So I was thinking of eventually rewriting this story, as the first…25 chapters are woefully bad compared to the later ones. Also, the fact that the first major part of this story was still according to canon is (in my head) also a big negative aspect.
SuspiciousCook: oh yes he does!
Tuutje07: thanks for the review. It's good to see that I can leave readers wanting for more.
Nightraze: that last part is someone very nasty doing something even nastier. Anyway, I hope this update is soon enough?
"You told me you would leave Blake alone if you found out the truth about this all. I am willing to bet my left ear that a self-proclaimed assassin like you would find her way in the world of intelligence rather easily."
"Professor Adamant, have you ever felt the sensation of your entire world falling apart around you? Of everything you had held to be true being a lie?"
"Once, years ago."
"What did you do to cope with it?"
"Atoning. Always and everywhere atoning. Now stop trying to distract me with shiny words. Who ordered the hit on Blake Belladonna?"
"The Schnee Dust Company."
Day 50 –Wednesday- 17:34- Cradle Hospital.
Cho carefully bypassed the shards of glass and knelt beside the body, gently bringing his gloved fingers to its head.
"That's Doctor Azure alright," Lisa muttered and quickly averted her eyes from the scene. Just like Grace, she couldn't bear being around dead bodies. Even Alessa seemed slightly disturbed with the sight and that barely ever happened.
"How did she…you know…go down?" Grace asked and hid herself behind Alessa, occasionally peeking out from behind her shoulder. It didn't really need saying. Doctor Azure's neck was extremely bruised and her head was twisted in the wrong direction. Whoever had murdered her had done so with brute violence and she hated people that employed brute violence.
Cho went right back to investigating the corpse like his supervisors had taught him, "Alright…a purple and blue bruise on her throat and neck indicates manhandling. But the way her neck is posed means at least three broken vertebrae. Someone broke her neck in a rather violent manner; this wasn't a professional attack on her life."
Lisa stepped closer to the body of the doctor who had spent so many hours healing them and gave it a long look. "Who would do something like that?"
"I don't know…the doctor sure seemed like a good person. Did it…you know…happen quick? Did she feel anything?"
"I don't know," Cho replied plainly. "The bruises look like someone with a strong grip grabbed her…but her neck is broken. From the prints on her neck I'd say she was attacked from the front…but we need a proper check. I can't say if it was instant, because it doesn't really seem possible. I think she was strangled, after which they broke her neck."
"Gross," Grace muttered from behind het improvised cover. "Why would anyone do that?"
"I don't know…" Cho softly replied. They had all had liked the doctor. "But I think our time is just about up."
Lisa looked around the crime scene and then picked up a piece of glass. "Yeah…do you think the Police will solve this?"
Cho got up, carefully made sure that he didn't stand on anything and then joined his team in the hallway. The room in the back of the hospital was devoid of blood, there wasn't anything missing and it looked like the source of all the glass was simply one broken case of vials. Now Grace did not consider herself an expert on forensics, but there really wasn't enough for the police to work with… unless the culprit had left his DNA on the victim. "I hope so."
"Come on Grace," Lisa gently said. "We're getting out of here."
"Who did this?" Alessa softly asked.
"No idea," The Adamant told her, "but the VPD will find out."
"Like they are so useful…" Grace muttered.
"Setting up a crime scene and investigating murders are not tasks for Hunters; we hunt down monsters, terrorists and villains too strong for the Police to handle."
"Thanks Cho, just what we needed to hear," Lisa sarcastically said. "Want to visit some children and make them cry too?"
"No thanks."
They left the hospital and climbed onboard the large jeep that Sergeant-Professor Johnson had parked there. He had escorted them there the very moment he had gotten the call that a murder had taken place in the hospital rooms and they had tried to find out who had been responsible. Unsuccessfully, of course.
"Got anything good?" Johnson asked them with his five-inch cigar stuck on his lip.
"No," Lisa replied. "We'll leave it to the police now. Let's just get back to Beacon and we'll see what's going to happen."
They all got into the large jeep –Cho nearly bumped his head against the turret- and the Professor drove off.
"Real shame. Azure might not have been the nicest lady out there, but she didn't deserve to die."
"I know," Lisa replied. "She fixed my team up. If we catch the bastard who did this, I'm going to use his neck as a toothbrush."
"Awfully specific there, Lisa," Grace replied. "Why a toothbrush?"
"I'm tired. Just give me a few minutes and I'll figure something out."
They remained silent as the Professor drove them back to the city, but that silence did not last long. No sooner had they approached one of the commercial districts or they came across a commotion they hadn't seen in Vale in quite a while.
"Professor," Lisa told Johnson while Grace leaned out of the window to get a better view of the group of people gathering near the highway, "could you stay in the car while we get a look?"
"Sure," Johnson waved them away. "Play Hunter with those nice people."
Grace looked over his shoulder and saw that the man was very busy with reading an article on his scroll. Had he been doing that the entire trip?
"Alright team LACG," Lisa shouted. "People are being weird and I don't like it. Let's get to it!"
They made their way past the first group of people who, Grace noticed, looked like they were made up out of nothing but Fauna. Was this another civil rights protest?
"Murderers!" One cried, oblivious to the group of humans passing through their midst.
"Terrorists!"
"Go back to where you came from!"
"Death to Onyx!"
Grace was starting to get a grasp on what was going on, but she hoped that she was wrong. Things were going downhill rather quick in Vale and if the Faunus population was starting to throw a fit because of Onyx' presence, things might turn into a bloody civil war.
She took a deep breath, pushed her way past a rather large Faunus with a short tail and spotted the main source of the problem. Three Onyx troopers were standing behind a large military roadblock, holding various weapons on their arms that were very loosely aimed at the crowd. They were blocking the way into the city and the road was currently the only way they could go.
"I would ask you all to remain calm," the largest soldier spoke. All three of them looked familiar, but their stances were obviously hostile. "The road is currently under lockdown. A terrorist threat has been detected and will be dealt with as soon as possible-"
The crowd wouldn't have it. Their insults grew louder and more profane and Grace could already spot a few of the Fauna that were holding bladed weapons.
