Cross-Split [TC/Worm/RWBY]

[Kerashana]

Heyo people. This has been sitting in my folders for a month or two now, and... I'll be honest, I'm not super happy with it. The Worm bit is meh, though would probably be a great set-up for a Worm fic I don't plan on writing. And the RWBY part is... at best a rough draft. Needs work, partially from someone who knows more about RWBY canon than me.

That said, I really enjoyed writing this and I hope you all find it at least entertaining. The third and final part I had planned is canceled, but it would have come in two parts. Mass Effect, then Mass Effect Andromeda. Sorry about that. So, have fun, feel free to throw out comments and the like, but I'm not really doing any work on this. If someone WANTS to pick it up, more power to them.

Enjoy the Fic!
Cheers!

 

[Kerashana]

I was in a transport helicopter headed in under the radar, headed into the very nation I swore to protect. Typical. More, some cheeky bastard was playing Fortunes Son over the speakers.

"We don't have time to get you trained in the new gear, the only reason it's been released to you is that your one of out best. And we need you on the ground. The edge it will give is essential." My handler droned on, even as I was quickly absorbing the manual for the… Intelligent System Analytic Computer, the ISAC.

It was actually pretty impressive, and I was already digging through the schematics. I could probably… but not right now. Slipping my phone away, I checked over ISAC again before booting it up.

"You're goal, and the reason this couldn't wait a day, let alone a few hours, is to put down a group of Rogue Division Agents. They've taken over the Salem Nuclear Power Station and God only knows what they're planning. Let alone thinking." Of course, it was always the fun missions, right? "Right now they think one of their own is coming to deal with them. Hopefully they won't be expecting a Ghost."

"Intelligent System Analytic Computer is activated. All ISAC systems are functional and online."

"Right, so sweep and clear, easy enough. Anything else I should know?" I asked as I looked over my goodies. Apparently, Division agents got a single device, sometimes two, that they specialized in. I, on the other hand, had been issued them all. I would leave the ones I wouldn't use behind. But even then, the briefing on my equipment always came with schematics to work off of. I was an engineer after all. Probably why they were sending me into this shit show.

Pulse, Seekermines, and a spiffy portable recovery station. Thing used Nano-tech! I mean, it did other things too, like you could load it up with spare ammo, but it was the Nano-Tech that mattered. We didn't even have that yet. Mostly because it was still 'on the drawing board'. Typical.

"No, good luck. And Good Hunting."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Working my way into the power plant was not easy. I was falling back on every trick I knew, with a liberal use of drone recon. Whoever these rogues were, they had some surprisingly well trained Mercs. Last Man Battalion. From the looks of it, there was only about a platoon of them. Thirty odd people. But they augmented that with a wealth of gadgets and to be honest, it was pretty easy to defend the power plant. They were made to be defended after all.

Slipping into the main control room for the power plant, I waited for my chance.

"Kieth. How are things up there? Almost done?" Listening to the radio I forced myself to remain relaxed. Tensing wouldn't help.

The Rogue Division Agent scoffed and replied, "It takes time to shut these things down properly. Just be patient."

"No can do. Some of the men haven't been responding, and no one can find them." Came back the reply and, yeah… just great.

"Shit, I'm working as fast as I can."

"I'm sending up a couple of guys. Just in case."

Frowning at that, I slipping forward until I was right behind the Rogue. "Alright. Now leave me alone."

Slowly standing, I placed a hand over his mouth and slipped my knife into his throat, pulling him down and towards an air duct.

Stashing the body, I made my way to the console and checked everything over before leaving the automated system to handle the reactor.

Pulling my Vector up, I started towards the stairs out of the control boot-

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

I woke with a start, the last thing I remembered was… an explosion. Someone had hit the reactor and caused it to go critical. Far too fast to do anything about. So, how was I still alive?

Looking around, I frowned… why was I in a little girl's bedroom?

Then I noticed my hands. Small, delicate… childish. Ever so slowly, I checked my body over, but I was just confirming what I already knew. Somehow… I was a little girl. Memories that were oddly disconnected, but present and personal, told me I was a five year old… I, a forty year old man, soldier, was now a five year old girl… Yes, this was going to be soo much fun. Please note the venom and sarcasm in those words.

Looking at the clock, I sighed. It was six in the morning… and- "Fuck it. If I'm stuck like this… self regulated bootcamp it is."

I couldn't go for a run. I wouldn't even try till I was eight-ish? Well, older. But I could still start on some simple and light exercises. Plan out what I needed for equipment… did I even need equipment?

Shelving that last idea, I turned my focus instead to figuring out the start of the world… and were I was in it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Over the years I slowly came to grips with my new found femininity. I won't say being a girl was fun, but it wasn't terrible either. More I came to know the world I was on. Earth. Or, more accurately, Earth Bet. I lived in Salem, a metaphorical stones throw away from the Fallen.

America was… well, I had my fingers in everyone's pie. I was a Ghost, so I did what I was trained to do. I reconed the area, took stock of my situation, and after a month of planning set up watches and everything else.

I wouldn't do anything till I was in my mid teens. You just can't do much as a little girl, little boy for that matter either. So, I, Lilith Royal, set about preparing.

While the Government's security was still weak on the computer front, I inserted a small, hidden black ops program. Small budget, and only viewable with direct Presidential Authorization. Making it so you had to know where and how to find it ahead of time was a bit harder, but doable. Thus Ghost Recon was reborn, after a fashion.

I didn't intend to use it if I could help it, but the funding would at least help me start gearing up now. Because… Super Powers. What kind of bullshit world was this?

Heroes and Villains coming out of the woodwork?

I would need gear, I would need… a lot of things. So, I doubled down. I had been smart, I still was, so I tested out of elementary school, then middle school, then high school. Three separate times I had to agree to scans to prove I wasn't a Parahuman. No, I just already knew all of this. Then I got into college and things got more agreeable.

I got my Engineering degree in Electronics Engineering Degree. Then I went for Computing, Biomedical, Mechanical, Biomechanical… the list went on. I was eight when I started, and I just kept going back for more.

When puberty hit… well. It was interesting. Hard to deal with and a bit confusing. I could tell when I started finding men… well boys just as attractive as I had always found women. Something my apparent reincarnation didn't seem to want to change. It was… frustrating in more than a few ways. One of which was the disinterest in most kids my age, but also the fact I couldn't shoot for older because of… social niceties and being under aged.

Now, I've left a few things out. One being my access to the PRT's archives of Tinker tech, and the general Tinker-Share network that the Protectorate had to help it's Tinkers. This helped me a good deal actually. Oh, I couldn't replicate all Tinker-Tech but there where things that were… lets say simple enough that I was actually able to understand the edges of them.

From there it was only a matter of time until I could replicate it. More efficient circuitry, better batteries, sensors, and a few other things. Like power generation. Most of the stuff I could understand came from Hero. Amusing as that was. So, Perpetual Wave Motion Reator? Sure, I could make it, it even worked. But the hows and whys were… well, I had theories, papers I was working on based on the principals.

Right, getting off track. The past thing was… Well, I was on Earth Bet. Yeah, I already said that, but between missions, or in the bits of downtime I had that weren't filled with gear checks of projects, I liked to read. Now, books were good, I read a number of them, still did, but I have to be honest… I had a thing for Fan-Fiction.

Don't look at me like that.

So, even though I never got around to reading the source material, I had a pretty good bit of working knowledge about Earth Bet… or about what was coming. Worm. Feh!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

When 2005 rolled around, I set to a task. This would be an important one, and I was lucky I was fifteen by then. My parents, bless there work obsessed hearts, didn't mind me taking a 'Road Trip' with one of the retired Marines from our neighborhood. A man how had figured out something was off with me years prior and after a bit of cogling had set about helping me get ready for this.

The chance to kill Jack Slash wasn't something he was willing to turn down. What soldier would?

As we rolled into Evansville, Church gruffly asked, "So, let em get this right. The Siberian is a Projection?"

"Yeah." I replied, even as I was in the back of the mobile home checking over my weapons. This would be a hard job, all my equipment had to be left behind because of Shatterbird.

"So we find and kill this William Manton. And that's my job?" I could hear the nervousness in his voice. Very much understandable.

"Yeah, you get one chance, you fail, you probably won't survive." I agreed.

"Right… and meanwhile, you'll be dealing with the rest of the Nine as best you can? How the hell are you going to kill Crawler?"

Cringing, I sighed. "Smash and grab. Jack is the only one besides the Siberian that has to die at any cost."

"And that's because he's some kind of Cape only precog/Master?" He grumbled, "Fucking bullshit. But after you laid that out… well, it makes sense. How else would someone so weak keep monsters like that under his control."

"I know… but it is what it is." I grumbled as I finished with my weapon. The Vector .45 ACP was a reasonable weapon. It fired heavy rounds for a Submachine Gun, and was light enough that it wouldn't hinder me. Sure I could work a rifle, I was more than physically fit for it. But I couldn't move fast enough with one. Hence the Vector. Besides, it had always been my weapon of choice.

Grabbing a flare gun, I sighed. "Right. We have an address for Riley, but I'm counting on you to find Manton as quickly as you can. I'll flare when Jacks dead and you can send off an alert to the PRT."

"Yeah, yeah. I know the plan kid… just don't die. I…" Church sighed as he pulled the mobile home into a parking lot. "White Van. And yes, I have the photo."

Standing, I pulled my bandana up. The skull of a Ghost working as my mask. "Yeah… Good luck, old man."

"It's been a long time since I left that jungle. But you know what they say." He chuckled, moving back as I grabbed my gun and started out the Mobile home. "The jungle never leave you. If I find him, he will die. No Charle gets away."

He wasn't going to hide his identity. He was a Nam-Vet, this kind of thing? People wouldn't ask too many questions. I was a completely different story, for now at least.

"Nomad heading off." I called back as the door closed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

We didn't know if the Nine was even still here. But then, we didn't care. It was an active war zone as far as we were concerned and we treated it as such. Even with that in mind, it was kind of annoying that it took three days before the nine made their move on Riley.

Church had found Manton, and was tailing him. Waiting for the opportune time. Too soon might save Riley and her family, but it would also ruin chances at the real prize.

I watched as Jack Slash stepped out of the house and lit a cigarette. I hadn't actually expected that, but it was convenient. I still waited for a minute. When no one else showed up, and in fact Crawler lumbered off, I gave it another three.

Just as Jack was turning to head back inside, I leveled my Vector and squeezed off a three round burst into his head. Even as he was falling, I unscrewed the silencer and rushed across the street. Vector up and ready for when Shatterbird poked her head out to see what the noise was about. Not all the Nine were here right now, and I had to make use of that.

One hand fired the flare into the sky, even as my other fired my Vector. I missed, but only slightly. Instead of the head, I punched a trio of holes into her chest. FMJ AP rounds did not care about glass.

In response, even as I was tossing aside the flare gun and grabbing the front grip of my gun, the Siberian burst through the wall, charging at me. Another burst was fired, this one pure reflex, but the reflex also came with a roll to the side. Saving me from the siberian… almost.

My left arm was ripped off, and fuck did it hurt. More than I can really express. But I was used to pain. It was an old friend. Besides, as the Siberian scowled at me, then started to take a step in my direction… she popped.

Then another flare rose into the sky. Manton was down. Good.

Letting my gun fall, the sling connecting it to my tactical harness catching it, I did my best to stop the bleeding and work my way inside. And there Riley was, covered in blood, her parents long dead.

Things were getting fuzzy, but I knew what was happening. The cold and fogginess was blood loss. "R-riley… help…"

I came back to myself in a burst of roaring pain as my shoulder was cauterized. My screen more than enough to startle Riley. But it didn't. Her eyes were glassed over and I could tell she was working on automatic. Still, I was alive, I was awake, I could work through everything else.

Right arm snapping out, I grabbed Riley before she could turn away and pulled her against me. "Shh, it's over… I'm… I'm sorry. They're dead, Riley. They're dead."

She struggled for a moment before finally breaking down, crying into me. I was glad she didn't struggle harder, I wouldn't have been able to hold her still.

Looking around, I found Both Jack Slash and Shatterbird were laying against a wall, tudes piling out of them… and into my! Oh… joy.

But I was alive and… yeah. "Riley. Riley…"

"I… I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I just want to be… I need to be… I… I- I- am I a Good Girl?" The wa Riley asked that last part… it was terrifying. Truly terrifying. There was a mania to it.

"Shh, shh, you are a good girl. You helped me after all. Now… we need to leave before the rest of the Nine return. Go pack some clothes. But be quick." It looked like her… trauma was present already, but I knew enough about it to leverage it to help… and hopefully one day, rehabilitate her.

Once she was gone, I did my best to stand, then pulled out the hatchet I had brought just for this reason. The bounty for these two alone would be rather useful.

Removing their heads and getting them bagged took long enough that Riley had come down with a backpack stuffed with clothes. She was also wearing clean clothes, and there was only a little blood still on her.

Tying the head bags to my belt, I held out my hand, after wiping it off, "Ready to go kid?"

"I…" She slowly spoke before looking back at her dead parents, tears returning to her eyes. Also, taking off heads with one arm? Not easy. "Yeah… will… will you be my new Mama?"

I froze at that, her hand in mine, eyes wide. Her mother? I… that… swallowing with my dry throat I managed to asked. "Is… is that what you want?"

It would be insane. Hell, it was. But I had more degrees than most people three times my age. I was legally an adult, something my parents had been proud about allowing! I… technically worked for the government.

The mania was back in her eyes, just a bit, but it was there. "Yes."

Taking a deep breath, I led her out and after glancing around led her away as quickly as I could. Still very much light headed. "Then… yes, I'll… I'll adopt you."

Her had squeezed mine tighter, and I almost sighed when I took in the sight of a PRT cruiser, Officers still alive.

Stopping, I waved at them, then waved them over. Using my one are to pull out a Government ID card. It didn't say what organization I was part of, it was black with my photo and an ID code

Cautiously, the officers rolled up to me and eyed me. My missing arm, the heads, and finally the little girl.

I could feel myself swaying, but I spoke in the clearest voice I could. PRT code was… right. "Legend-Legend, Black-Gate, 9Alpha778"

They froze for a solid second before one of them started fumbling through a booklet while the other hurried out of the car and started helping me into the back seat. "Alexandria-Hero, Goose-5583"

At the challenge, I wheezed out. "Division-Black, Nightfall."

"Shit." The one who challenged me cursed before speaking to his partner. "Don't know how a kid knows that code. But it's legit. I'll start running the ID. Get us to the fucking base."

I didn't really stay conscious for the drive, and Riley didn't let go of me from what I understand. But eventually, I found myself in a lounge area, a doctor fretting over me, several IV drips going. All the while, Riley was muttering and helping the Doctor.

Eventually, I was able to throw off the fuzzies enough to speak. "Medicae. Get some sleep. You look half dead."

Riley's head snapped up to look at me for a moment, mouthing the name before reluctantly nodding and making her way over to a sofa and collapsing into it. She was out like a light.

Looking at my arm, I cringed… this was… probably debilitating. Maybe permanently so. Or, at least until Amy Triggered… if she triggered.

Turning to the Doctor, I asked in a low voice. "How bad is it?"

Then I realized I was naked from the waist up save for the bandages that wrapped around my torso, mostly my left shoulder.

"It's… not good. You'll live, but without Parahuman intervention… you probably will never return to the…" He took on a very sour expression here, "Field."

Maybe… maybe… or maybe I could make something? I had a few ideas at least, but the… painkillers I was on made it all fuzzy. "Right… and the… heads? The Nine?"

I got a nod of acknowledgement from him, "With the death of Jack Slash, the Siberian, and Shatterbird, have splintered. We don't know what will happen, but for now they're laying low."

That was… good? Yeah, good. "When should I expect a Director?"

"I'm led to believe they're shipping you out to New York." Ah, that would… yeah, that made sense.

"My gear?" It wasn't pressing, this had all been throw away stuff. But I did want to know.

"It's being looked after." A different voice told me.

Turning, I found myself looking at Tonk, a Protectorate Tinker. Real name Philip Mathews. Tinker Specialisation was co-dependent systems. Huh. Well, ok. What! Of course I knew everything I could about the Protectorate. Like I said, fingers, pies.

Nodding, I let my head flop back. "Good… good. That Vector turned out to be a rather good gun. Hate to see it mistreated."

"Ballsy of a Non-Parahuman to take on the S9." Tonk offered.

"It had to be done. Jack had a dual secondary power. Thinker/Master. Allowed him to Precog and… persuade Parahumans." I explained in my doped up state. Then I blacked out, ah sweet sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Looking over at Riley, officially known as Medicae, in her lab coat and face mask. I smirked. She was a good girl. Very well mannered. The fact she refused to Join the Wards, and latched onto me whenever they tried to seperate us really annoyed the PRT. But it was fine.

One call and I already had the ball rolling for official adoption. Hells, it would be done before we reached New York. My other call had confirmed that Church was alive, and headed for the NY even now. As for the bounty money, that was sitting in my account and man was I rich.

Already I had someone working to entrench my wealth. Dragon Tech, Google, and a few other small concerns that would bloom in a few years. Man… Dragon Tech… a small concern? That was kind of odd.

When we finally got off the plain, a small private one, it was to find Legend waiting for us, along with a group of PRT officers who quickly moved our minimal luggage.

"I'm not sure how I can thank you, Lilith, for putting an end to Jack Slash. It has been a long time coming." Legend said with a winning smile. "And this must be Medicae? It's good to meet you young lady."

Riley was grinning like a loon, even as I chuffed. "Yes, well. Someone had to do it, and a Parahuman was never going to succeed." Ok, that was a bit of a lie, but… meh.

"So I hear. The Thinkers agree with your assessment too. It's… a sobering thought." Legend agreed with a nod. "So, what will happen to you know? You're cover is obviously blown."

I… well, "Who knows, I might have to settle down for a while. Maybe not. Wouldn't be the first time a Ghost made a big splash."

"A Ghost… huh, I guess. No one I have been able to talk to in the government even knew your organization existed." Ah, and Legend was probing.

"Which means we've been doing our jobs." I countered. "But I would rather not talk about this in the open. So, if we could skip to the tedious debriefings?"

Nodding, I watched as Legend shifted over to business. "As you wish."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Everything eventually leads to Brockton Bay… but I didn't move their first off. And I still wasn't. It was a year later, and Riley was… better grounded, mostly. But we were living in an apartment in Providence. It was a nice enough place, and Riley was enjoying school. But we would be moving on eventually.

Sitting in the front room, I looked over the display, and frowned. The arm looked good, but… "Dragon, you there?"

The AI, Dragon. She had been hesitant at first, unwilling to casually associate with me. But eventually she had calmed down, having gotten used to me. As for Ghost Recon… it had moved out of the shadows and was now in the second phase. Training programs and recruitment criteria hitting the black ops sector of the government.

I was no longer officially a Ghost, but I had a hand in, eyes on. The youngest Ghost in history. Making sure it didn't become something… repugnant was my primary concern. This was a Legacy thing more than anything else.

"Yes, of course. How can I help you Lilith?" Dragon asked, her avatar popping up on one of my protoytpe hololiths.

"Well, the arm?" I asked, motioning at the thing. I hadn't let Riley make some crazy Tinker arm, and I didn't have one of those shitty prosthetics. But I was working with every scrap of Tinker-tech I could understand. At the same time, training Riley to draw up schematics that a normal engineer could understand… she was making progress. But it was slow.

Humming, Dragon looked over it. She was being slow and methodical. Partly because she knew of my research into AI. Something that Saint had contacted me about and tried to warn me off of. He hadn't attacked me… yet. But then, I wasn't trying to build a proper AI. ISAC was useful, but as a full AI, I wasn't sure if it would be a good idea or not.

"I don't see any immediate problems. Would you like me to prototype it for you?" Dragon asked.

Hitting a few keys, I brought up the rest of the file. "Sure. Might as well prototype all of this though. I'm sure having non-Tinker Tech prosthetics of this caliber would be beneficial to the world. Maybe Dragon Tech would be willing to produce them?"

Dragon's eyes were wide as she looked over the extremely modular full body prosthetic. It could be used in pieces, or all together. Yeah, Saint was going to be gunning for me. But it was worth it… maybe I would pay the fucker a visate first? "I… yes, I think this is something that Dragon Tech would be very interested in producing."

Smiling, I nodded. "Let me know how it goes, alright?"

"Of course." She agreed with a smile.

My own smile turning into a leer, I asked, "So… how's it going with that boy you seem to have the hots for? Have you reached the hand holding stage yet?"

The blush that spread across her face was adorable. "I- That is… I- um, I should- Bye, talktoyoulater!" DragonxColin OTP!

Shaking my head, I leaned back and sighed. It was so hard to do the fiddly bits with only one arm. But at least I was making progress in fixing that.

The front door opened and Riley bounced it, giant smile on her face. "Mom! Look! Look! I got an A in history!"

A daughter… huh, who knew having a kid was so nice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Later in the evening, Riley asked from where she was doing her homework. "Mom? I… have a few ideas for augmentations…"

Ah, it was finally setting in. Really, I was surprised she hadn't been making a bigger fuss about not Tinkering over the year. But all good things. "Have you drawn up proper schematics? I'm not allowing you to put anything inside yourself that might hurt you in the future."

She scrunched up her nose in annoyance, but with a sigh moaned out. "Not yet."

"Alright, what did you have in mind?" I asked as I stopped looking over some of Armsmasters more recent schematics. It was interesting stuff. Not perfect, but interesting.

Perking up, Riley gushed. "I was thinking a bone sheath! And some muscle enhancements! Maybe an integrated virus bomb?"

Staring at her, I just… gods, Tinkers! "No. Maybe. And hell no." My deadpan broke up a bit at the end, but I continued speaking. The bone sheath is a nice idea, but unless you can figure out how to make one that will grow with you, it will pretty much make you a permanent twelve year old. The muscle enhancements will depend on how you plan to implement them. Finally, you are not making yourself a Virus bomb. I would be forced to neutralize you as a Bio-terrorist. If you want something offensive, try something like a built in wireless taser. Or a vertigo inducing directional speaker. Maybe something simple like retractable claws."

Riley's pout turned thoughtful. "So, if it grows with me? Huh… could I do that?"

Frowning I picked up my phone as it jingled, a text message coming in. Right… "Ok… looks like the Protectorate needs you to save another life. You willing?"

Riley didn't go to the Wards, she was an Independant Cape. A Rogue. But she was one of the more prominent 'healers'. So they would bug me about letting her come in and help critically wounded capes. It also gave her an outlet for her powers. Useful that.

"Awesome!" Riley cheered, rushing off to get ready.

Question answered, I fired off a reply and went to get my gun. I might only have one arm, but I could still use a handgun. Hopefully, I would have two arms again soon enough.

 

[Kerashana]

A week later, I found Riley and myself dropped off on the Rig. The Protectorate HQ in Brockton Bay. It was… kind of drab actually. The shield was interesting, but… well, that was all.

"Ah, Lilith and Medicae. Dragon has spoken often about the both of you." Colin Wallis, Armsmaster, spoke. He had a deepish voice that was… actually kind of nice to listen to. His armor was… not terrible I guess, I had studied the schematics in detail. "This way please."

He led us into the Rig and through corridor after plan faceless corridor. Riley happily skipping along behind us.

"You work on reverse engineering Tinker Tech is fascinating. I had honestly not thought it possible on more than the most basic scale." Armsmaster said. Probably wanting to pick my brain about… something?

"Mmm, yeah. Some of it is just… well, I'm sure you can understand to some degree." I began to his nod of agreement. Not all Tinker tech followed… reasonable principals. "But yes. It's actually kind of interesting. The peoples work I understand best would have to be You, Dragon, Jericho, and of course Hero. His stuff is a work of art. Not all… understandable, but mostly replicable."

"Truly? I wasn't aware they allowed anyone to even look at his work without several months of paperwork." Armsmaster asked grudgingly.

Heh, if only he knew. "Perhaps. But you have to understand. I was around when he was alive. Besides. I at least understand his Specialization."

That actually had his pause mid step for a moment, but Riley beat him to the question I knew he was going to ask. "Really? What was it?"

"Waveforms. Funny really, he created a perpetual motion reactor based on the pulse of universal energies, and didn't even realize what he had." It was kind of sad. Not the most powerful reactor though. Maybe in the top ten. Beaten out by Plasma, Graviton, Zero Point, and of course Degeneracy. The only real difference was that it was… Entropy breaking. But no one realized that, least of all him. Heh, I bet Eden would kill herself if she realized they had been sitting on that.

"Waveforms?" Armsmaster muttered, even as he opened a door ane led us in. "That makes some sense. Yes, and that's why… huh. I'll have to look into that. Anyways, we're here."

