Greywing44: Ooh this kinda reminds me of Monster Hunter, or even Witcher to a point. Ahh memories of video games...dying horribly in video games...
I can't wait to see what kind of missions you'll make! Will we be able to see JNPR have it's own mission or be stuck with just the main characters in this? Oh maybe we'll even see Cardin be used in a cpacity that doesn't lable him as a useless bully. Which was admittedly interesting. Except the ignorance of Racism. I always figured if Cardin ever gained a respect for Faunus it would be on the battlefield. Which kinda happened? I guess?
NeoNazo356: Since you asked, I'll try to elaborate on JNPR's mission, though I'll need a smidge more character development before I have Juniper getting its own mission. However, there's still one last piece of unfinished business the Canon never really touched up on before I'm comfortable having the whole team go on a mission that I need to attend to.
As for Cardin, yeah, I want to expand on his character so you might get to see some of that too. As for Cardin's racism getting "tempered", part of it is due to Jack, another is due to him growing "as a person" now that he's away from his father; something Weiss similarly experienced because if she had stayed by her father's side, she would've been as-racist as she was in early Volume 1 much later on.
*NEW WORLD*
Located in the middle quadrant of the Commercial District, equidistant from the Industrial and Residential Districts nearby, the Vale Megamall, a somewhat recent addition to the capital city's landscape in proportion to its history, was considered one of the largest shopping centers in the kingdom of Vale.
Its foundations set during the pre-Great War era when one of the largest trading plazas in the world had been established to take advantage of the convening trade routes from the neighboring Kingdoms, over time the area became dominated by a massive strip mall surrounding a massive five-story building that easily earned the title "Mega".
In addition to this, advancements in both construction techniques and the utilization of Earth Dust allowed for the construction of underground facilities, adding an additional five floors to the massive shopping center, which currently operated around two hundred stores including the nearby strip malls.
Thanks to the continual addings-on throughout the years, the Vale Megamall was home to a wide range of specialty stores, restaurants, a multiplex movie theater, aquarium, concert hall, and many other commercial venues. It was for good reason that people from across the Kingdom of Vale made the Megamall their stomping grounds.
Sized at around three million square feet of "Gross Leasable Area", the Vale Megamall was only rivaled in scope by the largest shopping mall located in Atlas' capital, which was geared more-heavily toward the rich and affluent who made their corporate headquarters there. In particular, the rich heirs and heiresses who spent money like drinking water.
As an added bonus, because consumers from all walks of life went to the Vale Megamall for their material needs, Human and Faunus alike, racial discrimination was at an all-time low, at least there, because there was always an abundance of witnesses.
Witnesses with cameras on their Scrolls that could record people making complete and utter dicks out of themselves.
"Smash and burn" attacks perpetrated by the White Fang (and other racial hate groups) were limited almost exclusively to the above-ground strip mall in the surrounding acres, so for all intents and purposes, the Vale Megamall was considered one of the safest, family-friendly areas in the Kingdom of Vale.
*NEW WORLD*
"Man, it's been a while since I last came here," Yang hummed appreciably, the members of Teams RWBBY and JNPR stepping off the bus they'd taken to get there.
"It's actually my first time coming here. Are there really two-hundred stores here?" Pyrrha asked as she looked at all the stores around them; stores as far as the eye could see.
"More than that," Yang said snatching a map from the nearby kiosk before tossing it to her. "Take a look. The rotation of stores changes out every couple of years, but they've got just about anything you could shop for here. They've even got tons of stuff from the other Kingdoms, though the more-exotic, the bigger the price tag," she admitted. "Originally I wanted a Japanese bike, a Kawasaki Kunoichi, but the amount of zeroes on it scared the hell out of me, and almost gave my dad a stroke."
"Must be nice. Having so much money to spend," Jaune slumped, seeing as how the "stipend" his parents were sending him was really going right into Jack's own pocket after he started charging.
"Hey, here's a crazy idea. You could always get a job."
"Says the guy who conned a hundred grand out of the whole school," the blond groaned.
"Hey, it isn't my fault they didn't play the odds. You always 'bet on black'," Jack shrugged looking the map over. "Etro's sake, two hundred of these things? How many stores does one shopping center need?"
"Obviously someone hasn't been to Atlas' Peak," Weiss hummed as she walked by, thinking back to her time in Atlas when she'd been able to pursue the finer things in life wherever she'd wanted. "Still, the energy here is pretty refreshing," she hummed looking around.
True, Atlas' Peak was a few-dozen stores (if not a hundred) bigger than the Vale Megamall, but with only the monetarily-privileged or otherwise well-to-do there, there wasn't as much… life as there was here; countless people of all races of all species mingling together. Sure, there were a few narrowed eyes here and there along with a few upturned noses, but otherwise everyone seemed to be having a good time, some window shopping, some already knowing what they'd wanted, and some simply wandering about with too much time on their hands or just hanging out with friends.
"Yeah, I am definitely going to need a map for this place," Jack sighed as he grabbed one, blotting out stores he had no reason to visit. "If 'sensory overload' had a picture in the dictionary, it'd be this."
"Hey, don't worry about it. I'll hold your hand so you don't get lost," Yang said with a bright smile as she threw an arm over his shoulders.
"I can work with that," Jack replied with a crooked smile, snaking an arm around the blond's waist and playfully drawing her close.
"Ugh, get a room you two," Ruby groaned in embarrassment as people stared.
"Preferably one that isn't ours," Blake saw fit to add.
"Yes, Jack. Please try and keep your urges in check," Weiss chastized.
"Funny, as I recall, you weren't much better than a drooling mess after I got through with you," Jack quipped in turn, the heiress blushing beet red as the Faunus waggled his brow, everyone sending her looks.
"Just shut up and follow me. If you're going to be on the same team as me, there are certain standards I expect you to meet," Weiss said leading everyone into the main structure, leaving no room for argument.
"So... we're just going to ignore the subtext between those two?" Jaune asked as he glanced between Jack and Weiss.
"Yes," everyone said unanimously.
*NEW WORLD*
"Yowza! This place is eeeeeNORMOUS!" Nora whooped loudly as they stepped into the megamall.
Of course, with how much noise there was inside from the countless throngs, a voice that normally would've carried to the bottom floor didn't even make it past the lobby there was so much of it.
