Remnant's Mightiest Heroes!
Chapter 5: S.H.I.E.L.D Bootcamp
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"Now, for the moment you've all been waiting for!" Port announced over the broadcasting system. "The one-on-one finals!"
The already screaming crowd increased the volume at those words. On the screens, the camera pans down the line of fighters on stage. Yang Xiao Long among them, smirking confidentially. At the end of the line is Pyrrha, who looked troubled.
As Oobleck explained the rules, Ruby leaned from her seat to look at Jaune. Fortunately, the crowd had toned down for her to get her message across.
"Jaune?"
"Yeah?"
"Is Pyrrha alright?"
"Huh?" It took him a few seconds to register the question. "What do you mean if she is alright?"
"Because she doesn't look alright," Ruby pointed out. "She looks like you at the beginning of last semester."
"The difference is that you were being picked on," Blake bluntly stated. "Pyrrha could handle it with no problem. But...it must be something else. Whatever it is, it will be a problem if she fights in her match."
"Not our Pyrrha!" Nora chimed in, suddenly appearing in front of them. "Don't stop believing in her! She'll pull through! You'll see!"
"But when?" Scarlet David, a member of Team SSSN, asked. "Snapping out of a funk is one thing, but when they do is another."
"Right, Neptune?" Sage Ayana asked in a not-so-subtle tone of voice at his blue-haired teammate.
"Guys, for the millionth time, I'm sorry!" Neptune Vasillias threw his hands up. "It's just that me and water-"
"We get it, Neptune," Blake said in a flat tone.
"I'll talk to Pyrrha later," Jaune said. "For now, I think the first match is about to be decided."
"Yang Xiao Long and Mercury Black!"
"Break a leg, sis!" Ruby cheered, cupping her hands to make sure her sister can hear her.
"Would all other combatants please leave the stage!"
Everybody on the stage complied, leaving the stage for Yang and Mercury. Yang began walking towards Mercury as the floor around them opened. A rig of spotlight rose up and automatically fixed their lights upon them. "You better not go easy on me," Yang smirked at her opponent, who gave her a haughty laugh.
Both brawlers face the crowd one last time. Then they slowly advanced on each other, raising their arms defensively as the final countdown for their fight commenced.
"Three! Two! One! Begin!"
Before one of them could throw the first punch, something happened. A purple portal opened itself in between them, making them take a step back in surprise. The crowd suddenly became quiet at this unexpected development.
"This wouldn't happen to be one of Atlas' advances in technology?" Blake asked the Schnee Heiress.
"I'm pretty sure they haven't developed it yet," Weiss mirrored her confusion.
"Guys?" Ruby said slowly. "What is going-"
She couldn't finish her question as something emerged from the portal. It is a purple humanoid, but it looked more machine than man. It's glowing green lenses glared ahead as it marched forward with a rifle. If Ruby wasn't feeling so much dread, she would've been fangirling over this. As it moved forward, more robots emerged from the line, walking in a perfect line and synchronization. As soon as two columns of robots stand parallel, each row faced one of the combatants and aimed their weapons at them. None of them made a move.
While this was going on, more portals have opened up around the stadium. Like on the stage, more robots emerged from the portals and aimed their weapons at them. Some of them had green energy spears or swords. If things weren't silent before, it has become so much that you can hear a needle drop.
"Uh...Ahem," Dr. Oobleck spoke on the intercom, a note of wariness in his voice. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we might have an unscheduled demonstration. Remain calm in an orderly fashion, please. Would General Ironwood please come up and tell us-"
He was cut off as the intercom went dead. Then light shone down from the sky and through the top of the arena. The light took the form of a man with a height similar to the robots. He wore a green tunic with purple armor plates. His face is blue with white eyes glaring at them. Jaune felt himself shrink from his gaze. He had a gut feeling that the man is looking at him and his friends.
"Is he...human?" Blake asked.
"I don't know," Ren said. "But I feel like he's looking at us..."
"Greetings Remnant," The man spoke, everybody flinched at his tone. "I am Kang, the Conqueror."
Everybody tensed as he raised a hand.
"...And I have come to your planet to deliver a message."
When he brought it down, all hell broke loose as the robots opened fired on them.
"NO!" Ruby shouted, bolting upright and raising an arm to block the strike. After a few heavy breaths, her mind registered that it was just a dream. Correction- a nightmare. A memory flickered in her mind. She is in one of the sleeping quarters of the S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier. One she shared with the rest of team RWBY. From the sound of movement, her uproar had awoken her teammates.
"Ruby?" Yang peered down from the top bunk of her bed. Her sister had a look of concern. "Are you alright?"
"Just a nightmare," Ruby said. She could hear Blake and Weiss sitting up.
"What's going on?" Blake asked as she turned on the lamp.
"Ruby had another nightmare," Yang told her.
"Again?" Weiss scowled, but Ruby knew that she didn't hold it against her. They all had nightmares after they arrived on Earth. "We need to see a therapist. I don't know if I can handle the stress. Ruby, is it Kang again?"
"Yeah," Ruby shuddered, hugging her shoulders. "He killed everybody on earth as well. All to get to us. He told me that he will not stop until he finds us and…"
She couldn't finish.
"It's alright, Ruby," Yang jumped down from her bed, shaking the room a little bit. She reached out and grasped the silver-eyed girls' shoulder with her prosthetic hand. After they accepted Fury's offer to train them, they got her a prosthetic hand. At her request, they painted it yellow. "Nobody is going to die. We're going to get that guy and take back our planet, I promise. We all promise."
Ruby smiled at her sister's comforting words. Yang smiled back.
"Besides, we've got Earth's mightiest heroes to fight alongside us. I bet Kang is going to regret messing with us he sees them."
"Yeah," Ruby smiled at the thought of them charging into battle with the Avengers. They had fought Kang before, and they won. If they can do it, that meant that team RWBY and JNPR can do it as well. Not to mention Earth culture. The thought reminded her that today is going to be the start of S.H.I.E.L.D training.
"What time does boot camp begin?"
"At 9:00," Weiss replied a little too snippy. "So, unless we want to repeat the first day of Beacon, I suggest we go back to sleep."
