RWBY: Dark/Boots on the Ground

The ship landed in a deserted parking lot. The metal clanked as the vessel settled, then hissed steam as it decompressed. The door opened, and the ramp extended. Jaune stepped out onto the ramp, surveying the location. The sky was coated in a thick layer of grey clouds, making everything dark. If he were not used to this, he would have assumed night was coming. All around him were the tattered remains of buildings, burned and crumbling from the bombings so long ago. Jaune breathed in deeply through his nose. The air was rank and cold. It was pathetic.

He started quickly down the ramp, with Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren following close behind. He kept his blue eyes on his footing, careful not to slip on the ramp, which was collecting moisture from the air and becoming slick. As soon as his boots met the cracked asphalt, he looked back up, and was surprised to see who was standing there.

Weiss Schnee had her arms crossed and her ever-permanent frown plastered on her face. Her cold eyes stared down at him. She was not dressed in her regal costumes or elegant gowns, but instead a tight, bright white military uniform decorated with some medals and ribbons. On her belt was a silver rapier, engraved with luxurious swirled designers. She was admittedly attractive.

Jaune cleared his throat. “I knew you were coming with us, but I figured you’d just be providing us with Dust.”

Weiss scoffed. “Contrary to what your tiny mind might believe, I am not just Dust and dresses.” She placed a hand on her rapier. “I have received combat training. It is a requirement in my family. In fact, this very uniform has been passed down through generations of Schnee women. My mother wore it. My sister wore it. In fact, Winter was wearing this very uniform when I bested her in combat.”

Jaune raised an eyebrow. “Is that supposed to mean something to me?”

Weiss scoffed again. “Winter Schnee died in this uniform, dolt.”

Jaune smirked. “So what do I care about your traditions? Just because your family are warriors doesn’t mean you are. So you killed your warrior sister. Doesn’t mean she was any good, either.”

Weiss’s eyes widened. “For your information, Winter was the finest formal combatant in Lord Ozpin’s service. Considering I am the one who killed her, that means I’m even better.”

Jaune shrugged. “I’ll let you believe what you want to believe.” He eyed her. “Why’d you kill your sister, anyway?”

Weiss turned away, annoyed. “I wanted the company.”

Cinder, Mercury, Roman, and Adam all headed out into the wasteland, packed tightly together. Salem was asleep back at the hideout, and Emerald had made the decision that, from now on, she would have to be the one to primarily look after her. Salem’s mental health had decreased rapidly after Neo’s death, and now she was having trouble speaking at all. Only a few days earlier, she seemed to temporarily forget how to eat.

Adam held a firm grip on his sword, scanning the area. He was looking for any threats such as Grimm or the Reaper, but secretly was paranoid that Blake might step out of the arcing shadows between the buildings.

Cinder led the group, swords at the ready. She was looking primarily for the Reaper, as she feared her the most.

The group was making possibly their most dangerous excursion yet: the CCTS tower. The tower for the Cross Continental Transmit System was one of the few things Lord Ozpin had actually gone back in and reestablished after the bombings, as even he knew the important role it played in communications. As powerful as he is, the Lord still needed it to communicate halfway across the world.

The tower was guarded, but the Resistance had a way past that: a hidden access point outside of the tower. Lord Ozpin monitored all chatter, so their communications would have to be quick and secretive. It was their only and final hope of contacting Hazel and Tyrian.

It was not long before the CCTS tower was in view, Beacon Fortress looming in the background. The group ducked behind the corner of a building as Cinder looked out.

“Guarded same as usual,” she said quietly. “But the access point is good.” She ducked back behind the building and faced her allies. “As soon as we send a message, Lord Ozpin will know where we are. We need to send a message, then get back to the hideout before he even realizes it. He knows we’re in Vale, but not where we’re hiding. We can NOT let him find out.”

Adam scoffed slightly. “Even if you get a message to them, how are they supposed to respond?”

Roman pulled out a Scroll. “This is our only one,” he said. “It is for receiving messages only. If we were to send from here, it could be tracked. But since Tyrian and Hazel are outside of the Kingdoms, they use an outside communication network that can not be easily tracked. Even if Lord Ozpin were to somehow find their Scroll, they’re so far away that they would be gone by the time he could send forces out there. We don’t have that advantage.”

