Chapter 14: The Torchwick Crisis Part 4
Remnant, Kingdom of Vale, Beacon Academy
POV: Professor Ozpin
Premise: Stop the breach; learn the truth…
Ozpin, Glynda and Ironwood all walked toward the bullhead dock at Beacon. The three of them conversing on the same topic that has plagued them for days.
"Any word from Qrow yet?" Ironwood asked
"No, he hasn't contacted us since he found out about the Reds and Blues." Ozpin replied, "I am rather worried."
"Qrow can handle himself." Glynda added, "But I must admit, it is quite annoying to see him not contact us."
Both Ozpin and Glynda then noticed that Ironwood was no longer paying any attention to them. Instead, he was gazing up at the sky.
"James, what's wrong?" Glynda asked him
"What is that?" the general muttered, the two then looked up to see some object flying towards Beacon.
"Is that a bullhead?" Glynda questioned
"No." Ironwood replied, "It's too sleek to be a bullhead."
The aircraft hovered over the large concrete pad near the end of the walk leading up to Beacon before deploying its landing gear and touched the ground. The three adults walked up to it, with Glynda already having her riding crop in her hand. As they approached the ship, the boarding ramp lowered, and out stepped Jaune. Which surprised all of them.
"Mr. Arc?" Glynda muttered
Jaune didn't say anything, and instead went ot the nearest trash can, and started to heave due to motion sickness. Nora then wobbled down the ramp as well, just not as sick as her leader was.
"That was awesome." she muttered, as Pyrrha and Ren then walked down the ramp
"Jaune, are you ok?" Pyrrha asked her partner
"Yeah." Jaune groaned, "Better now."
"Children." Glynda barked at them, "What is going on? Where'd you find this bullhead?"
"Team RWBY is in trouble." Ren replied
"Yeah." Nora continued, "Torchwick's leading Grimm into Vale via the old train system from Mountain Glenn."
"What!?" Glynda shouted
"Who told you this?" Ironwood asked them
"Ahem." the trio looked up at the top of the ramp to see three soldiers standing there. The first one being pink, the second one purple, and the last one yellow.
POV Change: Cinder Fall
Cinder and her associates watched as a mysterious bullhead took off from the bullhead docks and headed for Vale. They were all in their Mistral uniforms. A loud siren could be heard coming from Vale.
Emerald was the first to speak, "You don't think…"
"Sure looks like it." Mercury said to her
"But that's still days away!" Emerald shouted
Mercury then looked at Cinder, "So? What do we do?"
Cinder didn't respond, and simply just narrowed her eyes, as she watched the unknown bullhead fly towards Vale.
POV Change: City of Vale
Team RWBY, the Reds, and the Blues all stood in the middle of Vale's commercial district, surrounded by Grimm. The creature kept pouring out of the massive hole in the middle of the road.
"This is definitely not the reunion I was hoping for guys." Grif muttered, with his sword already out
"Yeah, no shit." Simmons replied
"I mean...I could use the exercise…" Tucker quipped
"Really?" Carolina said to him
"Yeah...you're right." Tucker sighed, "Ruby?"
"Let's fight!" Ruby shouted
The Grimm hoard roared before charging at the group. Ruby then jumped up in the air before slamming Crescent Rose into the ground, and used it to spin in a circle, kicking the creatures. She then took out her pistol and fired a large bolt that decimated them all. Tucker drew his sword and began slashing at several Creeps, flipping in the air while pulling out his DMR, and mowed down two Ursas. Yang then looked at Grif, who was slashing at several Grimm with his sword before pulling out the Grif Shot and firing on several Beowulfs. He then felt something push on his shoulders before it suddenly disappeared. Turns out it was Yang, she jumped in the air and fired several shots at a hoarder of Grimm. Until three Nevermore's grab her, and throw her to the ground. Blake on the other hand, slashes at several Beowulfs before firing on any Grimm that crossed her path. Simmons managed to knock an Ursa down and fired a full SMG case into it, while Sarge blew the heads off of several Deathstalkers. Weiss proceeded to slash and stab several Grimm before summoning a glyph to conjure an ice blade. Carolina ran up to an Uras and somehow managed to put a grenade in its mouth. Caboose was mowing down Grimm with Freckles. Yang proceeded to throw a car at several Grim, crushing them to oblivion when a King Taijitu appeared. The snake Grimm was about to attack here when it noticed something in the sky.
