Bab 24: Party Hardy (3)
"Men should be either treated generously or destroyed, because they take revenge for slight injuries - for heavy ones they cannot." – Niccolo Machiavelli
Ironwood didn't wait much to call, in fact I almost jumped when the phone started to buzz three hours after he had left the medical room. The conversation was fairly brief as it focused only on the important details like the address where I was supposed to be. I was slightly nervous, yet a mere look at Sienna's pained form was enough to get me going with a blank expression.
If the circumstances hadn't included the possibility of her death, I would've probably been giddy to go and see which kind of shady military room the General had decided to setup the briefing.
Before actually being sent there, I was first 'advised' to give a visit to the local armory right at the military headquarters that housed our things. The soldier that was assigned to the special lockers was legitimately surprised when he realized that a 'civvie' had been given a special number to pick one of the few available boxes with equipment.
I gave a quiet glance at the smooth, metallic texture of the small crate before I took it in my arms. Then I was led to the changing area where soldiers were supposed to put on their uniforms and armor. The room was particularly large for a single individual, yet I didn't linger with my staring as I quickly opened the box and slowly started to switch my current diplomat clothes with what was inside there.
[C-Could you please warn beforehand next time?]
Sorry.
The armor was a dark-gray, quite the different contrast with the stark white of the standard color for Atlesian soldiers. But the biggest of the surprises as I started to put the pieces on was that it all fit perfectly with my frame.
I had grown slimmer since the first day I had spent in Remnant, a mix of unhealthy escapes and being subjected to some aggressive training under Sienna's supervision. It was nothing special, I was slim but far from athletic.
You would be surprised how much that matters in the scope of things. I don't think I need to remind you of Port.
You know, Peter Port isn't the one I really want to think about when I'm trying to change my clothes.
The helmet had a large visor that was polarized on the outside, making it impossible for my identity to be noticed much to my relief. As soon as I had put it on, the entire system installed within it slowly came to life.
I was partly reminded of an ODST's visor, with all the startup details and process buzzing for a while before offering me quite the barest HUD possible. No advanced grid, but I had a small radar-like section on the lower-left section of my sight.
And while the system continued to go through calibrations, I continued with putting on what was left within the box. The rest of the armor followed a similar style to a regular Atlesian soldier armor, but the number '2' was emblazoned on both front and back.
Once I was done with the with the whole process, I took notice of the fact that there was no weapon within the crate. Only the clothes I had removed and put in there. Perhaps Ironwood had plans to give weapons only after the briefing. It wouldn't have been smart of him to give me a super-armor and a gun to someone that would easily skip the meeting and rush to intercept the two criminal.
Closing the box and walking back to the entrance where the head of the armory was, I proceeded to leave my stuff there, and soon I was out of the building walking with my own 'super-suit'. And I felt quite empowered when I made my very first step by the streets. People would spare me some passing glances, some had their eyes widen up at the unique version of armor I was donning, but none actually stopping me to inquire about it. It was an odd experience to say the least.
The walk was also pretty brief as soon I found myself entering into the main section of Atlas Academy. Differently from Beacon, the school wasn't located away from the capital, but within it. The entire place was bustling with active people going through their errands, with some students and soldiers taking the same ways and creating a hive-like complex within the humongous entrance room.
Wandering up to the one of the available receptionists, I quietly greeted the young woman with a quick nod.
"Hello sir, how may I help you-"
"General Ironwood invited me for an enlightening conversation about Jokers and Tragedies."
A strange secret phrase to avoid any awkward issues, but one with some logical sense behind it as Tyrian and Hazel have been codenamed respectively 'Joker' and 'Tragedy'. Ironic that the laughing madman with a chronic need to cause people pain was nicknamed like the archnemesis to Batman.
But Tragedy? I could see Hazel getting miffed at discovering that the general lines of his own purpose and become his newest name. And I would gloat each and every second at that kind of reaction.
The young woman tensed up a little bit surprised at the sudden sentence, yet she nodded as her eyes flashed recognition at my words.
"H-Headmaster Ironwood is already waiting by his office," She muttered back. "You may use the staff-reserved elevator to reach it."
I nodded, holding back a thank you as I really wasn't in the mood of pleasant chatting. The elevator itself was devoid of any individuals using it and I was glad to enjoy some moments of lone thoughts about the current situation.
What kind of office does Ironwood have?
Hmm? I guess it's similar to mine… but uglier.
Ugly?
I refuse to add more. Just don't nag at me once you got a glimpse at it.
Now, that was quite the reaction out of the usually stoic wizard and, the very moment that the elevator came to a stop, I took a moment to study the entirety of the room.