"Relax Weiss," Yang teased, looking at the alarm clock assigned to them. It showed 6:09. "We've got plenty of time. After a few minutes of rest, we'll go down to the mess hall and—"
"Um, Yang?" All eyes turned to the cat faunus. Something in her voice made them worried. Blake's eyes are wide and staring at the clock. "I think you knocked over the clock…"
Yang turned to the clock, now noticing that the colon is in the wrong place. With a sinking feeling, the blonde reached for the clock and turned it over.
9:06
"OH MY GOSH! IT'S HAPPENED AGAIN!"
Pyrrha grunted as she fell to the ground. Standing over her is Captain America in his full attire. His trusted shield is held at his side. He knelt and held out a hand.
"You did great Miss Nikos," The Captain said. "I can certainly see why they call you the Invincible Girl."
"And I can see why they call you the Star-Spangled Man with a plan," Pyrrha replied, smiling, taking the captain's offer of helping her up. The rest of her team are getting up as well. "You are a living legend."
"Compliments are much appreciated," Captain Rogers smiled, then he leaned in to whisper into her ear. "Though Iron Man might give you a run for your money with your title."
"That's our Pyrrha!" Nora suddenly appeared at her side, clapping a hand on her shoulder. "Out of all of us, she's the best!"
"As I can see," The Captain said. "That's it for this exercise. Put back the weapons you've borrowed and head to your next instructor. I got a feeling you'll like this one."
At that moment, the doors to the training arena opened. Team RWBY walked in, drenched with sweat. Weiss looked worse for wear than any of them. Behind them, stood Nick Fury.
"I hope next time you'll think to manage your sleep schedule," He chastised. Then he turned to the captain. "You all finished up here?"
"Yes," Captain America nodded and turned to team JNPR. "Remember, every battle you learn from is a win. Improve upon what you are weak in and you'll have a better chance in a fight."
"Will do Cap," Jaune saluted, as did the rest of team JNPR. The Captain shook his head in amusement and gestured them to Fury. As they filed out after the director of S.H.I.E.L.D, Pyrrha whispered to team RWBY.
"Good luck."
All eyes of RWBY followed after Pyrrha as she and her team followed Fury, the door closing behind them. They'd thought they never hear those words from her. The idea of losing seemed absurd, ludicrous even. But they remembered that this is Captain America. He had faced many threats that threatened his planet, and an alien student isn't one of them.
"Pyrrha still has a lot to improve," Captain America explained as he made his way over. He raised an eyebrow at their exhausted states. "What happened this morning?"
"We lost track of time," Weiss explained in a panting voice. "Nobody told me that the punishment was running laps around the top of the Helicarrier. I don't think that I'm cut out for this physical labor."
"Obviously," Blake snorted. Weiss shot her a death glare while Yang and Ruby chortled.
"We'll be sure to work on that," Captain America said. "Being physically fit is an important part of combat. But take some rest. We'll start as soon as you're ready."
"Thank you," Weiss said in relief as she sat down. "Fury is stricter than… my sister! He wouldn't even let us eat breakfast."
"In my experience, they do this to test your mettle," The Captain reached behind him and took out some energy bars. He passed one to each of them. "Take one. It's not much, but it will do until you get a proper meal at lunch. An army marches on its stomach."
They eagerly took the bars and began wolfing them down.
"So, Cap," Ruby asked after several moments of rest. "What are we doing here today?"
"We're here to evaluate your combat ability," He replied. They looked at him with a look of question. "Don't get me wrong. I'm sure you are good combatants in your own right. But from your interviews, you've fought Grimm and common thugs. Not foes like Kang, Red Skull, M.O.D.O.K, and the rest we've fought. They won't think twice about ending or exploiting you."
Team RWBY nodded in determination. If the fact that they lost their planet to a time-traveling conqueror didn't motivate them and is now hunting them, this did. Earth was no different than Remnant, it also has its share of people who seek to harm. Supervillains like the people who would dissect them without a moment's notice if the Avengers haven't shown up. They didn't want to feel helpless again. Not now, not ever.
"OK," Ruby nodded in understanding. Munching down the last of her bar, she leaped to her feet. "Quick question. Do you have any weapons?"
"Of course," He gestured to the nearby weapons rack that had been set up. Immediately, team RWBY walked over to pick out their weapons. "Take time to pick one. I recommend picking one most suited to your combat style."
"What if we want to go barehanded?" Yang asked. "For now, I mean."
"Then by all means."
"I wish I still had my baby," Ruby bemoaned, tears spilling from her eyes in mourning of the loss of her weapon. She had selected a scythe. Reading a plaque, it was created from the prosthetic limb of an 'Eric Williams'.
"Relax Ruby," Weiss said. To replace Myrtenaster, she opted to go with a rapier. Elegant in design, but deadly none the less. "We'll probably get to make new ones later on. Am I correct, Captain Rogers?"
"You'll have to take that up with Tony," He replied as Blake selected a Kusarigama. "I would rather let him tell you the news. Now, if you will all make your way here…"
They followed him towards the center of the arena. The captain stood on one side while all four members of team RWBY took the other. Then to their surprise, he took his shield off his arm and placed it on the ground. Straightening, he smiled and beckoned with his finger.
"Alright, come at me!"
Team RWBY looked at each other then back at the captain. He wondered what was wrong, then he remembered. Unlike the Remnatians, he didn't have an aura. Without his shield, they're afraid they would end up causing serious injury if something went wrong.
"If you're worried about hurting me don't," Captain America assured them. "This isn't the first time I've done this."
"But you don't have an aura," Ruby insisted. "What if we accidentally hurt you seriously. Or accidentally kill you—"
"No offense Captain Rogers," Weiss cut in. "But are you sure we couldn't train with some robots or something?"
"I know what I am doing," The captain assured them. "If you won't take my word for it, let see if my actions can convince you."
They were still hesitant. The captain sighed as this wasn't going to get them anywhere. Time to go for the gusto.
"How about this? First one, any of you, who takes me out gets to keep the shield," Captain America said, gesturing to the star-spangled shield. This earned an excited gasp from Ruby. "Provided that you don't throw it out the window. Last time somebody did that, we had a diplomatic relations nightmare."
"REALLY!" Ruby squealed, stars in her eyes. Then it vanished when she realized what she is saying. "Wait! What? Why would you give away your shield? It's been your companion ever since World War ii! How could you give it away so easily?"
"Yeah," Blake raised a hand. Her eyebrows are narrowed. She had a feeling about why he is doing this. "Why is that?"
