Chp. 9: The Mysterious Orb
Southwestern Solitas
February 17, 2020
A week had passed since the Schnee Manor infiltration. Four MH-6 Little Bird helicopters and three Mantas were flying over the snowy tundra. They soon found a place to land as the troops on board got off. Keaton, Cassandra, Alex, Bulldog, Ice Pick, Missionary, and Steel, and the Ace Operatives were among the troops. As the aircrafts took off, everyone then gathered around.
"Listen up! This is our first mission working together. General Ironwood has reported unusual Grimm activity within this area. Our mission is to investigate this activity and report our findings. Do not hesitate to kill any Grimm you encounter. Our aircrafts will provide us with air support. Let's go! Move out!" Clover explained.
"Oorah!" the Marines exclaimed.
"Hooah!" the American soldiers exclaimed in sync with the marines.
The two militaries began to make their way through the tundra in search for any unusual Grimm activity and the cause of it. Keaton approaches Clover as they walk alongside each other.
"Let's see how this day will go," Keaton said.
"Hopefully not too bad," Clover said. "By the way, I heard General Ironwood offered to have you and your team's aura to be unlocked, but you declined. Why is that?"
"Despite the advantages, we're more used to fighting without aura, and we honestly prefer to keep it that way. And also as the old saying goes; 'Power corrupts.' Many of us didn't want that," Keaton answered.
"Sounds risky for you guys to go in without aura. But I can see why you don't want your aura unlocked. You're afraid it might change you guys for the worse," Clover said.
"Pretty much. But we are aware of the risks. But that's what we do, we take risks," Keaton said.
Eventually, everyone traveled up to a summit. They all looked around for a moment until Steel noticed something on the ground. He went up to the object and picked it up from the ground. The object was spherical in shape. The top half of the orb has a couple of glass panels on it with an orange glow inside.
"Guys, I think I found something!" Steel called to the others.
Keaton and Clover ran up to the American soldier to take a look at the object he had just found.
"What the hell is this thing?" Keaton asked.
"I have no idea," Clover said.
Suddenly, the lights on the orb started to flash on as it then gave out an orange aura.
"What's it doing?" Steel asked.
Before anyone could answer, they all heard the sounds of growling, which put everyone on alert. The growls were being heard all around them as everyone looked around them. Coming out of the open was a small imp-like Grimm that has long pointed ears, large red eyes with a boney mask with fangs and red markings. It also has a large tuff of fur on its chest and the top of its heads. Most of its bones including its ribs, the claws on its hands and feet, and it's skeletal tail were all so freezing cold that it ended up turning light blue from the freezing weather. This Grimm are known as Swindlen.
"What? Is that?" Bulldog asked.
"A Swindlen. And very dangerous," Vine answered.
"It looks cute though. How bad can it be?" Cassandra asked.
One of the Atlas soldiers approached the Swindlen and was about to shoot it. Suddenly, the little Grimm jumps at him bits down at his jugular, making him drop to the ground as he begins to bleed out. The Swindlen jumps off of the soldier and chatted at everyone it's facing, while the Americans watched on in shock and horror. Steel drops the orb into the snow stunned silence as it still releases the orange aura.
"Sorry I asked," Cassandra said with widened eyes.
Accompanying the small Grimm were several more groups of Swindlens, several Beowolves, and a few Boarbatusks as they all eyed at the US and Atlas military battalions.
"Contact!" Marrow shouted.
The Grimm charged at the soldiers and marines as they all started to shoot at the oncoming Grimm. Marrow swung Fetch down at a Beowolf that tried to lung at him. He then tosses his boomerang to another Beowolf that was rushing at Alex who was shooting at some Swindlens. The Boomerang sliced the Grimm ing half as it flew back to Marrow as he catches his weapon in his hands.
With her semblance, Harriet dashes around, striking at several Grimm around. She rushes at a Beowolf and gives several rapid punches at its chest, then gives it an uppercut sending it flying and falling next to Missionary's fee, who was shooting at some Grimm. The soldier took notice and shot it in the head, finishing it off.
Keaton shoots and kills a couple Swindlens as one more jumps onto his chest. The captain drops his rifle and grabs onto the small Grimm and puts it into a headlock before snapping its neck, killing it. Keaton picks up his rifle and sees another Swindlen hopping towards Clover as he was fighting off a Beowolf. Keaton shoots and kills the hopping Grimm.
