After that whole "shirt bet" fiasco came to an end, I found myself 40 dollars richer. It felt good, even if people might be suspicious of me now. It probably wasn't a good idea to do something like that, but hey, money is money!
I put my white shirt back on, but left my gear off for obvious reasons. I've had my fair share of sleeping in full combat gear, but it did feel good to rest without having to clutch my rifle like a teddy bear. But it's not like I was just gonna sleep here unprotected.
Slumping in a far corner, I unloaded the magazine from my Colt .45 pistol. It was full, and the safety was off...I probably shouldn't keep a loaded pistol near my head while sleeping but...eh, fuck it, when did I give a damn about gun saftey?
I reloaded the pistol and tucked it under my folded uniform, which I was using as a makeshift pillow. My helmet lay next to it, safe under my watchful eye. I knew if anyone touched it, I'd gut them. You just didn't touch a man's helmet, just like you didn't use a urinal that was right next to another man. It just wasn't right.
Trying to make myself more comfortable, I laid back and stared at the ceiling. I hated being alone with my thoughts like this. It made me think about shit that didn't make sense or things I didn't want to worry about. So, I glanced up to see what my men were doing.
Mann, the bastard he was, was already passed the fuck out, snoring quietly. Maybe I'd kick him while he was sleeping. Bier had covered himself with a blanket, so I assumed he had fallen asleep as well, only to see that he was drinking from a flask of whiskey. He glared at me when I looked under, so I covered him again. I wouldn't have wanted to be caught either. Turning my head to Fischer, he was wearing sunglasses, pretending to sleep, but instead keeping watch for anyone coming towards us. I could see his pistol neatly tucked away behind him. Smart man.
Sighing, I figured it would be in my best interest to at least try to sleep. Back in LA, Africa, and Indonesia, sleep was a commodity we didn't have often. As tired as we were, we needed to set a night watch, and I quickly found myself having the first watch. I was just used to falling asleep much later than your average person by now, but fuck it, might as well try to have some semblance of a normal schedule.
Laying back, I just stare at the ceiling once more. My pistol was loaded, and I was prepared. Not that I wanted to shoot some kid, but fuck me, a part of me wanted to fight something. But then, I remembered how fucking powerful Ruby was in comparision to me. I wouldn't be able to beat her speed, and by the way she held her scythe, she knew how to use it.
This was a world where we couldn't survive unless we adapted. And we needed to adapt quickly. Maybe...think up some doctrines for fighting these "Grimm" and huntsmen, as Ozpin called them. Grimm...I guess depended on the type, but all in all, you just shoot them dead. Huntsmen were more complicated. They had magic soul bullshit and extremely complicated weapons. For now, I'd just have to watch my ass...I wonder if I could get magic, too?
Once again, being alone with my thoughts did nothing but make me worry. Fuck this, I'm gonna have a smoke. My mind is a fucking hellhole.
Getting up, I tapped Fischer, whispering, "I'm gonna catch some air, if I ain't back in time, I'm dead.". He smirked and nodded without a sound as I took hold of my personal lighter off my helmet, the one that General William Westmoreland had given me...a long time ago. It was a fine lighter, and I loved using it.
I stepped to a far, secluded corner where I hoped no one would see me, and brought out the pack of cigarettes I had gotten from Mann for promising him a Confederate flag. Still needed to work on that, but I didn't want to worry right now. Right now, all I wanted to do was relax and smoke.
Flipping and igniting the lighter, I brought it to the end of the cigarette and watched as the flame kicked up. Sweet relief. I flipped the lighter closed and placed it in a pocket, while taking the cigarette out of my mouth to exhale the fumes. It really did feel good to relax for once. Just for a few minutes, I didn't have to worry about no SS troops, no being a Lieutenant...just me, my mind, and my smokes.
I then felt someone's vision at the back of my head, as I slowly turned in the direction of it. Fuck me, someone was watching.
