They were up to something.
The different outfits and hushed tones confirmed it.
These new battle costumes were similar in design to their normal battle attire but had interesting twists.
Ruby wore a long-sleeve light gray shirt with black belted cuffs near the ends of the sleeves. Over top of the gray shirt was a cross between a corset and overalls in black and her skirt was red with a large black print of her Rose emblem on the side of it and the inside of the skirt is black. She still wore black stockings and her black-and-red boots. A metal shoulder plate was on her left shoulder arranged in a cog shape. Of course, she wore her red cape but she also wore a red scarf with the hood.
Weiss wore a pure white dress with black edging and two columns of four black buttons on her abdomen. On her back her snowflake emblem was pale blue, rather than white. The inside of her skirts contain layers of black frill much like Ruby's normal combat skirt and she wore white thigh high boots with frilly black thigh high stocking that come slightly above the top of her boots.
Blake wore a white V-neck zip up shirt that was black along the bottom and had mid-length sleeves. Her Belladonna emblem was printed in off-white on the left side of her shirt and black pants that had a vertical gray stripe on the outer side of each leg held up with a black belt. Her belt had a black back skirt on it much like Yang's usual battle attire. On the underside of this is a thinner, longer, similarly shaped purple piece of almost mesh fabric. Her black high heel boots came halfway up her calves and had two belted straps across them. She still wore her black ribbons around her arms and her black bow. I recognized an outfit she and I had designed when we first designed her battle attire.
Yang wore a collared cream top over a black undershirt and over the top of the former was a half-length jacket style top with a raised collar, a strap the buckled across her collarbones and mid-length sleeves that were gold at the end. Around her neck was a pendant with a smooth, round purple gem set in a round piece of gold. She wore a pair of crooked black belts with gold accents across her round hips and a purple piece of lilac lace around the edges hangs from her left hip to the back of her knee with a dark gray miniskirt. It had vertical belted straps going down to her thigh-high black stockings which had her burning heart emblem printed in yellow on the outer side of each leg near the top and a row of four gold pyramid studs above each knee. Her big black boots had a series of belted straps on them and on the back of each boot at the top was a large white ribbon tied into a bow.
I was pleased with the transformation, even if it was only their clothes. I always disguised myself before going out.
It was a free day and the four had become six somehow. Sun and Neptune had joined in the fun.
I decided to take a trip as well.
Yang and Neptune were off on Bumblebee, Yang's bike. Weiss and Ruby headed for the CCT and Blake and Sun laid low in the library.
I set out to go visit a few of my contacts in Vale.
I was an ex-assassin. Emphasis on ex, but that didn't mean I never utilized the skills I had developed. Before going to Beacon, I spent weeks gaining credit and confidences. I visited them regularly to keep up-to-date on the happenings of the underworld.
Today they were full of information. Apparently, there was going to be a big presentation at the White Fang's meeting place tonight. According to a drunk Rat-Faunus, an associate of the White Fang had gotten his filthy hands on some new arms.
That can't be good.
I had another outfit that I wore when I went out in public as Dallas Hartman.
I wore a long sleeve silk black tunic belted with a silver chain about my waist, black pants that had loose laces up the side of my legs, showing my skin up to my mid-thigh and a pair of low black boots that, unlike my usual pair, were not steel reinforced . And as the final touch, I wore a long black head scarf wrapped around my head and shoulders.
I couldn't have anyone blabbing about a tattooed girl with silver hair visiting Vale unaccompanied.
There was only one silver hair girl in the entirety of Vale and that was Dahlia Derivalle of Beacon Academy.
I used a plain wooden walking stick, with Orchid hidden in her sheathe on my back hidden by my new black cloak.
My informants greedily took my lein in exchange for what little they knew. It was incredible what the flash of money could do to minds. It made them remember things with remarkable speed.