"Go back to Vacuo, baby-killers!" A woman with yellow eyes screamed and threw a stone at the three soldiers. The largest soldier –Clayton, Lima Two-Two- caught it with one fist and threw it aside.
"This is for your own safety," a female soldier told the crowd. That would be Lily, Lima Two-Four. "The White Fang has been determined-"
Simply calling the name of that organization seemed to drive most of the Fauna into a complete fury. They pushed closer and closer and the smaller soldier –Ash, Lima Two-Three- aimed his weapon at the nearest man with a fire-ax.
"Drop it!" He barked. "Now, drop it!"
"GUNS!" Alessa yelled and jerked at Grace's arm. The demolitions expert barely had time to look at the direction her partner was pointing her at when several weapons discharged. For a second she feared that one of the soldiers had somehow lost their cool and opened fire on the crowd, but then her eyes locked onto one of the Fauna and a cold pit fell into her stomach. Four White Fang troopers had sneakily pushed their way to the front and, when one of the civilians had been threatening Ash, opened fire on Fireteam Lima.
"Hostile fire!"
Now the crowd was starting to panic; people were screaming and shouting and running away even as one of the soldiers pushed the other one away and caught a flurry of bullets to the chest.
Then, something flew through the air and impacted on the group of White Fang troopers. Two fell, one dropped his weapon and the last one aimed his gun at the place where the object –which Grace recognized as a golden shield.
Then, four figures leaped into the crowd. Pyrrha Nikos landed on top of one the trooper who had been about to pull off another shot at Fireteam Lima, Lie Ren turned his landing into a flying kick and send one of the White Fang members flying and Nora…crushed two rifles without even intending to. Jaune was there too, with a deployed shield ready to absorb a counterattack. The last trooper turned to face them and received a boot to his face for his troubles, brought down by Nikos.
"JNPR!" Lisa cried. "Timing! Awesome! Reason, why?"
Coherent words Lisa, use them.
"We were looking for Cal," Jaune answered while he glared angrily at one of the fallen White Fang soldiers. He seemed to have shed most of his nervous demeanor when it came to leading his team and he actually looked level-headed now.
"Why?" Cho asked.
Most of the civilians had fled the scene and now that the area was relatively clear, both LACG and JNPR could check up on Fireteam Lima. Grace expected that one of them was hurt, as she had very clearly seen one of them soak up a few bullets, but that wasn't anything that Aura couldn't handle.
"He covered our escape from some serious White Fang lobbying," Ren explained. "It got pretty heavy."
"Is he alright?" Grace then asked.
"I think everyone's fine now," Jaune said.
When they actually arrived near the contested position of the three remaining members of Fireteam Lima, it became obvious that nothing was farther from the truth. Clayton was angrily shouting at someone through his helmet, with his finger pressed against the place where his temple was positioned, screaming to send something called a 'trauma unit'.
Lily was lying on the ground, bleeding heavily from several holes in her already slim frame. She had her arms wrapped around her chest and she was kicking with her legs, looking like she was convulsing with the pain. A red stain had formed on the ground underneath her and despite Ash's best attempts to stop her bleeding, it didn't look like he was successful.
"Give me some biofoam!" The kid yelled at the large soldier.
"I don't HAVE ANY!" Clayton snapped back, losing his temper.
Pyrrha jumped onto the road, threw one look at the wounded soldier and then looked at Lisa.
"She needs help," the redheaded girl stated. Despite her obvious attempt to keep her face straight, she sounded strained and worried. And with good reason; all of them had grown closer to the group of soldiers, despite their differences and problems. Watching one of them get shot was nearly as bad as watching one of their own get shot and to her, it was as bad.
A loud roaring behind them got their attention and Grace spun around to deal with another apparent threat, ready to use deadly force if needed, but then she saw what was approaching them and she was relieved to see that it was in fact Johnson driving towards them with his jeep.
"Kids," he yelled at them and jumped out of his vehicle. "Things are heating up! JNPR, LACG, get back to Beacon ASAP! Lima, jump on. I'll give you a ride to the nearest hospital."
"Professor Johnson, what is going on?" Jaune asked with a desperate voice. "Yesterday, White Fang recruiting in the open! Today, White Fang attacking in the open?"
"It does seem like trouble is appearing more frequently now," Pyrrha added, placing a hand on Jaune's shoulder.
"Vale is in political turmoil kids," Johnson and helped carry the wounded Lily onboard of his car. "Serious shit is going down. You'll hear all about it back at Beacon. Don't stop to engage anything on your way."
Then they watched the Sergeant-Professor drive off with the soldiers onboard, after which Lisa turned towards Jaune.
"Political turmoil sounds a lot more subtle than 'shit going down'," she said "You were talking about Cal and some recruiting event? You wouldn't happen to know anything about this, would you?"
"Yes," Jaune replied while they started to make their way back to Beacon. He still looked shaken by the shoot-out and Grace wondered how he had been able to keep himself together for so long. "Ozpin ordered us to go watch some Faunus-recruiting event and…well, the White Fang was there. It got pretty ugly after that. Cal stayed behind to get the heat off of us, but…"
"But what?" Cho asked.
"Sounds bad," Alessa muttered to Grace, who nodded in agreement.
"We think he got a little carried away," Ren replied with a dark expression.
"We escaped from that place yesterday and we have been keeping watch over the various Fauna parties," Pyrrha told them. The eight of them had reached one of the center-most parts of the city and things looked relatively fine there, but they kept a close eye on their environment nonetheless.
"So the White Fang has been gathering troops yesterday and now they are attacking the city in full?" Cho said.
"I don't think so," Jaune replied with a thoughtful expression on his face. "But they're definitely planning something. I wonder what has changed."
"I want to bet it's a revenge action," Lisa growled.
"Ehm…revenge action?"
"Gangs do it and I want to bet that the Fang does as well. Onyx has wronged them and now they want payback."
"But it was just one Operative," Cho replied. "Why would the White Fang want to attack Vale?"
But Pyrrha understood what Lisa meant. "Well, they did just attack one of Onyx' teams. We have no proof that they have attacked anyone but them."
