Chapter 22: Party Infiltration

Location: Beacon Academy, Vale Year: Unknown

As the party progressed through the night, Ruby and I hung out near the punch bowl, drinking some punch and chatting to each other.

"So, when you first left Vault 101, you went to this town called Megaton and disarmed a warhead that destroyed your world and was armed and you successfully disarmed it?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, because I just couldn't sleep well at night, knowing they could all die from it. I didn't ask for any caps, which is currency mind you, and afterward, I was rewarded a home, with the key and bill of ownage. When I first entered into my new home, I saw that there was a Mister Handy name Wadsworth waiting for me." I answered.

"A Mister Handy?" Ruby asked.

"It's one of the many robots across the Wasteland. The Mister Handy model is a personal robotic butler. There's also a similar model, Miss Nanny, is just the same as the Mister Handy, but more like a female version, due to the differences of voices. Then there is the Mister Gusty and is made for military purposes. Plus it is equip with a plasma weapon instead of the usual sawblade the Miss Nanny and Mister Handy have." I said.

"Cool, what other robots are there?" Ruby asked, with excitement in her tone.

"There is the Protectron models, wich are average robots. There are versions like construction, medical, law enforcment, military, and others. There are the Enclave Eyebots, which are small, roundish, metal ball that hovers around. Of course, it's made by the infamous Enclave, and while my time in the Mojave, I meet two of them who accompanied with me. One known as ED-E, or Eddie for short. The other one was also ED-E, but was slightly different. Plus it like the name Ralphie better, so that's what I called him. Rest in peace, little buddy." I said.

"I'm sorry, Edward." Ruby said, apologitically.

"It's alright. Where was I... oh, and there were the Securetrons, but only around the Mojave. They have these television screens with faces on them and the first one I meet was the one who dug me out of the grave after I was shot in the head and brought me to the town's doc. His name was Victor, and think of him as a robot cowboy." I said.

"Awesome!" Ruby said.

"Then there are the awesome, but terrifying ones known as Sentry Bots. Those things are mostly for military or heavy security, 'cause they're equipped with either a chaingun, a gatling laser, missile launcher, and/or hellfire rockets. Plus, they're big and tough to kill. Next, is the Assaultrons, which are also military-grade and are as dangerous. Think of them as assassin robots, with a powerful laser eye."

"Ooooo." Ruby said in awe.

"Then there are these rare ones called Robobrains, which uses actual human brains to operate."

"What?! That's not right!" Ruby said in disgust.

"Well, actually, they were around before the bombs fell, and those people actually volunteered to have their brains but into a jar attached to a robot."

"Oh, okay." Ruby replied.

"Then last, but not least, there was the one, the only, the great and powerful, giant robot..."

Ruby's eyes started to shine with excitement as I continued, "...known as Liberty Prime. Though unfinished by the U.S. due to some difficulty, he was finished by the Brotherhood of Steel in the Capital Wasteland to defeat the Enclave. He was originally built to liberate Anchorage, Alaska, from the Red Chinese Communists, during the Third World War. He uses a laser built into his eye and annihilates any enemies, along with Mark 28 nukes that he tosses at clustered areas."

"Awesome!" Ruby replied.

"But, unfortunately, he was later destroyed in battle by an orbital strike by the Enclave."I said in sorrow.

"No! Not LP!" Ruby teared up.

"And his last words were, 'I died, so that Democracy shall live.' He was the most greatest robot that was ever built, fighting in the name of freedom." I ended.

"At least he went down, fighting." Ruby said.

"Yeah, and I just realized we just over-reacted around at the end." I stated as I chuckled.

Ruby chuckled with me and replied, "Yeah, I guess we did, but still, I would've love to meet him."

"I know you would, but believe me, the Brotherhood are trying to rebuild him, so he may come back." I replied.

That got Ruby's hopes up. She cheered, "Yes!"

Then we saw Jaune walking up to us and said, "I see that you two are hiding at the punch bowl, too."

"Yup." Ruby replied.

"Yeah." I replied.

Then Jaune said, "To the socially awkward."

And we clinked our cups together and ruby said to Jaune, "Sorry things didn't work out with Weiss."

"Meh, it's fine; Neptune's pretty cool. I get why she went with him." Jaune said.

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked.

"Well, come on. Not many people can pull off blue hair." Jaune said as he took a drink.

Ruby said, "No, I mean Weiss came to the dance alone."

Then Jaune responded by coughing and gagging, then asked, "Uh, what?!"

"Yeah, she said she had too much to focus on to worry about boys." Ruby said.

After a short moment of silence, Jaune finally responded as he hands Ruby his cup, "Hold my punch."

Ruby took the cup and started his way towards Neptune. I replied, "Ugh, this may not end well, or maybe it will, who knows."

XXXXXX

'After a few minutes...'

We were on the second floor and Ruby said to Yang, "And you did a great job planning it, too."

"Aww, thanks!" Yang replied as she hugged Ruby tightly.

"It wasn't all me, though. Weiss did a lot, too." Yang said.

I chuckled at them and then, we noticed Neptune walking over to Weiss, and talked.

