ONYX DATABASE VERIFICATION REQUEST. LEVEL 1 SECURITY REQUESTED
ACCES REQUEST: █████
Item: Y. Xia Long
Threat level: High
Description: daughter to {DATA EXPUNGED] and Taiyang Xiao Long, older sister to Ruby Rose.
LEVEL 2 SECURITY ACCESS APPROVED
"Yang Xiao Long is the daughter of Subject [███████], the expression of the right genome. The living proof that Semblance does not need to be hereditary. She has displayed no signs of mental illnesses or mental instabilities safe for poor emotional regulation and mild traumas due to childhood complications of Subject [███████].
Open attachment Alpha: "In a curious convergence of events, her Semblance is farther away from Blackwood's. More tests are required.
Day 4- Beacon grounds – 9:40
Breakfast was usually very important. The very first meal of the day meant lots of proteins and sugars for straining activities. It was too bad for teams RWBY, JNPR and LACG that Peter Port had decided to call off his lesson for the first day; there was so much to learn and there were so many opportunities to test how the students thought and worked; whether they had done their homework, what it meant to them and how serious they had taken it.
But Professor Port's quick college had allowed the students to end their day sooner than they had scheduled, giving them a chance to spend another few hours in the city of Vale. That was both fortunate and unfortunate.
It was fortunate because students were students. They liked to do as little as possible to achieve as much as possible and a day that would end somewhere around eleven o'clock was ideal for them.
It was unfortunate because it might complicate his plans; he liked information; information was good. Information made his work and plight so much easier…and if he were to achieve good information, he couldn't use any form of students in his direct vicinity.
So now that he was heading towards the murdered-out husk that was Warehouse Six, the last thing he needed was a nosy would-be-hunter that followed him during his voyage. But he had it covered; even though their schedule had been changed dramatically, several things still stayed the same: like breakfast taking place during the morning. Teams JNPR, LACG and RWBY needed to feed at established times and even though they had almost lost the opportunity to actually do so, the prospect of breakfast was still enough to make them sit down and relax. He hoped.
Professor Adamant had a faint idea of who was responsible for the slaughter at the Warehouse…but he had virtually NO real idea why that person would do something like that, besides from the obvious. It had to have been caused by an outer source; a person calling shots outside of Beacon. Now there were only two major groups he knew of in the city of Vale; the one hiding in the Warehouse, and an insignificant one near the southern edge of Vale. It was the latter who had to be responsible. Small fries calling themselves the "Black Angels". Damn silly name.
"But why…" he muttered as he walked to the Vehicle Depot. He had no desire to walk all the way towards the Warehouse and even if he did; walking was for suckers.
Running all the way.
Opening the door to the technically off-limits storage facility, he took a moment to ponder the possible results of his appearance at the criminal-occupied Warehouse Six. Of course more than two-thirds of them had been wiped out during the rather one-sided battle, but that didn't neccesarily have to mean that there weren't any boss-figures around. If his Intel was any good, his visit would pay off.
"There you are…" He whispered as he beheld his ride. It would be good to drive that thing again; it had been too long since his last road-trip. It wasn't general knowledge for the students, but Beacon Academy had two specific tunnels created to allow staff to visit the city without having to resort to high-profile trips with airships. Because of that, he could reach the city without anyone noticing him leaving.
And It didn't take him very long to reach his goal. Warehouse Six was dead ahead and his 'car' wasn't exactly the most subtle one. The guards that were bound to be standing on the lookout for anything suspicious would most likely have seen him approaching.
But they weren't opening fire, which was good. He might not know why the building had been targeted, but he did know what the place had been hiding from the public eye.
And it disgusted him.
Corruption was a nasty thing and if said corruption was leading an entire country, it would be an even nastier thing. The politician wasn't the most influencing one out there, but he still held great power. And he was as corrupt as an apple that had been lying in the sun for three years. Minus the maggots of course; the man had underlings for that.
But if he was correct…and the reason for Six to be attacked like that lay with its most recent guest…then said guest would most likely be gone.
And that would narrow his list of assailants down to a handful. Still including his number one suspect of course.
He parked his vehicle near the gate and walked up to the poorly patched-up gates, taking great care to hide his disgust and hatred for the people he was about to consent with.
"What do you want!" One of the guards snapped at him and the other one quickly aimed a mass-manufactured rifle at his chest.
"Our boss is busy!"
Military training slightly present…facial expressions signaled uncaring needs for violence and craving for relieve…these guys were rookies. New guards…picked from a greenhorned selection of criminals, most likely. Save speech for inside…save emotions for threatening times. Those would come very soon.
He forced a smile to appear on his face and remained very aware of the strange and most likely disturbing effects that it would have on the unsuspecting baddies.
"Go to your boss and tell him –go on, move it!" He said that last sentence with a bit of urgency in his tone. "Tell him that a free man is waiting for him. Come on now."
The guard standing at the ready in front of the gate seemed like a rookie, but even rookies could be hardcore criminals before learning how to be powerful. This one looked like he had seen his share in shady and filthy business, yet he was completely uninformed of his identity.
And the criminal visibly cringed when his loud voice rang out, causing the man to do the one thing he had told him to do: run.
And as the 'rookie' was running at full stumbling speeds to the main building, nearly dropping his rifle in the process, his own mind turned towards the coming conversations and how he would handle them.
Beacon grounds -9:44
"You are all gathered here for one reason," said the huntress known as Glynda Goodwitch She had no need for a raised volume; she was capable enough to keep the entire class concentrated and calm with just a basic measurement of her voice. "This module is simply called 'Physical Exercise' for a reason; that being a way to measure your capabilities, hone them and where necessary…correct them."
Why did everything that the Professor said sound so…threatening? If it were up to Blake, she would shift her tone to a more…pleasant one. Was that why she wasn't a Professor teaching at Beacon Academy and Glynda Goodwitch was? That could be…but there were so many different kinds of people teaching them at the school; the variety in didactic techniques was already so diverse. Still, she couldn't help but feel like the Professor sounded like she expected something of them that they hadn't shown yet.