"To the food court bakerryyyyyyy!" Ruby squealed zipping forward.
"Oh no you don't," Yang said grabbing onto her cape, causing the girl to gag herself. "The last time I let you anywhere near that place, you were hopped up on so much sugar you set off every radar gun in the city."
"Wait, seriously?" Jack gawked. Sure, the girl could be pretty fast, but that fast?!
"No, but it makes for a funny story, doesn't it?" Yang asked with a cheeky grin. "Nah, the worst Ruby did was ruin her appetite."
"Like that's very hard," Weiss sighed with a roll of her eyes. "So, girls, what would you like me to buy for you?" the heiress offered. "Mind you, try to keep your purchase requests reasonable. My father does have access to my fiscal transactions, you know, and anything too eccentric would be really hard to explain at the end of the month."
"So… no motorcycles?"
"Nope," Weiss replied plainly.
"Yeah, that figures," the blond sighed.
"Well… Since we're going to get a head-start on our Huntress careers… maybe some new outfits?" Ruby suggested.
"An update to our wardrobe, huh…?" Blake hummed, thinking back to a similar conversation of this very nature they'd had, back before Jack became part of their team.
*FLASHBACK*
"I think Weiss' next outfit should incorporate armor. She thrusts her sword a lot, so it should be bigger too. Maybe she should just have a lance. She'll give off a much more dangerous impression. Her hair should be tied in the back. But the weight might make it hard to move," Blake read aloud from the cheat sheet Ruby had dropped after Weiss called her out on staying up all night.
"It'll hide your breasts too!" Ruby added matter-of-factly.
"Relax, relax," Yang soothed to Weiss, who was moments away from throttling Ruby.
"What is this?! I know you're the leader, but now you're going to tell us what to wear?!" Weiss demanded.
"We'll be changing outfits soon. It might not be a bad idea to discuss it," Yang spoke up. "We've always fought alone, but we'll be fighting together from now on. We should know what everyone's thinking. What else you got?"
"You think this is a joke, don't you?" Ruby muttered, but grabbing her cheat sheet nonetheless. "I think this one would be good for Blake. 'I think Blake would look great in something more loose fitting. A Japanese-style outfit with a trimmed hem for easier movement. And a katana'," she read aloud.
'So all our weapons are bigger, huh?' Yang questioned.
"No thank you," Blake stated as Ruby held up a legit katana, stars in her eyes. "I've never used one…"
For years to come, it would still be a mystery as to where Ruby had gotten that katana from.
"For you, Yang. 'Increased ammunition hidden all over the place. Maybe a grenade launcher on her arm'," Ruby went on to read aloud.
'She's just trying to increase my damage output!' Yang realized, though not really having anything against the outfit shown in the rough sketch. The leather tube top and short-shorts might've been a bit much, or rather, very little, but she could make 'em work. 'Actually, I'm fine with that,' she then hummed to herself.
"You're considering it, aren't you?" Blake asked.
And thus, Team RWBY would go on to talk about it, but in the end, they didn't change anything.
*FLASHBACK END*
"Yes, I suppose that would be for the best," the hidden Faunus girl nodded. "Never really saw the point in gathering up tons of random crap, anyway," she hummed as her eyes turned to passerby leaving the Megamall, bags filled with "tons of random crap" weighing them down.
"Aren't you the girl that always reads to candle light?" Yang asked poignantly.
"The lights are softer and it won't keep my roommates awake."
" . . . Oh… Yeah, I guess that's true," Yang conceded.
"Remember, you three. If it's clothes you want to buy for missions, it has to be durable, and practical. Fashion needs to come second," Weiss stated matter-of-factly.
"Says the girl in the dress and bolero jacket," Yang quipped.
"This, is a Combat Skirt."
"Yeah."
The next moment she and Ruby exchanged a low-five.
"Fine. 'Combat Skirt'," Yang said making air-quotes.
"Glad you now know how to make that distinction," Weiss returned with a nod. "So, where do you think we should go?" she asked as the group stepped in front of a directory.
"We could try here," Ruby said pointing to a store on the map. "They've got loads of clothes that are durable, practical, and fashionable."
"Hmmm… Yeah, I guess that could work," Yang nodded.
"A little low-brow for my tastes, but… It's your call, girls," Weiss stated with a shrug, the two teams making their way to the nearest elevator.
*NEW WORLD*
"How the heck did you beat us?" Jaune gaped at who was waiting for them on their destined floor.
"What do you mean?" Jack asked lazily.
"I mean, the eight of us pile into an elevator 'cause it can't hold nine, and as soon as we get up here, you're the one waiting for us!"
"I took the stairs."
"Oh that's bullshit!" Nora whooped.
"Can we please focus," Weiss sighed, not really bothered by the fact that Jack was faster than an elevator.
Even if the nearest flight of stairs were several meters away.
"Guys, it doesn't really matter that Jack was able to beat us to the floor we needed to go to. Can you please stop causing a scene?" Ren asked politely, pointing out the numerous stares they were all receiving.
"Allow me to rephrase it," Weiss stated with her hands on her hips. "You can either stop arguing about something so juvenile, or I can rescind my previous offer."
"Jaune, get over it."
"Yeah, this is totally normal."
"Wow… just… gonna throw me under the bus, there, huh?" Jaune asked as Ruby and Yang turned on him.
"Yep," Blake nodded stoically in agreement.
What? Free clothes were free clothes?
"Jaune, if you keep getting bothered by little things like this, you won't get any work done out in the real world," Jack stated plainly.
"Bite me."
"Nah. You're so fragile and girly I'd insta-kill you."
"N-No you wouldn't!"
"Yeah! It'd take two, maybe three bites to insta-kill him!"
"Nora, you are not helping!"
*NEW WORLD*
"So… This is the place, huh?" Weiss asked looking up at the sign of the store the bulk of her Team wanted to shop at.
"50% SALE ON ALL HERO CLOTHING… The hell does that mean?" Jack asked reading the sign on ALWAYS 17's window aloud.
"Perhaps they are referring to combat-grade clothing?" Pyrrha groused, equally-confused by the phrasing of the sign.
"Yeah, okay, but why half?" Jack asked incredulously.
