(Do go check out my two other RWBY stories, while you wait. Grimm Story and Flaming Dragon.)

Early morning in team RDDD dorm Grif, Simmons and Donut are sitting on their beds. Simmons and Donut are doing a little studying while Grif eats a sandwich while he plays on his scroll.

Suddenly the door's kicked open, making the three slightly jump, and Asher enters, with Lopez tailing him. Asher holds a small box in his hands as he walks in.

"Alight, Dirtbags!" Asher calls out. "I have finally received Lopez's speech unit!"

Lopez shuts the dorm room door as Asher opens up the box on his bed and pulls out what looks like a weird gun.

"Speech unit?" Grif questions as he sits up and wipes some crumbs off his shirt.

"Affirmative." Asher says as Lopez walks over and Asher stands behind him. "When I started building Lopez I ordered a speech unit, but it got delayed because they lost my package in the mail." He then grumbles. "Damn the Vale mailing system!" He then clears his throat. "But once I get this baby installed, I'll finally have someone intelligent to talk to." He turns to Simmons. "No offense, Simmons."

Simmons sets his books on the nightstand next to his bed. "Oh, don't worry. I know who you meant, sir."

Grif turns to Simmons. "Wait a second. Lopez is a robot?"

"Of course he is." Simmons turns to Grif as he slides to the edge of his bed. "You didn't notice that he never talks?"

"I just thought he was a really quiet guy."

"Then how would you explain him being able to be the fifth on our team?" Donut asks Grif.

"I just thought we got lucky." Grif states.

Asher then speaks up. "And the fact he sleeps standing up and drinks motor oil didn't get your attention?"

"Well, I- I did think the motor oil thing was a bit odd." Grif scratches one of his dog ears. "Uh, I just thought he was trying to impress me."

"Hey, sir." Simmons calls out to Asher. "You really should ground yourself before handling that card."

"How come?" Asher asks in confusion.

"Because static could damage the card."

Asher waves a hand dismissively. "Come on. That's an urban legend they use to sell those stupid bracelets."

Grif and Simmons glance at each other.

Asher turns to Lopez and aims the 'gun' at the back of Lopez's head. "And I suppose Pop Rocks and soda're gonna make my stomach blow up!"

Asher pulls the trigger inserting the card into Lopez, but a large static shock erupts from the gun, shocking Asher. Asher drops the device and shakes his hands as his aura covers him.

"YOW!" Asher shouts.

A bit of static shoots out from Lopez.

"Sir." Simmons starts. "I won't say I told you so, sir."

"Good." Asher sucks on his right hand's pointer finger. Then motions to Donut. "I'd hate to make Strawberry Shortcake here my new favorite private."

"It's not pink, it's lightish red!" Donut shouts.

Asher waves a hand. "Yeah, Yeah, whatever." He opens up some panels on the back of Lopez and starts to tinker with him.

"So what happened last night?" Donut turns to Simmons and Grif. "I recall something about a spider on my head?"

"Right." Grif nods. "It was a wolf spider."

"The last thing I remember is a book flying at my head,-" Donut points at Simmons. "-and then Simmons fainting."

Grif points at Simmons. "HA! Told you so!"

"I did not faint." Simmons crosses his arms.

Asher wipes his hands. "Done and done." He closes all the panels. "Lopez. Activate speech unit!"

Lopez starts to speak. "Buenos días. Y gracias da por activar mi función del discurso. Soy el número de modelo cero uno cero uno uno tres cuatro ocho ocho dos tres." [Good morning. And thank you for activating my speech function. I am the model number zero one zero one one three four eight eight two three.]

Donut turns to Simmons and Grif. "Am I the only one not understanding any of this?"

"Me llamo López." [My name is Lopez]

"Lopez, he just said Lopez!" Grif shouts. "I understood that. I can speak Spanish!"

"Lopez, speak English." Asher orders.