Perhaps this was just another way to get them to listen with rapt attention?
"So without further ado, I will now explain the purpose of today's lesson. If you do not listen correctly or fail to understand what has been said, you will be at a severe disadvantage already."
The Professor took a small pause to let her words sink in before continuing. "Don't start with a disadvantage." She looked over the attending students and her gaze lingered for a split-second on someone standing at the back, before she continued talking.
"Today's lesson will be an obstacle-course to test your endurance and ability to keep going. It won't be a matter of being first, alone or with your team, or winning. If you cross the finish, you are done. Simple as that. People have different techniques to deal with obstacles and this lesson will determine whether you are capable of realizing when to hold back and when to give it your all."
That sounded more ominous than it should have…why did she feel like something was wrong? From the corners of her eyes she could see Jaune Arc visibly swallowing and Pyrrha Nikos nervously smiling. She could hear Yang whispering to Ruby: "Will we have to run tracks?" and Ruby replying with: "I don't want to jump hurdles!"
Blake had to give it to her teammates; they knew how to turn an awry situation into an awkward situation. That would both be positive and negative.
"If you will follow me, I will point to you the start of the track." Glynda started walking and the teams grudgingly followed her. "You will start here…at this point. Entering one team per round, you will all eventually get to cross the course. I told you before that time wouldn't be a problem, but every team still has to cross the finish within an hour. Your efforts will be filmed, scanned and graded for a maximum and most efficient conclusion. Just follow the lights and you won't get lost."
Lights? It was a bright day –how would they even see the lights that were supposed to guide them?
"Team CRDL will enter first. After ten minutes, team RWBY will follow. Ten minutes later, JNPR. Then, LACG. Cardin Winchester? Is your team ready?"
The bulky male stepped forward and his massive chest swelled with proud. "We are ready for every challenge."
The huntress raised her eyebrows when she heard that remark. "Truly? We will see about that then. Formation…set…and go."
The four boys charged headfirst into the first section of the obstacle-course: a dark patch of forest that surrounded the area, following the red lights that would enable them to clear the course.
She shook her head when she saw the team move in such a bold way…they had no idea what was going to await them in there; for all they knew there would a minefield waiting for them!
"They really think they are something…" Yang muttered and walked up to her.
"Idiots…" Weiss softly said and joined the blonde.
"I don't think that this will go well for them…" Ruby whispered and cringed when a distant explosion rocketed through the forest.
"They really didn't think this all the way through…" Blake said as she crossed her arms. Team CRDL really was one different piece…they acted like they owned everything and everyone around them and from what she had gathered on them, they had a zero-tolerance towards anything that was different from them. And even though she hadn't exactly had a run-in with the four, she still knew that they were bullies. Plain bullies; hating everyone that didn't think and act like them.
People like them made her sick.
"I-interesting tactic, don't you think?" Pyrrha said from her own position.
"No…I don't," Ren replied with a shake of his head.
"Let's all take a moment to consider this newest tactical decision…and discard it completely," Jaune said, for the first time demonstrating his abilities as a proper leader in her eyes. "So what will we not do today?"
"Die!" Nora cheerfully yelled, actually frightening Blake a bit and –judging by their reactions- the rest of team RWBY. But Jaune merely patted her on her back, showing a complete disregard for her strange way of expressing herself. Were those small outbursts common in team JNPR? And here she was thinking that team RWBY was the only team that had issues amongst the ranks. Positive or negative.
"Five minutes," Glynda Goodwitch stated and took a look at her scroll. "Take notice of how the Aura meters of team CRDL are already half depleted. Something went tragically wrong there and it is up to your leaders to figure out the best way of proceeding.
The woman held up her display and projected a larger image of the Aura-gauges that were apparently used to signify the remaining ability of a person to keep on fighting. The projection was at least two meters by two meters and indeed showed a severe drop in the Aura levels of CRDL. "This technique will be one that you, as a team, will employ during your missions and practice sessions alike. Ruby Rose, Jaune Arc and Lisa Adamant? All three of you will receive an extensive software upgrade to your Scroll that will enable you to gauge the remaining Aura-levels of all of your teammates. Cardin Winchester has already received the first upgrade after extensive insisting on how his team needed it BEFORE the first Physical Exercise lessons."
She bristled at those words. The arrogance of that Cardin! Insisting that his team needed it before the PE lessons practically oozed 'we are better we are special' in every way possible. Did that guy have no shame?
"Since that upgrade was the first one, you will have to wait for the remaining ones to commence. This practice round will have to transpire without those meters. But I am sure that…they will not be needed."
Taking an unfair advantage the moment it presented itself? That was not something that an arrogant, headstrong kid could simply seize. Cardin had to be cunning and manipulative to get what he wanted like that…it was a dangerous combination; CRDL would prove to be more than bullies in the future.
"That is not fair!" Lisa replied with an angry undertone. "Why did they get such an advantage while we have to wait?"
"Mister Winchester insisted on his team needing it before this class today. And if you look at your team, Miss Adamant, you will hopefully realize that this software upgrade will be and has to be replaced by simply looking as soon as possible."
The girl sighed but remained silent, but she was right to a certain degree. If the Scroll upgrade wasn't important then why did team CRDL even get it? Or…or…wait a minute, was that serious?
"So if CRDL received an unimportant upgrade earlier by whining…then the Professors must have figured that they would need it more than we?" Ruby said, neatly adding to her own string of thoughts.
"That's a good guess as any…" She said and ran hand through her dark hair before checking if her bow was still properly placed. "So the teachers think they are not competent enough for now?"
"Or their communicational skills could be severely lacking…" The redhead replied and snickered. "The almighty team CRDL needing cheats to win…irony is funny…"
Ruby was properly right…but there was still something off about the whole situation.
"Two minutes." Glynda said and turned towards the forest.
After another two minutes of waiting, the moment was finally there. Glynda gestured for them to take their positions at the starting point and then raised her hand in the air.
"Three…two…one…go."