Grace thought that it was a very well-thought conclusion. White Fang being after Onyx' soldiers to get even for the supposed Schnee Dust Company killings. However, once they approached the docks and heard gunfire and explosions, they were forced to conclude that there were more problems than they could have held possible.
"Move it!" Lisa yelled and Jaune gestured for his team to follow their lead. The two teamleaders then charged off towards the docks, unslinging their weapons.
"What's going on?" Nora asked loudly.
"Johnson's 'shit's going down' aspect'," Cho replied as he whipped out his stun-baton.
As it turned out, the White Fang wasn't the only group out to play nasty in Vale. When team JNPR and team RWBY arrived at the docks, there was a full-blown fight going on between team RWBY and a group of heavily armed…mercenaries, Grace had to conclude. The group of men and women that Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang were fighting were all armed with classic assault rifles and outfitted with green and brown clothes. However, the term 'fight' was a bit of an overstatement.
There were easily a dozen of the mercenaries, all of them heavily armed and nasty looking. Team RWBY was swiping the floor with them as easily as if they had been Grimm; Ruby was a red flash of movement as she zoomed from one mook to another, bashing him in the face with flat end of her scythe and sending him crashing into a wall, while she battered the second one to the ground with enough force to shatter the pavement.
"What is going on?" Jaune yelled when he rounded the corner too, following team LACG and stumbling upon the curb-stomp battle. Weiss shattered the gun of one mercenary with a well-placed thrust and then launched him into the water with one of her glyphs, after which she spun on her heel and froze a fully-armed man against the wall with a flick of her wrist. Blake was countering three machete-wearing opponents at once, disarming two of them with one strike and then kicking the third one in the head.
Yang meanwhile was having the time of her life, if her gleeful expression was any indication to her current feelings. Just like her sister, she was jumping back and forth from one mook to the other. Grace was in no means an expert in martial arts, so the fact that she could barely follow the blonde's movements as she knocked out guys that stood six feet high with single punches could have also been her own lack of insight. But fact was that she laid down such a severe beating that one of the men caught fire just by standing near her –wait, never mind. That was just her aura.
One of the mercenaries tried to pull out a sidearm as he lay on the ground, but Pyrrha shot him with her carbine. A red bolt sped towards the man at speed that only a Hunter could dodge and knocked him at least three feet back, also blasting the weapon out of his arms.
Then Ruby delivered a spinning kick to last remaining mercenary, using her scythe as leverage.
"Woo!" Yang exclaimed and ran a hand through her hair. "That was the last one. Anyone else hungry?"
"What happened?" Lisa asked. "Who were these guys?"
"No idea," Ruby replied as she folded her Crescent Rose back behind her cloak. "They were holding a few workers hostage and demanding to see some doctor. When we arrived, I gave them a chance to let the hostages go. They didn't take it, so we had to take them down."
"And the hostages?" Cho asked as he knelt by an unconscious body.
"Safe," Ruby said with a big smile. "Shall we get back to Beacon? Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch wanted to see us…and why are you looking like someone almost died? Who got attacked?"
Cho and Alessa looked at each, probably remembering that Ruby was skilled enough to read even them, even though the redhead had been talking to Jaune and Pyrrha.
The two teamleaders brought RWBY up to speed, starting with JNPR's assignment and LACG's investigation and ending with the attempt on Lily's life.
"Is she alright?" Ruby hurried to ask. Yang and Weiss looked rather pale and even Blake, who was just starting to get over her soldier-hatred, looked worried.
"Johnson brought them to the hospital," Ren replied. "He didn't sound too worried, but…"
"None of the teachers sound worried…" Ruby pouted. "And it was the White Fang who shot her? Why would they-"
"Public revenge," Blake interrupted. "Onyx has wronged the White Fang terribly, even though things are different than they have said before. They've been interrupting the White Fang's operations for a long time, killing the most violent branches off one by one and even capturing one of the higher-ranking members."
"Onyx did?" Weiss asked with surprise.
"It was never said that it was them, but everything fits together. Remember when I told you that I had encountered two soldiers before? Same armour as Cal and the rest."
"And when did you realize this?" Yang asked.
Blake sighed. "A few days ago. When Cal told me that the White Fang would want bloody revenge for past deeds, I could barely believe him. But now…"
"And…how did you know this?" Lisa then asked Blake, looking at her with a confused expression.
Blake, suddenly looking worried and scared, shot a look at Ruby, who in turn sized team LACG up with her eyes. When Ruby nodded, Blake reluctantly turned to face the other students. "Because…I was with the White Fang, when I was younger. But I left them because they turned violent and…I haven't…I didn't..."
"Meh," Lisa then said with a jerk of her head. "Alright."
Blake didn't seem to understand. "What?"
"Kind of figured that," Cho added.
"If you're not with them anymore, it's alright with me," Grace said, watching Alessa shrug. She, Grace, had been living with the knowledge of her parents having been infamous terrorists before their deaths. Blake's past was not important; she was with them. A friend.
"You don't care?" Blake asked with surprise. "You're not…not upset?"
"We sort of knew already," Jaune gently told the girl and Pyrrha placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Wait, you knew?" Ruby asked.
JNPR's response might as well have been choreographed; Pyrrha started off. "Well, you hate Onyx…"
Ren was next. "And the White Fang hates Onyx. You hated Greystone…"
Nora followed up. "And Grey-face killed Fauna. Then you met Fox-head…"
And Jaune finished it. "And he was a Faunus too, despite being Onyx."
"That gave it away?" Ruby asked, looking completely and utterly flabbergasted. "Not the bow?"
"What's with the bow?" Lisa asked, causing everyone to look at her with deadpan stares. She looked at Blake's head, then at Jaune. Then at Blake's head, then back to Pyrrha. Back to Blake's head, to Ren. Blake's head, Nora.
And then, finally…" OH! IT HIDES EARS!"
Even Cho had to chuckle at that remarkable (and to Grace, familiar) display of idiocy. However, Ruby provided the necessary distraction by jumping in the air with an expression of utmost horror on her face. "Wait, bloody revenge?" She suddenly shouted, scaring two passersby's. "Team Lima barely did anything to the White Fang, but the Operatives did!"