 "Mi procesador de inglés ha funcionado mal.Se habla solamente español." Lopez informs. [My English processor has malfunctioned. I speak only Spanish.]

"Huh, I think you shorted out his speech unit with that static, sir." Simmons theories. 

"Hmmm, maybe they sent me the wrong one." Asher mumbles. "Lopez, I order you to speak a language we understand."

"Negativo." Lopez says. [Negative]

"Well this is just dandy. Lopez, HOW - DO - WE - FIX - YOUR - SPEECH - U-NIT?"

"Why are you talking so slow?" Grif raises an eye brow. "He understands us just fine. Maybe you should try listening slower."

"Lopez, would you like to shoot Grif?"

Lopez pulls a pistol off his hip. "Sí señor. Gracias." [Yes sir. Thank you}

Grif panics and jumps and hides behind his bed. "No, stop! Uh, Alto, alto!"

"Alto means tall, you dumbass." Simmons informs.

"Then why do they put it on stop signs?"

"Aren't you from Vacuo? Don't they mainly speak Spanish there?" 

"Uh, doesn't mean I learned to speak it or understand it." 

Asher pulls out his scroll as it vibrates and a smile forms on his face. "Lopez, delay killing Grif. We have important stuff to do in Vale." He heads for the door as Lopez follows him. "I'll see you ladies later!"

.

.

Later in the day Donut is by himself in team RDDD's dorm. He sits on his bed while writing in a purple notebook. The door opens up as Grif and Simmons enter the room, both with mischievous smiles on their faces. They both walk up to Donut.

"Hey, Donut." Grif calls out.

"Yes?" Donut looks up as he closes his notebook.

"We've got a very important task for you." Simmons starts. "You think you can handle it?"

Donut stands up with a look of excitement. "Absolutely."

Simmons and Grif glance at each other with wide smirks. 

"We need you to go to the store and get two quarts of elbow grease." Simmons informs.

"Yeah, uh, pick us some..." Grif thinks for a second. "Headlight fluid for Sarge's vehicle too."

"His vehicle?" Donut questions.

"Yeah, Sarge has a car." Simmons informs.

"Are yous are you can handle this?" Grif asks Donut.

"Uh- Yeah!" Donut pumps a fist in determination. "Yeah, of course I can. Sure, no problem."

"Well, get going then." Simmons motions to the door.

Donut nods as he stands up and heads out of the dorm. Grif and Simmons watch him leave and after a few seconds when Donut leaves, they turn to each other.

"How long do you think until he figures out that they don't exist?" Simmons asks Grif.

"I'd say at least 5 hours." Grif says.

Outside the dorm Donut is heading down the hall.

"Elbow grease?" Donut questions. "How stupid do they think I am?" He lightly slams a fist onto his palm. "Once I get back to the dorm with the headlight fluid, I'm going to talk to Sarge."

.

.

The afternoon sun shines down onto Grif and Simmons as they stand outside a warehouse.

Simmons turns to Grif. "Hey."

Grif turns to Simmons. "Yeah?"

"You ever wonder why we're here?"

"It's one of life's great mysteries, isn't it? Why ARE we here? I mean, are we the product of... some cosmic coincidence, or... Are there really Gods? Watching everything? Y'know, with a plan for us, and stuff? I dunno, man. Bit it keeps me up at night."

Simmons stares at Grif with a questioned look. "...What?  I meant, why are we here, outside this warehouse?"

Grif blinks a few times, and his dog ears fold down. "Oh, uh... yeah."

"What was all that stuff about the Gods?"

"Uh... Hmmm? Nothing." Grif glances away from Simmons.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"No." 

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Seriously though, why are we out here?" Simmons looks at the large closed door behind him.

"Because Sarge called me and told me to meet him out here." Grif informs.

"And you didn't feel like telling me that on the way here?"

Grif thinks for a moment. "Didn't cross my mind."

