All Characters belong to RoosterTeeth etc.
The streets of Vale were quiet, surprising for this time of year or more specifically during festival preparations. But it wasn't the festival yet and people still had to work. So no surprise when the lonely shopkeeper was alone hanging a sign, 'Welcome to Vale'. It was going well until someone walked into the ladder. He tumbled off and landed hard on his back, most would call an ambulance after an indeterminately old man fell. Yet no one did as he writhed there for a few seconds in shock as he suffered, but like most old men in anime he stopped after a few seconds and got up acting like it was nothing.
A young man in green walked by as if he hadn't seen anything. Until just after he rounded the corner and was greeted by a 4-foot-tall pink gremlin, "Well that was cold. He was in pain. You should have put him out of his misery."
The green boy ignored her as he continued on but she was ever persistent, "I mean we are supposed to be looking like helpful young heroes and you don't even bother helping an old poor dying man. Have you no heart as a huntsman?" She questioned with a hand to her chest and fanning her face with the other acting like she was an old timey countess who just witnessed one of the courtesans' having an exposed ankle. He was less than amused more nonplussed by the whole situation, yet she still rapidly continued, "What if the plan is fouled by the single loose end you left, Oh dearie me we'll have to resort to living in the woods as hermits. Claiming to be a family and to keep up the rouse we'll have to abduct baby Ursa and force them to pretend they're our-"
"Nora, if you want his wallet just ask." He produced flatly while extending the wallet out to her. She gave it a pause looking between him and the wallet, as if she was tempted not to take it. Ultimately she decided against listening to her conscience (if she still had one) and took the wallet.
"Ren, have I ever asked for anything?"
"No, you just talk until I get tired of listening and give in," He countered with a swift delivery before walking away, but Nora just puffed up her cheeks and acted as if he had really hurt her by raising her head and turning away. This didn't hold as they arrived at their destination, 'Tukson's Book Trade', it was a nice idyllic store that hipsters would call fashionable. They entered acting like they belonged Ren spread out and began searching shelves, while Nora immediately went to the ring the bell at checkout.
*DING*
The bell was loud enough to be heard around the store and after it rang a rustling could be heard from the back room.
*DING*
*DING*
*DING*
*DING*
*DING*
That didn't work fast enough as Nora rang the bell again, the rustling became faster but that didn't stop Nora from continuing to ring the bell.
*DING*
*DING*
When a mass of books emerged from the back room she was surprised when they were set down on the counter.
*DING*
A man emerged from behind the books and exhaustedly said, "Welcome to Tukson's book trade home to every book under the sun. You only need to ring the bell once-"
*DING*
He narrowed his eyes as she gave the most positive look with a wide eye smile and heartfelt grin, "What can I do for you today?"
"Well I'm looking for a few books." She said raising her eyebrows with expectations as his eye dulled.
"Well we're out of textbooks since the semester just started..."
"I'm sure that won't be a problem, now let's see, do you have, The Thief and the Butcher?" She questioned he just gave an even more tired expression.
"No, that's a textbook I just said I already ran out." She recoiled as she wasn't expecting the cadence.
*DING*
"Uhh, heh heh," She laughed to herself as if wasn't expecting him to be that curt about it she gave a quick glance back to Ren before she continued, "Well then what about Violet Garden you have to have-"
"Also a textbook."
*DING*
She was clearly annoyed at this point as she arched her back and gave out a guttural moan, "UGH! FINE WHAT ABOUT THIRD CRUSADE?!"
He just shook his head. She very had a look that could kill and he was more than not dead inside, but before she could jump over the counter Ren said, "You know who we are right?"
"Yes."
"And yet you are antagonizing us."
"Look if you're gonna kill me you could have come a week ago so I didn't have to deal with all the new semester rush." He moaned with hollow eyes that were ready for relief. Nora recoiled with a grimace that said it all she looked back at Ren with the look of, 'Are we really doing this'.
Ren dimmed the windows at the front of the store before walking to the counter, "I'm sure your brothers in the White Fang wouldn't be to happy about the-"
"Look, there is no point in resisting so just make this quick so I don't have to go through another sale." Ren and Nora just looked at each other as they were really considering it, "Come on! I don't have all day!"
Ren slid a gun out of his sleeve and put it to Tukson's head. To which Tukson smiled.
Outside the store a single gunshot could be heard accompanied by a flash. The meandered for several seconds before exiting the store yet not entirely of sound mind and clean body. As they were coated in a considerable layer of blood and viscera Nora just floated in a daze when she questioned whatever higher power was listening, "Why did he POP?!"
