Chapter 12: Forming Up
Country: Russia
Location: Moscow
Time: 22:00
The scenery pans over the sight of the city whilst the grey-colored clouds gathered on the night sky before rainfall. A hooded figure wearing black leather jacket with black jeans entered one of Moscow's Pubs, the local bar reeked of tobacco smoke and alcohol before the man took a seat on the bar and leaned over until the Bar Keeper arrived.
"I'd like to order a drink."
"Which brand would you like?"
"A small tumbler of Ruskova." He ordered. "Oh, and tell your boss that I'm here."
The Bar Keeper nodded and heads into the room, within a few minutes later, a taller, bulky man came out. He smiled to the foreigner with arms open.
"Qrow! It's been a long time."
"That's definitely an understatement Boris." Qrow greeted back in Russian. "I assume you already heard that the CIA sent me here. You mind telling me why? My CO was pretty tight lipped about this op."
"Yes, about that, the KSB had tracked down several Red Hand Operatives in Siberia." Boris whispered while leaning near to him. "Reports claims that they're on a hunt for the old USSR nuclear missile silos."
"Huh, but weren't those places are already under strict military surveillance?" Qrow questioned.
"Back in those days, yes, but nowadays, Siberia is filled with Grimm which resulted in the military deciding to abandon those facilities after being overrun." Boris then explained with a sigh. "We've lacked the necessary Huntsmen for this operation due to the ever-increasing Grimm activity in the Eastern Frontiers of Russia, Grimm activity like this was almost everyday and international aid was requested."
"It could be someone attracted those hordes to divert our attention from them." Qrow said curiously.
"Your drink sir." The Bar Keeper came by with a small-medium Tumbler.
"Thanks." Qrow raised his glass before taking a small drink. "So, does Putin know about this?"
"As a matter of Fact, yes." Boris answered with a nod. "He knows a lot, considering his less than legal connections."
"If they get their hands on these nukes, a corrupt politician is gonna be the least of your worries." Qrow's then take a gulp of alcohol from his tumbler before placing on the tables. "I hate to imagine which city they'll end up targeting…hey, give me another shot of this brand."
"This just came in."
Qrow looked up to the flatscreen television hanging on the walls while watching the news.
"Yesterday, the city of Abakan came under attack by countless numbers of Grimm breaching the barriers, there has been a portions of Citizens that were severely wounded and some citizens are killed." Spoke the news reporter. "The Russian Armed Forces came in quick response along with Huntsmen teams to dispatch the Grimm before re-occupying the barriers, many of the city's inhabitants were evacuated. The mayor himself won't deem the city to be safe until the barriers are repaired."
"Jeez, that's a lot of commotion." Qrow slowly took a photo of Ruby, Yang and friends from his pouch and smiled. "I wonder what those two are doing right now."
Country: America
Location: California, Mt. Diablo
...
*ROAR!*
Jaune stepped back with his shield raised, the Ursa had gotten very angry after a mysterious assailant shot a round to its eye causing it to blindly wave its claw in an attempt to hit the huntsman-in-training. Jaune took a defensive stance before a blur of gold and red passed through, a spear hit against the Ursa's neck with a sickening sound of flesh tearing by metal before the beast fell.
He turned around and saw a green-eyed redhead girl with a pony tail coming out from the bushes, she wore a battle attire that seems to be coming straight out from Stan Lee's Marvel comics.
"Uh, hi?" He greeted her with a dumbfounded expression.
"Hello." The girl greeted with a friendly smile. "I noticed you were holding your own against three beowulves, that's impressive."
"Uh, hehe thanks." Jaune smiled sheepishly while scratching the back of his head before introducing himself. "Name's Jaune."
"Pyrrha, and it's a pleasure to meet you." Pyrrha smiled. "So right now, I suppose we're partners."
"Yeah…so do you know which way?"