Nora flew through the air before slamming Maghild into the snake Grimm's head, killing it. She then landed on the ground, with teammates, Doc, Donut, and Locus joining them.
"Let's move!" Pyrrha shouted before charging into battle along with the rest of her team. Nora proceeded to knock a Grimm away as if it were a gulf club, Ren jumped in the air, and slashed at several Grimm before mowing more down with his weapons. Donut took out his grenade launcher and basically gave the Grimm death from above. Locus was much more quiet, he snuck through the battlefield with his cloaking tech and took out Grimm that were either confused or separated from the rest of the pack. Doc was much more violent, he fired his rocket launcher over and over again as if there was an infinite amount of ammo in it.
"Mwahahaha! Yes! Taste oblivion!" O'Malley laughed
"Man, so much aggression." Doc muttered casually, "We really need to have a therapy session after this is all over."
"Shut up!" O'Malley hissed, "I wish to see what Jaune is going to do."
Doc and his alter ego took notice of Jaune looking up at a giant Ursa. Something that Pyrrha also noticed after taking down several Grimm. Jaune suddenly proceeded to slashed furiously at the creature until the Ursa simply fell on its back.
Pyrrha smiled at Jaune's small victory, as did Doc. O'Malley had a different comment.
"You got lucky numbnuts!" O'Malley shouted
"Really dude?" Doc groaned
"What? I was being honest." O'Malley replied
Just then, two guys entered the battle. It was the same boys from several nights ago, Sun and Neptune.
"Nobody move!" Sun shouted as he held up a badge, "Junior detectives!"
"We have badges so you know it's official!" Neptune added, before the two fist pumped.
The Reds and Blues all stare at them in confusion.
"Where the hell did you find these two?" Tucker asked Blake
"It's..complicated." Blake replied
Suddenly, both Sun and Neptune were immediately upstaged by the sudden appearance of an Atlas airship under the Command of James Ironwood, causing Sun to drop his badge in awe. As Team RWBY looked up in the sky, an Ursa takes the opportunity to attack Ruby from behind. However, it was gunned down by a dropship's machine gun. As smaller Atlesian dropships deployed Atlesian Knights, they started gunning down the Grimm. Two of the Knights are stampeded on by a Boarbatusk, but a separate group of three Knights fire on an Ursa and another Ursa has fallen from a Knight's punch.
"Boo!" Grif hissed, "Stupid Atlas!"
"Get out of here!" Sarge added
"Why do you hate Atlas some much?" Weiss asked them
"They are terrible." Simmons replied "Have you seen how they build their robots?"
"[Yes, I have.]" Lopez replied from the Prowler, "[They are not real robots. All other robots are inferior to Lopez the heavy.]"
Agent Washington drew several combat knives before throwing them in at numerous Grimm. He then slides under a Beowulf's legs before getting up and shooting it in the back. It was then that Wash took notice of three individuals standing nearby. The first was a girl with black hair and amber eyes in a red dress. The second was a boy with silver hair and grey eyes wearing a black and silver shirt with black pants. While the third was a girl with green hair and red eyes.
"Mind if we have some fun?" Cinder asked Wash
Wash just looked at her before answering, "Fine by me." he said in a suspicious tone before running off towards another part of the battle.
Cinder motioned for her associates to make their move while she simply walked out of sight. As an Ursa received the business end of Talaria, at least half a dozen assorted Grimm stood in front of Emerald. Who drew her weapon from their holsters, revealing them to be dual pistols. The Grimm pack learned this the hard way as she opened fire and all but a single Ursa fell to a barrage of laser shots while charging at Emerald. Emerald quickly transformed her pistols into kopis blades, flipping and slashing at the rampaging Ursa to kill it.
