As night fell upon Sanus, the patrolling guards of Silkshire scanned the treeline for both Grimm and hostile human forces. Clad in the standard red, white and black of the White Fang militias, the somewhat more elite troopers belonging to the Vale branch also carried more modern assault rifles and proper weaponry, instead of just swords and the odd pistol. One of the leading ones, an elk Faunus with the tail as his animal feature, gazed sheepishly over the treeline on the north of the town. Nobody gave enough of a shit to try and harass them, especially halfway out from Vale, so why they needed guards, even with that other village, was beyond him.
He sighed, leaning his rifle on his shoulder and looking up at the broken moon of Remnant, wondering where the hell he'd gone so wrong with life that he had to join the Fang. Sure, it was a good gig, equality for his people, for his family and all that, but the uniforms were a pain in the ass to put on and even now, during the night, he still sweated like someone who'd been stuck in Vacuo's desert for too long.
He looked over to one of his fellow guards, a girl with actual lizard features in the form of scales across her body, staring out as well. She was cute, he had to admit, but they'd only talked once before. Not too short, not too tall, fit, wide amber eyes and an infectious smile. She had a lot going for her, but only if he could muster up the courage to talk to her. Well, that and if he didn't just get dragged over the wall and knocked out.
Linda watched through her NV scope as Kelly and Fred had climbed up the wall and taken both guards down, non-lethally. Fred's orders, since, to quote him, 'these people haven't shot at them yet'. True to that, they didn't, so non-lethal was still Fred's MO for now. They'd conceived a plan, however, to sneak into the town, knocking out any guard they met, then surrounding and threatening the enemy leader, or at least talk to her to try and pacify the situation between them and the other villages. Plus, they needed passage to Vale.
She met Fred's gaze as the man climbed atop the wall. The Spartan gave the 'rally up' signal and the Sniper slung her weapon on her back. She bounded the distance in ten seconds, climbing the wall in three quick leaps and grabbing onto Fred's extended hand to climb on top, before drawing her sidearm. She looked over her motion tracker once and found a clear path dead ahead.
Fred nodded, drawing his own rifle just in case, with Kelly racking her Shotgun to their right. They climbed down from the wall, into the small town itself, weapons at the ready and keeping eyes on their MTs. They moved through one of the alleyways between the buildings, which were similar in style to the ones in the prior village, with Kelly taking point as the shotgunner. Sure, they still weren't gonna fire unless fired upon, but that was a different matter altogether.
Taking a knee before reaching the main road and town square, the Spartans took in their surroundings. The wide-open square was occupied only by stalls that were closed now, in the middle of the night, and two patrolling Fang troopers, rifles in hand and eyes scanning the area. The massive building in the far back of the city was clearly gonna be the Command Center and probably the leader's mansion.
A few more Guards kept watch from towers around the place and more were positioned on the outer walls. It wouldn't be too long until they noticed their knocked-out comrades had gone missing. Silently, Fred ordered them forward, toward the mansion/command building with one hand motion. The Spartans ran past several alleyways, keeping an eye on motion trackers once more as they moved and another on the guards to their left. The buildings they passed were, as expected, filled with Fang troops, but most were too busy doing whatever else.
This was too easy.
Fred ordered a halt and the team dipped back into cover in an alleyway. He looked around, then said in whisper to the girls "Something feels off."
The two nodded in agreement. This was too easy. Even for a village that never thought itself to be a target, or easy to attack, their extraneous defenses were either out of order or inactive currently, enough so that there were no turrets to spot them entering the place, not enough guards on the walls. Fred sighed, then looked toward the Guards once more with suspicion. He even caught one shooting a glance toward them before turning their head.
With a frown behind his helmet, he spoke, "Flank. Best we can do now is stick to our pre-determined plan... If the Chieftain has something to surprise us with..."
"We shoot our way out," Kelly remarked, getting a nod from both Fred and Linda. They agreed, then, to continue onto their target. After a slow sneak-around the back alleys of the place and by the wall itself, the trio made it to the side of the main building, the town hall, mansion, whatever it was. Fred poked his head up, looking through the window as his Motion Tracker found but a single target moving inside.
He nodded to the team and went to try the window. By some feat of magic or luck, it was open and unlocked. The Chieftain must've either been very comfortable or very smart about whatever her plan was. The three climbed in, Kelly being last as to provide rearguard, before they shut the window behind them. They'd entered, clearly, through the kitchen area. There was no light on, of course.
The target was up on the second floor. They crept forward, through a seemingly-innocent living room and onto the stairwell. The team took down the hallway and to where the motion tracker had found the target and Kelly and Linda chose to remain outside as guards, just in case she called in any backup. Fred stepped inside afterward, opening the door to find the woman sat at a make-up table with a mirror, clad in her nightgown.