Meanwhile in the other side of the forest, Vince swung from tree to tree with use of his blades attached with strings and jumped from tree branch to tree branch before taking a landing to the ground. He stood up and carefully read his surroundings, he sheathed one of his swords while the other remain on his right hand. Then he heard multiple growls and roars coming nearby and a sound of strings and arrows that pierced flesh, he dashed to the source.
Once he got to the area, he saw several Grimm creatures, two boarbatusks and three creepers lying on the ground while dissolving themselves. Not until by his instinct, he ducked while a light blue blur almost caught his head.
"Oh sorry!" Cried out a feminine voice.
He looked up and saw a pale red-eyed girl with a long wavy white grayish hair. She wore a light blue peak sweater fleece jacket, light blue jeans, a pair of brown hiker boots, protective knee and elbow pads, a pouch hanging on the side of her waist, probably some dust vials inside and a bow, but judging by her weapon that consist of nuts and bolts, it's a mechashift-type weapon.
"I am SO sorry, I thought you were a Grimm!" She came up to him while apologizing. "Please don't be angry."
Vince could only sigh at her pity and sheathed his blade before raising his arms. "Don't worry, I'm not angry. Things like this happens often, you cool now?"
The girl sighed in relief and took out her hand with a smile before introducing herself. "Yeah. I'm Emily, Emily Walter."
"Vincent Moriya." He shook hands with her.
After they shook hands with each other, they heard a sudden rattle of bushes. Both of them raised a weapon until two unlikely boys walked out.
"Finally, a clear area!" Said an older one in relief.
"Launched into a pack of Ursa's, now we're lost in the woods. This is just fantastic." Groaned the younger one in irritation.
"Aiden? Is that you?"
Aiden perked up and saw a familiar face, he smiled while raising his hand.
"Yo! Vince, nice to see you dude!"
"Let's go greet them." Vincent told to Emily, she responds with a nod before coming up to Richard and Aiden.
...Meanwhile...
"Ugh! Why did I end up with her…?" Weiss groaned in irritation. "By Jove…why me? Stuck with this bloody git?"
"Hey! I can handle against the Grimm all by myself!" Ruby argued while crossing her arms. "Plus, I'm not a kid anymore! I drink milk!"
'Milk still doesn't affect your growth.' Weiss rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine, so where should we go?"
"Well, I remembered what Ryan says that the Relics were inside of a run-down house." Ruby said with concern. "That means we need to find a dirt road."
"Well, let's go." Weiss suggests while preparing her Myrtenaster. "Come on, it couldn't be that far!"
With that, Ruby groaned with a roll in her eyes before she unslung her weapon and mechashifted to its scythe form. "Okay"
On the other areas of the mountain, Yang and her newfound partner, Blake, are following the trails of the dirt road where it leads them to the place where the relics are.
"So, Blake, where are you from?" Yang asked.
"I was born and raised in New York." Blake answered.
"Huh, I heard that place is crowded with people with very tall buildings and stuff." Yang said. "Uncle Qrow told me about those things when he got there."
"So you've never been to New York?" Blake raised a brow.
"I'm planning one day." Yang smiled while resting both of her arms at her back. "As of now, I've never been outside California."
"I see." Blake said bluntly.
While trekking through, a rustle of bushes can be heard before a pair of red glowing eyes shines in darkness, a single Alpha Beowulf waited for its prey to pass through before it lunged against the blonde brawler to fill it's mouth.
"NOT TODAY!"
Yang caught the Alpha Beowulf off guard and smash its head against the ground, she pumped an empty shotgun shell from her Ember Cecilia while looking down on the dissolving corpse of the Alpha with a smirk.
"Nice try, there won't be a next time."
After half an hour of trekking until reaching near the mountain tops, they stumbled upon a ruin of a wooden house near the cliffsides, there stood a large round table on top of its house's foundation where the relics are placed on.
"This is it!" Yang stepped up and looked over the oversized chest pieces. "So, what now?"
"We have to wait for another pair and pick up the matching pieces." Blake instructed. "After that, a Team will be formed."