On  the top of a nearby building are two White Fang members. One is looking through a sniper rifle while the other stands next to him. The sniper is a deer faunus while the other is a Cat Faunus.

"What are they doing?" The Cat asks.

The sniper turns to his friend. "What?"

"I said, what are they doing now?"

The sniper puts down his weapon. "God, damn! I'm getting so sick of answering that question." He says angrily.

"You have the fucking sniper rifle, I can't see shit!" The Cat WF states. "Don't bitch at me because I'm not going to just sit up here and play with my dick."

The deer sniper pinches the bridge of his nose. "Okay, okay, look. They're just standing there and talking, okay? That's all they're doing. That's all they HAVE been doing, is just standing there and talk. That's what they were doing an hour ago. That's what they were doing when you asked me five minutes ago, so five minutes from now-" He aims his sniper back at Grif and Simmons. "-when you ask me 'What are they doing?', my answer is still gonna be 'They're still just talking, and they're still just standing there'."

The cat looks towards the warehouse, then back to the deer. "What are they talking about?"

"You know what? I fucking hate you."

Back down at the Warehouse, Asher walks out from the side of the warehouse. 

"Ladies!" Asher calls out. "Front and center on the double!

"Fuck." Simmons mutters.

"Yes, sir!" Grif calls out.

Grif and Simmons run over to Asher.

"Hurry up, Ladies." Asher orders. "This ain't no ice cream social."

"Ice cream social?" Simmons questions.

"Stop the pillow talk, you two. Anyone wants to guess why I gathered you here... today?"

"Schools over and we're going home?" Grif asks.

Asher frowns, then speaks sarcastically. "That's exactly it, Grif. School's over. We graduated. Turns out you're the best student, and we're gonna hold a parade in your honor. "I get to drive the float. And Simmons here is in CHARGE OF CONFETTI!"

"I'm no stranger to sarcasm, sir."

"God DAMN it, Private! Shut your mouth, or else I'll have Simmons slit your throat while your asleep!"

"Oh, I'd do it too." Simmons states.

"I know you would, Simmons." Asher smiles. "Good man. I have something to show you two today, ladies. My dad has sent my car here." He turns to the warehouse and shouts. "Lopez, bring out the vehicle."

The warehouse doors open and a large vehicle, with a mounted machine gun, drives out. Lopez turns off the car and hops out.

"May I introduce my light reconnaissance vehicle." Asher motions to the Warthog. "It has four inch armor plating, mag bumper suspension, a mounted machine-gunner position., and a total seating for three. Gentlemen! This is the M12 LRV!" He then smiles. "I like to call it the 'Warthog'."

"Why 'Warthog', sir?" Simmons asks.

"Because M12 LRV is too hard to say in conversation." 

"No, but... why 'Warthog'?" Grif asks. "I mean, it doesn't really look like a pig."

Asher looks at Grif. "Say again?"

"I think it looks more like a puma." 

"What in Sam Hell is a puma?"

Simmons glances at Grif. "Uh, you mean like the shoe company?"

"No, Like a puma." Grif states. "It's a big cat, like a lion." 

Asher stares at Grif with narrow eyes. "...You're makin' that up."

"I'm telling you, it's a real animal!"

Asher turns to Simmons. "Simmons, I want you to poison Grif's next meal."

Simmons salutes. "Yes, sir!"

Asher walks over to his car and grabs to two hooks. "Look, see those two tow hooks? They look like tusks." He lets the two hooks go. "And what kind of animal has tusks?"

"A walrus." Grif points out.

"Didn't I just tell you stop stop making up animals!"

On it with two White Fang Members.

"What is that thing?" The Cat Faunus asks.

The deer lowers his sniper and looks at his friend. "I don't know. It looks like, uh... looks like they got some kinda car down there. We better get back to Roman and report it."

"What kind of car is it?"

The deer looks through the scope of his sniper. "I don't know, I've never seen a car like that before. It looks like a, uh... like a big cat of some kind."