"I don't know..." Ren muttered as he placed a hand on Nora's shoulder and lead her away from the puddle of Tukson's remains.
On the other side of the city the students at Beacon were preparing for classes to resume. Or for some mourning the loss of their beloved time off, Cinder was mourning. With her face laying on the lunchroom table, "Why can't break go on forever?"
"Because that sets a dangerous precipice of work not getting done and people remaining in leisurely states while problems pile up." Eve delivered as she set her tray next to Cinder right before sitting down.
"I meant metaphorically, Eve," Cinder chided through her teeth. Eve just shrugged as she began eating what looked like a tray of nothing but eggs.
"Well we have to get back to classes even if you don't want to. I for one am looking forward to engaging in intelligent debate with all the new transfer students this semester." Weiss stated as she sat on the other side of Eve.
"Gods, Weiss can you get off your high horse of moral superiority and clamber down to the real world of procrastination and D's."
"I would but I've never gotten a D in my life." Weiss said with utter certainty that what she said had no other meaning but was interrupted by Emerald on the other side of the table who was trying to hold in a laugh. Weiss' eyes shot wide as her face tinted up and she immediately covered herself, "No! I meant I've always had A's!"
"We know you are flat Weiss, you do not have to scream it to the whole cafeteria." Ruby said as she walked up to the table. Weiss just stared to blush even harder, or they assume since she was still fairly red from the trip.
"Just admit that you want to utterly devastate all the non-transfer students with our skill and moral superiority," a short brown girl said to a familiar arachnid.
"No! I don't have to devastate them with my superiority they've already witnessed it," Trifa proclaimed as she lead the shorter girl over to them. They all looked her up and down for a few seconds before Arslan spouted out.
"I'll bite what's with the shrimp?"
"I am not a shrimp!" The girl protested.
"Mouse then, Trifa what do you want?" Cinder said having her head slide up firmly planting her chin on the table.
"Well I just came to introduce my teammate, Ilia Amitola, to you guys so you can confirm that I do in fact belong here." She said as if it was the most important part. The way she phrased that sounded weird until Ruby pointed it out.
"Neo did not believe you were a student so you have not been issued a room yet have you?" Trifa just stared with blank eyes as Ilia's turned to face her.
"Is that incredible danger you were in so that I needed to hop on the next flight?"
"...No..."
"It is unsurprising since she had been sleeping in the tree outside of our room for most of the time she was here." Eve answered through bites of food. They all just looked at her as she had the look of a deer in the headlights.
"I'm guessing that's tall dark and free with her bod-" Ilia didn't get to finish her thought as Trifa picked her up and threw her across the room.
"Oh would you look at that she's tired, I'll go take her to our new room." Trifa said as she darted after her teammate.
"Well that was unsurprising," Ruby said as she began eating herself.
"Wait if she's been outside our room then what did she see?" Weiss began questioning, with Cinder shooting up as she began thinking that as well.
"I assume she witnessed us changing, or the pillow fights, or all the times when you two were making out." Ruby said at the expense of her teammates as she insinuated her sister and friend were doing something more illicit.
"I'm going to have to hang a curtain aren't I?" Cinder said as she was slightly shaking at the thought of being watched.
"Please-" Weiss pleaded until she was hit in the face with a pile of mashed potatoes.
"HEADSHOT!" Mercury declared as she stood victorious over the success of a catapult made of food.
In the headmaster's office Roman was nursing a hangover. He had spent the rest of his break drinking after learning that his students were there, he would have interacted with them except for the fact they were a group of living nightmares and the bane of his existence. Neo by all accounts had a wonderful vacation as she was happily playing on her phone instead of tormenting him with loud noises.
That was until the elevator left the floor and descended. When Roman noticed this he reached for his desk phone in a vain struggle to prevent any visitors for the day, but that only amounted to plenty of funny flailing. He hoped Neo wasn't recording. But when the elevator finally returned he was utterly destroyed when a tall man in a mustache appeared. He wasted no time destroying the peace, "Why in the gods names is it so dark in here?"
"NO!" Roman protested to no avail as the man turned on the lights blinding Roman. Roman writhed around on the ground for several seconds as Neo began filming.
"Why did you have to do this to me?"
"Well I thought that you would want to talk to one of your coworkers as he had just arrived from Atlas." The man answered as if he had done this before, he gave a quick look at his colleague's desk and noticing all the pain killers asked, "I assume you had a good vacation?"
"The best!" Roman said sarcastically as he righted himself and sat up, "What do you want Watts?"
"Right to business not even going to introduce us," Watts said as he motioned to Neo. Roman gave a chortle at that statement.
