Alright Here we go Chapter 10
If you all enjoy, please leave comments and questions I think I will do a real Q and A.
The morning comes quickly after the members of Amber Riptide finally finish talking about their equipment situation. A massive list of requisitions is sitting next to Alec's bed. The alarm goes off and Alec gets up as everyone else rouses. After the morning routine that is becoming normal repeats the previous day. Mimi smiles as she straps on her combat armor and weapon, "So are we going to go shopping today."
Rita stretches, "We do have to pick up a few items, we need a restock on personal ammunition, a few personal items and more things for the room. We also need ten gallons of paint for things."
Raven looks at Rita, "Ten gallons?!"
Danny laughs, "um well we kinda want to do some minor art."
Tina looks on, "They want to paint the Bullhead and the APC to look different."
Alec sighs, "Alright well I am sending the requisition forms out to the supplies division. Let's go into the city we need to find a dust shop that can supply our ammunition."
"Yeah, and we need to find clothing stores, bookstores, music stores, parks, restaurants," Mimi starts explaining.
Paul smiles, "Alright then a day on the town, the next transport to the city should launch in fifteen minutes," His pack and pistol sitting in their rightful places.
Alec gets up and starts walking, as the others file out after him. The eight walks out of the room and head towards the large air transport waiting for passengers. As they land and disembark, they find themselves in downtown Vale, a city that is only ten years old, newly built, and finally not a reminder of a blood-soaked battle in the streets. The Eight are intercepted by an excited looking Rabbit Faunus, "Alec, Mimi, Beethoven, Raven, I am so glad to see you."
"Hannah," Mimi says hugging the woman, "I haven't seen you since the outpost. You look good. How is David."
Hannah smiles, "It has been a busy last few days, my leader has been busy putting together reports and learning about what he is dealing with. David is around here somewhere I dragged him with me." Hannah lets go of Mimi before looking at the rest of the group, her large weapon sitting on her back, "The whole unit huh, it is good to see you eight again."
Rita smiles her wings shifting. "Thank you, Hannah, What are you doing in the city?"
"Oh, my Aunt, Fought alongside some people who have a Dust shop out here and I was setting up to get my special ammunition for my Rifle, Custom eighteen millimeter high explosive rocket propelled sabot rounds with dust infusion is not the easiest thing to resupply and the battle the other day used up every round I had." Her head bounces back and forth explaining, "Normally I make my own, but I need almost eight hundred to restock so yeah." She hops up excited, "And David needed more cannon shells and dust."
"Han, who have you found?" David asks, "Oh hot damn, Alec, didn't think that we would see you till classes started." He reaches out to shake Alec's hand. "I don't think any of have said it but thank you for saving me and Hannah, and probably more of us. You were able to keep us all in one piece while we held out for help."
Alec takes his hand, "I was happy to be there."
"Let's meet up once everyone is settled, I have heard you have some very interesting things happening around you. But right now, I have to get Hannah back to the Dorms before she talks your units ears off about how hard it is to find ammunition for her and my weapons." He laughs pointing at the Rabbit girl bouncing excitedly as she explains different things about the pair of weapons. "The scary part is in a day and a half she has tons of information about my weapon." He begins to step away, "If you ever need us Alec just call." He walks towards the Rabbit girl, "Come on Hannah the Boss said to be back ASAP."
"Oh right," She turns to walk away, "Visit that shop all right." She walks allowing her pace to match David's.
Raven looks at Alec, "She gave us a map."
"Well then I guess we have our first stop eh." Alec signs for Raven to lead the way.
"So just for the record and my mental notes," Paul says with a hand wave, "They like each other, right?"
"Oh yeah," Danny says her wings fluttering and losing a feather. "That will be interesting to see by the way, especially with the way she fights."
"Yes From what I remember of the battle in melee she uses a kickboxing style mixed with her scythe to stay airborne," Tina Comments, "she would be a difficult enemy combatant that scythe lets her shift her weight mid-air with extreme precision and her already strong legs enhanced with aura could let her reach many meters in the air without assistance. And of course, she can use dust infused ammunition to increase that height."
