Authors Note: Hello to you the reader I am hoping you are liking this little experiment in writing. I am hoping you are all enjoying it. This chapter is a bit longer than the last two if you have made it this far I am hoping you are enjoying it. If you have any questions or comments please feel free.
It is six in the morning and all around the Great Hall the brand-new Huntsmen are beginning to wake up, weapons and equipment are laying out being cleaned, Swords are sharpened, and rifles loaded. To anyone watching with no idea of the context it would look like these children were preparing for war. Of course, for anyone sitting in the room war was the last thing from their mind. Today is the first day of the next fifteen years of these young adults' lives, what one may think is a preparation for war is just a day on the job, a day in school even the first day of school.
This is what the assistant headmaster of the only two-year-old Beacon academy walks into, the cane on his side and a smile on his face. "Good morning students, did you all have a restful night, get to know each other. Who am I kidding of course you did!" His voice sounds chipper as he glares at the dozens of young adults. "You definitely didn't almost destroy my Great Hall." He claps, "anyway I am here to give you an operational explanation of today's mission as well the stakes. In roughly four hours all of you are going to be dropped into the Forever Fall Forrest outside the city walls, the mission will be twenty-four hours. Your goal is to destroy as many creatures of the Grimm as possible your pickup location is an old outpost tower. From the data we will be gathering from your 24 hours that will be what we use to assign you to your teams and your units. That is all. We will supply you with twenty-four-hour bags and parachute if you would like."
Dozens of bags and dozens of parachutes begin floating in, "Now my young students I think I should tell you about a few things." Students go through their bags as the Assistant Headmaster speaks. "For example, I helped make the preliminary design for this building. I am no architect but turns out that a basic design can be made with only a few dozen hours of study, you see the requirements for this building were simple a large building that could be used for multiple events but would mainly be used as a cafeteria. Most of the designs that were put in were ornate with pillars and flying buttresses I presented an outline for a building that had walls four meters thick and could take tank shells. Because I remembered what happened during the final Fall of Beacon." He stands up and walks through the students. "During the Fall after most of the students had evacuated except of course for half the first-year class who stayed to make room for the more experience upperclassmen. Those that stayed behind with Glynda Goodwitch and Ozpin ended up making two defensive positions, the idea was to get dug in in the Clocktower and hold to the last drop of blood. But as everything that had to do with the Fall something went wrong four teams were bringing the last of the supplies from the school to the tower as the final wave come for the souls of the defenders. They ended up getting trapped in the school's cafeteria and great hall. There they made their last stand as Glynda and the other students fought their own war. The truth is if the children had decided to hide, they could have lived. They chose to fight drawing Grimm away from the clock tower. They died as the building they were in collapsed in on them, Pillars falling on them glass shattering and walls caving in. Of course, we all know what happened to the other group don't we. Thy fought until they were trapped in the top of that tower, not a bullet to their name. Protecting the tower and Ozpin as he made his last orders and finalized his plans after his death. In the end Beacon burned as Ozpin fell to hordes. His last gift an inferno that took out most of the horde."
He looks around a muscle spasm spreading through his leg, "And how do we know all of this if it burned you all ask. It was showed live to the world the story of a few young kids with their guns holding off the darkness was shown to the world live to scar us. And it did. But that is the thing about scars they leave a mark that will be stronger than before." He points at the walls around him. "Now this building could survive a direct hit from ship artillery. Because the scar is stronger than the original skin." He continues to walk, "You are here to protect civilization from an enemy that can never be defeated, we killed Salem at great cost, the Grimm are still here though, you kids are our scar. I expect for you to be at the launch plat form on time. There will be all four squadrons from the Beacon Combat Pilots Cadet Class going through their own training mission above you. If any of them go down, you are to retrieve them. Happy Hunting."
He leaves the room as the young adults' stare at his back. Alec continues packing his bag with as much ammunition as he can. His friends do the same, "I am going to take the Parachute, I want you all to take them also." He stares at the bag, No sleeping gear minimal food, two canteens first aid kit. A set of basic supplies and a shovel. He looks towards Rita who has a much different set of items, tools, and scanners. Each of the new huntsman has a new scroll, a military model with a radio system, and a wireless head set that gave them hands free use.
"Why are you taking that stupid parachute don't have a landing strategy." The angry woman from the night before hisses and spits. "Should just stick with your pet," she points towards Mimi, "Cats always land on their feet."
Alec looks up as he pulls on his backpack and parachute, "You know I am going to assume that you have had a bad history with Faunus, and I am sorry, but you signed up to be a Huntress so get over it. Or do me a favor and die out there, I don't want to deal with someone like you for the next five years and the poor bastards that would be your teammates deserve better. I am taking a parachute because they can be used for cover from the elements and even blankets although not the best. It weighs less than three kilos. I am not going to redo last night." He grabs Mimi as he walks away. He takes his place taller than the rest a small stage, "Now if anyone wants to listen, I would like to make some plans, it would be nice if we didn't die out there. I assume most of us want to serve our fifteen years."