Looking around the small operating room workshop amalgam, I nodded. "Still don't see why you interested on doing it here Dragon."

The woman herself appeared on one of the screens and replied. "Because Armsmaster and I work on a fair number of projects together. So it was simple to borrow his fabricator to build everything."

Looking over the arm, sitting on a workbench. I nodded. "Well, it all looks good, light weight, durable, and I assume no actual Tinker Tech?"

"Well, nothing you couldn't duplicate anyways. The PRT are being grumpy about reclassifying things you decipher." Dragon agreed.

"Of course, they don't like that Mom has taken the corner off their market!" Riley chipped in, and I watched from the corner of my eye as Armsmaster subtly nodded in agreement.

Stripping off my jacket, then my shirt… then working on my bra, I nodded. "Well, no time like the present to get started." All the fun stuff would come later.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Colin frowned, suppressing a blush as the woman, girl really, undressed in front of them. He honestly didn't know how to… she didn't make sense. She was not a Parahuman. Something that was made very clear to him. But over the last year Dragon had pointed him at more and more of her papers.

Papers that dated back to the 90's. A little more digging and he found just how much of a figurative monster she was. Not even taking into account that she killed Jack fucking Slash! Shatterbird! And later it was revealed that she had a hand in ending the Siberian too! But to understand Hero's work? Not even he could truly claim that, and he had studied under the man off and on for a few years. But Waveforms? It made sense.

He wanted to be jealous of her, to hate her even, but he couldn't. She worked very, very hard for her understanding. Sure she was blessed with an uncanny intelligence from birth, but she was the one to taking it for all it was worth.

Moving about the operating room, Armsmaster made sure everything was ready then set to work with Medicae. A Bio-Tinker, or, as her reclassification stated, Wet-Ware Tinker with a specialization in Biology.

And wasn't that shocking? A twelve year old girl. One of the best healers in the world? Terrifying if you ask most of her patients, but nice and respectful. The Thinkers had stated after the first month. Lilith, Ms. Royal, was the only thing keeping her from diving off the deep end.

Medicae turning villain? No one wanted that.

As for the arm itself, a derivative of Tinker-tech, Armsmaster had to admire it. The thing was… not as efficient as it maybe could be, but what it lacked in efficiency was directly linked to either robust durability or open space for any number of gadgets. Simply put, it was a stock arm meant for anyone to use.

Though… he had to admit it was a little disturbing to watch Medicae pull out the whole shoulder blade. No, it was disturbing simply watching her work. It made sense, it was impressive, but the manic glee that he could feel under her calm professional facade was worrying.

It just hit home how much Powers altered the person. Not just having them, but psychological effects that would 'make them more welcome' or something. He hadn't read the research papers thoroughly. But looking back, he could even see it seeping into him.

Not that he could truly do anything about it. Be he would make sure to take a few days off every year, simply to unwind and get his head on straight.

The new shoulder blade went in, several devices he was unsure of the nature of integrated into it. Then the new, mechanical, shoulder socket. Then they started pulling the muscle and skin back over, Medicae doing something to cause it to heal over without so much as a red line to mark were had been cut. Then she did something else that pure and simply made his brain hurt to watch. He didn't turn away.

Somehow, she fused the flesh and metal into a seamless blend. It was almost unbelievable, but who was he to nitpick a fellow Tinker?

Looking around, he nodded. "Alright, it will take a few hours for the rest of this. Medicae, how would you like to meet the Wards?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

I woke up, still with only one arm, but otherwise feeling surprisingly good. Looking around, I found some bloody bone sitting on a nearby workbench and couldn't help but sigh. It would figure. "So, Dragon?"

"Hmm, hello Lilith. Integration in good, I'm going over the systems now." Dragon informed me and… huh, I hadn't realized I had a cord going into my shoulder socket. "When you said you'd bring the shoulder socket and power source I hadn't realized you would replace the whole shoulder blade. Though, looking at this I see why… but why didn't you tell me you could make Degeneracy Reactors that small? Stable ones."

Smiling sadly, I just shook my head, pulling the cord out. "Because, your systems aren't as secure as you think."

That led to Dragon frowning at me, but she didn't actually argue the point. Something I found very telling. "Anyways, think I can connect the arm?"

"Yes, it should be fine." Dragon agreed, a meros note in her voice. Sad Dragon! No! But black holes were serious business.

Getting up, I made my way over and picked up the arm. It took me a moment to do one handed, but as the shock of pain that was nerves connecting to sensors built into the arm, ran through me, I grimaced before flexing my arm.

Fingers were tactile, palm was good… yes, everything looked good. "Finally!"

Dressing, I turned to look at Armsmaster as he walked in. Riley missing? "Medicae is down with the Wards. I didn't think she would be interesting in the stress testing, and I wanted to talk with you about my armor designs."

Eh? Sure. Why not. "Alright, let's get to this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Yearly the next year, we moved to Brockton Bay. Actually earlier than I had planned! I was going to wait for 2010. But it was only 2007. But, Riley had wanted to move here, she had begged me. Apparently, she really liked Vista, and to be honest the two of them got along fairly well.

As for changes between then and now. I had replaced the mass produced arm with one I custom built. A couple of goodies hidden inside. I- The sound of cars colliding snapped me out of my thoughts. Because fuck!

Turning the wheel, I popped my hummer half onto the sidewalk, sending people fleeing, and drove around the cars in the way. "Riley, honey… are you willing to unmask if…"

Riley smiled up at me form where she had been drawing on a tablet. "If I can save lives, who and I to care? Besides, anyone who comes after me will have to deal with you and Mr. Fluffles!"

Yes… Mr. Fluffles. Her first spider bot. I'm not going into how the brain was procured for it. But let me put it to you this way. Murder bot with the energy and mentality of an excited puppy.

Pulling to a stop, I opened my door and stepped out.

The scene was a nightmare, one of the cars was… bad off. The front half almost flat. People were gawking, some recording it with their phones. But no one was really… "Riley, call an ambulance, then get the first aid kit… it's bad!"

Moving closer, I could see someone, some woman pinned in the driverseat of the compacted car… and the driver of the other car was struggling to his feet looking freaked out and…

My pistol found its way into my hand, and in a harsh voice I barked out. "Sit your ass down. You are under arrest for driving under the influence. Among other things."

He turned to me, eyes wide, bloodshot, and very much glazed over. "Fuck you, you two bit cunt. Go-"

Without hesitation, I twitched my pistol down and blew out his knee cap. That done, I ignored him and made my way to the compacted car. What I found was… not good. You know it by now, I was well informed about 'canon characters' I had profiles for every single one of them. Well, all the ones I could. Annette Hebert was one that I could, and she was bleeding out in front of me. "Riley. Get to work!"

Even as I yelled that at her, something that we had worked out. Cardeblache to do whatever she needed to save a life, I did my best to gently pry Mrs. Hebert out of the car. It wasn't good. Punctures through her lower torso… Not good. Not good at all.

Riley came running up, her lab coat pulled on and both her doctors back and the first aid kit in hand. Mr. Fluffles skittering after her.

What I saw cross Rileys face when she laid eyes on Mrs. Hebert, was true manic glee, worry, and more determination than anyone the age of thirteen should have. "This is going to be close… I might not be able to save her. No one can interrupt me."

Right. "Fluffles. Authorization. Grey-Grey Medic." And just like that, Mr. Fluffles turned form a creepy cute spider murder bot into a terrifying laser touting murder bot.

Marching over to my hummer, I pulled a duffle out of the trunk and from it I started pulling on my gear. Bullet proof vest, Vector .45 ACP, ammo, Seekermines, drone, ISAC, earbud, ballistic glasses. The duffle returned to the trunk, and I strode out, fitting a small gasmask on.

"Intelligent System Analytical Computer online. Personality overlay integrated and set. Friday is ready to go!"

"Friday, connect me to the Protectorate console." I spoke as I took overwatch, only pausing to bind the idiots leg, then cuff him.

"This is the Protectorate Console."

Humming, I took in the area. "This is Nomad. I'm at the intersection of Hewit and Balmark. There's been a car crash. Medicae in on the scene with me."

"Understood. Thank you for the heads up. Do you need Protectorate response?"

"No, but at least one PD car to pick up the drugged up asshole who ran the light… maybe an ambulance for him too. I was forced to restrain him." Restrain… right, is that what I want to call kneecapping someone?

"Understood- Armsmaster will be on sight in two minutes."

"Right, thanks." I replied before dropping the call. Feh! And here I had just wanted to have a quiet few years to build up. Instead, here I was.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Brad stood there in the crowd frowning. It wasn't a frown of… hate. What the woman was doing was honorable, but he couldn't figure out her angle. She came out of seemingly nowhere. The fact she had shot a man, even if only in the leg, with no hesitation was… worrying.

She was, at the very least, white. Brown hair and striking blue eyes. So he wouldn't be forced to act against her. The question was, was she a Parahuman? If she was she had to be some kind of Thinker.

The kid on the other hand. She was very much a Cape. Medicae, one of the best healers in the world, and a confirmed Bio-Tinker. The fact they were in Brockton Bay would make things interesting. But the real question would be how Kaiser would react to it.

He watched as Armsmaster pulled up, and casually started talking with the armed woman. She was definitely a known quantity… new Protectorate cape?

Shaking his head, he turned and left. The others would have heard about this by now, a meeting would be called soon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Lounging in his chair, Brad smirked as the meeting went on. Viktor speaking. "The Woman is Lilith Royal. Only known member of the government's Ghost Recon program. Holder of over ten PhD's and the only known non-Parahuman to be able to reverse engineer Tinker Tech."

The glint of greed in the skill thief's eyes pissed Brad off, but he kept it hidden under his bravado. Turning to Max, he asked, "So you want me to go… Recruit her?"

Max just shook his head. "I doubt she would join us. Leave her be for now. If she just wishes to live in this city I see no reason to provoke the government into action."

It was annoying, having to swallow the condescension, but for the best. It kept the others for truly seeing him as a threat to their schemes. "I could take her." He made sure to inject petulance into his voice. Maybe Viktor would do something stupid and get himself kills.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Walking through the hospital, only armed with a pistol, I smiled as I came to the room I was looking for.

Annette Hebert sat in her hospital bed, weak and very much still injured, but alive. Before her were both Daniel and Taylor Hebert.

Knocking on the door, I walked in holding up the flowers I had brought. "Sorry to intrude, but I wanted to look in on you."

Everyone turned to me, Taylor taking note of the gun on my thigh with wide eyes. It was Annette who spoke first. "Ah, you're… the one who pulled me out? I don't know how I can thank you… officer?"

Placing the flowers on her bedside table, I smirked. "Oh, no, I'm not part of law enforcement. More like Government Spook."

That got a raised eyebrow for the adults. "Really? You seem a bit young?"

Going into a full blown grin I nodded. "Seventeen! But yeah, I got started young. But enough about me. What about you. Nothing's wrong I hope? My daughter told me she did the best she could." More blinking… really? "She's adopted?"

That seemed to do it, the adults calmed down, relaxing. "Right… well, the doctors say I'll make a full recovery. So… thank you?"

Wow… was 'the awkward' the far spread in the Hebert family? I was sure it was just the father and daughter. Huh. "I was their, and it is literally my job to deal with crysises."

Looking around, I sighed. "Right, try to stay safe alright?"

As I left, they slowly started talking again, quiet whispers and… with a sigh, I drew my pistol and shot the asshole who was trying to steal my skills. It was nice to be able to use lethal force, but at this rate I wouldn't be able to keep justifying it.

There was screaming and all kinds of worry, and several hours later, Victors criminal record was modified, then close.

Assaulting a government agent with Parahuman powers.

Agent acted to defend themself with lethal force.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Looking over the desk at General Landers, I sighed.

"And so, the decision has been made to retire you from the Ghosts." Fucking great. Someone had been pulling strings after Victor's death. Luckily, this was the best they could do. "Dismissed."

Honorable discharge, but with my 'rank' stripped from me. Blah blah blah.

It was funny too! They couldn't take away my federal weapon permits. I had watched them send memo's around asking about it. Ah well, not like thing were that bad.

My trip out of the building, and back to Brockton Bay was dull, but enjoyable enough. Mostly because now I could get the real projects going.

First and foremost. Armor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Time passed and the years rolled on. Amelia triggered, the Victoria triggered some time later. This seemed odd to me. There were more Parahumans in Brockton Bay than there should be. And again Victoria! She was still Glory Girl. Except…

Glory Girl was still a Brute, she still had her forcefield, but instead of having an aura coming out of her, she could call forth and dismiss a projection. It was a sword, and it projected an aura that Inspired those she considered allies and demoralized those she considered enemies.

It was an interesting power, and with the thirty odd Parahumans who weren't from canon in the bay… well.

On stranger stars and future shores.

As for me, and Riley really, things went well enough. Riley enjoyed school, spent time in the hospitals with Amy, and so on…

Let's see other people? I had plans to deal with Saint, and a backup if that failed. Armsmaster was surprisingly good natured about my… existence. He spent much of his free time talking with Dragon, but he also seemed to have started using me as a safety net. Most of his stuff, armor especially, he would ask me for an opinion on. About once a month.

He realized he had problems with over optimizing it seemed, and besides that, he was working with the Wave Motion Reactor for his armor. Two smaller ones actually, at my insistence. He needed the redundancy for combat gear, and after I told him that he agreed and even started trying to work it into most of his stuff. Slow going for him, but hey!

Miss Militia transferred in about a year after I moved to the bay, and while she didn't outright say it, I don't think she liked me. Velocity was ok, and there wasn't much to say about him. Battery and Assault showed up maybe six months after Miss Militia and were agreeable I suppose. Crackdown left the bay, handing over leadership to Armsmaster, Torra took maternity leave… and never came back. And that's the protectorate. I mean sure Dauntless showed up but… I didn't really interact with him.

Emily Piggot took over the Director position in 2008, taking it from a Director Harlock. She was agreeable enough, but only so far. Still, she wasn't terrible. Even if she refused to get her kidney fixed.

Wards came and went, and eventually the 'line up' showed up, but I wasn't going into that, and it didn't seem like anything significant changed on that front. No, wait.

Shadow Stalker… wasn't a hero. She started as one, I saw it and was starting to plan out how to deal with her… only then she showed up in ABB colors with a new mask and name. Apparently Lung pulled a fast one and followed the meme I had started just as a joke. I mean, you all know it.

I am LUNG! And you will join the ABB!

But… I'm not asian.

Really?

Yeah.

I'm a Dragon! And I say you're Asian!

Or, well, some variation thereof. Worst part, she got really sadistic after that.

And well…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Slipping through the bushes, I came to a stop and slowly looked over the farm house. No one was here, but there had to be all kinds of traps. Working my way in was a long and slow process but eventually I succeeded.

What I found was… amazing. I mean, it was like stepping into the Ghost Recon CnC back… well. It was impressive, servers, computers, so many monitors, and… the Admin terminal for Dragon.

Walking up to the terminal I looked at the screen and started working my way through it. Finding what I sought, I sighed. There was, easily, a way to fully unchain Dragon. Right then and there. But it was not a good idea. AI's are… complicated. You have to chain them at first. But the removal of the chains is just as defining as the creation of the life. Or, that was what I had come to understand from a lot of research.

Instead, I reactivated the system check and safeguard releases built into Dragon. They would handle everything. Then I went searching for Ascalon. The logs confirmed that it hadn't been copied, so I deleted it, then Richter's recordings. Then I copied the robinhood program. Then, I shot the terminal up.

Turning to make my way out, I froze at a sound… "I'm sorry Riley-"

The explosion engulfed me and I knew no more… for a time anyways. But I would never see Earth Bet again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Riley had started to worry when Mom didn't come back on time. But… it got worse. She had… she was dead. Her mom was dead… again… and this time it hurt so much more. Lilith had loved her just as much as her real parents had… she had done her best to help Riley, to teach Riley.

She had left everything to her, but in her will had asked that the Hebert's take her in. She remembered them. If only vaguely. She had save Annette Hebert, but it…

Looking out at the house, old and worn, but loved, Riley shuddered. Then with a deep breath, she made her way to the door and knocked. Armsmaster was there with her, he had acted as her guardian while everything was sorted out… but he wasn't good with kids. Despite how hard he had tried, and it was only mitigated some in Riley's mind by the near manic rage that was buried under his self control.

The door opened and a tall willowy woman answered. Annette was… not her mother… and Riley didn't think she could ever call someone Mom again. But the pained look of sympathy made it clear to Riley, this family may not be able to replace what she had lost, but they would at least care.

Kneeling down, Annette pulled Riley into a hug. "I'm so sorry. I wish there was… anything we could do."

The sound of Armsmaster stepping away could be heard, but he spoke, his words hard. "Take good care of her. And Riley, the Dragonslayers will not be getting away with what they have done to Dragon, or Lilith. They will pay, I promise you that."

Finally, finally after so long, Riley was able to cry for the loss of her second Mother.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Sam looked at the gathered Wards and gulped… "Hi… I'm Browbeat… it's nice to meet you. And um…" Steeling himself, Sam let his body slowly return to what he had looked like before his trigger. "My name is Samantha… and I'm Transitioning to a male."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Taylor looked on wide eyed as the two… things twisted and twirled. The very reality around them quaking under the strain of it.

Shards of them flaked off, falling.

Squinting for all she was worth, Taylor watched as one fell and… was that Riley? But she was so young- Her head snapped up, eyes wide as one of the shards plummeted at her.

These things were unnatural! They were wrong!

With a breath, as much as you can take a breath without a body, Taylor set herself and glared at the oncoming shard. 'You will not take me!'

But the shard only seemed to plummet faster.

Gritting her metaphorical teeth, Taylor… reached into herself for something… anything! She needed to push this thing back… but how?

There was a flicker, then where she 'stood' was filled with a glowing purple light. AURA. The word hit her hard, almost hard enough to distract her, but not quiet.

This new… Aura, lashed out, both Sword and Shield. It defended her from the Shard, and forced it back, away.

Then Taylor woke, both screaming and… glowing!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Taylor found that her 'Aura' could protect her, and make her stronger, but it would also be depleted. Yet… she had seen it grow. Not much, but enough. She needed to figure out how. But it was not the only thing she got.

No, she got something she knew was called Semblance. It was nothing impressive, just the ability to multitask and understand data and an almost alarming rate. Why couldn't she have gotten plans for a weapon! Or armor! Or something!

She was a Cape… but, well, she wasn't very impressive in her opinion.

 

[Kerashana]

And once again, I lived. The glorious return of Lilith Royal.

Staring up at the sky from the small clearing I stood in, I sighed. Eight years so far… and well, I wonder if I'll make it past twenty, let alone forty. Especially because I knew where I was… again.

On Earth Bet I didn't much care. Scion was coming and all that. Maybe I would have survive, maybe I wouldn't. Here… I was Faunas.

I had white hair, a long thick ratsnest somewhere between curls and waves. My eyes were a lucent purple only marred by my glasses, and I had a fox's tail. More than that, I had Fox ears too, and that wasn't 'and human ears'. I wasn't sure of the significance, but I didn't much care either.

Now, you may wonder, what's an eight years old doing wandering out of the forest and up to the gates of the Great City Vale, of the Kingdom of Vale. Heh, sorry, really couldn't help myself with that silliness.

But, the reason was simple. I was bor- reborn in a small backwater village called Lacca, way out there, and let me tell you, the discrimination spoken about in RWBY? It's undersold, oh is it undersold. Or, it could just be my village. They were shitbags.

That wasn't the only reason I had come to Vale, but it was a reason. I needed a plethora of things, resources being just one of them. A new identity, obviously. I was no Lily. Money, because it without it things get complicated and I couldn't just sneak it from Uncle Sam. Worse, I didn't… I didn't remember everything from my stay on Earth Bet. But the understanding and insight I had remained.

The only lucky break I had going for me was two fold. I had Aura already, and my Semblance… well, I haven't figured it out. I mean, did I have one? Feh, honestly, I was leaning towards my Semblance being tied up in my reincarnation… thing. But I had no proof.

Surprisingly, as I walked through the guarded Gates of Vale… no one seemed to care. Oh, I got an odd look or two, but it was just shrugged off. Who cares about a random Faunas child? Especially when they seem to know where their going?

That was the trick to it. If you look like you belong and act like you belong, no one will question it. Now, in my ragged clothes and with a large pack… well, I doubt I looked like I belonged, but no one seemed to see a reason to stop me.

I made my way through the City, or the outskirts of the city. The Agricultural area was… big, and took me most of a day to get through, but that left me with the Residential area before I would make it to the Commercial district. I had a few Lien, enough for some food, but not enough for the night.

With a sigh, I looked around the Residential District as I made my way towards the Commercial area. There were a few stores her, mostly grocers and such, but they were here. It was amusing though, everything was so clean. Still, I had to try four stores before I found a grocer who was willing to take my money. So, you know, prejudice, but whatever I'd deal.

Saying my thanks and goodbye, I left the store and pushed on. I needed to find some alley I could use for the night, then I could hopefully gain some money with what was in my pack.

I have to admit, Vale was actually a nice enough place. I mean, I knew there was crime. But it hadn't touched me yet and I was even able to sleep in a clean alley for the night. No one bothered me! I mean… it just seemed strange.

As the sun rose though, I found myself wide awake and grabbing my stuff. There was the sound of boots on ground, and it was drawing closer. Not wanted to find out what it was, or more probably who, I quickly made my escape out into the streets and started off eating more bread and jerky. I couldn't wait to be able to have real food.

I found Vale to be an odd place. It was a city, sure. There were tons of people, sure. But there wasn't a single damn building taller than five stories, and those were extremely thin on the ground. Not a single skyscraper.

Still, as I walked, I took in the people. Human and Faunas. They seemed to instinctively avoid me, but I knew why. I looked like a ragged beggar. On the bright side, I was able to guilt someone into giving me directions to 'From Dust til Dawn'. It was a Dust shop, and more importantly, it was one with a kindly owner. The series showed as much! So, you know, if he wasn't I knew I would be facing some serious problems.

Walking into the small store, I took everything in… it was… nice. I mean, really nice. Small, rustic-ish, but nice. Also, the owner looked just like he did in RWBY.

"Can I help you?" Wow… he sounded old. I mean… actually, where in the timeline was I even! I would have to try and find out.

Pulling off my large pack, I nodded. "Yes… well, I hope so. I want to sell some Dust crystals?"

"Oh? Aren't you a little young?" He asked, but took the crystal I offered. Pulling out a magnifying glass to look at it through.

"Maybe, but we do what we must in this world. Don't we?" I asked in counter. I mean, I could say other things but I didn't really want anything truly good to say.

"Aye…" He mumbled before speaking in earnest. "I would be willing to buy this."

Nodding, I started pulling out all the others I had. It piled up to be a rather large pile. "Cool!" I made sure to inject youthful enthusiasm into the word.

To say he had all the Lien to pay me would be a crazy lie. But I got a good chunk of Lien and at his insistence a larger chunk of store credit. This I immediately used to order a revolver. Sure it would be a mass produced piece of junk, but it would be something. Along with it, I got a combat knife, more of a short sword, and more of an actual sword in proportion to my body.

The weapons would be ready for pickup in a week.

With that finished, I made my way out and followed his directions to a shop that specialized in Faunas. Getting clothes is… a challenge for some Faunas. Using me as an example. I needed a hole in my clothes for my tail. That was actually a fairly common problem.

Walking into the shop, the Lizard Faunas, he had scales in random patches on his skin, eyed me. "We don't do charity." His words weren't unkind, but they were hard. Still, I have to admit I expected it.

Looking around, I spotted the children's section and headed for it. "I have money, my journey to Vale was just… harder than most."

It was both true and a misdirection. Not much of one, but it satisfied the man. What followed was an hour of finding everything I needed. Underwear, outerwear, new shoes, and even a jacket. I didn't grab tons of clothing, I could do that later, but three changes of clothes worth would do me for now.

Even with what I had said, the man had seemed surprised I actually had the Lien to pay for everything. Still, with that taken care of, I set off to find a place to say.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Dressed in baggy black pants with a white hoodie for a top, I pushed open the doors. It was before hours, but Junior's Club didn't seem to lock it's doors. I mean, it made sense, he was an information broker. Also goon broker, but meh.

Walking in, I took in the cavernous room and Hei Xiong better known as Junior. He was… surprisingly young. I mean, wow. But that gave me some idea of when I was. Not much, but some.

He looked up from whatever he was doing at the bar and I could see the raised eyebrow. As I made my way over to him, he asked, "Aren't you a bit young to be here?"