At her words Team RWBY moved, under strict leadership of Ruby –who had properly decided that CRDL's tactic wasn't the best one out there. She took it a lot slower than them, but still moved at a pace that just denied simply walking.
Blake spent considerable effort taking in her environment; looking at every tree and following the path with her eyes all the way into the deep forest. The red lights that signified their road were clearly visible from their current position, but something told her that it wouldn't be so easy.
"A simple obstacle-course huh?" said Weiss. "Why do I think that this is more than a simple obstacle-course?"
"Probably because this is Beacon…things are always more than simple. Even getting to breakfast this morning was a fight!" Yang replied and ran past her, heading towards her younger sister in the lead.
"We had help this morning…" Blake said and unfolded her weapon. Apparently sending last-minute changes to the existing schedule was a hobby Ozpin's, because they were told to take their combat outfit and weapons with them for the PE lessons. Approximately five minutes before the lesson would begin.
They were lucky that they were still in their dorms at that moment; otherwise they would have been too late.
"Your way of viewing help is…exotic." Weiss gave her reply. "Professor Adamant is many things, but at that very moment he did not help us!"
"He allowed us to have breakfast! That is helping to me!" Ruby yelled over her shoulder.
Blake had to give it to the younger girl: her way of viewing the world might be childish and overly romantic, but at least she was still standing with both of her legs on the ground…which could not always be said for Weiss Schnee.
10:05, Warehouse Six
"Who do you think you are?" The remaining guard sneered and pointed his own gun at him. "And who the hell do you think we are? You think you can just mess with us? Think you can just demand to talk to our boss?"
Matt Adamant was growing tired of this conversation very quickly. This man obviously didn't live in the criminal circuit for that long…otherwise he would have minded his tone. And his business. And probably his clothes too. So he simply smiled at the guard like his father had taught him to –with the most unsettling shark-like smile he could muster. "Yes I do." He instantly shifted his facial expression again and told the man quietly: "Now shut it."
It had the desired effect: the armed man looked very unsettled and even went as far as to actually lower his gun. He was just about to give a reply when the sound of glass breaking caught his attention and about a second later, an anguished cry shot out over the complex.
"What the…" the guard loudly proclaimed and turned around. The second guard was running towards them, waving and screaming.
"Open the gate! Open the damn thing and let him through! DO IT!"
He smiled in satisfaction as the two dazzled men proceeded to open the gates and personally escort him to the Warehouse itself. He took notice of the various bullet holes still decorating the walls and special notice of the newly installed windows; completely tinted black. How original.
"Our boss…would like to speak with you…" The first criminal said and opened a door to the side of the building.
"Would he now? That's good." He gave his reply and stepped inside of the building. One of the guardsmen entered the complex with him and then closed the door behind him, while the other one probably scuttled away.
He really hoped that he didn't have to wait as long to speak with the man as the last time he visited him. But if he was right, then he wouldn't have to wait long at all. And he liked to hope that he was right.
"Where is he? Lead me to him!"
"Sir!"
The shouting voices of a person in command and a person tying to kiss the butt of said person in command broke the awkward silence and the heavy 'thuds' of boots on stairs signaled that someone was approaching.
"Looks like you are about to meet the boss…" The guard muttered and took a few steps backwards, away from the coming confrontation.
He ignored that remark and clasped his hands behind his back, trying to contain his impatience. There was a door to his right and a door to his left, while the staircase was directly in front of him; and it was the staircase that deserved his well-focused attention. A heavy-built man was thundering down the steps, nearly tripping in his haste to get down. Two nasty-looking fellows were following him with their guns drawn.
"You…" The person that he had identified as the criminal boss growled. His arms were trembling and his fists were clenched. He was built like your typical criminal bouncer: muscled, big shoulders and underdeveloped legs, clothed like he had something to compensate for and armed like he expected a rat-plague.
It was his face that gave him away though; his eyes looked hard and cold, yet calculating and creative. A criminal mind had to be flexible to remain in control and this man was practically oozing with control –no doubt about it, this was his guy. His hand twitched and for a second, he thought that the man would pull a gun on him. But then the criminal forced a smile to appear on his face –albeit a very nervous one- and folded his hands together. Even his black moustache seemed to be twitching nervously. Good –he still had his touch. "Professor Doctor Badass…pleasant of you to…visit me again!" He said with a heavy accent.
The two men who had escorted him flinched and quickly looked away, but the guard that had entered the building gazed at him like he had just spewed the collective profanity of a complete dictionary. 'Boss!" He yelled. "What?"
He ignored the cowardly man and stepped forward himself, taking to care to keep his hands relaxed and behind his back. His bowtie was itching to be fixed, but that gesture would initiate a complete pants-wetting breakdown with the man in charge, so he would wait with that. "Good of you to remember my name…" He said, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Get to your office…we need to talk."
"Of course!" The bulky man snapped and nodded –his moustache flapping everywhere. "You follow me please…if you so kindly wish!"
The two escorting criminals stepped aside to let their boss pass and turned to gawk at his face with awe and suspicion. It would appear that these two remembered him too.
"I did not come here to be kind…this time." He said and one of the men reached for his heart. Ignoring the ridiculously overreacting criminals, he proceeded to follow the boss. "I came here for one thing and one thing only…"
"What could we possibly offer you!" The crime lord replied as he made his way through several small hallways until he eventually reached a very large open room, stacked with multiple vases, cabinets and being dominated by one large desk in the middle. He sat down with his back to the large window and folded his hands over each other. "You ruined us long ago. We leave people alone now –no reason for visit."
Good. Time for business. He joined the criminal at the desk and leaned forwards. "The only thing you can offer me at this point…information."
His conversational partner swallowed and wet his lips with his tongue. "Yes…what do you want-"
"My name. Simple, really."
"P-Professor Doctor Badass…what you want to know?"
He leaned forwards even further and brought his face closer until he was only a few centimeters away from what had to be the most feared man in the commercial district of the City of Vale. "Let's start with that which starts everything…the creatures of Grimm."
10:18, starting area obstacle course.
"Two minutes!" Glynda Goodwitch said. The woman really knew how to assert control over her group; their schedule was very tight and not a single student had dared question her methods since she had shot Lisa's comment down in flames.