My observer turned out to be...a girl wearing black with some strange, yellow eyes. Kinda unnerving, but she was watching me smoke with curiosity. Fuck me, I've got a witness. I gave her a silent, pleading look to not tattle or say anything. She just nodded, and lit a candelabra and began to read. Thank fuck.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I blow out more smoke. At least I wasn't being interrupted anymore. Peace and quie-
"Hel-looooo!"
Oh, for fuck's sake. Let me have some peace.
I quickly threw my cigarette down onto the ground and smothered it with me heel, making sure it wouldn't light anything on fire, and turned to see who the fuck it was now.
I immediately recognized Ruby being pushed over by someone new...I think it was the sister she was talking about. That same sister turned out to be the one who whistled in my direction. Yep, this was going to get weird fast.
"I believe you two may...know each other?", said the blonde as I steeled my mind to have a normal conversation with another human being.
The blonde was dressed in
"Hi...Ruby...what's...going on?", I forced out of my mouth. Had it really been long enough that I couldn't talk to people normally?
"Ah, so you do know each other! See, Rubes? I knew you'd make friends here!", the blonde cheered on Ruby. Well, I was probably right. These two were sisters...but looked pretty different...maybe step sisters?
"Yep, I met her not too long ago out in Vale...she's just about the first new friend I've made out here, miss…?", I trail off, asking for her name.
"I'm Yang, Ruby's big sis!", she beamed as Ruby still seemed shy. I smirked a bit, it was a little cute to watch.
"I'm John. John Tibbets. You can call me John or Charlie.", I introduced myself. Maybe I could get the hang of talking.
"Oh, yeah, why did you say Charlie, anyway?", Ruby finally spoke up, looking up at me...goddamn, she was short. It was funny, knowing that even if she had magic...I had height.
"Because Charlie is my middle name, my Dad named me after his best friend who died in Pe-I mean, to a Grimm!", I hastily explained the origins of my middle name, making sure not to utter the name "Pearl Harbor".
Destroyed by the atomic bomb, Pearl Harbor was the site of the United State's defeat during World War 2. I had lost some family friends there, and it was just the beginning of our long, long fall from grace, until Dwight Eisenhower was elected.
"Oh, I'm sorry…", Ruby said sadly, while Yang nodded in agreement. Phew, that could have been close, that was idiotic of me, and more than usual. Cause fuck me, I can be bad at watching what I say.
"It's been a long time, don't worry. Not like I actually met the guy…, but I appreciate the gesture.", I assure them, attempting to change the subject before I fucked myself over.
Yang nodded, smiling still, and asked, "So...John...where are you from?"
Fuck. FUCK. I didn't have a cover story for myself, nor my men. I should have expected this. Let's see, think here, John. You're from LA. California. That's near the Mojave Desert, and the ocean...I think Ozpin said something about a desert place in Remnant...fuck me, what was the name?
My deliberation was noticed by Yang and Ruby, the older sister waving her hand in front of me, asking, "...Uhh, are you alright there?"
Smacking my lips, I reply, "No, yes, I'm fine. Lost my train of thought...I...am from...the small town of Los Angeles in...Vacuo! Near the coast. Great place, wouldn't find it anywhere on a map, though!"
...Was it working? Did my half-truth pass through? Was I an absolute genius of a man? No, but I was smart enough for this lie to slip through.
Yang and Ruby nodded, seemingly accepting my answer. Phew. I guess I ain't so bad at lying after all. Maybe hanging around Fischer had done me some good. Picking up CIA skills was nothing but beneficial. Though I wasn't fond of that cold, calculating look he always had, like he cared about nothing. But that might have been a skill in itself.
"...Los Angeles. Huh. I never have heard of it. I'm sure it's a nice place, though!"
Once upon a time, kid. Once upon a time. Fucking German nukes got to it first.
"Oh, it is. I used to go out to the desert nearby, it's so pretty out there...the cactus, the rocks, the animals. I loved it.", I smile honestly. None of this was a lie, the Mojave was a beautiful, beautiful place, filled with wildlife. The heat makes you adapt to its harsh environment.
I shake my head out of it's longing memories, and say, "Sorry...maybe I'm still a little homesick."
Yang nods to me, replying, "So is my baby sis, she misses Signal."