It was spacious, perhaps a little less than Ozpin's office back in Beacon, yet I couldn't see anything even remotely 'ugly' in there. It had a soft dark-blue as a major theme, some star-like decorations by the floor and a big window-like complex by the deepest section of the room, where the main chair and desk were.
I advanced thorough the room, my sight fixed right at the two waiting individuals by the desk. James was donning a similar armor with helmet and protective plates being a pristine white compared to the dark-gray that were the ones worn by the figure sitting by one of the four available chairs in front of the desk.
The clue that made me realize that it was Ironwood? The stature and the frame. Only a couple of people in Remnant had that kind of physique and my estimation was proven right as the man took notice of me.
"Misfit-02, please take a seat near Misfit-03. We're still waiting for the rest of the squad before starting the briefing."
Curt, direct and incredibly friendly. Goddammit, why the show got him to appear so distrustful in so many occasions?
I gave him a nod, still pondering over the fact that my denomination was now 'Misfit-03' while I complied with his words and took a seat beside my soon-to-be teammate.
The first thing that I noticed of the armor-clad fellow was the slender denotation of the armor and a more 'stuff' by the area of the chest. A woman, I could see her stare at me as soon as I was seated.
"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance," She politely said, drawing a quick frown from me as I realized that her voice was slightly distorted.
I suppose James had taken some precautions to protect your identities.
And I forgot to activate it.
[Yep.]
Fuck.
Unwilling to leave the polite interaction go wasted, I proceeded to let out some fake coughs while I spoke.
"L-Likewise," I replied, getting a confused posture from the woman and a sigh from Ironwood himself.
"Misfit-02, your voice modulator device is in the lower right section of your helmet."
I nodded, slowly reaching for the small switch in there to activate it.
[Ease up, soldier. You have yet to go for the battlefield.]
I just forgot. No nervousness-driven fail.
That's what you said everything you manage a nervousness-driven fail.
Oh, can it for once!
"Sorry," I muttered quietly at the two occupants, relief washing over my body as I now had a distorted voice too.
"Ah, don't worry," Misfit-03 mused with a sympathetic smile. "I had a similar problem myself when I first arrived to the office."
I blinked at that little confession, but I nodded at that show of genuineness. I couldn't see what her expression was because of her polarized visor, but I half-expected a smile waiting on the other side of the small glass.
As soon as this little mistake was fixed, the door of the elevator opened again to reveal a tired-looking figure donning the same armor as I had. This one had a '4' on it.
"S-Sorry, I was late because-" An oddly-familiar feminine voice started to explain in the middle of her drained breaths.
"The Voice Modulator, Misfit-04."
Ironwood sounded quite stern there and the girl seemed to realize the mistake at once as she swiftly reached to where the switch was.
"S-Sorry, Headma-General Ironwood."
And I thought I was bad, yet my mistake paled at the chaotic introduction to the supposed last member to the team.
"At ease, Misfit-04," The leader muttered calmly before gesturing at me and the woman beside me. "And please, take a seat by-"
"U-understood."
She rushed to pick a seat beside me, clearly ignoring the fact she had interrupted her superior officer with that panicked response. To be fair, I could only imagine that she was close to have a meltdown at the fact she was here to begin with.
Am I wrong in thinking this might be a student?
It wouldn't be odd for James to bring up some prodigious student to his private missions, but it's always the ones that are expected to hold it together… not anyone like her.
[While I wouldn't be as insensible as Ozma, he has a point. This girl doesn't seem mentally prepared for the mission.]
...Bah, you're both wrong. Look at Ruby, see how far she went from being a childish fifteen years-old.
There was no response after that, but I didn't expect to hear one as the briefing finally started. A holographic map appeared above the desk while Ironwood moved around and in front of it.
"A couple of hours ago, the Schnee Manor was attacked by the duo formed by Tyrian Callows, codename 'Joker', and Hazel Rainhart, codename 'Tragedy'. Their objectives were the kidnapping of Diplomat John Bukharin and the assassination of both Nicholas and Willow Schnee," James started to explain with a serious tone, instantly drawing out from me a confused look.
I was well-aware that the two had tried to kidnap me but… didn't Hazel mention that he had just wanted to kidnap me and nothing else?
A lie. Hazel might appear as a blunt and somewhat honest individual, but I can't see the kind of person he is to lazily admit that he wanted to kill the mother and the grandfather in front of the three children in that room.
Now, wasn't that a surprise? But then again, why would they have needed to go as far as kill the adults in that room?