The Cat glances at the deer. "What, like a puma?"

"Yeah, man, there you go."

Back down with the four.

"so unless anybody has any more mythical creatures to suggest as a name for a new vehicle, we're gonna stick with the Warthog." Asher turns to Grif. "How about it, Grif?"

"No, sir." Grif says dejectedly as his dog ears are drooped. "No more suggestions."

"Are you sure?"

"No, it's okay."

"Unicorn?" Asher suggests.

"No, really." Grif says. "Uh, I'm cool."

"Leprechaun?" Simmons suggests.

Grif glares at Simmons. "Hey, he doesn't need any help, man."

"Phoenix?" Asher suggests.

Grif sighs and shakes his head. "Oum."

Asher glances at Simmons. "Hey, Simmons! What's the name of that Vacuoin Lizard? Eats all the goats?"

"Uh, that would be the Chupacabra, sir." Simmons informs.

Asher looks back to Grif. "Hey, Grif! Chupa-thingy, how 'bout that? I like it. Got a ring to it."

"It's fine, sir."

Asher's scroll goes off and he pulls it out of his pocket. It's a message from Ruby says her and her team are coming to Vale and they should meet up.

Asher smiles and pockets his scroll. "Men, we have a mission." He fixes his scarf. "Get in the warthog."

"Shotgun!" Grif quickly says.

"Shotgun, fuck!" Simmons says a second to late.

Asher walks over to Lopez and hands him a piece of paper. "Lopez, I need you to pick these parts up."

Lopez grabs the paper. "En eso señor." [On it sir.]

Lopez walks off as Asher gets in the driver seat, Grif gets in the passenger and Simmons hops onto the gunner spot. Asher turns the car on and the radio starts to play.

Asher pulls out onto the road, nearly hitting another car.

"Wait, do you even have a license?" Grif asks Asher.

"What?" Asher glances at Grif with a raised brow. "No."

"Then why are you driving?!" Grif says in worry.

"Because it's my car." 

.

.

Team RWBY walk through the streets of Vale. Many people are walking about as Streamers and Banners are being set up. They all stop near an old man putting up a banner that says "Welcome to Vale!"

Weiss smiles as she glances around. "The Vytal Festival! Oh this is absolutely wonderful!"

Ruby puts a hand on her hip. "I don't think I've seen you smile this much Weiss. It's kinda weirding me out..."

Weiss turns to her leader. "How could you 'not' smile? A festival dedicated to the cultures of the world! There will be dances, parades, a tournament! Oh the amount of planning and organization that goes into this event is simply breath taking."

The team continue moving on.

Yang sighs and crosses her arms. "You really know how to take a good thing and make it sound boring."

Weiss glares at Yang. "Quiet you." She glances back at Ruby. "When's your Brother getting here?"

Ruby pulls out her scroll. "He should be here soon."

Weiss smiles. "Good."

The team comes up to the docks. A boat horn sounds off in the distance.

"Remind me again why we're spending our Friday afternoon visiting the stupid docks?" Yang asks.

Ruby covers her nose. "Ugh, they smell like fish."

"I've heard that students visiting from Vacuo will be arriving by ship today." Weiss informs and she turns to her team. "And as a representative of Beacon I feel as though it is my solemn duty to welcome them to this fine kingdom."

They continue on.

"She wants to spy on them so she'll have the upper hand in the tournament." Blake informs the sisters.

Weiss scoffs and crosses her arms. "Ah! You can't prove that!"

"I wonder if any of Grif's friends from Vacuo are coming?" Ruby questions, then looks to the side and spots a crime scene of a broken in shop. "Woah."

Ruby's other teammates notice the crime scene as well. They all head down the street and spot two detectives at the scene.

"What happened here?" Ruby asks one of the Detectives.

"Robbery." The Detective informs. "Second Dust shop to be hit this week. This place is turning into a jungle."