"Oh, yeah, that early acceptance. She told me about that!", I remember, smiling a bit. I hadn't been this at ease in years.
Ruby clearly didn't like Yang talking for her, simply staying silent. It was almost pitiful, but then I humbly remembered how I had acted around the opposite sex and around people in general. Fuck me, I was pretty shy sometimes...even now.
Yang smirked, looking at Ruby and teasing, "Ohhhhhhh, Rubes, I see you're already talking to boys already! I knew you had it in you!"
"Yang!"
I sensed that it was my time to exit, so I stated, "Well, I think that's my cue to exit, have a good night, ladies."
Taking my leave, I slump back in my corner near my now sleeping men, closing my eyes.
Now that was a helluva first day.
…
Blake Belladonna was a very attentive girl, considering her past. Her ears granted heightened hearing, and used that effectively.
And on the first night at Beacon, she immediately knew something was off about the 4 man team. Initiation hadn't even started, and they seemed to have already formed some kind of team.
And while most girls had stared at the chest of who the strange team called "John Tibbets", she was more observing of the scars he bore. Aura should protect from those sorts of injuries, right? So how did he have them so noticeable? Along with that, she had seen him smoking in the hall. While smoking in itself was slightly strange, it was the lighter she saw him use. One of silver and bore the crest of an eagle carrying arrows and something else. There was an inscription, but she wasn't close enough to see it properly.
"Something isn't right here…", she thought to herself as she witnessed Tibbets close his eyes for rest after talking to two girls.
She herself had witnessed him argue with the one and only Weiss Schnee like he did not care for her identity or status, even making...rude gestures with his hands at her. He didn't seem to care about the Heiress' status. Yes, something was amiss about these men.
"And I'm going to find out.", she thought.
The next morning…
My eyes slowly open as I adjust to the sunlight pouring into the room, sitting up. My back felt stiff from the uncomfortable position I had slept in, and I cracked my neck. At least I got a good rest.
I grabbed my loaded M1911 from under my pillow, and slipped it into my holster. Putting my uniform gear back on, I slipped my M-1965 field jacket on, clipping my combat harness over it. All my ammo was still in it, so all I needed now was my helmet.
Placing my old friend atop my head, I affixed it so it didn't obscure my vision, and left the straps undone. Perfect.
Looking around, I noticed that there was nobody in the fucking hall...I had overslept, didn't I? Fuck me.
Hurrying to the lockers, I sprinted straight over to my men, who were already done and prepped.
"Look who finally decided to wake the fuck up.", jeered Mann, toting his M14.
"Yeah, yeah, shut it, I'm here, ain't I?", I defend myself with.
"Well, you ain't late, at least.", Bier nodded, defending me as well, carrying his M60 over his shoulders. God, did that thing look heavy, but I badly wanted to use it someday, even if I did bash Bier's own use of it sometimes.
Fuck, he had an astronomical EKIA count, that meaning "Enemy Killed in Action". That fucking Pig of his was the bane of Wehrmacht Infantry, IJA too. Africa, Indonesia, Iran, all over the goddamned world, Uncle Sam sent us to proxy wars, and we had made it through all of it, partly thanks to his machine gun support. God bless the M60.
"What'd I miss, anyway?", I ask my gathered men, my eyes still adjusting to being awake.
"Not much, we're all good to go. Still don't know what this fucking "Initation" bullshit is all about.", Mann grunted, seemingly just as tired as me.
"...I suggest you pack parachutes.", Fischer whispered to us.
…
Excuse me, WHAT?
The 101st Airborne had been converted to Air Assualt several years before, we had trained in parachuting, but fuck, we didn't have any with us, and we certainly had none in the stockpile out in the woods.
So if Fischer knew we had to do some falling or jumping, he better fucking explain himself, ASAP.
"...Fischer, as I technically outrank you, I'm going to have to ask you to elaborate right fucking now.", I grimace.
Smiling, Fischer says, "I did some digging while you all were passed out, there will be jumping of some nature at today's initiation. From what I understand, your division was converted to helicopter assault in the mid to early-1960s, right? Too bad, we could have used some parachutes."