"After some developments born from the recent investigations, it was confirmed that the individual that provided them the means to enter the manor without activating the security system and the one that provided them with the task of assassinating both key targets was none other than the same person. Jacques Schnee."
"Wait, what?" Misfit-04 seemed to almost shriek in shock at the revelation. "B-But isn't he married and-"
She stopped as I tugged at her sleeve, forcing her attention to slip away from her little outburst and back to reality. Glancing briefly to look at me in confusion, she seemed to perfectly realize on her own what just happened.
Tensing up, the girl lowered her stare at the silent General. "Apologies, sir."
… "As I was saying, Jacques Schnee was apprehended and interrogated thoroughly after he was caught in quite the curious situation with someone that claimed to be his 'only truest lover'. Some suspicions had sprung from this very instance and the fact that the man didn't have a proper reason to skip the important dinner," James continued with his serious tone. "The finest interrogator within the army managed to get some answers out of him and none was as 'simple' as everyone here would hope."
As he finished this last sentence, various letters opened up in front of the holographic map and… some were very awkward to read. The 'businessman' hadn't been much bright over his attempts to usurp the company ever since he got married with Willow.
At first those were letters to gain some more powers through new roles within the company. Most of those either rebuked with a solid 'no' from Nicholas, or even outright ignored by the founder of the SDC. The irritation started to appear in some of the examples until the final letter that tried to alter the last wills of his father-in-law.
If up until now Misfit-04 had been shocked, this new sight got her floored over the matter. I was actually surprised that Misfit-02 seemed hardly fazed by the images, and her posture left no signs of genuine reaction to this situation.
"As of now, Jacques Schnee has been confined until a date for his trial can be set. His crimes have been confirmed to be over High Treason against Atlas and planned murder attempt on his wife and father-in-law," The General resumed with no major change in his voice, yet I couldn't help but be glad that the dangerous exploiter got locked in some cold cell. But while I was glad to see the scumbag yanked away from his previous position of power, I couldn't help but sadly think about the impact this predicament was having on the rest of the family.
Willow had yet to fully understand how devious her father was, and her younger siblings weren't better on that department. The only one that could get saved was Whitley since the boy was too young to ponder properly about this complicated case.
"Yet, this is but the background of what our mission is going to be," The man finally said much to my annoying impatience. "Right now, Joker and Tragedy have been sighted in Mantle, but they have been prevented to leave the city thanks to the quick intervention of the Militia and the Police to close down all entry points."
"General, was a curfew implemented to avoid the presence of any innocents in the streets?" Misfit-02 inquired with a genuine note of concern.
"The police applied the standard emergency curfew. As of now, nobody is wandering the streets of Mantle."
We all shared a nod, but the briefing was far from over.
"Our mission will be to search through the suspicious buildings where the two men had been sighted," The General continued. "From there, it's suggested to capture Joker because someone was stung by his powerful poison and we need to find an antidote to it. But Tragedy can be killed on sight."
I almost nodded when he mentioned Sienna, but I held back from giving out my identity to my other teammates.
"The team formed to deal with this mission is made by me, Misfit-01, then by Misfit-02 and Misfit-03, both close-range specialists, and finally Misfit-04, the long-range specialist."
A sniper. I almost snorted at the fact that many characters that made use of snipers were quite awkward in RWBY. I wonder if it's made on purpose or not…
My attention shifted away from my thoughts as I turned at the strange noise coming from the desk. A small space was opened as a hidden compartment moved up to show three cased lined horizontally on the table, each sporting a number from two to four.
"I saw fit to get prepared for each of you the proper equipment for your roles," James said while gesturing us to stand up. "These are still advanced weapons that shouldn't be misused during the mission, and I will warn you about this just once. I expect utmost respect with the 'treats' offered to you all."
I didn't wait any longer and slowly went to open up the case with the '2'. I blinked as I noticed a futuristic, white-painted rifle encompassing the entire length of the container. I lifted it up and blinked at the little electric crackle coming from within the tool.
"The ASH-12 is one of the most recent models of the Electric Generation of Shotgun," Ironwood described with some pride over the nice thing in my hands. "It's been years since we've started working on Electricity-based means to reduce the use of slug-action rifles, and this scattershot shotgun is-"
"So cool!" Misfit-04 interrupted giddily, gaining a frown out of me as she peered off from over my shoulder. "That means halved reload time, quick-paced shooting and… Oh, sorry."
She retreated the mere moment she realized she was literally resting her chin on my shoulder, almost too familiarly for my happy self. Like really, what the heck is going on with this girl?
