Hello everyone

I known that we have been spending a lot of time on this first couple days for the gang but I wanted to make the world look interesting. I will be jumping to classes for them soon and their more normal daily life. I would love to hear what you all think about the whole story.

The next morning moves slowly, the eight members of Amber Riptide, sit at a table in the cafeteria. Their breakfasts forgotten and half eaten. "So, the people of Vale are uncomfortable with Huntsmen?"

"Oh, that isn't why they don't like seeing us," A man steps forward he is obviously a second-year huntsman. "They are still coping with the idea that their safety rests on the shoulders of people who can not legally drink, at least not without a law that makes all huntsmen adults." He shifts, "almost all of them fought in the War but here they see children just like they were in the war." He shrugs, "I am afraid it is something that you have to get used to, we have our districts where we are normal, they have the rest of the city. It is nothing official but we try to not be as noticed when we are in town, Most of us have concealed weapons I personally recommend Arcs Arms, best concealeds I have seen, and of course the traditional rocket lockers with their 1800 kilometer range with eh good stuff. Your huntsman license will keep you out of trouble with police." He sighs, "I know what you are thinking but really I am just trying to help you out, they are thankful to us, but they are scared of what we represent."

Tina asks before everyone else, "so what do they think we represent?"

"Child soldiers, tricked and manipulated to being soldiers with stories of heroics and promises of an easy life." The large man sighs, "It is what they think." He turns and walks away leaving the others to their forgotten meals. "Oh, the school covers the concealed weapons on top of the normal costs, it is an accepted expense." He disappears into the crowd more easily."

Raven looks up from her scroll, "he is right concealed weapons are covered under a separate fund."

Alec picks up his tray, "Well come on we have weapons to pick up, once we get back everyone should have replied and we can send in our after-action reports, all of our supplies will be delivered today."

Mimi is up in an instant, "Well I always like a new gun, maybe a nice tiny little number like one of those spy pistols."

Rita follows, "I sure as all hell am not going out into the city unarmed, damned racists make it to big of a risk."

"Come on, I would like to see the city with out being pushed aside." Paul moves aside and of course following him close is Danny. Everyone else follows with no complaints.

Another flight down to the city drops them off as they begin looking for Arcs Arms. It doesn't take long as they walk into the shop. Weapons sitting in one of a thousand racks. Pistols sit open and ready. The middle-aged Blond man smiles from behind the counter, a rifle in his hand half disassembled, "Welcome into Arcs arms, I am Jaune Arc, what brings you all in?"

A woman steps in her long red hair making everything else seem colorless, the grease smudges on her cheek and clothes show she has been working on something, the clinking as she steps is the most disconcerting, it sounds like metal heels. "Alright Jaune, the new stock is all checked and ready."

"Thanks, Pyrrha those should fill out the inventory for all the new students, and I am sure Crimson will want another couple dozen standard."

Pyrrha looks at the eight, a softness in her eyes, "Are you all looking for concealeds?" She steps out from the counter the clinking following her. Both her legs are made of metal polished to perfection with a bronze color, "We just got in some beautiful options," she frowns. "Take a look over there, call one of us if you need anything."

The group walks over to the smaller weapons, as they look and try to get a feel for the weapons that are very different from what they are used to. Dozens of compact weapons from folding knives and staffs to small short barreled pistols. Some of the group have an easier time picking a weapon than others, Rita picks up one of the collapsing staffs with pure fire dust mixed into the end. Paul and Danny puck smaller pistols that they can hide on their bodies, easily. Tina Looks at a weapon that more than likely would break a Huntsman's arm if used by a living being she hefts the small but still large bored weapon in her hand.

"An interesting choice," Jaune says, "That is a fifteen-millimeter semi-automatic pistol it kicks like a mule and really only artificials can use it." He stars at it dropping the magazine, "Four rounds plus one in the chamber, testing had it putting down a Beowolf at five meters as long as you hit a weak point in one shot. A friend of mine designed it, really she designed them all, she still marks each one even though they are mostly made in a factory now. Always marks them." He point to a hand hammered stamping on the receiver, a small rose.