She looked over to him and raised a brow, then smirked, "You made it here in record time."
"You knew we were coming," Fred remarked, holstering his rifle despite the present threat. She nodded.
"Was hard not to figure it out," She answered, standing up, "Y'all seemed in a hurry even when we last spoke. Plus, seeing two of my guards vanish off the wall was a hint..." And she then pointed at the section of the wall left empty, a catty grin on her face, "Neatly done, though... Didn't seem to take you long to RKO the poor bastards... I hope they're just knocked out..." She almost warned.
"They are. No more boisterous, belligerent attitude on you, I see..." Fred remarked, crossing his arms to his chest.
"I figure it's better to use words than guns some times... Sure, if you try to leave the village now, every guard in the town's gonna be gunnin' for you for trespassing onto our property and whatnot," She now wore a wider grin, her canines sharpened and elongated, "But I'm a nothing if not civilized. I see you are, too, since you put your gun away before coming in. It's nice to know there's calm humans about."
"I take it this is a bit of 'racial' tension between you and Cole's village?" He asked.
"Eh? No," The woman shook her head, surprised that even got brought up, "Our villages got along fine up until a point of contention between both of us. Hell, he even has Faunus in his militia."
"Oh?"
"Bastard stole a contract from me, though. We may be White Fang, but we're still acting as mercs around the place when we're not running protests against the SDC or burning down their local offices," She remarked, "Quite a well-paying one. So, we've pretty much been bullying them to keep them off the market," She smirked, "You know, drive competition into the ground, that sorta thing."
"... Oh..." Fred paused. That was it!? "And you... Can't reconcile?"
"No. Not openly, anyways, since the White Fang would never allow it... " The woman shrugged, "New leaders are really up their own asses about the whole 'revolution by any means' thing... Can't really blame them, since quite a few humans still view us as expendable or second-rate citizens, but it's bad for business to literally be associated with what's becoming a terrorist organization."
"So, why not leave?" Fred asked, "You could unite with Cole's village, form a proper militia force and drive them off."
"Y'see... I'd love to..." She stated, standing up and approaching Fred. She stared up at the supersoldier, square in the visor and eyes, "But I don't think the local branch manager of the Fang would really let me leave without a fight... We provided most of the White Fang's muscle. We leave, they run out of any sort of replacement reinforcements for their little bases. And Adam Taurus would hate to lose his paramilitary pals. He'd barge in here with his Lieutenants and off would go my head."
"Cole didn't seem to know what he did wrong, nor does he know of your situation, I think," Fred stated, "Did you think of an under-the-table meeting or something?"
"Again... Taurus would find out. He has snitches in the town," the woman replied, "'Till he's gone or the entire Vale branch of the Fang's reduced to a few scattered pockets, we're stuck in a cold war with Cole's little company of mercenaries. Trust me, the guy was a very close friend for me, has been since childhood, but I just..." She thought for a moment on how to best phrase it.
"I understand," Fred cut her off, "Maybe we'll be able to help when we get to Vale proper... Until then, can't you ease the restrictions?"
The woman bit her lower lip, taking a thinking pose, "Y'know... Maybe," She shrugged, "I'll have to do it below-the-table, like you said, but... Maybe I can tell Cole we should be even for now."
"Good... This was way easier than I expected," Fred remarked, dumbfound.
She smirked, "Welcome to Remnant, my friend. The world where, if you can make a deal not to kill each-other while Grimm are around, you strike the iron while it's hot... Anyway, y'all should probably leave. By the way, tell the sniper girl she nearly nicked a bit off the top of my ear. Most Faunus really like their traits, so I'd appreciate an apology, but understand if I wouldn't get one."
"I'll take the calmness of our conversation as a sign of no hard feelings?" Fred raised a brow.
She chuckled, then spoke, "Sure thing, big fella. By the way, pardon my manners, I'm Jeanne Grise, commander of the little 'White Fang', with the necessary air quotes, Mercenary Company of Silkshire. If you ever need help with anything after you deal with the Fang... Just holler for us. What's your name, by the way? I'd like to know my would-have-been 'assassin'."
"Frederick," Fred replied.
"Fred, then," She smirked, "odd name, pal... Really old-school... But good to meet you anyways."
"Likewise, so... We're... Okay?" He raised a brow. She nodded.
"Yeah. All the threats I spewed yesterday? I was being watched and evaluated..." She patted him on the shoulder, "Anyways, you oughta get going, since the proper WF spies should be coming in here soon and I gotta figure out my 'damsel in distress' routine. Be seeing you whenever, Fred."
