Chapter 38 You Lost What?
Character Lucifer
"Oh that isn't good," Lucifer said as he and Moloch looked out over the empty cells.
"Wait this isn't cell block eight," Moloch said, "This is cell block ten... ah shit."
"Damn the escape is spreading," Lucifer said, "Mammon we're in cell block ten and it is empty."
"Not only ten," Mammon replied, "Eight through eighty are empty and if the pattern holds it will also spread to the next eighty thousand blocks."
"That is an entire universe worth of cells," Lucifer yelled, "It's like someone is acting as a voluntary housing for an entire universe of damned."
"That is exactly what it is," Ashera said.
"We figure it is someone who is unaffected by the wills of the demons," Baal added, "Someone who is strong of soul in their own right."
"But a whole universe," Moloch remarked, "especially 'that' universe."
"Dear God in Heaven what have we done," Lucifer muttered, "We've set the stage for even worse beings than ourselves."
"Well that was what we wanted," Moloch said, "This is some thick irony right here."
"I'll call K and tell him what is happening," Mammon said, "You two see if you can stop the escapees."
Character Kalathanon
"You lost what?" K exclaimed suddenly as Mammon contacted him. Diablo gave their leader a what now look, which was impressive for someone with such a static face. K waved the Prime away as he concentrated on what Mammon was saying.
"We've lost the prisoners in cell blocks eight through eighty," Mammon thought to him, "Lucifer and Moloch are holding the line right now but there is some overwhelming force that is dragging demons to it."
"Eight through eighty," K said, "that is universe 30075 right?"
"I see you understand the issue then," Mammon commented, "Yes it is."
"Then I think I know who is freeing your charges," K said, "I'll get back to you all later, keep me updated."
"What was that," Lily asked.
"I know why Cinder is so powerful now," K said, "she has taken all the condemned from Starkiller and Qui-gon's universe and is using their power to amplify her own and that of her Sith."
"How is she able to do that," Inarius asked.
"I don't know," K replied, "For once I really don't know. We are in a new era, Satan is shattered acting as overseer now. The aspects of sin rest with the mortal realm now."
"And yet there is always a balance," Malafor said as he looked towards where Xarle and Raven had disappeared through their portal just a few minutes ago. K followed his gaze and nodded.
"Lil get your sister and your friends," K said, "Xarle and Raven are looking after Hawk and Fisher, JNPR is with them though and I think that they may be just as powerful as RWBY, they just don't know it yet. Cinder's game is with the mind, JNPR was so close to reaching Cinder last time I think that they could get to her if they had the right motivation."
"I get it," Lil said, "I'll get Leah, Ezio and Lyndon to help too."
"Do keep me informed on Leah and Ezio," Diablo said, "she is my daughter after all."
"The concerned father really doesn't strike me as your typical style," K said.
"Blarg you," Diablo replied.
"I'll give you a lift to the Pestilence," K said to Lil, "We'll have to figure out who to send to keep an eye on RWBY as well."
"K," Tex called as she and Church walked up to the group. "For such an odd group you all can be hard to find."
"What is it now," Baal asked.
"Did we ever tell you about Project Freelancer," Church said, "I mean other than just blarging about it."
"Some why," Inarius replied.
"Well they are here," Carolina said as she and York joined the group.
"We think they raised the Mother of Invention as well," York added.
Doug dropped a pod with one of his flood in it down in the middle of them. "Your certain," Doug asked.
"Ok that is seriously creepy," Lily said, "besides why would you care?"
"Because the Mother of Invention was reported to be twice the size of the Pestilence," Doug said, "With weapons capable of damaging the Ark if they hit the right spots."
"So Cinder has the Sith, Project Freelancer and a universe of demons at her command," K summarized. "Doug where are Hawk, Fisher, RWBY and JNPR?"
"They are at Beacon," Doug replied, "I believe they are trying to get Ozpin to let team RAIM into the living quarters."
"Team who," K asked.
"Roman, Adam, Imhotep and Moroni," Carolina said, "They helped us on the Dust raid."
"Who is Roman," Lilith asked, "I don't recall meeting him."
"Neither do I," K said, "Doug get some transport for Lil, I'll head over to Beacon and see what is going on." K morphed into a small dragon form and flew off while thinking to C to meet him at Beacon. He arrived at the same time C did.
"So what's the issue now," C asked as they headed into Beacon proper.
"Apart from Cinder having an entire universe of Sith fueling her power, Project Freelancer under her control and a unknown person teaming up with Adam and friends," K replied flatly, "Not much. How has your day been?"
"It was going well until about three seconds ago," C replied, "how is it that in a few minutes everything seems to fall apart?"
"Well that is what we are going to find out," K said. They wended their way through the streets of Beacon, drawing curious and sometimes scared looks from the students and staff alike. As they approached the central tower K could pick up parts of the conversation that was being held between the various groups that were gathered in Ozpin's office. It didn't sound like they were getting along very well. K flew up and landed on the balcony as he morphed back into his human form.
"K what the blarg," Moroni remarked as K entered the room. Gathered in the office, which was bigger than the conference room on the Pestilence, was RWBY, JNPR, RAIM, Ozpin, Glynda, Bartholomew, Peter, Xarle, Raven, Hawk and Fisher. Ozpin and Roman were pointing their canes at each other while various members of the gathering were trying to reason with the two. "where were you five minutes ago?"
"Enough," K exclaimed. His entrance quieted the arguing for the moment. "Now what seems to be the problem?"
"The problem," Ozpin replied as he glared at Adam, "Is that your friend there has convinced my two best teams that letting Roman onto this campus is a good idea. He tried to blow up the academy!"
"Cinder tried to use me to blow up this academy," Roman corrected, much to Ozpin's displeasure.
"Geez hold a grudge much Professor," Yang commented, "We are the ones who stopped him in the first place, if anyone gets to be mad at him it is me, he shot Ruby!"
"To be fair I've shot all of you," Roman added.
"Dude, not helping," Jaune said.
"Don't call me dude," Roman said.
"Your all acting like children," Glynda scolded. "Legally Roman is in Ruby's custody. Since she can move about freely withing Beacon so can he as long as she stays with him."
"So we have Ruby and Roman wandering the school," Peter said, "Preposterous, he could do any number of villainous things to her."
"My arrows say otherwise," Raven said as she aimed one at Roman.
"Whoa no need for that," Roman said.
"Everyone hold it," C said as she stuck her head in from the balcony, "I know who can help resolve this."
"Who," Bartholomew asked.
"Me," Price said as the captain strolled in with a pot of coffee in his hand.
"Where did..." Weiss stated.
"Roman you're a bloody jerk, Ozpin, man up, Glynda, Peter your right, Roman can go where he likes as long as Ruby is with him," Price stopped his monologue to hand the coffee to Bartholomew, "and Ruby won't be going anywhere with Roman alone, right Scooter?"
"Blarg yeah," Scooter said as he came into the room with a wrench in his hands, "lay your hands on my girl and I will brain you with this wrench." He waved the wrench at Roman for good measure. Ruby tried to hide behind Yang as her face reddened, everyone else backed away from Scooter.
"Your girl," Ozpin remarked.
"Yeah you heard me," Scooter said, "Ruby an me are a thing now, she likes mechanics, I like mechanics, she has an awesome gun I've got an awesome ride. Oh hey that reminds me I was going to ask Ruby out tonight. Hey Ruby where is some place we can get some good chow?"