Bulldog and Ice Pick, alongside a couple Atlesian soldiers, were shooting at some Grimm. Ice Pick then noticed more Swindlens, Beowolves, and Boarbatusks all around everyone.
"They're trying to surround us!" Ice Pick shouted.
"Call air support!" Bulldog shouted.
Cassandra pulled out her radio and started to call in their air support. A Boarbatusk charges its way toward the Sergeant, but was grabbed and suspended into the air by Vine who was holding on to it with his semblance. Vine then throws the Boarbatusk into a Beowolf and four Swindlins, killing them in the process.
Steel was shooting at a charging Beowolf as it then fell to the ground dead at the soldier's feet. Another Beowolf snuck up behind Steel was about to lunge down at the American soldier. Suddenly, Elm rushes over and swung Timber at the Grimm, knocking it to the ground. She then swung down her hammer at its head, crushing it. As soon as the Grimm's body disappeared and Elm lifted her hammer back up, Steel and Elm noticed the orb was shattered into pieces, right where the Beowolf's head was. Elm had accidently smashed the orb.
Just then, the Little Bird helicopters approached and fired off its guns at the Grimm down below, killing off a majority of them. As soon as they passed by, the three Manta airships approached and fired some rockets at the last of the Grimm, finishing them off. The Atlas and American soldiers and marines were all looking around to find no more Grimm in sight. A few dead bodies were scattered in the snow from the Grimm attack.
"Is it just me, or did the Grimm stop coming the moment Elm smashed that orb to pieces?" Missionary asked.
"You're not the only one thinking that," Harriet answered. " The Grimm started coming the moment that orb activated."
"Now we've got to report this to General Ironwood," Alex said.
"While we do that, you guys take the broken orb to Mantle and see if Dr. Polendina can put it together and figure this thing out," Clover said.
"Right," Keaton replied.
The helicopters and Mantas all descended down and soon made their landing for everyone to board on to them.
Mantle, Atlas
Pietro's Pharmacy
An hour later down in Mantle, Keaton, Alex, and Cassandra all arrive in their undercover attire at Pietro's pharmacy. The three marines enter inside where they see Doctor Pietro Polendina sitting behind his desk going through some papers. He looks up at the three visitors.
"Hello. Welcome. What can I do for you three today?" Pietro asked.
"Hey, Doctor. We're with the United States military. The ones that came to Beacon and Vale's aid when the Grimm and the White Fang attacked," Keaton said.
"Ah, so you three are with the militia that came to defend Beacon. My daughter has told me so much about you. I was told you would be arriving," Pietro said. "So what brings you down to Mantle?"
"We were out with the Ace Ops investigating Grimm activity on that summit near Atlas when we found something... unusual," Cassandra explained.
"Is that so? Let me take a look," Pietro said.
Alex pulls out a plastic bag with the pieces of the broken orb inside from his coat and sets it on the desk. Pietro opens up the bag and examines the broken orb.
"Oh! This is an unusual technology indeed!" Pietro said with curiosity.
"Is it something of value?" Alex asked.
"Can't say for sure. I've never seen anything quite like it," Pietro answered. "If we could activate it, perhaps we could find out. But... it seems to be in rough shape. I could maybe reconstruct it. I'll tell you what, I'll hold on to this thing and see if I can fix it up. While I'm doing that, if it's Grimm you're looking for, there was an incident at the settlement east a ways."
"What incident?" Keaton asked.
"Well now, it doesn't sound too serious. But word is, the local guardian Russet Na had a nasty run in with Grimm. The name of the place is Essen Town,"
"Essen Town. Got it," Cassandra said.
"Check in with Russet, and he might be able to tell you about his recent Grimm encounter," Pietro said.
"Will do," Keaton replied. "By the way how's your daughter doing?"
"I'm making progress on her! Her new upgrades will be finished by tonight!" Pietro answered.
"That's good to hear," Alex said.
"Contact us when you find something," Keaton said.
"I will. And be careful out there," Pietro said.
"Will do," Cassandra replied.
The marines then exited out the door and would make their way to Essen Town.
Author's Note: the next several chapters are mostly a retelling of RWBY: Arrowfell. Take note that there will be some differences and changes, and The release of the video game has not happen yet, so all the characters are going into this blind.