As more knights joined the fray, Zwei popped up from the giant before running off to find Ruby. Another bullhead arrived at the scene, this time holding Team CFVY and two of the teachers at Beacon. Peter Port, and Bartholomew Oobleck. The ship hovered over the air until the group jumped out of the craft and onto the battlefield. As Port and Oobleck go off to another part of the battle, Yatsuhashi gets surrounded by a pack of Grimm, he unlimbers his large sword before smashing it on the ground, unleashing a shockwave that sends them flying. Velvet and Fox proceed to kick and punch the Grimm with Fox impaling a Creep. Nearby a large spiked Ursa roars before charging them. Fox intercepts it with a kick then unleashes a combo of slashes and punches with his weapons. Knocking the Grimm skyward with an uppercut, as it descends he delivers a blow to the head with both hands that sends it flying. After landing it swells up and explodes, impaling the nearby Grimm with its spikes. Coco walks forward swatting a few away with her weapon. Yatsuhashi shields Velvet before the two start advancing.
"Nice hustle Fox." Coco said to her teammate as she gave him a light on the butt, "Good job."
Coco then approached a large Beowulf who growled at her. The fashionista lowered her sunglasses.
"You just destroyed my favorite clothing store." she muttered before spitting, "Prepare to die."
She proceeded to swat away the Beowulf's claw before kicking it in its crotch. As it falls to the ground and looks at her, Coco leans down and slams her bag onto its head. She effortlessly swats away three more Beowolves, then leaps back to avoid a Death Stalker's tail. Velvet steps forward, and moves a hand toward her weapon about to open the box.
"Hey, come on, you just spent all the semester building that up." Coco said to her partner, "Don't waste it here."
Coco then transforms her purse into a giant minigun, and starts firing, slaughtering the advancing horde of Grimm, including a Death Stalker and three Nevermores. As she did this, she took notice of the Reds and Blues nearby, fighting alongside Teams RWBY and JNPR.
"Hey, look who it is?" Coco said to her team
"Its Donut." Velvet muttered, "Hey Donut!"
Donut, who was smashing at Creep into oblivion, turned around.
"Oh hey guys!" Donut shouted, "We have a lot of fashion ideas to talk about later!"
Meanwhile, Oobleck and Port regrouped at the large hole and found Zwei, who happened to be with Sarge. Oobleck knelt down and patted him lightly before turning to Sarge and nodded at him. The red soldier nodded in return before the triot turned their attention to a large horde of Grimm heading in their direction. They all opened fire on the horde, sending them flying to the ground.
Glynda then walked through the streets with a scorn on her face, taking out several smaller Grimm with her wand. She then came face-to-face with a large Ursa, she held her wand up ready for an attack until Caboose came crashing down on the creature. Crushing it to death.
Caboose then looked at Glynda, "Oh hello!"
"Caboose! Get back to the pavilion!" Wash shouted via comms, "Let's give these huntsmen a show!"
"Ok!" Caboose replied before running back to the rest of his friends. Glynda was about to follow, but was stopped suddenly by Ironwood, who had arrived at the scene.
"Don't." he said to her, "I want to see what these soldiers are capable of."
Caboose rejoined his friends at the pavilion. They were all fighting in a circle, similar to how they fought the clones of Tex all those months ago. Tucker flipped in the air and sliced the head of a Boarbatusk clean. Carolina narrowly dodged the claw of a large Beowulf before jumping in the air and striking a fatal blow to its back with her stun baton. Locus snuck around several smaller Beowulf until he revealed himself to them. The pack jumped at him but he disappeared before reappearing nearby. In his place where the Beowulfs were standing was a future cube. The grenade went off, teleporting the pack to who knows where. Lopez flew the Prowler over the battlefield and deployed a warthog from the rest of his team. Sarge, Grif, and Simmons all hopped in their respected seats and drove around the pavilion, running over any unfortunate Grimm that crossed their path. Donut swung his hammer at a Death Stalker's stinger, knocking it away before slamming the weapon onto the creature's head.
"Where's Kai!?" Grif shouted from the warthog
"She's on the Prowler with Lopez." Sarge replied as he fired at several Grim with his shotgun, "It's best bet that she stays there, we don't know what that power she got can do to her."
Meanwhile, all of Blue Team went up to the giant hole in the road.
"Time to fill in this hole." Carolina quipped
"Bow chicka bow wow!" Tucker shouted
"Dammit!" Carolina groaned, realizing what she just said, "I should've seen that coming."
"Ah don't worry." Caboose said to her, "I didn't see it either."
Carolina just rolled her eyes, "Thanks."