"Think about it," The Captain explained. "You can easily take the shield to integrate it with your weapons when you rebuild them. I'm sure that the vibranium and adamantium properties will help you on the road. Am I right?"
Yang was too slow to disguise the look of eagerness at the thought. It quickly evaporated the moment she saw the look her sister was giving her. The hooded girl was glaring at her.
"How you take me down is up to you. Just as long as you landed a blow on—"
He didn't get to finish as Ruby suddenly charged at him with a burst of rose petals. The captain looked surprised at the interruption but smiled. According to her interview, she admitted to a particular liking of weapons that she encounters. He figured that the offer of his shield will be enough to entice the silver-eyed huntress-in-training.
There is no way I'm not letting anyone else have his shield! Ruby though as she, brought her scythe for a sideways slash, being careful to use only the blunt end of the blade. Despite her speed, the captain evaded the blow with ease. After several moments of ducking and weaving, she made her first mistake when she brought it for a downward slash. The captain stepped back and placed both hands on the head of the weapon. Combining his strength with the momentum, he drove the blade into the metal floor. Ruby tried to get it out, but the blade stuck. Her eyes narrowed in frustration as she pulled, only looking up to see the approaching captain. Forgetting about the scythe for a moment, she threw some punches into his abdomen. They did nothing against him, rather than feel small pillows being thrown. Captain America then thrust his palm into her, sending her flying into a wall. As she fell to the ground groaning, the captain turned to the scythe and grabbed the shaft. With a grunt, he pried it from the floor and carefully placed it on the floor. He turned to see the flabbergasted looks of her team.
"Alright," Captain America rolled his shoulders. "Who's next?"
Yang grinned eagerly and charged at him with a war cry. Behind her, Blake and Weiss joined the fray. Yang engaged the captain with a barrage of punches, which the captain parried or blocked. He returned her punches with a straight to her face. This knocked her off balance, staggering her. He took the opportunity to throw an uppercut, briefly sending her into the air. She landed on the floor with a thud.
It was a fight similar to that of a boxing match.
Then, two blurs sped towards him. Black and white. Blake and Weiss. Weiss skated on a series of glyphs while Blake with her cat-like agility. They figured they can't beat him in a one on one fight, they thought that two should do the job. So, they decided to go with Checkmate. It's a team attack based on their chess color scheme. Together, they would overwhelm and outmaneuver the opponent simultaneously.
Or so they thought.
The Captain stepped to the side, just in time to avoid a slash from Blake and a thrust from Weiss. He attempted a right hook at the faunus, but he only hit a shadow clone. Just as he had predicted, as the hook was a feint. Blake had unknowingly pushed herself onto one of Weiss's glyphs. She slipped and Weiss collided into her. She didn't have time to make a clone as she and Weiss slid all the way to crash into the wall.
The Captain dusted off his hands. Thanks to their aura, he didn't have to worry about holding back. Though if he didn't wear gloves, he could've seen the knuckles reddening from when his fist met with Yangs. It truly is like a forcefield, but it wears down from enough punishment. Though it also leaves a problem for them.
"Your aura is indeed remarkable," The Captain commented as team RWBY got up from the floor. "But it would appear that your case is the same as team JNPR's."
"What do you mean?" Weiss asked, straightening herself.
"The problem you all have is that you think your weapons and semblances are your only assets," Captain Rogers replied as he dodged a punch from Yang. He kept dodging while continuing his assessment. "By relying on your one power or weapon, you become predictable to any wiser opponent."
Yang roared and threw another punch. This time, the captain threw her grabbed her arm and threw her over his shoulder. Weiss and Ruby rushed at him with their weapons raised. Again, Captain America grabbed her arm and swung her into an incoming Ruby. Once again, they flew across the room before tumbling in a heap near Blake. Her amber eyes were wide as she gazes at her team.
Now she understood why Pyrrha said good luck.
"By using all your skills and being unpredictable," The captain continued. "You're more likely to stand a fighting chance."
"I can see why," Blake nodded as she threw the scythe end of the kusarigama at him. The captain dodged it as it quickly returned to her so she could spin to gain more momentum. When she got enough, she sent it after him again. She was trying to avoid losing her weapon or letting him use it against her. If she can pick him off at a distance, she can beat him.
Then, the chain caught on something and the kusarigama is yanked out of her hands.
"What?" Blake exclaimed. How did he—?
Then she noticed that the captain is holding the scythe Ruby borrowed from the weapon racks. The chain is wrapped around the shaft of it. The faunus looked back at Ruby as she was staring at him with the same question. When did he get a hold of it?
"Little trick I picked up back in Brooklyn," He explained with a smile as he unraveled the chain and dropping the scythe. "You have to think of your semblance and weapons for what they are. Two tools in your toolbox."
Then, the captain threw the Kusarigama at her. She didn't have time to react as the chain wrapped tight around her, preventing her from using her semblance. He swung the chain, dragging her with it. Yang was just getting ready to charge at him again before Blake slammed into her. The impact had shattered her aura and Yang's, taking them out of the fight.
Just as he let go of the chain scythe, Weiss formed a series of glyphs that encircled Captain America. Then, she became a human pinball, bouncing off them whilst attempting to strike him with the hilt of the rapier. Frustratingly, he kept ducking and weaving from her attempts. Then, the captain sidestepped and grabbed her sword arm, stopping her from reaching another glyph. Increasing the pressure, he forced her to let go of the rapier. Letting go of the heiress, he snatched it before it could reach the ground. He slammed the pommel of the rapier into her back, shattering her aura.
While he was dealing with Weiss, the leader of team RWBY used it as a diversion to get her scythe. With a burst of rose petals, she rushed at the captain. Taking up a fencing stance, he thrust in a direction where he thought she would show. Sure enough, the tip found her shoulder. Her aura protected her as he gave another thrust, putting her on the defensive. Every stab chipped away at her aura, eventually, she could barely use her semblance.
"Hey! Quick question," Ruby struggled as she blocked more thrusts. "How many weapons can you use?"
"Pretty much all of them," He replied as he gave one final thrust, shattering her aura. She fell to the ground on her bottom.
"I think that about finishes it," Captain America said as he dropped the rapier. The others are groaning as they got up. "Good job everyone."
"You know, I could've beaten you if I had activated my semblance," Yang stated.
"I don't think that would've made a difference, Yang," Blake shook her head. "Even if you used it, we would still have our butts handed to us."