"You've met her before and I wouldn't risk it."
"Well Ms-" he gave a look to Roman.
"Neopolitan."
"Ms. Neopolitan it is wonderful to meet you," he said taking her hand into his (it was funny Roman said they had met before but he was sure they had never), as he went to kiss it a dark thought crossed his mind. What happened to that little crazy girl Roman always had following him? He finished with the niceties and said, "Now you have to excuse us as we have plenty to discuss."
Roman just made a face as Watts tried to dismiss Neo, this could not end well. Her eyes narrowed before looking to Roman when he gave the look of please don't kill him. She just shook her head before getting into the elevator. Roman was more than not confused as she didn't even put up a little fight. Watts just gave a grin as she left and said just before the door closed, "All you have to do is have a firm hand and they will be putty in yours."
If she wasn't going to kill him before she was now, "What is it that you need?"
"Well I came to deliver Amity and see the games," He said in a way that made Roman doubt him, "And it just so happens that due to a large grimm presence we had to bring more of my forces to defend it." At that point Roman looked out the window and noticed all the airship floating about.
"Huh, I thought something was wrong," Roman mused to himself as as he stood up, "I'm sure that's what you told the media, but what is the real reason?"
While admiring his handy work Watts said, "I wasn't exactly sure you could deal with the festival after a cursory glance at the crime rates in Vale at the moment."
"Oh right, I'm loosing control so I gotta have a big show of power and move half the worlds largest fleet into our airspace, is that what you think?" Roman said as he was getting ever more annoyed by Watts' meddling, "I'll have you know major crime is down, petty crime not so much, but there hasn't been so much as a single homicide since I took over."
"And all the dust that's gone missing?"
"That's not technically a major crime..."
"But?" Watts prodded.
"No. I don't know what they're doing yet," Roman began his thought but finished with another one, "Regardless you wouldn't have done this if Salem were still headmistress."
"Which brings me to my next point," Watts finally got to his actual point, "Where is she?" Roman almost didn't want to answer since if he told, Watts would go get her and he would be yelled at.
"Still on sabbatical."
"It's been damn near 20 years and you have yet to prove you can do this job." Watts demeaned him but he wasn't altogether far from the truth.
"Well she picked me, and I'm sorry to say until she comes back I'm all you got," Roman pointed out with a particular grin, "But at least I'm smart enough to realize people are going to start asking the question, if you brought this many ships what are you expecting to face." Roman and Watts didn't say anything else they just gave each other the death glare. Roman out of the corner of his eye noticed a pink figure moving to delicate military equipment.
"Is that brand new Manta painted in your colors and symbol on it yours?" Roman asked which caused Watts to be a little more wary.
"Yes, I just had it det-" he was cut off when it flew away. He had a look of both panic and fear as he was about to call someone when the Manta began spinning. It kept the spinning up for several seconds before it leveled out. That didn't last long as the manta began doing donuts in the air, then corkscrews, then flying as high as it could before the engine would stall and fall for several seconds before regaining control. Neo was a surprisingly good pilot for never flying by herself before. Watts at this point was at the brink of panic and as someone finally picked up the radio, the manta immediately went into a nose dive hurtling towards the ocean. It disappeared behind the cliff but they could almost see the splash down as it crashed into the water. Watts's jaw was on the floor as he was dumbstruck by the immediate and utter destruction of his once beautiful ship.
"Word to the wise, Ice cream melts if you try to hold if firmly, and Neo is less like ice cream more like plastic explosives."
Arslan was not happy, first classes started back up tomorrow and second she was in the middle of a food fight. Well nothing says team building like a fight to the death with an assortment of foods. Ruby was still as leaderly as ever though, "Justice will be swift. Justice will be Painful. IT WILL BE DELICOUS!"
Team RECW rallied behind her at that statement though as she was there leader and they had to follow her. But the other team was rallying behind the table fort Mercury constructed while she declared, "NONE SHALL STAND AGAINST US!"
Emerald shook her head as she slid her foot under two water melons and bounced them between her legs before she sent them flying at the opposition. Jaune picked up two of the melons and tried to throw them, the melons didn't go that far but he got an A-plus for trying. Arslan tried to stay out of it by remaining in her seat. Mercury however kicked a table into the air allowing the melons to fall in front of her where she kicked them individually. Ruby saw this and called to Cinder, "Cinder, Leek."