"Perhaps they have excess stock in a market that isn't so-eager to capitalize on it," Ren hummed as the two teams walked in. ALWAYS 17 wasn't anything too eccentric; a mix of carpet and tile flooring, shelves, displays, and hangers of product, and an all-around selection of articles of young, "trendy" styles usually worn by people in their pre- to early 20s.
"So, anything catch your-" *Vwoooom!* " . . . eye?" Weiss asked only to get left in the dust as her teammates scattered. "Hrmmmm…"
"You sound a little disappointed. Wanna talk about it?" Jack asked over his shoulder as he browsed the hoodies on display.
"Well, it's just… I thought Team Ruby would be doing this more…" she said rolling her hand at the wrist as she tried to find the right word. "…together," she admitted.
"Back in Atlas, did you ever do this sort of thing?"
"Well… No, not really," she admitted.
"Did you even have any friends back in Atlas, or were you just an anti-social loser with no friends?"
"You don't have to be so blunt about it."
Were this an anime, this would've been the point where an arrow capped with a word bubble reading Loser stabbed her in the head.
"Look, the point I'm trying to make is… Maybe try and find some common ground. Try to include yourself, and stop building up these invisible walls you rich-kid-types always want to put up around those in lower social strata," Jack stated, though by the lackluster sound of it, it seemed more like he was pulling this out of his ass.
"It sounds like you just pulled that out of your ass."
'Crap. She knows,' Jack sighed. "Look, when those girls get to the dressing rooms to try on their clothes, maybe you could insert yourself-"
"Ha!"
"-into the conversation… at that point," he went on to say after Nora's rib. "They're going to want an outside opinion on their choices, so a little feedback will help break the ice with them."
"Hmmm… That's actually a pretty good idea," Weiss nodded. "Thank you. You're wiser than your reputation lets on."
"You get a pass," Jack sighed, leaving the girls to their own devices.
*NEW WORLD*
"So… Did you girls find everything you were looking for?" Weiss asked of the three girls as they gathered around the dressing rooms.
"Don't look! I want it to be a surprise!" Ruby yelped, hiding her choices behind herself out of Weiss' view.
"Don't worry, Weiss. We're not gonna break the bank on this one," Yang said holding an entire outfit in her arms.
"It's the least we can do," Blake saw fit to add.
"Well, you're quite welcome," Weiss said taking a seat on a nearby bench, crossing one ankle over the other as Ruby stepped into the changing room first. The rustling of clothing accompanied by a complaint about "girl pockets", the red curtan whooshed open as Ruby stepped out in her new outfit.
Ruby was now clad in a long-sleeve light gray shirt with black belted cuffs at the ends of her sleeves, over which she wore a black pinafore with two vertical lines of red stitching that resembled the lacing on a corset. Additionally, she was clad in a red skirt with a matching black tulle underneath, her stockings and shoes remaining unchanged.
"Well… How do I look?" Ruby asked nervously.
"Awwww… My little Grimm-Slayer. So cute!" Yang cooed as she hugged her little sister.
"Agh! Yang! You're! Smothering me!" Ruby cried from betwixt her sister's bosom.
"Hmmmm… It is quite nice, but I feel like it's missing a certain… something," Weiss hummed.
"Yeah, I felt that way too," Ruby said giving herself a once-over. "Maybe the Tailors' Guild at Beacon could embroider my emblem onto it, maybe add a little armor plating."
"My turn!" Yang said enthusiastically as she stepped into the changing room.
A minute later and the curtain parted again, Yang's outfit now consisting of a deep-collared cream vest worn over a low cut black shirt, both of which were covered by a dark gray shrug with a raised collar, three-quarter sleeves adorned with a single black stripe, and gold cuffs, accompanied by a black miniskirt worn beneath a pair of crooked black belts with gold accents slung over the hip, a purple waist cape attached to the left-rear section of the lower belt. Thigh-high stockings attached to her miniskirt by garter-belts on the front and back of each thigh, decorated with four golden studs above the knee, and the black ankle boots with multiple buckles, the blond turned quite a few heads.
"Sooo… How do I look~?" Yang asked bending forward at the waist.
"I… can't tell if you're showing more, or less skin," Weiss stated as-calmly as she could.
"That's the beauty of it," Yang said with a wink. "You leave the boys wanting more," she said sending an eye Jack's way as he browsed through the cargo pants and muscle shirts, the blond clearly on the hunt.
"Yang, I might not be the most-social butterfly around, but even I know that when it's girl-time, you typically leave the boys out of it," Blake stated.
"Whoa! How'd you get changed so fast!"
"I just used the other dressing room," Blake said folding the creases on her own outfit.
The hidden Faunus girl's attire now consisted of a white v-neck zip-up crop shirt with a black hem and three-quarter sleeves, black tight-fitting pants with a vertical gray stripe on the outer side of each leg, and a black belt. Attached to the rear of said belt was a black piece of fabric covering her from hip to hip, underneath which was a longer, translucent purple piece of fabric. Her footwear was now a pair of black high-heel boots with two straps and buckles and purple undersoles that reached mid-calf, the girl retaining her black ribbons and bow.
"Way to intrude on a conversation, Blake," Yang pouted.
"Is that really all you want to get?" Weiss asked. "Maybe a nice overcoat?"
"Maybe next time," the ravenette answered. "For the time being, this is more than sufficient," she said rolling her arms.
"Well, if that's all you want, then I suppose that's fine," the heiress shrugged. "Though if you want any duplicates, that's on you."
"Well, you can't win 'em all," Yang shrugged. "Still, it was really sweet of you to buy us these new threads. Thanks, Weiss."
"You're welcome," the heiress nodded, a friendly warmth spreading across her chest.
*NEW WORLD*
"So… What happened to my choice?" Jack asked once the rest of his team completed their purchases, the heiress leading him along bereft of any outside input i.e. his.
Suffice it to say, Jack had to purchase his own clothing from ALWAYS 17.
"Jack, I've seen your wardrobe. Not a formal suit or tie in sight," the heiress sighed tiredly. "I, intend to fix that," she said glancing down at the bag full of hoodies and cargo pants he'd bough.
"And how do you intend to do that exactly?" Jack asked before they came to a stop at the fourth basement floor, a high-class store in earthy shades of green and brown with suites lined in the display case greeting them. "Kingsman?" he asked, reading the sign, penned in fanciful golden letters.