"That's an understatement," Weiss muttered. "We got, for the lack of a better word, spanked."
"Don't be so hard on yourselves," The Captain said. "Every defeat can be a victory if you've learned something. You guys lasted a bit longer than JNPR."
"Really?" Ruby asked as she and her team lined up in front of the living legend. "So, how did we do?"
"You guys are great fighters, but it's obvious that you rely on your weapons a little too much," Steve evaluated. "Besides Yang, Ren, and Pyrrha, everyone as little to no experience in hand-to-hand combat. We'll need to get that fixed every time you come here. There are some Avengers who can help you."
Ruby shrank in on herself. She knew that she was the worst, even if she were put on the spot. She wasn't alone though.
"The same however can be said of your aura and semblance's," The Captain continued, staring at Weiss and Blake. "From what I understand, your aura fuels your powers. It acts as both an offense and a defense mechanism. But by pouring too much aura into your semblances, you leave yourselves vulnerable to being shattered. Not to mention that there are some weaknesses that you aren't aware of. That's why we need to explore other methods that don't use up your aura."
Weiss and Blake nodded.
"And Yang," The captain turned to Yang. She looked surprised that she was getting a lecture on the spot. "You have to know that your fists aren't your only weapon. Your entire body can become your weapon if you choose. And From your teammate's testimonies, you have little control over your anger. In battle, it's important to keep a clear mind. An enemy can easily take advantage of an emotional state of mind."
"Come on," Yang spread her arms wide. "I don't lose my anger that easily!"
The rest of her teammates deadpanned at her. The Captain took something out of his pocket and showed it to her.
It looked to be a strand of yellow—
"Is that my hair?!" Yang shouted in shock. Then her eyes turned red as her hair burst into flames. "YOU JERK!"
She lunged at him with a fist raised. Dropping the hair strand, the Captain grabbed her incoming fist and placed it into an arm lock. Using all his weight, he brought her down on her back. He kept it up until eventually the glow in her hair died.
"Yang, this wasn't your hair," Blake held the strand of her hair in front of her red eyes. "It's his. Look!"
Upon closer inspection, it was indeed not her hair. It didn't even reach the shade of yellow as hers. Yang's eyes became lilac as they dawned with regret. The Captain released her and stood back up.
"I'm so sorry!" She quickly apologized as she accepted his offer of helping her up. "I didn't realize—"
"That's okay Yang," Steve held up a hand. "If anything, you proved my point. If I were an enemy, you would've been dead right about now. You'll need to work on getting a hold of your anger so that it doesn't happen."
Yang nodded in embarrassment.
"Think about what I said as you head to your next session. Before you do, care to help pick up the place?"
Technology
"The internet is a global computer network providing a variety of information facilities."
RWBY and JNPR are in a room with Tony Stark, who introduced himself as Iron Man. Ruby immediately pestered him about the weapon systems it has. He stood well dressed in a black t-shirt and pants. On his chest is a glowing circle. They were told that it was the arc reactor core, the only thing keeping him alive to this day. Tony elaborated that it provides a clean and self-sustaining energy source that powered most of his technology. They can already imagine what Atlas would've given to have access to that.
Tony Stark stood before a holographic display board, giving them a display of how their network worked. It was like the CCT system back on Remnant, except instead of towers, the people here use something called 'Satellites'. According to Stark, they are objects that orbit the earth and collect and transmit data.
When Weiss learned of that, she tuned everything out and focused. Atlas couldn't launch satellites into orbit due to the dust going inert outside their atmosphere. Here on earth though, they didn't have that problem. Thanks to that, they didn't have any fear of any CCT tower getting shutdown.
"However, where there's internet there are always cyber-attacks," Tony changed the diagram to images of people in front of computers. "Behold, the hacker. A category of humans who have the skills to hack and mess with it. A hacker with the right skill can cause a massive blackout. But it's a useful skill to have."
"Pardon me, Mr. Stark," Weiss raised her hand. "But isn't hacking illegal?"
"In your perspective, yes. Like everything that happens in S.H.I.E.L.D, Snow White," He nonchalantly replied. Weiss looked flustered while the others chuckled to themselves. "Rule number one about spycraft kids: it can't be covert if it's legal. Hacking can be a useful skillset in the right hands. Like taking important data from an enemy that can save lives. Or help expose vulnerabilities in your network that you can fix. Most hackers are hired to do so by companies who think they're insecure. Does Remnant have any hackers, Ms. Schnee?"
"Well… we didn't exactly have any," Weiss explained, standing up. "We do have security detail guarding the CCT towers to prevent it from being used maliciously."
"Follow-up question. How would you prevent a virus from entering the CCT?"
"A…a what?"
"A Virus," Tony clarified, pulling up a diagram. "Or a computer virus in this case. It's generally defined as a piece of code capable of copying itself with a detrimental effect. That means it's capable of corrupting the system or destroying the data. Say that I am a hacker and I plan to install a virus into the CCT. This virus can take it down without any physical damage and no one would realize it. How do you prevent it?"
"Well…" Weiss struggled to come up with an answer. "I suppose that we can check to see if they have a virus on them…"
"But how would you know that they have a virus? What if they decided to upload it remotely?" Stark asked. Weiss scrunched up her face then sighed. As much as she didn't want to admit, Atlas didn't account for that when they built the CCT. They must have been lax that they didn't think that a cyber-attack could happen.
"Relax Snow White, there are other ways to prevent it from happening. If you'll turn to your scrolls and open Hacker 101 to this page…"
At the beginning of their session, Tony presented them with their newly upgraded scrolls. Tony had modified them to function without dust batteries, now with lithium-ion ones. They found that he had installed additional apps. He even added a security AI named S.I.M.B.A.D. It an acronym for 'Security Is Much Better and Deadly'. They wondered if Tony created it just to mock Atlas.
They found the eBook and turned to the chapter labeled Antivirus.
"While we are here, we will also be doing mock hacking," Tony said as they read. "Half of you will build a cyber defense and some of you will be on the cyber offense. The cyber defense will create a security network to prevent or mitigate a cyber-attack. The cyber offense team will attempt to hack into the C. D's network."
"Excuse me, Mr. Stark?" Tony turned to Ruby.
"Yes, red riding hood?"
"It's not related to the subject but…" Ruby trailed off, twiddling with her fingers. "I wanted to know when we can rebuild our new weapons. I asked Mr. Rogers, and he directed me to you. I don't know if—"
She was interrupted by laughter from Stark. He was clutching his stomach and supporting himself with one arm on a table.