He nodded, dumbfound, then stepped out as the woman went back to taking off her makeup. Linda stared at him and he could feel her disbelief even though he couldn't see her face. Kelly, on the other hand, was giggling as she holstered her shotgun. The three then stepped out of the mansion through the front door and Fred proceeded to call up Cole on the radio when they went through the gate to Vale. A short conversation had the man rolling on the floor while his allies finished up discussions with the Spartans, giving them thanks for defusing the situation, at least partially.
Fred needed a vacation...
Chief stared out at the vast rolling hills and fields of emerald grass that spread out in the distance. Mountains jutted out in the distance, tall, sharp-peaked and snow-capped natural formations that were covered by layer upon layer of trees. He sat in the middle of this field as the breeze ran through the grass. Above him, clouds hanged in the sky and seemed almost artificial.
Far away from him, in another valley, he could see rising pillars of chrome and glass, hovering quietly over structures of Forerunner design. The rays of the sun beat down through the clouds onto the pillars and the fields. He paused, hearing footsteps behind him. He turned to face who it was and caught sight of her. Clad in her attire from when they'd first met, though lacking that antigravity device, the Forerunner known as the Librarian walked before John.
"You live yet," She stated rather obviously, "A pleasant surprise, I must say."
"Librarian?" Chief raised a brow, looking to the woman as he tried to clear the confusion he felt.
She raised her right hand, her expression impassive, "Forgive the 'invasion of privacy', so to speak, but I sought you out for a reason."
John remained silent, only giving a nod to signify his understanding. The Forerunner woman hummed, then walked to John's side and stared forth at the angular architecture that was the Forerunner towers in the distance. She spoke softly, "I see... You are currently on the world called Remnant. Then the genesong's next process has been unlocked."
"You never really explained what that was," John replied.
The woman gave a half-hearted smile to him, then stated, "It is for you to discover still. I am here to warn you of the impending darkness."
Chief hummed. He disliked bad news as much as the next person, but alas, he figured there had been some reason for him to be sent all the way to a new planet. The Librarian took that as a confirmation for her to continue and so she did, "You must have realized that you have been brought here by another piece of technology belonging to my people. I am afraid you are not the only one who returned here, nor are your allies."
So that confirmed most IFFs were actually UNSC personnel. Good. "You mean our suspicions were right. Those are all confirmed UNSC IFFs."
"Yes. They were brought alongside you, here, for this final battle," she confirmed.
"And what is it exactly? What are we fighting?" John inquired, crossing his arms.
The Librarian, or whatever this copy of her was, sighed deeply, "The one you fight is a scion, a child of the Didact, one willing to carry on the bloody legacy of his supposed Reclamation," And she waved her hand. Holographic screens appeared, showing the sights of the myriad ancient battles fought on Remnant. So many images, so many memories, he couldn't make sense of them alone.
"I think you understand what this means, do you not?" She raised a nonexistent brow at him.
Chief felt his mouth dry up. He nodded as the images of his last battle in his own realm played back in his head, the fight against the Didact and all his powers included. The Librarian offered a curt nod, before stating, "Then so it shall be. The Reclamation has already begun... Be it by your hand or your foe's, it will continue. May you be ready to face it when the time comes and take the Mantle upon yourself and your people... For if you are not, this world and the many beyond it may not survive."
Chief staggered, wanting to ask a question, to get some answers about his stakes in all this, to...
He woke up with a start, gasping for breath. He'd taken off his helmet to actually be able to lay himself down on a pillow of some sort. He rubbed his head, sighing, then picked up his helmet and slid it back onto his head. The HUD powered on, with a few added details, including a direct link to his Scroll via Wi-Fi, and Cortana greeted him, "Morning, Chief. Sleep well?" as he stood to his feet and grabbed the as-of-yet unnamed gift weapon.
"Decently..." He replied, checking his own vitals in the HUD.
"Everything alright, John?" She asked, "You've got a slightly elevated pulse... And if I know how calm you usually are, that's not a good sign."
"Just a dream," Chief replied, "The Librarian came to speak to me..."
"Oh... Uhm... What did she say?" Cortana asked.
John gave her the short rundown of their cryptic discussion. She sighed, vexed.
"Well, that's... Wonderful..." The AI scoffed, then quipped in her standard tone of sass, "Sounds like we got our work cut out for us."
"When don't we?" He asked absentmindedly.
"Pff," She snorted, "Fair enough. C'mon, we're on patrol, right?" before she started flicking through data-files and looking over the sensors provided by her direct link to the CCTS. In the time John had managed to catch some shuteye, she went about linking the Scroll they owned, though with a secure connection, to her systems as well. Secure connection to her meant that nothing could touch or track it, lest they be scrambled, while she could easily track or counteract whoever called and messaged them with spyware, malware or some other stuff.