"Is this really happening," Blake asked.
"I had hopped it would go something like this," Price said.
"Why if Ruby goes with Scooter then Roman would..." Pyrrha said, "Oh right if he isn't here he can't cause problems."
"Th- there is the Fried Fillet down near the docks," Ruby said.
"Well why don't you two go there," K said, "I'll buy, oh but Roman would have to go with you since legally your are responsible for him. RAIM your coming with me, we can get a table for us and leave Ruby and Scooter alone."
"Your not going without me," Yang declared.
"Uh sis," Ruby muttered.
"Yeah why don't you all go to the docks while we figure out where to put Roman," Nora said, "After all we can't just force Ruby out cause she has to babysit."
Ozpin looked at K, K gave him a smirk and Ozpin sighed as he said. "Yes you're right, this is just so sudden, I'll arrange rooms so that you can keep watch on Roman. Price was it, I'll need more coffee before this is over how did you make this brew?"
"Great now there are three coffee enthusiasts in Beacon," Ren said as Price, Ozpin and Bartholomew headed over to the desk at the back of the room.
"I like coffee," Ruby said as she came out from behind Yang.
"Ruby what you call coffee everyone else calls sugar with a little coffee," Weiss said.
"Yeah I accidentally drank one of her mixes once," Jaune said, "I was wired for the next three days."
"You were supposed to drink it with milk," Ruby exclaimed with a wave of her arms, "I told you that ahead of time."
"I like milk," Scooter said.
"Is it always like this," Roman asked.
"Sure is," K said, "I'm K by the way. You and me are going to get very well acquainted."
Thirty minutes later K, C, Roman, Adam, Imhotep and Moroni were sitting at a table, or by a table in C's case, and waiting for their orders. It had taken some convincing from Ruby and Weiss to get the owner, a large portly man by the name of Earl, to allow Roman into his establishment, and C being in her Leviathan form didn't assuage Earl's misgivings about the group. Weiss eventually managed to talk their way in. Now Ruby and Scooter were inside the building while the rest of the team was sitting around the tables on the outside. Yang had chosen a seat where she could keep an unobtrusive eye on Ruby in case anything happened. Weiss and Blake were in a discussion about how Dust might be used to create a teleport field like on the Ark and Sun was annoying Yang with talk about various failed romances.
"So you and Adam have a history," K said drawing Roman's attention.
"Yeah I'd hire him to do some jobs for me from time to time," Roman said, "Most of them I accompanied him on, so we got to know each other."
"So you both really are criminal then," C remarked.
"Yes," Roman and Adam replied, "Just don't go around saying it."
"Your past doesn't concern me," K said, "if that were the case I wouldn't be in Dragon Company. What I am interested in is your future."
"You know I am with you," Adam said.
"What is between you two," Roman asked, "You seem to know each other pretty well."
"I am him," K said with a nod to Adam. "He was our enemy for a while being the worst parts of me fractured off and given form and being. After we defeated him he was placed here as Adam Taurus. It seems to have been beneficial for him."
"Okay not what I was expecting," Roman said, "I was thinking brothers or something."
Imhotep chuckled at that as K went back to questioning Roman. "So you've sided with us, more specifically with Adam here," K remarked as he thanked Earl and paid the man for the food that had been served. K had ordered a flaky white fish that was lightly breaded and fried. It came with a spinach dip, crackers and coffee, A lot of things around here came with coffee. K looked up and asked, "Why?"
"I had twenty different guns aimed at me and that car thing Scooter drives," Roman said, "The sensible course of action was talk long enough to get out of the situation. Turns out Ruby got a hold of mine and Adam's warrants and now she is our custodian."
"How did she do that," C asked.
"Well once she pulled out that scythe-sniper the argument was basically over," Adam explained, "something about an invalid argument."
"Ruby did that," K asked as he looked over to where Ruby and Scooter were sitting. She was throwing a spoonful of ketchup onto the fries Scooter had in his teeth. "You're sure I don't need to have the four of you mentally evaluated or something?"
"For the record I don't recall that," Moroni stated.
"You backstabbing," Imhotep started.
"Okay, Okay, we believe you," C said with a grin. "So after that you were pretty much stuck with them I guess."
"Yeah Hawk and Fisher had a time with us," Roman said, "Though they inadvertently saved us from the wild driving of a flying car by a sixteen year old girl..."
"Was Gaige driving the Kodiak again," K said, "I told Ax not to... never mind. Roman, I think you've got the heart to be in DC. Blarg, if I do then just about anyone could. A few things to note, one read this and decide your thoughts on it, two as you may have noticed we work with some very... C how should I put it?"
"Odd," C said.
"Aye odd," K continued, "Characters. Three we don't judge anyone based on their past only what they've done once joining up, that goes for new members too."
Roman took the book K had slid to him giving K an odd look, "But He is a myth, right?"
"Oh Roman He is very real," K replied, "I am His murderer."
"But you work with Him now right," Roman continued, "If He is real then..."
"Read that collection and see for yourself," K said, "He forgave me, that says a lot about the rest of creation."
Roman looked like he was going to say something else but their conversation was interrupted by Yang shouting, "Yeah sis way to go!"
Her exclamation was followed by the clattering of chairs and silverware and Ruby shouting back, "Yang!"
"What was that about," Imhotep asked.
"Ruby and Scooter just kissed," Weiss informed them, "Then fell out of their chairs when Yang shouted."
"Wait you want Ruby and Scooter to hook up," C asked Yang.
"Yeah It's better than her getting stuck with some young jerk who will only break her heart," Yang said.
"Hey I'm not a jerk," Sun said.
"No but you're with Blake," Yang pointed out, "Besides he seems like a nice guy."
"Uh Yang," Moroni said, "Before we came along he was addicted to porn mags and his mother has been married five times now."
Yang's jaw dropped, then she got all fiery and stormed towards the door. K was going to intervene but Ruby ran into her sister at the door and the two fell over. Scooter went to help them up and almost got punched by Yang.
"Yang what are you doing," Ruby exclaimed.
"Keeping you safe," Yang replied.
"What safe from me," Scooter said.
"Yes you," Yang replied, "you perverted little..."
"Yang I already know about his past," Ruby said, "we moved past that two weeks ago when we drew up the plans for a digi-structed Rose mobile."
"I can't change my past," Scooter said, "But I ain't going to let it mess up the good thing I've got now either, especially not if it hurts Ruby."
K and the rest returned to their meals as the conversation behind them became increasingly civil and Yang got less fiery. "I take it you guys can't go five minutes without a dramatic event happening," Roman said.
"Unless you hang around Grif he just eats most of the time," C said. Just then, as if fate itself was messing with K, screaming from the city caught their attention as people fled towards the shore.
"Oh man run," Grif yelled as he, Simmons, Doughnut and Sarge went running past.
"What the," Moroni stated.
Then Nora went driving past them in a Warthog with Agent Main on the turret, he was shooting behind them at something. Pyrrha and Carolina drove past on a Mongoose, Pyrrha firing Milo in the same direction that Main was shooting. K was out of his seat and running over to the DC members as were the rest of the group from the restaurant. Jaune and Tucker skidded across the road after being knocked back from the attacker. Ren and Wyoming were running across the tops of the buildings to get away from the attacker. As K rounded the corner he saw this unknown aggressor. It was a distorted convergence of man and machine. At eight feet tall the cyborg was covered in a flexible exoskeleton of metal leaving nothing visible of the person that controlled it. It's hands were clamps that were bearing two large cannons. Arizona was currently keeping the cannons aimed into the sky but the more than twice as tall Spartan seemed unable to do any more to the much smaller warrior.