"The reviews for this store's wares are excellent," Weiss said plainly as she strode inside with a casual swagger. "Oh tailor~" the heiress called out in a sing-song tone and a clap of her hands, a well-dressed balding man with salt-and-pepper hair and a measuring tape dangling from his shoulders stepping over towards her.
"Ah, Ms. Schnee," the man hummed between squinted eyes. "You're early."
"My teammates are nothing if not transparent," the heiress chuckled lightly. "I believe all the arrangement have been made?"
"But of course," the man replied with a bow before turning his attention to Jack. "Ah, so this must be the new bodyguard you mentioned over the phone," he hummed, eyeing the Faunus up and down.
"Yep!" Wiess chirped as she elbowed Jack in the side, cutting off the outcry of- "Bodyguard?!" -he was about to let loose. "Solid as reinforced military-grade plating. Now all he needs is a little polish and he'll be perfect," she said giving the Faunus an eye.
"But of course, miss," the tailor replied. "Now, tell me, will this be for a formal event, or a social affair?" he asked as he took Jack's measurements shoulder-to-shoulder.
"Social," the heiress replied.
"And is this for day, or evening?"
"One for day, one for night."
"What style?"
"Italian."
"How many buttons?"
"Two."
"Trousers?"
"Tapered."
'Well someone knows what she wants,' were Team RWBBY and JNPR's sum thoughts as Weiss answered off the answers with a practiced confidence.
"And the lining?"
"Tactical."
" . . . Wait what?" Ruby asked confusedly.
*NEW WORLD*
The heiress and her "entourage" led to a sound-proofed room at the back of the tailors, they were greeted to the sight of a well-dressed mannequin being shot up before it was reeled in on rails, the sudden stop in front of them causing the flattened bullets to fall out and rattle onto the floor.
"Silicon carbide discs, ceramic matrices, accompanying laminates. Cutting-edge body armor," the man replied as he drew out a sleek and shiny layer out from within the suit. "We just sew it between the fabric and the lining, zero penetration. However…" the man winced, putting a hand to his chest and making a pained expression. "Quite painful, I'm afraid."
"Don't worry. Jack can take it," Weiss said with a proud tone as she pat the Faunus' chest, the Faunus in question still staring at the squash-headed rounds at his feet. "Oh, and could you make the first one a rush-order please?"
"But of course," the man replied with a bow, snaking out his measuring tape around Jack's ankle like a whip before dragging him into the fitting room. A moment later and various work-related sounds like sawing, drilling, jackhammering, and strangely enough a cat cry, could be heard from behind the curtain, the sounds of snipping scissors and whooshing cloth sounding through the air.
"Hey, watch your hands, sweetness!" Jack suddenly yelped.
"My apologies, sir. I'm almost done."
"Ah! Geez! There's this great invention called lotion! Ever heard of it?"
"So… You're getting Jack some kind of bullet-proof suit?" Blake asked after a pause.
"Not 'some kind' of bullet-proof suit. The bullet-proof suit, a blend of both fashion and function that only Kingsman tailors can provide," Weiss returned with a nod. "My father… has multiple Kingsman suits, and while no-one's ever gotten close-enough to him that he needed to rely on it, they're still a very useful tool. Much-coveted."
"With a price tag to match. Yikes!" Nora winced as she looked at the nearby display case.
"Yes, well, a princess simply must invest in the welfare of her knight," the heiress replied as though she had to explain herself.
"Your… knight…?" Jaune asked with a crestfallen tone.
"Ooh. That's gotta hurt," Nora winced.
"It really does," Jaune muttered.
"Well… Think of this as motivation to become stronger," Pyrrha said putting a hand on his shoulder. "If you work really hard and become really strong, maybe someday Weiss will make you her… 'knight'," she said in a strained tone.
"Yeah… Yeah, you're right!" Jaune suddenly said with a brightened tone.
"Yaaaaaaaay…" Pyrrha quote-unquote "cheered".
"This must be killing you inside," Nora whispered.
"I know…"
A moment later and Jack stepped out of the curtain, appreciative whistles and awed mutterings leaving the lips of the two teams. Most-notably from the girls.
Jack stepping out onto the floor, revealed his bangs expertly parted away from his face, his long monochrome hair combed and brushed straight, his sideburns expertly groomed to better-frame his features. His attire, consisting of a jet-black Italian-style two-buttoned suit with tapered slacks, just as Weiss had ordered it, had the faintest hint of a dark-green sheen visible as he moved. Beneath it he wore a pure-white dress shirt with an expertly-trimmed collar, a dark green tie hanging tightly around his neck.
In short, the older Faunus cut a rather impressive figure, his silhouette markedly trimmed-down from the baggy, loose-fitting clothes he'd been wearing minutes before.
"Wow…" Blake hummed, seeing the older Faunus in a whole new light.
"Don't you look fancy," Ruby chirped.
"Yes, I'm quite proud of this myself," Weiss said stroking her chin with a proud nod.
"Whoa, look at you Mr. Fixit," Yang purred as she eyed the Faunus' figure up and down. "You can talk about 'alternative payment plans' any time~" she purred with a wink.
"Yes, well…" Jack coughed nervously, tugging at his cuffs. "It is a very nice suit," he said as he smoothed it down.
"Perfect. Simply perfect," Weiss breathed. "Excellent work, sir. I'll be looking forward to his night suit, upon delivery," the heiress said extending a purple card to the man.
"You're paying for this yourself?" Jack asked with a raised brow, seeing that the card she'd handed over was purple, instead of blue, and instead of the SDC emblem on the back, there was instead a golden tiara.
In short, it was a Regal Bank bank card, not the SDC credit card she'd used on everything else that day.
"Consider this gift a little more personal in nature," the heiress said with a soft smile. 'That and my father might no like me buying someone else a Kingsman suit with his money,' she added.
No need to bring down the mood by bringing up daddy issues.
"I can work with that," Jack nodded. "If I could buy a couple high-end garment bags and hangers, that'd be really appreciated," the Faunus said digging into his pockets, only to remember his wallet was quite literally "in his other pants". "Ah, thank you," Jack said as his previous clothes and a higher-end garment bag were handed over to him. "After I get this suit sealed up, we can go on to our next destination. Maybe I can buy you something."
"That sounds nice," Weiss said as Jack disappeared back behind the curtain, a disappointed whine escaping the heiress' lips as he stepped back out clad in casual wear.