"Alright…" He said and gestured for his team to gather closely around him. "This might be a tough one…but if we stick together as a team, we will pull through. We need to stick close and work hard…I don't know what those distant explosions mean, but they can't be any good."
"Do you have a plan?" Ren asked him. "Or will we simply run the track?"
"No simply running!" He replied and held up his hands to strengthen his cause. "I don't know what Professor Goodwitch planned for us, but this can't be a simple exercise. There is a twist and if we aren't careful, it will cost us our head!"
"She said that we might need to differ between slowing down and speeding up…" Pyrrha added. Her voice was always reassuring to him, no matter what it was that she was saying. "I agree with Jaune; we will need to be careful.
Yes…thank you Pyrrha. "Indeed. So, if we take the time to discuss a proper plan of moving, we can-"
"…two…one…go."
Darn. Goodwitch was way ahead of him –evil woman. "Alright team, move out!"
Nora yelped happily and was about to charge off again, but Ren called her name assertively a few times and called her back. "Listen to what Jaune says…he has good ideas."
That was actually a bit heartwarming to hear…especially from him. He never seemed to give any form of feedback to anyone safe for Nora and…she was a bit special. Perhaps she was in love with him or something? No, that would be ridiculous. They were simply childhood friends…that was all.
"Thank you Ren."
The four of them moved through a few dozen meters of thick, dark foliage before finally reaching the first 'obstacle' part of the 'course': A sign with their name on it. Why didn't that feel the least bit comforting?
He understood why it didn't feel comforting to have to follow a sign with their names on it soon enough though.
"What is that?" Ren said with awe as he beheld the sight before him. Pyrrha whistled softly and Nora simply gawked at the construction with her mouth hanging wide open.
And he had to give it to his flabbergasted team; this was impressive. It was a hundred meters long track of wooden poles that had to be at least a dozen meters high! Those things would barely be wide enough to stand on and too high to even reach; how would they even…climb those things?
He really hoped that this wouldn't be the way to go –if he could simply spot any of the red lights somewhere on the ground then they would be safe.
"Do we just climb them?" Pyrrha said before pointing at something he could not see. "Because I think that we need to go there."
He followed her finger and realized that there were indeed red lights giving away where their next objective was –only it was too bad that they were suspended above the fortress of poles, indicating that they would indeed have to climb the construction.
"I knew this would happen…" sighed Jaune. He felt a warm hand gently pat him on his back and realized that Pyrrha was trying to comfort him…only in a slightly humorous way.
"There there Jaune…there is a way up there without having to use circus tricks."
"What?" What was she talking about? There was a way up to the wooden poles that didn't involve them having to risk breaking their necks? "A way up?"
"Yes! Look, over there!"
He followed her finger again and saw what she was pointing at: a row of escalating pillars, just waiting to be used like a staircase to ascend unto the other poles. "Oh! I see…well, what are we waiting for? Let's go-"
Wait a sword-swinging minute…if he would send his team up there without any way to be sure about what lay ahead of them…he would put them in unnecessary danger. Team CRDL rushed ahead without a second thought and after five minutes, their Aura meters had dropped to half of their maximum capacity. He would not make the same mistakes as Cardin would…that jerk might think he could do everything that he wanted to, but he would not best his team JNPR!
"-go, but with caution. We don't know what lies ahead of us there." He corrected himself and beckoned for Pyrrha to come closer. "Is there any way of figuring out whether there are traps up there?"
The redheaded girl shrugged and gave him a nervous smile. "We'll just have to wait and see I guess."
"Right…" He muttered and brandished his sword and shield. "I'll go first…Pyrrha? You follow me, but deploy your shield!"
"I had already figured that part out." She grinned and showed him her ready-for-action equipment. He smiled at the level with which she prepared for trouble and slowly advanced towards the large poles…with slowly being the key-word.
He had never actually trained for climbing strange constructions like these; his legs were already starting to hurt with the amount of straining activity. But he couldn't give up! It had taken team CRDL at least five minutes to get half-exhausted and he would be damned if they would do better than him…and he would never want anyone on his team to see that he was already getting tired.
Especially not Pyrrha Nikos. There was something about that girl –perhaps it was the kind way with which she treated him and others around her…or her impressive résumé that had allowed her to start her training at Beacon Academy –that gave him the desire to work extra hard. His father had always told him all kinds of useful tips and tricks for when he would be around ladies and one of them was to 'impress them.' And if there was one thing he wanted to do, then it was impressing Pyrrha. He simply didn't want her find out…to think that he was incompetent. At least too incompetent to work at Beacon.
So even with burning legs and aching lungs, he kept going. Eventually his right foot was about to step on the nearest higher pillar –only to step at least a feet lower than he had intended to. His entire weight shifted and came crashing down on the lower-than-expected ground.
"Whoah-" He was about to lose his balance completely when a hand grabbed his shoulder and prevented him from falling. Looking back, he realized that it was once again Pyrrha who had saved him from falling to his death.
"Thank you…" He muttered embarrassed and felt heat rush to his ears. He had never intended to put himself in harm's way like that…especially not in such a way that someone else had to save his butt again. Couldn't something go right for once?
"Sword and shield…" He said and demonstrated his equipment by shrugging his shoulders. "Hard to maintain balance."
He and Pyrrha both ignored the fact that she too was wearing her equipment in both arms and pressed onwards. It didn't take long for realization to come that his troubles had yet to start, however. He just happened to glance to his right when stepping carefully over the poles. It was already hard to maintain his balance while playing stepping stones a dozen meters above the ground and between stopping Nora from happily jumping off of the wooden forest and the paranoia of getting shot by some hidden Professor, his stress levels were raising very quickly. So when he glanced to his right to check for any suspicious man –or Matt- he realized that he was looking at a tree that was slightly thicker and more bulbous than the rest of the trees.
"What…" He muttered and felt the curious desire to reach out and touch the thing.
"Jaune, wait!" Ren suddenly said and held u his hands, like he was intent on stopping him.