"Oh shit," Roman said as he slid to a stop beside K, "She managed to pull it off."
"What is it," K asked.
"A human mind inside a Dust metal body," Roman said, "Cinder had been trying to perfect the technique to use on herself, make her immortal and invincible."
The cyborg let go of the cannons and uppercut Arizona sending the Spartan flying towards K and Roman. K knocked Roman out of the way as he morphed into his Half-form and caught Arizona. He set her down and turned to face the attacker. It had disappeared.
"Roman you can't stop us," came a voice.
"Marcus," Roman hissed, "I'm coming for you."
"Oh are you," Marcus replied, "That didn't work out so well for Lenard Church, the former Director of my new Project Freelancer is dead. He gave all he had to try and stop us and he failed your group will fall as well."
"You killed him didn't you," Carolina said.
"And I enjoyed it," Marcus' voice replied, "The old fool kept ranting at the end, 'she will redeem me, she will redeem me,' it was pathetic. Goodbye."
The cyborg slammed into K from the side, knocking him into an adjacent building. K picked himself up to see the cyborg engaging C. It's attacks were far less effective against her due to her crystal bones and wings, either deflecting or absorbing the blows and converting the kinetic force into energy that C used to counterattack. Roman, Ruby, and Wyoming were firing at the cyborg, K was about to reengage when Jackson came out of nowhere and sliced the arms right off the cyborg with his katana. These openings started bleeding as the human side of this abomination was injured. Then a fireball shot past them and hit the cyborg in the opening causing the man inside to light on fire. K flinched as the inhuman robotic screech sounded from the cyborg as it burned. He saw Scooter put his hands over Ruby's ears and even Main took his helmet off to cover his ears. The screaming died down as the cyborg died and fell to the ground.
"Looks like this was a test," Imhotep remarked as the DC members gathered around the corpse.
"Or getting rid of a prototype," Roman commented.
"Hey guys," Hags said as he and Preston walked up, "What was in that thing?"
K dissolved the faceplate of the cyborg to reveal a face that was once... Faunus? The goat horns were impossible to miss even despite the burnt flesh and wire face.
"My God," Blake whispered, "She is testing on the White Fang."
"I'll admit I don't like them," Weiss said, "but this is, demonic."
"It's exactly that," K said as he rose, "Adam, Roman get us everything you have on Cinder Fall, RWBY, stay with them. JNPR team up with Shepard, Spartans stay with RWBY, Doug tell Lil to have her team guard Hawk and Fisher. C lets go see Ozpin. Everyone meet us at Beacon when you've grouped up and have gotten that info."
"On it," Adam said.
"Did he have to die like that," Ruby asked. Her eyes were filled with sorrow for the suffering of the cyborg as she looked at him. K didn't have an answer. Instead he just reached down, dissolved the body and walked away towards Beacon. C followed soon after.
Character Haggard
"What do you mean did he have to die like that," Haggard asked Ruby as she watched K walk off, "That was awesome!"
"That was cruel," Ruby replied, "If you could cut his arms off why not just take his head off?"
"Because I'm not that tall," Jackson said, "I could get the arms with downward strikes but if I had gone for the head I would have had to make the cut at an angle and that could have bounced off the armor."
"I guess your right," Ruby conceded, "So how sharp is that sword anyways, that armor was deflecting our bullets."
"Sharp enough," Jackson replied.
"Ruby we need to head to the lower merchant district," Roman said, "I have a safe house there filled with documents on Cinder, Cleo and Marcus."
"I've got a much better idea," Weiss said, "The Schnee company has kept detailed records of all our stolen or missing shipments, most of which were taken by Cinder."
"And I'm sure that is great Princess," Roman said, "But I actually have documentation of her whereabouts and personality."
"Which will be helpful I'm sure," Weiss replied, "But if we could use those records along with Schnee records to find one of her information store-houses that would be better than both of our records."
"The little lady would make a good criminal," Adam remarked.
"I was expected to run a corporation," Weiss replied, "I picked up a few things. Information mining being one of them."
"I usually just blow up stuff to find out what I want," Hags said.
"Yeah and usually get us into trouble," Preston said.
"Why don't we head to the lower district while you contact your records people," Blake said.
"Good idea," Sun said, "Roman show us this safe house."
On the way Weiss called up the records department of her company. Hags got parts of the conversation, but most of it was blocked out by Ruby and Yang arguing about Scooter. He looked at Preston who shrugged back at him. Hags had to admit that wandering the streets with these girls was certainly more entertaining than watching Red and Sweets play ping pong. Especially since he got to incinerate something. Fire and explosions always made the day better.
"Father it is important," Weiss said, "No I don't know when I will be back... We are trying to track down Cinder Fall. The ship is friendly it is what we came back on... It's a long story. Can I just get the records sent to my scroll? Thank you, Love you too and Mother. Bye."
"He was in a good mood then," Yang commented, taking a break from grilling Ruby and Scooter about what they do in the machine shop at late hours of the night.
"Very actually," Weiss replied, "I think he was just happy to know that I am okay."
"Oh my gosh Dad," Ruby exclaimed, "We never told him we were back."
"Or Qrow," Yang said, "you should probably call them."
Hags elbowed Preston and presented his fist to him. Preston nodded and the two started rock, paper, scissors. It was mainly to pass the time while their group finished up with family business and such but after the third game Roman had them turn into an ally that ran between two sheds, he keyed a code into one of the sheds and slid the door up to let them in.
"We're here," Roman said once they were all inside. He closed the door and led them to a large, metal shipping crate in the back corner of the room. He opened the lock on it with a key and led them through it to a set of stairs that brought them out in an unused office complex. "Home sweet home." There were tables and boxes and crates scattered throughout the building but the room that Roman led them to was filled with filing cabinets. "Here we are, all the info I have on Cinder and her operations."
"I've got the Schnee records pulled up," Weiss announced as she selected a document on her scroll to bring to full size.
"Here," Adam said as he plopped a pile of records in front of Hags and Preston, "You two know how to fight pull any information from here that you would use to discover the location of a store-house."
"That is a pretty big stack," Hags said as he looked at the pile of papers, "Rock, paper scissors for it?"
"Sure," Adam replied. "One two three go," He beat both Hags and Preston.
"Blarg," They said as they dove into the pile of papers. Everyone was shifting through Roman's records except Weiss, who was looking through the Schnee records, and Ruby, who was still updating her dad on what had happened to her and Yang. In fact Ruby's conversation was the only noise that could be heard in the building other than the shifting of papers.
"And I met this really nice dragon pair, Spyro and Cynder, they flew us around while we were helping Fenix retake his planet. Then there is K, we rode on him through space, that was really cool, and I met this guy, Scooter, he is just so cute, and he likes weapons and mechanics, engineering and such. Oh do you know where my Weapons magazines are I'd love to show them to him. Is Qrow there, if he is tell him we are safe, we're on Cinder's trail right now actually so I should probably get going and help look through these papers... Dad? Dad!"
"Ruby what is it," Yang asked as she left her and Blake's stack of papers to go to her sister. "Oh no."
"What happened," Adam asked as he and Moroni looked over to them.
"Something happened to Dad," Ruby exclaimed as tears started forming in her eyes, "He was talking then there was this clunk and scraping then nothing."
