Team RWVBY
Chapter 19
"I want you both to integrate into the school well, act naturally, make friends, be seen. If anyone asks about our other two teammates, simply tell them they are running late due to personal issues. Romans protege will be with us soon, and Adam Taurus will be supplying us with a very skilled individual as our fifth and final member. The headmaster at Haven has already gone ahead and secured their identities. Any questions?" Cinder asked as she stood in front of her subordinates. They had gotten to their new temporary living quarters; a small suite given to them as Haven's five student team.
"Why are we still hacking into the school's system, if we're not participating in the regular tournament anymore?" Mercury asked.
"The good doctors gift has its advantages. It would be a waste not to use it. Though our original plan has changed slightly, that does not mean we can't get creative and still act on it." Cinder explained.
"So, better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it?" Emerald asked.
"Exactly, my dear Emerald. Both of you go, have fun." Cinders smile turned sinister. "While it lasts."
...
"I'm sorry Ruby, but I have no idea who those attackers were at the dock. I simply met with friend Yang on her 'not date' with friend Cassian, when I followed them to the docks. When that vile Torchwick attacked I just couldn't stand aside any longer." Penny explained.
"So why did you disappear all of a sudden?" Ruby asked.
Penny seemed hesitant before saying. "My father... sent someone to pick me up."
"Oh, but then why all the secrecy now?" Ruby asked.
"I was asked to… stay away." Penny answered.
"By your dad? He was that upset?" Penny looked hesitant at the question.
"No... well yes? You could call him my other father, I suppose." Penny noticed worried expression on Ruby's face and started waving her hands defensively. "Make no mistake, they both love me, they just worry a lot."
"Yeaaa, dads are like that." Ruby said relaxing a bit, till she noticed Penny had frozen still like she had seen a ghost. Penny backed away slightly before taking off in a sprint.
"Penny! Wait! Where are you going?" Ruby asked before turning to look back at where she was staring. Two soldiers were currently sprinting towards them. Yet not fully understanding Penny's situation Ruby didn't care, and swiftly followed her in an attempt to catch up down the winding alley.
"Down here! She went this way!" She could hear a soldier shout out.
Cutting through multiple streets and alleyways to lose the soldiers, Ruby grabs a hold of Penny and uses her semblance to carry them both. She dashes away as fast as she can while carrying Penny, but the strain is too great, crashing to the ground a short while later. Ruby tumbled all the way into the street. Slowly getting up in a daze, she doesn't notice the large truck coming up from behind her until the honking is too late of a warning. She stands up just as she's about to be hit, but from out of nowhere, Penny pushes Ruby out of the way and holds her palms out.
In the split second where the two make contact, the ground beneath Penny cracks and crumbles into pieces, and the From Dust Till Dawn truck is lifted a little ways into the air by the girl's sheer strength. She puts it down, and the old shop keep stares in awe at the crumples in his hood,
"Penny..?" Ruby asked still dazed.
"Are you okay?" Penny asked the old man.
"Uh-huh..." The old man clearly scared nodded.
Penny backed away, looking at Ruby's frightened expression, then towards the bystanders murmuring to each other in an attempt to understand what just happened. In her panic, she ran away and bumped into Ruby, knocking the poor girl out of her stupor.
"Penny! Come back!" Ruby chased after her to another alleyway where she saw Penny looking around to where to go next. "Penny! Please! What is going on?! Why are you running? How did you do that?!" Ruby asked tired from all the running.
"I-I can't! Everything's fine! Penny hiccupped. "I-I don't want to talk about it!" She hiccupped again,
"Penny, if you can just tell me what's wrong, I can help you!" Ruby exclaimed always ready to help those in need.
"No! No, no! You wouldn't understand..." Penny retreated backward.
"Let me try! You can trust me!" Ruby pleaded latching onto Penny's arm.
"You promise you're my friend?!" Penny asked relenting slightly.
"I promise." Ruby said softly.
"Ruby... I'm not a real girl." Penny showed her arm which she had used to stop the truck: parts of her palm's skin had been ripped away, revealing the grey metal underneath.
"Oh."
"Most girls are born, but I was made. I'm the world's first synthetic person capable of generating an Aura. I'm not real..." Penny said sadly.
"Of course you are. You think just because you've got nuts and bolts instead of squishy guts makes you any less real than me!" Ruby said taking Penny's hand in her own.
"I don't... um... You're... taking this extraordinarily well." Penny leaned in slightly.