"What!?" Cinder nearly shrieked out as she was questioned her sisters sanity. Until she noticed the leeks strewn about on the ground, she quickly rushed to grab them. With the leeks in hand she used them like her two swords and began cutting the melons out of the air. First came the early throws from Jaune high angle and slow, easy to cut out of the air. Quickly proceeded by Emeralds quick volley, she had to dodge a few but managed to slash a few out of the air. Then came the ultra precise shots from Mercury all targeted at her chest, Cinder felt like she was playing that rhythm game that Ruby likes as she quickly cut them out of the air. Until the attack which was a full turkey, Cinder wasn't prepared as the turkey threw her across the room. She still managed to throw the leeks at Jaune knocking him over as she was dragged away.
Eve witnessing Cinder fly away quickly grabbed a piece of bread and moved to attack. Placing the bread for a drawing strike she was about to mangle Emerald when several apples caused a pause followed by cutting them out of the air. Arslan was up and looking for a fight as she figured this was a good time to test herself against Eve, "Come an get these apples."
Eve grinned as she charged intent on delivering a devastating twenty hit combo. She drew her bread as she brought it to her rivals face, only to be blocked by a turkey. Arslan threw a left turkey as she tried to throw off Eve's footing only for her to quickly match it with the bread. With her right hand freed up Arslan tried a rounded right turkey but once again Eve seemingly automatically blocked it. Eve with the bread straight up immediately went under the turkeys and slashed out Arslan's legs causing her to lose balance. While Arslan was falling Eve raised her bread as she was about to deliver the double handed ultra bread destroyer. Until a sausage link wrapped around it and pulled it from her hands.
Emerald had found her weapon of choice as she swung the other side of the links right into Eve's face sending her across the cafeteria. Ruby was determined not to let the sacrifice be in vain as she slid across the table on a tray, throwing several small things at her opponents until Arslan threw the turkeys. Ruby hopped over one before she smacked back the other one sending Arslan back.
Mercury charged as her partner followed, but Weiss and Ruby were right there to slow her progress as Weiss splattered the area with plenty of ketchup. Mercury tried to stay up on the ketchup-slick but wasn't able to as she rolled into a pile of tables. Emerald leaped over and crossed on the flying tables as she came face to face with Weiss who had a swordfish. Emerald quickly dodged but her sausages were skewered. When she came face to face with Weiss she dropped a mischievous little grin as she pulled the sausage over her head throwing both them and the swordfish away. Emerald with a quick wit grabbed a leek and began slashing at Weiss. Who had little she could do being unarmed, but had to face the onslaught when Mercury kicked the leek from her hand sending it right into Weiss. Who flew across the cafeteria and right into a pillar.
Ruby jumped over several tables before pulling Weiss from the collapsing pillar, "Weiss do not leave us. You are the only one who knows the code to the fridge!"
Cinder ignored her sisters plight as she quickly cooked a potato in her hands before throwing it full speed. The first one shattered on Jaune but Arslan began hitting them out of the way as she gained ground. Cinder took this to heart and picking up some more leeks blocked Arslan. This was a match poorly conceived as Arslan threw a right turkey only for Cinder to slap it away and thump her on the neck with the leek. Arslan didn't take kindly to this as she went for a body shot only for Cinder to slide across the hit while delivering several of her own. This caused them to separated but Arslan didn't let that last but she was determined as she threw her whole body into a single left jab only for Cinder to jump over it. Before allowing Eve to draw strike the bread right into Arslan's face sending her flying into the soda machines.
Mercury kicked several melons up at Cinder knocking her out of the air. But as she fell from the air Cinder threw the leeks at Mercury. She tired to dodge but they pinned her to a table and Eve actually got the slash off shooting her through the table. Emerald gabbed some more sausage links and wrapping them around Eve she threw her out a window. When Ruby saw this she began running in circles around the cafeteria creating a tornado that sucked up all the food. Before she quickly stopped and charged at the other team. They tried to run but they were dragged across the room, as Ruby stopped right before the wall causing it to crack. She jumped away as the tornado threw the others at the wall and covered them in a variety of foods. When it finally stopped everyone slid down the wall and groaned.
Weiss, and Cinder stood up first as Cinder asked her sister, "Did you know that we would get sucked up as well?"
"I was certain that was a possibility." Ruby said trying to avoid the blame for sticking everyone to the wall. They all looked at each other as Eve came climbing back through the window. She tripped and landed on her face and everyone began laughing at the sight.
Neo was just sat by the door with a bowl of ice cream as she clapped for the entertainment. Roman and the food covered Watts were standing in the doorway as Roman had a smug look towards his coworker.