"We'll go see what happened," Scooter said.
"I think he's been kidnapped," Yang said.
"Give me that," Roman said as he took the scroll that Ruby had been using to talk to her Dad on. "Lets see here, the call is still active so I can..."
"Run a retrace on it," Weiss said as she handed him a little device that Roman plugged into the scroll.
"Thank you," Roman said, "Lets see, it looks like the White Fang traced this call and were able to locate your father. Now their trace was run from... a building just a few blocks from here. That will be where they are taking him."
"Lets go," Jackson said as he drew his katana. "Anyone screws with DC and they are screwing with me."
"Yeah you and me we were two of the first members," Hags added, "Lets show these guys what we can do." His statement was punctuated with the shin-chik of Crescent Rose opening. Ruby had gone from tears to fury in a few seconds. Yang was burning, Weiss had charged Myrtenaster and Blake had Gambol Shroud in her hand.
"Roman show us," Adam said as he drew Wilt in a fluid, silent motion. Hags charged the Pyro while Preston checked his AA-12 and nodded. Roman led the group out of the building to the roof. They ran across three more buildings and jumped to a forth. Weiss quickly picked the lock on the door, where the Heiress learned to do that was a mystery to Hags but he wasn't going to complain. He and Preston headed in first with Ruby and Yang behind them.
"They will probably be set up in the basement," Roman whispered, "Yang, Ruby where did your father live?"
"In an apartment on Fall Road," Yang said.
"Then they will not have gotten him here yet," Blake said, "We were only a block away, they would have been seven."
"Cars then," Jackson said, "We can listen for them and intercept them."
"We should have two groups," Weiss said, "One to go clear the basement and one to block the escape of the strike team."
"We are going to help get the team," Yang said, "They have Dad."
"Right," Ruby added.
"We can go clear the hole," Hags said, "We're good at that."
"I'm with you guys," Jackson said.
"As am I," Sun added.
"Be careful," Blake said.
"You be careful," Sun replied.
"Go," Roman said, "Clear the basement before the other team gets here."
Hags led the four down into the basement. There were six men with gray helmets, white shirts with a red wolf on the back and black pants and shoes. Two of them had guns the others had swords.
"Gun men," Sun whispered as they ducked back up the stairs, "Great."
"Not a problem," Hags replied, "Preston see if you can sneak around to the left, I'll Pyro the gun men."
"On it," Preston said. He then commenced to sneak from the stairwell to behind a couch then a chalk board and get right behind two of the swordsmen. He gave the thumbs up to Hags who fired the Pyro with a whoosh. The fire ball took out the gunmen in one go, Preston's AA-12 made short work of the swordsmen near him, Sun and Jackson finished off the remaining members. They then searched for hidden entrances or tunnels into the room and, after finding none, reported to Yang that the basement was clear.
"Good," Yang said, "You four stay down there and let the rest of theses kidnappers start down the stairs before you engage them just don't hit our Dad."
"How will we be able to tell him apart," Hags asked.
"He won't be wearing one of those white jackets," Blake replied.
"We'll need precision," Jackson said as he tossed a .357 Magnum to Hags, "The Pyro won't be useful in this situation."
"Yang car," Adam hissed from back up the stairs.
"Coming," Yang replied as she and Blake ran back up to where the rest were hiding. After a moment Hags heard a car pull up outside and shut off. The shutting of four doors followed and nine sets of footprints started falling on the floor above them. Hags checked the revolver and aimed down the sights. The footfalls moved to the stairs and voices started to become clear.
"Half a million Lien for this guy," a man said, "How bad does the boss want these kids?"
The first two goons came into view and stopped. "Hey where is everyone?"
"Take the hostage and check the basement, we'll go see to the upstairs."
Four White Fang continued down the stairs with a man tied up between them. He had blond hair, an angular face with prominent cheeks and chin, blue eyes, and a generally strong build to his body. Jackson edged around behind the five men with Sun, Preston had drawn his pistol and was reading to take a shot that would drop the left guard.
"Hey we got a body here," one yelled as he checked behind the couch, "Kill the hostage."
Haggard came out from behind the bar at the end of the room and shot the man who had pulled a gun on the hostage. Preston took out the man who had sounded the alarm and Jackson and Sun had taken out the other two. Upstairs the sound of fighting was heard briefly before Ruby and Yang came running down the stairs. Hags helped untie the man who had been captured and as soon as he had been freed was then crushed in a hug from Ruby and Yang.
"Ruby, Yang, how did I know you would be behind this," he said as he returned the hug.
"We had help," Ruby said as she smiled at Hags and group.
"These are all friends of yours," he asked, "Well I must say it is good to meet you I am Lao Long."
"Haggard," Hags said as he shook Lao's hand, "Nice to save you."
"Nice to be rescued," Lao replied, "To be honest I didn't like the idea of four on one."
"Did you get him," Adam asked as he and the rest came down the stairs, "Ah good."
"How many of you..." Lao began as he turned around, "Adam Taurus, Roman Torchwick? Girls what have you gotten into?"
"Um yeah they are helping us track down Cinder Fall," Yang said, "Its a little hard to explain..."
"No it ain't," Scooter interjected, "Ruby convinced those police types to give Roman and Adam into her custody and now they are with DC, well Adam already was but now he is you know whatever. I'm Scooter by the way, so your Ruby's Dad huh, that's cool."
"Wait you're Scooter," Lao remarked, "I had thought you would be younger. And Ruby, you have custody for these two?"
"Yeah," Ruby replied before silence befell the group.
"That... is impressive," Lao said causing Ruby and Yang to sigh in relief. "What brings all of you here though, other than Cinder. I can tell that at least one of you is not from this world."
"Most of us aren't from here," Imhotep said as they headed back upstairs.
"Most," Hags said, "More like almost all of us."
"We get the idea," Weiss said, "So, Lao other than tonight how have you been?"
"Well thank you Weiss," Lao replied, "You all got back just recently I take it?"
"Today in fact," Sun said.
"Yeah the Pestilence entered orbit only twelve hours ago," Hags said, "Since then we've all been run ragged trying to take this Cinder lady out before she summons some super magic something or nother, or enslaves everyone or whatnot. I forget which of our enemies are trying to do what."
"You've got that many," Lao commented, "Seems you've recruited most of the powerful elements on Remnant."
"Yeah and brought several of our own," Preston said.
"I'm glad to hear it," Lao said, "I don't suppose it would be possible for me to stay with you all for a while, my apartment it seems is not safe."
"Sure," Ruby said, "Ozpin was arranging for that anyways."
"What the Headmaster was arranging for me," Lao said.
"Well he was arranging for Adam and Roman but we can add you easily enough," Yang said.
"Ah you don't have to put any extra burden on the old man," Hags said, "You can stay with us, we've already got a room at Beacon and I sleep on the couch anyways. We should be just a level below RWBY anyway."
"I normally wouldn't impose," Lao said, "But in this case I think I will accept that offer."
"Yeah Dad is coming to Beacon with us," Ruby exclaimed, "Hey if they went after you do you think Qrow is in danger?"
"I doubt that." Lao said, "Your Uncle is a very talented man. Hmm... car is locked, I guess we will have to walk."