"I've always been told I've been weird, so what? Yea you're different but you have Aura! Aura is the manifestation of our souls. That means you have a soul, Penny! Doesn't matter if it's synthetic, you're a real girl!"
Penny's eyes shined brightly, her smile was wide and grinning. "Ooohh... oh Ruby" She grabbed Ruby into a hug and shakes her back and forth. "You're the best friend anyone could have!"
"Check down here!" Both Penny and Ruby turned towards the shout of an approaching soldier."The soldiers are coming back. I don't want you to get in trouble Ruby. I promise to talk with you more when I can. Just promise me you won't tell anyone else my secret. Okay? Penny stared gravely at Ruby.
"I promise." Ruby said as she hid behind a nearby garbage can.
"There she is!" A soldier in red called out.
"Sal-u-tations, officers!" Penny greeted them.
"Why were you running? And what happened to the other girl?" The solider asked.
"What girl? I've been by myself all day!" Penny hiccupped and then smiled.
"You shouldn't cause such a scene."
"Are you okay?" A different solider in blue asked.
"Just a scratch." Penny showed off her "injured" palms.
"Penny, your father isn't going to be happy about this." The solider in red said.
"Please, just come with us." The soldier in blue ordered.
"Yes, sir!" Penny complied.
Ruby watched sadly as Penny walked away with the soldiers, until a rat screeched from below her feet, causing the young girl to crash into the garbage can. Hopefully Weiss was having a better time than her.
...
Weiss and Neptune made pleasant small talk as they walked through the grand, glowing lobby of the tower, avoiding the central terminal and heading straight for the elevator doors.
"Just follow my lead, this will be a piece of cake." Weiss spoke with pride.
The voice of the CCT AI is projected from a panel near the door as they entered.
"Hello. Welcome to the CCT. How may I help you?" The AI asked them.
"I'd like to go to the communications room, please." Weiss responded.
Absolutely. Could you please place your Scroll on the terminal to verify your identity?" Weiss retrieved her Scroll and placed it like directed. "Perfect! Thank you, Miss Schnee."
Upon the elevator's ascent, Weiss' expression shifted slightly as she prepared herself. Upon entering the room Weiss walk3: up to the front desk where a holographic secretary appeared in the seat, Neptune right behind her.
"Welcome to the Beacon Cross Continental Transmit center. How may I help you?" The holographic AI asked.
"I need to make a call to Schnee Company World Headquarters in Atlas." Weiss stated.
"Absolutely. If you could head over to Terminal 3, I'll patch you through."
"Thank you!"
As Weiss and Neptune passed a few cubicles, she noticed a couple of beacon students in uniforms, probably making calls to their families or friends from home.
She sat at her own display, taking a deep, unhappy breath to prepare for the call ahead. The face of a short-haired brunette appears on the monitor with the Schnee snowflake rotating behind her.
"Thank you for calling the Atlas- Oh! Miss Schnee! Good afternoon! Would you like me to patch you through to your fath- Oh his personal line opened up I'll transfer you to him!" Weiss eyes widened in panic.
"Wait!" It was too late she was put on hold. Weiss looked at Neptune nervously before the screen changed back.
"Hello daughter, to what do I owe this random call?" Jacques Scnee asked.
"Good evening father, i was calling to access
Those are classified
"It is a very important school project
Jacques scoffed "I'm sure it is." "No worries I will send them."
"You will?" Weiss asked in disbelief
"I shall, do you not remember our talk when you're returned home. You standing up for the SDC among these trying times only paints us in a brighter light. Should a Schnee stop these mongrels of course." Weiss face strained on hearing her father's hateful words. Of course, he didn't care that it was the right thing to do either, just that it would make him look better.
"I was just talking to the board about these dust robberies in Vale. While they are common across Remnant, the scale at which they've been happening in Vale is unique to itself and only to Vale. It's gotten to the point I've had to up the prices to ship just to make some money back on the losses." Dust was getting more expensive. Weiss noticed the last time she had gone to resupply. Had it not been her family's company she doubted she would be able to resupply as much as she did
"I've transferred the files to you. Do not disappoint Weiss. You know what will happen if you do." The call dropped, as did Weiss' happy act she had tried her best to keep during the call.
"He seemed… pleasant." Neptune said trying to be nice. He looked to Weiss and saw her sullen appearance. "You okay?" Neptune asked.