Much to Grace's surprise, that statement took both the rest of team RWBY as team JNPR aback. Who cared what happened to the Operatives? Out of the three that had been made, only two were rampaging in Vale –and one of those two was currently residing in Beacon.
"Come on, pick up the pace then!" Jaune then shouted and suddenly, all twelve of them were running back towards Beacon. It still took them a good half hour to get back to the castle, as not everyone was on equal term when it came to stamina and fitness. Grace and Jaune were soon trailing at the back of their formation, gasping for air and ignoring their burning muscles.
Finally the path of trees ended and revealed their large Academy.
"I hate this," Blake told Ruby in the distance. "I never wished for the White Fang to become this…I always despised the military for coming after my people, but now the Fang is as bad as they are…as Onyx is."
"No Blake," Weiss then softly said, wrapping an arm around the raven-haired girl. "The Fang's actions are caused by years of racism and hatred. Onyx has no such excuse."
"But the White Fang has resorted to terrorism. You saw them attempt to shoot Ash, nearly killing in their attack. Onyx exists to protect the innocent."
"That's what Will said," Weiss retorted. "We don't know for sure why they are here."
"So we got the White Fang trying to kill people, Onyx trying to kill people and people trying to kill people," Grace muttered to Alessa. "And then people wonder why we don't spend more time fighting Grimm…"
The three teams entered Beacon and headed straight towards the Main Dining Hall. This was, as Ruby explained, because Ozpin had an important guest for them to meet. All the students and teachers were supposed to be attending. Weiss couldn't really understand what had happened that could be so important that ever single student from Beacon needed to hear it. Team CRDL was already sitting at one of the tables near the back and at least three teams from higher years were scattered across the room. Wait, why were Cardin's hands black?
"Can you see Will?" Ruby asked, sounding very worried. Weiss knew why her partner (of her team) felt like seeing the soldier again. A few of their friends had just been the victim of a sudden and vicious attack just because they were with Onyx and Will was in even more trouble than Fireteam Lima had been, because he was actually known and hated by the majority of Faunus civilians. If he had been spending time in the city despite Ruby's advice, he might have been the victim of an attempt on his life.
Yang, who hadn't looked even remotely worried during the whole 'Target Primary' thing, looked as anxious as her younger sister. And that was saying something, as Yang never got anxious or worried. "I don't know, I can't see him. There is a guy wearing fancy fatigues and Professor Adamant is there…and…oh god, they melted him!"
Weiss' stomach lurched. "What?" She exclaimed loudly. Ruby dashed forward faster than one could blink and stopped at a table where a large collection of black pieces of armour was lying. The word 'armour' used in the broadest definition as possible, mind you. What lay sprawled on the large table looked like what a set of Onyx armour would look like after it had been locked in with Yang after someone had pulled out a pluck of her hair. Most pieces looked like molten slag and the sturdier plates of armour had scorch-marks all over them.
"No!" Ruby loudly said, kneeling on front of the ruined set of armour. "You were so young! So fireproof!"
Blake made her way to the redhead and nudged her shoulder. "Ehh…Ruby?"
Weiss and Yang joined the two and Blake gestured at a smaller boy standing behind Professor Adamant. He was wearing a white, sleeveless shirt and a short pair of trousers that looked like they were two sizes too small for him.
"Will!" Ruby yelled and flung herself at the soldier, nearly throwing him to the floor with her momentum, as he stumbled backwards and nearly fell over.
"Ruby isn't that heavy," Blake remarked.
Weiss smiled. "She's got a strong grip for a girl her age."
"You are alive! People were mean and people got shot and the White Fang was out to kill Onyx soldiers and we were worried you would have been crucified or hanged and we got here and then you were melted and now you are here!" The redhead managed to say in one breathe without taking a break. She wasn't even panting!
"What happened to you?" Yang asked the Operative as she eyed him with a satisfied expression in her eyes. She could be such a pervert at times…
"I was on duty in the city when a blonde girl threw a Molotov cocktail at me," he replied without changing a single muscle in his face. Ruby gasped dramatically and Blake raised an eyebrow –before looking at Yang.
"Don't look at me, I was with you guys!" The blonde sister immediately yelled and raised her hands in the universal 'don't-look-at-me-I'm-innocent' gesture.
"It was a Faunus," Will said. "Probably a sympathizer of the White Fang."
"How did she even get you?" Weiss asked. Attacking someone with a Molotov cocktail was a terrible thing to do and she was very glad that Will was unharmed. "I thought you were…you know…designed to be a good shot?"
Will quickly looked away and muttered something. Blake giggled. What had she heard?
"Excuse me?" Ruby asked.
"I thought she was someone I know," Will awkwardly replied and Weiss could have sworn that his pale cheeks were flushing a bit. "I let my guard down."
"Someone you knew?" Ruby asked. "Who did you think she if she could come enough to attack you with fire?"
"Not important right now," Will replied. Yang rolled with her eyes and turned away for a moment –only to suddenly and quite angrily glare at someone. Weiss followed her gaze and saw that she was in fact leering at a group of second-year students who in turn were staring at them –more specifically, at Will.
Despite not being into guys, Weiss could perfectly understand why girls would want to…ogle…the young Operative. Because his suit had been so badly damaged, he had had to resort to wearing simple and rather badly-fitting clothes. Some people liked that. That being said, she was certain that those people would not be capable of getting past the initial phase of actually getting to know him. But why would Yang care if girls were staring at him? It wasn't like Will was capable of showing attention to any gender at all…
Jaune walked towards them and poked the ruined mess that had once been capable of taking hits without buckling. "How did you take this thing off?"
"Team CRDL helped me," Will said. More and more students were filing into the room and then a few teachers beckoned for Professor Ozpin, who hurried towards them.
"Alright, what the hell is going on?" Yang then snapped at Will. "Each and every time you get some fresh air, shit hits the dust! Why aren't you sitting here reading a perverted book? Why are White Fang members openly attacking Onyx people?"
Weiss subtly shuffled backwards and hid herself behind Ruby. Yang could be rather…impulsive…when it came to emotions. Was it getting hot in here or was that just her?
