Disclaimer: This is winding down. Wait. Shit. This doesn't go here. Don't own RWBY.

Road to the End, Volume 3

By: athrunzala

08: Before the Assault

"When we get there, I'm gonna puke."

Jaune's infamous airsickness was returning with a vengeance. The blonde's face was contorted in agony as he struggled to keep his meal inside his stomach, not wanting to make his friends and cohorts in the plan suffer with the smell of vomit.

Nora was peacefully napping, probably dreaming of breaking legs and murdering countless Grimm, while Ren sat in silence and contemplated the events coming up.

Weiss was deep in thought, only interrupted when Ruby tipped over, her head causing the heiress to jump a little.

"You alright, Ice Queen?"

Weiss momentarily glared at the source of the nickname, the blonde brawler's reminder of her actions in the past having been ones of almost cold indifference to how others felt. She softened her expression as she responded.

"Yeah. I was just thinking."

"What about?"

"The outcome of the fight we are coming up on. I want to make it all good, but I don't want to end up killing people unnecessarily."

Yang hung her head a little, the thoughts coming to the forefront. She looked at her arm, then across at her sister, who was in the middle of what she could only assume was a pleasant dream involving cookies. After a casual glance at her partner, she returned her attention to the heiress.

"I know that one. I just don't want to see a repeat of the last one. Especially not if the White Fang is still there."

"What do you mean by that, exactly?"

"I mean that I don't want to see more people getting killed on my... our... no. Nobody should have to die at all."

"You're starting to sound like Ruby."

"Heh. I guess you're right about that one. She has a way of rubbing off on just about every person she meets. You've even calmed more around her."

"Yeah. Well, about that. Yang... I..."

The white-haired girl's statement was cut off as a voice came over the speaker in the troop cabin.

"'5 minutes out. Be ready. I'm not sticking around.'"

The speaker clicked back into silence, and the occupants stood, some stretching as they did so, having not moved during the flight. Team CFVY was in the stretching group, except for Yatsuhashi, who was unable to stretch up due to his height.

Ruby stretched as she yawned, a small squeak escaping her mouth. Turning around, she reached under the seat for Crescent Rose, only to be met with an empty space where she had put it. Before she could panic, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Whipping her head in the direction of the tap, she was met with Weiss holding the weapon out for her, the smooth exterior having caused the weapon to slide around slightly during the flight.

Soon enough, the doors on the sides of the craft opened as it quickly descended into the former town square, which was now the staging ground for the massive assault. As the three teams on board looked out, they were met with reminders of why they were there. Several soldiers, their bodies on the ground, were being covered with tarps. The sight struck the young warriors, and lingered in their minds as the craft rotated to land in such a way as to not remove the coverings with the down blast from the engines.

As it finished the turn and touched down, Coco led the exodus from the flying machine, followed by the members of Team RWBY and JN_R, with Jaune hesitating for a moment before Ruby snapped him out of it by placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Ruby... About what is coming up..."

"Jaune, don't worry about it. Now come on. I think we should let my uncle and the General know we are here."

She then led her blonde friend off towards where the steel-faced leader sat in front of his tent. He only looked up and rose when he saw Ruby, Coco, and Jaune approach.

"Good. You've arrived."

"Yeah," the fashionista said, adjusting her ever-present shades. "When do we move out?"

"All in good time. For now, I want you all to take a break and get some rest. I'll be briefing each of you, with your teams," he said, placing emphasis on the word 'teams',"in the morning. We don't dare make a move tonight, even with your team's skills, Ruby."

The ending addition was aimed directly at the younger woman, who had opened her mouth to make mention of how they could begin now, as she was perfectly fine and ready to go.

"That is all. You're dismissed."

The trio turned away and headed off to where their remaining team members were waiting. As Ruby approached, she saw that Yang's mouth was downturned, her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"Yang?"

"What is she doing here?"

"You mean Coco? She's on our side."

"No. Not Coco. I know why she's here, sis. I mean her," the blonde finished her statement, the words leaving her mouth were coated with venom.

Ruby turned her head, her eyes following a pointed, mechanical finger. At the end of the path indicated by the robotic digit was a woman in an outfit that looked very similar to one Yang owned, but done up in red and black.