I had learned how to do tricks with the heavy cards that were the currency of Remnant as a young assassin from Roman Torchwick. He had told me I was a natural. It was a neat trick that worked wonders.
It saddened me greatly to hear that Tuksen, the owner of Tuksen's book trade had been killed the first day back to school. He had been planning on running to Vacuo to escape the growing tensions within Vale.
I had liked the big burly Puma-Faunus. He had been kind to me when I first came to Vale. He had been a key member of the faction in the White Fang who hadn't conformed to the new order. I had suspicions that he had been the leader of the White Fang till Adam Taurus had taken power and turned the White Fang into what it was now. It was a suspicion only but one I had never gotten the chance to ask him. Now I never would.
He had been helping me spy on the White Fang since I told him of my need to know more.
He had a wonderful personality and he sung quite well when I could coax him to sing with me.
He used to hum while he worked.
But someone, probably one of Omar's children disguised as exchange students, had killed him the day he was supposed to leave for Vacuo.
I had a drink in his honor.
I spotted Penny across the street staring at a poster.
"Hello, Penny." I murmured walking up behind her. She jumped and took a moment to recognize me. I pretended to be asking directions.
"You're good at this." She said under her breathe.
I smirked. Of course, I was good.
"I have a gift for you." I continued, motioning towards my bag.
"I've never gotten a present." She said smiling.
"Friends give friends presents. Especially when that friend saves your life." I said pulling her sketch album out.
"Enjoy, sweetheart. Keep in touch, when you can." I whispered, brushing a kiss to her cheek.
"Thank you." She said, brushing her fingertips over the back of my hand and putting the precious package into her thin backpack, in the front sleeve, away from her folded blades.
I walked away from her and vanished down an alley that contained another informant. A snake-Faunus who worked a poison shop out of wherever he ended up.
He, being a nomad, picked up quite a few tidbits that he'd share for a price.
I left the poison seller, lighter of purse but with a few answers.
Torchwick had gotten his hands on an Atlesian Paladin, whatever that was.
There was a large crash about three blocks over and when I went to investigate, everyone was talking about a girl who stopped a Dust van with her bare hands to save another girl.
The only person I knew who could do that was Elise and perhaps Peyton if he really thought about it.
I slipped in and out of the conversation before moving on to my next contact.
Night was beginning to fall.
I was still frustratingly low on information as the evening grew deeper. All anyone knew of Torchwick and the White Fang was that there was going to be a big unveiling tonight.
Blake and Sun were already going for information so I stopped at the Dance to talk to Daren and give him his gift.
"I had no idea you were so fond of me." He said with a sly smirk when I gave him his album. "Don't make me hurt you."
We laughed together. "You really helped change things for me. You gave me back my dancing. This was the least I could do."
He kissed my cheek and then I began to turn him into a powerhouse of information.
With all his students came the gossip from the upper levels of society.
Only the best and those with enough money could pay to have Daren Glass teach them or their kids.
I tagged him as a priority informant and set him off on the trail for news.
Night came and I left the Dance, having succeeded in creating a new source of information and a good one at that.
Dancers are terrible gossipers.
I climbed to the top of the Dance and looked out at the busy streets. In the sky, the stars were veiled by a string of clouds that played peekaboo with the moon.
I wondered what team RWBY was up to when I heard a large crash at a warehouse district.
Then I heard yelling.
Ah, so Blake and Sun had been discovered.
The ground shook due to something. A crackling over my Scroll confirmed. Blake and Sun were in trouble and it wasn't pretty.
Sun was yelling incoherently in terror.
So I called in backup.
"Team DEEP. Emergency protocol at the Highway intersections in downtown Vale. Cover your faces. Come prepared to fight." I sent to my team.
"Roger that."
"Copy."
"On my way."
I tossed the wooden staff onto the rooftop and unclicked Orchid.
I leapt after the booming sounds and I pulled the black fabric that covered my head and shoulders up over my nose so only my eyes were showing. My Dallas Hartman outfit wasn't ideal to fight in but after unbuckling the silver chain, at least the entire outfit was black.
