Team JSON
Volume 2
Chapter 3
A Minor Hiccup
Jason sat at his desk in Professor Ports class. He was staring intently at the clock in front of him. It read "3:59"
He looked over at Weiss and spotted Jaune talking to her trying to get her attention. He held in a snicker. Then his clock rang, he shut it off, "And then I…" Professor Port was just about to explain how he captured yet another Grimm when he heard the alarm go off, "Oh seems I timed that one poorly well the stunning conclusion will have to wait until next time."
All the students got up to go he got up along with the rest of his team and walked to where Team RWBY was sitting, as he gets closer he sees Weiss turn down his offers except for the one about studying,
"Better luck next time." He said as he walked pass Jaune.
"Try to be more natural." Niko said as he walked by.
Jaune groans and slumps onto the table.
Team JSON's Room
Jason tightened the straps for his bracer, "Alright everyone ready?" Jason asked. His team were all wearing new gear that they had bought a few days ago.
Jason both wore military jackets; Jason had an ocean blue jacket while Niko had on a emerald green one. Both of them wore black pants and combat boots. Jason wore black fingerless gloves Niko had on his Dust gloves, which he named Pulvis.
Sonya wore her usual beanie, she had on a dark purple hooded jacket. She wore a brown bandana around her neck. She wore her usual boots and also black jeans.
Olivia had on a navy blue coat that extended down all the way to her ankle. She wore boots and black skinny jeans. She wore fingerless gloves. The coat had a hood, the hood ended into a triangular point at the end, it was big enough to hide her entire face.
"Yeah I think we all are." Niko said.
"Alright lets go over the plan one more time, Niko?"
"I'm going with Yang and 'Livi to the shady side of town." Niko said, Olivia gave him a cold stare, "Don't call me Livi."
"Whatever." Nathan replied.
"I'm going with Blake to the White Fang faction meetings to gather info." Sonya said.
"Great, and I'm going with Weiss and Ruby to the CCT Tower to get some information on any Dust robberies over the past few days, once we're done we'll meet back with Niko and the others."
"Got it buddy." Nathan said. "Good let's see Team RWBY."
As they walk towards Team RWBY's room they hear a familiar voice talk inside. As Jason opens the door he and his team spots Neptune and Sun in the room, "What are they doing here?" Nathan asks.
"I thought you said as a team?" Neptune asked.
After some explaining they all calmed down and grouped up. "Alright then Sun you can go with Blake and Sonya, Neptune you can go with Yang, Olivia, and Nathan." Jason decided.
"Actually, why not let Ruby go with Yang, you know since their sisters?" Weiss said. Jason and Ruby both stare at Weiss, "And who's going to go with us?" Jason asks.
"Well…I guess Neptune can come with us?" Weiss says trying to act casual. Jason and Ruby looks at each other, then burst out laughing. "Hahaha, Nah!" Ruby says as she leaves the room followed by Jason who was dragging a protesting Weiss.
CCT Tower in Vale
"Woah!" Jason exclaimed, "That's huge."
Ruby squealed, "I forgot how big the transmit tower looks up close!"
"You haven't seen the one in Atlas." Weiss said.
"That was the first one right?" asked Ruby
"Correct, Atlas developed the cross-continental-transmit system to allow the four kingdoms to communicate with one another. It was their gift to the world after the great war." Weiss explained.
"Nerd!" Jason said.
He got a glare from Weiss and a giggle from Ruby, "Ooo look at me I'm Weiss I know facts I'm rich." Ruby said.
Jason and Ruby busted out laughing. Weiss glared at the both of them, "Don't be a pest!" she said.
"Sorry,but I think that was a perfect impression." Jason said, Weiss growled, "The only reason we're here is because Ruby likes the tower so much. We could have just as easily just made a call from the library."
"I know but it's so cool! Oh! I'm going to take a picture." Ruby fumbles for her Scroll but ends up dropping it.
"Careful, don't break your Scroll in the process!" Jason said.
Her Scroll skittered across the pavement and knocked into a familiar ginger girl's foot.
"Oh, you dropped this." she said as she picked it up and held it.
The three looked surprised, "Penny!?" Ruby and Jason said at the same time.
"Uhh…"
"Where have you been?" Ruby asked
"What happened to you after the night at the docks?" Jason questioned.
"S-sorry, I think you're confused." Penny said, then she hiccups with causes the phone to jump out of her hands and land in Ruby's grasp.
"Uhh…I've got to go!" Penny said frantically then turned and left.
"What was that about?" Weiss asked
"Yeah, she acted kinda weird." Jason observed.
"I don't know. But I'm going to find out," Ruby said as she started forward towards Penny, "You go make your call, I'll meet up with you later!"
"Wait!" but Ruby was already running after the orange hair girl. "I'll go with her to make sure she doesn't get into trouble!" Jason said as he took off after the two
"Hey! Not you too! Ugh!"
"Hey wait up!" Jason called, he caught up just as Ruby asked, "Penny where've you been? It's been weeks!"