"So… Where to next?" Yang asked, a little disappointed Jack was out of the suit as well. 'Talk about arm candy. Rowrr~'
"There's an old promise I intend to keep," Weiss stated, once-more leading the charge. "Jack, Ruby, if you'd come with me, please."
*NEW WORLD*
Making their way to the bottom floor of the megamall where the most-expensive items were kept, the five stories between there and the open air a wildly-successful deterrent in preventing shoplifting attempts, Weiss led Jack and Ruby to one of the more-famous stores on the bottom floor, the rest of Teams RWBBY and JNPR trailing behind them.
"Well, this is the place. The name sounds a bit juvenile I'll admit, but I've only ever heard good things about this store's wares over the years from my family's many bodyguards and security personnel," Weiss hummed as they stopped in front of a store that left those seeing it for the first time wide-eyed and dumbstruck.
Flanking the double doors were large display cases featuring sleek and/or powerful-looking firearms placed in circular pedestals, slowly revolving in such a way that they not only granted a full 360-degree view of the object being advertised, but that it also drew the eye more than a stationary display.
Off to the sides of the windows facing perpendicularly into the adjacent hallway were large holo-flatsceen TVs featuring looped videos of Hunters, soldiers, and soldiers-of-fortune wielding the shop's many and varied products against the likes of Grimm, rogue mechs, bandits, and so-on. The reels essentially glorified combat and war, with gratuitous amounts of bullets, rockets, and bombs flying every which way with a smidge of sex appeal directed towards both genders. That no single faction was outright demonized kept things neutral between both Human and Faunus shoppers.
Emblazoned above the doors on a thick armored plate lined with rivets were the words MORE DAKKA in big bold print made with neon lettering. Underneath it was the slogan "When you need more Dakka… always get more Dakka…" embossed in similar brightly-colored lettering, but smaller and more tasteful.
Long story short, it was by far the largest provider of (legal) firearms and munitions in the capital city of Vale. When asked about the name, apparently it was "a reference", or just a really old joke "from a bygone era" that "kids today" wouldn't know about.
Still, the fact that the word "dakka" became associated with guns spraying bullets like water from a garden hose meant that MORE DAKKA's marketing team was doing a bang-up job. Sure, the price tags were a little steep, but what you were paying for was the guarantee of a high-performance firearm.
It was this same promise of excellence that caused companies like Dahl, Hyperion, Jakobs, Maliwan, Tediore, Torgue, Vladof, and others to sell their wares through this venue when not doing so through their own stores, which were admittedly more-curtailed towards those that purchased their firearms exclusively be it through taste, need, or family tradition.
That all these different companies were willing to share a single venue was simply proof that MORE DAKKA was worth the on-site competition from their contemporaries.
"Weiss… Why are we here exactly?" Ruby asked staring up at the store's sign, feeling largely intimidated compared to the "hole in the wall" vibe that Marcus Munitions gave off. "I have a bit of money saved up, sure, but these designer stores are way out of my price range."
"Jack…" Weiss said turning her eyes to him. "I believe I owe you and Ruby some weapons, correct?" she asked, ignoring the red-head's question.
"Wasn't the guns and the holo-widescreen TV only conditional on not embarrassing you in front of your sister, who never showed up?"
"Yes, well… You got half of that right, and Jack, you have been a big help to my Semblance's growth, so I figure you're owed something for all your trouble," Weiss answered.
"So… no TV?" Ruby asked disappointedly.
"TV won't help us out in the field," Weiss stated curtly. "Do you want the guns or not?"
"Guns, please," Ruby pleaded.
"Good to hear," Weiss said with a nod of her head, leading the two into the high-end store with a confident swagger.
The inside of the store, if at all possible, beat you over the head with the fact that this was a guns & munitions store even more than the advertisements out front. Going deep into the earth away from the hallway were shelves upon shelves of guns and ammo, body armor, weapon mods, and other peripherals. As opposed to the other stores that hired "anyone with a pulse", everyone behind the register looked like they could field-strip a weapon in under a minute, and possibly shoot the wings off a fly from fifty yards away.
"We got a runner!" someone cried as a man in the back of the store snatched the gun he'd been shown out of the clerk's hand and made a break for the door. The two teams getting into fighting stances and spreading out to bar his path, Weiss raised a hand to them, a look saying- "Stand down." -appearing on her face.
The reason for this of course was made known when, not even halfway through the store, a semi-transparent wall of energy shot up between the floor tiles in front of the would-be shoplifter, stopping him dead in his tracks. Three more walls rising up behind him to surround him, the gun-toting mannequins scattered throughout the store revealed themselves to be Combat Androids, which poked the barrels of their guns through the one-way barrier, causing the would-be shoplifter to drop what he'd tried to steal and raise up his hands in surrender.
"And that is why shoplifters aren't an issue at MORE DAKKA," Weiss explained dutifully. "Though in Atlas, this man would've been executed on-the-spot," she added casually, her words causing the man to pale horribly as the Combat Androids around him made micro-adjustments to their aim of his vital points by drumming their fingers.
"Wow, this store takes shoplifters seriously, huh?" Jaune asked.
"When you're dealing with live weapons, you have to be," Ruby nodded. "If someone gets hurt with a stolen gun, a store's reputation can take a big hit over it," she hummed, thinking back to her usual vendor.
In the case of Marcus Munitions, the store manager simply reserved the right to shoot anyone in the kneecaps if they tried anything, with a remote-controlled lock penning them in if they tried to make a break for it.
"Moving on," Weiss said turning her attention away from the penned-up man covered in laser sights. "Ruby, Jack, what weapons do you wa-"
"Sniper rifle."
"Of course that's what you want," the heiress sighed in response to Ruby's near-instantaneous answer.
"But Rubes, won't Crescie get jealous?" Yang questioned with a waggled brow.
"No, of course not," Ruby pouted. "Crescie deserves to find love too you know…"
Because yes, that was the kind of fantasy she'd concoct.
"Are you sure this isn't just some kinda cover-up to hide the fact you wanna try dual-wielding sniper rifles?" the blond asked knowingly.
"Wha- Bu- Ffft-! Nu- Na- No!" Ruby stammered in embarrassment, growing redder and redder in the face until she could no longer meet Yang's eyes.
"What about you, Jack? Anything catch your eye?" Weiss asked, turning away from the drama unfolding behind her.