"Yes, thank you, it's just my father." Weiss responded.
"Why don't we go outside and walk around while we wait for Ruby?" Weiss smiled at the question.
"I think I'd like that."
...
In the sketchier parts of Vale, the sound of a roaring engine boomed as Bumblebee pulled into the street, stopping just short of the curb.
"This is the place." Yang said taking off her yellow helmet.
Cassian who had been holding on tight, not that Yang complained, took off his red helmet and said, "You weren't kidding, she's one hell of a ride." Cassian looked at their destination, he could hear the music blasting from outside already. Cassian furrowed his brows remembering something Yang had said once.
"Yang?" Yang had hummed in acknowledgment. "You said you trashed a night club before." Both off Bumblebee and standing on the sidewalk, Yang knew exactly what Cassian was going to ask next.
"It wasn't this place, was it?" Yang ignored him purposely and started walking towards the club. "Yang?..." Cassian called out to her again as he followed.
"I'm sure they're over it by now." Yang said waving him off. The fact a guy standing out front noticed them and ran in, cursing and screaming, 'fuck she's back!' did not fill Cassian will confidence.
Merely stepping a foot inside, a myriad of guns were pointed at them aimed at their faces.
"I'm sure they're over it by now." Cassian mockingly said back at wildly grinning Yang.
"Gotta lot of nerve, showing up back here Blondie. Why?" Junior called out standing over by the bar.
"You still owe me a drink." Yang and Cassian walked over to him as Junior motioned for his guys to lower their weapons.
"So, what do you really want?" Junior asked as he polished a glass.
"Info, specifically on what the White Fang and Torchwick have been up too." Junior laughed at the request.
"I'm sure we can work something out." Cassian spoke up.
"Or do I need to reintroduce you to these." Yang said cracking her knuckles.
"What is this good cop, bad cop?" Junior scoffed not taking them seriously.
"How bout we start this over huh? You're a businessman. So let's talk business; Yang here tells me you know everything that goes on in Vale. Torchwick and the White Fang have been causing a ruckus for weeks now. We need any and all information you got on them." Cassian took out some Lien. "We're more than willing to pay for this information." Cassian tried to be reasonable.
"I don't deal with kids, so stop pretending to be adults and get the fuck out of my club. We open up soon" Junior said as he put away a polished glass back onto the rack.
Cassian sighed took a quick glance at Yang before he grabbed Junior by the tie and yanked him down. Junior barely caught the table with the hands, his face an inch from the bar top.
Guns were out again, even Miltia and Melanie Malachite had their weapons drawn, ready to strike. Yang had already gotten in the way of them cocking Ember Celica. She could take them and the best part was everyone in the club knew she could.
"I'm trying to do business with you." Cassian's voice turned cold and threatening. "But make no mistake, I have no reservations about tearing this place a new one and I'm looking at quite the collection of some very expensive bottles right now." Cassian threatened eyeing the copious amounts of liquor behind Junior.
"Fine..." Junior grunted as he Cassian pulled a little tighter. "We'll talk." Cassian loosened his grip letting the man go. Standing upright now, Junior fixed his tie and said, "Follow me." Junior started walking.
Guns lowered once more as Cassian and Yang followed Junior, the Malachite Twins right behind them.
"I'll still take that Strawberry Sunrise by the way." Yang said candidly.
Junior brought them before a door and opened it. Inside was an ornate room; a desk was placed in the middle adorned with trophies and knick-knacks, and three chairs, paintings framed up on the wall depicting landscapes across Remnant.
"Sit in there, I have to grab somethings and then we'll talk business. Don't leave." Junior emphasized that last part more.
Yang and Cassian stepped in before the door stepped behind them. They guessed the twins were standing on the other side guarding it and making sure they didn't leave. They each took a seat at a chair opposite of the desk.
"Been a while since I've threatened a club owner." Cassian said as he eased into the chair.
"Interesting story there?" Yang asked.
"Eh, not really. Working security at this club and the asshole didn't want to pay me so I introduced a few bottles of liquor to the floor and threatened to wreck the place so bad they wouldn't open the next night."
Yang laughed and asked another question. "A lot of club experience?"
"Work only," Cassian responded.
"We'll have to change that…" She paused slightly looking at Cassian eyebrow raised. "Wait a minute, you said you worked security." Cassian shuffled slightly. "Does that mean you had to wear a uniform?" Yang asked.