"I know…" He replied and stopped a few centimeters short of touching the thing. "This tree has bad news written all over it…"
"Jaune…you might want to back away from that thing…slowly and now." The voice of Pyrrha said. Why was she sounding so worried? He glanced over his shoulder to see where she was standing and then looked back at the tree. Wait a shield-deploying second…was that a wire…running along the trunk's length?
His eyes slowly crept upwards and he craned his neck to realize just much of a problem he had caused. The tree was wired up –one wrong movement and whatever trap would be set for them, would be set OFF.
"Ehm…" He muttered and placed his left leg backwards to move away from the threat. "I think we will shift our direction to the left side of the poles…and advance from there.
Ignoring the constricting sense in his leg, he continued backing up and –constricting sense? What?
He looked down at his leg and realized that his left foot was caught in in a wire –a wire that was about to snap. "Guys…brace yourselves…"
In slow-motion he could see what happened. His weight was already braced on his other leg and he could not stop his current motions without falling of his pole. His foot came up-
-the wire snapped-
-and hell started.
"Run!" Pyrrha yelled. Nora didn't have to hear that again; she grabbed Ren by his hands and gleefully phased from her current position towards the only visible exit: the wooden platform suspended roughly fifty meters ahead.
"Damnit!" He cursed when he realized what he had wrought. Wooden darts burst from the tree and were send everywhere but their positions –which was a good thing, seeing as getting hit by a sharp wooden dart wouldn't be healthy.
The projectiles impacted on several wooden poles and trees, before detonating and blowing their targets to smithereens.
He didn't stick around to watch the fireworks and instead opted for increasing his forward momentum to, say the max. Explosions and traps were going off left and right and the red glare of flames stung in his eyes, but he ignored both the increasing heat and the desire to look over his shoulder to look at the chaos. Focusing on his feet, he nearly didn't see the next trap until Pyrrha bashed her shield into his side and pushed him from the pillar onto the next one.
"Thank you!" he yelled as he remembered exactly why he had deployed his shield in the first place.
"Sorry!" She yelled in return and continued moving. With their shields they were to deflect multiple projectiles and pieces of shrapnel, while advancing fast enough to keep ahead of the fire.
"Move it!" Ren said while he was anxiously pacing up and won the wooden platform where Nora had safely deposited him.
"I know I know!" He replied and winced as his pants caught on fire. Safety ahead! Safety ahead!"
"Impact!" Nora gleefully yelled and launched a grenade to a target directly behind him. The detonation both snuffed out the flame on his trousers and send him flying into the air –only to land sprawling unto the place that he would normally have never considered as safe.
He was on a fragile wooden platform suspended a dozen meters above the ground after having just narrowly escaped hell. But hey! He was alive and more important; he had done better than CRDL!
Now they only needed to survive the rest of the course.
10:16, Warehouse Six.
"G-Grimm? What are you talking about s-sir?"
"You know what I mean. You are monitoring the entirety of the Commercial District. You know everything that happens here and more importantly…you keep tabs on the goods."
`B/but we don't know w-what is happening sir! Our Warehouse got raided, my people killed and our guest, abducted!"
"Guest? Do tell." He already knew who it was, but he still wanted to test the honesty of his contacts. It was good thing that he had taken the time to crush this criminal organization to a small remaining amount a year back. Something this man remembered.
He had wanted to draw the major crime lords with their heads out of their potholes and more importantly, out of their asses. He had figured that the best way of doing so would have included obliterating several minor criminal factions before turning a larger one into a group of harmless puppies…which was exactly what his choice had fallen on.
The criminally-associated organization responsible for murders and abductions and feared for their intense influence all over the Commercial District of Vale and political immunity had been his first choice. The man in front of him had been notoriously hailed as a criminal mastermind, the Police Department had been unable to take him down and the political immunity made it…difficult for the Hunters to work against them.
Thankfully he hadn't let something silly like political immunity stop him. Even though the group wasn't very active in the city of Vale, they were still too big and too much of a threat to let go. The Adamant Code had demanded action.
"H-he was a politician…corrupt yes! He wanted shelter because…someone hunting him. But he gone now…"
"Enlighten me."
"This…person came. He kills my men, destroy our property and kidnap the politician!"
"Yes…" So their humble fear was large enough to let them divulge secrets…not exactly the ideal crime organization. No honor amongst criminals it seemed. "So…things are changing in Vale. Tell me…what do you know of a group calling themselves the "Black Angels"? If I am correct, you intercepted a letter from them."
"What!" The man yelled and jumped up from his seat, knocking it over and sending it clattering to the ground. Normally his guards would have barged in the room to take the visitor out in that case…but the only indication that there were people standing outside the door was a loud flinch and a minor 'thud' against the door. "You insane! They kill us if we give their secrets away! You hold no power over them and we will never-"
He sighed and slowly reached out for his bowtie, before fixing it with easy and deliberate movements.
The boss grew as white as Velvet Scarletina in her winter-fur and his arm shot out to grab the nearest corner of the desk to brace himself. With his hand securely clamped around the wooden point and his other hand lashed onto his right knee, he started trembling. Trembling so violently that his moustache started to vibrate with him…an amusing sight for sure.
He cocked his head to the left ever so slightly before deciding that the crime lord in front of him could look like Peter Port…with a bit of imagination.
"Please!" The man coughed. "No need for violence…we communicated with that family, is all. I found letter long ago. I never read it, but Black Angels think it summon demons or something."
"Summon demons?"
"Yes. They fear it –and they fear man who came to kill my men. They did not interfere, though we ask for help. Letter is bad news…you can have it."
Professor Adamant smiled, letting go of his bowtie in the process. That thing always worked. "This 'man' who abducted your guest…how did he look?"
"I only saw him for a second, before he run like coward! He wore black helmet with cracked visor…black suit with armoured components…and large rifle."
"He murdered two dozen of your men and he 'ran like coward'? Not very likely…are you bragging again, Stahl?"
"NO!" The man yelled and stood, moving away from him and bracing himself against the window with his back. "Some woman attack him! We thought her Black Angel, but she not! She fought him off and ran!"