Shrugging off this strange sensation about the odd girl, I moved my attention back to the next case and… I blinked in surprise at what I saw.
Misfit-03 pulled out a simple handle out of the container, yet she pressed one of the buttons in there and… a retractable staff expanded, soon to be coated in electricity enough to form a… light-blue saber.
"The MAS-7 is an advanced Infantry Saber developed for those few specialists worth of its power and speed. It has two main features with the Attack form being the one you currently deployed-" The General continued with these descriptions, only to pause as the woman pushed another button. The following effect was that the blade bent a little and the electricity moved to form a… shield.
"Fascinating," Misfit-03 commented while waving a little the newly-formed defensive form. "I suppose it has some limits since its based with electricity."
While Ironwood went to explain a little more the merits and flaws of the MAS-7, I felt tugged away by some words being whispered by the confusing fourth member of this squad. I noticed that she was staring at the blade with her head tilted to the side. I couldn't recognize any of her muffled whispers and… she turned to look at me.
"Is there something wrong?"
I blinked, surprised by her sudden query. "Not truly. No."
The girl didn't press further, and I moved my stare away as it was finally her turn to reveal her 'cool' sniper.
The box opened and soon the girl was shivering in eagerness at the monstrous thing she had just unleashed. It had been folded to be properly put within the container and… it was a very strong-looking sniper. If before this moment I thought Anti-Tank snipers were the strongest kind of guns of their kind… but then someone decided to introduce the anti-building sniper that I was currently looking at.
That's truly a powerful-looking gun.
"The AMOR-13 is something I could say was the most expensive to recover, but I feel quite certain that this gun is the best fit for you. It's a-"
"A High-Velocity Electromagnetic Sniper that literally makes any other sniper pale in comparison! More than twelve shots in the chamber, its explosive rounds are devastating enough to shatter through buildings and-"
"You're hugging it a little to eagerly, 04," I interrupted dryly, my sassy comment getting the girl to tense up in shock at my words.
"W-what about it? Shouldn't I embrace such a masterpiece of a gun? This beauty of a gunsmith's dream?"
More like a wet dream from the way you're molesting that poor gun. Sure, I would certainly be driven to cuddle into that mass of unadulterated destruction-causer without hesitation, but I would've done it in private, away from the eyes of others.
There is a standard in loving good-looking guns!
I thought that it was a syndrome restrained to the Rose family. I can now say for sure that there are two cases beyond that line.
[Is is normal for someone to be kissing a weapon like that?]
That is a sight I've been bestowed… for over sixty years now.
"You shouldn't molest that 'masterwork', you brat," I retorted at being subjected at that sudden aggressive tone.
I could feel her glaring back at me now. "Don't call me- a brat!"
"Perhaps you should both stop behaving like brats," 03 piped in with a motherly tone. "I understand that you are incredibly tense for the situation, but I suggest it would be better to focus on our mutual issue rather than bicker with each other."
There was silence after those good words and I couldn't help but lower my head in a moment of shame. Perhaps I had gotten my nerves burning a little more than usual now that I knew that Sienna was in danger.
The same action was followed by 04, the girl looking nervous all at once at being reprimanded together with me.
I sighed. "Look- I'm sorry that I snapped a little. I just have some troubles that need fixing once this is all over."
"I-I understand," She replied quietly. "I do have some issues to deal too, a-and I hope you find a solution to your troubles."
"Likewise, 04," I said while I smiled at that truthful sentence.
I felt a little less at the world after butting head with someone about something so silly and easy to resolve. But before I had the chance to resume the conversation, Ironwood decided to intervene with a tired sigh.
"While I'm glad you got these divergences sorted out this early on, I think it's time we move on to the real mission," The General commented with a calm tone, directing us to look at part of the office that was now opening to reveal a private landing zone where an airship was waiting for us to board it. "I shall offer more explanations over the matter once we arrive in Mantle."
We all nodded, slowly following the armored officer up to the open section of the bullhead-like vehicle, settling down by the seats available there while the pilot began the lift off.
The procedure was slow, but as soon as the airship was stable enough and away from the ground, it soared over Atlas and then down to Mantle, the sight of the former Capital of the Kingdom already making me unnerved over the situation we were supposed to deal as of now.
It was quite the unpleasant place where to go for the holidays. I could see plenty of reasons to never visit it considering the polluted air and the cracked walls just making it appear like some rundown city that had been forsaken by God- the Gods to be precise.
Just as the airship hovered over the city, I started to notice that something was off in the already badly-shaped settlement. I could see fire, I could hear screams and inhuman roars happening down below.