“Because we live practically at the motherf*cker’s doorstep,” Mercury muttered.

“So what’s your plan?” Adam asked.

Cinder glanced back out at the tower, then pulled back. “Normally, Neo would run out there with Roman, who would hack into the access point while she guarded him, and the rest of us would form a perimeter to make sure nothing caught them. But now that Neo’s gone, we’ll either have to forsake Roman’s guard or a member of the perimeter. If one of us take’s Neo’s place as a guard, the perimeter is pulled tighter. If we don’t replace her, Roman is in greater danger. Either way, it’s risky. But that’s where we’re lucky to have you, Adam.” Cinder faced him. “You can either guard Roman or stand in the perimeter. Your choice.”

Adam nodded slowly. “I see. Well, I think I would probably be more useful in the perimeter. But which one of you will guard Roman?”

“I will,” Cinder said. “You and Mercury will be stationed here and at the intersection of the road and the courtyard. Roman and I will go to the access point and tap into it. Once we’re in, we’ll send a quick message to Hazel and Tyrian’s scroll, patch up the point, and make a break for it. As soon as we signal you, you get back here with us.”

Adam nodded. Mercury said nothing, but slowly stood and and tapped Adam’s shoulder. The two got up together and quietly ran to their posts. Cinder observed them as they ran, then closed her eyes and took a deep breath in.

“Ready?” Roman whispered.

“Yes,” Cinder said, slowly breathing out.

“Go!”

Cinder’s eyes flew open and she darted towards the access point, careful to avoid the view of the guards. Roman ran next to her, hunched down and ducking behind her. It was not long before they reached the point. Roman rolled over and stopped right in front of a panel. Cinder skidded to a halt, then whirled around to make sure no one heard. Roman pulled out a screwdriver and quietly removed the panel on the back of the tower base, revealing a mess of multi-colored wires. Then he huffed.

“Crap,” he said. “They rewired some of this. It will take me a little longer to find the ones I need.” He pulled the Scroll out of his pocket and switched to a program he ad written. The screen was emblazoned with a picture of a red queen chess piece. Roman set the Scroll down and reached into the panel, working quickly.

Cinder scanned all around, and listened closely for either a signal from Mercury or Adam or the sound of approaching footsteps, She gripped her swords tightly, ready to strike down anyone who crossed into her vision.

Roman grunted. “Geez…” he muttered angrily. “Just when you think you…” He grunted again, then sighed and looked up at Cinder. “Hey, can you give me a real quick hand?”

Cinder glanced at him briefly, with a questioning and concerned look.

“It’s just for a few seconds,” Roman whispered.

Cinder sighed and turned around, kneeling down to Roman’s level. “What?”

Roman gestured towards the Scroll. “Could you hand me that? I need to hold both of these wires. Just put it in my hand, inside the point.”

Cinder grabbed the Scroll quickly and reached into the panel with it. She felt around until she felt Roman’s hand, gripping a wire with two of his fingers extended in his best reach. She placed the Scroll in his fingers, and he quickly whirled it around and connected it to a wire.

“Great. Now can you grab that red wire closest to you and pull on it gently?” Roman said.

Cinder wordlessly did as she was told, tugging in short, soft pulls on the wire.

“Perfect,” Roman whispered. “I’m going to hand the Scroll back to you now.”

Cinder reached back into the panel and felt around again until she felt the scroll in between Roman’s fingers. She gripped it and pulled it out, placing it in her pocket.

Roman pushed on the wires he was holding slightly, then pulled his hands out of the panel. He then grabbed the plate and began screwing it back in. Cinder watched him.

As Roman screwed in the last screw, Cinder felt a rush of cool air. A shadow branched over them, but it was not the sun going behind a cloud. The source of the shadow was closer.

Cinder and Roman looked at each other for about a second, then looked towards the source. Though silhouetted, the figure before them still could be made out a short and wearing a shockingly bright pink costume.

“Oh, Ren-Senpai!” the figure suddenly screeched in a high-pitched voice, “I found someone!”

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