"Okay, I'm going to hold on to that one," He chuckled. "But to answer your question, presents don't come until Christmas, kid."
"Uh, what?" Ruby looked confused.
"I mean that you're going to have to wait until boot camp," Tony simply said. Ruby felt herself deflating. "Otherwise I wouldn't be able to finish them."
"Wait, YOU'RE designing our weapons?" Jaune asked. During their stay in the infirmary, they watched news reports of the genius billionaire playboy philanthropist. Back when he was in the weapons business, the weapons he designed are legendary, including the Iron Man armor. It was no wonder that he was called the technological titan, he'd give Atlas a run for their money.
But he understood why he wanted to get out of the business and focus on humanitarian efforts.
"Yep," Tony nodded with a grin. "I got the schematics of your weapons from your scrolls when I was upgrading them. I can promise that they will be better than you ever wielded them."
"But…" Ruby still looked depressed, which confused Tony.
"She was hoping that she'd get to make it," Yang explained to him. "She treats every weapon like a living person. To her, making a weapon is what makes it yours.
"I see," Tony nodded in understanding. He turned to Ruby. "You know one of the benefits of S.H.I.E.L.D Bootcamp kid?"
"What?"
"You get to pick up new skills," He replied. "New tech, new strategies, and etcetera. Take your bullets for instance. From what you told us, Dust doesn't work in Earth's atmosphere, correct?"
"Yeah."
"Why not take the opportunity to think of something original? Don't get me wrong kid, but you've got a good brain. I hate to see you waste it on technology for dummies class."
"Am I dummy?"
"Yes. All of you are!" Tony waved his finger at all of them. They were appalled by this. "Let me guess every day, you go through the same class and learn the same thing from the textbook? I'm correct, aren't I? Well, that ends now."
"How so?" Yang asked, still irked by being called a dummy.
"Easy Goldilocks," Tony began. "You used Dust for their elemental effects, and over time you got comfortable with it. But it has made your brains lazy. Super lazy to boot. You didn't think of any alternatives you can add to your ammunition. Like Hawkeyes trick arrows."
"I remember seeing them," Weiss said.
"He has one for the situation. A razor arrow, a net arrow, a capture arrow, etcetera. The point is, fortune favors the prepared. This also applies to my armors. If it weren't for ingenuity, we would be in big trouble right about now. I even built the arc reactor to shut the hippies up."
Everyone laughed at that.
"Back to the topic, specifically your homework," Tony turned to Ruby, who stiffened at the mention of homework. "How would you like to design something similar to Hawkeyes arrows? Like, a trick bullet in your case?
"Really?" Ruby jerked her head to face Stark with a smile. "I haven't thought of that!"
"Well, no time like the present to learn," Stark smiled. "Be sure to ask Hawkeye to lend him one of his arrows. As for the rest of you." He turned to the rest of them. "You cannot ask Ruby for help on your tech."
"What? Why?"
"To expand your brain," He explained. "You can ask anyone else with technical know-how except her. Ruby can't be around you forever. If an enemy were to capture her, who will be on tech duty until you retrieve her? Never put your eggs in one basket kids. In fact, has anyone told you about my first armor?"
All of them nodded. It was a while ago when Stark was testing out a missile system, codenamed Jericho, that he was attacked and taken by terrorists. Shrapnel had entered his heart and the only way to save him was an electromagnetic pacemaker. The terrorists wanted him to build the Jericho missile out of the Stark tech they somehow acquired, in return, they would set him free. Knowing that they won't keep their word, he decides to build something even better...the Iron Man. Out of scrap metal, he forged the first Iron Man armor to escape.
It may have been outdated by the latest advancements in the technology, but it showed the technological prowess of the armored Avenger.
"I couldn't have done that without a friend of mine," Tony continued. A look of sadness briefly passed over his face. "But thanks to our brains, we were able to obtain our freedom. That just goes to show that it is the most valuable tool in your arsenal. Whether it be fighting, building something, or hacking into a computer."
Everyone nodded at that.
"With that aside, let's get you two into teams."
Marksmanship
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Weiss groused in frustration. She is in the firing range, holding a revolver aimed at a target. Or at least what she thought she was aiming because she missed her target two times in a row. She wore protective glasses and headgear to protect her ears.
"Reload and try again," Clint, her instructor for this session, leaned against the wall of the firing range. Weiss growled and nearly slammed the revolver on the table. She had been briefed about gun safety, even if she had an aura, she can't risk shooting her eye out. So, she carefully placed the revolver on the table and walked away from the firing line.
"Giving up?"
Weiss turned to see Clint walking towards her.
"What's the use?" She asked. "Unlike you Mr. Barton, I'm lousy at firearms."
"You think it was easy for me?" He asked. "You should know that I grew in a circus."
"Really?" Weiss asked skeptically. "A master archer like yourself in a circus? I thought you learned from S.H.I.E.L.D?"
"It was my brother who taught me to aim."
"You have a brother?"
"Yep, he taught me to fight and to improve my aim. Later, a guy named Trickshot taught me the rest." His face darkened. "But let's not talk about that. Let's focus on your aim."
"Okay," Weiss nodded. She wanted to relate about how her sister, Winter, had taught her combat and glyphs. But she can sense that things were bad in Clint's family. Just like hers. Out of respect, she decided to let him open up when he wants to. "So, how do we improve my aim?"
"Easy," Clint said as he walked back to the stall. "I know a basic stance for beginners. If you'll follow me back."
He beckoned her back to the firing range. She followed Clint back to the stall. Opening the revolver, inserted another magazine and closed it. He handed it to her.
"Here." He handed it to her, to which she took. "Watch my movements."
Turning around, he spread his legs evenly. "Face your target with your feet shoulder-width apart."
"Alright," She walked forward and mimicked his actions as he said.
"Now bend your knees slightly," Clint carefully said, making she heard. He then positioned her arms so that they are straight. "Extend your gun fully toward the target. Keep your arms straight and locked. Square your shoulders and you get the isosceles stance."
He let go of her arms.
"Now an important factor about aiming isn't just about the trigger. It's also about your breath. You breathe normally when you pick up your gun. Now that it is in your hand, you need to control it when aiming. Exhale and stop breathing until your shots are fired. Also, remember, squeeze not pull."