"General, I think there is a big problem," I muttered, but the man was already distracted with his communication device, discussing with the men on the ground.
There was some tense silence at this, but soon the General was done with his quick interaction through his Scroll. "The situation has escalated. Grimm have somehow invaded the section where Joker and Tragedy have been spotted and… they might be trying to force themselves into one of the blocked entry points."
He stood up from his seat, standing beside me as we both stared at the predicament. "Seriousness is a must. I don't need to explain that civilians are at risk as we're speaking right now."
The rest of the squad nodded and soon the pilot managed to get to land in the closest landing zone to the epicenter of the chaos. I was the first one to step out of the airship, my hands grasping tightly at the shotgun as my visor finally twitched and displayed a proper grid for the weapon I was holding. I could feel the inner Heavy Metal building up as I knew that I had to rip and tear if we wanted to get to where Hazel and Tyrian were right now.
I saw police officers, militia members and some Atlesian soldiers scrambling to aid the evacuation of the civilians that had to be forced out of their homes. Howles rippled through the cacophony of gunshots and explosions, with various Beowolves trying to overwhelm the stiff resistance created by the combined forces.
From survival in the woods to a wartorn battleground. The irony of someone that wanted a peaceful life. But I guess that I, just like a certain Yoshikage Kira, will have to take onto the challenge and deal with the disturbance.
…
Of course Kira is a serial killer and I'm not, still I wanted to appear cool. I needed the cool, the hype. I had to go through the horde of Grimm with the rest of the group.
Ironwood didn't linger too much, already leading us towards the large skirmish in front of us, with 03 keeping close to me while 04 deviated from following us and actually reach a favorable positions to start to snipe down the various monsters down.
With the General taking the first shots with his handgun, I decided to focus my attention at the approaching pack of Beowolves that had detached from the main force.
I huffed, my aim quickly directed at the head of the Alpha and- BANG!
The powerful blast tore through the head and spine and torso of the bastard. I saw the creatures almost tripping at the sudden wake-call and I felt the need to show affection to the monstrous tool of death and sorrow that I had been bestowed with.
I could now feel what 04 was feeling just a while ago-
"Told ya!"
I blinked, returning back on reality as I saw two of the remaining Grimm getting blasted to dust by the girl and her possibly-compensating sniper.
She isn't that much tall.
But so you are too.
[You're just average in height. I think. Is this average in this modern times?]
Ozpin didn't reply to that question much to his immense relief and I focused on taking down the three wolf-like monsters in front of me.
The scattershot didn't disappoint as I destroyed the creatures the same way their leader died. In the fashion of utter annihilation and lack of gruesome details because of their odd biology.
Why am I sad that I'm not seeing some blood getting spilled?
[Your 'girl that is also a friend' is bedridden and close to death, your brain is getting influenced by the rush of the moment and… when was the last time you drained your stress?]
The answer to that query is never. I think we might be seeing some madness happening rather soon and… why the hell James gave him an overpowered Shotgun.
But I wasn't listening anymore. I had entered in my happy place, and I was happily decimating Grimm while the former couple debated about the current state of my sanity.
Misfit-03 seemed to be doing fine, cleaving her way through four Beowolves that had unluckily rushed all at once towards her. A clean and swift streak that was soon increased by more unfortunate fiends joining that meat-grinding experience.
04 was almost giggling through the comms as she sniped without mercy nor restrain all of the Grimm that ended up in her sight. There was just a degree of frustration being released so fiercely and furiously in that manner… and I wasn't certainly holding back myself from smiling happily at the destruction.
It was the right thing to do, especially since Grimm were known to fester in negative emotions. I needed to attain peace through violence and… there was nothing amoral in going berserk on Mami Salami's little minions.
[Which is why I see nothing wrong with that. Actually, I wouldn't mind jumping in and help you if I could.]
This has nothing to do about the fact that the Grimm are part of your other self-
[Of course that is also another reason to join the fun feast. Why wouldn't I want to murder and destroy the atrocious abominations she had created when she had done the same with my baby girls?]
Nevermind, you're both lost causes.
I was too hellbent in the carnage, to take notice of that, with Ironwood starting to lead the troops deeper in the dangerous area and into the next large section of resistance formed by the creatures of darkness.
I primed the shotgun, my heartbeat quickening at the symphonious urgency of my adrenaline. I could feel the next wave come, and the more died, the more closer we would get to the two bastards.
Finally the entirety of my stress unraveled before the monsters, and I had little to worry about with people covering my arse if I went to deep in my brief bout of insanity.
Rip and tear, I found myself humming harmoniously. Rip and tear.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone