"You're the predator right up until you're prey."
― James S.A. Corey, Abaddon's Gate
Chapter 16-
For the next couple of days everything remained quiet as school life carried on with students attending their regular lessons, however this quiet was broken one evening when Ruby got a call on a burner scroll she had.
"Hey Red, you said to ever call if Yang or any of those other students came to the club again. Well Yang's turned up with some blue haired guy, asking some questions about the Torchwick and looking for information. I'm about to see them, just giving you a heads up." Junior's voice said through the scroll, Ruby didn't bother to reply as she was already moving when another message came through, this time in her ear.
"Sweetie, I've just spotted Blake and Sun at a White Fang meeting. I can't do anything because I'm next to Roman but they've seen me, wait. Oh shit! They've been discovered and Roman's chasing them down with a fucking Paladin. Shit I can't do anything." Neo said quickly through their link, the panic evident in her voice.
"Maintain cover, I'm on my way." Ruby replied quickly.
"Naomi! Where are you?" Ruby asked through her scroll.
"I'm on the landing dock, I'm just delivering your bike." Naomi replied.
"Trouble in town, need a lift. Keep the bike on there." Ruby said quickly and briefly.
"Got it, turning and burning. Three minutes to power." Naomi said, the sound of the engines starting up coming through the scroll as she spoke, used to fast responses.
Ruby arrived at the Bullhead to see the rear ramp open and her bike sitting neatly tied down in the middle of the cargo area. Seconds after Ruby climbed on board the aircraft was in the air with the hatch closing in mid-air before shooting off towards the city.
"Police reports coming in about a Paladin tearing through the highway with people running from it but also some people fighting it as well. I'm assuming that's your lot." Naomi stated.
"It is. Get me to the highway, I'll drive out the back." Ruby replied, getting her bike ready to start up.
"Got it. I'll give you a thirty second warning." Naomi informed Ruby before she activated her radio, "This is Blackbird Zero-One inbound to Vale central highway in response to the call, I have a Huntress aboard. All police forces to back off and provide support." Naomi said over the police radios.
"This is Atlas military QRF One, inbound to highway, tell the Huntress to stand down we've got this." An arrogant, male voice replied back.
"Negative QRF One, Huntress supersedes all military authority stand down and provide support." Naomi replied back calmly before a heated reply came back to her from the same person, "You are operating under Vale Kingdom laws and Huntresses supersede all authority." Naomi said calmly and while reluctant they accepted their role.
Meanwhile Ruby was in the back half listening to the conversation as she wrapped her cloak around her body tighter alongside making sure her mask was secure. With that and her weapon secured she got her bike ready.
Sliding into the saddle once the ropes were off she turned the bike on making it roar out in the cargo bay as she revved the engine to make sure it was all ok after not being used for a while.
"Thirty seconds. I've got eyes on the Paladin and a clear drop point below it. Opening rear hatch." Naomi called out for Ruby, and as she spoke the rear hatch all opened up allowing the sounds of fighting and traffic coming up from below.
"Five, four, three, two, one!" Naomi shouted over the noise of the engines and the ground,
Ruby let herself roll back out of the aircraft, Naomi having gotten close enough to the ground that it didn't affect Ruby's bike too much although the suspension was heavily modified to handle the drops.
As soon as the back wheel touched the ground Ruby was already accelerating away underneath the Bullhead as Naomi brought it back up into the air, her earpiece crackling as Naomi issued new orders.
"Police and QRF One, get civilians clear and the injured seen to. Huntress is on the ground and on the move." Naomi ordered them all as she pulled away.
Ruby wasn't paying attention to this as she her attention focused on the Paladin, it wasn't even on the market yet with the Atlas military having the only available models at the moment but Ruby knew all the weaknesses of the machine.
She spotted Yang on her bike with Weiss on the back chasing after the large robot while Blake was ahead jumping from car to car to get away from it.
Ruby sped past Yang and Weiss easily, her bike being able to accelerate much faster and reach higher speeds quickly without any issue meaning she over took her and reached the Paladin with ease.