"Ugh, so that means we'll have to wait huh." Blake nodded until Yang groaned.
After a long pause of silence, Blake's ears twitches as she caught something from the woods, she drew her attention from Yang and saw an oversized Ursa bursting through. Both drew their weapons, however...
"Yeehaw!"
The Ursa felt it's spine breaks and fell to the ground, Nora looked down to the bear with a saddened expression.
"Aww, it's broken."
And then another person coming in with his green attires, panting for air.
"Nora! Don't…do…that…again."
"Okay~!"
Both Yang and Blacks stood dumbfounded, as Blake commented after Nora dashed through them.
"Did she ride on an Ursa?"
In the meantime, Nora giddily grabbed one chest piece while singing her own celebration song until Ren called out.
"Nora!"
"Coming Ren!"
"Yang?!"
"Huh?" Yang heard a familiar voice and turned around until a red blur zipped its way through and Ruby hugged her. "Ruby!"
"Oh, I am so glad that you made it!" Ruby jumped up in glee.
However, their reunion was interrupted when Ruby's white-dressed partner stepped up on the foundation while gasping for air.
"You bloody dolt! Why couldn't you just wait for me?!"
"Whoops, sorry ehehe." Ruby smiled sheepishly.
"Oh! Hey Yang!"
Ruby and Yang looked up and saw another group came out from the woods and saw Richard, Aiden and two new comers with them.
Yang waved back. "Hey boys! We're right here!"
Suddenly, Blake's ears twitched again and the source were coming up from the air. She saw a human-sized figure flailing through the air.
"...hhhhHHHHHEEEEEELLLLLP MEEEEE!"
"Who is that?" Blake asked until Ruby looked up and widened her eyes in shock. "JAUNE?!"
"OH GOD! OH GOD I'M FALLING!"
"Jaune!" Ren then looked to Nora. "We have to get him down!"
"Right!" Nora made a malicious smile and took out her Magnhild.
She put the head of her magnhild to the ground and pressed the trigger, the explosion sends her sailing through the air with a gleeful cry.
"HEEELLLP-Gah!" Jaune felt that someone grabbed his collar in midair and looked back. "Nora?!"
"Don't worry fearless leader! I'm bringing you down to safety!"
At this moment, Jaune watched in horror as they descend to the ground in a quicker pace.
"Oh god no-"
The ground caused a massive explosion with a cloud of dust, Jaune stood up groggily with a dazed expression until Nora suddenly jumped up from a pile of dirt. Jaune sighed.
"Well, thanks Nora." Nora saluted before skidding off back to Ren.
Out from the woods, Pyrrha bursts through in a run until a few trees were knocked down. A large stone Golem came by, Pyrrha dodged the incoming objects that were thrown at from the stone golem, a boulder, a tree log and an old rusty Land Rover vehicle, Pyrrha touched the ground after the vehicle nearly got her and slid near to the foundation.
"Uh oh, seems we got company." Emily drew her weapon and shifted into a bow.
However, before they could do anytging, they heard a screech coming from above as they looked up and saw a pair of Sphinx on the skies and started to descend towards them.
"Everybody, we need to get out of here!" Ren said. "Get the Relics before they'll get us."
At this moment, the three groups nodded in agreement. Ruby and Yang grabbed the white knight pieces, Jaune and Ren grabbed the white rook pieces while Richard and Aiden grabbed the white bishop pieces.
The new students quickly left the foundation until one of the two Sphinx dived in and crashed into the ground that blocked their escape, the group came into screeching halt as the large winged Grimm roared.
"We need to change plans!" Ruby got her Crescent Rose ready.
"What do we do?" Vince asked to Aiden while unsheathing his twin swords.
"Alright, I need you all to split up and take them one by one!" Richard said while withdrawing his longsword.
"Right!" They all agreed until Richards smirked. "Great, let's go!"