Yang scoughs. "That's terrible."

"They left all the money again." The Second Detective says.

"Huh?" Ruby questions."

"Yeah, just don't make a lick o' sense." The first Detective states. "Who needs that much Dust?"

"I dunno, ya know what I mean?" The second Detective says.

"You thinking the uh, White Fang?"

"Ya, I'm thinking we don't get paid enough."

Weiss crosses her arms. "Hmph. The White Fang. What an awful bunch of degenerates."

Blake slightly glares at Weiss. "What's your problem?"

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

"The White Fang is hardly a bunch of psychopaths. They're a collection of misguided faunus."

"Misguided?! They want to wipe humanity off the face of the planet!"

"So then they're 'very' misguided." Blake starts. "Either way, it doesn't explain why they would rob a Dust shop in the middle of downtown Vale."

"Hmm." Ruby hums. "Blake's got a point. Besides, the police never caught that Torchwick guy Asher and I ran into a few months ago... Maybe it was him."

Weiss crosses her arms. "That still doesn't change the fact that the White Fang are a bunch of scum. Those faunus only know how to lie, cheat, and steal."

Blake glares at Weiss.

"That's not necessarily true." Yang states.

Suddenly they all hear some music coming down the road and they all turn to see Asher and his team driving towards them. The Warthog stops next to RWBY and they all hop out.

Civilians stare at the Warthog in wonder, the two Detectives give Asher and his team questionable looks as they look at the massive gun mounted on the back of the car.

Asher turns to Simmons and Grif and he pulls out a piece of paper. "Ladies, I need you to go and collect some dust and ammo for me."

Grif sighs as he grabs the paper. "Yes, sir." He and Simmons reply.

The two get into the Warthog and drive off.

Asher turns to RWBy with a smile. "Yang, Ruby, Blake." He nods to them then turns to Weiss and winks at her. "Snowflake."

Weiss glances a away, small tint of red on her cheeks.

"So what are you all doing?" Asher asks.

"We were exploring around, until we saw this." Ruby motions to the store that was robbed.

"Wow, what did they steal?"

"Just dust." Blake informs.

"Just dust?" Asher questions with a raised brow, and Blake nods. "Who steals just dust?"

"It was those White Fang scum." Weiss exclaims.

Asher gets taken back a little. "Uh, isn't that a little harsh, Weiss?"

Before Weiss could respond they hear a commotion at the docks.

"Hey!" A Sailor yells. "Stop that faunus!"

They all run to the docks a spot a faunus with a yellow monkey tail running from some Sailors, on a boat. The Faunus jumps onto the side of the boat.

"Thanks for the ride, guys! Hehe." The Faunus then jumps off the boat and onto the docks. He runs and jumps onto a lamp post and hands upside down by his tail.

"You no-good stow-away!" A Sailor shouts.

The Faunus boy eats a banana. "Hey! A 'no-good' stow-away would have been caught. I'm a great stow-away." A rock is thrown at him.

"He has a point." Asher mutters, and Weiss elbows him in the side. "Ow."

The Detectives from the store walk onto the docks and stare up at the Faunus.

"Hey." A Detective calls out. "Get down from there this instant." He gets a banana peel to the face and he growls in anger.

The Faunus flips himself onto the top of the lamp post. Then he mischievously laughs as he hops onto the docks and continues to run. 

The Faunus runs up some stairs and past the group, winking at Blake as he passes. He run off as the Detectives continue their chase.

"Well Weiss, you wanted to see the competition and there it goes." Yang says.

Weiss points in the direction where the Faunus went. "Quick! We need to observe him!" She runs off.

"Okay, then." Asher follows after Weiss, as does the rest of Weiss' team.

They all follows the Faunus through the streets, yet when they round a corner Weiss crashes into someone and they both fall to the ground.

The rest of the group stops a few paces away.

Weiss looks up and spots the Faunus jump up to the roofs and disappear out of sight. "No! He got away!"

