Chapter 118. Mission and Hicupps

General POV

After classes, team RWBY convened into their room on Friday afternoon and got dressed in new outfits. Ruby was in an outfit consisting of a long-sleeve, light gray shirt with black belted cuffs near the ends of the sleeves. Over the top of the gray shirt is a black pinafore with two vertical lines of red stitching that resemble the lacing on a corset. She wears a red skirt with a large black print of her emblem on the side and matching black tulle underneath. Her stockings and shoes remain the same as her original outfit, though the boots lack the red trim that decorated the top. A few pieces of metal arranged in the shape of a rose are attached to the shoulder of her left sleeve, and her cloak's hood has been wrapped around her neck in a scarf-like fashion, while the rest hangs down like normal.

Weiss's outfit consists of a white, double-breasted pea coat with black piping, cuffs, and buttons over a white, pleated full skirt with black lace trim. She also wears a pair of white, thigh-high boots with black heels and lace-topped black stockings.

Blake was in an outfit consisting of a white v-neck, zip-up crop shirt with a black hem and three-quarter sleeves. Her emblem is printed in off-white on the left side of the shirt. She wears black pants with a vertical gray stripe on the outer side of each leg and a black belt. Attached to the rear of the belt is a black fabric that covers her from hip to hip. Underneath this is a longer, translucent, purple piece of fabric. She also wears black high-heel boots with two straps and buckles and purple under roles, reaching to mid-calf. She retains the black ribbons on her forearms and her black bow.

And finally, Yang's outfit consists of a deep-collared cream vest worn over a low-cut black shirt; a dark gray shrug covers both with a raised collar, three-quarter sleeves adorned with a single black stripe down the outside of each sleeve, and gold cuffs. A black mini skirt is worn under the cream vest. A pair of crooked black belts with gold accents are slung around her hip, with a purple piece of fabric attached to the left-rear section of the lower belt. She wears thigh-high stockings attached to her miniskirt by garter-belts on the front and back of each thigh, decorated with four golden studs above her knee and her emblem on the outside in gold. She also wears black ankle boots with multiple buckles and white ribbons on the back tied in a bow. Around her neck is a purple pendant set in silver.

Blake finishes tying up the ribbons on her arms and says in equal parts exasperation and annoyance at Professor Port's class.

Blake: I thought that class would never end.

Ruby then started the self-imposed mission as she got off the top bunk of the bed in excitement.

Ruby: Alright, guys, today's the day. The investigation begins!

Weiss: I'm glad to see that we are taking this so seriously.

You could feel the sarcasm dripping from the heiress's voice, and the blonde defends.

Yang: Hey! We've got a plan. That's... moderately serious.

Silva then comes in and adds his two Lein in a dry tone.

Silva: Yeah, your wording speaks volumes about your seriousness.

He is wearing a dark gray leather duster with silver pauldrons on his shoulders over a light blue shirt, black pants with metal grieves over them, and combat boots. Team RWBY looked at him, surprised at his sudden appearance, and their fearless leader asked him.

Ruby: Silva, why are you here?

Silva: You don't honestly think I will let you girls go off on a mission against a criminal organization on your own, do you?

Blake: We were planning to do this as a team.

Blake gestured to her team, and Rudy added.

Ruby: Sorry, Silva, we don't want to involve friends.

Silva: Yeah, not happening.

Silva opened the door further to let team PLAN, Emerald, and Ilia enter the room. Silva then told team RWBY.

Silva: Look, you may think you're doing a good thing trying to keep us separate from whatever plan you have in mind to face Torchwich and the White Fang but let me say that we are your friends, and we want to help you in your endeavors so don't push us away because what are friends for if not to help you when you need it.

Someone then added.

???: Yeah, what he said!

Everyone turned to the window and saw the monkey Faunus Sun Wukong hanging upside down, and Silva responded with a shockwave sending him flying. Silva then asked Ruby as if he did not just send someone flying.

Silva: So Ruby, what's the plan?

Ruby: Ahh... Well, I guess me, Pyrrha, Jeanne, and Weiss will head to CCT( Cross Condentiental Transmit Tower) and check the SDC records for Dust robberies or anything else that looks strange.

Blake: Well, me, Silva, and Ilia will head to the White Fang's faction meeting.

Yang: That leaves me with Ren, Nora, and Em for the shady part of town to see an information broker I know of.

Silva: If you're talking about Junior, any information you need, tell him to put it on my tab if he asks for a price.

Ruby: Great, let's meet up tonight near Yang to go over what we've found. Let's do this!

As they left the room, a blue-haired young man was struck up against the wall outside near team RWBY's room and called out.

???: Um, a little help here!

( A bit later)

Pyrrha, Ruby, Jeanne, and Weiss were in front of the transmit tower, and Ruby gushed over it.

Ruby: I forgot how big the CCT looks up close!

Weiss: You should see the one in Atlas.