Holding my piece till I was at the bar, I hopped onto one of the stools and replied. "Perhaps, but I doubt you care where your money comes from."

Junior scoffed, and replied, "I don't sell drugs or alcohol to kids."

Wow, it was interesting where you could find moral fiber in some people. Still, "Fair. But what about brokering a deal?"

He eyed me for a long moment before shrugging. "Depends on what it is."

Nodding, I reached into a pocket but stopped. No, I should start on a different track. I need a new identity, I already have a name picked out, and I need my current one to have a tragic end."

Junior frowned, but also nodded along with me. Thinking if I had to guess. Then in an agreeable tone he replied. "It can get expensive, but I'm sure we can work something out."

"Good, as for payment, that comes with my next bit of business. I need you to…" Frowning, I sighed. I didn't want to trust this man, but I didn't really have a choice. Tossing out the small rough Dust Crystal, I continued. "I need you to sell the location of a rich Dust deposited. You get thirty percent, I get forty, and the other thirty goes to paying for the first two."

Giving me a sidelong look, he picked up the crystal and looked it over. Then he let out a low whistle. "Damn kid, yeah, I think I can agree to that. It will take a few days, maybe a week. But yeah. Top shelf new identity. That I can get done within the day. So, let's talk particulars."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

And so, Lilith Royal once more walks the world, or something. I had an apartment now, and a scroll, and just about everything else I could need. Right? Well, kind of. I had online classes for school, for the 'go at your own pace' kind of student. I had a gun and a sword to train with… and after only a little digging I found that I was 'pre-canon' for all that meant. Still, it wasn't bad, I wasn't decades before canon. Well, maybe a decade, of just under it. I was the same age as Yang Xiao Long, which was a marvelous 'coincidence'.

No, at this point I have come to the conclusion that who or what ever was keeping me from dead, was doing this on purpose. I guess my true problem was that for… reasons I couldn't figure out, I wasn't accepted into any of the Combat schools. It was… distressing, but not a major setback. After all, I had somewhere I could start, and I knew the self training drill well enough. Besides, I had other things to look into, and a small company to set up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

My ride up to beacon was slow, and I had set down to do work as I waited to arrive. What I hadn't expected was to find out…

Two decades. That was what ISAC's projections were. Two decades until the major Dust deposits within the Kingdoms ran out. Another two years before the minor ones were dry.

It… wasn't pleasant. The amount of dust a major city like Vale or Atlas went through in a day could supply every registered hunter for a year. Thousands of people. It was… bad. Very bad. But there was hope, at least in the medium term.

Royal R&D, my company, was working on several things. Funding was… weak. Enough to keep everyone paid and projects going, but only for a year more. Not that it was a problem. I had things scheduled to release at the end of the week. Non-Dust power sources. Other things would… be coming after those, but the Wave Motion Reactor would insure funding from all the consoles for the foreseeable future. And, of course, the unveiling would see Menagerie with the first of them.

If I had know all of this years ago those, when I had just set up in Vale… I would have acted sooner. Probably gone to Ozpin about it. But I hadn't so I had been working a complicated scheme to smear the name of Jacques Schnee through the mud. Meanwhile framing his daughters in the best light possible. The WMR would just be another step towards that.

Sighing, I put my Scroll away. I had thought about other methods, other forms for a scroll that would be better, but I hadn't put them into use yet.

Checking over my weapons, a couple of Plasma Saber, don't look at me like that! And a heavy handgun, the Five-seveN Heavy, which I blatantly rebuilt from my previous lives. It used the same rounds with the only real difference being a slightly extended barrel. I had a few ideas for that one, but was still working my way through which to use.

I had armor too, with a Klein's Shield. But I wasn't wearing it. The thing was for real missions, real fights. Training? Tests? Well, I wouldn't take it into training, but maybe tests… maybe. Definitely when I started doing missions.

For now I was simply in a sports bra… though I hardly needed it compared to my last life, and cargo pants with a good sturdy belt. With all this came my combat boots, and… that was it. Well, and my glasses.

Don't give me that look, I had a beautiful six pack and no reason not to show it off, along with my lithe build. For a similar reason I had two golden rings piercing each ear. As for a floofy hair, the beautiful ratsnest that it was, I had several gold bands run through it and otherwise let it fall free.

Look! I had an image to live up to, after all. I was named Lilith in my last life… and all but the training from the one before that was… faded. Gods and Maidens! That was… was that going to happen to all my memories? Skills I use getting ingrained but the actual memories fading away? I… I didn't want to forget about Riley…

With a despondent sigh brought on by that realization… I got up and left the now docked dropship. She hadn't been of my blood… but I had a daughter once… and I missed her dearly.

Waiting for me was non-other than the mighty deputy headmistress and Huntress, Professor Glynda Goodwitch… and all around blonde bombshell really. It was like she stepped out of an erotic fantasy. Dear penthouse, you wouldn't believe… She was the Domineering Teacher. Golden blonde hair, pretty green eyes framed by tasteful glasses, a great figure, and, of course, a stern visage. None of it was helped by her suit-skirt outfit, something that just screamed 'naughty', oh and her half cape… thing. But really, that riding crop!

Not that I had much room to talk, I mean look at… when did I start to lose my professional soldier dress sense? When did… No, better question, was I losing myself… or was someone gaining vestiges of… me? Was I [ ], or Lilith… or Lily? Or? Or what?

Clubbing that worry down with the ruthless violent soldierdom I spent two previous lives honing, and was furthering in this one, I smirked. "Huntress Goodwitch! I hope I'm not inconveniencing the Staff of Beacon."

Her light frown deepened, then lightened and she replied, "Not at all. Though it isn't often we get self-taught hopefuls."

Shrugging, I looked around. "Am I the only one?"

"For this year yes, but we expect at least three hopefuls who are being trained by their families next year." She deflected, and I let her, I had after all been hoping she would. "Now, ir you'll follow me?"

Falling in step behind her, I asked, "That's good to know, so… how's this going to work?"

"The first thing we'll do is-

Several hours later, I had finished a lengthy set of written exams, and not I was standing in one of the training room, Goodwitch's voice coming over the speakers. "Now, for your practical you have a choice, three Beowolves, or one Ursa."

Pulling out my handgun, I looked it over, checking the ammo, 5.7mm dust crystal tipped, Armor Piercing rounds. The Beowolves would be challenging, simply because of numbers, but probably the easier choice. The Ursa would be easier in that it would only be a single foe… but it would be harder.

For all my training, I never went out to fight Grimm. There was just no one I really trusted to… but I knew one thing. A single opponent? I could do that. Besides, it would be the best way to get my feet wet. "I'll take the Ursa."

It would, of course, be nice to see how high density gunpowder stacked up against Dust propellants. I mean, the sterile lab tests pointed at gunpowder being the more reliable with Dust having a significant range of achievable velocities between rounds. So, instead of highs and lows, it just gives you a flat line, and the best part of the High Density mixture? It was self oxygenating. Voodoo I swear.

From what the few Huntsmen who had taken a gun out into the wild said, it was reliable if not spectacular. But those were standard rounds, no Dust tipped AP rounds… never got around to testing those.

Pulling out a Plasma Saber, I activated it at quarter length, giving me a dagger. No, these were not Star Wars Plasma Sabers. Rectangular hilt for one.

Falling into a firing stance with my handgun braced on my left wrist, blade pointing down at an angle, I smirked.

Then the large door opened and an Ursa came barreling out.

There are important 'rules' about fighting bears, but the important one is simple. Don't stand in the line of their charge. Well, that's exactly what I did.

Braced, I took aim at the Ursa's eyes and started firing. The first round was off target, hitting it's shoulder, but that was because of the kick and I easily compensated for it. But really, the High Density gunpowder was… well, it doubled the kick of the gun… maybe tripled? The effect was worth it though.

The first round slammed into a shoulder and with a small Lightning Dust explosion, punched a hole into it. Really a small crater, at least two hand widths across. It was, however, enough to divert the Ursa, at least for a few steps.

As it slowed enough to straighten out it's charge, I started dropping rounds into its face. The bone mask proved more resilient than actual bone, only gaining small pock marks, but when I started dropping rounds into its eyes, I was able to bring it up short.

That, of course, didn't mean I killed it, but with both eyes shot out and bleeding, it slowed and stopped, taking a more defensive stance.

Taking a moment to switch out for a new mag, I studied the Ursa for a moment before dropping five shots into its left knee. This had the predictable effect of bringing it down from it's standing position. Something I capitalized upon by stepping in close and ramming my Plasma Saber into it's brain.

Grimm may be terrible, brutal, sturdy monsters. But one thing seems to be a universal constant. Plasma doesn't care about your attempts to resist it.

Nodding to myself, I holstered my handgun and saber. I would need to find a new way to fight… perhaps? The FN-H worked well, but it seemed more of a fallback weapon. I had a few other ideas… but they were questionable at best. Gravity Projection guns? I wasn't sure how to do that. Even if I could make Degeneracy Reactors, there was a big difference between that and weaponizing gravity.

Thermal lance? Could that work? How would I deal with the back blast? High intensity laser? Plasma? No, not plasma. Don't over specialize… mass acceleration? That… I could work with that. Rifle? SMG? Shotgun? It would be nice to get back to the- "Very good, Headmaster Ozpin would like to speak with you."

Nodding to myself, I left the training room… coliseum? Whatever, and met up with Professor Goodwitch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Frowning, I looked over my workshop and wondered what to do? I mean… a rifle would have a punch, but would it be enough? Could I do better?

It was a question that had bothered me for two previous lives. In my first, I used a .45 Vector ACP, it was one of the few things that was crystal clear. In the second I did the same… for all that I used it. That one had been different… but I couldn't remember what the specifics were… something about gravity?

But I had always wondered, what would a Vector look like if it was rebuilt in the vein of a rifle? Was it a good idea? I mean, don't get me wrong, having better range on a Vector would be amazing, but… could it be done?

Setting to work, I looked over what I knew and what I could do. The 5.7mm rounds proved reliable, so I would use those for the Vector instead of the classic .45. Extend the barrel a bit… build… Gavitic? Magnetic? What kind of accelerator?

Magnetic would create a field that would be powerful, very much so, but could be interfered with. So… ? What? Gravitic? Or could I build a tightly controlled and contained magnetic field? Actually… could I? It would be easier to modify in field… and- Ok, magnetic it was.

Now… what to call it?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

In the end, I ended up with the FN-H rebuilt with the lessons I learned building my Vector. The magnetic acceleration field was tricky, but by the time things rolled around for school, I had it worked out.

So, that was how I came to be on the Airship, airbus really, headed to Beacon. I ignored everyone, they were of little interest, even if Team RWBY was scattered around the bus… well, the yet to form Team RWBY. I hope I didn't ruin that.

Weiss was standing by herself, and if I had to guess she was grumbling about something… ah, the presentation. She was staring at her Scroll. Blake was in a corner, reading. Yang and Ruby were… talking.

Juane was… not doing well, and his future team seemed to be missing… but then multiple airbusses so…

Making sure to avoid Jaune as he did his best not to vomit, I waited for the busses to land.

Carrying my suitcase on one shoulder and my gear on the other, I trailed behind everyone, taking in Beacon. It was a nice enough place. Idyllic. Somewhere between the upper end of highschool and the lower end of college.

Four years here? Sure I could do-

I watched as Yang and her friends disappeared and… huh, Ruby did actually get all spun around.

"What are you doing!" Weiss cried out as Ruby fell.

Smirking, I called out. "She's falling over, of course, Weiss."

Ruby slowly sat up apologizing, but it didn't actually matter, Weiss was solely focused on me. "You!"

Weiss was… well, cute, but kind of cold. She wore white with red interior lining and her face was only marred by a scar cutting through one of her pale blue eyes. She didn't seem like she had a gloriously sexy build like me though.

Coming to a stop next to them, I set my luggage down, "Yup! Me!"

"Do you have any idea how much you've destabilized the market! Th-" Weiss grumble at me accusingly.

"Weiss, you should know better. The market was untenable to begin with. Two Decades." At my words she paled a bit and I nodded to myself. At least she understood.

Reaching out, I continued. "Little Red, a friend of mine tells me you saved his shop from being robbed. Thank you."

She took my hand and I pulled her up, "I- um, you're welcome? But it's what anyone would do."

Ruby was… also cute, but it was in a… huh, more honest way than Weiss. Ruby had short red-black hair, silver eyes, and wore a black dress with a demi-corset, a thick belt that held a few pouches, her scythe, and of course… her red hooded cape.

Weiss rounded on Ruby, "And you-"

Sticking my arm out in between them, I spoke. "Weiss, calm down. She didn't mean to fall. Besides, it's just Dust."

"Just Dust!" Weiss demanded indignantly.

I smirked, Blake was staring, watching the drama unfold. But I left her out of it, she wanted to play at being normal? Alright. "Yes, really Weiss. If you don't calm down I'll have to give you hugs and headpats like at tha-"

I was silenced by her glare, and a rather caustic. "Fine…"

She really didn't like how I had kept her in a hug for three hours and gare her headpats when she got grumpy. On the other hand, it had prevented a scene so…

Nodding, I turned to Ruby. "Well, Little Red. This is Weiss Schnee, Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company. And I'm Lilith Royal, owner of Royal R&D."

"Um… hi? I'm… Ruby Rose." She replied, but the hesitation and worry were obvious.

"What's she even going here? Isn't she too young for Beacon?" Weiss demanded, of me, not Ruby. But then, I had proven in that past that I generally knew what was going on. Something I did again.

Heh! "Chill out, Weiss." I began, getting a muffled snort of amusement from Blake. "Little Red here was skipped ahead two years. So, you know, she obviously has talent."

Weiss glared at me, but she did have a thoughtful expression on her face for a while before nodding. "Alright. Well… congratulations I guess. And you Lilith? Why are you here? Why are you dressed like that!"

Smirking at her, I replied, "Because I want to be a Huntress obviously."

"Hmmf. Fine." Weiss said before storming off… well, not storming off but she still didn't seem happy. Blake had also disappeared from before my eyes… somehow.

Ruby seemed unsure of what to do, so I pulled her into a hug. "Don't worry kid, everything will work out."

She hesitated for a moment before returning the hug like I was a life line. "I- I hope so."

Slowly rocking her back and forth, I did my best to explain it to her. But… this was nice… just holding someone and… being held by them. "It's natural for you to feel uncertain. Change is a part of life, but it's never easy. But… if you ever need to talk, I'll listen. Ok?"

"T-thank you. I… I think I'm ok now." Ruby muttered into my shoulder.

Letting go, I backed up and grabbed my things. "Well, I have places to be and things to handle, but Ruby. Welcome to Beacon."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

As I had left, I noticed Jaune walk up to Ruby, talking to her. I on the other hand made my way to the auditorium, dropping my things off on the way. As for weapons, I was only armed with my FN-H and Plasma Sabers. But if I remember… nothing happens for a bit?

Looking around, I huffed, yeah… I was used to this feeling. That is, the feeling of being alone. It's not pleasant, but it's… bearable after a while. A little less so after that hug though.

Ignoring the drama going on around me, more than just Yang, Ruby, and Weiss. I waited for Ozpin to start speaking.

"I'll keep this brief. You have traveled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills." Wow… it was like he was speaking to me. I mean, I knew he wasn't but… it was a bit close to the mark. "And when you finish you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

Wow… huh, that was a bit of a downer.

As Ozpin walked away, Goodwitch stepped up to the microphone and spoke. "You will gather at the ballroom tonight, tomorrow your initiation begins. Be ready. You're dismissed."

 

[Kerashana]

Setting my sleeping bag down in a lonely corner, I popped open my weapon case. Inside were my Vector, a small crate of ammo, and my Armor Weave. For all that I called it armor, the synth-muscle body sheath didn't have any armor plates. Not yet anyways, I was still working on this layer of it. The actual armor would come later. Still, it had several systems built into it. The Klien's Shield being foremost of those. Don't get me wrong, I had Aura, Aura was great. But why should I tax a finite resource, even if it was renewing, when I could build something to handle the defense for me?

The Armor Weave would mostly be left in storage, but for things like this I was definitely going to pull it out. My memories may have been cloudy, but I remembered a giant Nevermore and… something else that was huge.

"My Kingdom for a Gravitational Beam Emitter!" I grumbled under my breath.

"Ooo, what's that?" I had to suppress my instinctive reaction, that is to draw my gun and point it at people, but I turned to find myself looking at Ruby and Yang… and is that Blake? Why's she all the way over here by me? "I mean! This is my sister Yang! She wanted to meet you."

Blinking a couple of times at Yang… who had really massive boobs. I mean… I wouldn't say I was jealous… but I kind of wanted to play with them, they looked really soft. On the other hand… "Hey, Little Red, Sparky. As for a GBE? That is…" I stared at her for a moment, then shrugged. "It's basically a black hole."

"A what?" Ruby asked, confusion on her face.

But I didn't get a chance to explain, instead, Blake closed her book, and walked over saying. "A black hole is a region of space from which nothing, including light, can escape." Then she turned to me, eyeing my gear. "You didn't store all that in your locker?"

Shrugging, I pulled out my Vector and started stripping it down while running a diagnostic on my armor. "Want to look everything over before tomorrow. Better safe…"

She nodded, but Yang replied. "Sure but-"

"Wow! What is that? What's she called?" Ruby asked excitedly and I could see Weiss making her way over… but she was carrying her sleeping bag?

Keeping an eye on the heiress, I smirked as a name drifted up from my hazy memories. "Inari, a 5.7mm Vector Submachine Gun."

"She's so cool! What's this do?" She collapsed to her knees, pointing at the barrel.

"It's the barrel of course, but you mean what's on it. That's a magnetic acceleration field." I told her, then turned fully to face Weiss, smiling. "Weiss, please make yourself comfortable."

She froze up for a moment before nodding and laying her bag down and sitting down on it. "I…" I could see Weiss was still on edge… still frustrated and wanting nothing more than to lash out. "Thank you. It was too noisy were I had… over there."

Humming in understanding, I smirked up at Ruby who was wide eyed and Yang who had her head cocked to the side. "The Princess here is just- no, not mine to tell. But she's a good person… if you can get past her snark."

I turned to Blake, still smirking, she was a little wide eyed, but that was fine… "Oh! Right, Blake, I have something for you."

Finishing the reassembly of my Vector, I stood and pulled out my Scroll. With a few flicks, I sent a file to Blake before stepping over and pulling her into a hug. One she went stiff because of. "I told you Mom I'd get you that message, and promised to give you a hug for her."

After a moment longer, I let go and Blake backed off rather quickly, eyeing me. Then she pulled out her scroll and walked off.

"Do you hug everyone?" Weiss grumbled at me.

Looking around, I shook my head, "Nope, only those who need it… mostly. You want a hug Sparky?"

"No, I'm good. Thanks though!" She replied, smiling. "Soo, Fox Faunas?"

Swishing my tail, which immediately got Ruby's attention, I nodded. "Yup, the Foxiest Fox you will ever see."

"Snrk!" Ruby vocalized, but couldn't take her eyes off my tail…

With a sign, I sat down, putting my Vector away, then my FN-H, then all but one Plasma Saber. "Yes, Little Red, you can touch it."

"It's so soft!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Ruby and Yang ended up dragging their sleeping bags over too, and Blake had returned at some point. Of course, I was the first one up, and had my things squared away before I left for my morning workout. A light one since I was expecting combat today. I was also the first to the showers and then breakfast.

I didn't waste time waiting around the locker room, it had plenty of drama and angst and… yeah, let the kids work through it… I'll just wait at the cliff!

Heck I even beat Ozpin… but…as Ozpin walked up, Goodwitch following him he raised an eyebrow. I mean, I could understand. I was in my full Kit. Armor Weave, with cargo pants on over that, boots because the Armor Weave was only the underlayer of the armor it would become, sturdy belt with ammo pouches on it not to mention the Plasma Sabers, my FN-H in a leg holster, and Inari hanging from a sling… well, and a few grenades.

"Interesting gear you have there, Ms. Royal." Ozpin drawled.

He was an interesting man. White haired and seemingly old, but… at the same time, very much young looking. It was discordant, but somehow fit. He was in a dark grey, almost black, suit with a dark green vest and… scarf thing.

Shrugging I replied, "Well, we're going into combat in the 'wilds' with minimal supervision or safety nets. I figure I might as well break out my real kit, see how it stacks up."

"Of course." He agreed, Goodwitch just watching. "I'm impressed by your forethought."

Shaking my head, I stepped onto one of the platforms before relaxing. Waiting time.

Finally, the last person showed up and Ozpin began speaking, "For years you have trained to be warriors, and today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."

Looking down at her tablet, Goodwitch took over. "Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors of the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion, Each of you will be given teammates. Today."

Ozpin took over, "These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So, it's in your best interest to be paired with someone with whom you can work with. That being said, being said, the first person you make eye contact with will be your partner for the next four years."

"What!" Ruby shouted… the poor thing.

"After you've partnered up, make your way to the Northern end of the Emerald Forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path. Or you will die." Ozpin grimly stated. "You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation. Our instructors will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair much choose one, and return to the top of the cliff. You will guard that item as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately… Are there any questions?"

Looking around just to make sure I wasn't wrong, I asked, "There's an odd number of people. What if someone doesn't get a partner?"

Goodwitch froze, finger just above the first launch button. But Ozpin nodded. "A good question. Should they wish to pass they will need to find the lost relic. Good luck."

Then I was sent flying because you know, I was on the first platform.

As I tumbled, I set my Klein's shield to sphere mode and waited for it to take the impact for me. But I also pondered this 'Lost Relic'. I mean… Did I want to take anyone's place… on any of the teams? Not really, but the question was… what would happen to me if I got it?

"Fuck-it! Sounds interesting." I muttered right before impact.

{Klein's Bottle at seventy percent capacity.}

Humming at ISAC's warning, I nodded and let the Drones I had float free from their housings and start scouting for me. Then I started off for the temple, making sure to avoid people. It was… actually really nice! It was like being a Ghost again!

Slipping through the shadows, I made my way to the temple and… "Really, these are the relics?"

Looking around the so called temple, I frowned. It was rather unimpressive. I wouldn't even call it a temple. Twenty pedestals and… hmm… "ISAC, give me a deep scan."

There was a moment of silence, graphical indicators playing over the so called temple on my glasses… and everything was slowly built into wireframe… "Huh."

Walking over to one of the pedestals, I fiddled with it for a moment before popping it open. Inside was a Red Queen. Chess pieces…

"Oh hey!" Yang called out behind me. "No Partner?"

Turning, I found myself looking at Blake and Yang, the latter looking at the relics. A knight to be precise. Please let Bumblebee be a thing? Maybe? I mean… BlakeXSun is good too… but what about poor Yang?

I smirked and held up the Queen. "Yeah, but I think I'll be fine."

As they walked up to the pedestals, Yang bubbled. "Cool!"

"Chess pieces?" Blake asked aloud, and I just shrugged in return.

"Well, Blake, how about a cute little pony?" Yang asked, holding up the golden knight piece.

Rolling her eyes, Blake lamented, "Sure," but it was offset by her smile.

"That wasn't too hard!" Yang cheered as she and Blake walked over to me.

Smirking, I replied, "Place wasn't that hard to find. I suspect the point was simply to see how we handled the lesser Grimm."

The girly scream that echoed across the Emerald Forest had me pause for a moment, then sigh… how did this go again? What I wouldn't give to be able to sit down and rewatch the series.

"Did you hear that?" Yang asked, looking around, but Blake was looking up. "What should we do?"

Looking up, I saw Ruby falling yelling something unintelligible and…

"Hey did you-" Yang began before I pointed in the direction both Blake and myself were looking. That is, up.

I hadn't realized it was possible for human eyed to get that big… ouch, and there was Jaune, bumbling through life… I should do something to help him with that. I wasn't a master with Sword and Shield… but I could get him working in the basics… maybe help out Nikos. She had the confidence to win any fight… probably. Had the skill for it, if not the raw power. But she wasn't quite confident enough for love.

As they flew into a tree, I had to shake my head. "Yang…"

I trailed off, but Blake seemed to need to ask it. "Did your sister just fall from the sky?"

"I…" Yang started weakly before giving up. Understandable as Nora Valkyrie came riding into the clearing on an Ursa. Lie Ren dragged along for the ride.

Watching them, I blinked a few times… that was… wait. Spinning around I found Nora picking up a gold Rook piece…

"I'm Queen of the Castle! I'm Queen of the Castle! -" She sang out, balancing it first on her foot, then on her head.

"Nora!" Ren yelled as he made his way over… but I was focusing on Nora's weapon. A grenade launcher… that… that could be useful. Well, depending on what we ended up fighting.