"You're not supposed to find out until Ozpin says so," Will grimly said as he watched the Professors gathering with the strange man near the entrance of the hall. "We don't know how he did it, or why. But they're all dead."
"Who is?" Blake asked urgently.
"He must have gotten past at least dozen guards…not that their lives would have mattered."
"Will, you're rambling," Ruby told him.
At that moment, Headmaster Ozpin cleared his throat and immediately got the attention of everybody gathered there.
"It is good to see that you are all here. Something terrible has happened today and you all deserve to know what has happened." Professors Goodwitch and Adamant were standing by his side, just like the unknown man with his black, official-looking clothes. "What I am about to tell you may shock you. Deeply. I only ask of you to remain quiet until we have said all we needed to say."
This was the first time Ozpin actually asked them to do something. Normally, he always told them to do things.
"Seriously, what's he talking about?" Yang muttered. Will was sitting next to her and he was looking awfully tense. Even more so than normal.
"Today, two hours before the sun rose, the entire Embodiment of Governing was murdered. The fifteen politicians responsible for ruling this city and, by extension, the Kingdom, have all lost their lives."
Even though Ozpin had warned them beforehand, the entire dining hall broke into noise. People started whispering to each other and it took Professor Goodwitch at least three whacks with her crane to get them to be silent. When the ruckus had died down, Ozpin beckoned to the strange man standing next to him, who then stepped forward.
"My name," he spoke with a clear, commanding voice, "is Field Agent Commander Yale, Commanding Officer of all Fireteams and Field Agents in Vale. Yesterday, this city was beheaded by evildoers. Today, the protectors of the city have found out about this blow. Tomorrow, these protectors shall live up to their name and serve the innocent civilians living in Vale."
"These protectors are you," Professor Goodwitch added, stepping forward as well. "The students from Beacon. With the Vytal festival coming up soon, we must work to farthest extent of our abilities to protect those that cannot protect themselves. The White Fang is of no concern. With the deaths of those who had been governing Vale, anarchy might soon come down upon us. We will not allow this to happen."
Matt Adamant was next. "On the other hand, several other things have come to our attention. The Northern continent, overrun by Grimm with only two to three cities remaining, has contacted Vale. They have not done so in fifty years and we have reason to believe that their cry for help and yesterday's hit are connected. They have been contacting us every day for the past week. Today, they have neglected to do so."
"Therefore," Headmaster Ozpin said, "we shall mount an expedition to the North. Two days from now, a select group of first-year students will be sent. Are there any volunteers?"
Every single team from the first-years raised their hands, as well as four second-years and three third-years."
Yale spoke up. His voice was like a whisper, calm and steady but layered deeply with such an air of command that the entire hall was dead quiet. "Take note that there is only room and supplies for a maximum of fifteen warriors. The North is a harsh, lethal place. Humanity is barely holding on to the edge…and there is no telling how the Grimm have been developing there. At least two of the three teams that will be going must have a member who is resistant to the extreme cold, in order to guide their team."
Several teams dropped their hands.
"Furthermore, Operative Greystone will be accompanying the expedition, as this will be a joint operation between Onyx and Beacon."
Nearly all the teams dropped their hands. Some looked scared, other looked disgusted. Teams JNPR, RWBY and LACG were among those that were still ready and willing to go.
"Who is your cold-resistant guy?" Jaune whispered to Ruby.
"I am," Ruby said and then leaned to Lisa Adamant. "Who is yours?"
"Alessa," Lisa whispered back.
"We got ourselves three teams then?" Yang muttered.
"We'll be stuck with Will for a long time," Cho muttered right back. Weiss wondered if he was still upset about the Saboteur thing.
Yang didn't seem bothered by that. "So we got ourselves three teams then."
"You will have the rest of the day to decide," Yale finished.
Ozpin glared at the Onyx representative. "You are all dismissed." He told the students without throwing them a sideways glance.
"Hangar bay, seven minutes," Will whispered to Ruby and then hurried to join Yale.
Later, when nearly everyone had left the Dining hall and team RWBY was amongst the last students to go, the storm broke loose.
"The entire government, dead?" Yang exclaimed loudly. "What the hell!"
"This couldn't have been the White Fang," Blake hurried to tell them. "They wouldn't do something like this…something like mass murder."
"Blake, I the government existed out of fifteen people living in a large building that is constantly guarded by very tough people! Nobody could have gotten to them alive!"
"Besides," Weiss added, "we would have heard about a large group of armed people forcing their way into the most important building in Vale. It doesn't make sense."
"No," Ruby mused, "it doesn't. But that expedition to the North sounds very interesting…"
"Does it?" Weiss knew that Ruby had come from the Northern continent when she was younger…meaning that Yang had also come from that place. "Do your parents still live there?"
"Well, I don't really know where our father is now…he sort of disappeared years ago," Ruby said and fidgeted uncomfortably. "And…I guess that my mother went back to the North after taking us to Vytal."
"So you have been living in Vale on your own…for years?" Blake asked with no small amount of surprise.
"Yeah," Yang said and wrapped an arm around Ruby, pulling her closer. "But that's alright. We've done an excellent job in building our lives."
"What I don't get," Weiss said, "is why we are wasting time with this expedition when the entire city government has just been murdered! Won't Vale need all the people they can get?"
"True," Blake replied. "However, every city needs their allies. If the people from the North need help, it is our duty to help them."
"Speaking of duty, did you see that Yale guy? What's up with him?" Yang laughed. They were headed towards the Hangar bay where –for a change- Will had invited them instead of the other way around.
"For a representative of Onyx, he was rather positive against Beacon," Blake pondered. "I think I've heard the name 'Yale' before, but…I can't remember where or how."
They eventually found their way to the infamous hangar bay, where Yang once again demonstrated a huge amount of courtesy by kicking the door in instead of simply knocking.
"Do you ever consider that people need privacy, my dear sister?" Ruby asked.
"Eh, nope."
"He just got attacked by a Molotov cocktail. I'm willing to bet he's changing clothes as we speak," Weiss lectured the blonde.
But Yang merely grinned. "I know"
They jumped over the metal railing and Blake immediately spotted the Operative standing near a large car with a turret mounted at the top."
"Did you find Operative Mantis?" He asked without looking at them.