Pyrrha: It's the first one, right? The rest were a gift to the other kingdoms to allow communication between them.

Weiss: Correct, and the only reason we're here is that Ruby wanted to check it out when we could have just as easily made a call at the library.

Ruby: I know, but it's so cool! Oh! I'm going to take a picture!

Jeanne: I guess it's kind of cool.

Pyrrha chuckled at Ruby's antics as she fumbled for her Scroll, and as it bounced off the ground, it tumbled into a familiar face, Penny. She picked up Ruby's scroll and said as she handed it back to her.

Penny: Oh. You dropped this.

Ruby: Penny?!

Penny: Uhh...

Ruby: Where have you been?! We haven't seen you since the night at the docks.

Penny: S-sorry. I think you're confused.

Penny hiccuped, causing her to toss Ruby's up which she quickly caught. Penny then turned a ran away while saying.

Penny: Uh, I've got to go.

Weiss: What was that about?

Pyrrha: Who was she, Ruby?

Ruby: I don't know, Weiss. But I am going to find out and Pyrrha, I guess you can say she is a friend I made... Weiss, you go make your call; I'll meet up with you later, and Pyrrha, Jeanne, you help Weiss.

As Ruby chased after Penny, Weiss, and Pyrrha looked at each other differently. Weiss sighed at her leader's actions, and Pyrrha just shrugged, not minding anything. Jeanne was unsure how to respond to all of the sudden events.

( With Yang, Emerald, Ren, and Nora.)

Yang borrowed a car from Silva and drove it as she was the only one among them with a driver's license. They soon arrived at Junior's club.

Yang: Come on, the information broker is right here.

Nora: Let's break some legs!

Ren: Nora!

Nora giggled at Ren for stopping her, and Emerald sighed and commented.

Emerald: I get the feeling something annoying is going to happen soon.

They got out of the car, and some of Junior's men gestured for them to enter. As they entered the club, Nora ran off all excited, and Ren followed her to try and prevent any mayhem she may cause. Emerald saw Miltia and Melanie and waved at them; Miltia gave a slight bow, and Melanie gave a half-hearted wave back at the green-haired girl. Yang went straight at Junior, and the club owner said to her in surprise.

Junior: Aren't you that blondie that is hanging around Silva!?

Yang grabbed his arm, dragged him to the bar, and said.

Yang: Why not treat a girl to a drink? Silva said he would cover it with his tab.

Emerald went to chat with the twins to see if they knew anything, and Nora is being Nora with Ren in tow despite him wanting to be on the dance floor instead.

Silva POV

Blake and Ilia lead me to the White Fang faction meeting.

Blake: This is it.

Ilia: Yeah, here, Silva, you will need this.

Ilia handed me a Grimm mask that the White Fang is now known to wear as we headed into the warehouse. I put it on and asked them their opinions.

Silva: How do I look?

Blake: It looks surprisingly good on you...

Ilia: Hmm... Just a few changes to what you are wearing, and you will like a typical White Fang soldier.

Ilia joked, and I gave a monotone laugh in return to show how funny I think she is. As we went in, I saw the curtain hiding the Paladin and messed with my scroll to make a delivery near my location ASAP; after all, robots are meant to fight certain things, which I prepared in advance for all my future mecha battles. Adam's lieutenant soon introduced Roman.

Lieutenant: For those of you joining us for the first time tonight, allow me to introduce a very special comrade of ours. I can assure you he is the key to obtaining what we fought for, for so long.

I muttered quietly to Ilia and Blake.

Silva: Yeah, special in the head, he means.

Blake huffed in wry amusement behind her mask, and Ilia just shook her head, feeling the same as Blake. The crowd of Faunus jeered at Roman as he started his big speech.

Roman: Thank you, thank you! Please, hold your applause.

I saw Neopolitan walking off from behind the curtain and figured that things would likely go like in the canon with Roman's escape. Roman continued to reel in the crowd against him.

Roman: Now, I will be the first to admit humans are the WORST. Case in point.

The crowd soon turned silent at Roman's admission and started to listen to him.

Roman: So I understand why you would love to see us all locked away, or better yet, killed! But! Before the claws come out, I would like to mention that you and I ALL have a common enemy. The ones in control, the people pulling the strings, the dirty rotten humans that run our kingdom. Government. Military. Even the schools, they're all to blame for your lot in life. And they're all pests that need to be dealt with. Fortunately, I'm the best exterminator around—no offense to any residents in the room.

Roman then revealed the Atlesian Paladin to the Faunus behind the curtain and told them as they cheered.

Roman: As some of you may have heard this right, here is Atlas' newest line of defense against all the scary things in the world.

Just as Roman was about to continue, a pair of hands covered my mask over my eyes, and I turned to face Neopolitan, looking at me with a mischievous smirk.

Silva: Neopolitan!?

The tri-colored girl texted me.

Neopolitan: [ Why are you here, you big bad kitty?]

I shrugged and gave her a half-truth.