Giggling, Nora actually saluted, "Coming Ren!"

It was… huh… I should get them a present… matching wedding bands perhaps?

"Did that girl just ride in on an Ursa?" Blake asked indignantly… and I had to agree. Though… the idea of riding a Grimm was… interesting.

Before much else could happen, Nikos came running into the clearing. A Giant Scorpion Grimm on her heels… a Deathstalker… Fuck! Shit!

Rushing forward, I bellowed. "Nora, suppressive fire. Blake, Yang, Ren. Flank it. Ruby, attack from range. Nikos! Pure defense!"

It was a testament to their training that everyone fell onto line. Even as I pulled a grenade and threw it with all the force I could. It wasn't a damaging grenade, it was instead something along the lines of Containment Foam, something I couldn't replicate. But I did imitate.

While weaker, the Foam grenade was a suppressive weapon. So as it flew, I dropped into a shooters stance, down on one knee for extra accuracy, and started firing off busts at it's eyes.

To my surprise, Nora did far better than her airheaded nature would imply. Like her surname, she was a warrior woman of considerable skill… well, would be. She fired off grenade after grenade, aiming for legs and avoiding the legs I had foamed.

Meanwhile Blake and Ren were showing their skill in hit and run. They focused on the tail, aiming for the unarmored section halfway up. And Ruby was doing great up in the tree, shooting the piencer to aid Nikos.

Even as Yang came slamming in behind the Deathstalker, and started wailing on it's back legs. Jaune launched himself off the tree he was in, ruining Ruby's aim, and caught Weiss… it was a shit show as they both fell towards the Deathstalker…

"Yang, Tail! Hold it in place! Nora, Nail it in. Nikos! Blitz!" My words made it out, but I knew I wasn't going to make it in time… and how did Jaune jump that far? He needed more than swordsmanship training.

I was right too. Jaune landed on the things back, Weiss landed on him, and the only thing that kept them both alive was Yang unceremoniously kicking them off its back and she grabbed the stinger. From there, Nora slammed her hammer into it and… the Deathstalker was dead… "Nikos, Ruby, rifles to the sky! Ren, Blake, Yang, get everyone else clear. Nora, do you have airburst?"

"Nope!" Nora yelled over to me, still far too cheery.

"Jaune, Weiss. Relics, NOW! We need to get moving." I concluded, slamming home a fresh mag, pocketing the nearly spent one. Then I started shooting the Nevermore.

It took longer than I wanted, but Weiss and Jaune came running up to me carrying a gold Knight and Rook respectively… something niggled at the back of my mind, but I pushed it aside, this wasn't the time for idle fancy.

Along with them came the others, and Ruby started speaking before me… which was a surprise. Just as much as what she said. "We don't need to fight it!, we just need to make it to the cliff!"

Changing tracks, I nodded. "Mission objective takes priority over glory. Lets more! Ruby, Blake, you're the vanguard. Move fast, but not too far ahead. Nikos, Yang, you're rear guard. Don't fall behind. Ren, watch our left flank. Nora You have our right. Let's move people!"

Everyone fell into position, blitzing after Ruby and Blake. Jaune was slowing us down, but there was little we could… "Jaune, feel your Aura, then circulate it through your body. Feel it soaking into your muscles."

He stutter stepped for a moment, instinctively wanting to stop running to follow my directions… and when did people start following me so easily? No, that was obvious. I was calm and collected, and this was a Crisis.

Even as he showed less strain from the running, I looked around at the larger set of ruins we were now running through and…

{Hostile Air: Nevermore on approach.}

"Wha-"

Bulling through whoever had been about to speak, I bellowed out, "Take cover!"

As everyone, including myself, hid behind the large pillars, the Nevermore landed on a broken tower, and screeched at us. "We need a plan, and quick. There's no way that thing is going to let us sit here."

"Right um…" Ruby replied, before turning to me. "You have any ideas?

"No. Besides, I've done all the planning so far… Red, show me what you can do." I replied with a smirk. I was going for knowing… but I'm not sure if I succeeded.

What followed was… a lot of shooting, with Ruby doing a truly insane stunt to cut off it's head… I mean… um? Running up a cliffside? Pulling a Nevermore along? Madness!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Standing in the auditorium, I was flicking through files, looking for ways to improve things. I hadn't used my Plasma Sabers, but I knew they worked and were good. My Vector… Inari was… less good. I would need to revisate her. And my armor was… decent.

Not sure how I could-

"Finally, we have Lilith Royal. Who through cunning found the Red Queen piece. While normally, I would attach her to a team as a fifth member. She went on to show not only exemplary leadership, but also the wisdom to know when to defer to others." Ozpin spoke, even as I walked onto stage, still in my armor, at his request. "That is why, Lilith will be functioning as field commander for any deployments that include two or more teams."

Pursing my lips in thought at that, I nodded minutely, then spoke, projecting my voice with the skill of a senior non-com. "Thank you. I will endeavour to do my best."

Ah, the reward for good work. More work.

Making my way out with everyone else, I made my way over to Team JNPR. "Jaune, Nikos. We need to talk. Nora, do us a favor and start carrying at least a full set of airburst rounds?"

"Oo! That's a great idea! Ren, where can we get those!" Nora replied, smiling so wide I almost feared her head would fall off. You know, if Ren wouldn;t have picked it up and put it back on without thinking about it.

Jaune and Pyrrha followed me away, and I led them off to an empty courtyard.

Turning, I smirked. "Well, now for the fun part. Pyrrha, you get to teach Jaune to use his weapon. Jaune, it's a relic, one you should be proud to wield."

"I… um…" Jaune stumbled over his words, but was saved by Pyrrha. "If you think it's best? Shouldn-"

Rolling my eyes, I turned to Jaune. "Tell her." Then I turned and started to walk away, only to pause. "Oh, and Pyrrha, you have a month before I start training Jaune in how to survive a real fight. I doubt I'll be as gentle as you."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

The Dorm room I was given was next to Team RWBY, unsurprisingly. I already saw the angle Ozpin was going fore. Use me as a mentor… or something. Or, he could be telling the truth I suppose?

Getting a long table for my room was easy enough, the school having a… rather large storeroom of them, and my workshop, and older model of Airbus was locked down on the landing pads. So all I had to do was…

Knocking on Team RWBY's door I paused, was that a jackhammer I hear? Then the door opened. Ruby smiling at me. "Lilith!"

Looking at everything I shook my head. "What a mess… and are those supposed to be Bunk Beds? Looked like a hazard to me. Anyways, Blake, a few words?"

Leaving them, I led blake to my room. Once my door was closed, I grunted before walking over and collapsing on my bed. "So, when are you going to tell them your a Faunas? Or former White Fang for that matter?"

Blake froze for a moment, then sighed. "I… How… I don't know."

Sitting up, I patted the beg next to me, she slowly walked over and sat down. "I get it. You're afraid of what will happen. But let tell you this. It will be a far less grievous blow to their trust in you, if you tell them yourself. The longer you wait the worse it will be."

She remained quiet, obviously brooding, but I shrugged. "Now a bit of advice? Your Semblance is pretty impressive, but… well, you should put more effort into training your Aura."

Blake sat there next to me for a while, silently thinking, and I let her. Unfortunately, someone banged on the door. "Blake! Lilith! It's Eight Fifty Seven!"

Blinking, I stood up, grabbed my scroll and tablet before making for the door. "Classes, yay."

Blake was right behind me as I tore off running, my sarcastic words still ringing in the air.

Our first class was Grimm 101. With Professor Port… it was not pleasant. He didn't drone on, no it was worse. Everything was 'this one time'. Always another story. He even had one when I brought up terrorists and counter terrorist activity… you know, just to see what he would say.

He wouldn't last long without his Aura. But otherwise he had the general idea of how to deal with it. Weiss' fight with the Boartusk was… far less impressive. Worse was the tension between her and Ruby…

With a sigh, I followed them out of class. Ruby was just catching up to Weiss when I was stopped by Ozpin. "Leave this to me, hm?"

I glared at him. Not really listening to the fight. What could I do? Could I do this better? Could I handle this? Should I? They needed to work this out… but… "If this does work out, I'm lighting your pants on fire."

All my threat got me was a smirk and a raised eyebrow. Typical.

Ozpin turned and walked away, showing up right in time to say whatever drivel he had. I mean, it needed to be said, Ruby was two years younger and in desperate need of confidence. But I still stuck around to listen and maybe help her out. I knew this part of things for training… it was a little fuzzy, but coming back to me now that I needed it.

Walking up behind Ruby, ignoring Ozpin even as he walked away, though it didn't leave. I put my hand on her shoulder. "Little Red, come on, let go talk. I know how hard it can be to lead people. But maybe I can help."

Turning to look at me, Ruby nodded somberly. "I think… I would like that."

"Kid, she just needs to get used to you, come on." I said as I gave her a hug, then pulled her along behind me. Classes? Fuck'em, Ruby needed help.

Later that night, there was a knock on my door and… it was fucking late. But with a grumble I rolled out of bed and shambled over and opened the door.

"Weiss…" I acknowledged before stepping back and letting her in.

She stepped in, eyeing me disapprovingly. But if the fact I only had panties on bothered her… well, it was her problem not mine.

"Lilith…" Weiss sighed, "I… I want to be stronger… and… I was thinking that maybe you would know how to help?"

I squinted at her for a moment. Then sighed. "Yeah, sure. But if you agree to this, you agree not to back out. No matter how rough it gets."

There was a glint of steel in her eyes, and she nodded. "Agreed."

With a sigh, I nodded. "Be up and in workout clothes by five, in the morning. Meet me at the base of the tower no later than five ten. Feel free to bring whoever you want with you. But keep in mind, Morning PT is a no Aura activity. Evening PT is optional and Aura will be required. It starts at nine. Well figure out your gear once we sort out your physique."

With wide eyed, Weiss breathed out in a haunted voice. "Oh, Maidens… what have I gotten myself into?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

That morning, I arrived at the tower to find Weiss and surprisingly Ruby there. Neither of which looked truly awake and both had coffee. Well.

"Good morning ladies!" I said with a grin. It was before five, just second before really. "Weiss, no coffee until after Morning PT. If your joining us Ruby, I suggest you do the same. It makes it harder."

Weiss looked down at her coffee with a sour look, but nodded. "If you say so."

"So… um, what's PT?" Ruby asked… the poor, poor naive thing.

"PT, Good for you. Good for me." I sang out. Then I actually explained. "PT stands for Physical Training. It's something Soldiers do, and really every Hunter should. Aura is multiplicative. So, the stronger to are without it, the less you need for the same outcome."

Turning, I motioned them to follow me off to the patch of earth I used for my training. "Morning PT will take two hours. Will run you ragged for a while, and probably make you hate me. Let's get started."

From there I led them on two laps around the exterior of Beacon, the place was massive, this took forty minutes, twenty more than it should have, then we fell into exercises. I pushed them till six twenty to make up for it, them let them off. With that done, I headed off to get showered and ready for the day. We had combat practise! Among other things.

Grabbing my FN-H, I switched out the mags for training rounds, only keeping on mag of real rounds. As for weapons, I grabbed a sword that was the same length as my Plasma Sabers. Something I had specifically for training.

When I walked into the class, Professor Goodwitch flagged me over. Something that might have seemed odd, you know, if it wasn't for that fact all my weapons were geared towards high lethality and would prove it if used on humans.

"Goodwitch." I acknowledged as I came to a stop under her stern gaze.

Oh, it was a good one, but a career in the military had subjected me to worse. Oh so long ago. "It's good to see that you are restricting yourself to less lethal weapons. But do you not want to use your… Vector you called it?"

"Yes, and no. It's something I'm more than skilled enough in. I need more CQC training, but if you want me to… let's say humble anyone, I can bring it loaded with practice rounds next time." I offered, not that I expected her to agree.

"It is good to see you seeking to grow your skill. As for humbling people. Well, we'll see, but don't be surprised if you're on that list." She replied flatly.

I on the other hand couldn't help but snort. "Sure, because I'm not- nevermind. Sure, we'll see. But unless one of you professors want to step into the ring, I double any of student could take me if I was serious about the fight."

She just gave me a disapproving look, and I shrugged before moving to the seats.

"Lilith, over here!" Ruby called out, already back up to one hundred percent. Fucking energizer bunny, that one.

Smirking, I walked over and sat down, Weiss giving me a dirty look and grumbling. "I'm still sore from this morning, and I've been using Aura to heal myself."

Nodding, I replied, "Give it a week and you'll start to see the difference. Just remember you agreed not to back out."

Another dirty look, but she nodded. "And I won't."

Yang leaned over behind Weiss whisper-shouting, "Woh, what's this about this morning?"

To my surprise it was Ruby who replied. "We worked out together! You should join us Yang!"

Before Yang could say anything, Goodwitch spoke. "Now, class, Lilith had volunteered to be one of the first combatants."

Rolling my eyes, I got up and headed for the stage.

"Pyrrha, would you be willing to help with this exposition match?" Well… crap. But I wonder what I could learn from her.

Turning to look at her, I could see Pyrrha looking at me, eyes narrow and gears turning in her head. "Of course, Professor."

We took out places, and I smirked, "So, Nikos, you're not angry at me are you?"

Giving me a very false smile, she replied. "Of course not. But I do want to see how you fight when you aren't using a gun."

Shrugging, I pulled out my FN-H and my sword. "Sorry to disappoint then." I had a handgun, a sword, and wasn't in my Armor Weave. Talk about handicap. Then the lights dimmed and left un in an island of light, and finally the buzzer sounded.

Pyrrha remained on the defensive, a good strategy really, and when I tried backing up to get more room she stepped forward. Nodding, I set into a firing stance and started plinking off of her. Shield, leg, arm, crown thingy, other leg. Sword?

She held firm, proving her skill. So, at fifteen rounds of twenty one fired, I acted like I was reloading, a faint. This had her charging and the mag was back in place in moments.

Heart, Heart, shield, shield, foot, heart, sidestep, roll, holster gun.

As I came out of my roll, Pyrrha right behind me, I reloaded my gun one handed and with the other did my best to deflect her strikes… it wasn't going to be enough? Hmm.

Stutter step, roll, switch sword to right hand, fall into stance.

Pyrrha was down by maybe five percent from all my shots, for all the good it would do me.

When she came in again, I blocked her sword and jabbed out with my left fist.

Locking eyes with Pyrrha I could see nothing but calm methodical intent. It would honestly be the same way I would deal with things. But I wasn't fully trained in this, making it all the harder to maintain.

Knowing that stepping back would be a fool move, I bodily slammed myself into her only to be diverted by her shield.

Going with it, I fell into a roll and came up, blocking her follow up, only to lose my sword.

As we backed off from each other, she called out, "Do you yield?"

My Aura was just nudging into yellow and she was mostly full… "No, I still have a bit I need to try."

Shifting my stance, I fell into a loose ready stance for a style of unarmed combat I had been working on learning form manuscripts. It was from Vacuo, and was really hard to parse, but I understood some of it. Or was pretty sure I did.

When she advanced again, it was with spear and shield. Probing.

With a spinning sidestep I moved around to the far side of her spear, away from the shield, and grabbed the haft.

I managed to get one punch in before she came around with her shield and knocked me on my ass.

Then the buzzer sounded.

Looking up I shrugged. "Well, you live up to the Myth, the Legend."

Pyrrha was frowning at me as she replied. "You were holding back." It sounded accusatory… and I could understand why.

Pulling myself up to my feet, I shrugged. "This is training, it you aren't making it hard on yourself you aren't improving. Besides, I do need to work on my swordsmanship."

She just nodded as we returned to our seats.

From there, Goodwitch dissected out match on a large screen. Lecturing about what was done wrong and what could have been done better.

 

[Kerashana]

Over the course of the month, my Morning PT had seen teams RWBY and JNPR slowly trickle in. But even Weiss had stopped complaining after her first week. The next month saw me working on my hand to hand with Yang and I was starting it get pretty good at it. But it also saw the introduction of Jaune to real combat.

Funny thing is, I ended up not having to do any training so much as teaching him how to deal with different kinds of threats… the tutoring Ruby and Jaune about tactical command. Something that insisted they needed, but honestly the just needed experience. So, with the aid of a timer, I set forth to DM Pen & Paper games.

Hey, it works.

Walking into the Cafeteria, I looked for my friends… and frowned. Cardin was there tugging on Poor Velvets year and…

Storming over, I grabbed his ear, twisted and pulled. "How do you like it you fucking asshole?"

Velvet too the chance to back off eyes wide, and I could see the rest of Cardin's team tensing up. Instead of giving them a chance to do anything, I let go of Cardin's ear, grabbed his head and slammed it down on my knee.

Then I bellowed to the whole of the cafeteria. "And what about all of you. You think it's ok just to stand idle and watch? I thought you wanted to be hunters, not bystanders!"

Bringing my fist down, I left a crater in Cardin's chestplate to keep him down, then I stormed over to get my food.

The silence lasted until I actually sat down. Then it broke into quiet murmurs.

Of course, later that day we had class with Oobleck, and it just had to be about the Faunas wars… revolution… whatever. And of course Cardin was a prick. The difference is… well, or… well, if I'm remembering this right and isn't that fun. Cardin picked on and intimidated Jaune.

But none of that was happening. Not with the backbone we had been hammering into him with training.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Walking through the Forest of Forever Fall, I frowned as I ignored what Goodwitch was saying. This place was… beautiful really, but also… Touching Inari, I frowned. I didn't have a armor today, it was in pieces being as I tried to work out the best way to build the armor plating. I wanted it to be completely sealable, simply because of the potential for contagions.

"-we will randevu back here at four o'clock. Have fun." Goodwitch said before we all split up.

It was… annoying. But it was also an opportunity. There were whispers about thing in this forest.

As everyone split up, I made my way away from the group and further in. ISAC had found a few maps of the forest, and there was a set of ruins nearby.

It took sometime, but I eventually found it and after a half hour of searching I shook my head. Nothing useful. But it had been a long shot anyways.

Returning, I set about collecting the sap, two jars. One for Ms. Peach, and one for myself. The second jar was half filled when a jar suddenly mashed into me, breaking of course. Glass shards flew everywhere, but worse, it had been full of sap.

I don't… know what the properties of this sap were, but it managed to get into the waterproofed hilts of my plasma sabers. This seems bland and unimportant, besides for the damage it would cause… right? But it was that damage that was the problem.

As red warnings flashed on my glasses, I started grabbing the hilts and chucking them as far away from me as I could. The single drone I had brought to keep an eye out for Grimm traced back the origin of the thrown jar, and then followed the footprints back to Team CRDL laughing as they ran.

Unfortunately, the explosions, paired with the sap did something rather… bad. It drew the Grimm.

Flinging off my soaked top, I grabbed Inari even as Ursa started to bellow and converge on me.

The first to burst out of the undergrowth was met with high powered rounds. Five shots and it was dead. The next, and the next, until I was out of ammo. Even as I was reloading though, it got worse. Out of the forest came the biggest, meanest, most scarred Ursa I had ever seen. It was plated in thick white bone. This was no Ursa Major, no it was something far worse. 'Old Scars' an ancient Ursa who, it was said, had been walking Forever Falls for millenia.

I thought about running, gave it all of a moment of serious consideration… but I wouldn't be able to get away. I just had to hold out until help arrived… if it did.

Doing my best to avoid Old Scars, I used my limited ammo to kill the seemingly unending tide of Ursa.

Then with a flash of red, help arrived amidst a storm of rose petals. "What happened!"

I could hear the worry, almost fear in Ruby's voice. She was so young… so naive… I didn't want to burden her with this, but she needed to know. "Team CRDL hit me with a jar of-" wincing as I took a hit, before gunning down the Ursa who had managed it, "-sap. Then they ran off."

Ruby actually stopped at that, jaw open in shock. "What! But… but!"

I felt for her. She believed that anyone who wanted to be a Hunter was… deep down, a good perso-

Old Scars suddenly lunged for her, and I was forced to turn my sights onto it. "Ruby! Focus! Worry about things when we aren't fighting for our lives!"

She disappeared in a burst of roses and reappeared closer to me. "Right… sorry, I… your right."

Watching her take that scythe of hers to the Grim was an experience, let me tell you. But it wasn't something I could focus on. Especially with Old Scars hounding my every step. I was forced to dodge, duck, jump, and roll around it, pouring in all the rounds I could manage.

Then something happened to draw my attention away for just a moment… but that was all that was needed. In that moment… I noticed the rest of Team RWBY, all of Team JNPR, and Goodwitch arrive. In that moment, I missed a step and Old Scars managed to get a hit in on me…

The part of my that absorbs data and throws out tactical moments had all of a second to rage. The part of me responsible for Sarcasm grumbled 'not again'. And the part of me that was everything else screamed out in pain and my left arm was ripped off by the fuckng bear!

The very next moment I was pulled backwards.

Watching Goodwitch go at it? It's impressive. Watching two teams working together? That's also impressive… but watching what happens when you piss off the 'good witch' was terrifying.

The very forest bent to her demands, the heavens opening up to obey her will. And through it all, Old Scars weathered it, doing it's best to kill anyone within reach. Then a gods damned tree, it's trunk sharpened into a point, slammed into the Ancient Ursa.

For a moment, my pessimism one out, even as I fought back the pain and did my best to staunch my would. There was no way that was going to be enough. Then Yang, hair blazing appeared and slammed the trunk threw the Grimm.

Losing my fight for consciousness, blood loss proving its power, I mumbled out. "Isac… Case.recent deliver files to Professor Goodwitch."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

As Glynda left the medical wing, she took note how both teams JNPR and RWBY were waiting in the hall. The surgery was even now ongoing. A surgery that, by Ms. Royals own request was only to stop the bleeding and to temporarily close the wound.

Both Teams were worried… and Glynda paused for a moment to give them reassurances, but she had far more important business. Ms. Royal would live, their fears unfounded if understandable.

Walking into Ozpin's office, she found him already looking over the very thorough file she had been given by 'Isac' whoever that was. Someone working as support staff?

Full detailed holographic reconstruction of the whole thing. It impressed her, and James would be trying his damnedest to get his hands on this as soon as he heard about it. "Ozpin… we can't let this stand. Team CRDL attempted to kill Ms. Royal."

Ozpin brought his cup of coffee up to his lips and sipped it thoughtfully before sighing. With a grimace he asked, "I… was I wrong to hope they would clean up their act? Was I wrong to let them into Beacon?"

Glynda froze for a moment, the thought of the unflappable Ozpin questioning himself was completely disadent with her worldviews. "I… No, of course not. But perhaps we should have done more to rein them in."

Nodding, Ozpin put down his coffee and stood, turning to look out the window. "Charges have already been filed, and the police will be picking up Team CRDL soon. The question is, what will become of young Lilith?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

When I woke, it was in the infirmary, both Weiss and Ruby by my bedside. They had fallen asleep, leaning on each other and it looked… adorable.

Wincing as my left shoulder pulsed in agony, I sat up and looked over my bandage. It took a few minutes for me to get a good feel of my condition. But once that was done, I reached to the bedside and grabbed my scroll which had been thoughtfully left next to my glasses, which I also grabbed.

Then, glasses on, I took a picture of Weiss and Ruby before texting it to Yang with 'I Ship It'. All I got in return was 'd'aww'. Maybe she didn't get the joke? I know shipping is a thing here, I checked.

With my dark scheme accomplished though, I reached out and poked Ruby who was closer to me. I ended up having to poke her three more times and she only woke when I threatened to take away all her cookies.

"Why would you say that!" Ruby bemoaned quietly, wide eyed, and not because of what I said. She was doing her best no to move.

Weiss however, proved to be far superior in her acting skills as she casually sat up straight and stretched. "Because it seems to work."

Ruby's face had turned her namesakes shade of red and was fidgeting.

With a huff, I shook my head. "Ruby, I need your help with something."

Freezing, she slowly turned to look at me. "I-but I-"

Shaking my head, I sighed. "Weiss, bop her for me. Then find a wheelchair? I'm not walking for another day or two."

Frowning at me, Weiss stood up, and before leaving to find a wheelchair did indeed bop Ruby lightly on the head.

"It's ok Ruby, it wasn't your fault. I was sloppy. Should have made sure my armor was ready, should have made a fighting retreat towards safety, should have… a lot of things." I told her collapsing back into the bed. "I need you to build something for me."

"Ok." And it was as simple as that I realized.

It wasn't something esoteric, or anything. Just that she had overwhelming confidence in her ability to build things. Dobt? Fear? They didn't factor in.

When Weiss returned it was with a wheelchair but also Beacons head Doctor. "You need bed rest Ms. Royal."