Wash then looked at Glynda, "Hey lady! You wanna stoop the Grimm!? Now's the time."
Glynda just looked at them before going up to the hole. She used her semblance to pick up the nearby debris, fixing the hole completely as if there was nothing there in the first place.
Later…
All the Grimm were eradicated from the city. Ironwood had several AK-200s patrolling the streets to make sure that all citizens were safe. Lopez landed the Prowler in the pavilion and joined the rest of his team, along with Kai. Teams RWBY, JNPR, CVFY, along with Emerald and Mercury were standing together, happy that they won the battle. Amidst the battle that happened, several Atlas soldiers managed to find Torchwick amidst the rubble from the train. They were now taking him to one of their dropships.
"Oh, I can't believe that you caught me, you've really taught me the error of my ways." he said to the soldiers as one of them grabbed him by the arm, "Hey, watch the hat."
The Reds and Blues all watched from the boarding ramp of the Prowler. While everyone else was happy that Torchwick was being brought to justice. All except for them…
...They were angry...not because he was being arrested. But because they knew something bigger was going to happen if they simply arrested him.
Tucker looked at Wash who nodded at him, along with Carolina, Sarge, and soon everyone else. The group walked over to the dropship where Torchwick was being loaded onto.
"Stop!" Tucker shouted at them, catching everyone's attention
Ironwood and Glynda, who happened to be near dropship, looked at them.
"What?" Glynda muttered, more on the offended side of the spectrum
"I wanna have a word with Torchwick." Tucker explained
Weiss scoffed at Tucker disrespect, "Do you have any idea who you're talking too!?"
"Stay out of this Weiss." Simmons said to her, "Trust us."
Glynda gave Tucker a sneer, "We can't simply do that."
"I'm not asking." Tucker replied as he raised his DMR at her. The Reds and Blues followed suit and aimed their rifles at the Atlesian personnel.
"What are you doing?" Blake asked them
Ironwood, who was perhaps the most interested in the Reds and Blues aside from Ozpin, wanted to see what they would do. So he decided to take a risk.
"Let them talk." he ordered his men
"What!?" Glynda shouted
"Yes, I mean it." Ironwood said to her before looking at the Blood Gulch Crew, "Shall I find a place where you may speak with him in private?"
"No." Tucker replied, "We want to speak here, in front of everyone. Right here and now."
Ironwood gave him a stone cold glare before responding, "Very well."
The Reds and Blues lowered their weapons as the two guards allowed Torchwick to walk up to the soldiers.
"What is it Mr. Tucker?" Torchwick asked him
Tucker put his rifle on his back and took out his pistol and began to inspect it. He started to circle Torchwick as he looked at his sidearm.
"I like to say…that I agree with everything you said to me on the train." Tucker began, "This world is doomed. The kingdoms think they live in a golden age of prosperity, where all walks of life can live in peace. But me and my men know the full truth...there is no peace. The kingdoms? They live in an illusion that they plan to keep everyone in. Everyone on top, the councils, the bureaucrats, the corrupt business officials up in Atlas, the Schnee Dust Company, the Atlas Military. All of them...are living in this illusion."
Several of the Atlas personnel were slightly taken back by Tucker's words. Even Glynda, who wanted to say something, but Ironwood prevented her from doing so.
"So you're right, this world is doomed by outside forces. We intend on stopping them, and saving this world." Tucker continued, "Just like you claim."
Torchwick couldn't help but smile at this, but Tucker then turned around.
He unloaded his pistol's magazine…
"Unfortunately…" Tucker said, "You tried to hurt our friends…"
He put a new magazine into the pistol…
"And when you have a specific goal…"
He turned off the safety…
"...You have to eliminate the opposition."
Tucker then turned back around...
BANG!
"No!" Glynda shouted
Tucker fired a lone bullet that went through Torchwick's skull. The criminal's body fell to the ground, blood splattered in the process.
Several guards along with Ironwood and Glynda ran over to examine Torchwick's body. Tucker remained unfazed at what he just did.
"He's dead sir." one of the soldiers said to Ironwood
The Atlesain general said nothing and continued to look at the body. Glynda on the other hand, stood up and turned to face Tucker. Her face full of rage.