Weiss complied and breathed in and out, slowly. Then, as instructed, she stopped breathing. She couldn't feel it, but her heart rate slowed. Holding the gun, she felt her thumb press against the side and her grip steady. The last several times she fired; the gun nearly jerked out of her hand. She wore that it would leave callouses.
Her index finger found the trigger.
I can do this.
Then…
BANG!
There was a kickback, but this time she didn't flinch. The gun stayed in her grip. When she found her target, her eyes widened. She didn't even notice the gun being lowered.
She had hit her target. In the center chest no less.
"Thank you, Mr. Barton."
"Good job," Clint congratulated. "Keep that up and you'll be a marksman in no time. Also, please call me Clint or Hawkeye."
Stealth
Blake sprinted through a dark hallway, nearly out of stamina. She didn't have time to count the minutes she was in this place. She leaned against a wall to catch her breath. Her cat ears twitched to pick up any noise. She didn't hear anything, which made her more scared than relieved.
Did I lose him?
Staying still for a moment, she sighed in relief. But it was short-lived because then she heard it again.
The footsteps of her pursuer. Walking at a steady pace.
Pushing off the wall, she continued running down the corridor, taking random twists and turns. Sometimes, she heard her pursuer coming in one direction, making her go the opposite. Then the worst happened: she reached a dead end. Desperately, she searched everywhere for a way out. Behind her, she can hear her pursuer closing in.
Then, she found it. Above her is an open-air duct.
Flexing her wrists, she leaped onto the wall to her right. Using it as a springboard, she jumped to the opposite wall. Finally, she jumped, reaching her hands for the entrance to the duct. She grasped it, and with all her strength she pulled herself up.
After she pulled her feet in, she heard her pursuer. The Footsteps slowed to a walk, then stopped. Blake held her breath for dear life. Eventually, she heard footsteps again, this time they are headed away from her.
Blake slowly crawled on all fours down the air duct. Thanks to her night vision, she can navigate through the darkness. She just had to find the right pathway to the starting line. There she will be safe.
Then karma struck again.
Her cat ears heard the sound of an object being dropped into the vent. Before she could register it. Her eyes widened when she realized what it is and covered her eyes. She heard it go off in a flash of light.
Then something burst into the ventilation and grabbed her by the back of her shirt. Then, she was ripped out into the open. Her aura protected her from the damage, but she still felt the pain. She crashed and slid down a wall. Groaning, her amber eyes found her pursuer just as he grabbed her by the shirt and slammed her against the wall. The arm that held her is metal, with a red star at the shoulder.
The grip was tight but not too tight. Just enough to prevent permanent harm to her throat.
"Bucky…" She breathed, tapping his arm, signaling her surrender.
James Buchanan Barnes, AKA the Winter Soldier, released her. Then he turned his head around.
"Alright Natasha," He called in a gruff voice. "You can turn it off."
The dark hallways vanished, revealing the dull metal of the training arena. Natasha walked into the arena. The whole thing had been a simulation.
"You did good," Bucky said. "But for a cat, you do make a lot of noise when trying to be stealthy."
"I tried my best," Blake replied. "Compared to you, it's no wonder you were called the Winter Soldier."
"I got like this because of HYDRA," He replied. "The Soviet branch to be exact. In the end, the skills I learned still proved to be useful. Even the arm."
Bucky glanced at the metal arm. Blake learned that he had lost it when he fell into the icy river all those years ago. Not to mention the various times he had been used to carry out assassinations against his will.
"I'm sorry if I—"
"No need to be sorry, kid," Bucky looked at her. "What's past is past. All we can do now is move forward and try to make the most of our lives. Like right now. Your faunus traits give you a slight advantage over us humans. But it also comes with some weaknesses. Night vision also comes with vulnerability to bright light from a flashbang. Not to mention high pitched noises for your cat ears."
"Right. You wouldn't happen to have a whistle on you?"
"You'll have to find the answer yourself, Blake."
All eyes turned to Natasha as she walked into the training area. "One good skill to have is the ability to gather and analyze information. You've got good eyes and ears, Blake. All you have to do is use them properly. If you had, you'll have noticed that the grenade was a flashbang."
"I will. Thank you, Agent Romanov."
"Then there is the issue of close combat," Bucky said. "If you want, I can teach you."
"Really?"
"He is one of the finest combat instructors we know," Natasha vouched. "Yang is learning about the applications of her prosthetic arm with him. He taught me back in my days in the Red Room. Before you ask, it was not a pleasant experience I'd like to go into."
"Isn't that back in the… you know…" Blake said, trailing off. She didn't know how to say this without being rude.
"I know, we're older than you think," Bucky chuckled. "By Earth standards. I got dumped into cryostasis every time they don't need me, and Natasha here cannot age despite being born in 1928."
"Watch it," Natasha warned, she even directed that at Blake. Though she felt it was more at Bucky. "Last time someone made that comment, they ended up in the hospital."
"I know, I know," Bucky held his hands up in mock surrender. Blake had a feeling they had some mutual history together, something more than teacher and mentor. She was reminded of him somewhat.
"Something up?" Natasha asked, noticing her forlorn look.
"Nothing..."Blake shook her head. "Just, seeing you two reminds me of someone I once knew...or thought I knew."
"We'll ask when you're ready," Natasha said knowingly. "Anyway, Blake can you send in my next victim after you go out. I believe it's Ren's turn."
"Okay," Blake nodded as she walked to the door.
"Your next class is up on deck," Natasha called out. "Sam is going to teach you a new landing strategy."
Free Time
"Whew. I never thought we would get any rest," Weiss sighed as they reconvened in the mess hall. Except, Ruby, Yang, and Pyrrha are the only ones missing. "If my next class involves any physical labor, I'm going to skip."
"You, skipping a class?" Nora gaped. "It must be a nightmare! Somebody hit me in the head! With pancakes preferably!"
"You realize that it's good for you, right?" Blake asked, reading a book on her Scroll. Her hair is damp from jumping off of the Helicarrier and into the ocean. She clearly hated water. "Out of the rest of us, you're the only one physically out of shape."
"I am not out of shape! I'm just not as muscular or physically strong as the rest of you!"
"You know as they say! No pain, no gain," Nora jerked back to her optimistic self. "If we have to break our legs to do it, then so we shall! Right fearless leader?"
"Hmm," Jaune hummed to something he was listening to through the earphones connected to his Scroll. He tuned them out.