Pain shot through me, giving me energy to leap from the tops of buildings. I saw two figures running across rooftops toward the highway and got a glimpse of the enormous metal monster chasing them. Then they were followed by dozens upon dozens upon dozens of other shadowy figures.
"Aiya." I sighed before leaping after them. I didn't need to see the uniforms to recognize members of the White Fang.
I hope the team is ready.
None of my teammates had ever really truly fought someone who was trying to kill them.
Never too late to learn how to though.
I chased them onto the highway, taking a few out one by one discreetly as we chased what I assumed was the Atlesian Paladin. An enormous battle suit that currently housed Torchwick, like a black heart in a body of cold steel. The symbol of the White Fang was spray painted in red on the massively armored arms.
It was chasing Sun and Blake and Yang sped by on her motorcycle with Neptune clinging to the seat for dear life.
Then behind me, three familiar shadows darted out.
"Team DEEP reporting." Elin said, standing on the hood of the car behind me. I picked through my brain for the Protocol I wanted.
The Protocol's they didn't teach you in Beacon. The ones I had been teaching my team.
"Protocol 331: Attack plan Nightstalker."
Peyton looked confused. "I don't think this is the right time for poker renditions of Keisha songs."
"No, she said 3-3-1." Elise said, drawing Serenity off her back. The massive blade shone in the dim light.
"Oh that one." He said, dropping into a battle stance and without another word he launched himself at the biggest Faunus he saw.
I blessed that Peyton had come so far. He held the guard up and used the punching effect of his blades to quickly take out the unsuspecting Faunus.
That's when the rest of the White Fang realized they were being chased.
The Hunter's had become the hunted by four shadows.
I had gotten my team's same armor attire in all black and they used the same head wrap that I did to hide their head and face.
I had to bolster Peyton as he made his first kill.
I had been honored when I made my first. Peyton was afraid and guilty. "Peyton. It's them or us." I said.
He understood and his protective instincts overwhelmed his guilt.
That was the message to my team. Them or us.
The paladin slipped over the edge of the middle highway and hit the ground on the lower highway. Now the streets were beginning to empty. Sun and Neptune who had been thrown at each other were nowhere to be seen.
Sun's Semblance had been impressive.
He had created two gold clones of himself which threw themselves at the Paladin and exploded on contact.
Weiss' icy road had sent the Paladin toppling.
Team RWBY faced the Paladin. Team DEEP faced the rest.
It was quite the battle. The pain didn't hurt, just fed me. I kept tabs on team RWBY but mostly I focused on my own team.
We were on the ground now, all the cars either had been knocked away by Torchwick or had driven away seeing the fight ensuing.
The odds were not in our favor but I had my team. And I had activated plan 331. Keep to the darkness for strikes. Together, as a team, like a well-oiled death machine that struck from the shadows.
We had worked together long enough to know what the teammates behind and beside you next move would be and how to augment it.
Elise and Peyton both had massive strength while Elin and I had deadly skill. We interchanged our fighting styles together.
Peyton knocked people in my whirling blades, Elin's flashing whips would yank a fighter off balance and Dust them up while Elise took the opening to drive her blade home. Then we'd switch. Not only that but I had taught both Elise and Peyton how to use their strength based weapons as shields to not only protect them but Elin and I as well.
My acrobatics would give me enough power to spin kick someone into Elise's sword attack and Peyton would use Elin, one going high and one low to destroy an opponent.
Elin and I had gotten stronger over the months and Elise and Peyton grew more flexible and acrobatic.
We were unstoppable.
"Yang!" Blake cried.
I whipped one of Orchids blades in nunchuck form through the knees of a White Fang member as Elise took off her head with a swing of her enormous blade.
Yang was punched through a support pillar.
"Peyton, Elise! Pin him!" I yelled and the two leapt to do my bidding.