"Ehh…no. And neither did we find the mean lady," Ruby explained. "Can you…you know…tell us why an Onyx representative is here at Beacon at the same day that we find out our government has been murdered?"
"And what were you talking about before Ozpin showed up?" Weiss asked "Seriously, can you stop withholding information from us? Friends don't lie to each other!"
Will got to his feet and turned to face them. He had managed to find a fitting pair of cargo pants, but he was still wearing that sleeveless shirt. Weiss could see a very noticeable scar on his shoulder…looking awfully similar to a bullet-hole. People their ages weren't supposed to have scars like that, even in their line of work.
"I know," he said. "But given the nature of the Intel, a leak would be dangerous. The government wasn't assassinated by the White Fang or the mercenaries that are appearing in town."
"Not?" Ruby asked, sounding surprised. "But there are lots of armed men walking around in Vale. Why are they here if they haven't killed the…governing…thingie…seriously, how do you assassinate an entire government? How does that work?"
"If you murder enough leaders, the people will scatter," Blake told the redhead. "This was an act of war. Someone is out to invade and control Vale."
"Wrong," Will said with a grim expression on his face. "This was an act of war against life."
"Grimm?" Yang asked.
"Worse. Operative Blackwood. Yale and I have been hunting him from the moment that the Embodiment of Governing reported contact with a hostile force. Of course, they contacted the VPD first. By the time we got there, Blackwood was gone."
Silence. Nobody had anything to say and even Weiss couldn't think of the words that were needed for her to better understand the situation. Operative Blackwood was just like Will and Alice…wasn't he? How did one person murder an entire government, including their security force, and then get away with it?
Blake, being the most level-headed one of their team, was the first to speak up. "Are you telling us that Onyx murdered Vale's government?" She said in a soft tone.
"No. I haven't been in contact with Mantis for well over a year…and it was two years since I last fought alongside Blackwood. Yale said that Blackwood openly left Onyx during my…absence."
"So why is he here in Vale if he's been gone for an entire year?" Yang asked.
"Not an entire year. Eleven months and nine days."
"Whatever."
"He's been abroad. Why he has suddenly decided to return to Vale though, nobody knows. Not even the General knows."
Ruby seemed confused. "General?"
"The highest ranking soldier in Onyx command besides the Themeluesi himself. "
Weiss sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose with her index finger and her thumb. "It is always one thing or the other with you, isn't it Will? You either tell us nothing, or you tell us so much we don't know how to deal with it!"
He looked away. "I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize for it," Blake said, throwing an annoyed glance at Weiss.
"Right. But we have a problem now. According to Yale, Blackwood is unstable. He always was psychotic, but something has changed him in the past two years."
"Is that why he murdered our government? Because he is unstable and therefore easily manipulated?" Blake asked.
"You misunderstand. All three of us had a psychiatrist in the past. Professor Greene. After last night, I contacted her. She sent me all the information that Onyx had gathered on the rogue Operatives in the past years. She said… " Will seemed to hesitate.
"Yes?" Ruby urged him. "What did she say?"
"She said that she doesn't know what drives him. Mantis is driven by revenge, I am driven by my duty…Blackwood doesn't have anything to drive him. Nothing…except a burning hatred of everything that lives."
"What?" Weiss shrieked.
"I know," Will darkly said. "Her words. Doesn't make sense. Consider Blackwood an unknown factor for now."
"Ehh…Yang to Greystone? I'm not going to consider a guy who can murder and entire freaking government on his own an unknown factor. Just who is this guy? What makes him so dangerous?"
Will grabbed his scroll and started flicking past some images. "Onyx Operative Blackwood, informally known as the Brawler. Age twenty, specialization: close combat. Blackwood is a deadly expert martial artist, utilizing at least three different forms of foreign arts in one deadly combination. Resilient, mean and utterly, utterly devoid of empathy."
"That sounds nasty," Ruby muttered and leaned towards the soldier. "That him?"
The rest of the team joined her and Weiss found herself looking at an image of something that could have come straight out of her nightmares. Blackwood stood nearly seven feet tall in his armour. His physiology was completely different someone like Cardin, who was simply bulky. The Operative was broad, tall and well-developed in his form. It was his suit that made him appear so…hellish. The image was taken by a plane at a high altitude and because of the interference, his body appeared warped. And the colour of his suit…"
"Is that…blood?" Yang asked with disgust.
"This picture was taken six months ago. Here, Blackwood had just finished killing off the elite members of the Trocadero gang in the Kingdom of Atlas."
"He was killing a gang? Why?" Blake asked.
"My guess? For a challenge. I was kept in the dark about to other two Operatives for nearly a year and I heard some really nasty stuff about the Brawler. He's completely mad, for starters. He most likely grew bored and decided to go look for the largest gang in one of the busiest cities in Atlas. "
"Did he find his challenge?"
"He's still alive, so probably not."
"If such a crazy lunatic is on the loose in our city, shouldn't we be defending it rather than leaving it?" Ruby asked.
"This expedition to the North is too important to abort. With the Police, Onyx and all of Beacon's forces focusing on nailing him, three teams won't be missed."
Ruby poked him. "Isn't Onyx going to miss their last loyal Operative?"
He smiled bitterly. "I'm not exactly the most popular guy in Vale right now. Besides; Onyx has research value in the North. They need someone to keep an eye on developments."
"You know, after everything that has been going on lately, I could sure use a little vacation," Yang laughed. "
"Well…if we're going to be traveling to a foreign continent in three days, we might as well start to prepare ourselves," Ruby said with an awkward smile. "Weiss and I are going to go pack our stuff…alone…because there is so much stuff to pack."
"Hey!" Weiss exclaimed and spun around, glaring at her partner who had insinuated that she carried too much luggage. "What-"but then she saw that Ruby was smirking at her and her ears grew hot. "Yes…so much to pack…truly, an enigma to solve."
"So you three are eager to leave Vale when so much depends on us? Don't you remember Roman Torchwick, the White Fang? These mercenaries and the bomb-makers that LACG's been catching?"
Yang didn't seem to take her too seriously. "Blake, you really should relax. Remember that Professor Adamant and Professor Ozpin told us to go to the North before? We'll just be completing a mission."