"So he withdrew when he had his objective…start thinking military Stahl. Now then…this ally, who was she?"
"We do not know. We sought help for our business you know? Extra guards and hired muscle right? You understand right? But we always hire men, not women."
"So where did she come from?"
"We not know! She appears in club, tells me that she has interest in someone in city. We tell her no, she still appeared." the criminal reared forward and looked around. "She is crazy. Batshit crazy. She obsessed."
"Sounds like a woman to my heart. Where is she?"
"We not know…but…" The man gestured for him to sit down again and started rummaging through his drawers. "I do have this. This is letter that Black Angels fear. It is yours now."
He took the official-looking letter and let his trained eye run over it once. It was black, without any imprint on it. The paper felt soft and smooth, but didn't leave ink on his fingers. "Looks fancy…you said you did not open it?"
"No."
The Adamant hesitated, then said, "Thank you Stahl."
"Then you destroy it after, yes?"
"Perhaps. Now hand over the documents from The Black Angels and I'll be on my merry way…for now."
"You rob us like criminal, Professor Doctor."
He raised an eyebrow at that. "Kettle, this is Grimm. You are black. Nonetheless, I am sorry for your loss. Don't look to skeptical, I really am. You people weren't murdering anyone. You didn't deserve this."
"When you find responsible person," Stahl said, "you take care of him, yes? Because of broken Adamant code?"
"Can't do that, Stahl. I need to be a good example for my sister. She's the new Heiress, after all."
10:27, starting area obstacle course.
"So…did you hear those Mark two exploding Hubris-disk detonations?"
"I only heard explosions…"
"That was what I said!"
"Right…must have missed it. " Lisa explosively sighed and shifted her position on the grass. Patience was NOT something she was good in. Waiting was for suckers…she wanted action now.
"This won't be a normal obstacle source…" Cho let his ever-so emotionally charged voice ring.
"No shit!" She replied.
"Ah-ah! Mind your language." Grace stated, waving a finger in front of her head.
"Yeah yeah…" She muttered in return and crossed her arms. "Language whatever…"
"Two minutes," said Goodwitch.
"So…want to bet on how mutilated team CRDL is?" Grace said from her own prone position. The girl was lying sprawled in the grass, looking as relaxed as ever. "Who wants to start with the fingers?"
"I don't bet…" Lisa replied and grabbed her Type-25. "I cause."
"Play nice girl…" Her friend grinned.
"What are you doing?" Cho suddenly and sharply asked, glaring at the demolitions expert who had –without a second thought- suddenly slipped her hand down her pants.
"Something's not quite right…" She muttered and fumbled with her hand for a few seconds. The only male on team LACG sighed and averted his eyes and Alessa coughed in her hand to make the situation seemingly less awkward.
But Lisa didn't worry. If she knew her childhood friend –which she did- then…
"Gotcha!" The brunette exclaimed and withdrew her hand from her pants, pocketing two small round spherical objects. "Where did you guys come from?"
…she would surprise them all with a completely innocent little explosive device...what?
"I was wondering where these two went!" She stated and flicked her wrist, sending the two bombs flying into the air before she caught the pair of balls again.
Lisa pinched the bridge of her nose. "Put those things away!"
In the silence that followed, Professor Goodwitch's voice became audible. "Three…two…one…go."
"Time for action." Cho said and rose from his sitting position.
"Come on Alessa, time to meet the explosives!" Grace said and beckoned for the blindfolded girl to follow them. The white-haired girl was still a mystery to her…but the only person she seemed to have any form of interaction with at all was Grace. It was a bit strange…but then again, the demolitions expert was way better with people than she was.
"Move it people! Time to kick ass!" Lisa yelled and took point. The first few dozen meters was a walk in the park; moving to the edge of the forest before entering it. After that, she led team LACG through the thick-set trees until they encountered a sign with their names on it, pointing to a different direction. After another dozen meters however, Alessa suddenly stopped. Grace paused in her movements to take a look at her, while Cho merely pointed at something that she couldn't see.
"What is it?" Grace softly asked her teammate.
"Trouble…" The blindfolded girl replied to the brunette.
"Look for yourself…" The male told her and pointed again.
"Guys hold up!" Grace yelled.
"There are the lights!" She told her team and unslung her weapon.
"Lisa! I think we should take it easy from here, remember CRDL?"
"CRDL ain't got anything on us!" She replied and charged onwards, hoping that her team would still follow her.
"I still think we should be careful Lisa…" Her friend said, but she didn't exactly listen to the girl's warnings. She had spotted a way to climb unto the large network of wooden poles that stretched on for at least a hundred meters.
"Move it LACG! We still have a long way to go!" She told them and moved across the stairs-resembling pillars until she was at the highest point –a good ten meters high in the air.
"Damnit Adamant! Look out!" Cho suddenly yelled and caught up with her. "Alessa's pointed out three traps and Grace…is having a race with herself on how many traps she can spot. Her current score is seven."
She swallowed and turned to face the construction of pillars again. "Grace…you and Alessa take point…"
Temporarily ignoring the fact that a blindfolded girl had spotted traps that she had not, she moved to allow her teammates to pass her. In the span of a minute, Grace had identified and disarmed enough traps to build several scarecrows out of them.
"This has to go on for a hundred meters?" She angrily asked her teammate. "That will take too long Grace!"
"Don't worry about it…I have disarmed all the major explosive traps that would send the rest off. It is safe to proceed ladies…"
Angry glare from Cho.
"…and gentlemen."
Lisa tentatively took the first step and half expected to be set on fire. Nothing happened –that was good. Taking more and more steps, she eventually found that the way was clear.
"Grace, you are awesome!" She yelled and reached the point where her team was officially halfway across the wooden poles.
And then she heard a very suspicious click, causing her to turn around and face the newly arrived threat –
-which were incendiary charges being fired a dozen meters away from their position, causing the wooden poles to turn into a pit of hell. And the fire was catching up very fast; with a pole per second, they might not even be able to outrun them.