"Hmmmmm…" Jack hummed as his eyes prowled the shelves, aisles, and cases of weapons. "How about we go halfsies on something a little more… exotic."
"If it's too expensive, I'm making you pay 60/40," the heiress stated aloud.
"That's fair," Jack shrugged, leading the heiress away while Yang continued to rib at Ruby.
Elsewhere, Nora dragged Ren away to the grenade launcher section to see about getting some mods and upgrades for her Magnhild, whereas Jaune followed Pyrrha who had similar ideas for her Miló.
"You know, I always did consider adding a gun to my arsenal," Jaune hummed appreciably as he began to eye some of the merchandise, a tough-looking revolver like the cowboys would use in the Westerns catching his eye.
Right beside him, Pyrrha imagined the blond shooting himself in the foot, quite literally, the first time he attempted to use a rifle.
A darker part of her with a rather grim sense of humor imagined Jaune's gun failing to fire, him staring down the barrel, only to blow his brains all over a nearby tree a second later. His brains splattering the three from off-screen, at least.
"Maybe… you should learn to master what you have before broadening your horizons," the red-head suggested, trying to dissuade him from anything too self-destructive.
*NEW WORLD*
Stepping up to one of the holographic kiosks that MORE DAKKA had made famous, Jack and Ruby proceeded to place their weapon orders, customizing the colors and other peripherals until they were satisfied. Once Weiss and Jack took care of the payment, they were given a voucher that would allow them to pick up their respective orders when it arrive in-store in several business days to a week. They wouldn't be able to walk out of the store with their orders immediately, but since Team RWBBY planned on tackling low-key missions until their feet were sufficiently wet, they didn't need the sort of "overkill" they'd paid for just yet.
Ruby, off to the side lovingly rubbing her voucher against her face the way any weapons enthusiast would, left everyone else to browse for any mods or upgrades that caught their fancy. For Blake, it was some Gyro-Stabilizers for her Gambol Shroud. For Yang, a few Chromed Bearings for her Ember Celica. For Pyrrha, some lighter T-Cogs for her Miló. For Nora, some long-range adapters for her Magnhild.
This just left Jack and Weiss to their own devices, the latter trailing behind the prior as he made a purchase at the counter using his own bank card.
"So… What's the occasion?" Weiss asked as Jack got his purchase gift-wrapped; swaddled in white snowflake-patterned paper and a blue bow on top.
Gun store though it was, surprisingly enough, MORE DAKKA took its gift-wrapping quite seriously.
That or someone behind the counter was just really artistic.
"Not much. Just thought I'd do right by a good friend."
"Wait, is this for me?" the heiress asked as the gift-wrapped box was then-immediately handed to her.
"Yep. Figured I owed you something material for putting up with all my bullshit," the Faunus admitted. "Go ahead, open it."
Weiss, growing up as a Schnee, had received all manner of gift from all manner of people. The servants of the Schnee Manor would pool their resources together to get her something as a "thank you" for always treating them with respect and dignity. Her potential suitors would always flaunt their wealth, though some of the gifts clearly hinted at ulterior motives; such as lingerie or even certain pharmaceuticals for certain recreational activities. From her father, any gifts from him were usually meant to further the Schnee family name, instead of bringing actual joy to the recipient.
Apart from the heartfelt gifts given to her by the servants, the only other gifts she actually enjoyed receiving came from her sister, who, even without the Schnee Family coffers, always managed to buy her something that put a smile on her face.
So, upon receiving a similar sentiment from Jack, the heiress couldn't help but allow a small smile to pull at her face.
Tearing into the paper in a manner "most unbecoming" of a Schnee, Weiss opened the lid of the box within, revealing a small-yet-powerful-looking firearm in a light gunmetal gray shade. The grip was black and ergonomic, angular serrations on the side, and engraved on the side was a stylized Elite II. Included in the recessions of the padded foam case were a pair of double column magazines set to hold fifteen 9mm rounds apiece.
Lifting the gun out and sliding one of the mags in, Weiss marveled at how-perfectly it fit in the palm of her hand, almost like it was custom-made just for her.
"Uwaaaaaaa! No way! Jack got you a Beretta M92G Elite II?" Ruby awed, eyes sparkling as she beheld the firearm in Weiss' hand. "Hey, why didn't you get me anything?" she then pouted in Jack's direction.
"Ruby, you're already squeezing one of the largest barely-legal firearms on the open market out of Weiss today. Trust me, you don't need more dakka."
"Ha!" Nora guffawed from across the store.
"Yeah, I guess you're right…" Ruby pouted.
"Still, why this firearm in particular?" Weiss asked as she turned the firearm over in her hand, testing the weight within her slender fingers.
"A friend of mine has the same model, and it's been shown to be very reliable," Jack answered. "If you want, we can get it modded to take Dust Ammo, or even Overpressure Ammo once you get the hang of it in its default setting."
"What even is 'Overpressure Ammo'?" Weiss asked.
"Oh, Overpressure Ammunition, commonly designated as plus-P or plus-P-plus is a small arms ammunition that's been loaded to a higher internal pressure than is standard for ammunition of its caliber, but still lower than the pressure generated by a Proof Round. This is typically done to produce rounds with a higher muzzle velocity and stopping power, such as ammunition used for defensive purposes. Because of this, +P ammunition is typically found in handgun calibers which might be used for defensive purposes," Ruby stated smartly.
"So in essence…"
"+P ammo can literally knock a man on his ass," Yang answered, having some of that ammo of her own rigged to the non-lethal beanbag rounds she'd use in the rougher part of town.
"Oh. Well… I guess I'll have to learn a few things," Weiss said looking down at her gift.
"Don't worry, milady. I'll teach you everything you need to know," Jack said patting the girl on the shoulder.
"Thank you, Jack. I feel safer already," the heiress replied with a smile, a certain blond fuming in the background beside another certain redhead who wasn't Ruby.
*NEW WORLD*
Following their departure from MORE DAKKA, halfway through their ascent to the ground floor so everyone could form their own cliques and mall crawl, a pair of silver eyes caught sight of a familiar-looking mop of snow-white hair and matching matching rabbit ears out in the crowd.
"Hey, there's Arthur!" Ruby squealed happily. "I'll catch up with you guys later! I'm gonna see my BFFL!"