"Not as good as wings, but near close to second," Danny says fluttering her wings.
The group follows Raven as she leads them following the map to the dust shop. "She says it is named Pink and Red."
The group goes downside streets until they find the small shop. They push open the door, and the small bell rings as they enter. The middle-aged man behind the counter smiles a magenta dyed strip. "Welcome in children, my name is Lee and I am the owner of this little shop. He waves his hand over his large store. What brings you in today."
"We are students from Beacon, teams Amber and Riptide, we make up a huntsman unit Amber Riptide. We were told that you were the best shop to help us resupply, we used a lot of our supplies during our first mission in the forest."
"Ah yes, we had heard about a large force of huntsmen trapped outside the walls. I heard that there was some good teamwork out there. So, what do you need?" Lee smiles as he stands behind his Counter.
Rita steps forward, "Um, I have a list of dust and Ammunition, and Art Dust and Dust related devices we were hoping to have assistance acquiring."
"Absolutely what is you name young lady?"
"Rita Klong, leader of support team Riptide. It was a major fight," she passes the electronic pad with the alphabetized and numbered list of the items that had been decided that are needed.
"Three hundred, eighty-eight-millimeter shells, fifty fire dust shells, twenty-five wind dust shells, ten earth dust, ten ice dust, the rest are standard art dust shells. That is a bit of fire power, your armored personnel carrier uses a modern Vacuan made forty-millimeter auto cannon, last time I heard of them being used was during the Grimm war as a multipurpose anti air and anti-ground weapon."
Tina rubs the back of her head, "We acquired it, can you help us with supply."
"Of course, I can gather you anything you need, I will need you to supply me with your licenses and weapon requirements I understand that Beacon will supply you with standard weapons and equipment. I will invoice the school and they will take any cost out of your allowance and pay." Lee smiles looking around the eight. "Are you looking for anything else, weapons or spare equipment?"
Alec looks around as only he and Rita stand at the counter the rest of the pair of teams look around the larger shop. "Actually, I am looking for a compact sniper rifle, it needs to fire thirteen-millimeter rounds, fully capable of using high explosive rounds. Being able to switch to a melee is not required but maybe a spear or something really a bayonet would be enough. Can you keep an eye out for something like that?"
Lee leans over the counter and stares at Alec for a long minute, "I know someone who could create you such a weapon, A person who would be happy to do so for a new huntsman." He stands up, "I will message them."
"Thank you, sir." Alec nods.
Lee looks at the group, "Alright I will have everything shipped to your supply. The charges will be put on your accounts."
The eight nod as the door opens and a should length red haired woman who looked about as old as Lee, "I am back, the barbecue place added a few extra rolls of sweet bread." She sees the eight Huntsmen standing in front of her, "Oh have you had food from The Sunshine Barbeque." She puts down the bags and runs over to the young people. "They have amazing ribs and rolls." The middle-aged woman starts getting excited, "It is run by some friends, and they always have room for Huntsmen and Huntresses." She smiles hopping a little, "It is down the street, next to the park, a great place big yellow, with black accents, you should be able to find it easily." The woman laughs, "Off you go, it is almost lunch, Lee will send everything you need." She shoos them all out.
"So down the street huh," Beethoven says with a shrug.
"Yeah I guess food sounds good," Danny says walking forward.
It takes about ten minutes for the group to find the large open park with a large yellow building with The Sunshine Barbeque in black letters. Music Wafted through the park as the group came closer. The upbeat tune lightening the atmosphere of the park. Children play in the parks play ground and for the eight realize that this may be the first time in the city that they have seen people relaxing outdoors most definitely the first time they have heard children laugh.
The eight enter the restaurant and are immediately greeted by a woman with blond hair. She smiles as she speaks, "Welcome in, are you all here for lunch."
"Yes ma'am," Alec replies with a smile of his own.
"Now lets see eight of you, right this way I have a corner booth just for you."