"Weiss, you might want to get up." Asher calls out as he points to the person Weiss is on.

Weiss looks down and sees a ginger girl smile at her.

"Euh!" Weiss swiftly stands up.

The girl waves. "Salutations!"

"Um... hello." The twins greet in confusion. 

"Are you... okay?" Yang asks the ginger girl.

"I'm wonderful." The ginger responds, not getting up. "Thank you for asking."

Team RWBY and Asher glance at each other then back to the ginger

"Do you... wanna get up little lady?" Asher asks.

The girl thinks for a second, then nods. "Yes."

The ginger flips herself up and turns to team RWBY and Asher, they all take a step back.

"My name is Penny." She informs. "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"Hi Penny." Ruby greets. "I'm Ruby."

Asher clears his throat. "Asher 'Sarge' Rose."

"I'm Weiss." She greets.

"Blake." She greets.

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Yang asks, but then Blake elbows her in the side. "Oh, I'm Yang."

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

"You already said that." Weiss points out.

Penny thinks for a second. "So I did!"

"Well, sorry for running into you." Weiss says as everyone starts to walk away.

The Twins have bye to Penny. "Take care, Friend!"

The group gets a little ways from Penny.

"She was... Weird." Yang states.

"Yang, although true, it's not nice to say." Asher sates as he adjusts his mother cloak a little.

"Now." Weiss starts. "Where did that faunus riffraff run off to."

They all stop as Penny suddenly is in front of them.

"What did you call me?" Penny asks.

Weiss points to where they left her, then looks back to Penny, then back again as she looks in disbelief. 

"Oh, I'm really sorry." Yang apologies. "I definitely didn't think you heard me."

"No, not you..." penny pushes past Weiss, Yang and Blake as she moves to the Twins. "You two." Penny leans in real close to them.

"Us?!" The Twins question.

"I-I don't know, I--" Ruby stutters. "What I-- Um, uh--"

"S-She's a little close!" Asher states.

"You two called me 'friend'." Penny states. "Am I really your friend?"

"Ummm..." Asher starts as he and Ruby look to the others.

Weiss, Blake and Yang are waving their hands and shaking their heads.

Ruby and Asher look back to Penny. "Ya, sure! Why not?"

The others comically fall to the ground.

Penny throws her hands up as she laughs. "Sen-sational! We can paint out nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute boys! Like Asher!"

Asher's cheeks turn slightly red. Weiss comes over and pulls Asher slightly behind her.

Ruby leans over to Weiss. "Ooh, is this what is was like when you met me?"

Weiss leans over to Ruby. "No, she seems 'far' more coordinated."

"Soo, what are you doing in Vale?" Yang asks Penny.

"I'm here to fight in the tournament." Penny informs.

"Wait... you're fighting in the tournament?" Weiss asks.

Penny salutes. "I'm combat ready!'

Asher chuckles. "I like this little lady."

Weiss glances at Asher. "Quiet." She then turns to Penny and crosses her arms. "Forgive me, but you hardly look the part."

"Says the girl wearing a dress." Blake points out.

"It's a 'combat skirt.'" 

Ruby zooms up next to Weiss. "Yeah!"

The two high-five.

"Wait a minute." Weiss walks up to Penny. "If you're here for the tournament, does that mean you know that monkey-tailed... rapscallion??"

Blake grits her teeth as she glares at Weiss.

"The who?" Penny asks.

Weiss holds up a horribly drawn picture of the Monkey Faunus. "The filthy faunus from the boat!"

"Why do you keep saying that?" Blake asks in anger.

"Huh?"

Blake walks over to Weiss. "Stop calling him a rapscallion. Stop calling him a degenerate. He's a person!"

Weiss turns to Blake. "Oh, I'm sorry. Would you like me to stop referring to the trashcan as a trashcan, or this lamppost as a lamppost?" She motions to a lamppost next to her.