"We've got that covered," Scooter said as his armor transformed into the truck form. Additionally Weiss unlocked the car allowing for them all to drive to the nearest transit station to Beacon. When they arrived at the school Ruby and Yang hugged their Dad goodnight and their team headed upstairs. Hags and Preston waved to Jackson who headed towards 141's quarters before showing Lao to their room. Inside Redford and Sweetwater were still playing ping pong.
"Hey guys what's the score," Preston said.
"A hundred forty two to a hundred forty three," Red replied, "Who's the new guy?"
"He's perceptive," Lao commented, "I'm Lao Long, Yang and Ruby's father, your team here helped rescue me from the White Fang and offered me a bunk with you all for the night until I can make for safer living arrangements."
The ping pong ball bounced off the table as the playing came to a dead stop. "Well blarg me," Sweets said, "Your those two's Dad?"
"I am," Lao answered, "Who are you two?"
"Oh sorry," Hags said, "That is Sweetwater and the other is Redford, he is our Sergeant."
"Good to meet you," Red said, "Welcome to Bad Company."
Lao looked at them, "Is that really your designation?"
"Not the official one no," Red replied, "But it is our designation."
"A hundred and forty three," Lao stated, "Who's score was that?"
"Mine," Sweets said.
"Well lets see if you can beat it," Lao remarked as he picked up a paddle, "Haggard would you be my second?"
"Sure will," Hags replied as he picked up another paddle.
"I'm sitting this out," Red said, "Preston your up."
"Sir," Preston said as he got the last paddle.
"Who serves," Sweets asked.
"Rock, paper scissors," Hags challenged.
"Oh its on," Preston said as they hunkered down for another game.
Character Ruby Rose
Horror was the first emotion she felt as her Dad stumbled into the cafeteria with Bad Co. and plopped down next to her and Yang. That was soon replaced with humor as he mumbled through sleep deprived vocal cords, "We. Won." He and Hags low-fived on the table as Redford brought the two some coffee.
"What happened to you guys," Ruby asked, "Where is Preston and Sweets?"
"Those four spent all night playing ping-pong," Red answered, "The losing team is sleeping off their shame."
"No shame in loosing to the best," Hags said through his coffee mug, "man this is some strong stuff."
Ruby couldn't help it she had to laugh, as did Yang and Sun. Blake and Weiss just rolled their eyes at the two tired men and went back to eating their ham and eggs.
"Hey Ruby," Scooter called as he walked up to the group, "Whoa what did you two do, pull an all nighter?"
"Five hundred point ping-pong match," Lao answered, "Yeah it was an all night event."
"I knew it," Scooter said, "I knew Ruby had to have a cool Dad."
"He's my dad too," Yang remarked.
"Well yeah what I meant was... I er... please don't hit me," Scooter said as he backed away from Yang.
"Don't fret about it," Yang said as she tousled her hair, "Besides you and me would never have worked out."
"Scooter how old are you," Lao asked. Ruby tried to hid in her hood at that question but it didn't seem big enough for her to crawl into.
"I'm twenty-nine," Scooter replied, "Why?"
Lao almost choked on his coffee, "Ten years older?"
"Yes Dad," Ruby said in response to the undirected question.
"Hey ten years ain't bad," Scooter said in his defense, "Seeing as DC members are immortal anyways."
"Immortal," Lao managed to say while he coughed on the coffee.
"Yeah we were going to get to that," Yang said, "See K is a Leviathan and most of his race are within DC and anyone that joins up becomes immortal due to their proximity to them."
"So that is how he can get all dragony," Roman said as he and Adam joined them at the table.
"You two look tired," Adam remarked as he ate a bagel, "Ping-pong night?"
"Blarg... you," Hags said as he guzzled more coffee and the conversation died down. Scooter sat down across from Ruby and beside Weiss.
"Last night I was in the garage," Scooter started, "An I was thinking the Rose Mobile should have a totally original weapon for it. Yeah we've got saw blade launchers and barrel catapults and machine guns and stuff. But I was sitting there you know putting roses here and there, thinking of you, when I got poked by one of them thorns. That got me thinking, why don't we make the gun shoot giant thorns made out of metal and digi-structed within two barrels." Scooter had gotten up on the bench and was trying to air draw his idea causing Weiss to glare at him.
"He really is into engineering as much as you," Lao remarked as the caffeine started to take effect.
"Knowing how to make stuff is useful," Ruby said, "and fun and exciting and challenging an awoah you know?"
"Ah Ruby stop waving your arms around," Yang said, "you almost hit me."
"Oh sorry," Ruby said, "I like the idea though, when do you think we can build it?"
"Well I'd say today but we should probably help your Dad get stuff from his house and such," Scooter replied as he sat back down.
"There isn't much that I would need to get," Lao said, "Just Vertigo, if that fell into the wrong hands well they probably couldn't use it anyways. Still I would like to have it."
"What is Vertigo," Blake asked.
"Well Yang has Ember Celica, I have Crescent Rose, Dad has Vertigo," Ruby replied, "It would be easier to show you than to tell you what it is."
"Hey I can drive you to wherever you need," Scooter said as he digi-structed his armor.
"So that is where you put your armor," Hags remarked.
"Why do I get the feeling that you just invited over a bunch of your friends," Lao said as he rubbed Ruby's hair.
"Ah Dad," Ruby stated as she playfully knocked his hand away. Thirty minutes later they were outside the brown, brick building that Ruby and Yang called home. Or had called home before they went to Signal and then to Beacon and now were with DC. It gave Ruby a warm feeling though to see it virtually unchanged. There was a police line out front today though and Joel was busy taking statements from the residents. Ruby recognized one of the people out front as the tenant from across the hall, Ms. Chandler. When Ruby was younger Ms. Chandler was like the grandmother she never had. Ruby ran over to the elderly woman.
"Why dear me, Ruby is that you," Ms. Chandler exclaimed, "Last I heard from your father was that you and your team had gone missing. Poor man, he was so worried about you and now he's turned up missing."
"Not exactly," Lao said as he and Yang joined Ruby. "I'm fine Julie just had to go see my girls is all."
"Oh it is good to know you were not home last night," Ms. Chandler said, "I just got back this morning but from what the young officer says your place was busted into, nothing taken but if you were home I would have hated to hear you had been hurt, especially considering what a state that would have put Ruby and Yang in. Don't think I've forgotten about you young lady, I looked after you when you were young too. Though I never remember supporting such flamboyant dress, my word."
"It's good to see you too," Yang said as she waved the rest of the team, Blake, Weiss, Sun, Adam, Roman and Scooter over, "No I guess I take after Dad. These are our friends, Weiss and Blake we've told you about, then there is Sun, Adam, Roman and Scooter."
"Roman that is a dangerous name to have," Chandler said as she nodded to them, "Might get confused with that Torchwick character, wouldn't want a friend of Ruby and Yang to get arrested for having the name of a criminal.
"Uh right," Roman said, "Lao didn't we come here to get something?"
"Of course," Lao said, "Good day Julie, I should go see that everything is in order since my apartment was invaded."
"Oh of course," Chandler replied, "How silly of me, here I was gabbing with you needing to go check on you home, run along then dear."
They left Ms. Chandler as she went back into town while the police finished up at the apartment building. Lao led them over to Joel who had just finished taking the statement of another tenant of the apartment.
"Hold it no one," Joel started as he looked up from his scroll, "Oh Mr. Long, our report said you were kidnapped."
"Was yes," Lao replied, "Yang, Ruby and their friends came to get me though."
"Your welcome," Roman added.