"You…" she growled, "You just killed our only piece of information! He could've told us what he was trying to accomplish! He-"
Tucker took out his sword and pointed it at Glynda. She was about to reach for her crop, but was stopped by Sarge. Who pointed his shotgun at her, not to threaten her, but just to get to stop yelling.
"Guns down Sarge." Tucker muttered to his friend, who looked at him before complying. Tucker deactivated his sword. He then proceeded to take off his helmet, he had light brown skin, spiky black hair, and brown eyes. He appeared to be in his mid-20s.
"Its like I said." Tucker addressed the crowd, "This world is doomed. And Torchwick? He was just the beginning."
"What are you talking about?" Yang asked him
"Torchwick was part of an even bigger plan!" O'Malley explained
"Its true." Doc added, "We have proof."
Ironwood stood up and looked at the sim-troopers, "Explain."
Tucker then spoke, "Ever since encountering Torchwick, we realized that not only was he trying to cause chaos. But was simply a pawn in a bigger plot."
"What kinda plot?" Ironwood asked them
"A plot to attack Beacon." Tucker answered him
Several murmurs were heard from the crowd of huntsmen and Atlas soldiers.
"We did some digging, and found out that Torchwick was part of a group that was working with the White Fang." Tucker continued, "We call this group the 'four horsemen'. While knowing the identity of one of them, that being Torchwick, we did not know the identities of the other three...until we came across that hacker the other night while all of you were dancing."
Glynda remained unfazed, as she felt like Tucker was simply trying to insult her for not fighting the hacker.
Tucker then continued, "The only way for someone to break into the CCT is to be on the campus grounds. Now, all of the Atlesian personnel are out of the question. Because they were either dead or unconscious. So that left the Beacon staff and students. But the hacker fought with glass, and her clothes lit up, had black hair and amber eyes. It couldn't have been Blake, cause she doesn't fight with glass, or any of the staff, since they don't match her description. So that leaves students, none of the students at Beacon match her description or use glass in combat."
"So it wasn't a student." Glynda spoke up, "We get it. It could've been anyone."
"I'm not finished yet." Tucker continued, "However, there are students visiting from other academies. So we checked their files and transcripts. And what did we find!?"
"Cinder. Fall." Simmons answered, "Forged transcripts, fights with glass, black hair and amber eyes. It's like looking in a mirror."
"Whoa whoa whoa!" Emerald interjected, "You can't just accuse my teammate as the culprit!"
Tucker looked at her, "Heh, that's funny….coming from one of Cinder's accomplices."
Emerald's eyes widened, "W-what are you talking about? I-I'm just here with my team to participate in the Vytal Festival."
"Simmons." Tucker said to his friend, "Show them all the recording."
Simmons walked up and displayed a hologram of Torchwick, standing next to him was Adam Taurus, and Neo. But the other three, were none other than Emerald, Mercury, and Cinder Fall.
"This information is surprising to say the least." Cinder said in the recording, "But we must be cautious. They aren't a threat, not a pressing one at least."
"What?" Adam questioned, "Why!?"
"They will play their cards carefully." Cinder explained, "And when they do...we will crush them."
Several loud gasps and murmurs came from the crowd at the sudden revelation. Including both Team RWBY and Team JNPR.
"Behold, your other three horsemen!" Tucker announced
"Apparently, these assholes wanted to attack Beacon." Carolina spoke up, "The plan of bringing Grimm into the city was to be used to convince Vale's government to appoint Atlas as head of security. Once on board the flagship, Torchwick was going to activate a virus that would infect the entire database."
"How can you be sure?" Ironwood asked, quite surprised at how something this big was right under his nose.
"Don't believe us?" Sarge spoke up, "Check the bastard's scroll."
Ironwood went back over to Torchwick's body. He removed his scroll from his pocket and began going through its files. To his surprise and horror, there was a file that matched what the Reds and Blues were talking about.
"They're right." Ironwood muttered, "Look."
He showed the file to Glynda, who was just as surprised.
Wash then gazed at Mercury and Emerald, who were in a state of fear and trauma.
"Well…" he said to them, "What do you have to say for yourself?"
Mercury couldn't help but curl his hands into fits in anger. While Emerald was still in shock.
"Is this true?" Ruby asked her, "You were part of this?"