"That's pretty mean, Weiss." Asher frowns.

Weiss slightly glares at Asher. "Shut. It."

Asher jaw drops a little as he's taken back.

"Stop it!" Blake shouts at Weiss.

"Stop what?" Weiss asks as she turns back to her. "He clearly broke the law. Give him time, he'll probably join up with those other faunus in the White Fang."

Blake's hand curls into a fist as she growls. "You ignorant little brat!" She stomps off.

Weiss stomps after Blake and the two continue to argue.

Asher points behind him. "Um... I'm just, you know..." He starts to walk backwards. "Going to go."

Asher uses his semblance to get away, but no one seems to notice but Penny.

Penny waves bye to Asher. "Bye friend Asher!"

.

.

.

Moonlight shines through the open window in Team RDDD's dorm room. Asher is talking to Grif and Simmons as Donut sits on his bed, writing in his purple notebook.

"So you tricked Donut into going to the store to look for elbow grease and headlight fluid?" Asher asks Grif and Simmons, and they nod. "I don't think I have ever been more proud in my life."

Donut sighs in despair. 

Yet they all turn to the wall as they heard Weiss and Blake yell at each other.

Grif groans and lays back in his bed. "Man, they've been at it for hours now." he rubs his dog-ears. "Can they just stop."

Simmons turns to his leader. "What are they even arguing about?"

Asher sighs and sits on his bed. "Weiss and Blake are arguing over White Fang stuff, I really didn't want to stay around for all of it."

"I wouldn't want to be around a brat like Weiss, too." Simmons mutters.

"I almost feel like Weiss doesn't even try to be a good person." Grif states. "Anytime I'm near her, she glares at me."

"Oum, she's nearly as bad as Cardin!" 

Weiss and Blake yell at each other again.

"Guys, just... stop." Asher orders as he sighs and lays down on his bed.

Donut looks up from his notebook. "They really should stop fighting, it's not good for their friendship. They should make up and just hug!"

Everyone is silent for a few moments as they listen to the muffled yelling.

"Ruby really needs to get them to stop." Grif groans. "She's a their leader, yet she doesn't do anything."

"At least Sarge is good at being a leader." Simmons states.

Asher just stares up at the ceiling. "It's harder then you think." He whispers.

"You say something, Sarge?" Simmons glances at his team leader.

"Just thinking to myself..."

Suddenly they heard Blake's muffled voice. "Well, maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!"

Everything is silent for a few moments, everyone's eyes widen. Then the sound of a door slamming open is heard and Ruby's voice follows.

"Blake!" Ruby shouts. "Wait! Come back!

"What... Just happened?" Grif questions. "Does that mean Blake's a... faunus."

"Oh, now everything makes sense about her." Donut mutters.

Asher sits up. "I'll go check on it, I'll be back in a moment." 

Asher gets up exits his dorm, and walks over to Ruby's dorm. He sees the door open and he pops in and sees Yang and Ruby looking at Weiss, who is just looking at a wall.

"Hey..." Asher calls out and everyone looks at him. "What happened?"

"Asher?" Yang questions. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

Asher points at the wall separating team RWBY and Team RDDD's dorm. "Weiss and Blake weren't exactly quiet."

Ruby grows a sad face. "Sorry, Ashie."

Asher looks around and notices that Blake's gone. "Where's Blake?"

Yang and Ruby just glance at Weiss, who refuses to look over.

"Weiss?" Asher calls out.

Weiss is silent for a few moments. "She tricked us this whole time, a Faunus right under our noses. Probably ran off to go and join her White Fang friends and terrorize the city." She glances at Asher and notices the frown on his face. "What's with that face?"

"I... I thought you were a good person Weiss." Asher turns to leave. 

"W-What?"

"I believe in you and so did Ruby, thanks for throwing all that away."

Asher leaves the room, and Weiss raises her hand to call out to Asher, but she just stops and lowers her hand. 