This CIA spook prick.
Mann put his head in his hands, grunting, "We're fucked, ain't we? We ain't got no Aura bullshit, no magic dust, so how we surviving this fucking fall or jump, whatever the fuck it's gonna be?"
The question was indirectly towards me, even if Mann didn't realize it. I was commanding officer, I was in charge, it was up to me to make the plans, the policies. If I was going to be President (even if I didn't even want to consider that yet), I had to show I was still the leader they knew.
Nodding, I lay out the plan, ordering, "Well, whenever we jump, we need to find something to break our fall. Think the tops of trees, the canopy. We ain't got Aura, whatever the fuck it technically is, so we're gonna take some damage. Take the hit and get moving."
Bier asked, "And how are we gonna rally up? Flares?"
Fischer stepped in before I could speak, answering, "From my understanding, once we land, the first person we lock eyes with will be our partners."
Immediately, all three eyes go towards him with an incredulous look.
"And you were going to tell us WHEN?!", Mann snarled in anger, a perfectly understandable reaction, from my perspective. I was just as, if not more, angry at Fischer's timing of sharing this.
"Digging up intel takes time and patience. We've been hanging around each other for years, you know the drill. We do an op, I disappear for a few weeks to a few months, I come back, we do an op, repeat. Be glad I managed to dig this up in time.", Fischer smiled once more.
As much as I didn't want to agree, he had a point. Better now than later, and I'm not going to piss off the guy with CIA training. Fischer taught me some CQC tactics that the CIA uses once upon a time, but he could easily kick my ass and/or make anyone disappear. The fact that we were in Remnant was only a setback for someone like him. And that scared me on some level, deep down.
But fuck, he could be a prick.
"Right, I'm gonna continue before someone shoots someone else…", I interject before anything else happens, "So, my honest opinion? We ain't gonna be able to form a team together, the way this Initiation sounds."
Turning his head in confusion, Mann asks, "Whaddya want us to do then?"
Making up my mind on what I wanted to say, I go, "Listen, we'll try to rally up, but if you get partnered up with one of these kids, so be it. Nothing we can do. We'll try to meet up when we can, yeah?"
Neither Bier or Mann seemed to like this plan, but they nodded at my orders. We couldn't beat the system, so we'd have to play along for now.
Fischer, however, seemed to respect my tough choice, nodding more sincerely. Well fuck, I had done something Spook liked. Color me surprised.
"Now, boys, let's go meet the inevitable, shall we?...Oh, and Bier? Grab the LAW.", I smile. Bier gave a scary smile, and hurriedly retrieved the launcher. We're going all in, balls deep for this shit.
Nodding, me and my men begin our walk to the cliffs.
A few minutes later…
The cliffs were beautiful, overlooking a vast green forest lush with trees. I could see it was called "Emerald Forest" for a very good reason.
But, as much as I wanted to admire its beauty, we had to do some final checks.
Reaching for my M16A1, I slap a magazine in, chock full of 5.56 OFN rounds. Flicking off the safety, I aim down it's sight to assure myself that it was functional. Satisfied, I sling the rifle over my back and unholster my Colt M1911, checking it's magazine and aiming off into the distance at nothing.
My men did the same as well, Bier's M60, Mann's M14, Fischer's M1 Carbine. That M1 was old, but reliable, so I respected it.
While I aimed in the distance at the pistol, I heard a familiar voice next to me say, "Hello, John!"
It was Ruby, smiling at me once more with her cheery disposition. She had taken her place on one of the stone platforms we were supposed to stand on, the one next to mine.
"Hiya, Ruby. How you doing?", I ask her in a friendly tone, giving my own smile. It wasn't exactly fake, because I honestly liked Ruby, she was a sweet girl. I just...didn't like talking to people except my platoon these days. But I'm willing to give her the time of the day, she's only like...14.
"I'm fine, I got a good sleep! I'm ready to kick butt!", she says, doing little punches while talking.
"Woo, you're real pumped, eh?", I say to her.