"I take that back!" She yelled and increased her speed. "You suck!"
"Suck it up buttercup…more running!" The demolitions 'expert' yelled in return and passed her over the wooden poles.
"Worst…expert…ever…" Cho breathed. "Of all time."
"Not my fault! Someone put a tree in my way!"
The four members of team LACG raced past the wooden platforms and headed towards the next part of their course…which couldn't be any better.
10:30, Obstacle course.
It was official. Weiss could see it now. Physical exercise was the worst class ever. Exploding wooden poles, seas of fire, climbing and running! It was all terrible! How? How could Goodwitch have come up with something as taxing and roundabout insane as this!
"Ruby, hold up!" She frantically yelled as she was trying to keep up with her team. Her stamina was the worst of team RWBY. And even though Ruby's endurance was slightly worse than Blake's was, they were both capable enough to keep up with Yang –who was showing absolutely ZERO signs of fatigue. It wasn't fair! After all of her rigorous training…all the studying… she still couldn't keep up with her… friends.
That was strange. Since when had she actually started thinking about her teammates as friends? Yang and Blake were both relatively unknown to her, just like they were to each other, but they all supported each other during difficult times. It was strange that two people, both of whom had never met prior, could act so normal to each other.
And Ruby…that was a completely different case. After the incident of Port's lessons and the incredibly good talk that they had had together, their relationship had received a well-timed boost. If there was anyone that she might consider an actual friend, it was her.
But Weiss wasn't too sure of that. She had never had any true friends, so she might be totally wrong about that. She didn't want to waste the thing they had going by presuming too much. She would have to be carefuly.
"Hold up!" Yang suddenly yelled, holding her hand in the air. The three girls that had been lagging behind came to a crashing halt as Blake's legs and Ruby's cloak got tangled together somehow.
The Heiress stared at the two girls as they rolled down the hill, barely managing to get free of each other. Together, they then moved downwards to a small wooden shack. It was at that little building that the blonde was waiting for them, gesturing for her sister to slow down.
"Weiss!" The gauntlet-wearing girl then yelled. "You too, over here!"
Who did she think she was? A drill-sergeant? She had no right to yell at her like that!
"Hurry up slowpoke!" Ruby taunted her once she had disentangled herself from Blake's legs. "Yang found something!"
She swore to herself that she would find a way to make that redheaded little rascal pay and double timed it to the place where the team was currently holding a small break. She was not used to how the people talked to each other here. Back at her home, she had always been treated like…like royalty. Here she was just another student. She liked it, but she also disliked it. It was strange, like many things.
"It says here to wait for the rest." Yang muttered after studying the sign for a while. "The rest that has yet to show up here?"
"That means we have to wait ten minutes…at least." Blake stated and sat down.
"Blake…what are you doing…" Ruby carefully asked.
"Teams JNPR and LACG are still somewhere out there. We have the time."
"Not to mention team CRDL," stated Yang.
"Right?" Weiss concluded, still not too sure about what Blake was doing. The black-haired girl was fumbling with her dress and if she was going to do what she thought she would do, then-
"I have this." The girl said and pulled a book out from underneath her clothes.
"What do you have there?"
"A little something for emergencies…" Blake replied and opened the black-coloured bock.
"Emergencies? Like having to wait for twenty minutes?"
"Amongst others."
Ruby kneeled next to Blake and frowned for a second, before suddenly placing her hand before her mouth and jumping in the air. "I know that book! I have it! It is awesome!"
"What?" Weiss said, hoping that the redhead was kidding. Blake looked equally unimpressed.
"You do? Really?" She said, probably not too sure about the integrity of Ruby as a reading person. She sounded rather sarcastic.
"Yes! Look!" And with that, the hooded girl reached underneath her own skirt and pulled the exact same book out. Seriously; where were those girls keeping these things? It couldn't be practical to work with freaking books underneath your skirts.
"Soldiers of love…" Blake muttered and showed Ruby her own book. "You really have it! Where are you now?"
"Around halfway…he has just met up with her again after a year!"
As Ruby and Blake sat down to talk about their strange little romantic books, Weiss turned around to keep a close eye on the hill. Perhaps the other teams would come sooner and save her from this awkward situation.
"I am almost done with the book…refresh my memory, where was that?"
She was not going to simply sit there and listen to these unimportant quibbles.
"Let's see…he was shipped off…then returned and met the girl…he dated her for two months and then he was shipped off again…he got nearly killed in the fight, but the thought of his love got him to keep fighting."
"Whoah, wait, what?" Yang yelled, putting an end to their conversation.
Weiss crossed her arms, agreeing with the less-than-subtle end of the useless bickering.
"What is this book you are talking about?"
Ruby showed her older sister her version of the book, which she took after a few seconds of hesitation.
"It's about a human soldier who has to fight in a long, bitter war." Blake started explaining as Yang stared at the cover of the book.
"And he managed to get back to a village, alone and hurt, when he meets a gentle, caring Faunus girl!" Ruby added, holding her hands by her chin and sounding like she was begging a famous person for an autograph.
"They fall in love and live together for a few weeks in peace…but then the war arrives and they get separated." Blake finished. "It is a beautiful book…you should read it."
"But…this book is rated M for mature. Ruby," Yang slowly said, her hand starting to tremble. "Oh you sneaky little devil! Come here!"
Ruby yelped with surprise as her older sister tackled her to the ground and started tickling her. It was an amusing sight to see the redheaded girl squealing underneath Yang, laughing like crazy and wriggling her frail body to escape. Her cheeks were turning red and she was kicking with her legs like crazy, trying desperately to escape, but to no avail.
For some reason, the air turned hot as she witnessed Yang pinning Ruby to the ground like that. The fact that she had been sneakily reading a perverted book didn't exactly help, either. Seriously, why was she feeling so warm?
"What is wrong with M?" Blake softly asked, before probably realizing that it might be a stupid question.
Weiss had never read a romantic book herself…perhaps she needed to start on it sometime? It would serve as a new conversational starter with Ruby at the very least…
"Hey look!" There are people there!" A new voice suddenly yelled, causing team RWBY to turn around to see who was coming down the hill next.