They leapt with surprising speed to pin down the Paladin to the ice covered concrete.
I saw Yang struggle to stand, slowly absorbing the energy of the hits.
I flicked Orchid into a staff and leapt to land on the Paladin's 'chest' and began firing round after round.
I heard a creaking click and I just didn't move in time.
The rocket caught me square in my exposed chest, blasting me straight into the air.
The impact nearly knocked me unconscious.
My Aura kept the rocket from killing me but it got me good. Should have been expecting something like that.
A cry of pain tore from my lips as I flew high into the air.
"Grab her!" Elise cried as I began to plummet back towards the ice. There was a crack below me and large arms cradled me in the air.
Peyton had jumped so hard, it cracked the concrete beneath the ice.
We landed and I looked up as Torchwick backhanded Elise. Elin was prepared though and his right whip coiled around his sister's wrist. They swung and Elise locked her knees straight and slammed into the metal suit. It stumbled back and went to punch Elin but Yang put her hands out and stopped the fist not realizing that the punch was meant for the shadowy figure behind her.
One punch from her, destroyed the remaining arm of the suit.
That's when the rest of the White Fang decided to join us.
"I'm fine. Change to protocol 96, No quarter, no mercy." I gasped as my body Quick Healed my shattered rib cage.
My team went to work. The fighting was terrible. And when Ruby yelled Bumblebee, I yelled 'Hit the deck!' and my team dropped. Yang flew over top of us, hanging onto Gambol Shroud as Blake swung her around.
Then we were back up and fighting.
"Ice flower!" Ruby called and she twirled Crescent Rose's pointing the concrete, anchoring her and Weiss flared Myrtenaster as blue glyphs appeared before the sniper rifle.
Each shot turned into a compact bullet that created ice on the Paladin, holding it in place as Yang came around for another swing.
"Jump!" I yelled and my team leapt over the black ribbon.
Yang fired a shell from Ember Celica, becoming ring of fire and smashed a fist into the remaining metal, shattering it.
Torchwick rolled out of the debris and brushed off his coat. "Just got this thing cleaned." He muttered.
My team dispatched the last of the White Fang and I whispered "Vanish." And we melded back into the shadows behind Torchwick.
He looked at team RWBY, seeming to forget the second team which is as I hoped. We had accomplished my goal.
Yang fired a shot at him and I thought maybe it would hit, but a sweet young thing jumped in front of him with an open umbrella made of pink lace.
She was odd looking.
Her hair was half pink on the right side and half brown on the left with white streaks in the pink half, while her eyes were opposite, brown on the right while light pink on the left. She wore a white jacket with a pink interior that was a crop top in the front but hung to her knees in the back and brown pants. Under her jacket was a black corset, curved in the middle of the bottom, exposing her sides. I noticed the chain necklaces she wore around her neck and her button up high heels were white except the heel of her shoe was brown. On her hands were black gloves.
The umbrella dissipated the shot and she slowly put the umbrella over her shoulder.
"Ladies. Ice Queen. Always a pleasure. Neo? If you would." Torchwick said saluting to team RWBY. Neo began to bow.
I clicked Orchids second trigger and banged the staff against the ground without aiming.
Two flew wide but one buried itself in Torchwick's left shoulder.
Neo continued her bow.
Then they fled to a Bullhead with impossible speed.
All that was left behind was an illusion of the two crooks.
Yang ran forward, punching the illusion, which shattered under impact.
Torchwick was furious standing in the Bullhead flying away. His white coat was stained red. He searched for my face but never saw it.
"Back to Beacon. Now." I murmured before we all silently slipped away. Leaving team RWBY to wonder at all the bodies that they had not created.
Back at Beacon, everyone was pale, shaky and silent.
They had officially made their first kills.
The only real cure for it was whiskey which I gave them each two fingers worth.