"Blake," Will told the cat-Faunus, "Once Fireteam Lima is back to full strength, they will be here to guard Vale. They won't even be alone; Onyx will be sending more Fireteams and even some Field Agents."
"Field Agents?"
"Experienced troopers who specialized in one specific aspect of combat. Demolition experts, spies, martial artists. They will get the job done."
"Ehm…Will?" Ruby asked as she led Weiss back to the exit. Blake was following them closely, but Yang was still waiting near the young soldier. "You do know that you once said Mantis was a merciless psycho? Just…just like we once said that Ash and Cal and the likes were sociopaths…and we once thought you to be a psychopath. People can be so much more than you think them to be. I don't know this Blackwood but…don't you think anyone deserves a second chance?"
"I'm not here to give second chances."
Yang casually bumped her fist against his shoulder. "Well, we gave you a second chance, didn't we? How much worse than you can a guy get? Last article in the Vale Newspaper said that you were a dangerous psycho, so there's that!"
"Thanks Yang…"
The blonde chose to stay behind for a while, probably to learn more about Blackwood, while the rest of their team left for their dormitories. Well, Weiss and Ruby did. Blake had disappeared somewhere halfway and Weiss really didn't know where to. The Faunus was a very elusive girl and there weren't many people that knew what she was up to. Her interactions with Operative Mantis behind their backs should have been very troublesome, but Weiss could understand her need to be with others of her kind. People like her. It was purely because she had Ruby that she could understand that need, though. In a way, the little redhead had taught them all a great many things. She had taught Blake how to trust her friends and she had taught her how to understand and appreciate the people around her.
The two of them entered their now-private dormitories and Ruby immediately threw herself around Weiss' shoulders, lurging forward and seeking out her lips with her own. Her eyes widened in surprise as the redhead eagerly brought her hands to her body, one to her head and one down on her thigh. Weiss returned the sensual gesture and wrapped her own arms around her partner. With one hand on Ruby's neck and the other one secured below her backside, she pressed herself tightly against the caped Huntress and enjoyed her warmth. When she felt her body being directed to the bed, Weiss immediately took the hint and took over, forcing Ruby downwards and onto the sheets that she usually slept alone in.
"Weiss…" Ruby softly moaned when the Heiress broke their kiss off, gently massaging the lower side of her back. Weiss felt one of Ruby's hands near her chest, slowly undoing the zipper that kept her jacket around her body. She didn't stop her partner from unclothing her and instead concentrated on undoing the buttons on the girl's blouse. Her cape came off easily and while the red fabric swirled to the floor, Ruby slipped one of her hands inside of Weiss' jacket.
The Dust mistress grinned as she increased her grip on the girl beneath her, enjoying the sensation of her warm skin underneath her fingers. Then she pushed Ruby's head upwards again and tried to kiss her again, only to find that their noses were getting in their way. She made a frustrated sound and the redhead giggled in return. Then Ruby maneuvered both of her hands in such a way that Weiss' jacket slipped off of her shoulders, revealing a white bra that clung to her chest.
With the removal of her jacket, most of her confidence seemed to have disappeared too. Ruby, being Ruby, immediately noticed that something was wrong with her and took the necessary action. Only the necessary action meant flipping the Heiress over on her back and pinning her to the bed.
"What's wrong?" Ruby breathed, tickling Weiss' back with fingers that seemed to be too limber to be hers. "Feeling vulnerable?"
Weiss wanted to answer her partner with words, but when Ruby brought one of her hands to her inner thigh, the only thing that came out of her throat was a longing moan. Ruby was so close that she could smell her scent; it was sweet and exotic and it only served to increase her arousal.
"That a yes?"
Weiss gathered her courage and wrapped her legs around the girl's back, pushing her own hips forwards. "You know me so well..." Then she leaned forwards and kissed Ruby once again, this time actually pushing farther into the redhead's mouth with her tongue. Ruby's cry of surprise was muffled entirely and she quickly relented and allowed her inside.
The two of them squirmed underneath each other's grip for a while. The sheets on the bed were slowly but steadily being driven to the side and Weiss pressed herself closer against her partner, unhooking her bra and softly pressing her own chest against Ruby's. The redhead gasped loudly, but it was only when Ruby threw all caution in the wind and brought two of her fingers to Weiss' crotch that they actually grew loud. Weiss cried out in surprise when she felt Ruby's touch burning her senses and the girl quickly pulled both of her hands back.
"I'm sorry!" Ruby squealed, but two seconds later the door was flung open and then they both shrieked in union. Ruby acted faster than Weiss' still numbed mind could and rapidly pulled the sheets over their half-naked bodies.
It was only because Blake was looking down at her scroll that she did not see that hasty gesture and she still looked up and stared at them with an puzzled look. Weiss remembered how sensitive Fauna senses were and a jolt of panic ran through her body. How much had Blake heard? Could she smell something in the air? Could she see how blushed and short-breathed they looked?
But the raven-haired girl didn't seem to think that anything was wrong, as she pulled the door close behind her and walked to her bed.
"I just received a message from someone," Blake told them while she reached in one of her drawers. "And I thought that I should share it with you."
Then the girl looked up at them again and frowned. "It isn't that cold. Why are you two sharing a bed?"
"Spider!" Ruby then exclaimed with a high-pitched voice. "Under the bed! Couldn't deal –nope!"
Blake slowly opened her mouth and her ears seemed to twitch. She slowly sank through her knees and looked underneath the bed, while Weiss gave Ruby's hand a soft squeeze to let her know that she had just saved their lives.
"Can't see anything…" Blake muttered. "How much of a nope was it?"
"Ehm…what's a 'nope'?" Weiss carefully asked.
"It's a way to openly show disgust and fear to all things horrible and mean," Ruby explained. "And it was a big one."
"I'll get Yang to burn the room later then," Blake muttered as she quickly skidded away from the bed. "But for now, I have something that's more important than a nasty nope. Listen to this…"
Ruby gave Weiss a wink right while Blake started to read the message.