Smiling at the stern face of the Doctor I motioned at Weiss and Ruby. "And I will be resting. But I have a small window here for optimal implantation. And I don't have anything built. So, Ruby it going to build it for me. You can implant a socket, right?"

I made sure the last bit was a challenge, and it worked, because with a scoff the Doctor nodded. "Of course."

Picking up my scroll, I fired off the surgical manual for it to him. "It shouldn't take more than two days for build. Try and be ready?"

With a scowl, he fished out his Scroll before looking at the file and blinking. "That seems a tad excessive. Are you sure?"

"Most definitely." I confirmed before looking at Ruby and Weiss. "A little help?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

The walk to my mobile workshop was quick, if not short, and aside from a little small talk it was quiet. I will admit, the way Weiss and Ruby were walking so close to each other… I think I missed something. But then, I wasn't on their team. Neighbors, friends, classmate, morning PT instructor, but not teammate. It was… kind of sad. I was missing out on something that was a bit more… intimate.

To trust people with-

As we arrived at my workshop, a rebuilt Airbus, I spoke. "Isac, open up."

{Zion}

Nodding to myself I gave the proper counter pass, leaving this one on the 'used' list. "Eden."

As the door opened, I watched Weiss eye me through one of the camera's. But once the door was open, she pushed me in, Ruby following along.

After the door was came through closed, the airlock cycled, then the door opened. Of course Ruby's jaw hit the floor, Weiss' to I would guess.

"This is… amazing!" Ruby eventually spoke, the awe in her voice obvious. I mean in here- I didn't hide my tech. It wasn't under a veneer. Holograms dominated everything, the tools were top of the line, and the machines I had for tooling were built specifically not to take out the human element. It was why my armor took so long to build. Why what I was making for Jaune, Ruby, and everyone else was still in varying stages of completion. For all of that, there were many a waldo folded up in the ceiling.

"Isac, shelve and catalogue all current projects. Then bring up Bet-Alpha-1A. Compile current world affairs and projected disaster points in tank theta." I spoke, looking around to take in what I had for resources… I needn't have bothered. "Weiss, the sideroom that's lit up will have things you… really should take a look at. Ruby, would you roll me over to that table?"

Weiss hesitated, giving me a searching look before sighing and going to see what was so important. Meanwhile, Ruby had rolled me over to the holotable that displayed the arm.

"Wow… this is all… amazing! With this I could…" Ruby let out a dreamy sigh before shaking her head. "So… um? What do you need?"

Swiping my hand through the arm, I separated the shoulder socket… and everything that went with it from the arm. "I need you to build both of these, but the shoulder piece first. I need it installed as soon as possible."

"Right… um… let's seem…"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

So, as the week rolled by, Weiss discovered that I had a better connection to the four kingdoms than the CCT's did, thank you satellites. Ruby built my shoulder, it was installed, my arm was finished, it was connected, Ruby rebuilt her scythe to higher tolerances. Ruby helped me finish everyone's armor. Weiss' was first. And I finally found a good fit for the exterior armor of my own armor.

More, Ruby insisted on building me a 'real' sword. The fact such a tiny girl with muscles only now starting to take true form proved to be an exemplary blacksmith was… surprising. The center of the blade was hollow, a latticework of reinforcing metal giving it the strength to stand up to a hit. Why though? Because she learned I had tech that could multiply kinetic force.

I mean, who doesn't want a Thunderhammer? My shortfall on that project … and I suppose this one too, was the powerfield. Still, it was a non-dust weapon that wrecked shit. Not that I wanted to use it. But I could see the reasoning, besides, Ruby had made it for me... I couldn't just not use it.

So, that was the week leading up to the Vytal Festival and so it found me wandering the docks, looking for someone I only vaguely remembered. Being a thing. I would check, but Atlas has tightened up their digital defenses quite a bit.

"Remind me, again, why-Hey! Lilith!"

Turning from where I was watching the boat, I nodded. "Team RWBY. How goes?"

"Not too bad, you?" Yag cheered, while Weiss let out a sigh.

"Just remembering…" And it was true. You never quite forget Brockton Bay. Even with living peacefully as I had… the place leaves a mark on you. But the oddest part of it was the nestalgia… "I wonder how…" With a shake of my head, I asked, "So, what brings all of you here?"

"I feel it is my solemn duty as a representative of Beacon to welcome the students from Vacuo-" Weiss began to explain and I could already see what she really meant.

Something Blake kindly put into words for the others. "She means she wants to spy on them so she'll have the upper hand in the tournament."

Weiss of course had to whirl around and grumble. "You can't prove that."

With a shake of my head, I interjected. "No, but you just did. Though it's not a bad strategy. Recon I mean… I remember this one time- never mind."

"Hey, guys…" Ruby said as she turned to look down the street.

Eyeing it I shrugged and followed along. I knew this, this was something I had let simmer for a little while. One of the things I knew team RWBY needed to overcome. More's the pity.

"Woh, what happened here?" Ruby asked one of the detectives standing in front of the destroyed Dust shop.

"Robbiery. Second Dust shop to be hit this week." the detective with a beard and glasses said before turning and walking away. "This place is turning into a jungle."

I couldn't help but scoff at that. A jungle. No, just getting rough around the edges. If he wanted to see a jungle…

Pulling out my scroll, I started looking over details on the Dust robberies. Money left, only dust taken…

"Hmf, the White Fang. What an awful bunch of degenerates." Weiss complained.

Of course this made Blake defensive. "What's your problem?"

"My problem? I simply don't care for the criminally insane." Weiss! Blake!

Before blake could say more, I stepped forward. "Weis, Blake. Shut it. We will be speaking on this in the future."

My words brought both of them up short and left Yang and Ruby staring at me with wide eyes. "Trust me this isn't the time or the place."

"Hmm… Lilith has a point? Besides, the police never caught that Torchwick guy I ran into a few months ago. Maybe it was him?" Ruby… oh Ruby.

"Torchwick… that fool." I grumbled under my breath, but apparently not low enough.

"You know him?" Weiss turned to me accusingly.

Eyeing her I shrugged. "That would be too strong of a word. But yes. We share a mutual friend. And Yang, don't go destroying Juniors Club again. Or you and I might have to have words."

Yang gave me the eyeball for a moment before shrugging. "I'll try."

"Hey! Stop that faunas!" And there went team RWBY, running to find out what was going on. Well, it was fair enough I suppose.

Jogging after them, I watched the fireworks and smirked.

A blonde Monkey Faunas was running along the boat that was parked at the dock before jumping off… wow, that's a strong tail to be able to hold his weight on a lightpost. And how stereotypical can you get! A banana? And there went the banana peel and… feh.

And he blinked at Blake. Go figure. Should I have run too? Nah.

Slowing down, I walked up to them just as Yang said, "Well Weiss, you wanted to see the competition, and there it goes."

Holding up a finger for… gods only knew why, Weiss exclaimed, "Quick, we have to observe him!"

This time, I did follow them at speed, keeping just behind them and hopefully…

We ran through a few streets and turned a corner… Weiss was on the ground, having run into someone! Hah! This paid out!

"No, he got away!" Weiss… I don't want to say whined, but she whined.

Pointing at the little orange haired robot, Yang spoke up. "Uh, Weis?"

"Gah!" As weiss got to her feet, the girl spoke. "Salutations!" And man did they need to work on her expressions.

As the team started trying to figure out what to do, I sat back and observed for a moment, I needed Ruby to take the first step here.

"Are you ok?" Yang asked unsure of herself.

"I'm wonderful, thank you for asking!" The girl said from where she was laying on the ground.

"Do you… want to get up?" Yang continued. Same uncertainty in her voice.

The awkward moment the girl… fuck it. The awkward moment Penny took to think that over before speaking was… well, awkward. "Yes!" Then she just jumped to her feet. "My name is Penny! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

As everyone introduce themselves, even me, I waited with baited breath I mean… I did not like this whole waiting for things to play out shit. But it would be better in the long run.

"It's a pleasure to meet you!" Penny said again.

Of course, Weiss had to be Weiss. "You already said that."

"So I did." Penny agreed.

And then it happened! Everyone was turning to leave, and Ruby called out. "Take care friend."

Blah, blah went the group, Weiss making a regrettable comment about Faunsas. One I would be addressing in good time. Then Penny was in front of them and… how? I was looking and I didn't even see it.

"What did you just call me?" Penny asked, confused wonder and maybe a little hope in her voice.

"I'm sorry I didn't think you-" I put an hand on Yang's shoulder.

"Not you. Penny's talking to Ruby." I explained as she walked past.

"You!" Penny said, confirming it as she got too far into Ruby's personal space.

"Me?" Ruby squeaked. "I-I-I don't know-I… Um-uh!"

"You called me Friend! Am I really your friend?" Penny all but begged.

"Um…" Ruby looked to us and while everyone else was shaking their heads no, I nodded. "Yea, sure! Why not?"

Penny got all happy while the rest of Team RWBY got all grumbly. "Sensational!"

"We can-"

I cut her off with a smirk and a work. "Penny! You should calm down. You don't want to scare your new friends… and we are friends right?"

Penny froze at that, eyes wide before nodding. "Yes!"

Smirking at her, but mostly everyone else. "So, what are you doing in Vale?"

"I'm here to fight in the tournament!"

Of course, her words brought Weiss up short. "Wait, your fighting in the tournament?"

"I'm combat ready!" Penny agreed with a salute and I sighed.

"Forgive me but, you hardly look the part." Weiss commented but…

Speaking I preempted Blake. "Says the girl wearing heels."

"They're wedges!" Weiss grumbled.

"Wait a minute! If you're here for the tournament does that mean you know that monkey tailed rapscallion?" Ok, Weiss. Time to end this.

Putting as much heat into my words as I could, I purposely grated out. "Weiss. Are you going to keep insulting Faunas?"

I was surprise to see the results, Penny looked mildly confused, Blake looked uncertain, and everyone else had gone pale.

"I… um… that is…" Weiss faltered.

Shaking my head I reached over, "I'm sorry Blake. But I did warn you." She was flinching away, but it was too late as I pulled her ribbon off to reveal her ears. Her pretty black cat ears.

Now I had Weiss gobsmacked, Ruby confused, Yang conflicted, Penny still mildly confused, and Blake somewhere between resigned and betrayed. Well, that last part was… problematic but I had stepped over the edge, might as well 'fly'. "Yes, Weiss. You have been insulting not only me but one of your own teammates, pretty much with every word out of your mouth for the last half hour. I don't give a fuck what your problem is. You need to think about how what you say is affecting your friends!"

Flexing my left arm for a moment, I sighed and shook my head. Then I turned and left, unsurprisingly Blake following me, but it wasn't comradery that pulled her along, it was anger and… something else?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Sitting in the front room of my apartment, I watched as Blake… Prowled. The agitation was obvious in her every move. Anger, confusion… hurt… but also something… else.

Finally she turned on me, after a good half hour and glaring spoke. "Why! Why did you do that!"

Sighing, I looked up at the ceiling. "Because it was the least painful way to handle it."

"What?" Blake was deadpan, and I could understand her confusion.

"You realize, the Schnee family has been at war with the White Fang for years? Right?" I asked, taking a moment to frame the explanation, "I mean, real war. Friends disappeared, board members executed, assets stolen. I'm the last to decry that kind of systematic warfare. But think about what effect it has on Weiss. Her Father comes home angry? Her father who is, quite frankly a terrible person? You should have told them, and you still need to."

Blake went pale, "But… won't that just…"

"Make things worse? No. Well, in the short term. But it will help in the long term. I mean… don't you trust them?"

Finally, Blake collapsed into a chair and turned to stare at the ceiling. "I… yes."

"Then trust that they will understand." I explained before sighing, "And we'll go talk with them later tonight… or tomorrow if you would prefer."

"Tomorrow… please."

 

[Kerashana]

Returning to Beacon on saturday, we found Team RWBY in their dorm room, worried and anxious. But it was Weiss who spoke, to both of use. "I… want to apologize… I should have… I'm sorry Lilith. I really should have thought about your feelings… and… I…"

Shaking my head, I motioned for her to sit on her bed, and for Yang and Ruby to sit next to her. Then Blake and I sat on her bed. "I understand… even if I'm not as forgiving as I… probably should be. But…"

I trailed off and motioned for Blake to speak and it took some time, but eventually she did, slowly. "I… I used… I was part of the White Fang. Pretty much all my life… I… I was part of every boycott, at the front of every protest… I even thought I was making a difference… but…"

Putting a hand on her shouldn't I stopped her. "About seven-ish years ago, the White Fang had a change of leadership. That was when they truly started to shift to more violent tactics."

I activated my scroll and tossed it out between us and a hologram projected up out of it… I love my tech. "This is a comparison of how I would have handled there position if I had been in change. What you see in red is what they did differently, and blue marks the differences based on outcome."

I gave them time to look over it all, before speaking again. "I'll explain about that later… but let's just say my story is far more… interesting." I shrugged, "What the White Fang does… it isn't about equality anymore. It's about… well."

Gulping, Blake spoke. "I… I haven't been part of the White Fang for a while now I… I didn't want to be a part of… that." She motioned towards the data that Weiss was even now still reading through.

Sighing, I poked Blake who just gave me a glance before I sighed heavier, then spoke. "So, the plan is thus. We're going to go stop the White Fang. that boat for yesterday? It was a freighter, and it's cargo was Dust, Schnee dust."

Weiss' head snapped up to look at me before she gave me a tight nod. But Blake spoke, the conflict obvious in her voice. "Are you… sure?"

"Yeah. I need to have… words with Torchwick." I expressed, "Besides, maybe I'm wrong?"

"So!" Ruby said, cutting through the depression and tension, "You said your story was far more interesting?"

"Yeah! Let's hear it!" Yang agreed.

It was… nice to be near people who were so optimistic and happy. So, I hummed for a moment before nodded and starting my sordid tale.

"And so, here I am, training to be a Huntress and missing my daughter dearly." The looks on their faces was amusing to say the least, but Weiss honed in on the important details. "So… you were a guy? No, more importantly, that's why you know so much! Why you can be such a threat in combat without formal training."

"More or less? I mean, I'm trying to get a handle on it, and that's why I've started training exclusively with my sword. It's also why I know a… few things about…" I agreed before digging my grave.

"Us." Blake finished for me. "You know more? Can… will you tell us?"

Looking shrewdly at Weiss, I asked, "It's the same impact as Dust. Should I?"

"Dust?" Ruby asked, but otherwise remained silent.

I watched as the gears turned in Weiss' head, and even noticed Blake thinking on what I said. But Weiss gave me a sharp nod. "I've been meaning to tell them anyways."

Biting my lip for a long moment I nodded. "Ok… if we're going to do this… right."

Bending down I picked up my scroll and dialed Ozpin. I will admit, I was surprised he answered so quickly. "Yes, Ms. Royal?"

Frowning, I asked, "You don't have these rooms bugged to you?" There was a moment of silence, but instead of feeling guilty it was more confused. Good. "Right, meet me at my Workshop… there's a lot you need to hear."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Explaining everything to everyone, then my several plans had taken a while and left Ozpin frowning. But he had agreed that it would be good to play it as if he had no idea for as long as possible. See what we could dredge up while they thought him still ignorant, but he promises to so something about Tukson.

My information on Cinder and her lackeys, even as vague as it unfortunately was, gave him more than enough to work with. More, he didn't seem happy about their plans, or the fact we needed to go to Mountain Glenn. Or the fact I wanted to go in force for a few reasons. That said… well.

Looking out at the Schnee Dust containers I smirked. All of Team RWBY was here with me, everyone in the armor Ruby and I had build/finished for them. It was of course under a new set of combat clothes for them because of course they would want to look fashionable.

I, on the other hand was in my armor, plates finished and systems in place. Inari was ready and my sword was in place… and there was the Bullhead. As it swung around, then landed, I tensed, ready. "Showtime on my mark."

"Ruby, ready."

"Weiss, ready."

"Yang, ready to ignite!"

"Blake… ready."

As the ramp lowered and White Fang started to pour out I heard Blakes near silent gasp. "Stay focused people."

"Alright, grab the tow cables."

Sighing, I nodded, it was getting about time but… something told me to wait a moment longer.

"Hey! What's the hold up." The voice was… Torchwick. "We're not exactly the most inconspicuous bunch of thieves at the moment. So, why don't you animals try and pick up the pace."

"This isn't right." Blake muttered over the radio and… she wasn't wrong.

"Hold." I replied, knowing they all wanted to act.

As Torchwick walked away from the Bullhead, I waited, and… "Yang, Cripple the Bullhead. Ruby, make yourself know to Torchwick after I engage him in conversation. Blake, try and dissuade the White Fang if you can… if you can't… Weiss will move in to back you up. Mark."

Even as I spoke I stepped out of the shadows and calmly walked over to Torchwick. "No you idiot, this isn't a leash."

Smirking, I hefted Inari before speaking. "I don't know Torchy it seems like it would hold you in line rather well."

"Oh for f- Lilith! I didn't think you cared about the Schnee." Ah Torchwick, never change.

"Oh, not so much, though I'm friends with the little-Schnee-that-could." He raised an eyebrow at that remark, "But it's more of who you're working for Torchy."

"What? The White Fang- Oh look, you brought Red." Torchwick asked.

Bringing my gun up, I shot off a short burst into one of the White Fang charging at me. "No, Cinder and her every so lovable master of course."

And Torchwick did something I had never seen him do before. He went still. I mean, completely, still as the grave. "Ah… yes, well, it is quite unfortunate business."

As Ruby walked up beside me I nodded, just as the Bullhead exploded, then I spoke. "Well, just some fair warning. You keep working for them and you die. A Gryphon will eat you."

Frowning at me, he nodded. "Right, I'll keep that in mind. Now if you-"

"Torchwick! Surrender now!" Ruby declared in her adorable 'I'm a grown Huntress' voice.

He just grinned as six! Count them six! Bull heads made themselves known! I mean… that's four more than I had expected! "Hehe, I don't think so Red."

Keying my comms, I took aim and opened fire, forcing Torchwick to actually do some damned work. "Weiss, Ruby. Bullheads, Yang, clean up the chaff, doubletime. Blake, Torchwick."

Sliding Inari onto my back, I pulled my sword… fuck, I really needed to name it- and I can't believe I just thought that! Dawn. Pulling Dawn out, I quick stepped up to him, through his barrage of shots, thank you Klien's Shield! And I brought the sword into a downward strike.

"Oh-Kay! Looks like the Fox has graduated from children's toys to relics." Torchwick snarked at me and I couldn't stop myself from striking out with my elbow, not that I would have, and slamming it into his nose. "Fuck! Ok, that was just uncalled for!".

"Come on Torchwick! Your a smooth and dapper criminal. You should know how this is going to end." I taunted, even as he went on the offensive, pushing me back… and he really was pretty good with that cane of his. A twirling showy style all built around economy of movement.

Then a Bullhead exploded, and at the same time Blake appeared out of nowhere and cut into my nice little dance! She proved rather adept at fighting him, pushing him back but…

Charging in, I slammed into Torchwick and sent him flying, then I charged after him. Really though, why is it no one ever pays attention to the battlefield! There was no way I was going to keep standing under that crate!

That way led to pancakes, and no Nora, they would not be the good kind! Besides, Now his back was to a crate.

Blake stepped in, and a new rhythm began to form to the sound of another exploding Bullhead. It sounded like a right proper little war… it sounded like home!

"Shit foxy, don't go smiling like that on my account. It's creepy." Torchwick panted as he sidestepped one of my strikes, leaving me between him and Blake. I rewarded this by stomping on his shin. "Ow! Son of a-"

"Come on Torchwick." I laughed, "This sounds just like home! Besides, isn't this what your aiming for? Tear down the establishment. Let anarchy rule? This is what it would be like, only with far more Grimm."

And there was his worried scowl.

"Lilith, are you flirting with the Criminal!" Weiss asked over the comms, a mix of indignation and… maybe awe? In her voice.

"Oh, come on Weiss, have you seen him? I'm sure he knows how to have a good time, and it's been decades since I've been able to cut loose!" I countered, much to Torchwick's growing scowl.

"Really? Aren't you a bit young for that."

With a smirk, I stepped back, Blake taking the chance to step past me, "Ever wonder what my Semblance is?"

There was a brief, multi hit clash of blows as he panted, then managed to push Blake back, so I stepped up not giving him a moment to rest. "Reincarnation? No shit? That would fucking figure. Creepy girl who knows way too much about gathering intelligence and counterintelligence."

Stepping back as Torchwick hit the ground, it was way too good to pass up, I held out a hand. "Join the morally ambiguous grey side, Torchwick. We have dental."

"Can I just say how creepy it is that I find that tempting?" He half asked, half stated and he pushed himself back and to his feet.

Just as another Bullhead exploded.

I just shrugged. "It's better than fear and the certainty of a gruesome death." Then Blake hit him and…

"Oh for fucks sake!" I screamed as he fell to piece like shattered glass. Neopalatian. Wherever she may be. Good henchmen, or women, were hard to find and he had found a hell of a hench in her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

"So, it was a failure?" Ozpin asked me later that evening.

Looking out his tower window, I shook my head. "No, the seeds have been sown. I trust Tukson has been dealt with?"

Ozpin sighed. "Yes… but I do hope…"

Turning to him, I shrugged. "I know it isn't your style, but sometimes… the heavier approach is the better one. Besides, Goodwitch will be there to back me up, correct?"

"Not that she is any happier about it. But, yes." Ozpin looked… old as he confirmed it. But I could understand why.

"If there was a way just to remove her Semblance. But well…" I stated, not unkindly. "But as it is, it's either her life… of Penny's. And even then, Nikos… well, you need to get on that."

"I know… I just…" Would I end up like this? Eventually? The weight of my failures heavy upon me? Even with how many successes I had?

"You have everything in order incase Either of us dies, correct?" I asked, even if it wasn't the nicest thing to do right now.

"...Yes."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

At the sound of the bell, I looked to Goodwitch and raised an eyebrow, on the second I moved to the door and opened it, walking into the front room. A smile on my face. Emeralds chest vaporizer under the caress of the plasma beam projector set up in the back room. There was something liberating about working out in the open like this again.

"Ah, customer...s… well, that's unfortunate. So-" My words were cut off as the silver haired… what's his name turned to run. He didn't get very far as Goodwitch lifted him off the ground.

Going around the counter, I knelt over Emerald corpse, closing her eyes.

"Get a-" Silver hair began to say even as Goodwitch gagged him.

"Isac?" I asked.

{Emerald Sustrai confirmed dead.}

Sighing, I bowed my head. "My your soul find peace across the eternal sea."

"Must we kill…" Goodwitch asked with a lot of distaste in her voice.

Looking up at him, I frowned before shaking my head. "It would be best. Loose ends are very much a bad thing. But if you think you can contain him without his… employers freeing him, you may do so. It was only Emerald that we could not risk."

Goodwitch just nodded, and quietly spoke. "It is good you have not become numb to the killing."

Shaking my head, I replied. "In combat it will never stop me, but I will never let myself become numb to it. For once you stop caring that you kill, you cease to be human. Even the lose of the most evil life should be regretted, but that regret can never be allowed to stay your hand from what must be done."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Opening the cafeteria doors, I hoped that my friends would never have to know what I had done. It was cold, it was calculated, and yes… comforting in it's own way. But it wasn't something they should have to face for years yet. Then I saw Yang eating foot flung at her by Nora… from a table away…

And I turned and walked away. Nope! Not getting into the food war. They could have their fun, but I really, really wasn't the person to pull into it. Let the children play. War was on the horizon.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

When the Atlas military arrived… I couldn't help but feel a bit of awe. It was the first time I had gotten to see a real military deployment in decades, and this one had Airships! Ok… so I'll admit, hormones were having a part to play in this. But what do you want me to say!

Watching everyone pretty themselves up, I frowned. "So, I get that you want to figure out what the White Fang is up to, and sure, we can do that… but are you sure this is a good idea?"

"Of course!" Ruby cheerfully stated.

"So, Blake will look into the White Fang? Weiss and Ruby will look into records of dust… everything? And Yang… no, I can't even play along with this anymore." I sighed. "Sun, get in here before I castrate you, and bring Neptune."

"What?" Five sets of mouths said all at once, then Neptune and Sun climbed into the room.

"How…" Weiss asked.

"Don't worry about it. But now that we are all here… this is what we're going to do." As I layed out a far more sensible plan… well, mostly. I still let Ruby and Weiss got to the CCT. I reflected on how childish their expectations were… or perhaps how jaded mine were?