A few mumbles can be heard before someone opens their mouth, "Who put you in charge?"
"I am not in charge I want to make sure everyone lands alive, who is not confident in their landing strategy?" A few hands raise, "Alright everyone try to help anyone that is having a problem for those of you with worries try not to use the chute unless you have to, you don't want to be trapped in a tree as Grimm come after you. Try to get to one of us we will help you. You need to form groups as soon as possible we are screwed if we are alone out there. My team and I will be heading straight to the out post and making that our main point of operations." He turns to grab his weapons and starts slipping magazines into their poches on his belt and clothes.
He walks out as Mimi, Beethoven and Raven follow him, closely followed by another half dozen students. "I take it you students are ready to begin your day?" the Headmistress intercepts the students as two dozen fighters lift off behind her.
"Yes ma'am, is that the Pilot Cadets?" Beethoven asks from next to Alec.
"It is, you will meet them when this test is over. Follow me, the bullheads are ready you can get settled while the others are gathering themselves."
The students gather into the bullheads as the rest of their class loads in a dozen per. "You will be jumping at altitude and will make your own landing plans. Once on the ground you will proceed with your operational mission." The pilot says as they launch. It takes ten minutes to reach altitude and as the twelve students watch the city, then the wall and the forest pass underneath. "Drop in ten, nine," The students look out, staring at the ground, "eight, seven, six, five, four," Muscles tense auras flare, "three, two, one jump." Twenty-four legs spring as students fly towards the ground.
Raven pulls her whip and wraps it around Beethoven puling the two together. Alec looks over to see the boy near him losing her cool and starting to have a panic attack. He signals for him to reach for him, he grabs on to him. He looks him in the eyes, trying to convey calm. His eyes go to Mimi who is looking at the pair. He nods pushing the boy to her. Mimi grabs the boy and tries to keep him calm as she ignites her semblance a glyph with an eye on it appears as she lands and watches as Alec shoots past.
Alec for his part starts to shift himself to use the parachute seeing as he left his landing plan behind saving the boy. Before he can pull the cord two pairs of arms grab him wrapping his arm around their waists as they open their wings. The three hit the ground hard the noise rumbling the area around them. Alec snaps his head to the pair of women that just saved him. One being Rita the other being an unknown Bird Faunus. He scrambles towards them, "you two are you alright?" He quickly checks them for wounds before hearing a growl from behind. His weapons are in his hands in a second and a quick burst puts down the Beowolf. "Ladies, I need you to get up."
A groan from the bird Faunus draws him, she looks at him, "That was my worst landing since I was a kid." She looks over to Rita, realizing she wasn't moving, "Shit is she alright?" She crawls over to the unconscious bat Faunus. Checking her pulse.
Alec walks over, "She is alive, give me a minute let me see if I can give her a jolt. Watch my back." The woman draws a pistol and turns her eyes to the forest as Alec touches Rita's cheek trying to pass his Aura to her. "Come on I need you awake." She doesn't budge. "Can you carry her?"
The Girl looks back, "Yeah, where are we going?"
"We will meet up with my team then move towards the outpost, hopefully we can help her there." He shifts away from Rita as he draws his weapons again. "Outpost is this way." He says as he activates his semblance and his eyes become crosshairs as he takes out two more Beowolves in the bushes. "My name is Alec that girl is named Rita, what is yours?" He starts walking very slowly.
"My name is Danny Klean, I am a support." She says carrying Rita with ease.
"Thank you for the save, my landing would not have been pleasant otherwise." Alec aims his weapons around a boulder slashing and stabbing the creature behind it.
"She asked me to help," Danny says shifting Rita's weight, "you were planning on landing with that Tiger girl, but that guy needed help right."
"That would be the explanation." Alec says looking around, "where are they?"
"Who? Mind if we stop this girl is a lot of dead weight for me, I am not exactly the biggest lifter here."
"Yeah, let's stop here." Alec helps her put Rita down, "I was hoping to run into the rest of my team by now. The four of us could actually put up a unified front." He looks at Rita a bruise growing on her face and for head. "She is looking bad, how much first aid training do you have?"
Danny looks at the girl, "probably a bit more than you, we need her awake it is the only way to get her aura to help her. Fuck, toss me your first aid kit." She starts going through both their meager kits. "You are a good shot. I don't think most people could take out a Beowolf at a hundred meters with a submachine gun."
Alec looks around, "it's my semblance, I can be a very accurate shot if I know my weapon. It is like my brain does all the calculations on its own. Catch is I can only do that with weapons I am intimately knowledgeable of really only the twins here and my old rifle." He draws one of his weapons and fires a burst putting down another creature. "What about you? What is your Semblance."
The Bird girl shoves a set of pain killers down Rita's throat, "Emotion manipulation. Nothing really special, and it drains the hell out of me to work on more than two or three people." A shot slams into the chest of the Bat girl as the spring-loaded needle injects medicine. "Alright Bat Bitch you need to get up you weigh a ton and your boy here need more guns." She draws her gun as and fires towards a growl. "Is it just me or are they getting closer?"