"Take everything off and put it in here. Clothes, armor, even shoes. Weapons you clean now. I'll take care of the rest." I said, putting a bin down on the floor.
Everyone did as I asked and I tied some Healing strands into them. It was never easy doing this. Killing Grimm was one thing.
Killing Faunus? Killing Humans? People who had friends and family who would mourn them? It was very different.
All the blood stained items were in the bin and everyone was ordered to take a hot shower.
No one went to sleep after an assignment till you had washed all the blood from your skin.
I took the bloody bin to a secluded alcove far from the buildings and the gardens to a little stream that flowed forcefully.
It was there I began the hard thankless work of cleaning up. I had special herbs I used to lift the blood from the clothing and rough and soft clothes for the armor. The boots got a bit of both treatments.
I spent hours by that stream, cleaning myself and the clothing and the armor till there was nothing left to clean in the rush of cold stream water. Then I dressed in the night dress I had brought with me, set the basket of wet black clothing on my hip and began to walk back to the room, leaning on Orchid.
"Ms. Derivalle?" A high surprised voice called.
Ah, damn it.
Glynda Goodwitch walked up to me, confusion and concern emanating from her. "What are you doing out so late?" She asked gently. She was dressed in her own nightclothes, in a long white nightgown. Even her hair was let down.
Glynda Goodwitch was as stern and sharp as her appearance. She was a middle aged woman with very light blonde hair tied back in a bun with a curl hanging down the right side of her face and bright green eyes behind thin rectangular glasses. She usually wore teal hanging earrings with a small bead identical to her earrings on her collar in the middle of her throat. She wore a white long sleeved suit that exposes part of her chest with puffy sleeves that tighten near the wrists before filling out at her hands. Her lower body was clad in a black business skirt with buttons running in a vertical line up the front of it and dark brown black stockings. She wore black boots with brown heels and her signature tattered cape that was purple on the inside and black on the outside, decorated by a row of diamond-shaped brown beads going horizontally across her cape. Above this was an emblem of a tiara- her personal symbol. And she was always holding a scroll. Her riding crop was stored in a sheath at the top of her right boot.
She usually looked like a stern school mistress.
Now, in her night clothes, her hair down and a cigarette dangling between the first two fingers of her right hand, she looked like a tired woman who couldn't sleep.
"Hello, Ms. Glynda." I said with a fake smile. I moved the bin higher up on my hip. "Couldn't sleep and decided to do some late night laundry.
She took a drag from her cigarette. "I see."
She sighed and I could feel weights pressing down on her. I set the basket down and put my hands on her shoulders. Her sharp green eyes looked into my dark blue ones.
I began to Heal her spirit. "You are doing your best. That's all you can do. Don't push too hard. We need you." I murmured, sealing up cracks and brushing away her nightmares.
She began to relax beneath my fingers.
"I had heard that you could... but I never thought that..." I smiled at her.
She was a strong woman who saw every student as like her own child. It was hard sending us off on dangerous missions knowing that she wasn't allowed to protect us.
She breathed deeply, letting me do my work.
"You're doing all you can and then some. Let some of us take the burden. We're strong enough to carry it."
I rubbed her upper arms a couple times before picking my basket back up.
"I can see why the Professor would take an interest in such a remarkable young lady." She murmured to me. "He speaks of you often with great fondness."
I stopped and looked at her.
I felt around her but she didn't mean what I thought she had.
Pain crippled my walk. "Yes, ma'am. The Professor has been a great help to me. I'm glad we have people like you to help us as we grow. We are still children. But as he said. It's not a role we'll have forever." I said before limping off, with my basket of death clothes.
It's a role I never got to have, till I came here.
I didn't sleep that night. All I did was ease the pain of my team, glad that I was here to do so. They were all struck hard but even as they felt guilty, their resolve strengthened. It was them or us. And my team chose us.
They'd make good fighters, I thought, remembering how incredible we were as a team.
Now if only I could save them from themselves.