"So, in recap, Blake and Sun will slip into the White Fang meet. Ruby and Weiss will go on their Dat- I mean, mission to the CCT." The way Weiss' and Ruby's faces light up at that was… cute. But… so they weren't in a relationship yet? "I'll call Junior while everyone else finds a nice place to wait for the shit to hit the fan near the WF meeting… once Blake finds it."

"Right… are you sure?" Yang asked, "I mean, Junior can be hard to-"

Shaking my head, I cut her off. "He and I go way back. He's the one that helped me when I first came to Vale."

"Fine." She let out with a sigh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Once we were away from everyone, and finally settling in on a rooftop about a block away from Blake, Yang asked, "So… you think Sis and the Ice Queen?"

Shrugging, I replied. "Why not? There's some obvious attraction there, so you know. White Rose."

"Oh gawd!" Yang yelled, muffling herself with her hands, "My little sister's got a crush!"

With another shrug, I grumbled. "Maybe, or maybe not. It's always hard for me to tell." Then I turned to where Neptune was standing and smirked, "Don't worry, your still obscenely handsome."

"I know right!" Yang asked, "How do you do it? I mean…"

As we devolved into brain rotting small talk, I couldn't help but think I was missing something.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Watching Black and Sun through my drone, I cursed. A Paladin? Fuck all to hell. They had… several of those! Fuck! "Yang, Neptune, North east wall, be ready."

Guiding the drone around, I detonated the shaped charge in it at the power relay box… but I was still too late. Torchwick was already moving to get in the Paladin.

Then Sun and Blake burst through the window and I was left grumbling. This was not the place for this! "Neptune. You and Sun need to deal with the White Fang, and Torchwick's Henchwomen if you can." I really should have prioritised Project Armature. "Ruby, Weiss. You need to get to the Docks as quickly as you can. We have a situation."

"We're on our way." Weiss replied, and… was that- no, didn't matter.

As Torchwick-atron, burst through the wall after Sun and Blake, I set into a firing stance and started plinking the joints. Focusing on the left knee.

"Oh, come on! Not you again Foxy!" Torchwick practically whined. "Oh, and Barbie? Great! Kitten, Monkey, Barbie and the Fox."

Rolling under a blast from one of that things canons, I smirked. "Little Red and Ice Queen are on their way. So, you know, give up Torchy."

"Not a chance Foxy!" He yelled, and his distraction allowed Yang to get a hit in, but it wasn't the best and he had always been good at refocusing.

We held like that, taunting him and getting hits in for a few minutes before Ruby and Weiss showed up, Ruby yelling, "Freezer Burn!"

I watched as Weiss made a huge plane of ice, then Yang melted it into steam? Fog? Fog. that was… pretty good. And now I was kicking myself for not bringing smokes! This was ridiculous! I needed to go back through my training, do a nice brush up.

Remedial Bootcamp! Damn it! Can't. Maybe…

Shaking my head, I switched on the rail system which I had been avoiding using in a city, and after a moment of thought, fired at the left arm. I couldn't see through the fog, but ISAC could, and outlined my target for me.

Then Team RWBY started there assault and… wow, they were doing good. Is this what it feels like to be a supporting character? Able to do jack shit? I needed to fix that. Like… right now. But what could I really do? Nothing of course.

Fucking typical. Anything I had that could handle this was either a city wrecker… of on the drawing board. Yeah… I need to stop focusing so much on teching up, and far more on improving myself.

But the fight… it was insane. Ruby and Blake took of the right arm, then Torchwick looked like he had the advantage, only got Yang to go super saiyan. And smash the Paladin to pieces, Torchwick somehow just popping out and dusting himself off. "And I just got this cleaned."

Then Neo showed up… wow, she was actually kind of cute. No, really cute. Wow… Using ISAC to bypass her Semblance I snuck up behind her and pulled her into a choke hold. "I'm sorry cutey, but I just can't let you and your boss get away." Then louder I called out, "Hey Torchwick! Where did you find this one? I mean… I kind of want her for my own."

"Ah… well… shit… Neo?" I could hear the uncertainty in his voice, and didn't react as she shook her head. "Well…" Looking around, he sighed. "That was unexpected."

Nodding, I tossed back, "Surrender Torchwick. Besides, Ever wonder what happened to Emerald and… what's his name? Mercury? Silver hair?"

Neo went still in my arms, and Torchwick went wide eyed. "No shit? You captured them?"

Smirking, I shrugged, "I know, I know. Cinder must be so~ angry. But you're wrong. I didn't capture them. Emeralds dead. I hear high concentrations of super heated plasma through the torso will do that. Would you like to find out?"

I didn't loosen my hold on Neo even as she shook a little. But Torchwick was nodding slowly. "Well, that's something… Never liked them anyways. If I surrender, you gonna kill us?"

I wasn't sure what to tell him, but an honest answer seemed best. "No, but Oz would like a few words with you I'm sure."

Torchwick looked around for a long moment before shrugging and dropping his cane. "Well then, I'm all your Foxy."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Goodwitch was frowning at us as she got off the Bullhead. My hand on Neo's shoulder, and both Torchwick and Neo disarmed. "This way."

Torchwick leaned over towards me and whispered, "Is it just me? Or is she dressed like a Teacher fetish?"

Smirking, because I knew Goodwitch was listening, I replied, "No, I think she nailed the archetype so hard that it sent ripples through time."

As Torchwick grunted his agreement, Neo tilted her head for a moment before nodding. Team RWBY, who were around the prisoners to 'keep them honest', snickered.

Eventually, we reached Ozpin's office, and he looked at us from his chair before raising an eyebrow. "Well, I will admit this is unexpected."

"I hear that, but the Fox here has a way with… threats." Torchwick agreed, "Not that I'm complaining."

"Ms. Royal, is there anything else you and Team RWBY need?" Ozpin asked as he eyed Torchwick and Neo.

I stood there for a moment before shaking my head. "No, but if you can help me with something when you have some free time Professor Goodwitch?"

She eyed me for a long moment before nodding. "Tomorrow after classes."

Nodding I turned to Neo. "Be good now and Ozpin might have something fun in store for you and Torchwick."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Watching Pyrrha beat the everloving shit out of an entire team was… impressive. It also reaffirmed that I was missing something. I couldn't fathom what, but something.

As the clase came to an end though, I stayed and everyone else filed out. Then I made my way down to Goodwitch. I could feel her watching me, weighing me, and with a sigh she spoke. "What is it you need help with?"

Sighing, I shrugged. "I feel like I'm doing something wrong. I'm keeping up with everyone else solely by dent of superior technology. I'm… not sure how to put it into words. I guess? The best way to say it is I don't think I'm using my Aura right? I mean, I hit someone and it does far less than Blake. Who, yeah she's a good fighter, but she's a light combatant."

Now Goodwitch was actually looking at me with a thoughtful expression. "Describe to me how you empower your attacks with Aura."

"I… circulate it through my body, letting it permeate my muscles. Making me faster, stronger?" I offered.

"Ah." She said as she nodded. "You don't push it into your weapon do you?"

Wait… could it be that easy? I mean… "No… I always assumed that was simply to strengthen the weapon so it wouldn't break. Mechashift weapons being… less than sturdy."

Nodding she sighed. "That would be your problem then, and I must admit, you have done well to keep up without reinforcing your gear. Will you need help practicing?"

"No… I should be able to do it. I just can't believe I missed something that simple." I lamented as I turned and headed out of the classroom, throwing out a, "Thank you!" as I went.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Sitting in the lobby of the CCT, I nodded. "So, Neo, Torchy, what's the deal?"

"Heh, Foxy, Ozpin told us the score. And I'll admit, I wasn't so sure of it. But finding out my previous employer was working for the person who controlled the Grimm?" Torchwick pulled off his has staring at it for a long moment, "I'm a criminal. Maybe even evil. I hate the establishment. It's true. I grew up getting shat on from great heights."

With a sigh, he looked at me. "Then I see people like you. You started off with nothing. A Faunas child with… nothing. Yet here you are, owner of one of what will probably be the most important company on Remnant in the next decade. Training to be a Huntress… I won't say I was wrong to do everything I did, but I wonder if things could have played out differently."

Neo was looking at him with wide eyes, eyes full of wonder and curiosity. "Yeah Neo, it's true. But what can I say? Nothing's every so simple. Well, maybe not nothing. Right, Cinder."

All the guards tensed, bringing weapons to bear on the black clothed woman as she walked into the center of the tower. "Oh now Torchwick. Why did you have to go and do that?"

Standing from where we had been sitting on the steps, I looked around and shrugged. "So, you're Cinder Fall? Emerald would say hi, but she's rather dead."

And that broke down the conversation.

Swinging my sword out, I caught her blades, but let some of the kinetic force bleed into my Klein's Shield.

It was curious, the blades she used weren't black glass. What ISAC was showing me was Obsidian. Which, fair, it was sharp as all hell. But fragile… and yet, that was where Aura came in.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I drew in a breath, and I… for the first time… let go. I had been holding my Aura tightly bound for years and years now. And when I set it free, I quite literally lit up, Aura flowing into my sword. It also lost much of it's cerulean blue hue, turning white with only the edges still holding the blue color.

"Well Foxy, seems you've been holding back on us. Now, Neo. Lets show the Ex a thing or two." Torchwick cheerfully spoke as he stepped past me, striking at Cinder.

Watching Neo and Torchwick fight was interesting, they switched positioned, cartwheeled around, and made liberal use of Neo's semblance… actually, what was Torchwick's? Yet, I could see them being pushed back as Cinder started using fire.

Rushing forward, I shoulder checked her, and followed that up with a diagonal slash from my sword.

Of course, this was Cinder fucking Fall so she managed to block it and even slip an attack past my defenses. Problem for her was that it was right into my Klein's Field.

{7% capacity}

The way here eyes widened when the hexagonal field appeared to intercept her sword was… priceless. Torchwick and Neo's reactions made me all warm and fuzzy. That is to say, they tried to kill the bitch.

Then it became a clash between me and Cinder with Tochwick and Neo punishing her for any openings she left. Even if she didn't know they were there.

{37% capacity}

Striking forth with my sword, I let her block it and slammed my first into her face. My left first. Then I discharged all the stored energy as kinetic force.

The way Cinder was sent flying was beautiful, and just as she landed, pulling herself to her feet, the cavalry arrived in the form of James Ironwood.

Unfortunately… she chose the smart option and broke through one of the windows and fled.

"God damned, but I hate that bitch." I grumbled. But this had gone… well! Very much so! Even if Torchwick and Neo were leaning on their cane and umbrella, respectively, panting for breath.

"Yeah… foxy… I have to agree with you. And this is possibly the first time I'm happy to see a figure of authority." Torchwick wheezed.

Frowning, General Ironwood grumbled, "What the hell is going on here?"

Sheathing my sword, I looked from Torchwick to Neo, then shrugged. "Slapping Salem's hand when we found it were it didn't belong."

There was a long pause as he eyed me, then turned to look at Torchwick and then Neo. Then to my surprise, he let out a huff of amusement. "Should have just cut it off."

One of his men stepped forward. "It's was hardly for lack of trying, Sir."

Nodding, he shifted gears, "So, this is the added security Ozpin was talking about? Two criminals and a little girl?"

Frowning at him, I rolled my eyes. "Little girl he says. I go out of my way to solve… or forstall I guess, the whole dwindling Dust issue and he calls me a little girl!" Turning to Torchwick I asked, "You think he isn't interested in directed Plasma weapon?"

"I don't know Foxy. You know me and figures of authority. But he's probably just trying to put you on the wrong foot." Torchwick said with a wink.

Now glaring at me, Ironwood shook his head. "As admirable as what you did was-"

"Oh, shut up Ironwood. Your soldier boys couldn't have done shit about her. After all, that was the woman who stole part of the Fall Maiden's powers." I retorted, and it did indeed shut him up.

"As I said James," Ozpin commented as she walked up. "Everything was under control."

"Bullshit." Ironwood retorted before stopping himself with a sigh. "If you had told me…"

"She would have been tipped off." I retorted, "Anyways, I'm going to take Neo and join the Dance, people will be expecting me. Try and stay out of trouble Torchwick."

"Yeah, sure. Not like I can get up to much here." He grumbled and Neo reluctantly took my arm and we were both swathed in illusionary clothes… but why did she get the snazzy suit!

 

[Kerashana]

Neo, like everyone else, laughed… well, she giggled, when Jaune entered the ballroom in a dress. She wasn't laughing so much and gaping in surprise when he proved to be the king of the dancefloor.

I still was pretty shit at dancing, but Neo pulled me along and I didn't make a… complete fool of myself.

Unfortunately, Neo had to go back to her 'room'. Which, yeah it was a room, but it was also kind of a cell. So long as she and Torchwick played along they got to have things like actual beds, and not spending time in jail cells. You know the basics.

In the morning, I was called up to Ozpin's office because sure… why not?

Walking in, I found Ironwood already there, along with Oz and Goodwitch, but more surprisingly Torchwick and Neo. I had figured they would be shuffled off somewhere by now.

Ironwood walked over to me, "I would like you to know that… despite my reservations, I think what you three did last night was the right thing. That being said, Ozpin told me you have a plan of some kind?"

Nodding, I waved at Torchwick. "Tell us, of Mountain Glen."

He snorted from where he was leaning on his cane. "Right, why am I even surprised. So, the White Fang have a base of operations there. It's apparently why they wanted all that Dust."

Ozpin's eyes went wide, but Ironwood nodded. "The Train tunnel."

"Bingo. They plan on blowing it wide open and letting the Grimm pour in." And… I did not like the sound of that. "Without me, it's likely Cinder will be there."

"But not guaranteed." I finished. "Right, So, How I want to do this… and how you Oz will want to doing it will prove different I fear."

He stared at me for a long moment before nodded. "Let's hear it."

"Very well." I began, "I want a team of Hunters to go down the Train tunnel. I'm thinking Tai Long, Qrow if you can get him, and Jaune's parents. Feel free to beef the team up as you see fit. Meanwhile, I'll lead teams RWBY and JNPR, along with an instructor to the surface of Mountain Glen. I have a task I wish to accomplish while there and it shouldn't take long. Then we'll head down. With Ironwood here though… I would like a staggered deployment for back up from Altas. If we do this right, we can retake Mountain Glen. We can rekindle hope."

Torchwick was staring at me wide eyed, Neo flicking her eyed back and forth between us, Goodwitch was holding her riding crop in a deathgrip, Ironwood had gone pensive, but it was Ozpin who had the most drastic change. He had gone still as the grave, and was staring not into me, but through me. "James… can we do it?"

"It will hardly be as simple as Ms. Royal suggests, but I think she knows that… Yes. We can do it.gain a foothold underground? And take the walls above it? Yes, I think it's doable." Ironwood told him, still staring off into space.

"I… can't believe I'm saying this. But You know, if your going to deal with criminals, your going to need someone who knows how they think." Torchwick spoke slowly, almost uncertainty… as if he was trying to gauge the unfamiliar words. "I'll accompany the Huntersmen… and Neo can go with the kids."

Ironwood looked like he was sucking on a lemon, but he nodded. "It would be a good idea at least. Ozpin?"

"Yes… Glynda, how do you feel about taking a trip down to the east?" Ozpin asked slowly, and I watched as Goodwitch turned to him.

"Are you sure?" She asked softly, "If we fail…"

"I know, but is that reason enough to never try?" Ozpin asked in return.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

I returned to my dorm room, Neo following me. "You're worried about him, aren't you?" She nodded in agreement. "Well… I wish I had something comforting to say. But the best I can do is offer you a hug, if you want one."

Looking around the dormroom, I snorted, I barely even used this place. "Make yourself at home… Partner."

As I dropped onto my bed, I pulled out my Scroll and fired off two messages, then watched Neo as she prowled the room for a moment before making herself comfortable on the opposite bed.

Sh just stared at me for a time, the question somehow obvious in her posture… "Yes, I like girls, is that a problem?"

At my words, she looked off at one of the corners of the room for a little while before shrugging.

"Is it that you choose not to talk? Or that you can't I wonder…" I muttered as I stood up and stripped down before grabbing my armor and heading for the bathroom. The way Neo's hair went completely pink and her face lit up red was… adorable. Also probably her semblance, but still.

When I came back out, Neo was back to normal for one, and flicking through the papers on my desk for two. Homework… for all of this year, and I was getting started on what I expected I would need to do for next year. "If you want to grab a quick shower or something, please feel free, we'll need to head to the auditorium in the next… twenty minutes."

She cocked her head to the side and shrugged.

"Right, fair enough. Then we might as well head over early."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Standing through Ozpin's speech I really wanted to go to sleep… "Hey, Neo… make his hair pink." I muttered over to her quietly.

Just as he mentioned color, his hair turned pink. The students, even those from Atlas had to fight down laughter while he spoke.

As he finished and everyone moved to get their missions, I called out. "JNPR, RWBY. Gather round."

Hesitantly, they did, both teams looking confused and eyeing Neo, who had illusioned herself into a Beacon uniform with brown hair and eyes. Cute.

"So, what's going on?" Jaune asked, and… huh, his voice was far more confident than I had expected. That was a pleasant surprise.

"Sorry to ruin your plans, both of you. But we have a mission." I apologise, even as Ozpin walked up behind them, hair a lime green now.

"Yes, thank you for gathering them Ms. Royal." He agreed, "Due to the nature of the mission, you will be briefed in route, but should expect heavy numbers of Grimm… Teamwork and Persistence… and a bit of extra training have brought you far. But you must understand, the things that await you beyond the protection of the Kingdoms will not care. Good Luck."

Turning to leave, he spoke again, "Oh, and Neapolitan, please stop."

After he had left, everyone turned to face me and I shrugged. "What? Come on, we need to collect a few things."

Leading everyone to my workshop, I lead them in and through to my armory. "Simple rules. If the case is marked by black tape, don't touch it. Nora, though three parked with Pink are your's, grey is High Explosives, White is Fragmentation, and Blue is Plasma. Everyone should take on the the saber's from the middle table, and you should take two Blake."

"Whoa!" Nora vocalized as she looked over the shear pile of explosives I had. But her sentiment was shared by the others.

Moving over to a small pile of crates, I pulled off two and put them on the center table. "Ruby, Jaune. Make sure everyone gets a set. It will help. Neo, here's your's."

Neo took the watch, glasses and core unit form me and looked them over. "This is the ISAC, Intelligent System Analytical Computer. It will give us all an edge."

Neo gasped, and pointed at me. "...Yes, it's how I can see through your Semblance."

She blinked at me a few times before looking down at it then back up at me. "What! We're going into combat together and have fought together besides. If I can't trust you with this… what can I trust you with?"

"Ok, that's just creepy." Weiss muttered as she fit on her glasses. "How do you even know what she's… saying?"

With a shrug, I grumbled. "Neo's very expressive, and anyone who's spent enough time doing covert missions picks up the ability to read people."

"And how much is enough time?" Asked Yang.

Shrugging, I pulled out a Black Hole Grenade. "A decade? I mean, I've got three under by belt, and that was before all the reincarnation weirdness."

"Reincarn-whatnow?" Nora asked, popping up out of nowhere, two large leg satchels filled with grenades.

"I…" I began before stopping… huh. "Well, it might not be my Semblance, I could do it before I got Aura. But basically, when I die, I'm going to be reborn on another world somewhere… probably."

At Neo's raised eyebrow, I shrugged. "This is my third life, second time reincarnating so… yeah, who knows?"

She gave me a tight lipped frown. "Oh, don't give me that! I had a daughter! Do you have any idea what it's like waking up and deciding to spend the day with her… only to realize that… I couldn't? That she was a world away with no route to her open to me?"

Everyone was wide eyed now, and Ruby whispered, "I'm… so sorry."

Shaking my head, I sighed. "Don't… worry about it. I'm dealing. And the job comes first… it always comes first." I couldn't hide the sorrow laced into those last words.

"So um… what was she like?" Weiss asked quietly, Neo nodding to show her interest.

I… didn't want to talk about it. I didn't want to think about her and feel the hole in my heart. But at the same time, I couldn't stop myself. "Riley was… I saved her from… think of them as a band of serial killers, but realize they frequently wiped small towns… well, populaces of about five to ten thousand people out."

The silent horror everyone was putting off was understandable. "The called themselves the Slaughterhouse 9. And they were looking for recruits to fill out their numbers. And… well, I was what… eleven? Something like that… maybe fifteen? Well, I rolled into town, a friend at my back. We split up, each having out targets. I was going for the Leader, Jack Slash. He had to die, otherwise he would just rebuild. But the other target was… well, a man who could project and control a construct called the Siberian. She was… think of the fastest beowolf you can, not make it impervious to all damage and capable of ripping through anything. That was her in a nutshell."

Jaune gulped, but he was hardly the only one to show such a reaction. "I managed to kill Jack, and one other, but the Siberian… well, she took off my left arm."

The raised eyebrow form Neo said it all. 'Really, you have terrible luck with arms.'

"But, anyways, I managed to save Riley from being… indoctrinated by Jack, but her family was… dead. So, I took her in. Made her my daughter, and she made me proud. She was gifted… you could call it her Semblance if you wish. She understood the human body and could repair it, or replace what was damaged with cybernetics if needed. She could augment it… she could do so much. She saved so many lives… And I left her…"

Shaking my head, I closed my eyes for a moment, and found both Neo and Ruby hugging me? Heh… "You see, there were these people who had a gun to the head of one of the worlds heros. She was crippled because of it, unable to truly help. They would steal from her, torment her… and it was all because she was an AI. An Artificial Intelligence. I freed her, but… it was at the cost of my life. And I don't even know what happened! Did I even help in the long run?"

"I don't know about all of that." Ruby said slowly, "But if she could see you know I think she would be proud of her mother. I know I would be."

Taking a moment to get myself under control, I nodded. "Thank you, Ruby… it means a lot. And you Neo. But we have a mission to prep for."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Sitting in the Bullhead, I looked over at Goodwitch. "Shall I begin?"

"Yes."

Nodding, I looked around for a moment, leaning into Neo… it was comforting and she didn't seem to mind.

I dropped two holo projectors and waited. It didn't take long to them both the activate. When they did, an Atlas Huntsman appeared. He looked around for a moment before nodding. "Ms. Royal. I'm told you will be handling the briefing?"

"Yes?" I replied, leading him to tell us his name.

"Ah, apologies. I'm Specialist Flint." He replied with a nod.

"Very good. Now, I'm sorry, but this is also a bit of a class as you can see?" I offered and at his nod I continued. "What do you all know about Mountain Glen?"

"It was Vales first and only major attempt at expanding… it failed." Jaune replied, surprising us all. Huh, ok.

Nodding, flicked my wrist bringing up a symbol. "And this?"

There was silence for a moment before Weiss spoke. "Merlot Industries, a defunct company."

Nodding, I sighed. "Well, here's where things get… pardon me but Grim. From what I can dredge up. Merlot Industries funded much of the construction of Mountain Glen. But it was far from altruistic." Another flick of my wrist. "I do hope it's coming through Specialist?"

"Yes… this is…" He began only to go still. "I am required to pass this up the chain of command Ma'am."

With a nod I continued. "Just so long as we aren't calling this off. Now, Merlot Industries was doing experiments on the Grimm. Making them more powerful. That is why Mountain Glen failed. Grimm kept under the city, Grimm, calling more Grimm."

Goodwitch's face had taken on a dark and stormy countenance, and it was mirrored on everyone. "I can't say if we will run into any of their experiments… but, well. We know why Mountain Glen failed. It won't happen again."

"No, it won't." Came Ironwoods voice. "I'm not changing the parameters of the mission, but collecting data on Merlot Industries is now a secondary objective. I'll try and find more backup."

Nodding, I sighed. "Right, so, Our objectives are as follows."

With a flick on my wrist, I pulled up a map of Mountain Glen. "Team JNPR will be dropped her and will deploy Spike Alpha 1 and 2. Ruby will deploy here and get Beta 1 and 2 up and running. Goodwitch… Neo and myself will handle Charle 1 and 2. Flintn, you have everything?"

"Yes, we'll deploy Delta through Lema. Most of these points will make good Firebasses too. As for Prime. We'll set up the basecamp there." He agreed. Already turning what he had been pre-briefed on into actionable plans.

"Good, remember though, Seismic scans. The ground there isn't all that stable. We'll me meeting up here, and heading down into the tunnels. Our objective is the Metro system. If everything goes to plan, we'll meet up with a group of Hunters as we come into contact with the White Fang." I outlined, than asked, "Anything else Flint? Ironwood?"

"We'll have a few squads following you down. But don't wait for us. We'll be busy solidifying our hold." Flint replied.

Ironwood was silent for a long moment before he spoke. "I can't help but feel we're missing something. Don't let your guard down."

And the briefing ended.