"It's Jaune!" Ruby breathed, desperately trying to pump air in her lungs.
"And the rest of JNPR…" Blake softly said and placed her book back from where she had gotten it. Seriously; how did these people hide their books!
"Hello!" Nora Valkyrie yelled happily as she threw herself down the hill, rolling all the way down while her childhood friend Ren was frantically trying to prevent her from rolling into the wrong plants.
"Why are you waiting here?" Pyrrha asked, thankfully keeping both of her feet solidly on the ground.
"The sign says to wait for the rest of the teams."
"Apparently somebody did not tell CRDL that," The long-haired girl replied and placed her weapons away. "How long have you been waiting here?"
"A few minutes," Yang replied with a smile and ran a hand through her blond hair, trying to fix it after her little curb-stomping battle with her sister.
"Okay…that leaves team LACG to wait on," Weiss said and hoped that those four would also show up sometime soon.
"And the other guy," stated Pyrrha.
What? "I'm sorry?"
"You know…quiet guy, didn't show up for Grimm Studies…wears a helmet?"
"What?" Weiss replied, having virtually NO idea what the girl was talking about.
"Hey Yang?" Ruby then asked. "Wasn't that the guy you were talking to on the cliffs? Back at the Initiation?"
The blonde shrugged. "Could be…I don't know."
She groaned and resisted the urge to slap herself in the face. Stay calm Weiss…don't let stupidity make you angry. If there was someone else in their year, shouldn't they at least know about that?
As team JNPR took their place amongst team RWBY, she noticed that Jaune's pants were damaged. It looked a bit like…they had been on fire recently. Fashion? If that was fashion, the boy was probably horribly outdated. But between Ruby and Blake reading their perverted books and Nora and Ren messing around with flowers, she didn't know who confused her more. Waiting wasn't really her strong suite and she would be damned if she-
"Contact!" Ren suddenly said. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the four silhouettes emerging from the treeline.
"Contact yourself!" One of them yelled in return, confirming her identity already.
"Someone's upset…" Jaune carefully said.
JNPR and RWBY watched as team LACG came down the hill, two of them visibly arguing and the other two trying to refrain from commenting.
"You don't want to know what we just went through…" The brunette known as Grace said, running a hand through her short brown hair. "It wasn't pretty."
"Normally I am not one for boasting…" Jaune started, but got interrupted by a loud snicker courtesy of Ruby. He looked over his shoulder and gave her a pleading expression, which earned him a small "sorry" before he could continue. "But I really want to go ahead and guess that we had it worse."
"Hold up!" Weiss interrupted them, not wanting to let all the pain and embarrassing actions she had been put through to have been for nothing. "I don't really want to talk about it, but we definitely had the very worst thing that could possibly happen! And I got groped for my troubles!" That last sentence was aimed squarely at Ruby, who had been the only one to hear it.
"Weiss…that is not really what happened! It was an accident!" Ruby whispered with a begging undertone. "Just forget about it!"
She was glad that the rest of the teams hadn't heard her saying that out loud…it would make things very awkward.
"Well, we had to escape a thunderous wave of fire!" Lisa said.
"So did we!" Jaune exclaimed.
"Heeeelllooooo!" What about us?" Yang yelled in turn.
What were they doing?
"Explosive traps!" Ren added, popping up behind Jaune.
"Lethal darts." Blake appeared behind Yang, aiding her.
"Heheh! Got them all!" Grace grinned and walked up to Lisa.
Seriously, were they going to compare their troubles? That had definitely NOT been her intention!
"Carrying Ren!" Nora happily yelled, raising her head behind Jaune but facing the wrong direction. Ren grabbed her head and gently turned her to face the right direction.'
"I am going to stay out of this…" Jason Cho said and crossed his arms.
Now all eyes were aimed at her, Pyrrha and Alessa.
The blindfolded girl shrugged, Pyrrha nervously smiled and completely inconspicuously moved towards her team.
"Ehm…" Weiss said and decided that siding with the team would be the best idea. "So we had to cross a lot of wooden poles…"
"…suspended a dozen meters above the ground…" Cho said.
"…rigged with traps." Jaune finished their conversation. "So we didn't really have a harder time than you guys…that is a relief actually. I hate having to compete."
"Heads up…" Alessa softly said, causing Grace to look behind her and virtually everyone who hadn't heard her speak before to jump a feet in the air, thinking that a ghost might be talking if they hadn't seen her lips move with their own eyes.
"What-" Lisa muttered before turning around and seeing a new student having arrived at the base of the hill. He was clad in black clothes with sleek, black armour, topped off by a helmet that hid his face completely. "Why do you have to creep up on us like that you weirdo?"
That was a bit harsh…and Alessa's apparent eyes in the back of her head were more intriguing than some idiot joining the fray. That girl had been standing with her face aimed at the teams gathered; how on earth had she seen that guy approach when nobody else had seen him?
"Hello!" Ruby nervously said. "These are teams JNPR and LACG…"
No response.
"I figured that you hadn't met them before."
No response.
"I…" The redheaded girl took a desperate and pleading look at her face before continuing. "I…like your helmet?"
Weiss sighed and joined Yang at the sign near the shack. This would be a VERY long day…
"The letter. The one you…procured. Where is it?"
"I ain't got a clue where you lot are yappin' about! Now let go of me before I take your money, your jobs and your kids."
"You are not in a position to make threats."
[at this point, interrogator "Frost" proceeds to break the subject's index, middle and ring finger. It is estimated that there was no Aura to stop the damage.]
"Shall I ask again?"
[Transcript is vague because of screaming and babbling. Interrogator "Frost" responds by tazing subject in the abdomen with a cattle prod.]
"Shall I ask again?"
"I gave it to the woman…s-she has it…please…just l-let me go…I can o-offer you m-money and-"
[Frost reveals Onyx's [REDACTED] on governments and funds and the subject falls silent.]
"So yes, we do not need money…where can we find this…woman?"
"Beacon! She…she should be going to Beacon now!"