"Of course! I finally get to show off my skills with Crescent Rose in front of everyone! The Grimm don't stand a chance!", she announced to me.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I think the Grimm are gonna get left in the dust by my amazing combat skills.", I brag, getting caught by her excited mood, "I been fighting for about 8 years, on so many different battlefields, ain't nothing in those woods that can stand a chance against me."
I immediately realized my mistake before Ruby took notice of my words and looked at me.
"8 years? Was your Los Angeles really that dangerous?", she asked me, a little concerned. I didn't want to lie to her, but I had to keep my cover. Sorry, Ruby.
"Yeah, I was...a sorta fighter for my village. Not exactly a Huntsman, just the guy who had to do the shooting, y'know?"
"Like a soldier?"
I blink.
"Y-Yeah, kinda. Something like that...how'd you figure that?", I ask nervously.
"Well, it says "US Army" and your last name on your shirt."
My eyes go wide at this. I had forgotten about my patches and my division insignia. Fuck me, I am a complete dumbass and sorry excuse for a lieutenant. Fuck.
Now that I thought about it, I was still wearing my US Army patch, my dog tags, and even my guns had "Springfield Armory" on them. Thankfully, I had ditched my OFN armband a long while ago, but I had to do something about my uniform later.
"Yeah, the US Army was like a...village militia, y'know? We called it an Army, but it was really a small group of people with weapons.", I explained.
Not even close to the truth, but I had already lied a bunch, too late now.
"Ohhhhh, I get it. Well, I think it's very good of you to have done that. People usually need Huntsman to protect them.", she smiles at me. It tears me apart to lie to her like this, but I know what I gotta do. My feelings can't cloud my judgement...but saying that already made me a hypocrite. I had done that countless times.
"I-Well, thank you, Ruby. Not many people have told me that.", I smile sadly.
It was the truth, really. Most people my age were part of the Anti-War movement, some of which even voted for Gus Hall. I cannot tell you how much I despise the NPP, even if I liked some of their candidates, like RFK or Scoop Jackson. I was an R-D, through and through. LBJ all the way.
Ruby seemingly knew what I was talking about, and said, "...Well, I know what it's like to not be able to talk to people. It's all scary, and you stick to the people you know because it's easier. But that's why Yang told me to try to make friends, and now I have you and your friends to talk to! I think we all can get a happy ending, if we really try!
She was beaming at me when she told me this. And it broke my heart.
It broke my heart because, deep inside, I didn't believe what she said. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't. Because I witnessed firsthand what mankind can do to one another for no reason. And I knew personally that not everything could end happily. You could toil all your life and accomplish nothing, dying in fear...alone.
Ruby was still young, optimistic. I didn't have the heart to voice my own views to her.
"Thanks, Ruby. You're a good person, you know?", I say to her, covering up my feelings.
She turned a bit red at my words, mumbling a thank you of her own. She turned her away to speak to Yang, who had recently arrived.
Wiping my eyes, just in case I had spilled some tears, I turned towards the creeping stares of my men.
"What?", I ask.
They didn't say anything, only silently returning to their weapons. They'd been listening the whole fucking time.
I just looked down and finished preparing my gear.
AN: The lighter Tibbets uses is based on face. During the Vietnam War, William Westmoreland gave out lighters to those who visited his Pentagon office. I've carried it over to TNO somewhat, how Tibbets got it in the first place is another story.
Also, let me know in the reviews what kinda team formations you think of...I'm letting you know now, that we aren't just gonna have an American team and Team RWBY. It's going to be mixed. So I'd like to hear team ideas.
Now I'll respond to some reviews.
2EZ: Trust me when I say, we have not seen the last of The New Order's people and locations. Just how? You'll have to see.
Guest: Ruby doesen't know "nigger" is for blacks yet, maybe she will...and it's 1971 Americans, by today's standards (and possibly Remnant's?), their views are very weird. Nonetheless, in comparison with the actual Reich? Much better.
Blitzkriege37: Ironwood is much better than Goering, and Goering is either stuck in his bunker under Germania's radioactive ruins, or dead...maybe. Goering must eat.