"BFFL?" Blake asked confusedly.
"Boyfriend for life!" the girl exclaimed as she vaulted over the side of the escalator, rose petals flurrying around her as she wove through the crowd. "Hey! Hey you!Hey, wait up!" the girl cried out as she approached her target.
Whirling the whitette around, Ruby's eyes went wide as, instead of seeing her boyfriend in front of her, it was instead a white-haired Rabbit Faunus girl, who just so happened to be wearing tomboyish clothes.
And looked exactly like Arthur from behind.
"What do you want?!" the girl asked irately.
"Oh! Um! Sorry! I thought you were someone else!" Ruby explained hurriedly.
"I have white hair, red eyes, and rabbit ears. How many people could you possibly mistake me for?" the Faunus girl asked irritably.
"My boyfriend," Ruby answered in a matter-of-fact tone, one finger raised.
"Oh…? Oh! Oh, I'm so sorry!" the Faunus girl suddenly apologized in turn, features softening. "I thought this was one of those stupid Human things where you can't tell any of us apart. Sorry I took it out on you."
"Apology… accepted…?" Ruby returned.
"That's great," she nodded. "Anyway, good luck with that boyfriend of yours," she said waving herself off in the most-polite way of excusing herself from the conversation.
"Hmmm… I wonder where that boyfriend of mine could be," Ruby hummed as she fished for her Scroll in her pocket.
"Boyfriend, eh? I can play the part~" an oil-like voice said as an unfamiliar hand grabbed her shoulder.
Whirled around, Ruby saw a guy as old as the fourth-year students at Beacon standing behind her. He had pasty skin with, yellowed nails and teeth (one of which was missing), and an ugly mullet. His clothes weren't much better, consisting of a white shirt with sweat-stains, a denim vest, beat-up jeans with holes in them, and ratty sneakers.
In short, the guy looked like a complete and utter douchebag.
Oh, and two guys of similar attire and slightly-different build were coming up behind him.
"Ooooh… Sorry, but… The role's already been taken," Ruby said pinching the guy's wrist between her fingers and lifting it away, only for both hands to grasp them harder, stopping her retreat.
"Always room for an understudy~"
"No, really, the casting call's over-"
"Casting call's never over~"
"Okay, seriously, no means no-"
"Hey!" a familiar voice suddenly called out, Ruby looking over her shoulders to see not another Arthur lookalike, but "the real Asimov"… McCoy… whatever.
'Arthur! You're here!' Ruby thought happily.
"Let the girl go, she isn't interested," Arthur said narrowing his eyes, adjusting his fingers around the handles of the Express Electronics bag in his hand. "Or do you not know the meaning of the word 'no'?"
"Oh? And who are you supposed to be?" the leader asked snidely as he stepped around Ruby.
"Her boyfriend!" Arthur snapped back jabbing a thumb at his chest.
"Yeah!" Ruby chirped, moving to step around the punk only to be held back by the other two flunkies.
"Oh, I think she can do way better than some dumb bunny," the leader snarked.
"Better a 'bunny' than a 'second-hand bitch', with a bad haircut," Arthur smirked back.
"Oh snap!" someone yelped from the growing crowd ringing them.
"Oh, a wise guy, eh?" the leader asked as he drew a wicked-looking curved knife.
"Oh wow. A curved knife. Didn't see that coming," Arthur wailed in a sarcastic stage-spoken tone, drawing a can of soda from his coat; the top quarter of it was an electric blue, the rest of it chrome, a sideways bolt of lightning emblazoned across the top.
"You can take your soda break when you're dead!" the leader yelled as he ran forward, mall-goers beginning to freak out at the threat of actual violence.
"Oh no, by all means, you can have it," Arthur said with a small smirk as he pulled the tab.
A moment later and the can leaped out of his hand, the chromed section unfurling into three puck-like shapes and forming a snake-like body. From the blue section of the can, a black head with golden eyes, electric marks, and a blue muzzle unfolded, giving the now-revealed robot a vaguely snake-like appearance.
"Ha! Like I'm afraid of snakes!"
"Who said it was a snake?" Arthur asked, the leader's brows quirking before the snake-like robot wrapped around his ankle and delivered an intense electric shock that caused his muscles to lock up.
The two goons surprised by the sudden turn of events, were unprepared for Ruby kicking both legs up and hitting them each in the face before swinging her legs back down, throwing them over her shoulders with the momentum into their leader, spreading the charge among them. The now-revealed eel-like robot's charge extinguished, an adorable whine sounding as it slithered away before returning to its can-shaped carry-on form, Arthur snatched it and Ruby's wrists in his hand before running off, mall security descending on the knife-wielding Human and his cohorts moments later.
*NEW WORLD*
After a quick exit from the below-ground mall, Arthur and Ruby found themselves on one of the parnk benches above ground, sitting in the shade of a bit of greenery.
"Arthur, that was so amazing! You have another Candroid ready already?" Ruby awed excitedly as she frantically reached for the can.
"Yeah, but it's still in the prototyping stage," Arthur said opening one of the puck-like slots with a screwdriver, only to flinch back as acrid smoke belched out of it, his nose crinkling. "Great. Everything melted together again," he sighed as he closed the hatch. "Maybe if I harden the wiring…"
"Well, even if this little guy's still in his early stages, he definitely made Mullet Guy see stars," Ruby giggled lightly.
"Yeah, that was pretty funny," Arthur chuckled. "Glad I was around. I mean! I'm sure you could've handled yourself out there but-"
"It's okay, I know what you meant," Ruby smiled. "It was really sweet, though."
The peck to his cheek left the Faunus blushing bright red.
"So… What you up to?" she asked glancing at Arthur's bag.
"Oh… just getting some parts, some components," the Faunus shrugged. "How about you?"
"Ooh! Weiss got me a new gun from More Dakka!" she said excitedly holding up her voucher.
"You'd better hold on to that. You flash that thing out in the open like this and you're gonna be targeted by pick-"
"Yoink!"
"-pockets…" Arthur deadpanned as a skinny guy in a hoodie and baseball cap ran right past them, snagging Ruby's voucher.
"Ah! My voucher!" Ruby cried.
"Don't worry, miss! I've got him!" a mall cop said as he shot after the guy on his segue.
At all of six-and-a-half miles per hour.