I smiled and thought, 'Good work, Jaune.'

Then Yang sighed and said, "Tomorrow, it's back to work."

"Well, I'm sure we can handle whatever gets thrown at us, especially when we have Edward here." Ruby said.

I replied to them, "I'm sure you guys can manage on your own without me."

But then Ruby said, "Except for that." as she pointed out.

We then heard laughter and we saw Jaune... wearing a dress?!

I sighed, face-palmed myself, and muttered, "Oh dear lord..."

We were all confused at this, until I remembered that one night.

"Oh yeah, right." I replied.

"What?" Ruby and Yang asked.

"Jaune did mentioned after me and Pyrrha trained him, that if Pyrrha didn't get a date to the dance, he'll wear a dress. But I didn't took him seriously..." I replied.

Then both of them laughed at this as we watched the dance-off. But then Ruby nudges me and points out the window, saying, "Look, do you see that person?"

As I looked closer, I noticed a woman running on top of the roof towards a tower.

I then turned to Ruby and asked, "Shall we investigate, Ruby?"

Ruby nodded and we both made our way to the tower.

After a few minutes, we arrived at the elevator to the tower. I switched to my Desert Ranger Combat Armor and pulled out 'Maria' and cocked it, while Ruby pulled out her Cresent Rose. We then stepped into the elevator and went up.

As we arrived at the floor, we didn't see anyone there, but I yelled out, "We know you're in here! Come out with your hands up!"

No one answered. I yelled out again, "I will not ask again, so don't make come looking for you, 'cause I will put a goddamn bullet into your knee when I do! Now come out NOW!"

This time, a person rose up from behind one of the terminals. She wore a black, skin-tight suit and a black mask to cover her face. I wasn't able to see her eyes due to the darkness, and her hair style was almost like a ponytail.

As she slowly stepped away from the terminals, I yelled out, "Hands behind your head, now!" with my gun pointed at her and Ruby did the same with her Cresent Rose.

As the intruder puts her hands behind her head, she began to grab something, then she quickly pulled a what looks like an archer's bow with blades at each end, and draw three arrows embedded with fire. As she fires, I immediately reacted and blocked Ruby's way and fire three shots to deflect the arrows, but resulted of them blowing up. As the smoke cleared, the intruder was nowhere to be found.

"Damn it! She's gone!" I yelled out. Then I took out my Scroll and send a message to Ozpin about the occurrence.

After that, the elevator doors opened and revealed general Ironwood, who saw us in shock.

I immediately said to him, "General! We had an intruder within this tower, but she got away by firing three explosive arrows at us. She escaped when they exploded, sir!"

Ironwood nodded and replied, "Alright, I'll have my men on high alert. Thank you for the update, but I want you two to stay up here for the moment, alright?"

Ruby nodded and I replied, "Yes, sir."

As Ruby took a seat, Ironwood then said to me, "So, you must be Edward."

"Yes, I am, sir." I replied.

"Drop the 'sir', Edward. You're not in the military and I'm not your superior." he said.

"Sorry, general. I'm used to it since my time in the New California Republic, or NCR for short." I responded.

He nodded and replied, "I see. Well, when Ozpin told me about you, I thought you were a spy for the White Fang, but the recording of you on your initiation day said otherwise."

"Hey, if I heard of a random stranger claiming to be from a different world, I would have reacted the same way, somewhat." I responded.

"Glad you understand, Edward. Also, what was that armored mech suit of yours from the video?" He asked.

"It's the Winterized T-51b Power Armor. Of course there are other models such as the T-45b, the T-60b, the X-01; normal and Tesla version, and the X-02; normal, Tesla, and Hellfire versions. My Power Armor is my very first one, but it requires training to even operate it, but I had training." replied.

"Interesting, but right now, I need to know who the intruder was, who she looked like. The person is a she, right?"

"That's right. She's not Faunus, I'll tell you that. She wore a black, skin-tight suit and a black face mask. I couldn't see her eyes, though, but she had black, long hair in a ponytail, and uses a weapon that's an archer's bow and possibly twin blades, since the ends on the bow were bladed. She might also have this thing for fire and explosives, so be careful about that, and... that's it." I replied.

Ironwood nodded and replied, "Thank you. I will contact Ozpin about it."

"I already did, general. It was before you arrive moments before, but go ahead and send him the message, just in case." I replied.

Then he nodded and I went over to Ruby and sat down. Ruby asks me, "Who do you think it could be?"

"I really don't know, at least, not without any solid evidence, that is." I replied.

XXXXXX

'Somewhere else, in the city ruins outside of Vale...'

Everything was quiet, as the Grimm slept, until a bright flash of light erupted inside a building, hidden from view, and emerged a certain, metal sphere. It hovered and then a sound erupted out from it, "RALPHIE! FLY FAR, FLY FAST!"

To be Continued...

(Note: So, what do you think, huh? ED-E from the DLC Lonesome Road, or who I like to call Ralphie, appearing in Remnant alive and well... well not alive because he's-you get the idea. Also, let me know what you think and I hope you enjoy!)