Silva: I just heard that this faction meeting would be particularly interesting and decided to come and see. So far, not impressed.

Neopolitan: [ Oh? Why is that?]

Silva: Because I could build a better mech than that clunky piece of scrap metal.

Blake soon grabbed my attention.

Blake: Silva, Torchwich noticed us...

Ilia: We need to get out of here, now!

Blake: The lights!

Blake then shot at the power box, making the warehouse dark, and we ran out through the window. Roman called out as the lights went out.

Roman: Don't let them get away!

Blake: Ilia, Silva, the window!

Through the window, I heard the Paladin powering and got excited at my fight with it. I told Blake and Ilia as I separated with them.

Silva: I need to grab something. I will be right back!

Blake: Silva!?

I dashed on top of the roof as the Paladin piloted by Roman smashed through the warehouse. Blake took out her scroll to call her teammates for backup, and I went to get my surprise ready.

General POV

Soon Blake and Ilia found themselves on the highway being chased by Mecha Roman as Silva slipped away. Yang was the first to respond by driving the car with Ren, Nora, and Emerald in tow. As Yang drove the vehicle, the others shot at Roman's Paladin. Nora launched herself into the air and hammered the robot, and Ren got on it with his blades sinking into the metal frame. Emerald wrapped the cords of her around one of the Paladin's arms and shot at it atop the car Yang is driving.

Weiss soon arrived at the scene and told Blake and the others.

Weiss: I'm in position!

Weiss leaped down from the overhead road and froze the Paladin's path, causing it to slip and fall onto the ground floor with Ruby, Pyrrha, and Jeanne in wait. As the Paladin righted itself, Ruby was about to give some orders when suddenly she heard something approaching at high speed. It was another mecha but of a different design, and Ruby saw the emblem on its right shoulder and cried out excitedly.

Ruby: SILVA, YOU HAVE A GIANT ROBOT!?

Silva based the mech he is piloting off of a show known as Code Geass from his old world. It was no Ace Machine but still an impressive mech, the Akatsuki Command Model or Type- 05S/G. Silva painted it with his colors of gray and white with arm-mounted hand cannons and a cleaver-like sword strapped to its back. With the Land Spinner Propulsion system moving it forward in front of the Paladin. Roman looked at the machine for a moment, then opened fire with his cannons.

The Akatsuki evaded it effortlessly with its high-speed movements that outclassed the Paladin and returned fire while weaving in between the columns supported that highway above. Roman growled in frustration at how clunky the Paladin seemed compared to Silva's Knightmare Frame and fired missiles next. Silva countered with the equipped Slash Harken and shoulder-mounted machine guns destroying the missiles coming at him. Ruby watched the mecha fight with rapt attention and drooled at the Akatsuki along with Jeanne and Nora, who had stars in their eyes.

Yang smirked and commented.

Yang: Looks like you know what you want for your birthday Ruby.

Ruby: OhmygoshyesImeanSilvahasgottoletmepilotedbecauseitsjusttoocoll!

Yang just chuckled at her sister's accelerated speech and told her.

Yang: I recommend getting your driver's license first, Ruby.

Nora vividly imagined a pink version of the Akatsuki with a giant hammer, and Ren poped her thought bubble and sternly told Nora.

Ren: Nora, no!

Nora: Oh, come on, Renny, just think of the fun we could have!

Ren: No!

The others just watched the fight and thought how typical of Silva to build something like his own mech. The battle between machines soon reached its climax as Silva's Akatsuki dismembered the Paladin with its cleaver. Roman soon fell out of the damaged Paladin and cursed.

Roman: I just can't seem to catch a break anymore.

Neopolitan soon appeared from above and saw Silva's mech and texted him.

Neopolitan: [ I want one ]

Silva stopped for a moment to reply.

Silva: [ We will talk later, K? ]

Neopolitan nodded and shattered her illusion causing her and Roman to disappear. The next moment the criminals escaped on an airship in front of everyone and were gone with the wind. Blake then asked everyone.

Blake: Wasn't that Neo that helped Roman escape?

Weiss: Yeah, I guess she really made our plans... fall apart?

Ruby snickered at Weiss' attempt at humor, Blake and Yang dismissed her.

Blake: No. Just, no.

Weiss: What? But Yang does it!

Yang: There's a time and a place for jokes.

Weiss: Was this not it?

Pyrrha: Sorry, Weiss, it isn't but at least your trying.

Yang: That and it's not very good.

Weiss huffed, annoyed at her teammate's reactions, and walked off with them. Ruby ran up to Silva's mech as he got out and begged him.

Ruby: Pleaseletmepilot!

Silva shook his wry amusement and told her.

Silva: You have to pass the simulator first, then we will talk.

Ruby: YAHOO!

Nora: Silva, I want in on that action!

Ren sighed at his childhood friend and silently prayed that she never passed the simulator because Nora in a mech sounds like a recipe for disaster.