Cassian's silence only piqued her interest more. "Please tell me there's pictures!?" Yang asked excitedly.
"If there is, whoever owns them is a dead person. They just don't know it yet."
Yang laughed and this time Cassian asked a question, "What about you, regular club girl?"
"When I want to be, I know a bunch of places." Yang replied nonchalantly.
"So why trash this place?" Cassian asked out of curiosity.
"I was actually looking for some information about my mother, but Junior wasn't really in a talking mood so I let Ember Celica do the rest of the talking."
Cassian hummed a response before asking, "Did you get answers after at least?"
"No but I kinda left after I totaled the place. I don't know if he actually knew anything or not." Yang said before she remembered. "Hey, now that I'm thinking about it Torchwick was leaving this place when I was walking in! So, Junior definitely knows something." As Yang said this, they heard the door knob jiggle slightly before it opened.
Junior walked in with a file in hand walked over to his desk. Sitting in his chair he threw the file on the desk. There was a little post it note sticking on the outside.
"That's everything I have on Torchwick and the White Fang. Pay the standard fee and the info's all yours." Junior said.
Cassian grabbed the note and read the amount to himself. Taking out his Lien he paid Junior. Satisfied with the transaction Junior motioned for them to read it. As Cassian and Yang looked over the file, inside were a bunch of pictures moving Dust out of the city.
"Roman came by a few months ago, looking for men to borrow. I owed him bad so I couldn't really refuse even though I wanted to. Apparently, they weren't up to snuff." Junior explained.
Yang wanted to mess with him knowing full well Ruby was the one who beat up his guys but decided against it. The pictures showed Roman moving stuff east of Vale but some pictures confused Cassian.
"Why's their pictures with him on a scroll?" Cassian asked.
"Because we don't know who Roman is working for and been trying to find out." Junior explained and both Cassian and Yang looked at him curiously. "Roman isn't really about want and destruction. Him working with the White Fang is pretty much the last fucking thing he'd ever do. So, whoever he is working for must have him by the balls."
"Any idea who this third party is?" Yang asked.
"No idea, they're a complete mystery. They're not interested in territory or drugs that we know, only Dust and well… another thing." Junior said and before they could ask Yang and Cassian got to that particular other thing. On the last photo was Roman Torchwick standing with an Atlesian Paladin.
"I've given you all what I have, are we done here?" Junior asked.
"Actually, before we leave. I have one more thing to ask." Cassian said confusing Yang.
"Last time this lovely lady her." Cassian motioned to Yang who waved candidly at Junior. "She was looking for info on a certain individual. You wouldn't have actually have had any information on that would you?"
"Let's say I did, why would I tell after what she did?" Junior asked back.
"So, you do know, just a little pissed still. That's fine, I'm willing to sweeten the deal." Cassian said getting Junior's interest.
"How so?" Junior asked.
"Back by the bar I noticed a half empty bottle of Desert Passion. That's a rather exclusive bottle, I believe it has an actual dead scorpion inside it." Cassian brought up.
"I like to see it as half full." Junior retorted.
"I'm sure you do; how would you like two more bottles?" Cassian asked.
"Bullshit." Junior didn't believe Cassian for a second.
Cassian took the post it note from before and grabbed a pen on the desk. He wrote down a number and handed it to Junior.
"Call that number, tell them at Cassian is calling in his favors. The guy on the phone will ask you, 'Who the fuck is Cassian?' And then I'll take it from there." Cassian said.
"And I should bother because?" Junior asked.
"Because, if I'm lying you can just kick us out. Our business is done, anything else is just the icing on the cake. But if I'm telling the truth then you get two bottles of one of the rarest bottles of liquor in Remnant. But you'll have to tell her any info you have on that person and maybe not point guns at us next time we're here." Cassian reasoned with Junior.
Junior mulled over the deal for a hot minute before grabbing the post it note and taking out his own scroll. Dialing the number and putting it on speaker, it rang a few times before someone finally answered.
"Who is this?" A voice only familiar to Cassian asked.
"Cassian is calling in his favors." Junior said as instructed.
There was a pregnant pause.
"Who the fuck is Cassian?" The voice asked to the amusement of both Cassian and Yang, the former of which was holding out his hand for the scroll. Junior obliged and handed it to him.
"You better of stopped smoking that pipe you old bastard, Pip would be upset at you if you went back." Cassian said knowing full well that would get a response.
There was another pause.