"I'm sure that you can handle," Roman said as he moved to sit next to Neo to watch as Watts struggled to control the students. Watts was about to make them all work themselves to the bone when Roman piped in, "Just without changing any of the preset rules."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Well we're a school, not a military school we can't give them too severe of a punishment." Watts looked him up and down as he was about to start yell but Roman just gave the face of it's not my rule. They stared each other down until Watts conceded his point and motioned for Roman to solve the problem. Roman stood up and as he passed Watts gave a little wink before continuing to his students.
"You know you have to clean this up right?" They all locked eyes with him as an air of panic set in. Ruby was the first to respond as she got up and declared.
"Ru-" Roman placed a hand over her mouth to stop her from finishing.
"You of course know that if you don't clean up your mess then it will fall to Neo. And she has seen all of you make it so..." He didn't finish as their eyes went dark as they weighted cleaning vs whatever sick torture Neo could come up with. Cinder just went and grabbed a broom from the closet as she got to work immediately. Everyone followed suit not wanting to anger the mute little psycho.
In a dark and dank warehouse were plenty of White Fang terrori-cultis-troops, White Fang troops were unloading a bullhead full of dust. Ren and Nora walked through it still covered in blood completely ignoring the labor going on around them, well more were too shocked to notice. Until they entered the heist prep area, covered with all the essentials like several maps of the city with crude scribbles on them, a table big enough to have everyone sit around it, and crates of either money or weapons. Glynda was there looking over one of the maps when she noticed the two blood soaked trouble makers.
"Ode to joy the sewer rats are back," Glynda delivered as monotone as possible, "Just couldn't entertain yourselves now could you? You just had to go sewer diving." She accused as she paced around them, she was about to imply something else when she noticed the pair wasn't covered in sewage, "And what is that?"
"Tuckson's Book Trade," Nora said raising a finger to her lip, "And Tuckson." Glynda's eyes narrowed as she was being undermined by a pair of moronic simpletons with no clue about nuance and subtlety.
"I had that situation under control, you didn't need to go messy your faces in so much evidence."
"Two packed bags, a ticket to vacuo and a load of cash says otherwise." Nora interjected trying to save as much face as possible. She looked proud of herself for that one.
"Did you consider he was going on vacation or was going to meet his supplier of books?" Nora shrunk down but Ren was quick to defend her.
"Yet he was so ready to die, he clearly was planning to flee."
"He worked in the service industry they're all ready to die!" Glynda looked like she was about ready to pop a blood vessel when she continued, "And you tracked that mess back here didn't you," Glynda brought a hand to her head to rub her temple as she was, "Not even thinking about the trail that you are leaving for the police. No that would be too smart, if it were up to me I would string you up and leave you to-"
"To what Glynda?" Asked a blonde woman as she descended a catwalk.
"Don't ever interrupt me ever again. Leave you to Rot!" Glynda glanced off the blonde woman like she was nothing. This angered her a little causing her eyes to glow and change color as if she was ready for a fight. But that was ended when large slam echoed through the warehouse. Its origin lay upon the man banging his cane on the catwalk. The man looked like he had played a game of who can stay the longest out side in freezing weather, died and then injected enough black dye into his veins to permanently have blackened veins exposed on his skin.
"There is no need for violence right now Yang." He calmly walked with a cup of coffee in the hand opposite his cane. None of them spoke as he seemingly floated down the stairs, he had an air of death about him that most would call Grimm, "I applaud you two for taking the initiative," pausing for suspense and them to brighten up at their deed he finished, "But now is the time for quiet not to cause a scene."
"I assume you understand this," they nodded as he moved to Yang, "Pack your bags, you're due at beacon any day now." She lit up at this remark, ready to complete the mission and get what she desires. He turned to Glynda she stood there both frozen and annoyed that she had to listen to a speech instead of doing her work, "And how did this slip by you?"
"I had it under control-"
"Clearly you didn't."s
"Well I was a bit busy getting the rest of your grocery list of nonsense," She declared as she motioned around her to all of the shipping containers that had either dust weaponry or were completely empty waiting to be filled. The last one didn't need to be mentioned.
"Next time make sure you have a tighter grip on the situation or we will find someone to replace you." She looked hurt at that notion, until he delivered more news, "Now pack up." She looked terrified as if she was expecting the worst, "We're moving into phase two, move all your forces to the next coordinates."
She was relieved but before she could breath a sigh of relief her head shot up as she said, "You haven't given the next coordinates yet."
"Oh, yes well... Yang deliver the coordinates before you leave." While he said with his head in the mug Yang just shook hers.
Sorry for the wait. I wrote a majority of this chapter in a day then I began working on the outline for another series entirely and completely forgot to finish this chapter. This season will be different from the first as I will try to make it more different from canon.
So anyway thank you for your patience and at least this one came out in a month instead of 6.