"What's he listening to?" Weiss asked. Ren peeked over his shoulder and read the screen. "Luna Snow again."
"Luna Snow?" Blake asked. Before he could answer, the doors to the mess hall opened to admit Yang and Pyrrha. Yang had a sour look on her face while Pyrrha had a smile.
"Hey, guys!" Nora greeted. "So how did your sparring session go?"
"It was grand," Pyrrha said. Yang just brushed past her and plopped herself on the seat next to Blake. She buried her head in her hands.
"What's eating her?"
"We've had some… interesting opponents," Pyrrha said. Then her eyes found Jaunes scroll. "Luna Snow?
"A Korean pop idol," Ren explained. "K-Pop for short. S.I.M.B.A.D recommended it for him. Ever since he listened to her song I Really Wanna, he's been on a music marathon."
"Wait," Yang had snapped out of her funk to listen to the conversation. She turned to Weiss. "Isn't Schnee German for Snow here on earth?"
"Coincidence," Weiss grumbled. "I prefer the classics, thank you."
"Oh, broaden your horizons ice queen," Yang grinned. "On the other hand, it looks like we've got some competition! Isn't that right Pyrrha?"
"Umm, no…" Pyrrha flushed. She looked at their teasing faces with a blush. A glance of Jaune provided her an escaped. Quickly, she knocked the headphones out of Jaune's ears.
"Oww...Pyrrha what's...?"
"I'm sorry Jaune..." Pyrrha said in a small voice. "..it's just...how're your classes?"
"Huh? Oh yeah..." Jaune pressed the pause button on his playlist. "I learned that my dancing skills can also be useful in fighting."
"Really?" Pyrrha asked in innocent curiosity, glad for the change in subject. "How so?"
"There's this Brazilian martial art called Capoeira," Jaune explained. "It a fighting style that combines the elements of music and dance. It was developed by enslaved Africans in Brazil at the beginning of the 16th century. It is known by quick and complex moves, using mainly power, speed, and leverage for leg sweeps."
"Oh ho! So we're going to have a dancing Vomit boy?" Yang asked, smirking. "What about your swordsmanship?"
"I'm steadily improving," Jaune replied. "Though I'm also training to fight with my shield."
"From Captain America and his mighty shield?" Nora asked. "Do you plan on asking Stark to give yours a vibranium upgrade? Qn indestructible sword and shield that you can throw as well? OH WAIT, EVEN BETTER! An indestructible GRENADE LAUNCHER!"
"She's been asking me if my shield can be thrown," Jaune said. Then his face fell in disappointment. "But I don't think King T'challa is going to be willing to spare some. A shame too."
"I'm sure you'll be fine with what Stark makes you Jaune," Pyrrha assured him as they heard a bang on the doors. They opened to admit Ruby Rose. She had crashed into the steel doors and is rubbing her head. When she saw her friends, her pain is forgotten.
"Hey, guys!" She exclaimed happily. "I did it!"
"Did what?"
"It took me a while, but I managed to reduce the mechanisms inside the arrow Hawkeye gave me. Then after I tested it on a few volunteers—"
"Ruby, just tell us!" Weiss nearly shouted, not wanting her to keep rambling on.
Ruby reached into her pocket and took out a bullet.
"I made a knockout bullet!" Ruby said with glee. "After Scott helped me, I finally made one that provides the same punching power as its arrow counterpart. Now we can shoot people without killing them!"
"A knockout bullet huh?" Yang mused. Then something clicked. "Wait, Scott helped you with this. As in Scott Lang?"
"Uh, yeah," Ruby warily asked, noticing that Yang sounded almost ireful. "Why? What's wrong?"
"I think she's still sore about our match."
A small object jumped from Ruby's shoulder and collided with Yang's head. Somehow, Yang's head rocked back and she fell to the floor. Before the others can act, the object leaped towards Jaune and knocked him off his seat as well.
"Yeesh...they weren't kidding about your aura. It's like trying to hit a steel wall."
"What is going-YEOWCH!" Weiss felt her bum getting zapped by something, causing her to jump out of her seat. Blake tried to locate whatever was attacking them while dodging the object as it leaped towards them by leaving a shadow. Then she felt her head get stung as well. Ren was carefully following the object as it leaped towards him. He thrust a palm towards it, but to his surprise, it slipped through his fingers and ran across the length of his arm. The object isn't an object. It is a small man in a red suit with a silver helmet. As soon as he reached his face, he punched him with the force similar to a bullet.
"Ren!" Nora shouted before she got blasted by a flying object. That object is also a small human except it's female. She wore a similar suit with yellow and black coloring. From her wrists, she began firing yellow energy blasts at Pyrrha. The invincible girl began using her tray as a shield...which ended up crumpled from the force of a human-sized boot. Pyrrha landed on her back with a grunt as the woman used her weight to keep her pinned. She pressed a wrist blaster against her head.
"You're dead..."The woman said as her helmet folded back to reveal her features. Brown hair is tied into a ponytail as she grinned at her. She got up and offered a hand "If I had been an assassin, you would have been."
"Hello, Miss Van Dyne," Pyrrha returned her smile as she accepted the Wasps offer of a lift up. Earlier in their combat class, she and Pyrrha have been paired against them. Thanks to their shrinking technology, they had difficulty fighting against them. It is difficult to hit something that is so small but can hit back with incredible force.
"Hey!" Yang shouted as she bolted upright. Her eyes were red as she glared at the woman. "What's the big idea? We had a break!"
"Exactly," Scott Lang, AKA Antman said as he grew to human scale. He opened his helmet. "You had a break, but that doesn't mean that we can't pull a surprise lesson on you."
"This was to test us?" Blake asked. Her eyes narrowed in on Ruby, who was fidgeting nervously. She was the only one that wasn't attacked. "You were in on this?"
"I had to," Ruby sighed. "I'm sorry...Fury said that it was important."
"Fury is behind this?" Weiss said in shock as the door opened. "How could he do that?"
"Because that is how the world works, Schnee, "Fury said as he walked in. "Any good assailant can attack at any time and anywhere. Just because you can relax doesn't mean you relax your guard. Things such as blasting music in your earbuds will isolate you from the outside world, which can be fatal in the field." he directed that at Jaune, who shuffled his feet at that. "Any slip-up and you would have been dead right about now. I'd figure that you'd learn this during your first time just to prepare you for the next."