"Piece of shit, you're alive." The voice said.
"Sorry to disappoint." Cassian responded a smile on his face.
"On the contrary, you just made me 5000 Lien richer." The voice laughed.
"How so?" Cassian asked.
"A couple of the guys made bets if you were dead or not. Me? I just figured you just skipped town." The voice said.
"Then I'll forgo taking my cut from your winnings if you take care of my favors quickly." Cassian said in response.
"What's the favor?" The voice asked.
"Two bottles, Desert Passion, sent to wherever this scroll number addresses it too." Cassian relayed his favor.
"Two bottles!?" The voice sounded aggravated.
"Seeing as we'll be even and you're now 5000 Lien richer, I'd say that's fair. Don't you know think?" Cassian asked.
"Fine… have whoever I'm sending it to, message me from this scroll number, and it'll be there tomorrow." The call disconnected right after.
Cassian handed Junior his scroll back and said, "Well, there you go. Do you need the photo again or?" Cassian asked.
"No that won't be necessary." Junior turned to Yang. "I don't have a name or any exact location. All I know is the clothes and mask fit the description of a bandit leader out in Anima." Junior said to the shock of Yang.
"Part of the Branwen tribe, I think they're called." Junior added.
"Branwen!?" Cassian had shot up from his chair and asked.
"Wait… you've heard that name before?" Yang asked looking at Cassian.
"The huntsman… the one that I met in Vacuo and brought me to Beacon! His name was Qrow Branwen!" Cassian said.
"Wait!? Uncle Qrow!?" Yang asked voice raised.
"Qrow is your uncle!?" Cassian asked back his voice as high as hers.
"Hey, hey, hey! Can you have these outbursts and revelations outside my club?" Junior had his hands on his ears, annoyed.
Both Cassian and Yang nodded before being escorted out by the Malachite Twins.
Outside now, Cassian had so many questions he didn't even know where to begin. He hadn't noticed Yangs strained face.
Yang had walked over to Bumblebee and started pacing back and forth.
"I can't believe it!" Yang shouted. "That was the reason!? Are you fucking kidding me!" She was getting angry.
"Yang?" Cassian asked paying attention now.
"Why couldn't they have just told me that!? I get I made a fucking mistake when I was a kid, but I'm grown up now. did they really think I'd just go up and after her after hearing that was the reason !?" Yang's eyes were red. "Do you know how many excuses I gave that bitch!?" Yang's hair ignited.
"To think I even considered she might be like Summer; that she was on some mission, something important, something good, that there was a reason." Yang's fist were tightening. "But she left to go be some bandit in the middle of fucking nowhere!" Yang's pace quickened. "To… to think… to think I actually thought she might have even loved me!"
Any further action or word was cut off and stopped as Cassian wrapped his arms around Yang and pulled her in for a hug.
Yang's first instinct was to fight the hug but she didn't. Slowly her hair extinguished but her eyes remained solid red. She simply breathed in place, gave towards Cassian's chest. Eventually she leaned into the hug and wrapped her own arms around him. Yang's breathing steadied and after a few more seconds she parted backwards slight still hands at his side and his hands on her arms. Her eyes had returned to their normal lilac color.
"So, my uncle was the drunk huntsman?" Yang asked having calmed down.
"It would seem so." Cassian replied.
"That actually makes a lot of sense." Yang sighed. "I have a lot to talk about next time I see my uncle." She added before leaning back into Cassian, giving him another hug. Her body pressed into his tightly for a few seconds till she parted and the two returned to their prior position.
"What was that for?" Cassian asked not expecting it.
"That, was for helping me get this info." She leaned up on her toes and gave him a peck on the cheek. "And that, was for calming me down." They stared at each other. One second became five, five turned to what felt like an eternity.
Cassian tempted to lean in, almost did, his body betrayed him and started to act on its own with the ever so slightest forward movement.
DING BZZZZT DING
Both of their scrolls had gone off; it was a team wide call. Cassian and Yang parted fully this time, taking out their respective scrolls and answered.
"Giant robot, lots of guns. HURRY!" The voice boomed from their scroll as they heard gunfire in the mix. The two wasted no time. Yang hopped on Bumblebee with Cassian sitting right behind her and drove off.
Author's Notes: Seeing BRFs get a lot of positive feedback and follows inspired me to work more on my writing. Got this chapter out earlier then I expected to finish it. Big things and more sweet moments to come soon! Hope you all enjoy!