Getting up close Ruby threw a series of knives towards the feet and knee joints to make the Paladin unstable before backing off as Roman attempted to hit her only to come back once more.
Next she deployed her scythe with one hand Ruby weaved between cars until she reached Roman inside the large suit, firing as she went hitting the weaker leg joints which were mostly unarmoured. This didn't do much except make the legs more unstable allowing Ruby to jump up and using her momentum and her semblance to enhance the force of the blow she knocked the Paladin off the side of the highway and away from all the civilians.
"Aria, take over." Ruby ordered as she jumped off the edge with WBY following after her. While Aria's body materialised on Ruby's bike, driving away from the scene for the moment.
"Red." Roman growled out as he spotted the familiar red cloak.
"Weiss, ice sheet!" Aria ordered, speaking for Ruby. "Yang follow it up by blasting the ice." Aria ordered to the blonde woman.
Weiss and Yang did as instructed and once Yang hit the ice it all turned to mist allowing red laser sights to be seen coming out from the Paladin.
The girls didn't need any more instructions as they began hitting the camera's and weapons that used the laser sight.
"Barrage." Aria called out, easily predicting Roman's next move now that a lot of his weapons were useless alongside his sight of the outside world.
True to her word Roman launched a barrage of missiles but thanks to Aria's warning they were all ready for it as Blake took the majority of them out with her bow and sword while Ruby picked off some of the ones Blake missed.
"Ice glyph." Aria called out as Ruby buried her scythe into the ground to support her firing it.
Getting the hint Weiss put an ice glyph in front of Ruby's barrel allowing her to shoot freeze rounds at the Paladin, freezing joints and key points together so Roman couldn't move.
Already with a plan in her head Yang had gotten Blake to deploy her bow for her to hold on to while Blake, with some help from Yang's gauntlet's propelling herself forward they were able to get the power to smash straight into the cockpit of the Paladin, breaking the suit apart and Roman falling to the ground.
"That's cute, real cute that you think I'd be that unprepared." Roman stated, getting up slowly with a clear injury to his leg but he remained defiant as he shouted, "Oh Neo!"
Shocking both Yang and Weiss, Neo jumped down in front of Roman, her parasol held open and out in front of her as they stood still.
Angry Yang charged forward firing her gauntlet at the pair of criminals exploded into thousands of shards while Roman called from above.
"Uh bye bye girls." He called while waving at the girls.
"Naomi, pick up." Ruby said softly so the others didn't hear.
"In bound, bike secured." Naomi informed her but kept it brief.
Within seconds Naomi had landed in front of them and while Yang was turning to Ruby to say something about Neo, Aria beat her to it.
"In. Now." Aria said curtly. All three girls were able to read Ruby's body language which was rare itself but it was clear she was angry.
Although Yang and Weiss interpreted this anger to be because of Neo while Blake saw as clear as day that the anger was directed towards them as she hung her head down in shame, but as Ruby moved past her she moved her head up.
The three girls all got inside the Bullhead while Ruby blitzed past them all to sit in the empty co-pilot seat. Naomi already handing over her box of roll ups she had prepared earlier that day alongside her lighter.
"Area secure, Huntress retrieved. Suspect escaped with an unknown individual." Naomi informed them all as a brief report.
While Ruby was in the front Aria moved down and sat next to Blake to whisper in her ear, "Never hold your head down in shame, stand by your decisions and do not be shameful about them. Aria said softly before vanishing once more.
When they arrived back to the school it was in pure silence as the three girls all stood outside waiting for Ruby who took a few minutes inside to make sure everything was good with Naomi.
"My room. Now!" Ruby said, Aria no longer talker for her nor did she have her mask or hood on but a cigarette in her hand.
"Ruby…" Yang started to say before getting interrupted. "Now!" Ruby reinforced.
The three girls all obeyed as they went to Ruby room, finding the door unlocked and Aria sitting in a chair in the room. "Take a seat, Mother will be here shortly." Aria stated, keeping her eyes looking out the window but not at them.
