RWBY: Shadow Company
Chapter 33
Hazel Rainart wasn't sure when he first heard about them, her followers, that is. They claim that they hear her voice. And that they want to serve her, Salem.
Fanatics are what they are. And it looks more like they have no other choice.
She told them all to come here, to the Grimmlands. It's crazy, but they still did it.
Most of them were homeless, mad, and desperate. And some of them wanted to see Remnant burnt to the ground. And that alone was enough to unsettle Hazel. He'd be a fool to think that he could stop these people.
And it's even scarier when he finds out how many they were. So many people were hiding their pain and their desire to destroy. Zealous and devoted, all were willing to die for their queen.
Much like Tyrian, except they were all not as crazy as him, but still crazy nonetheless.
But there is one thing that they all have in common. It is that they were easy for Salem to fool. Their minds are too weak to break from her influence, her sweet whispers of nothing but lies.
Hazel may be doubtful of her, but he's not stupid to believe her words of deception. And sometimes he thinks if he had made the right choice of joining her.
He remembered a moment when one of them went insane and killed themself. It was because he wanted out and slandered Salem in the process.
But after he said that, he started wailing and crying and then tore his eyes and skin off, like the man had seen something he wasn't supposed to see.
And it wasn't the first time Salem had done it.
Horrible, but it was effective in keeping everyone else in line, and no one else would doubt Salem.
Hazel stood on a balcony watching the fanatics train. And the Grimm that roam the lands and feast on a few of them. As of now, the Grimm still attacks the fanatics, despite being on the same side.
But Hazel wasn't alone on that balcony.
A doctor was there with him.
Well, a scientist would be a better word. He's an exiled, a word that he hated with a passion, and Hazel knows it.
But he's one of the smartest too, and still dangerous to some degree.
And right now, he's nodding as he listens to his tune.
"Hm. Excellent work. Continue the operation. Now, don't let that idiot of a commander stop your progress."
"Understood, doctor. Should we kill him instead?"
Watts scoffs, "No, keep him alive. The queen may still have some use for him. And as much as I want him dead for his incompetence. Inform Torchwick to stay out of our way if he wants to remain neutral. I will inform the rest to her highness."
"Yes, doctor. As you wish." The call ends shortly after.
"I see that you are enjoying yourself?" Hazel asked, "You usually work alone, and it's surprising to see you working with others for a change."
Watts smiles, "Well, I will admit, I was a bit hesitant to work with them at first. I was worried that they would only slow me down. Oh, how wrong and naive I was." He laughs.
"But that's all behind me now. I'm a changed man," Watts sighs in delight, "My Death Legion. Oh, I love saying that. Is this what that lunatic Tryian feels? Feel wonderful, I might add."
Hazel rolled his eyes, "I'm surprised you haven't produced tanks or gunships for your legion. The weapons are impressive, not like anything I've seen before. I'm impressed with the stuff you have given them."
Watts laughs again, "Why, of course not."
"I see." Said, Hazel.
His smile drops.
"Because I already have. And now, I'm waiting for the right moment to use it. Is there a problem, Hazel?" Watts asked.
"Well, yes. Your tech seems to be a bit-"
"Inhumane? Dangerous? Illegal? No regard for human life? Well, yes to all of those. But it includes a bit of Faunus in the mix as well. My weapons don't discriminate, and they will kill anyone nonetheless."
"Uh, well, you certainly thought this through, doctor." Said, Hazel.
"Of course, I did, dear Hazel. I only provide the best for my legion, and they are much more efficient than those dreadful fanatics." He praises.
"You know that I was the one who trained them."
"Yes, I know. No offense, but those guys lack the finesse."
Hazel shrugged.
He was right. And there was nothing Hazel could do about it. They are not soldiers, but only a few of them are.
And those few were already taken by Watts.
"None taken. It was hard enough to turn these strangers into fighters myself."
"I was fortunate enough o pick the more experienced ones. And a handful of ex-military, mercenaries, and even rogue huntsmen. Oh, what a variety at my fingertips."
"You did snatch them before the rest did."
"Well, you can't blame me for that now, can't you?" Watts laughed. "The others wouldn't care who they pick. All they cared about is quantity."
Watts steps inside the palace, "And besides, their potential is wasted on that girl. Or that lunatic. They chose numbers. I, however, chose quality."
Hazel crossed his arms, "It might be why that commander failed his mission."
Watts stops and sighs, "Hazel, you must know it is not because of me they failed. It was because they were not capable enough to secure the girl. And my boys are there to clean up their mess. One that they could have avoided. You don't need them to do something so trivial that even they shouldn't have any problems? Am I wrong to say that?"
"You're not wrong. But still."
Watts raised his hand.
"Enough. I don't want to hear any more about this. I have already made it clear that we all have our own goals to reach. I can't spare my legion to do more than they're needed."
"And what about them? The shadows."
"They are just another name. I'm not concerned about them one bit."
"I think they would be a problem for your Legion."
"I don't think so, and my boys would make short work of them once they meet them. We'll have that Schnee back before you know it."
"If they can get past the two shadows protecting her, they seem pretty dangerous," Hazel said.
"Yes, agreed. I do hope so." Watts nods.
"But I just don't get it. Why are we doing all of this?"
"What do you mean?"
"This, why gather all these people here? Why make something that needs a lot of resources to build? Then shouldn't she have used her Grimm for that? Why all this? Why go through the trouble of making an army of Humans and Faunus now?" Hazel asked.
"Yes, why all this? Why do we make them fight each other? Think about it."
Hazel thought for a moment.
"She wants to weaken them." He said.
"That's the plan. It requires a lot of resources to pull this off. But it's not our resources. We drain them with their blood. And right now, I'm developing a new weapon to aid us. It will be in effect after a year. It's very demanding." Watts said.
"That long to fully develop it? Care to tell me what it is?"
Watts shakes his head, "Sadly, that's private. But it will be massive, is what I can say."
"Are you not scared of the shadows? Not one bit?" Hazel asked again.
Watts sighs, "I am scared of them, but not to the point where I would cry on the floor and beg for my life. Are you happy? I'm doing all this to counter the shadows as well."
"How much confidence do you have in your men?"
"Plenty enough to know that they can deal with them head-on," Watts smirks.
"Somehow, I'm not too sure about that."
"Then let's hope I'm right then."
A/N: Happy new year.
I don't know how to write Watts. I never thought much of him when I saw the show. So when I was writing his dialogue, I thought of him as posh. So I hope it sounded like him, or similar in a way. And Hazel, as of now I won't do anything with them, mainly just talking and some lore of the Death Legion. And Salem's fanatics. The show never had them, and we never saw much other than her inner circle.
Now, to answer the question that RWBY: S.C. is the same as MW2 shadow company. Yes and no. The idea was mainly based on MW2 2009 version. And my main idea for a mercenary group in RWBY. But I can confirm that RWBY: S.C. is nothing like those guys in MW. Only in the name. No war crimes, at least not from them.
But there are also other inspirations from other brands. Like calling the teams "chapters". This is taken from Warhammer 40k. Black Angels are the successor of Black Centurion. Same with Angels to Ravens.
Then the only males allowed to join are from Game of Thrones, Night's Watch. I have no other reason, I just thought it was cool at the time. And the shadow legion in the prologue. Game of Thrones as well.
Yeah, that's it. How I started RWBY: S.C.
Thanks for reading.