As the second Sphinx came down, it screeches for more reinforcements, four more Griffons flew by, one Griffon tries to swipe Ren by its claws, however, Ren managed to dodged it in midair while returning fire. Ruby zigzagged her way to the Sphinx before she slashed some parts of its legs until the creature screeched in pain until it retaliated, Ruby dodged its oversized paws before the beast was pushed back by a flurry of strikes from a certain Heiress. The Sphinx growled before two Griffons charged right at them.
While the students are fighting against the Airborne Grimm, Richard, Aiden, Vince and Emily noticed to see the rock Golem coming to their way.
"How do…we beat that thing?!" Aiden asked to Vince.
Vince looked up and scanned the giant, until he saw some white mask on the middle. He pointed to the weak spot.
"There! It's possessed by a Geist!"
"Then we need to distract it!" Richard readied his sword. "Aiden, Vince. Flank and Swing around that thing and make sure it doesn't see us, Emily use your Dust Arrows to disable it's limbs!"
"Got it!" They all nodded before rushing against the Golem while Emily drew her bow and the giant staggered back after taking a hit on it's left shoulder.
On Jaune's group, Pyrrha rolled to the side to avoid an incoming swipe from a Griffon while Jaune ran through. He poured his aura into the sword before slashing off one of its legs with a battle cry, the Griffon screeched in pain before a certain energetic ginger came down upon the beast and smashed her magnhild against the entire head structure.
"Score one for Team JNPR!"
"Juniper?" Jaune raised his eyebrows.
"I think the name fits." Pyrrha agrees before they ran off to help Ren.
Yang and Blake were fending off a Griffon while Ruby and Weiss fought against another, Yang looked up to the Sphinx that was trying to swoop them down.
"Watch out!" Yang warned until Blake reappeared from her previous position before her shadow clone was swooped by a Sphinx.
Blake threw her Gambol Shroud with a back and yanked it against its left wing, she swung around and landed on its back, Blake hacked her way against its spine as the Sphinx felt a sharp pain, but it made the winged beast much angrier before Blake jumped down. At Yang, the Griffon tried to grab Yang with its beak while the yellow brawler avoided, but it's fourth try took Yang to dodge the attack and takes an opportunity to step on its head before jumping up, twists and smashed its spine with a powerful blow. Ruby and Wiess dashed around the Griffon until Weiss jammed her weapon against the ground and summoned several glyphs underneath each foot of the Griffon then trapped it with ice.
"Ruby, Now!" Weiss called.
Ruby sprinted a jump and swung her scythe to decapitate the head, now it left the Sphinx which growled menacingly, Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang readied their weapons and charged against the Sphinx.
On team JNPR, Jaune blocked the beak of the Griffon before a javelin from the right flank struck against the eye and Jaune took a quick side step and cleaved its way against the neck, now that leaves two teams against the last two Sphinx.
Aiden ran across to avoid the massive arms of the Golem to distract the beast, Emily drew her bow and took a quick aim against the right shoulder of the Golem and fired. An explosion rocked, the right arm was almost severed and Vince swung into the air and drew his twin blades, he take a powerful blow where the crack was and completely severed the right arm of the Golem, the Grimm growled.
Then Richard charged in once he saw the opportunity to get rid of the Geist. Channeling his aura to the sword before shifting it into a spear, with his momentum and aim, he threw the spear where the Geist was and another explosion rocked, a fragment of its mask dissolved before the Stone Golem crumbled into pieces.
"Nora, Ren, distract it!" Jaune ordered until the two charged against the Sphinx.
The two Huntsmen-in-training flanked the beast from two sides, Ren shoots his storm flowers and Nora shifted her Magnhild into a grenade launcher, she took potshots against the beast until the Sphinx went down. Jaune and Pyrrha charged in, the Sphinx saw the incoming attack and raised its jaws against the blonde knight, but Jaune channeled his aura into his shield, he ducked under and bashed its lower jaw to hung the head upwards, Pyrrha quickly drew her Javelin and struck against the vital point in neck, the beast fell.