"No, they are getting closer," He shoot towards another pair. He taps his headset, "This is Alec I am being surrounded by Grimm I have a wounded Huntress with me and a Support Member. I need all assistance available." He fires again. "Alright here is the plan you use your semblance and head towards the outpost, I will head opposite and draw them away."
"No that is stupid move a waste of life," Danny fires at another creature of darkness. "We need to move I will carry her just cut a path, No one is dying here." She picks up the Bat Faunus again and starts running with Alec close behind.
Alec sighs and pulls ahead shooting as he is talking into his headset again, "We are heading towards the Outpost at speed. Any available help would be very nice."
"Alec what the hell happened?" Raven's voice asked, "Where is Mimi?"
"Not important now, can you intercept I have wounded and need back up."
"Yeah, on our way bringing a support of our own." Raven breaths heavily.
A gasp Alec stops sliding emptying both magazines into the oncoming Grimm. Danny laying down over Rita. "Shit," he slams two magazines into his weapons as Danny gets up drawing her pistol. "You alright Birdie?"
"I will live," A Beowolf jumps at her and impaled on a spear.
Rita stands up switching her spear to a rifle, "I take it the landing was not what we wanted?"
"We landed fine, but your lazy ass decided it was nap time," Danny replies as the three back up towards each other.
"Sorry," She says calmly shooting another creature, "so situation report?"
"Surrounded, back up on the way, your aura is pretty much gone, only two of us have melee weapons. You know you two could try to fly out. Probably could survive." Alec replies just as calmly, as his back touches the other two.
"Not a chance," both women reply taking aim at their own targets.
The Beowolves circle slowly gaining numbers. They are mostly small and young showing their intents as they stop to attack. The growly drooling monsters move closer no longer being driven back by fire. Some fall but they know they have won another set of lights will fall to darkness. One falls to the ground the sound of a shot only now catching up. Another drops dead a fiery whip slices across its back. A blinging set of colors lands in their midst as a whip tear three down. A loud blast screams as a blur of orange and black cuts another two down. The sound of a machine gun rips another pair down. In the span of ten seconds the small pack lays on the ground dissipating.
"Glad you three could make it." Alec says putting his weapons away as Beethoven stands up with his rifle and joins Raven and Mimi in the now clear battlefield, "This is Danny, and you of course know Rita."
Mimi hugs the two girls, "thank you," She pulls them tightly, "that idiot would sacrifice himself for another too willingly." She releases the girls pushing her sword away, "Now," she looks at Alec, "that guy you happily risked your life to save is right here, with the boring looking rifle."
The Man nods, "Name is Paul, I am a medic." He gulps, "Thanks for the save up there."
Raven pulls Alec into a hug before she steps back. "So, did you hit your head on landing or are you just in the mood to remind me you are an idiot." She pulls him into another hug, "Stop doing things that will get yourself killed, you are all we have."
Beethoven helps a woman up and she walks over, "Hi sorry to intrude, I am Tina gal with the big gun and a slight addiction to defensive fortification, there is another three dozen Grimm heading this way may I recommend moving quickly."
"Let's go." Alec starts walking as he taps his headset, "Everyone this is Alec we need to consolidate our fire power there is something going on. There are too many Grimm too close to the city. Meet at the outpost."
"Who put you in charge." One voice says.
"What does it matter? He is right this whole thing has gone tits up." Another answers.
"What the hell did we get dropped into a suicide mission."
"What is going on."
Alec sighs, "If you can't make it to the outpost go to ground and get me your locations we will try to come and relieve you." He looks at the support huntsmen, "any of you think you can make a communications signal strong enough to communicate with the headmistress?"
Rita nods as she shoots behind her, "I should be able to do something."
They all slide into the Outpost, "Get too it."
Crimson was not a woman to worry, she survived the war after all so when she stares at a report on her desk, and she drops her cup the staff in the range of the sound react.
"Shit," She hands the report to Azul, "There is a massive class three Grimm horde, where did it come from." She grabs her scroll, "This is Crimson Immerta, I want every gun we have on the wall, all huntsman units mobilize, get the fighter squadrons in the air."
Azul looks at her, "What about those kids? They are out there on their own."
"City First Azul. The class is on the eastern flank of the horde."
"I haven't seen a Grimm horde this large since the war."
"I know."
"Do you think she is back?"
"She better not be. If she is I will personally shove a thousand-pound bomb up Salem's ass."
Outside the fortress of Beacon sirens sound and airship take to the air. The Armies of Vale and the Huntsmen of Remnant heed the call to battle. Rifles passed out and prayers said. Civilians are rushed to the shelters. Hospitals prepare for the worst.
And at a small outpost a few hundred young adults dig in for a battle. Above them three squadrons of Combat Cadets engage Nevermores.
As they prepare for battle a few older Huntsman start having flashback, to a day of death of fire and shove the fear down. If they are to die her let it be to stop history from repeating itself.
Farther away a cold smile creeps across a face, "I can't wait to watch you burn."