"Wait," Weiss said slowly. "So there are going to be more of this...impromptu tests?"
"Yes," He said bluntly. RWBY and JNPR could feel themselves hunch their shoulders.
"This is going to suck..."
Avengers Tower, Several Days later….
"Okay, testing Crocea Mors 2.0. Test number 46," Stark said to the camera in front of a newly built kite shield. It is held by his faithful drone Butterfingers. His brother, Dummy, is holding a flame thrower. "After building the frame with a mixture of steel and titanium. After some inspiration, I have taken the liberty of adding compacted heating ribbons to increase resistance to extreme temperatures. Test against energy weaponry is currently on the next docket. Testing it against a flamethrower."
As he walked away, he glared at Dummy warningly. "Now Dummy, when I give the word, you are to stop firing the flamethrower. Remember what happened with the fire extinguisher? Imagine that."
Dummy dipped its head sadly. Tony threatened to turn it into spare parts to sell.
After Tony got enough distance, he turned back around. Just in case, he donned his armor with a single thought. He had already prepared fire-suppression foam in case things got out of hand.
"Alright, commencing test in three…two…"
"Sir, an incoming call."
J.A.R.V.I.S cut in before Tony could give the word. Sighing at the ruined moment, he turned to the nearest screen.
"Fire away."
The screen flashed to life, and it showed a man with grey streaked hair. He wore a blue and black suit with the number 4 emblazoned proudly. His expression looked solemn. Tony knew who this man is.
"Hello, Reed," Tony greeted. "You were not interrupting a test for a new shield. Also, it's not Caps, otherwise, we'd be in trouble right now."
"It's for Mr. Arc, right?" Mr. Fantastic asked. "I'm glad that we are helping them train. I've also wanted to talk to them, but I've been busy. But you haven't forgotten what happened with Stamford, right?"
"What's past is past," Tony said sternly. "We are not making the same mistake back then, you know that. That's why we are training them. Anyway, you have something or did you call me just to bring up that time again?"
"It about their genetic makeup," Reed said. Tony received a message with an attachment. He opened it, and it contained eight images of teams RWBY and JNPR. Reed had highlighted several things. "Except for Miss Belladonna, they have similarities to humans. The difference between the two is the bio-energy field they call Aura. But upon closer look, I found signs of genetic tampering, about several centuries old by my estimate."
"Genetic tampering?" Tony asked quizzically. "I'm sure our fairy tale friend would've told us about being in a laboratory. Oh wait, that would be A.I.M, except we kicked their asses. So how did that happen?"
"That's got me puzzled as well," Reed admitted. "But I was reading their testimonies when it clicked. According to them, a celestial called 'The God of Darkness' wiped out the first generation of Remnatians when they rebelled against him and his brother."
"Years later, humanity reemerged," Tony finished, seeing where this was going.
"The question is, how?" Reed said. "The God of Darkness said he wiped out every trace of life. So where did the second generation of remnatians come from?"
"Remnatians, huh?" Tony said as he thought it over. "I think if they knew the answer, they would've told us. Regardless, this is worth looking into. Thanks for bringing this up."
"I'll continue looking into this as well," Reed said. Then an alarm sounded behind him. "I got to go. Something must have come up."
"Call us if you need help. Say hi to Sue for me."
"As if," Reed said before ending the call. It was then that Tony noticed the smell of burning. He turned to see Dummy firing a stream of flames at the prototype shield.
"Dammit, Dummy! Stop!"
Dummy stopped firing and lowered the flamethrower. Whatever flames that were not put out, Tony fire his foam at it. It took effect almost immediately, suffocating the flames. Tony gazed at his work carefully. It appeared to be intact. It didn't give off any sign of being burnt by the flamethrower. Overall, it appeared that the ribbons did their job.
"Sign of progress," Tony commented. Then to Dummy. "We need to talk."
Suddenly, Carol barged into the room, her face white with panic.
"Tony, we have a problem."
"What? Besides having a perfectly made shield."
"It's the kids," Carol said. Tony's eyes widened. "Today is the last day of their survival training. Hulk got the coordinates mixed up and sent them into the Savage Land."
"The what?!" Tony exclaimed. "How did that happen?"
"We don't know, but Cap is mobilizing the quinjet. He wants the two of us to be on the scene to provide support until he arrives."
"On it," immediately, he ran out of the laboratory, Carol following him. Together, the two avengers took to the sky with a trail of energy and repulsor streams. "Let's just hope they're doing all right."
"What's the worst that could happen?"
Somewhere, Sometime later….
In a dark place, a deal is being exchanged. Four figures stayed in the shadows while another is seated upon a throne. A lone light shined from above.
"I trust it won't be an issue?" A voice said, reverbing as if speaking off metal.
"It won't, I promise your excellency," A man stepped forward and kneeled on one bent knee. He wore a purple high-tech suit. His head is encased with a matching helmet, exposing only his mustache. Bulbs on his suit glowed an iridescent green. He extended a hand, and lights shone from his palm to form a holographic map of Avengers Tower. "With the distraction, we have in mind, infiltration into Avengers Tower is almost guaranteed. I promise that we will deliver. Though there is the issue of payment."
"It is no issue, Mr. Wittman," The figure leaned forward. He is a clad in a green tunic and cloak over a steel-grey armor. His head is encased in a metal mask, eyes glare out from it. His next words carry a wave of menace. "Retrieve what I ask, and you will be rewarded a king's ransom. You know what will happen if you cross me."
"I-I will not fail you," Wittman stammered. Then he corrected himself. "We will not fail you."
"Good. Remember that I, Victor Von Doom, am a man of my word."
[~][~]
Thank you for reading!
RWBY and JNPR have both learning new things during Bootcamp. Thanks again to trestwho for helping me with this. It looks like Reed had discovered something about RWBY and JNPR nobody was even aware of. Not to mention the villains plotting something to do with Avengers Tower. Guess what guess why.
In the meantime, Q&A:
GXY-2013: Don't worry, I have plans for them. As for CRDL, Kang has to show no mercy to anyone who supports the people he blames for the destruction of the universe. Sooner or later, this will drive them to defeat Kang when they find their fate.
Juxshoa and darkvampirekisses: You'll both see in time.
hirshja: Thank you. I also have plans for the X-Men, just not yet.
jb4280218: OF course she will.
Thanks and thanks again. See you all next time.
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?