A message appeared on Chief's HUD, from Ozpin. With a hum, Cortana opened and read it, "Master Chief, If it is no trouble, I would like for you to come visit me in my office. We have some matters to discuss. Ooh, did we do something bad?" She giggled. John hummed and Cortana said "Hey, c'mon, lighten up. I know the whole Librarian thing has you a bit shook right now, but it'll be fine. We made our way out of worse binds, remember?"
"Yeah," He nodded, "Fair point... Let's go see what the Headmaster wants."
"You got it. Until then... I guess I'll just keep sorting the remaining data from the CCT," The AI shrugged to herself, "I'll also be listening in."
"Okay," He replied as he strolled forth and out. In the courtyard, as he moved for the Tower, he found himself being stared at by several students once again. Many had just come back from their long trips to visit family during the mid-year's break, so the dozens of stares were probably normal when there was a guy in several layers of armor walking through the place, weapon on his back.
The Beacon CCTS and clock Tower remained the most imposing building on site, but at least it matched the architecture. The Spartan-and, by extension, his AI companion-passed by a newly-opened facility on their right, very near the second years' dorms. It looked far more modern than most of the stuff built around the tower, but at least it was short and neatly-concealed between the towering dormitory buildings.
Entering the tower, the Spartan took the elevator up as he had done before, finding himself immediately at the top and within Ozpin's office. He saw the man sat there, a hologram immediately vanishing upon his arrival. Ozpin smiled at the man as he approached, then said "Ah, good to see you, Chief Braun. I take it my message found you well?"
"I'd just woken up, sir," John nodded.
"Ah, good, then you're well rested," Ozpin offered a curt node and a smile as he poured himself a cup of whatever that hot brown liquid in it was. John could swear it was either coffee or hot chocolate and he did not know how to tell them apart. He hadn't had either, after all, even in his long career of operating as an active-duty Spartan. Still, the stuff was almost always omnipresent.
Oz offered him a cup out of courtesy, hinting at the other two behind him, but John shook his head and mumbled a thanks. The Spartan then went on to ask, "Is there any particular reason I'm here, sir?"
"Yes," Ozpin nodded, before taking a sip from his cup and setting it aside, "Master Chief, I understand your desire to maintain military professionalism all throughout your job as a soldier, but the sight of a tall, bulky man in a suit of armor like yours unnerves some people once the novelty of it wears off. Some of these people include miss Polendina, your partner. She has submitted a report in regards to the fact that you wear that armor day-in and day-out. She is concerned over your well-being."
"Oh," Both John and Cortana voiced, though the latter with a hint of amusement in her voice compared to his pensive attitude. The stares made sense now.
"Yes, indeed. I would leave you to discuss it with your operations partner, since she brought this to my attention, but I thought I should throw my two cents in and say I concur. I will send you a civilian issue uniform of Beacon's," He offered, then took his cup and took another sip while John processed this. Sure, it was no surprise that people would stare weirdly at the soldier clad in heavy armor.
"Is... That all?" He asked.
Ozpin nodded, smiling, "You have been doing a superb job otherwise, so yes, that is all."
"Ah..." John nodded, humming as Cortana giggled in his ear, "If it's okay with you, sir, I'll take my leave to patrol and... Mull this over."
Ozpin offered the man a nod and dismissed him, to which the Chief walked out, back down and toward the house. He hadn't really registered Penny's presence today, but it was still early in the morning. Perhaps she was with her friends currently, trying to attend classes? He didn't know, but he did know he was still concerned over something. Turning off his external mic again, he asked, "Cortana, any news on the distance of the IFFs?"
"Not..." She giggled, "Not far now... In a day or so, we should prep to leave and acquire them. Enough time for me to set up a cover story for any of the people we may recover..." She read his vitals and saw they were still slightly abnormal, asking, "You still thinking about the whole Librarian debacle?"
"Too little information was given," He admitted, "I don't like going in blind."
"Neither do I, but... We'll probably piece things together as we go along," Cortana shrugged, "Plus... Hey, if she came to speak to you and knows Remnant, means there may be some leftover Forerunner technology to give us a sense of what is going on here, so calm down... I'm sure we'll figure everything out." She said optimistically. It was what they did, after all.
He hummed, nodding as they approached the house, only to see Penny just entering it. She stopped, turned and smiled as she saw the heavily-armored soldier approaching. She soon realized he'd gone to talk to Ozpin and, in fact, she herself was carrying his supposed 'future' uniform. A seemingly student-like one, but with a few differences, including a little Kevlar padding, from what John could see.
... Huh... Odd.