"Yeah, after the nights at the docks you just disappeared, what happened? Did someone kidnap you?" Jason asked
"There seems to be a misunderstanding." Penny said then continued to walk.
"Wait what?" Jason said. "Penny…" Ruby said, she slid down the railing as Jason went down the steps, following her.
"Is everything okay?" Ruby asked. Penny just continues to walk completely ignoring the younger girl.
"Hey Penny don't ignore us!" Jason said, he grabbed Penny by her arm and pulled her back, she was unusually heavy, "Penny, we're worried about you."
"Look, we don't know what's wrong, but you have to listen to us", Ruby said.
"Those guys we fought at the docks their up to something big! Something dangerous!" Jason said, "We need you to tell us what happened to you that night, please as a friend."
Penny looks at the two young huntsman and huntress, she sighs then leans in close to both of them, "It isn't safe to talk here."
Inside the CCT Tower
Weiss walks through a large lobby with many students chatting with each other, she enters another room that was lit by a strange green glow, a couple of students were on the holographic computers.
She walks up to an elevator that opens automatically, she enters and turns around as the doors close.
'Hello, welcome to the CCT, how may I help you?' a voice said over the intercom.
"I'd like to go the communications room please."
'Absolutely, could you please place your scroll on the terminal to verify your identity.' Weiss pulled out her Scroll and held it up to the terminal, it scanned her Scroll then said, 'Perfect thank you Ms. Schnee.'
As the elevator went up, Weiss tried to do a fake smile then shakes her head and tries again but sighs.
The door opens to a room full of terminals with people sitting at them. Weiss walks out to an empty stand. As she gets closer a hologram of a woman projects into the seat, "Welcome to Beacon's Cross-Continental Transmit Center. How may I help you?" the hologram woman said,
"How may I help you?"
"I need to make a call to Schnee Company World Headquarters in Atlas." Weiss said.
"Absolutely. If you can proceed to Terminal 3, I can patch you through."
"Thank you." Weiss says as she smiled at the hologram. She walked toward the terminal and past people talking to family or friends over the terminal.
As she reached the terminal she sat down and look at her reflection in the screen. She took a deep breath as the screen flickered on.
A orange hair receptionist appeared on the screen, "Thank you for calling Atlas—oh Ms. Schnee! Good afternoon! Would you like me to patch me through to your father? I think your sister Winter might be here as well." The receptionist said recognizing the heiress.
"No thank you, I was actually wondering if you could find some files for me. I've compiled a short list." Weiss took out her Scroll and inserted it into a slot on the terminal. A few beeping noises were heard.
The receptionist on the other end looked at another screen with the list on it. She raised an eyebrow, "I see. If you don't mind…What, may I ask, is this for?"
"School project." Weiss said using a lie that she just made up.
"Um…there are some sensitive documents on this list ma'am." The receptionist said.
"Well then I'll be sure to treat them with care." Weiss said.
"Right…Very well, the data is being transferred to your Scroll now."
"Wonderful, that will be all then."
"Are you sure you wouldn't like me to patch you through to your father before you go?"
"Yes I'm sure." Weiss said forcing a smile onto her face.
"Well then, have a nice day." Then the screen winked out. Weisses smile went away as quickly as it came, she looked down at the floor.
"So…family problems." A familiar voice said. Weiss shrieked and jumped out of her seat, "Where did you come from!?"
Argus was standing there leaning against one of the terminals, he seemed to have just appeared from the shadows. "The shadows." He said as if it were obvious.
Weiss gave him a puzzled look. "My semblance is the ability to travel through the shadows, I call it Shadow Travel." Argus explained.
"Oh… so what are you doing here?" Weiss asked
"Well, when Jason found out you allowed Neptune and Sun to come he decided to call us up and invite us. He said its only fair."
"Yeah I guess so." Weiss said, "Hey where's Fenris?"
In front of some café in Vale
Penny is standing in front of a café waiting for Jason and Ruby. Ruby pats her on her shoulder as she approaches her. Jason and Ruby both smile at her.
On the streets of Vale
Jason, Ruby, and Penny are walking down the streets of Vale, "I wish I could help you guys, but I don't know anything about those men." Penny said.
"Well what happened to you that night?" Ruby asked.
"Yeah, we were all together then when we looked around you weren't there. Were you kidnapped?" Jason asked
"Oh no nothing like that!" Penny exclaimed.
"Well then where did you go?" Ruby asked
"I've never been to another kingdom before. My father asked me not to venture too far but, oh, you have to understand, my father loves me very much. He just worries a lot." Penny said.
"Ruby here knows all about overprotective fathers." Jason said.
"Yeah, believe me, I know."
"But why not let us know you were okay?" Jason asked.
"I… was asked not to talk to you two, or Weiss, or Blake, Or Olivia. Anybody really."
"Was your dad that upset?" Ruby asked
"No, it wasn't my father." Their conversation was interrupted by a presentation being taken place in a park in Vale.