"That will be sufficient," Tina looks at the large bore pistol. "Can I have a concealed holster also please?"

"Of Course." Jaune pull a measuring tape from his pocket and take a few measurements before leading tina over to a few options. Alec looks at the weapons, Raven reaches for a flexible wire sword that can use electric dust to harden into a point. Beethoven tries on a pair of brass knuckles and inspects them on his hands. Mimi looks at the weapons sadly and steps back.

Alec picks up a small pistol and smiles as he flips it over in his hand, "Hey Mi, this is what you were looking for right, one of those spy pistols." He hands over the small pistol, "It is a copy of one of those standard spy pistols but set up to use dust." The small pistol is barely bigger than the palm of Alec's hand. The memorable look is sleek and easy to draw, a six round magazine is raced along the front by dust of four colors.

"Yeah it is what I was looking for. But how am I supposed to carry it," She points to her normal style of clothes, "I don't have any space to fit it, My shirt and Pants don't give much room."

Pyrrha steps forward with her usual kind smile. "Oh, that is simple honey," She slips a light vest on over her normal clothes, "Set up with a vest or button up shirt and wear a shoulder holster." She squares up Mimi's shoulders, "You have the boy to cover up the rig, and enough, erm, assets to make sure no one cares to look too closely. Four extra magazines on the other side and you are set." She tosses Mimi a basic black shoulder holster rig, "That's what I use when I go out in my civilian clothes, no one questions it."

Mimi smiles as she pulls the rig on, "Yeah but you are The Pyrrha Nikos you could walk around with a bazooka and no one would question it."

Pyrrha places a vest on Mimi, "I may be Pyrrha Nikos, but I still have to be presentable, and unfortunately unlike a few people I used to know I can't get away with a cane that is also a Cannon." She smiles, "Anyway I am not as well known as when I was a kid, after the Fall of Beacon and when I lost my legs, I think I stopped being the invincible girl. Really after all that Jaune and Ruby became the faces of our teams. I think more people probably recognize him than me." She places a vest on Mimi and smiles, "I think you could pull it off."

Mimi Smiles as she pulls on the vest, "I think I can pull off the look."

"I think that is everyone," Rita says walking over to the counter.

Mimi looks over to Alec who is walking up with a chrome pistol.

"Alright then. Now please hand over your Huntsman Identification Cards." Jaune places a stack of eight boxes on the counter each with the weapons they had chosen as Pyrrha scans the identification cards.

"I took the liberty of setting you all up with a holster a combat knife and sheath and a back up pistol for you who chose to not have a pistol, also four throwing knives and a few pieces of micro explosives." Jaune smiles as he passes the boxes out, "Beacon covers these this time, but you are responsible for restock."

Tina stares at the box, "This much fire power when we are supposed to be blending in with the civilians, this is more like preparing for war rather than a stroll down Main Street."

"Never hurts to be over armed." Jaune smiles as he writes up receipts, "Off you all go change into some normal clothes and have a good walk around the City." He shoos the group out of the shop.

"So, do any of us have 'normal' clothes," Tina asks using her hand to emphasize normal.

Danny looks at everyone, "No none of us have normal clothes, we all look like huntsmen all of our clothes look like huntsmen's clothes we have been preparing for this most of our lives." She smacks her head, and sighs, "Let's get back to the school we have to send our reports in and set up our class stuff. Maybe we can order normal clothes." She walks away holding her box of weapons.

Beethoven nods, "So are we going to go to Scarlet's Bakery?"

"I just want to go back to school we have things to do, and I have to deal with the everything. You want a tank driven, a Bullhead flown, hell even Navigation done, I am your girl. I am good at it I have always been good at it; I can strip a V-8 down in half a day and have it polished and put together by the same time the next day. You want a Grimm horde blown up? I can probably pull that off." She sits down on one of the benches, "Look I grew up in a village, being useful and able to kill Grimm was seen as nice I was treated like I was normal. Here I am looked at with fear and disappointment I am told to stay away from the people I have already said I would die for. This is insanity." She is crying at this point, sobbing into her hands.