"What I'm supposed to believe that you helped," Joel remarked, "Doesn't matter. Mr. Long I need you to come with me to make sure that nothing was taken from your place, other than you that is."
Ruby pointed out all the things she remembered about the building to Scooter as they made their way to the apartment.
"When I heard that you lived in an apartment I was thinking something small," Scooter remarked as they walked into the flat. "This place is huge."
Indeed the apartment was large with a full sized kitchen, living room, dinning room two bed rooms, one still decorated with Ruby and Yang's stuff, a full bath room and a converted walk in closet that was now the armory where Vertigo was kept. Lao went into the armory as Ruby and Yang showed Joel around and verified that all that they remembered being in the home was still there.
"Ok that seems to cover most everything," Joel said after the inspection, "Only need to check the closet there... what is that?"
Looking towards the closet Ruby smiled as her Dad came out with Vertigo on. Vertigo was their pet project as a family, with sections of it inspired from Ruby, Yang and Lao. It was mostly finished when Ruby and Yang headed to Beacon but now it was operational and Ruby thought it looked glorious. The basic design was like Yang's Ember Celica, large gauntlets that were the platform for the weapon itself. The weapon was two spear heads that could extend prongs to lock themselves into whatever they struck. These spear heads were linked to the gauntlet part with hyper-tension, carbon-Dust cables that were kept on a quick wind and release spool that was on a backpack which connected to the gloves via shoulder plates. The spears were launched through a dual magnetic coil system built into the gloves. It was also painted red, yellow and silver which made Ruby think it was super awesome looking.
"This is Vertigo," Lao said, "Our family project for the past several years, this will be the first time I've tested it."
"Right, I'll just mark it as other," Joel said, "We don't have a check box for death machines."
"That is sweet," Scooter remarked.
"Impressive," Roman added.
"That was rhetorical," Weiss said, "Ruby close your mouth you look brain addled."
Ruby quickly closed her mouth, she hadn't realized she had been staring at Vertigo so intently.
"That finishes up my report," Joel said, "Have a good day. Now I've got to head out to see about a collapsed building from yesterday."
RWBY looked at each other as they all thought, "K did it." Joel left them in the apartment as he mumbled into his radio about heading to the wharfs.
"Collapsed building," Lao remarked as he caught the look on their faces, "Don't guess I should ask?"
"Probably not," Yang said, "Now that we've got Vertigo we should see what K has planned for today. Yesterday we brought him info on Cinder, between him and Doug I'm sure they've got something to go on."
"We are quite certain that Cinder is massing her forces in Menagerie," Bartholomew said an hour later while they were gathered in the large demonstration theater. "Now this was originally going to be use to contain the Fanus so most of it was left wilderness." He stopped to take a drink of coffee before continuing, "However according to the plots of missing freighters that have traversed the ocean around Menagerie we determined that Cinder has a base here, near the south end of the island." The hyperactive professor pointed to the spot with his coffee pot. "This area was one of the few ports that were used for the relocation of the Fanus during the war and was abandoned after the conflict was over. Considering the technology that Cinder apparently has access to we can expect the infrastructure of the area to be very developed, K is currently retrieving an orbital scan of the area to give us more information."
"The Schnee Corporation has managed to recover several black boxes from our freighters that were lost in the area," Weiss said as she slid an image from her scroll to the main screen. "As you can see each disappearance happened only five or six minutes after these several boxes were sent overboard. Each one recounts the same data..." A horrific screech sounded then the voices of men could be heard, scrolling across the screen was a display of the speed of the ship and the fuel it had remaining. Both the speed and fuel declined at an alarming rate once the sound had silenced. Then the box was cut from the input and tossed overboard. The screen went back to the map with the points where the ships vanished were located.
"Why does the speed drop as fast as the fuel," Blake asked, "It should still retain its speed until it is out of Dust and even then it would drift on the acceleration that it had for a while."
"Yeah it's like the ship is being stopped by something," Sun added.
"That is exactly what is happening," K said as he walked onto the stage, "Cinder must have a very powerful tractor beam established somewhere on the island or on a very well cloaked ship of some kind. It would have to be powerful enough to pull a freighter back to it while also pulling the Dust from the ship's fuel cells, a beam that strong would require an enormous amount of energy. We are looking at a complex the size of the Pestilence or larger."
"How about a ship twice as large and able to hide underwater," Rodger said.
"You think the Mother is here," Carolina asked the former resistance leader.
"You don't," CT replied.
"The what," Ruby asked.
"The Mother of Invention," Tex said as she hopped up on the stage. A diagram of a massive ship came up on the screen. "The home of Project Freelancer. This ship was both government and privately funded it literally has its own army, and I mean an army, MAC guns, frigates, Long-swords, Pelicans, tanks, and a crew of a hundred thousand fully trained solders. And that was last time I was on it."
"What's a MAC gun," Ruby whispered to Wash who was standing next to her and Blake.
"Mass accelerator cannon," Wash replied, "Sends super dense particles out at near light speed, that much force decimates anything in its way."
"Whoa," Ruby muttered as K took the stage again.
"The scans of the island didn't reveal any structures that could generate the energy needed to create such a powerful beam," K said, "If this ship is as impressive as you say then it could definitely be set up to create a tractor beam. The Sith would be able to construct one with no problem. Weiss when did these freighters start vanishing?"
"About three months ago," Weiss replied, "Right before we started trying to track Cinder down."
"Doug get the Doctor on the line," K said.
"Oh no another head conversation," Sun remarked. They had started referring to K's mental communication with the other members as head talking and the phrase was catching on.
"Yes nothing like hearing one side of a conversation," Wyoming added.
"Doctor hey I need you to run a time differential regression pattern on the time between our first visit to Kirkwall and our last one," K said. "Okay great now compare that to a differential of right now on Remnant and three months ago... well blarg same distance huh. Doctor how would you find a giant, cloaked, submerged spaceship? Hmm we'll try that, later."
"Well," Ruby asked, "What was that about?"
"Carolina how long ago was it when the Freelances fell apart," K asked ignoring Ruby's question but giving her a nod to acknowledge that he hear her.
"Year 2625," Main answered, "I remember that day very well."
"Cortana what year is it in your time line now," K asked.
"2645," Cortana answered, "You think the passage of time between these universes is the same?"
"Between Marion's and yours yes," K replied, "Twenty years passed for the Sith on Kirkwall, twenty years for the remainder of Project Freelancer. Three months ago both found a way here due to Cinder Fall messing with Dust and the fabric of creation by drawing assistance from Azmodan and Belial. Once the Director was replaced, these three factions were enough to form a Magog of their own, but instead of it manifesting itself as normal it flowed backwards through time and built its power drawing others to it. Carolina I would assume that it was the Magog that stopped you from reaching the Director the first time. It is this built up power that Cinder can use because the Magog has possessed her, she is now under its control instead of her controlling it."
"So we couldn't kill her on Thedas because she was not really there," Pyrrha stated, "It was just an illusion... but with that much power?"
"Not power as you are thinking of it," K said, "The Magog has power that you give it, Cinder gave it enough to control her, last time we gave it enough to stop all except four of us. This time we give it nothing, walking through another dimension to get to it and kill it."
"Is there a way of not killing Cinder with it," Ruby asked.
"That bitch dying is a good thing," Roman snapped. Ruby punched him for wanting to kill another person, Yang punched him for cursing with Ruby around.
"It may not be possible to help it," K said. "It depends on if she is willing to fight the Magog that she built."