Loudspeaker: The AK130 has been a standard security model of Remnant for several years. A hologram of Ironwood said behind him were two huge containers with a garage door. In front of the two containers were robots, the AK130 model that Atlas uses for defence, there were three in front of each container.
'And they've definitely done a fine job wouldn't you agree?' Ironwood continued, behind him the robots all bowed, the crowed applauded 'But the kingdom of Atlas is a kingdom of innovation. And fine well that's just not good enough is it?
As he finished the doors on the two containers hissed open, in the boxes there were six white robotic soldiers, they were much sleeker and looked like an upgraded version of the bowing gray robots.
'Presenting the Atlesian Knight 200.' The Atlesian Knight 200 stepped onto to AK130 and pushed them to the ground as they stood over them. The crowd applauded, 'Smarter, sleeker, and admittedly, a little less scary.' The robots behind him struck different poses to prove that point.
'These models will become active later this year but they won't be alone. Now, the Atlesian Military has always supported the idea of removing men from the dangers of the battlefield. However, there are still some situations that undoubtedly require, a human touch.
"Ruby, Jason…" Penny said anxiously, but Ruby and Jason were intrigued by the presentation, Ruby was trying to get a better look at the Knights.
'So, our kingdoms greatest minds, in cooperation with the Schnee Dust Company are pround to introduce…The Atlesian Paladin!'
The hologram of Ironwood shrank away, and was replaced by a hologram of a giant mechanical suit.
'Now we couldn't have them here for you today. But these mechanized battle suites will be seen defending the borders of our kingdom within the year!'
"Whoa…" Ruby said.
"That. Is. Sooo cool." Jason said staring in awe.
"Ruby, Jason. Maybe we should go somewhere else…" Penny said anxiously. Two soldiers spotted the three kids. Penny turned and ran.
"Penny?" Ruby said.
"Hey wait! Where're you goin!?" Jason called. They turned back and saw the two guards run after them. "Crap!" Jason said, he and Ruby turned followed Penny down and alley.
Jason and Ruby turned a sharp corner and saw Penny run across the street, Jason lagged behind a bit since he was the slower runner. One of the guard rounded the corner, "Down here she went this way." They ran after them across the street. Fortunately, a car almost hit one of the guard buying the kids time to get ahead.
Ruby looked over her shoulder at the two gaurds, she looked forward and saw a stand holding up some crates. She slashed of a leg of the stand. As the crates fell, Jason jumped into the air and kicked the crates at the two guards, knocking them over. He landed and continued running without breaking stride.
As he turned to corner he saw Ruby activate her semblance and dash across to Penny, she grabbed her then picked her up, but she appeared to be straining.
"Ruby wait!" Jason yelled but to late Ruby already took off, "Damn it." Jason activated his semblance as well, a dark blue aura appeared around him, he kicked off the ground, and he boosted across the street and into the next alley. The ground where he stood was cracked.
He landed on the wall and slid to the ground, he looked up and saw Ruby just in time as she suddenly slumped over and tumbled onto the ground, Penny went rolling across the street and onto the sidewalk, but Ruby wasn't as lucky.
She landed in the center of the street and a truck was speeding down the road straight towards Ruby! "NO!" Jason yelled he sprinted toward Ruby but he knew he wouldn't get there in time. Suddenly, Penny jumped in front of Ruby. She raised her hands and she caught the truck stopping it in its path.
Jason scooted to a stop and stared in shock and awe. The pedestrians on the side walk also stared. Penny looked up at the frightened driver, "Are you alright?" she asked, the driver nodded.
Jason ran over and checked on Ruby but his mind was still trying to comprehend what just happened. Penny didn't activate her semblance or use her aura, how did she do that?
Penny put down the wrecked car then seem to notice the people staring at her for the first time. "Penny…" Ruby said.
"How did you…?" Jason asked
Penny looked around nervously then took off down the alley across the street. "Hey penny wait!" Jason called.
"Penny come back!" Ruby yelled as she got up and ran after her with Jason in tow. The guards arrived just after the scene and look around for the three kids.
Penny ran into a dead end, she frantically looked around for an exit. "Penny!" Ruby called from behind.
"Wait!" Jason called as they caught up to her, "Please, stop!"
"What is going on? Why are you running? How did you do that?" Ruby asked.
"You—the car— without aura…how?" Jason said trying to form words.
"I-I can't. Everything's fine." Penny said, agitated then she hiccupped, "I-I don't want to talk about it!" Penny said crossing her arms then hiccupped again.
"Penny if you can just tell us what's wrong we can help you." Ruby said.
"No, no, no, you wouldn't understand."
Jason put a hand on her shoulder and forced her to turn around to face them, "Penny, let us try. You can trust us."
Penny looked up at the two and asked, "You two are my friends, right? You guys promise you're my friends?"
"Penny, of course we're friends." Jason said.
"We promise." Ruby said.
Penny looked down, "Ruby…Jason… I'm not a real girl." She said as she showed off her hands. Where the skin was ripped and should have shown blood, instead it revealed metal and circuits. Ruby and Jason both stared, "Oh."