will endure. We never yield, not tonight!" Ares said.

Team CFVY felt an unusual sense of determination for some reason.

"Colonel, you there? It's Blackhawk 3. How's the situation in there?"

"Finn!? It's about damn time you showed up," Ares sighs in relief.

"Sorry, Colonel. The nevermore started attacking my bird as soon as it saw me approaching the city, nearly took out my helicopter. I brought Blackbird with me to support you guys." Finn said.

"Finn wasn't joking when he told me you guys are dealing with a horde. That's a lot of them. What did you boys do down there?" Blackbird ask.

"Not now, Blackbird. You're clear to engage on the targets outside of the tunnel!" Ares shouted.

"Guns, guns, guns."

The twin-mounted miniguns spin up and rain fire down upon the Grimm. "Missles away." Said Blackbird, causing a massive dent in their numbers. Finn's miniguns joined in on the carnage.

"I'm going around for another run. Hold on." The little helicopter turns around and lines up its guns. Upwards and downwards, making clear lines of decimated Grimm.

"Fuck yeah!" The shadows on the ground cheered on. Team CFVY joined them as well.

"That's awesome!" Fox shouted.

"Exit's almost cleared, sir," said Blackbird. "Oh yeah, they're running now. They are trying to regroup. I suggest you boys get out of there now."

"Roger, Blackbird. Keep up the fire." Ares said, "How's everyone doing on ammo?"

"We're good, but if this keeps up, we won't have enough to get ourselves out of here."

But we still got the Alpha behind us, Ares thought. He sighs, "Wolf, I'm going for it." Wolf nods and covers him. The fire is barely holding. Coco finishes off the ammo belt and hops out of the humvee. "Adel, get to cover. I'm going to bring down the support beams." He said as he began to pull.

Coco puts her shades back on and converts her minigun. "I got your back." She said. The beams slowly bend his arms started to shake. "Come on."

The Alpha noticed and started moving fast towards Ares. It zipped past hundreds of Grimm and had its eyes focused on him. "It's coming towards you!"

Ares could see the twin heads staring down at him as their fangs revealed themselves to him.

"ARGH!" Ares screamed as he brought down the rubble onto the Alpha, crushing both its head as it shrieked for its life. He stumbles back as his body drained most of his aura. Coco ran forward and lifted him back on his feet, "That was cool." She said. Ares laughs, "Thanks, don't think I will do it again."

"Front exit's cleared. Let's get out of here!" Shouted a shadow.

A Grimm claw pops out of the rubble, "Everyone, move! Get the wounded on board first!" Ares shouted. Everyone ran towards the Blackhawk as more Grimm started to break open the rubble. Coco released Ares from her grip and ran back, "Adel! What are you doing!?"

"Team, cover the shadows retreat!" She shouted as she fended off the Grimm coming out of the rubble. Fox and Yatsu fought fiercely, and whatever fear they had before was gone. Velvet used her semblance and copied one of the shadow's weapons.

The Blackhawk hovers down in front of the tunnel, "Alright, get in, hurry!" Finn shouted. Ares was the first to make it, but he waited outside until Team CFVY and the rest of his team were on board.

Once the last shadow was in, Team CFVY was still out there, "That's enough. You kids, get over here now!" Ares demanded.

"Let's go!" Coco shouted. The four hastily make their way to the helicopter as the Grimm chased them down. "Guns, guns, guns." Said Blackbird, saving them at the last minute.

"Alright, everyone's on board. Finn, get us out of here now!"

"Roger, taking off. Hold to your seats, everyone." Finn said.

The two helicopters ascend and fly away from Mountain Glenn. Coco watches through the window as the fires of the missiles engulf part of the city.

"So tell me, Adel. Did any huntsmen stories said anything like this?" Ares asks. Coco turns to him, "No, they didn't. Not that I believe any of them. All stories and no proof." She answered.

"Is that why you choose to come out here?"

She nods, "Partly."

Ares pats her on the shoulder, "I guess not all huntsman is so bad. Thank you for covering my team. But that was dangerous, and I hope you won't do something so reckless like that again." He said.

Coco gave a small laugh. She could hear a faint fatherly tone in his voice.

"Let's not do this again, please," Yatsu said as he rested his head against the wall. Velvet and Fox, already dozing off. "No promises, Yatsu," Coco smirks a little.

/-/

"And I trust that this information is accurate?" said Glynda. Team CFVY confirms as they nod their heads. Glynda sighs again, "While I would commend you four for your bravery in protecting the shadow's retreat. That won't excuse you from entering the tunnels. I hope you understand the dangers and risks that the shadows had to go through. Not many huntsmen and huntresses are willing to do what they do."

"We understand, Professor Goodwitch. If it weren't for them, then we wouldn't understand. They fight the same battle we do, except one is willing to die for it and the other and something to live. But if that's going to be the case. Then we are going to train ourselves to be better next time."

Glynda couldn't help but smile at that, "You're still on holiday break, and classes will resume next week. I'm expecting big changes from you four."

"Yes, ma'am." The four of them said.

End of Chapter 10

Fun fact. Every chapter has its own motto/war cry. Like Ares's chapter, "Angels will endure. Angels never yield." They reflect the leader of that chapter.

And this chapter is done. Writing that action scene was tiring. I'm not good at writing those, and this chapter took a while to finish.

But I think near the end felt a bit rushed, and I might change it later. I wanted to focus on the next chapter.

What do you think? I think Team CFVY got the best experience with the shadows on what it's like to fight for your survival. Not many students get to experience this.