"Then we convince her to do that," Ruby said.
"Yeah but how do we do that," Cardin asked.
"We would need more information," Ozpin said, "From what I gather if we could get an idea of how and why this Magog was formed then we could argue its validity and thus its existence. Marcus and Cleo would be good targets for that information as are you Roman."
"You have all my records," Roman said, "JNPR already helped bring them here."
"Yes but you actually know Cinder," Ruby said, "Willing or not you were her partner and knew what she was doing. Is there anything you remember her saying or doing especially starting three months ago?"
"There are tons of things I remember her doing, threatening me, forcing the White Fang on me again, demanding ridiculous heists and shipments," Roman replied, "Though I must admit some of those were odd even for her, like the knights that Adam procured. There was one job, she wanted a sample of all the metals in the world, don't know what for."
"Much of Sith technology is based on metals and droids," K said.
"Project Freelancer uses metal in substantial quantities as well," York added, "She was probably trying to see what natural metals came the closest to the ones that were already being used."
"That is good," K said, "Then the Doctor's idea might work, we look for metal that is not native to Remnant and we will find the ship."
"Then we can get Marcus to tell us about Cinder and this Magog," Ren said, "Today is going to be busy."
"Give me a second," Cortana said as she put her hand to her forehead, "Oh that's bad. Doug get the Pestilence out of here the Mother of Invention is lining up a MAC shot at it!"
"Don't you worry about that," Arya replied over the comms, "We've got a shield up around the ship."
"MAC blasts don't care about shields," Carolina yelled, "Get out of there."
"They are lined up you've got five seconds before the Pestilence is dust," Cortana shouted.
"It's not a MAC round," Starkiller said, "It's the new Death Star, the blast takes a minute to charge, that leaves us thirty seconds."
"Doug," K said.
"Acceleration at thirty percent and climbing," Doug said.
"Star, this beam is like your sabers right," Ruby asked.
"Yes but much more powerful," Star replied.
"K get me between the beam and the Pestilence," Ruby said as she ran and jumped onto his back while still in human form. K nodded and dashed outside as he morphed and launched into the air. From behind them Ruby could hear Yang, Lao, and Scooter yelling at her to get back down there.
"Are you sure about this," K asked as they got to the spot Cortana located for them on Ruby's omni-tool.
"If I'm not then thousands of people will die," Ruby said, "Besides if I can block a light-saber this shouldn't be much harder." Then from the ocean to the south a green beam slammed into her, knocking Ruby from K's back. The concussive force knocked the breath from her lungs but the devastating raw power of the beam was being dispersed by her Aura. The power suspended Ruby in the air for the five seconds that the beam fired then K caught her once she started to fall once the beam powered off.
"Ruby," K asked, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine just a little winded," Ruby said, "And now we know where the ship is."
"You're glowing silver," K added. Ruby looked at herself and saw that K was right, she was pulsing with a sliver light, the manifestation of her Aura.
"Wow I've never seen my Aura before," Ruby remarked as the glow faded, "I wonder what it means?"
"The Pestilence is away," Doug said over the radio/omni channel, "K how did you stop the beam?"
"I didn't," K replied.
"Someone did," Doug said.
"Yup, someone did," Ruby said over the omni-tool.
"Thank God, sis you did it," Yang replied over the same channel.
"What the crap did the new chick just absorb a death beam," Jayne remarked over the radio, "I should have recorded that."
"But there was no explosion," Mr. Torgue remarked.
"K to DC all ships maximum alert," K said through Ruby's omni-tool, "Everyone report in."
"This is the Infinity," Del Rio said, "Battle ready."
"Pillar II standing by," Jack said.
"Pestilence online, Ark online," Doug reported.
"The Serenity is ready to fly," Mal said.
"Explosions!" Mr. Torgue yelled.
"The Hunter standing by," Roland said, "Lets go get this ship."
"Normandy here," Shepard stated.
"This is Harbinger reporting," The massive Reaper cruised by them and headed for the ocean where the laser came from.
"How did he get here," Ruby asked.
"I'm in them all," K said, "Where I am they can be too. It is not a two way trip though and the rest of his kind are needed in Shepard's universe."
"I'd like to go there sometime," Ruby remarked as she watched the majestic metal creature dive into the water like it belonged there just as much as it did in the sky.
"Oh I'm sure we will get back to that universe eventually," K said as they landed, "Alright everyone Harbinger has already made the first move so lets go give him some backup."
Ruby got off of K only to get crushed in a three way hug between Yang, Scooter and Lao.
"Don't go doing crazy stunts like that," Scooter said.
"You saved the Pestilence," Lao added, "I'm truly lost for words."
"I'm so glad your okay," Yang said.
Once Ruby was released from the hug she saw Weiss, Blake and Sun head over to her with JNPR, CRDL, Penny and Velvet following them. The rest of the assembled members, the Spartans, RAIM, Bad Co., Star, Qui-gon, Ozpin, Goodwitch, Oobleck and Port, the Primes, Hawk and Fisher, and Xarle and Blood-Raven, were all looking at her with a mix of respect and awe. She looked back to K who was still talking through Doug to the other ships. He noticed her looking at him and smiled at her. That smile was confusing for Ruby, it was a sad smile but it also conveyed an overwhelming sense of joy. In the same instance that it flashed across K's face it was gone as he returned to the business of leading DC. Ruby turned back around as a hand was placed on her shoulder, it was Weiss.
"Ruby I've never seen anyone do something like that," Weiss said as she returned her arm to its usual, crossed arms, position. "We barely know these people and here you are risking your life for them."
"That's what we do," Ruby replied, "We are Huntresses."
"Yes but next time you decide to jump in front of something incredibly dangerous try and give us fare warning," Blake added, "Your Aura may be almost unbreakable but we are a team and as your team we would like to be able to help."
"I wouldn't want any of you to get hurt," Ruby countered.
"We're Huntresses," Yang retorted, "its what we do."
"It seems to be more of what we do," Jaune said as JNPR gathered around RWBY, "Ren and I are always getting smashed into walls or stuck in trees or blown up or slung across chasms."
Ruby laughed at that, it was true the two guys were always being knocked around.
"Alright everyone," K said over the din of voices talking about Ruby. She was glad K quieted the room, being the topic of conversation always embarrassed her. "Roland is going to fly by with The Hunter to pick us up and take us to the Invention, everyone who is coming head to the airfield out front."
Ruby led the charge to the airfield, even Bartholomew was going with them. The large H-shaped ship came into view overhead and a transport flew down to pick them up.
"Hey we can probably build the Rose Mobil while we travel," Scooter said, "I've got my full set up in here should only take a few minutes."
"Lets do it then," Ruby said, "Cortana, John when we get to the ship follow us we will need your help, oh and that giant robot suit you have."
"The ACU is on the Pestilence," Cortana said, "But I can call it in once we land."
"Good enough," Scooter said we just need some dimensions is all."
"I've got those in my head," Cortana said.
A few minutes later and RWBY, Chief and Cortana were watching Scooter power up his digi-struct machine. The full set up was the size of one of the hangars on the Hunter, which was the old Hyperion capital ship.
"This is amazing," Lao remarked as Scooter furiously punched in schematics to the digi-struct machine.
"Yeah it is a sweet set up," Scooter added, "Hey Cortana come here a sec."