"Not worth the fight right now, Yang. Just trust me when I say that she is here to help until after we retake the academy, and leave it at that."

Qrow's voice interrupted the potential rage buildup. As his nieces turned to face him, he smiled. It was good to see Yang being back to normal, even if it meant that she was going to be mad at the sight of her mother.

"Uncle Qrow!"

Ruby almost jumped on her uncle's arm before remembering where they were and changing her mind.

"Heya, kiddo. How you doing?"

"Well," Ruby blushed slightly as he had gestured in the direction of Weiss when he asked. "We're fine. But I wanna know: what's up with the attack?"

"Did you talk to Ironwood?"

"Well, yeah, of course. He... really didn't say much. Just said 'later' and kinda told me to leave."

"Yeah. I know why. He doesn't like what's going on. Glynda asked him to lead from the back. It's not his style. And there is the matter of that woman wanting to step up to lead so he won't have to."

They continued their conversation in a quieter manner. Across the camp, Team C_LD was reuniting in a less than civil manner.

"You volunteered for what!?"

Dante was almost in a shouting match with his former partner, having heard from Lapis about what their leader had done.

"I told you, I volunteered to lead the first wave. I'll be fine, which is more than I can say for you," Caos shot back, a finger pointed at the sword fighter's face.

"You mean these? Heh. At least they won't end with me being dead."

"And you think this will? Why the sudden concern?"

"Because I still give a damn!"

"Oh, don't you dare feed me that line. If you gave a damn, you would have answered when we called. Or responded to the messages."

"Well sorry that I got sidetracked!"

"I'm sure you are."

"BOTH OF YOU KNOCK IT OFF!"

The two heated debaters turned their heads, their jaws hanging open as Lapis had shouted at them to settle down, which was very rare for her.

"I know you both are mad, but here is the way things are: Dante is here. Caos is leading the first wave. This means we are all in the first wave of the assault. Our sole job is to clear a path to the entrance to Beacon and hold it. That's all. Nothing more. Understand? Once we reach the docks, we can stop talking to each other, and go back to getting on each other's nerves. But, for now, both of you need to grow up and be adults."

Her outburst finished, the Faunus returned to normal, with a final addition of, "Okay?"

The pair turned and entered the tent they had been assigned to, allowing the flaps to close behind them, followed shortly by Lapis, who sighed as she entered.

Morning came early for all parties involved as Ironwood had insisted on a 0530AM meeting with the Huntsmen and Huntresses involved in the operation.

"Here," he said, cueing up a holographic display, "is the battlefield. For tomorrow's assault, the troops will be led by Caos Dynasty and the members of Team C_LD. Assisting them will be the members of Team CFVY and Team NDGO."

The general looked in the direction of both other teams. Coco looked back and nodded, her sunglasses being uncharacteristically hung from her belt as to not block out the display in any degree. Next to them, the members of Team NDGO looked at each other nervously. They had been told that they would receive their assignment today, but had not been aware of how early they were going to be in the battle.

Looking around for any sense of a question, and not seeing one, he decided to continue on.

"The second wave will commence upon one of two signals: Either the first wave sends up a flare, indicating the capture of the designated point, or five hours have passed from the start of the first wave. The second wave will be led by Team RWBY, who will be backed up by Team STRQ and Team SSSN. Their mission will be the retaking of Beacon's campus."

"Hold on a minute, General."

"Yes, Qrow. What is it?"

"I feel that Team STRQ should take lead for the second wave."

"And why is that?"

"Two squads of 4 backing us up is far more efficient, James."

"Informality aside, you are correct. My apologies. The mission remains the same. Doctor Oobleck will finish the briefing."

"Thank you, general," the caffeine powered presenter began. "After 45 minutes have passed from the start of the second wave, the teams involved in the first wave will move in and begin a secondary assault, led by Peter and I."

He continued on, his breakneck pace not lost on anybody in the room, as his sense of urgency came across very clearly. He continued for another 5 minutes before wrapping up.

"...and that concludes the briefing. Any further questions, please consult either myself, the general, Qrow, or Caos. That is all."