At Ruby's group, Yang and Blake distracted the last Sphinx. Weiss summoned her black gravitational glyph until Ruby stepped on it while the heiress took a careful aim with calculations.
"Do you think you can hit it?"
"If my calculations are correct."
At this moment, Ruby was dumbfounded. "Are-"
"Of course it can!" Weiss interrupts.
Ruby then faced the Sphinx before Yang and Blake made it out from their way and Ruby was launched from the glyphs, combined with her speed, she drew her scythe and decapitated its head in a flash. The last beast fell and they have won.
The three teams celebrated on their victory before making their way back to the cliffs. Mina and Ryan were watching the entire battle and they were impressed by their coordination and skills.
"Impressive," Ryan smiled.
"Their skills are remarkably well executed." Mina added. "I couldn't believe they pulled off an impressive feat."
"Mhm." Ryan nodded. "Qrow will be proud when he sees this."
Californian Huntsmen Academy (CHA).
Time: 20:00 (Evening)
"Richard Sherman, Aiden Wilhelm, Vincent Moriya and Emily Walter." Ryan announced. "You four collected the White Bishop Pieces and hereby to declare you Team RAVE, led by Richard Sherman."
The audience clapped while their friends cheered, after they were announced, Jaune's team came in.
"Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, Ren Lie and Nora Valkyrie." Ryan spoke up. "You four claimed the White Rook Pieces and hereby to declare you Team JNPR!"
"Hah! I knew it!" Nora raised her arms.
"Led by, Jaune Arc!" At this moment, Jaune stood dumbfounded.
Then an applaud erupted. "What?! Me?!"
Ryan chuckled at his statement. "You've shown your capabilities of team coordination and that makes you a potential leader for your team, congratulations young man."
Then the next group stepped in.
"Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long." Ryan then cleared his throat. "You four manage to collect the White Knight Pieces and hereby to declare you Team RWBY, led by Ruby Rose!"
Then an applaud erupted and cheers were heard coming from their friends, Yang hugged Ruby tightly.
"I'm so proud of you!"
"Yang! Need…oxygen!"
The announcement was over, Mina came up to Ryan with eyebrows rose in interest.
"This will be…an interesting year."
Country: Kingdom of Vale
Location: Beacon Academy.
...
*Beep*
"Doctor, how is her condition?"
...
*Beep*
"She's in a coma, she won't wake up within a few months or not, a year."
...
*Beep*
"That poor girl."
"Don't worry Ms. Goodwitch, we'll keep you updated as her condition improves."
"Thank you doctor"
...
As the sounds of the elevator rang, Glynda stepped into Ozpin's office. Ozpin was seen standing near the windows and watched the scenery.
"How was Amber, Ms. Glynda?"
"The Doctors says that she won't wake up within a few months, if not, a year." Glynda said. "They also say that they will keep us in check."
"That poor soul." Ozpin sighed before taking a mug of coffee. "Any news from Qrow and Ryan?"
"Qrow is currently in Moscow, there have been Red Hand Operatives reported in Siberia aiming to take control of Nuclear Silos." Glynda explained. "And as for Mr. Ryan, nothing unusual on his end until his old teammate Keith escaped from Prison Area 52 with aid from an unknown assailant."
"Salem…" Ozpin muttered as he narrowed his eyes while holding his mug tightly. "She's been planning a surprise for us, but thankfully, the false information we've given to them about Maiden will divert their attention to somewhere else."
"Or at least…they're coming." Glynda sighed. "However, there are some important details given to us by International Intelligence. An agent reported a person among Salem's group who is capable of creating illusions, but her identity is unknown. We unfortunately lost contact with the Agent before he could provide us for some info."
Ozpin hung his head down and placed his mug on the table. "Tomorrow, I'm having a scheduled conference with the UN representatives. You're dismissed Glynda."
"Yes sir." Glynda straightened up and walked towards the elevator. "Goodnight Ozpin."
Chapter 12 ends