"You two enjoy your date! I'll be back shortly!" he said as though he physically could not see how-slow he was going.
"Hey! Hands off my girlfriend's loot!" Arthur raged before Ruby could say anything to that.
Before Ruby could even get up from her seat to give chase, Arthur was already off like a shot, actually zipping past the would-be thief and rebounding off a lamp post before flying right at the guy's face in a white blur. Fist raised, the Faunus brought his elbow down on the guy's left clavicle with a sickening *CRUNCH* as he passed, the guy tumbling to the ground in a heap as he cradled his now-useless arm.
"WHYYY?! OH GOD, WHYYY!?" he shrieked
"Cause you won't get a job!" Arthur growled as he snatched the voucher from the guy's hand.
"Whoa! Where'd you learn to do that?" Ruby asked, eyes wide with awe as she ran up to him.
"O-Oh, um… You know… Pushups, sit-ups, plenty of juice…" Arthur chuckled nervously.
As though he was saying someone else's words.
" . . . Hm. Sounds legit," the girl nodded, taking back the voucher.
"Hey! I said I was going to get that!" the mall cop huffed.
"Oh that is such bullshit!" Ruby yelped red in the face, the sudden use or profanity from the adorable cinnamon roll causing Arthur to flinch back in shock. "All you wanted was 'credit'! And your moped's a piece of crap too!"
"Hey!"
"C'mon, Arthur. Let's leave."
"Hey, I'm not done with you yet!" the man cried out through his wounded pride.
"Well we certainly are," Ruby huffed. "CHEESE IT!"
The next moment Arthur was lifted off his feet as Ruby bolted off in a plume of rose petals, those nearby left choking on them as the two teens vanished from the mall.
*NEW WORLD*
"So… Now that we won't get interrupted again… hopefully…" Arthur told Ruby after they escaped the mall cop. "What've you been up to lately?"
"Oh! Good news! We're going to be going on missions soon!" Ruby said excitedly.
"Really?" Arthur nodded with raised brows. "That's… great…"
"You sound less-than-enthused," Ruby stated with a hooded stare. "Why?" she asked crossing her arms.
"I'm just… I'm worried," Arthur returned. "I'm worried if anything happens to you… I'll never find love again."
"Ah, Arthur~" Ruby breathed. "That's so sweet."
"Ruby, I'm serious. Do you know how many first-years get axed when they go on their first missions?" Arthur asserted.
"Um… Not… many?" Ruby groused.
"Let's just say the numbers are less than thrilling," Arthur deadpanned. "Ruby… I need to know…" he began, wringing his hands. "Are you going to wind up putting 'the mission' before us? Is there even an 'us' to put behind 'the mission'?"
"What? Of course there's an 'us', why would you even ask that?"
"Because the leading cause of Hunters dying out in the field is acting like 'retreat' isn't an option. As though running away would be a wound on their souls they could never run away from," Arthur said clasping his hands together, knuckles turning white. "Ruby, we've only been 'boyfriend and girlfriend' for a little while, but I can't imagine my life without you, so I need to know… Will you be able to chose 'survival' over 'pride'? Will you really be able to chose life, over the mission?"
"I wonder… Can I…?" she asked looking down at her own hands, which were equally clasped and knuckle-whitened at the dour turn their conversation took. "Did… Did my mother make the same choice?"
"Ah, wait, I didn't mean to-"
"It's okay," Ruby said as a hand found his. "You're right, this is something I haven't thought of, to be honest. I guess… I guess I still have this romanticized ideal about what being a Huntress would be like, I never took the time to consider the toll it'd have on those around me."
" . . . I'm just scared. For both of us."
"Yeah… I am too," Ruby admitted, the two entering a long silence for several minutes before she spoke up again. "Hey Arthur?"
"Yeah?"
"After I graduate Beacon, let's get married."
"Whoa! Death flag!"
"YANG?!" Ruby squawked as she looked over her shoulder.
"Oh, uh… shit, you weren't supposed to hear that," the blond said bashfully from the other side of the bus stop the two lovebirds had been sitting in.
"Yang, how long've you been following us?!" Ruby squeaked, red as her hood.
"Since your little fu-"
"-boyfriend, broke that guy's collarbone," Blake interjected before her partner could say something lewd. And inappropriate.
Which given the context of things was kind of a given.
"I tried stopping her, I really did," Weiss sighed tiredly.
"Still, that was some pretty heavy stuff you were talking about," Yang hummed. "You wanna talk about it?"
"No," Ruby said plainly. "Arthur, could you turn around for five minutes?"
"Why?"
"Because I need to strangle my big sister and I don't want you seeing my ugly side," Ruby said raising her curled hands menacingly.
"O-Oh, you could never have an 'ugly' side," Arthur stuttered.
"Arthur, you'll thank me for this later."
Grabbing him by the collar and mashing their lips together for several moments, Arthur's eyes shot wide open while Ruby's were closed. The girl molding her body against his, after several moments more she released him, his face the same shade of red hers had been when Yang walked in on their private moment.
"Wow. Talk about 'girl power'," Blake hummed as she waved a hand in front of Arthur's face.
The lights were on, but no-one was home.
"Why you little!" Ruby growled as she dove for Yang's throat, only for Weiss to hold the girl back, if just-barely.
"Well, at least we won't have anything weird-or-unusual happen tomorrow," Jaune hummed as he watched Ruby try to throttle her sister.
"Jauney-boy, I'm gonna tell you this because you respect my opinion so much," Nora hummed patting his shoulder.
"I really don't."
Jaune was smart enough not to say that out loud.
"In all my years, I've come to learn something that holds true for everyone, in every era," Nora continued. "The universe has a sick sense of humor so you shouldn't jinx it."
"I highly doubt we're talking cause-and-effect here."
"Oh, you'd be surprised~" Nora hummed. "You'd beeee surpriiiiised~"
" . . . Well that was fucking ominous," Jack hummed.
*NEW WORLD*
A hadn't completely re-watched RWBY Chibi before writing out this chapter, but the store "Always 17" as shown in RWBY Chibi Episode 21: Cinder Who?, gave me some of the starting idea. I also referenced some fictional clothing stores/products in this chapter as well, alongside some other references.
Hope you tell me what you think, and that you look forward to the two-parter I'd been building up to since Giant-Slayer (Volume 1).
Until next time!