The Rose Mobil was not actually a car at all, they had just used the name cause Ruby and Scooter both liked it. Instead this device was a monster scythe that Scooter had thought Cortana would be able to use with her ACU. Ruby had only seen the massive construct a few times but it was always impressive, but a scythe would make it almost unstoppable.
"Oh my," Cortana remarked as she looked over the plans, "This is marvelous, Chief never gets me anything."
"What is it," Chief asked as he walked over and looked over Ruby's shoulder, "Oh."
"Starting up the machine everyone stay behind me," Scooter said. The buzz of the current running through the system raised Ruby's hair as the Rose Mobil was constructed. It took only a few seconds before the machine powered down and the weapon was complete.
"Can you open that hangar door," Cortana asked.
"Sure," Scooter said as the door opened to let the ACU in. Cortana ran over and jumped into the ACU as it picked up the scythe. Ruby thought she was looking a huge metal version of herself, the red and black colors, the scythe, it was beautiful.
"Whoa," Yang breathed.
"Okay you two are officially terrifying," Sun added.
"It isn't terribly stealthy," Blake observed.
"Blake you're running the moment," Yang said.
"What can you do with that," Weiss asked.
"We're about to find out," Lao said pointing back out the hangar, "Look." From the water rose the Mother of Invention. The ship was bigger than they could see at one time as it sailed past the hangar door and into space.
"Dragon Company," K's voice crackled across the comms, "The Invention is trying to escape cut it off."
"Intercepting," Del Rio, captain of the Infinity, said, "Lets see how they like MAC rounds."
"Hold that thought," Cortana said, "Carolina do you have a team for this?"
"I do," Carolina said, "If you can make an entrance for us we will take the Invention."
"Everyone in the ACU," Cortana said, "We've got to get on that ship."
Ruby whipped out Crescent Rose and launched herself up to the head of the construct and entered the control room. Weiss was next up having used her glyphs to create stairs for the rest.
"Ok we're in," Chief said, "Lets go."
Cortana ran out of the hangar and fire up the jet packs. They flew towards the Invention as the last of it was about to pass by. Using the Rose Mobil Cortana slashed open a hangar and landed inside the ship.
"Carolina we're in," Cortana said, "Last hangar on the port side."
"Right locking onto RWBY's omni-tools," Carolina replied, "We'll meet you inside in just a second."
"Cortana look out," Lao said as a twenty foot tall spider droid entered the hangar with a dozen of the cyborg people. Cortana chambered the Rose Mobil and stuck the droid to the wall with a spike, three blasts of her nanobot energy weapon dealt with the Cyborgs and then a strike of Rose Mobil cut the droid in half and opened up the doors to the inside of the ship.
"Nice work," Carolina said, "Anyone in there with you to help us out?"
"Team RWBY is ready as always," Cortana replied, "I'll send them down." A few air-steps later and they were on the ground minus Chief and Cortana of course they were going to head to the surface of the ship to start up a war on the hull. Carolina had brought with her Carter and Cloak, York, Church and Tex, Shepard and Tali, Ezio and Leah, Lil and Beth, and Grish and Lydia.
"Expecting trouble," Yang commented.
"Expecting to cause some," Tex said.
"They've definitely upgraded," York said as he attached a device to a console near the door, "Arie what can you get for me?"
"Arie," Ruby asked.
"What he is the best hacker we have," York said, "That guy is even better than me."
"Run and talk," Church said, "There are alarms going off all over this ship."
"Just got to make sure the link is secure," York said, "Ok we're good, Arie directions we need the bridge... right. Follow me everyone."
They followed York through several maintenance corridors and a few storage rooms to an elevator that took them to the level that the bridge was on. When they got off the cargo elevator the crew of the Invention was waiting for them, or the cyborgs and droids used for defense were anyways. There must have been forty of them, or there were before Yang and Tex slammed into the crowded hallway.
"Whoa hey watch it," Grish said as a droid landed next to him. Then Tex landed next to him followed by Yang. Looking back to the hall there was a massive cyborg-spider droid that took up the entire hall and it was charging up a mega blast. Ruby dashed forward to absorb the blast's energy but as the cyborg fired the ship lurched and the blast went through the ceiling and into the deck above them. Ruby looked at the flesh part of the cyborg as the group split to take the bot from different sides. There was something off about it she just couldn't put her finger on it.
"Weiss is there something weird about that bot," Ruby asked.
"What do you mean weird," Weiss retorted, "The whole thing is weird!"
"I mean the not metal bits they seem familiar," Ruby replied as she fired at it to draw the cyborg's attention from Carter, Cloak, Yang, Tex, Ezio, Grish and Lydia. Weiss studied the cyborg for a moment before her eyes widened, a sure sign that she had seen something she didn't like. "What is it," Ruby asked.
"That isn't a person grafted into that thing it's a Grimm," Weiss replied. Ruby realized that Weiss was right, the familiar part of it was that the flesh was a pure black as dark as the night.
"Grimm and droids," Ruby remarked, "So that is how Cinder is doing it."
Carter and Cloak were now wrestling with the bot as Shepard stuck some kind of device to it.
"Everyone get back," Tali yelled as Shepard ran over to her and the two ducked behind a crate. Carter kicked the droid down the hall and covered his face and Cloak's with his wings as the creature exploded. Ruby and Weiss were safe behind a glyph, the rest of the team had taken cover behind crates or in the elevator but most were protected just because Carter and Cloak were between them and the shrapnel.
"Arie we're clear to move again," York radioed, "Arie? K? Anyone?"
"York give me some good news," Carolina said.
"Okay well the bridge is on this level we just need to find it," York said.
"And what aren't you telling us," Leah asked.
"Uh that we just lost contact with everyone outside of this ship," York added.
"Guys," Cortana called, "We might have a problem."
"We know comms are down," Shepard said as he checked his omni-tool, "Wait that isn't right..."
"Blarg it," Church said, "The Invention made a jump through hyperspace!"
Everyone was silent at that then Chief called them on the comms, "It looks like we are now orbiting Earth."
"What," the other Spartans exclaimed.
"Which one," Cloak asked.
"Seems like," Cortana said, "Yours."
"We have to take control of this ship," Carter announced, "Now, York you're on hacking duty get us to the bridge. RWBY clear out any of these abominations that are still on this level. Shepard, Tali, Lydia, Grish, Beth, Lil, Ezio, Leah clear out the deck above us, we need to link up with Cortana and Chief."
"Just remember if you find Marcus capture him," Blake said as she pulled up a picture of the man on her omni-tool.
"Got it," Carolina said, "Come on Spartans." The Spartans and the dragons headed down a larger hallway that this side corridor ran into. Shepard gathered his team in the elevator and headed up to the next level.
"Well," Lao remarked, "Lets try this new weapon of mine out then shall we?" With a nod the six of them, Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, Sun and Lao, picked a door and started the process of clearing out that level of the ship.
Character Lucifer
"You lost what," he asked K as his brother sent him a mental message.
"We lost a ship," K clarified, "Possibly one with a very dangerous convergence of demons on it and some of our people. I need you to keep an eye out for where it pops up, until then we will continue to try and figure out how this super Magog was formed."
"Well that is just great," Lucifer said, "Mam do a search for any other missing demons I'll bet that wherever this ship went then demons will be draw to it."
"Already doing that," Mammon replied, "You and Moloch just keep strong-arming the rest of those empty cells closed for now, I'll let you know if we find anything."
Lucifer and Moloch shared a sigh as they continued to close the empty cells from universe 30075.