Ruby practically slammed open her door as she came storming into her room, mask and cloak thrown onto the bed as she turned to Aria, "Aria would you mind jumping away for a few minutes? I'll let you know when it's ok." Ruby asked gently.
"Of course mother." Aria said, vanishing from sight as she jumped away.
"I'm sorry Ruby, I know you loved Neo but she's working for Roman now. I knew she was bad." Yang said, as she stood up.
"Sit down and don't talk." Ruby said coldly, pointing her finger at Yang.
"Ruby I know you're upset about Neo but…" Yang started to but Ruby just pointed down at the bed while glaring at the blonde woman.
"I told you not get involved, I especially told you Blake to get some rest and leave it to me. I would keep you informed but you are so damned lucky Neo was there to tell me what happened otherwise you'd likely be paste on the highway." Ruby said coldly to them all.
"And Yang should I mention you returned to the club which you destroyed before coming to the school? Should I mention that Junior wanted to kill you for what you did before? The only reason he didn't is because he's more scared of getting on my bad side then he is of you." Ruby spat out at Yang.
"You are students, not trained Huntresses. If anything its Ozpin being too lenient allowing you to carry on investigating an organisation that fully trained Hunters and soldiers have struggled to stop. But I will not be as lenient, you can and will get killed if you keep this up. Focus on your school life, enjoy it and learn all you can. But if I catch you going after Roman or the White Fang again I will do much more than shout at you." Ruby shouted at them.
"But Neo…" Yang attempted to start.
"Enough about Neo. We are promised to each other, or does that mean so little to you? Someone who barely knows us or me. You wish to assume parts of our relationship and throw accusations around as you please. It stops here, I tolerated it because Neo said it wasn't your fault and you'd change." Ruby said, leaving it to hang in the air for a few seconds.
"But I won't, Neo is still with me and what she's doing has my blessing as well as hers. But if I hear you badmouth Neo or assume anything about my relationship with her I promise you will not be able to stand, let alone walk for an entire month. Have I made myself clear?" Ruby shouted directly at Yang.
"But…" Yang attempted weakly.
"Have I made myself clear?" Ruby reinforced, her voice colder with her threat seconds from being delivered.
"Crystal." Yang said, gulping as she looked into Ruby's eyes seeing the fire in them burn bright.
"Good. Now you will leave this well enough alone and carry on with school, go." Ruby said, directing them out.
Yang left quickly with her tail between her legs, not wanting to anger Ruby even more while Weiss was a little slower while Blake didn't move.
"We can help and you know it." Blake said, leaving Ruby alone to her thoughts.
A/N
So sorry about the lateness but I was too tired last night to actually do much but seat down and listen to some stuff.
I really enjoyed writing this chapter, with certain fight scenes I just thoroughly enjoy them, especially because of the mixture of the bike and then using some stuff from the show. (All from memory.)
I spoke about this with someone a few weeks or month ago. In my head Vale has a standing military but they are there to provide support for Hunters/Huntresses, with them having the best school for it in the world than it makes sense so Hunter/Huntress authority supersedes all. Whereas in Atlas this isn't the case, we've already seen the very large military and what they're doing so it reasons to believe that (Especially with Penny.) they either don't have Hunters/Huntresses to a good enough standard or they simply don't get enough of them. I know the counterpoint about Vale having a military because why would they use Atlas' etc.
But yeah, that's my take on it. Not much else to say except that on Saturday the chapter will be out earlier for two reasons. No episode 3 for RWBY but also because of Rooster Teeth doing Extra life. The streams are always amazing and I highly recommend watching it but also just to support them as well, it all goes to a good cause which I'm sure they'll show, they raised around US$440,000 last time and the aim is half a million this year, so yeah pretty big and all for a children's hospital.
Next week's update as well will have some other words in it from me because it's Remembrance on Wednesday.
But that's it from me. So thanks for reading and until next time. ^_^
( PS any artist reading the story and would like to draw something for it, just send me a PM. I am tempted to have something commissioned but won't be for a while yet anyway. Also you'll hate me by around this Sunday next week ;) )