It is Paul that speaks of the taboo being allowed first, "Uh ma'am do you need us to store our weapons with your bar?" He asks, as it is not normal for normal restaurants or eateries to allow weapons with out checking them. Only dedicated Huntsmen establishments usually allow weapons to be kept. The number of civilians in the establishment do not suggest a focus of the defenders of Civilization.
"Oh no honey, you keep those. People may become uncomfortable with it but they forget how many we left behind during the war no one had a problem with us having weapons while we ate. Needless to say, keep them sheathed while you are eating." She points them to a corner booth, "Lisa will be you server, be nice to her she is my niece."
The group takes their seats, and not five minutes later a much younger woman probably younger than the already young huntsmen in the booth, "Hello my name is Lisa and I will be your server." She wiggles her light colored cat ears as she smiles and hands out the menus, "What can I get you all for drinks," She reaches for her pad of paper sat next to a pair of nun chucks, "I recommend the Sweet tea, but we have all the usuals, soft drinks, coffee, juice, hot tea, you name it we have it." She excitedly bounces a little her weapon swinging."
"Sweet Tea please."
"Can I have a coffee."
"Tea sounds Wonderful."
"Water Please."
"Make that two waters."
"Can you hit me with a strawberry soft drink."
"Apple Juice please."
"Mint tea thank you."
Lisa Takes down the orders, "I will be right back with those and will take your orders for food." A minute later she returns holding a large tray with their drinks in her hands. She closes her eyes for a second and smiles as two solid but glowing clones of herself begin taking the drinks and distributing them. "You are all students at Beacon Right, the New Hunters?"
"Yeah we are," Mimi replies watching the show, "Looks like you are pretty good at controlling those."
"Thank you I want to go to Beacon also Like my parents, but…" She wavers as the two clones disappear, "My parents say that our families have given up enough for the next couple of generations." She smiles a bit, "So what can we get for you?"
"I believe we were told your ribs are amazing," Raven says with a smile.
"Oh, they are, is that what you are going to order?" A round of nods answers her. "So, since Val sent you does that mean you want rolls too?"
"Val?" Alec asks.
"She never does introduce herself, redhead about Aunties age married to Lee down the road, always sends people here."
"Then yes that is who sent us." Tina replies understanding the situation.
"And yes, on the rolls." Danny says quickly.
Lisa smiles as she turns around and sashays away. Fifteen minutes later food is on their table. As they finish and pay as they walk out.
They turn themselves to the shops down the street, shops that are full of normal people. That sell normal items, dresses without straps for armor, jeans with no reinforcement on the knees, bags and back packs not designed to hold ammunition. The looks they get from those shops tells them that they do not have what they want. A woman looks at them and tells them they are on the wrong street; the huntsmen suppliers are one street over. She means kindness but the looks she gives the weapons shows a level of fear. A police officer asks them minutes later if they are looking for one of the Hunt stores and tells them to make a right up ahead and that they will be back where they need to be before anyone answers. He means well they can tell Vale is a big city and they look young.
As they turn down the street as told a pair of men hiding their faces turn, realizing their next victims were Hunters, their knives disappear before they can do anything else.
"I think we should head back to Beacon, nothing to shop for here." Alec says calmly before turning his unit towards the Bullheads to Beacon.
A large man with a hammer two handed hammer see them turn away, "Aye Kids you from Beacon."
"Yes sir."
"Ah, you must be first years. My name is Scarlet, most call me Scar, I run the Bakery right over there." He points to a small shop front. He sighs as he looks at group. "Looks like you all went down the Wrong street."
"It seems we did," Paul replies with a sigh.
"I know how you must feel, it isn't they don't like you or aren't thankful. But we are just so much dangerous to them. They think that we will accidentally break them."
"We understand."
"Now you all need to head on back to the school, remember next time you head to the Civvies side just leave you weapons and combat gear behind. That way you don't scare them." He smiles a giant smile, "but next time you are down here you stop by Scarlet's Bakery and get some cookies."
Raven smiles, "Of course, thank you Scarlet."
Team Amber Riptide Return to the school, as the city of Vale continues on normally. Its citizens still pretending that it's defenders against the darkness are something more than children, who have agreed to give up their young adult lives to defend them.