"I take it that you have met Yale by now. Be careful around him; Greystone is too mentally damaged to understand what he is doing, but Yale is fully aware of the things he has caused. He has been involved with every black operation from Atlas all the way to Vale."
"Sounds nasty," Ruby commented. "Who sent it?"
"Alice did," Blake replied distantly, staring at the window with a sad expression on her face. "She's still out there...the White Fang are probably intent on hurting her if they so much as see her…that mad woman is after her…and now Operative Blackwood is here, too. Do you think he will hurt her?"
"Blake," Ruby gently said, "we don't know if the woman or Blackwood are actually after her. And even if that were the case, she has been eluding the people of Onyx for a very long time now. She'll be fine."
But Blake wouldn't let Ruby comfort her. "This is wrong…she should be here, with us. Fighting the Grimm and…being safe."
"We couldn't find her after an entire day of searching, Blake. If we couldn't find her…and if Onyx can't find her…she will be fine on her own for another week or so. Once we get back from the North, we'll find her."
Blake looked at her and flashed a warm, genuine smile. "Thanks."
22:02 - Headmaster's office.
"Here we find ourselves once more, marked by the absence of trouble," Headmaster Ozpin said in a rather cryptic fashion.
"How do you mean?" Professor Goodwitch asked him, confused by his sudden remark.
"Although this absence is merely the means to a beginning, not an end," Professor Adamant then said.
"How do you mean?" Professor Goodwitch asked the younger teacher, who was sounding as strange as the older one was.
The silver-haired man took a gulp from a white cup of coffee, which seemed to calm him down somewhat. "Field Agent Commander Yale, he calls himself. Everytime he gets himself involved, things change for the worse on Vale."
"And everytime he leaves again, it is up to Beacon to solve his mess," Matt added. He wasn't drinking anything. Come to think it, Glynda had not seen him drink or eat anything for days now. He either hid himself during his breaks, or…well, the alternative was really not very positive to think about. While his lack of idiotic remarks and stupid behavior was invigorating in a sense, it was also indicative of some greater mental disturbance that ailed him.
"And now Yale has left Beacon again, quite suddenly so."
"Absence of trouble…" Professor Goodwitch repeated softly. "Can his absence really result in greater problems? Vale is effectively without a government now…have we not reached our darkest hour?"
"Oh no Glynda," Ozpin replied. He was refusing to meet her eyes for some reason. "Things can get much, much worse. "
"I fail to see how."
Matt was the one to reply to her, but even he did not meet her eyes. "Well, we only have to deal with a joint alliance between a criminal mastermind and a group of extreme-radical terrorists while a military organization with seemingly unlimited funding is pouring more and more of their assets into the city. There are no mass-murders…or bombings…or acts of genocide…violation of human rights…"
"Professor Adamant!" Glynda exclaimed. "We are experiencing a time of peace. Your sarcasm is not required."
He turned around and looked at her with an expression of surprise. His green eyes did not take away from his exhausted expression. "I wasn't being sarcastic! Things really could be worse."
"Never mind the situation having the capacity of being worse," Ozpin remarked, "we need to consider our next move."
"In no way are we telling the students who was truly responsible for the destruction of the Embodiment of Governing," the blonde Professor told the two men. "If they were to know that one man alone is responsible for the nigh-arrival of anarchy-"
"Not one man, Glynda. Man would insinuate an age of twenty-one or older. Operative Blackwood has been spoken off as being three years older than Greystone and Mantis –making him twenty years old."
"That's even worse! One teen –just like they are- has wrought so much chaos and destruction, and what for?"
"According to Yale, nothing. He says that Blackwood is merely 'seeking to spread as much chaos and death as possible', which I find very odd myself."
"Do you hold a reason to suspect Yale of dishonesty?" Ozpin asked.
"He is with Onyx," Glynda angrily said, "that should be enough."
"But aside from all these…troubling events. You have successfully found the assassin who was after Miss Belladonna?"
"I did."
"And?"
"She fancies me."
"Furthermore?"
Matt Adamant suddenly smiled and he regained his youthful appearance. "She would never ever harm a kid, ex-Fang or not. So she's very, very pissed at her contractor. And not only because he lied to her."
"You have found an ally then?" Ozpin remarked.
"It would seem so."
"And what of the young Mantis? Is Onyx still actively hunting her down?"
"I have attempted to contact her, but the girl's more slippery than a wet piece of soap in a prison. And when she does slip, you're pretty much boned."
"Matt!" Professor Goodwitch snapped. "Mind your language near the Headmaster!"
"It's alright Glynda. Professor Adamant? What do you suppose will happen when Beacon openly supports Operative Mantis?"
"Oh I don't care. Yale said that some General is actively trying to kill her, so all bets are off."
"That didn't answer my question."
'They'll probably openly demand to take custody over her. But I won't let it come to that. It didn't come to that with Alessa and it won't come to that with Mantis. The question is whether or not you are ready to take another Operative under your wing."
"Technically, I don't have any Operatives under my wing. Greystone has been more or less…adopted…by team RWBY. If and when the time comes for Beacon to assist young Mantis, she will be your responsibility."
Goodwitch frowned and turned to face the headmaster. "Professor Ozpin…it was your idea."
"The girl who tried to assassinate Operative Greystone is part of a larger, elite branch of the White Fang…and I regret to inform you that she has escaped us, sir."
"Physical appearance?"
"Long, pink hair and the standard Fang gear, sir."
"Dispatch one Hunter-Killer team to neutralize her. I want all other teams focusing on the Brawler, Yale. And remember: it is imperative that he stays alive. All casualties are acceptable, all costs are accounted for."
"Sir…with all due respect for the classified department, but…why have two of the three Operatives left Onyx? Their training would have covered all possibilities of defection."
"Be very careful, Commander Yale. Lest your Lieutenant alias becomes reality…if you're lucky. Dismissed!"
"Sir, General Randall sir!"
Conversation between Field Agent Commander Yale and General Randall {DATA EXPUNGED}
Time for something I've been doing with my other fanfic for a while now.
Next time: after preparations have been made, Beacon teams RWBY, JNPR and LACG depart for the Northern continent on behalf of the Kingdom of Vale, unlike anyone has done in over fifty years. However, something is still hunting them…