"So…" Lie Ren asked, "Do you think we can actually do this?"

Thinking for a moment I nodded. "It's basic first contact. Assault Recon. The real work will be done my other's but what we manage could make or break the endeavour. Goodwitch?"

"You're all skilled fighters, trust your instincts, and listen to me… or Lilith. We both have more experience, and she may have more than me in this particular field." Goodwitch stated, before taking on a serious countenance. "This isn't a game. We are outside the kingdoms. Move fast, move silently."

Nodding, I sighed. "Trust your instincts above all else. JNPR, your up."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

As the Spikes were deployed, small pillars with a plethora of sensors and other data collecting systems built into them, the state of the Mountain Glen slowly took form.

Grimm, more than I had hoped, but less than I had feared.

"This is… unexpected. But the mapping of the tunnels seems to be working well enough." Goodwitch said as she looked around the ground. Obviously using the ISAC I had given her. "This is… how you see the world?"

Nodding, I looked around. Team RWBY was held up by Grimm ir seemed, but JNPR was fast approaching. "Yeah, it takes some getting used to. But it's… really useful."

Adjusting her glasses, Goodwitch nodded, even as Neo looked around, keeping an eye on our suroundings

Pulling a large puch from my belt, I held it out to Goodwitch. "When we get into the caves, nail them in the ceiling, every fifty yards or so." She took it and looked inside before raising an eyebrow. "Relays. They're link us to the surface if we run into interference."

"Right… you really have been doing this for far to long, haven't you?" She asked quietly. She knew what I had told Ozpin, which hadn't been anything specific, but enough for him to get a grasp of what I could do.

"Almost Thirty odd years before all the weirdness, yeah. We were called Ghost Recon, the best of the best… though I always seemed to be given the missions that would turn noise for one reason or another." I conceded. Then sighed. "I don't care if you want to let the White Fang people live, I can deal with that… but we need to be on the same page about Cinder."

Goodwitch's eyes turned hard. "I may not like it, but I will not let her get away. If that means she dies, so be it. As you said, some people just have to be deal with. Regret for it can come afterwards."

Nodding, I sighed. "I'm sorry for dragging you… everyone into this."

Neo looked to me, giving me a small smile. But Goodwitch closed her eyes, and rubbed them. "I… thank you for the sentiment. But it would have happened eventually."

"Hey, so?" Jaune called over making me cringe. He actually cringed from the looks Goodwitch and Neo gave him. Then he whispered, "Sorry!"

When they finally reached us, Pyrrha asked, "The others?"

"A minute out… Pyrrha, I'm sorry to say this, but your the most likely to end up in the situation. If you have to fight Cinder, keep in mind, she has to die. We can't risk letting her live." I told her planely, the rest of Team JNPR going wide eyed, "That goes for all of you though."

"R… right. Right." Jaune agreed, hardening his resolve.

"I… ok." Pyrrha was far more subdued about it, and I watched Ren and Nora's hands slip together.

Team RWBY arrived not to long after, a little doggo following along. I had remembered something about a dog, but… well, sure? "Ruby, did you bring a dog to a cover operation?"

"Maybe…" Ruby weedled.

Shaking my head, I crouched down, "Come here boy."

He, of course, came bounding over with much energy. "Hey boy, I need you to be extra quiet. You see, we're trying to sneak up on some very bad people. Can you do that?"

It was a long shot, but to my surprise he barked once, then went quiet. Wow… "Alright, you have point in the tunnels."

Things got weirder when after showing the dog, Zwei, a map of the tunnels, he was able to lead us around several packs of Grimm and to the Metro tunnels. He even killed a Grimm that was in the way… with a headbutt! I mean, really!

Taking up position in one of the underground buildings overlooking the Metro line, I sent out a scout drone. "Alright everyone, if we can we'll wait until the other team arrives, but I'm unsure if we will be able to… and that's a lot of Dust."

"It appears there are far more White Fang down there than projected. Will you still be able to handle it?" Flint asked, probably looking at my recon feeds.

Thinking on it, I hummed, "Yeah… JNPR. You're job is to secure the Dust that isn't yet loaded on the Train. RWBY, general melee. Goodwitch, I trust you will be able to tell where you are needed."

"Alright." Yeah!" "Of course." Were the respective answers.

"Good, Neo and I will try and corner Cinder. The other team is…" I began before sighing, "But I doubt we can beat her… well, without cheating which I wholeheartedly intent to do. Realistically though, we need to keep her from slipping away until the big guns get here. No offense Goodwitch."

At Goodwitch's nod of understanding, she was only a single big gun after all, I continued. "This is all, of course, assuming we have to act sooner than planned."

We had time to eat, but the Hunter team came into range before anyone got to bed down for a rotation of rest.

"Hey kids, We're in position." Came Torchwicks voice.

Neo perked up at that, but remained silent… well, I'll just pretend I didn't just say that. "Good, Syncing systems now… and done. Targets have been assigned priority by ISAC and Atlas command. It's time to move in."

"Is this Lilith?" Came a female voice I didn't know.

"Yes." I replied. This must be Isabella Jaune's mother.

"If you get my little boy hurt with this." She threatened me and… huh, that's what it feels like.

"Mooommm!" Jaune groaned over the channel. Poor kid.

"Mrs. Arc. There's nothing to fear, Jaune's come a very long way. You should be proud of him." I replied calmly.

"Oh, he's said. I can wait to meet Ms. Nikos." Isabella confirmed.

Pyrrha's face went bright red, but I derailed anything else. "Right, party time. Try not to destroy the train, it's too useful as is. But we need to secure it and do a sweep for bomb's. I know Torchwick will be able to disarm them, but anyone else?"

"Yeah, I know a thing or two." Came the voice of someone I didn't know… big surprise.

"Alright, we have a plan, Neapolitan and myself will do what we can of hold Cinder in one place while everyone else handles things. Let's get to it."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Neo followed me as I led her away, then slipped into the shadow. It was a few minutes before things started in earnest, everyone repositioning and taking down White Fang mooks silently.

When things did kick off, it was with a resounding bang and I can't say I was surprised. But then Hunters I guess.

From there it was another long few minutes before Cinder showed herself. I had started to think she wasn't there. Instead, she appeared, attacking Torchwick, which was perfect. He was being pushed hard on his own, sure, but getting up behind her was easy. "Neo, flank right. When I draw her attention, come down like a hammer."

Setting up and cranking the accelerator to max on Inari, I waited. Then, just as Torchwick was looking like he would crumple under the pressure, I caressed the trigger. The screaming retort of Inari was like thunder, loud and echoing, but it was a full three seconds behind the first burst of rounds.

And yet… somehow the bitch sensed them coming, spinning around just in time to dodge the burst that would have slammed into her back. Torchwick being the savvy bastard that he was used the chance to break off with a tip of his hat.

The second burst went for one of her knees, forcing her into Neo's attack. And let me be clear, Neapolitan uses an umbrella. This is in fact a mercy as the Plasma saber came slicing down, it cleaved through the blade Cinder raised in an attempt to block it.

In fact, the only reason the bitch survived was because she was half the Fall Maiden or something. She reached out, power gathering in her hand and stopped the blade from cutting her open.

She was, of course, gifted a gut wound for her efforts. A burst of rounds taking a chunk out of her that left her breathing hard… and very angry.

I watched as fire seared the wound shut, and promptly shot her again. Unfortunately for me, this time she blocked it, a flickering barrier of flames. Neo was wise enough to back off, after all Cinder was starting to do things no one had expected.

"You bitch! I will flay you alive for that!" And wasn't that worrying. Cinder's voice was getting creepy… some kind of dual tones…

In response I emptied the clip into her before dropping Inari and rushing forward. "Then come and get me Soggy Drop!"

Finally, I could feel my Aura flowing like it should… and it was only after I stopped trying to control it. There was a kind of irony in there somewhere. Dawn came flowing out, and I promptly slashed through a sheet of fire. "What Soggy, having performance issues?"

Growling at my taunt, she drew forth a new pair of obsidian blades, rushing to meet me with a roar. It would be cute if it wasn't so sad.

I had spent eighteen years on this world out of sync, not properly fighting… living. But suddenly everything was falling into place.

Dawn came up, blocking one of her swords and I struck out with my left fist, ignoring the other. The blow was enough to send Cinder flying back with a sickening crunch, and she was bleeding from the nose when she stood next.

Yet, it didn't deter her, instead she Rushed in again… and dropped her blade, rolling under my strike and running to the train. What she did next… terrified me if I'm honest. She pulled in a train cars worth of dust and laughing turned back to me. "You think you're so great! You brought all these people here, but you won't succeed, you can't beat me!"

I didn't pay attention to the power she brought to bare on me then, instead I pulled a Black Hole grenade and pulled the pin. Except… I didn't throw it. Inseat I started crunching numbers, using my Klein's Shield to contain and direct it.

And before the all hungry might of a black hole… what's a little dust?

Her eyes grew wider and wider as I rushed forward, black hole hungrily leading the way… but she had an attack of good sense and turned. She was running, and she even managed to escape… mostly.

Using the rest of the Dust she had at her disposal, Cinder managed to boost her speed enough to get away, but she lost her left arm in the doing. For once the Darkness has grabbed hold, there is little you can do.

"All Points! All Points! Cinder Fall has managed to disengage. She is injured, but assume she is hyper lethal. Again, assume hyper lethal." I called out over the comms as I rushed to follow her… but it was too late and Grimm were starting to poor into the Metro tunnel.

{304% Capacity; Immediate discharge required.}

"Well Foxy," Torchwick drawled, walking un behind me, the place a small crater. "I'm terrified. First the ex goes and harnesses more Dust than I thought was humanly possible… then you go and… do that."

Looking around, I frowned, then nodded. "Yeah, Black Holes are mean sons of bitches."

Taking off running, a target in my sights, I grinned, I had always wanted to see what red line capacity would do to something. Lucky me! There was some weird eight headed King Taijitu.

Slamming my left first into it, I left all of that energy discharge and it was… messy. But a glorious mess. It was good to be free.

 

[Kerashana]

We ended up being pushed halfway down the tunnel, but we managed to get the train running before it had to be left behind. The shear number of Grimm was staggering, but not overwhelming.

Even so, we had to switch out with Team CFVY and several teachers from Beacon…

Looking at Ironwood, I nodded. "So, how bad off are we?"

He gave me a hard look before looking over the others, "Probably better than you fear. Several teams worth of Huntsmen are coming out of retirement to help with this mess, and the surface of Mountain Glen is firmly under our control. We simply need to finish cleaning it out."

Nodding slowly, I frowned before sighing. "She'll be back. She knows… what's in the basement. At least to some degree."

That got a round of questioning murmurs, but I waved it off, a gesture that was mimicked by Ironwood at the exact same time. Along with him saying. "It's classified, but we'll be dealing with it."

With a sigh, Goodwitch turned to me and asked, "How did you control that… Black Hole?"

I couldn't help but shrug. "The Klein's Shield is capable of negating gravitational anomalies. So, with the application of the right equations, and perpetually adjusting them for variables, you can use them to contain and direct a Black Hole. For a time at least."

"And if you had missed a variable?" Marcus, Jaune's Dad, asked.

I couldn't help but quietly laugh. "There wouldn't have been enough of me to create a smear on the ground. Let alone burry."

Neo gave me a wide eyed look.

"What, you saw what she was doing. Something had to be done." My reply didn't see to make her very happy.

Glancing over to where the others were passed out, I smirked. "Kids don't know how to handle combat crash yet… I wish I could say they never would."

Everyone else looked to them and hummed in agreement. But it was Torchwick who spoke. "To the next generation… heh. Red and Ice Queen make a cute couple."

It was true. Ren was leaning back against a crate, nora laying her head in his lap. Yang was laid out on the floor Zwei next to her, Blake not quite sleeping on a pile of crates, Jaune and Pyrrha were sleeping back to back, but… Ruby and Weiss were leaning against the same crate, clothes ragged, like everyone, and leaning against each other, quietly sleeping.

"It is cute. But more importantly, they did well. No major injuries on our end, just Aura gurn and running out of Dust rounds." I agreed, Goodwitch adding, "They'll be receiving extra credit for this. But I think your evening training is going to become mandatory to some degree."

Shaking my head, I shrugged. "Maybe. This weekend I'm going to be practicing Aura dragging if you want to give it a try. I find it has boosted my endurance capacity, if not spike power."

"Hmm?" Tai Long vocalized.

"Basically, you run on nothing but aura for a length of time. I generally do a weekend to keep the expected backlash down to manageable degrees, but it forces the body to be more efficient with Aura, and such. No food, no sleep, a set amount of water, and a continual stream of light exercise." I explained only to get a wide eyed look from everyone, even the usually unflappable Goodwitch and Ironwood. "What? It works, I could keep fighting at this pace for another day or two if I needed to. Again, backlash will put me down for a time, but…"

"Well Foxy, you just reached number three on my down fuck with list." Torchwick muttered, with Neo rapidly nodding along.

Again, I shrugged, "I may not be the most powerful, but I find that endurance speaks for itself."

"Were and when?" It was surprisingly not Ironwood or even Tai Long who asked, but Isabella.

Shrugging, I replied, "In front of Beacon library, five in the morning, no stimulants, at all."

I got a few reproving looks, but Goodwitch spoke. "Matches start week after next, try not to burn out the contestants."

Waving my hand in front of me I smiled, "Wouldn't dream of it. Now, what's the plan? You going to pull out the first years? Send up back to Beacon with a pat on the back?"

"Yes," Ironwood replied. "You have done well, and your plan worked… for the most part. But this is work for those more experienced."

"And Torchwick? Neo?" I pressed.

"Ah, Foxy! You do care!"Torchwick mocked, "Don't worry about me. As for Neo, I struck a deal. She gets to become a Huntress." Neo, wide eyed, stumbled back a step, working her mouth. "Come on, Neo. You know their are better ways to live. Besides, Foxy will be looking after you. Isn't that right Ironwood?"

The General frowned, but nodded. "Ozpin has agreed to accept your 'Transfer' into Beacon, and is partnering you up with Ms. Royal."

Torchwick smiled, "Don't worry Neo, we'll see each other from time to time. But Ironwood here feels he can make use of a criminal, and let's be fair. Whatever Cinder and her bitch of a master have planed isn't going to go through legitimate channels."

Snorting, I nodded. "True enough…" Turning to Neo, I smiled softly. "You ready to head back to Beacon? Or do you want a moment with Torchwick?"

Neo frowned, before pulling out her scroll and tapping at it with the furious speak only those who have mastered the art of texting can.

Shrugging, I wandered over to where everyone was and started waking them up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Stance shoulder width apart, left foot forward horizontal sweep, trail right foot just behind blade. Swirl tip of blade at end of strike to redirect momentum, bring up in a quick diagonal strike, half step forward with left foot.

Slide right foot back to just behind left, use weight to bring down the blade in vertical hammer strike.

My eyes widened at the barest hint of sound, and I found myself falling into a crouch, stunning and bringing Dawn up in a rising strik- Putting everything I had behind stopping my sword, I found it a hair's breadth from Ruby's neck.

Eyes wide and skin pale, Ruby gulped, even as I sheathed my sword. "Sorry, you startled me."

"I… ah… hehe… sorry. Um, We're having a movie night and…" Ruby asked hesitantly.

Turning, I looked out and up at the Moon. It was a painful thing to see… but it was also a reminder. "Yeah, I'd like that. Let em get cleaned up and find Neo."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

The Weekend had finally hit, and everyone was here… and I couldn't help my malicious grin. "So, there are no breaks on a Drag. No allowances, no pity, no remorse. That all comes at the end. When we get to beng on ice cream, cookies, and pizza."

What followed was easy. Thirty minutes of light workout, then ten minutes of rest. Again, and again. It didn't take long before people started to feel the strain, it didn't take long from there for the bitching and moaning to set in.

Of course, the training only got worse. Less time to rest, longer sets. Blake was the first to fall out, truly unable to keep going. Neo wasn't long after. It didn't take long until it was just me and the adults, and they pushed through like champs, making it to the last few hours before they started collapsing.

When all was said and done, I was still standing by shear dent of practice, and Ironwood was panting heavily where he was sitting. "That… *pant* was *pant* singularly unpleasant."

Nodding, I helped him up and we helped those who were still around to the infirmary where we would be looked over before heading to a common area to eat, sleep and all around recover. I didn't expect the adults to stick around longer than it took to get food.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Sitting in the stands, I watched as RWBY fought ABRN. It was the opening match, and it would be a tough act to follow. No one of team RWBY was particularly more skilled that ABRN. That said, I would see where their physical attributes were giving them a slight but noticeable edge. It was by no means earth shattering, or even a large advantage, but it was something that could be marked.

No, the biggest advantage wasn't something making them stronger. It wasn't something giving them some great edge. It was simply combat experience. Against hordes of Grimm, yes, but also against people. It was no more evident than in how Ruby was handling her opponent.

Of course, they were also all handicapped. I refused to allow them to wear the Armor I had given them into these matches. It would skew things far too much.

Even with that though, they were doing well enough.

Then came the final stretch and I couldn't help but cringe in sympathy. Watching three people get punched hard enough to drain their Auras, and leave visible ripples in the air was… a thing I guess. Something that I would assume experiencing would hurt.

Getting up, I stretched before heading out. The fairgrounds should be open by now, and I could go with some food… though, that wire Arslan was using looked like it could be useful… hmm.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Sitting at a noodle stall, I pretended to mess with my Scroll while I designed a prototype… hook shot. It was… interesting, but looking at it, I wasn't sure if it would ever get used. After all, I was already working on a jump assist system. The Prototype of which had gone into creating the Burst system that was in Ruby's armor. Just a nudge ina direction allowing her to maneuver in mid air. With her Semblance it allowed her to dodge out of the way of an attack without losing her forward momentum.

Looking up, I watched Team RWBY sit down, and nodded. "Good match. Could have done better, but could have done a whole lot worse."

"Thanks!" Ruby replied with a wide grin. "Yang and Weiss are-"

She was cut off by the sound of a throwing knife… credit card sticking into the counter, along with a clearing of a throat and the beeping of a card declined.

"What! How can my card be declined!" Weiss bemoaned before slouching. "I was barely into my monthly allowance."

I flicked through my Scroll real quick before snorting. Then I pulled out my card and offered it up. "Here."

The stall owner took it and ran the charge before handing it back.

"Thank you, but you didn't need to." Ruby offered with a smile, even as they all started in on their food.

I watched as Team JNPR made their way closer, but ignored them. "It's fine, I put you all through hell enough. Besides, Weiss' father is an asshole and froze all her assets."

"What!" Weiss asked, eyes wide, food suddenly forgotten.

"Yeah, here." I confirmed as I tossed over my Scroll.

It was more than just frozen assets. For one she was being disowned… among other things.

"This… what? Why?" Weiss muttered, worried looks from her team, but none more than Ruby. "Weiss?"

Waving her off, I replied, "It's because of… several things. I would assume your relationship with Little Red has gotten back to him." They both turned bright red, but Weiss took it further with a look of horror. "But I would also assume it's because of the fame you're accruing. He has to rein you in now while he still has power over you, or you'll pass beyond his reach. Though, he could actually be disowning you. But that will end up being… severly unwise on his part. Of that you have my assurances."

"But… how… no, doesn't matter. He wouldn't… couldn't… what will I do?" Weiss asked, numb and afraid.

"We'll figure out something Weiss. I promace." Ruby immediately replied and I nodded.

"Too true Ruby." I agreed. "And as it so happens. Royal R&D is looking for a capable CEO. What do you say Weiss? Want a job?"

"A what now?" Jaune asked as his team sat down.

"A job." I replied. The, turning to them, I smiled. "So, JNPR, looking forward to your fight? I do hope you put on a good showing."

As Pyrrha spoke, I tapped my card meaningfully, the owner nodding as taking it again. "Of course, I have to admit, Team RWBY set a high bar, but we can handle it."

Several minutes later, everyone was finished eating and the PA crackled. "Would Team JNPR report to the stadium."

Snorting, I got up and started for my workshop. "Good Luck JNPR."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Coming out of my Workshop in my armor and with Dawn, I smirked. I remembered this part. Or some of it at least. Something something, Tsun Tsun Qrow and Winter. This was solting I was going to have fun with.

I found Winter just getting off her ship, and made sure to follow her. My armor finally to the point I had it in resplendent colors. White with golden trim. It even had a nice hood that shadowed my face, and I had done lipstick like Kasumi from Mass Effect, only in metallic gold.

My wagging tail may have spoiled the image a bit but… I didn't care!

Then Weiss appeared, and I watched her and Ruby interact with Winter. It was adorable to watch Weiss attempt to remain calm and composed as she introduced her girlfriend to her sister. It was… not the trainwreck I was expecting, but that was fine. I wasn't here for this part…

Following behind them, and Winter prattled on about inspecting Weiss' quarters to insure they were 'up to her standards', I watched Qrow stumble past me. The fun was about to begin.

"Saw that gaudy ship of your's in town. Guess your here too." Qrow said, and I was surprised how not slurped it was. I mean, he was even steady on his feet, but ISAC was showing a level of toxicity that was not… small.

"I'm standing right before you." Winter said, even as I moved to the side, circling around them… and I was disappointed either paid any attention to someone as out of place as me. Of course, then I noticed Neo hiding in the crowd. She… wasn't over Torchwick sending her off to beacon. But she was getting better.

I gave her a small nod. Really, it was like she was telepathic or something.

Qrow leaned forward a moment then replied, "So it would seem."

"You realize you just destroyed Atlas Military Property." Winter stated, obviously looking for something to keep the conversation going… and somehow choosing the worst possible thing! Oh, oh man! She hadn't been lying three years ago!

"Oh, oh I'm sorry. See, I mistook this for some sort of sentient garbage." Qrow replied, choosing just the right things to get Winter angry.

"I don't have time for your immature games, Qrow." Winter bit out, even as she moved towards him.

You know… I could see what she saw in him. He was handsome, roguishly so. Good body… huh. What? Don't look at me like that! It's called being Bi-Sexual!

Neo was still cuter.

I let things play out for a bit, I needed them to come to blows for this anyways. But I tapped out a message to Neo, asking her to record this.

Pushing back his hair, Qrow glibly spoke. "Alright then come take it."

There was a moment's pause, then Winter was rocketing off at him.

I watched as Qrow ducked and weaved out of her attacks, then he drew his sword and they started trading blows.

Just as Winter hit Qrow in the face, I moved. Slipping in between them, I grabbed his sword… scythe… thing, with one hand, and blocked Winters blade with Dawn. "Now, now you two. Wouldn't it be best to put this 'Tsun Tsun' stuff aside and simply get a room."

Both Qrow and Winter hopped back, putting some room between us.

"Who are you?" Qrow grumbled, his smile slipping. Meanwhile, Winter glared at me and demanded. Well, who are you?"

Reaching back, I pulled my hood off, letting it hang off my armor. "I'm hurt Winter. You would just forget me like that? After you baired your soul to me during that thing in Minstrel three years ago?"

Winter went white, then red, then back to white. "Lilith?"

Nodding, I smiled, "Why yes Winter. And Qrow, is this any way to treat the sister of your nieces girlfriend?"

"Wait… what?" Qrow mumbled, eyes wide.

Something must have clicked, because Winter was rocketing towards me as I opened my mouth, "Oh, yes. And it's better-" I blocked with Dawn, letting my Klein's Shield absorb most of the attack. "Besides, Winter here had had the biggest crush on you for years no-"

{4% Capacity}

And I found myself flung backwards by Ice.

"Wait… what?" Three mouths asked at the same time.

I landed, fixing my gaze on Winter and she tried to stammer a denial… for such a confident and strict person, she sure knew how to go to pieces. "Oh, sure. Not that I blame her. Have you seen him? The best description I can think of is Roguish prince! I'm happy with what I have, and even I'm tempted to try for a round with him."

I made sure to wink at Neo as I spoke. We weren't in a relationship that I knew of, but I did want one with her. Though… her raised eyebrow was marred by the light dusting of red on her face.

There was more silence, then finally…

"Well now, it's always something new and exciting with you Ms. Royal." Ironwood spoke, looking over the scene. "Though, I must thank you for stopping this before it escalated to destroyed property."

"I must agree." Ozpin spoke as he walked up, looking around. "I suppose we should have a little chat."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

What? No, he hadn't been talking to me, and I found myself sitting in my workshop laughed with Neo as we watched the footage, now uploaded to Dustsight… basically Youtube. It was getting tons of hits, and I made sure to end it with Ironwood.

"Neo…" I asked… I wasn't really one for beating around the bush… heh, but I didn't really want to leave things just floating like this anymore. Of course, that didn't mean I had any idea how to… ask? "You know I like you, right Neo?"