Emerald still didn't stay a word, "I-I…"
"Hmph, I thought so." Sarge muttered
"Traitors!" Grif shouted
"You guys suck!" Kai added
"Man, you guys are speechless." Tucker said to them, "I mean, we have that effect on a lot of people. But Cinder? Oh boy, she is not gonna be happy that you failed her. Am I right? Cinder!?"
Sure enough, Tucker looked beyond the crowd, Cinder was standing in there. Her face was full of rage.
"You...you ruined everything!" Cinder snarled at the sim-troopers
"Uh oh, looks like somebody's about to throw a tantrum." Sarge taunted at her
"Oh and Cinder." Tucker said to her, "Just to let you know. That little power you had...let's just say Kai here will be taking great care of it for the time being."
Cinder's eyes widened, "No...NO!"
"Power?" Ironwood questioned, "What power?"
"Oh you want it?" Caboose asked Cinder in a childish manner, "Well...why do you come here...and will give it to you."
"Caboose!" Simmons groaned, "The phrase is: 'why don't come and get it'!"
"Oh right." Caboose muttered, "Uh...what Simmons said.'
"AAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGAAAAAAHHHH!" Cinder screamed, as she charged at the Reds and Blues with her two swords already in her hands
"Kai!" Tucker shouted, "Show her who's boss!"
Kai jumped in Cinder line of sight and somehow blocked her by summoning some sort of fiery orange shield. She then pushed Cinder away from her and Tucker.
"What!?" Cinder cried
Kai's visor suddenly gave off a fiery glow, with flames emitting from it. She then made the shield disappear before manifesting two glowing swords.
"YOU DON'T DESERVE THAT POWER!" Cinder screamed as she charged at Kai. The yellow soldier deflected each of her attacks before managing to disarm Cinder of her weapons.
Ironwood's reaction to witnessing Kai's powers was surprising to him.
"The maiden...she's the maiden." he muttered
"But she got the powers after they attacked Cinder." Glynda said to him, just as surprised, "That means Cinder is responsible for Autumn's condition."
Cinder got up, now flanked by Emerald and Mercury, who had their weapons out in defense.
"This...this isn't over." Cinder sneered at them
"We'll see." Locus answered her, before Caboose ran up and tried to attack her. But she, and her associates shattered into glass. They then all looked up in the sky to see an Valean airship flying away. With Cinder, Mercury, Emerald, and Neo on board. The bullhead then flew away.
"Dammit!" Grif groaned, "Why do we keep forgetting abou Neo!?"
"Should we go after them?" Donut suggested
"Nah." Sarge replied, "They've had their asses handed to them enough for today. Besides with the revelations we told these idiots. We've halted their plans for quite awhile."
"That was her." Caboose muttered, "From my dream, it was Cinder."
"You sure?" Tucker asked
"Yeah, I am." Caboose replied
The group then noticed Ironwood storming up to them.
"Oh great, what does he want?" Doc groaned
"Nothing good." O'Malley said to his ego
Ironwood walked up to them, a mixture of surprise and anger on his face.
"How did you do that?" he demanded
"Did what?" Grif asked in a rude tone
"You just stopped a terrorist plot in less than a month!" he shouted, "Something that not even my own military could do!"
"Well." Sarge chuckled, "There's only one good explanation for you dirtbag...We...are better than you."
"Yeah!" Grif shouted
"Suck it Atlas!" Simmons added
Ironwood of course growled before trying to speak, but Glynda beat him to it.
"We don't support vigilantism." she scowled, "Because of your actions the White Fang have been tightening their grip on all their holdings in the four kingdoms."
"Oh, I'm sorry." Tucker mockingling quipped, "Are you jealous that we're doing your job of being heroes."
Glynda sneered, "I did not say that."
"Oof, I don't know." Grif sarcastically commented, "I definitely sounded like."
"Alright, alright, enough." Wash interjected, "Listen lady. We came here to see our friends. We know that whatever power Kai absorbed came from Beacon. We want answers, about the power, Cinder, the White Fang, and whoever is truly behind this."
Glynda looked at Ironwood before speaking.
"If its answers you want. Then its answers you'll get."
End of Act 1
Act 2: The Remnant Wars next