Paul sits down next to her pulling her into his shoulder, "Its alright we will all get through this, we just have to get used to it, it'll be fine."

The sound of a cane tapping stops behind them, "I hate seeing my students like this, I am sorry." The Assistant Headmaster Stares at the group, "I am sorry that the civilians don't want to see you, I am sorry that you feel like you gave up a chance at a normal life." His voice quivers and a small spasm runs up his leg, he steps towards Danny and kneels in front of her his face level with hers. "This is not fair to you; you have given them fifteen years of your life at the very least you have sworn to stand a line in the stand and fight. They do not hate you; but the idea of what you represent they can't look you in the eyes. I am sure you have heard over and over again that they don't want to think that children are going to die for them. That is right, but the big trick is when they were kids they fought and died right next to me they watched Beacon Fall and remember the ghostly signals from Ozpin after. They remember when this girl barely older than them ended the Vale council and placed the King back in charge. But they forget something also, something they cannot remember, something they cannot believe. You see they had no choice the war found them, and their governments handed them guns and swords and said fight. You chose this, you have said that you think that serving civilization, protecting the barely lit flame from overwhelming darkness, is what you want to do. I doubt most of you parents agreed with the choice. Hell, most of the Huntsmen have done their best to convince their children to not join. And of course, a lot of us never had kids for reasons." Danny stares at the man in his suit one knee on the ground and leaning on his cane. She looks at him reading into his face, he stares back his leg spasming again. "They are worth it," The man says with an ambiance and resounding guarantee in his voice, "they are worth it, the blood, the screams, the memories that you don't want. I know it is hard to believe a damaged man." His eyes harden, "It is worth it, and it always will be." He stands up and steady's himself, "Now my students, Head back to the school get your reports sent to the Headmistress, She is looking forward to them all saying the same thing repeatedly." He stands up and turns around, "She is going to make do the paperwork."

The eight stand there as the headmaster of the school walk away, Paul keeps rubbing Danny's back. "He is right we have a job to finish up," he pulls Danny up and helps her get situated, "Let's go back to school. Come on."

Everyone follows quietly the group walking to the transport station. The trip to the dorm rooms is equally as quiet. Once they get in Danny looks back, "Alright Raven and Mimi I am going to need help from you two while Rita and Alec start sending out our reports."

"What are we going to be doing?"

"Finding out where we can get civilian clothes, come on." She drags the two women away without another word.

Alec opens up his scroll and a terminal, "looks like everyone has replied, a few changes need to be made but we are on a roll to send our reports off."

Rita sits down and plugs her scroll into another terminal, "Alright I'll start my edits."

Beethoven looks at Tina, "wanna come with me to gym?"

Tina shakes her hand, "No I have a few things I have to work on in the workshop."

"Alright, Paul want to come along?"

"Yeah I think I should take a look, and I want to see if I can pick up anything I can for medical techniques from the library after."

As the last their teams leave Alec and Rita type away. "I am worried about Danny's outburst," Rita says not looking up from her keyboard.

"We should keep an eye on her but we I can't blame her; I think a lot of us were put off by the situation."

They keep typing, "It is unfair right? We are fighting to protect them, and they don't want to see us."

"We just need to accept it; We just have to get used to it. This is our lives for the next fifteen years."

"Or until a Grimm kills us."

"No one is dying here Rita; we are going to make it to retirement."

"Don't make a promise you can't keep Alec; we all know what we signed up for and fifteen years is a long time." Rita pulls out her scroll, "Last one sent."

Alec pull his, "Mine too everyone else has sent theirs, the Headmistress should be happy." He looks at Rita, "There is a war on the horizon, Rita, something is commanding the Grimm again."

"Yeah I noticed, we have a massive attack right when the next year is being trained while a completely independent force attack Vale and jams communications, we all talked about it as a team." Rita turn to face Alec, "No matter the cost we have to prevent another Grimm War."

"I know."

"Alec, No matter the cost we have to prevent it, Those people out there they have no way to survive another one, they have been convinced that they are safe here, in all the Major cities."

Alec grimaces, "I know."