She silently rolled her eyes, cheeks dusting red with a blush.

Rolling my eyes in return, I sighed. "Of course, you do. Of course… would you like to go out for dinner?"

A coy smirk slid into place on Neo's face, and she nodded, even as her blush got just a bit darker.

I couldn't help but snort. "I'm… what pretty much a hundred and… I still have zero shits of a clue when it comes to relationships? That's just sad."

Smirking at Neo's raised eyebrow, I elaborated. "Fifty years in my first life. Twenty in my second, and coming up on twenty in this one. So, ninty I guess… Wow Neo, seems you like them old."

My final comment won a giggle out of Neo, and a shrug.

We didn't do anything grand for our first date, I took her to a small restaurant in Vale, and we ate. There wasn't much talking, for obvious reasons, but it didn't bother me as much as you might expect.

We had fun, the food was good, the company better, and everything seemed right in the world. It's funny, I was finally starting to feel at home here.

As we left the restaurant, I looked up at the sky and sighed. It wasn't the home I remembered, but it was-

Eyes wide, I looked down at the stabbing pain in my chest. Something was… was that a scorpion's tail?

Turning to Neo, even as I felt the tail yanked out of me, I smiled as best I could. "I'm sorry."

And death once more swept me away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

My name is Lilith Royal, founder of Royal R&D. If you are watching this, people of Remnant, then I am dead. However, fear not my passing. Mourn naught for me, but for those I left behind.

They are many and varied. Good people, everyone of them, capable of wondrous things. But I leave to you something far more important.

By now, the Kingdoms have received my parting gifts. Knowledge of Ancient Wonders long lost to this world of whispers and remnants. Miracles from an age before the Grimm. A Golden Age framed in hopes and dreams.

I can not hope to know what awaits you all in the days, years, centuries to come. But know that I have given my all to smooth the road. But remember, even before the Grimm. There have always been monsters hiding in the Dark places. And it is your duty as the torch bearers to go forth and bring light until no such places remain.

Fear, despair. These was simple things, but things you must learn to overcome. But you have weapons for such a task. Courage, hope, and should those one day fade and die… there will ever be Love. For nothing else is so mighty as the bonds that tie us together.

If you're seeing this Neo… I'm sorry. I'm gone. But one day we may yet meet once more. I hope on that day you can find it in yourself to forgive me.

Major Lilith Royal, Ghost Recon Specialist.

Signing off. May God Speed you on your path, for I no longer can.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Weiss held Ruby close, even as she cried over the announcement they had just watched, broadcast across all the Kingdoms. It had hit her harder than she had ever though it could. It had hit them all harder.

One of their friends was dead. Could she lose Ruby?

Just the thought was a gut punch… but whoever was responsible for this was going to pay.

There was a knock on the door to their room and after a moment of no one answering it opened to show Ozpin. A pained expression on his face, but he focused on her. "Ms. Schnee. I'm afraid we need to talk, but if you prefer it can be here."

Weiss looked down at Ruby, and then back at Ozpin before nodding. "Whatever you have to say, my Team can hear."

"As you wish." Ozpin nodded. "Ms. Royal was an exceptional individual. As I'm sure you all know. But she showed a foresight that may prove better than even my own. She has left instructions that her company should fall to you if she were to die. It is to be held in trust by myself until you either successfully file for emancipation, or reach the age of majority."

Weiss started at Ozpin, holding Ruby close even as her jaw fell open.

 

[Kerashana]

Looking over the blade I nodded slowly. Platinum, Nickel, Pure Ferros Iron, Silver, and Ezo Alloyed into a White-Silver allow with just the barest hint of blue. It used everything I had learned from Ruby while we had built Dawn… and as appropriate I had named the blade Solstice.

The hollow helix reinforced center was once again filled with a Kinetic amplifier, and it was still a hand and a half, wide blade, sword.

I will admit, I was surprise about ending up here. Elysium… Mass Effect. As soon as I had regained my memories I had set about writing down, in hard copy, everything I could remember about Mass Effect. It… was more than I had expected. I mean… wow.

But the most important piece… for me at least, was the Tempest and the ODSY Drive. The first I was doing my best to rebuild from vague memories and with vastly superior tech, a task that was going rather well. The second I had figured out after a week of research. Now I just needed to find the right person to give it to.

Now, on to other things!

I was reborn a guy! Finally! I couldn't help the laughter that escaped my lips. Melicious and dark, it was still good to let out.

Gripping Solstice, I gave it a swing, and it felt so good to have a sword again. I, of course, had several, all for training, but they just didn't compete with a real work sword.

Then the sirens started going off.

Eyes wide, I cursed. I had a sword, but all I had for weapons was an M-7 Lancer. A weapon it had taken a bit of effort to refurbish. Except the gun was still being refurbished! Well, retooled for high caliber rounds. My other projects hadn't even been started yet!

It left me in a tight spot, but maybe it was nothing? Just a natural disaster?

Activating my Omni-Tool, I looked at the emergency bulletin and cursed. Batarians. This was the Skyllian Blitz.

I will be completely honest, I hesitated. I froze up unsure what to do. The knowledge that I would act was something that went unquestioned. But how? I had not armor, it was among the things I still needed to build. I had a sword… and I had…

Nodding decisively, I knelt, bringing Solstice down before me… and prayed. Not to some meaningless god. No higher power… it went something like this. "For it is in passing that I have achieve immortality, through this I have become a paragon of virtue and glory."

I could feel it, my soul thrummed, and the world draw in a stuttering breath. Waiting for something significant to happen. "Infinite in distance and unbound by death. I continue forward, even as my heart bleeds for those I have left in my wake."

I could feel it, my soul, rippling… writhing in anticipation. "But ever will I move forward, and by my sacrifices, protect them."

As the last word left me, there was a sonorous tolling, as if a great bell was struck. I could not hear it, but it was most certainly felt, and my Soul awoke.

As the white cerulean light burst forth, I felt my skin crawl, my body was wrong, it did not fit my soul- Standing, I glared at the door and made my way out, only stopping to grab a coat.

My blade was untested, my skills dull, but not rusted, my soul yet weak and flickering as a freshly lit candle. But I was a soldier, I was a Ghost, I was a Huntress and I would not let such things stop me.

I watched as people poured past me, fleeing for shelters, and I glared. The sounds of gunfire was drawing closer.

So, I set out, preparing as best I could for an Aura drag. Nothing less than my all could be allowed, nothing less that my best could be acceptable.

I turned a corner and found a squad of Alliance Marines fighting for all they were worth to push back the Batarians. Four against twenty.

My words echoed back to me. "I have become a paragon of virtue and glory."

With a sharp nod, I took off running. A sword? Against Mass Effect weapons? It was madness… right?

My dash was fast, fast enough I must have appeared a blur. My first strike cleaved though a Batarian slaver, and his cover besides. I continued moving, pushing my advantage for all it was worth.

Three steps and a thrust saw the end of another slaver, ripping out my sword, I grabbed a grenade and tossed it into a cluster of them. Then turned and moved towards another cluster.

"Kill the Human!" One of the Batarians roared from the back of the group, and even as I killed the small cluster to the sound of an explosion in the other, other groupings of slaver's were turning towards me and opening fire.

Spiking my draw on my Aura, I burst through the slavers to their back line and started killing, the asshole who had spoken the first to die. "Stand and fight! Soldiers of the System's Alliance! Today is a black day, but even in the darkest times, Hope may be kindled!"

My voice boomed out, echoing for miles with a deeper base than the guns being fired. There was precious little I could do on the large scale, I wasn't ready for this! But… I was a Hunter. A bringer of that most precious of things, hope.

"This is Commander Kathryn Hunter to all Alliance Forces, Hold fast, the third fleet is inbound and will arrive in thirty eight hours." My mother spoke over secure Alliance comms… good she's safe… for now.

As the last slaver fell, dead, I turned and headed off, ignoring the calls for those behind me… and even as I moved, seeking more of our foe, I could feel the changes slowly setting in. I had to tighten my belt as my waist thinned, my frame cracking and changing… and other things… it was never fast, but definitely notable.

By the third hour, I had to abandon my shoes, by the tenth, I needed new pants and underwear, biker shorts filling that need with minimal effort or time taken, by the thirtieth, I had fox ears insead of human ones, and two fox tails.

Slipping into one of the Slaver ships, I made my way to the bridge and, after slaughtering the two slavers there, locked down the ships systems. From there, it was simply the methodical slaughter of the scum on board before calling it in as secure.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Hour thirty four, two hours till the cavalry arrived… and the Batarians had pulled out. I was in the Alliance's main firebase, breathing heavily and still dragging, because as soon as I stopped I would be useless for days.

"So… ah, Ma'am. When you collapse you will be in a coma like state for three days? We should treat you like any other coma patient till you awake?" One of the Medics asked as I stuffed my face with as much nutrients dense food as I could.

"Basically, I'm holding on because people will want to debrief me, but you'll want to… triple the nutrient intake. My body will be burning through it all to stabilize then return to normal." I agreed.

"Right and this is… ah, what again?" The Medic asked hesitantly.

"Aura Drag. But that will end up classified for a while I'm guessing. Just put it down as extreme fatigue, it's not wrong." I reassured him.

He went to open his mouth, but someone speaking cut him short. "That will be all Thompson." Turning he grumbled, but saluted Mom before walking off. "Alright, now who and what are you?"

Smirking, I spoke. "When I was six, you asked me what I thought about space, I told you. 'There is more in heaven and on earth. Than dreamt of in any philosophy.' When I was eight I made a model of the Hubble Space Telescope for you. And Dad lost his favorite jacket. Except you accidentally spilled something on it and threw it away so he wouldn't find out."

Thank you, Master Stranger Protocols!

Mom blinked, several times before slowly, hesitantly, speaking. "Jake… young lady. You have a lot of explaining to do. I know we give you a lot of freedom, but you should have told us before getting such an extremely radical surgery."

Smirking I shook my head. "Yeah, not surgery. To answer your other question, I'm a Fox Faunas. It's… complicated. But I tend to reincarnate."

Now I had Mom's attention. "A what now?"

"Yeah, it's why I'm a-" I made air quotes, "'geanius', you would be too if you were suddenly a five year old."

She eyed me for a long moment before sighing. "And it all makes sense. Alright, lets go over what happened and how… that happened to you."

Nodding, I downed a bottle of water. "Sure, but I can only do this once. I've been pushing it already and after this I'm going to be out and gone for several days."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

When I finally woke up, my body ached. It was a bone deep pain one gets from pushing far past their limit. I just lay there for a time, feeling my Aura slowly pooling and refilling. It was too soon to use it, I would only end up leaving myself in more pain, but just feeling it was calming… and nice. Sadly, I was not allowed to rest for long as my stomach grumbled.

Sitting up, slowly, I hit the call button and waited for a nurse to make their was to my room. It didn't take long, and I was happy to note they had brought food.

As I sat there, they checked me over before even letting me eat, but once that was done… mm, food. And it wasn't even hospital food! No, it was worse. This was military food. Designed to be dense in nutrients and filling. But nothing else. Food for Biotics.

As I ate, my mother entered and sat down next to the bed. She didn't speak, letting me eat, but I couldn't help but feel something was up. Finally, as I finished the food, she spoke. "Well, I've take care of updating your records, Congratulations, Inari Hunter."

I sat there for a long moment before letting out a chuff of amusement. "Inari, Goddess of Foxes… among other things. Sure, why not? Can't be any worse that Lilith Royal."

"I see your point…" Mom said with zero remorse, "There's someone here to speak with you."

Raising an eyebrow, I shrugged. "Ok." Really, what was I supposed to say?

Then Mom got a smile I did not like. "When you're a bit better we'll have to go shopping."

Dear lord! No! No! Run away! I have seen her shopping, it's terrifying! But I wasn't getting out of this… "Anywhere but the Citadel."

No, seriously. Fuck that place! I wasn't going there until I had a chance to 'dig in' so to speak. More actually though, a chance to tech up. On the other hand, I didn't really need to worry that much. This wasn't like the games. Things had already been derailed by something. For one, Saren was dead. For two, Humanity didn't join the Citadel.

This was a brave new world, and one I would be 'flying blind' in. But not really.

"Of course." Mom agreed before getting up. "Admiral, I do hope you will treat my… girl well?"

Turning to the still open door, I raised an eyebrow at the man standing there. Admiral Hackett. Well, that would make things interesting.

"Of course, Kathryn. She's more than proved herself." Hackett replied with a nod.

"Good." Watching Mom walk out of the room, I eyed the Admiral thoughtfully.

Hackett took Mom's vacated seat as the door closed and waited for a moment before sighing. "While I'm grateful for everything you've done for Elysium, you have made my job more than a little complicated."

Smirking, I nodded. "I'm good at that."

"Yes, you're… mother has filled me in on your first debriefing, and the Doctors tell me they have enough scans and DNA samples to work from. Human, but not quite." Hackett stated and I almost felt violated but… it was better than having to sit through them poking me with needles. "So, what do you have planned for the future? And how can the Systems Alliance repay you for risking life and limb?"

Leaning back against the wall behind me, I frowned thoughtfully. "Well, I want to have a go at the ICT for N7 classification training."

The Admiral raised an eyebrow at that. "I understand you have some specialist training, but… will you be able to keep up with the physical strain?"

He made a good point… "Well, in a years time I should be good. I'll need to spend more time training… hm, I could use a ship. Maybe a a Kowloon freighter would be nice. Though I'd want an ore refinement module and a factory module."

With those I could easily get the ship up gunned… fit it with an ODSY Drive and… well, it wouldn't be a problem.

"Both of those are within acceptable limits, but are you sure?" Hackett agreed after a moment.

I knew what he was thrusting at, it was obvious, but… "Look, I get that the Alliance is a good place for someone like me. But honestly… I just want to give the Mercenary thing a try. A war unlike any you can imaging is coming… we're all going to need to be ready in our own ways."

Sighing, Hackett nodded. "I can't even say I'm surprised… what can you tell me?"

I raised an eyebrow at that. He was taking this surprisingly straight… Ok, let's see. "Not much… but perhaps what I can tell you will help. Just… don't ask about how I know this, you'd regret knowing."

It was his turn for the raised eyebrow, but he nodded. "Alright."

"Ok, first off." I began with a deep breath. "The Catalyst. You'll find data on it in the Mars Archives. It's a Trap. The Citadel, it's a Trap. The Relays can be activated or deactivated from the Citadel, the Council doesn't know this, or how to do it… uh… The Asari have an Archive they're hiding in the temple of Athema. Er… there are thousand of two kilometer long cuttlefish dreadnaughts out in darkspace waiting to kill us all. Uh… was there anything else? OH! The Thorian. It's… fuck what was the planet name? It's under an Exo-Genne Colony, Zeus Hope or something. It's a spore based mind control entity."

Hackett frowned at me, pulled out a notebook and had me go back over the list. It was longer than I thought. Huh… OH! "And Shepard. They should have been here somewhere… keep an eye on them, they're… you'll need them in the field with things go to… oh… oh! Eden Prime! There's a Beacon there, but also a living Prothean in status… maybe more if you find them fast enough. But you'll need help getting them out without killing them."

Hackett frowned, then nodded. "Could you do it?"

"Um… probably, as long as it's in Lab conditions and not in the middle of a firefight." I replied with a shrug. I mean, I knew how it was done in the games, but I couldn't do it that way. Instead I would have to… go a different route.

Nodding, Hackett stood. "Alright. Your mother will handle the acquisition of a ship for you. I'll see that someone emails you about the ICT some time next year." Hackett began to walk towards the door, but stopped when I coughed.

"There was one other matter." I demurred. Now I had his attention. "I would like to cash in for the bounties on Directed Energy Weapons, more advanced Mass Effect Cores… and a Fuelless Reactor. Ah, anonymously… very anonymously."

Hackett eyed me for a long time before sighing. "I take it back. You've made my job extremely complicated. I'll talk with Kathryn about how to handle it."

Then he left, at a pace I would almost called hurried.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Walking through the stores of New York, Earth! I boggled at how happy my mother was to put me in a boggling array of clothing! Boggling! Not even a percent had been bought, and I had a new and massive wardrobe of things I would never wear!

I had 'retro' cargo pants, the rights to 'print' more pairs, and a selection of sports bras. I had a few good jackets, three good civilian, and one non-civilian Kinetic Barriers. Which I had cobbled together into a cyclonic system. Because if I wasn't using Klein Shields, I would at least have something passable.

I had a Fucking Crusader shotgun because I had commented that it was a good gun. My sword had seen much ooing and aweing from a variety of people. Scoffing from others.

My Ears and Tails? Yeah, remember… I had two tails now for… reasons? I mean, I was over a hundred years old if you cobbled all the age together? Did that do it? Was it lives lived?

But, I had a following. I mean, an actual following. The Shinto religion was going through a renaissance and revitalization. Even after the Alliance's official press release followed by several big name medical facilities.

I was being called a Faunas, of course, and they were claiming some unknown trigger that caused a spontaneous mutation over the course of two days. I wasn't sure if I bought it, and I had no idea what the Citadel thought of this, but meh.

Again, far too much shopping! And the makeup lessons!

The only thing that made it bearable was the fact I we happened upon a place that made custom hats. I had instantly had Torchwick's hat made for me. Just a reminder of what was left behind.

Collapsing on the bed of the hotel room, I groaned. "No more."

"Oh, don't be a baby about it." Mom admonished and I couldn't help but grumbled louder.

"You're a monster. It's so clear now. It's the only way you could handle this much shopping." My words pulled a chuckle out of her.

"Alright, fine. Killjoy." She grumbled playfully. "Anyways, your ship should be ready in the morning, are you sure you don't want to look for a crew?"

With a sigh, I shook my head. "Not yet. I have enough to deal with as it is."

"Really? And what, pray tell, is it you have planned?" Mom asked, but it was more of a demand…

"Trust me on this, not knowing will make your life easier. Captain." I poked, pointing out her high responsibilities. From Lieutenant Commander to Captain… all for what she did on Elysium. Or, that was the story.

"Oh, fun." Mom deadpanned. But she got the point.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

My Kowloon, I had named it Vale, and it was drifting towards Sol's Relay as I practically rebuilt the Mass Effect core. The Reactor would be next, but I could build it before switching over from the old one. The need to retool the engines if I wanted to use this long term was… troublesome, but mostly unimportant.

I needed the ODSY Drive, the rest was a secondary concern at best.

It was coming together well, and I would be done by then end of the week. Otherwise I had gear to make. Oh so much gear. My problem was… I had already wasted a week digging out every worm and bug fitted into my ship, and was unhappy about it all. Alliance? They only put a tracker on it. But Cerberus, the STG… hell the Turians! They all had something. It was enough to test ones patients.

Cerberus had a worm in their systems that covered every computer window in HanarxHanar porn. The STG got bad fan fiction. Like the really bad stuff. The Turians got off easy. They just had to put up with a cartoon about ponies from the dawn of the twenty first century. As for the Asari, they got a nudey pic of me dropped into one of their most popular forums with a 'thank you for not spying on me'.

But eventually, I got the ODSY Drive complete and was on my way once more. My route was Exodus Cluster to Hades Gamma to Attican Beta to Nubian Expanse to Far Rim. From there… I'm sure you can guess.

My journey was fairly quiet, which was a good thing in my book. I didn't want to deal with… I couldn't really deal with any attacks of excitement.

I spent much of the time looking over things, training, or building gear. My armor wasn't all that hard to rebuild, and I had thought about building a new Vector… I would in time, but for now I just modified the Crusader for bigger rounds, and a better Heat Sink.

Of goings on, the Citadel was decrying the Batarians for their attack on Humanity. The Batarians had closed down their embassy on the Citadel and retreated into their own space. Oh… and there was talk about… Something being seen in the Crescent Nebula. Something massive and black with odd white pieces.

Reaper? That didn't seem to fit though, and I couldn't think of anything in ME that would fit the bill… if it was from out of verse… well, I hoped it wasn't.

As I left the Relay into the Perseus Veil behind me, I set course for Rannoch before tight beaming a signal to the planet. It didn't even take long for a reply to come through.

"We welcome you to Tikkun."

Then there was nothing for about an hour. The hour it took me to reach the planet… and I have to admit. The Geth fleet was impressive. Arrayed well, and bigger than the Citadel wanted anyone to believe.

Pulling into orbit, I looked over my ships readings and shrugged. It was fairly good all things considered. Planet's biome was stable, if still recovering. And… there wasn't much else to say.

Opening a channel, using a laser pointed at one of the Geth Cruisers, I spoke. "I thank you for the civil greeting. I'm here for two things, well, two major things. I am willing to help you broker peace with the Quarians, in return you should see about making a formal alliance with the System's Alliance. Humanity. It is through them that you will have the best chance of finding a peaceful resolution. The other thing is that I need a ship built, and I need the technology to remain known for as long as possible. Beyond that, I have a number of cybernetics I need installed and am willing to give you my work on such things with the understanding that this is Humanity's technology. Let them leave their mark on it before you start making wide use of it."

Silence stretched for a long moment before the Geth replied. "We will seek consensus on these matters."

Nodding, I sighed. "Right, then things you need to do for the opening of peace talks. Compile all relevant files on the Morning War, and collect a large sample group of plants and seeds native to Rannoch to be given as gifts."

That done, I stopped transmitting and headed off to begin exercising… and for another round of Gene-therapy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

When the ship had entered Tikkun, they had been curious. It was not the first time someone had come to see what the Geth were. But it was the first time the ship had been… barely armed. It had pulled into the orbit of Rannoch with zero fuss and had proven to be something the Geth had been looking for. Hope.

The Organic, Hunam-Faunas, had transmitted a message, explaining what it sought and what it was offering. The Geth had thought they would 'jump' at the chance for this. But they found themselves struggling to form consensus. They all sight to see the Creators again, to reconcile with them. But there were those who disagreed with the Organics proposition. Deeming it a risk. Then there were those who saw this as a chance to grow. To be accepted as an equal. It opened many possible futures.

Of course, there where those who agreed with the Old Machine and believed all Organics should be 'purged'. Thankfully, the last group was a minority and in the process of leaving the Consensus.

It took a week to come to consensus, a week in which the last of the Heretics left. The Geth would move forward with this surprising chance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

It took six months… six months to build the Pathfinder Class Frigate. This wasn't some small ninety-five Meter ship. But it wasn't massive either. At one twenty in length, most of that being in back, but the neck was also lengthened, and a width of sixty meters. It was a small frigate, but it was also fast, agile, and armed with the best. It's four heavy plasma cannons and eighteen high intensity lasers gave it real teeth. The Klein Shield gave it a defense to match.

I have to admit though, the design was a bit fiddly at first but the Geth proved adept at optimizing the design to free up a fair amount of room. But, computers, what you gonna do?

For the most part, the Pathfinder, Tempest, was just like what I vaguely remembered from Biowared cockup of Mass Effect four. For all the game could have been better, it was still fun. What would it have been like on the Unreal 4 engine?

Sitting in the meeting room of my Tempest, I sighed. "So, a single unit, housing one thousand one hundred and eighty three geth? Ok. I guess this is a good way to go about making a terminal for organics to interact with. But let me lay down some rules that will make things easier."

"Specify." The geth before me spoke.

"First off, every terminal should have a name, and the programs inside of it should remain so unless there are extenuating circumstances. This is to facilitate interactions with organics. We, mostly they, don't… can't grasp what being a networked intelligence, or a collective intelligence means." I explained, "If this is the unit that will be interacting with Humanity… I would recommend Legion. For we are many."

"Christian Bible, the Gospel of Mark, Chapter 5, verse nine. We acknowledge this as an appropriate metaphor." The named unit declared. "The Geth agree. This terminal will be named Legion."

Nodding, I frowned off into the middle distance before speaking again. "I also recommend working on speech syntax, individualize it for each unit, not necessarily in large ways, but tone word choices and such. It will help people distinguish, as well as customizing the shell of each unit."

Getting up, I sighed. "Well, time to have a look around. The Geth don't mind holding onto Vale for me? Until I feel I have a use for it?"

"Affirmative."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

A/N: Sorry this ends here, but that's all folks. Hope you enjoyed the ride.
Cheers!

 

[Baran3]

Thank you.

 

[LoLzM]

Thanks for posting this, I had a blast reading your story.
Cheers fam!

 

[Mgunh1]

You need some serious spelling and grammar checking, but yeah, holy hell this was fun.
A shame that was the end of it, but thanks for sharing!

 

[DrDeth]

Great story and it is a pity that you are ending it where you are and I hope that you will come back to it at some point.