Ruby rubs her arm in nervousness.

Asher enters his dorm with a frown and he lays on his bed and hides under the covers. Donut raises his hand to speak, but Grif grabs his shoulder and shakes his head.

Simmons turns off the lights and everyone goes to bed.

.

.

.

Grif yawns as he sits in passenger side the warthog with the morning sun shining down onto him. Donut and Simmons are sitting on the back of the Warthog.

Asher is leaning against the driver side of the Warthog, scroll up to his head. "She still hasn't come back?" Asher sighs. "I'm sorry, Ruby... Yeah we'll help look." A smile forms on his face. "Yeah, love you too, bye."

He puts his scroll away and turns to his team. "Alright, Men, we got a mission today from the leader of team RWBY! So let's mount up and search for Blake!" He hops into the driver seat and starts his car.

Grif groans. "can't we go back to bed?!"

Simmons hops into the gunner position. "Dude, how are you tired, you got like 10 hours of sleep."

"Still not enough!"

Donut, who's sitting on the back of the Warthog, speaks. "Come on, Grif. It's such a nice say, you gotta suck on the beautiful sunlight."

"That was worded so wrong." Grif mumbles.

"Let's go!" Asher speeds off down the road, nearly crashing into a lamppost.

.

.

.

The Warthog's headlights shine down a dark empty road as the team drives near the docks at night.

Grif whines as he slumps forward. "We've been at this all day, can we stop?"

Asher shakes his head. "No, not until we've completed our mission."

Asher pulls onto the side of the road and puts the Warthog in park. Everyone hops out and starts stretching.

Grif grumbles as he dog ears flicker and he looks off to the side, and sees an armored soldier step out of a nearby alleyway. The soldier as a weapon that looks like a grenade launcher with a large knife.

"Then I'm going to ask that guy if he's seen anyone with a black bow." Grif states as he walks towards the Meta.

Asher looks over and spots the soldier and he slightly panics. "Grif, get back over here! He could be a White Fang member, I mean who else would walk out in full armor like that at night!"

"Shut up. And watch how you do this." Grif walks up to the Meta. "Hey there, Mister. Have you seen a female with black hair and amber eyes. Oh, she also wears a black bow on her head."

The Meta growls.

"Huh, sounds like somebody has a cold." Grif states. "Anyway listen, we need your help looking for..." The Meta lifts up a nearby car. "Someone... Wow. That's a cool trick how did you-" The Meta turns to Grif and he starts to back up. "Uh... I uh..."

Grif starts to rub away as the Meta flings the car at him. "Oh oum, oh oum, oh oum, oh oum, OH OUUUUUUMMMMM!"

Grif runs through a pair of trees in a nearby little park and the car smashes into them. 

Grif pops up from behind the car. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!"

"GRIF!" Asher yells. "If I've told you once, I've told you tens of times! You gotta pay attention in battle!" The Meta hisses in the background. "You can't let yourself get distracted by--" He looks to the side and his silver eyes widen. "Oh crap, flying car!"

"RUN!" Simmons shouts.

"Oh, Oum!" Donut shouts.

All three of them run into a nearby alleyway as a car flies past them and crashes into the side of the building. 

"What is that thing?!" Simmons shouts.

"I don't know." Asher peeks out of the alleyway. "It's almost like a male version of Yang..."

Donut peers out beside Asher. "What are we gonna do, sir?"

Asher moves back into cover as a grenade flies past his face. "I don't know."

"We should find a way to keep him busy, then we stick it in him!" 

"Um, it's 'stick it to him', Donut." Simmons corrects. "And how the hell will we keep it busy?"

Asher leans out of the alleyway. "Looks like Grif is doing a pretty good job already."

There are now large boxes and motorbikes surrounding Grif now.

"OKay, I get it!" Grif yells as another bike lands behind him. "Stop throwing things at me YOU FUCKING JACKASSS!"

"Keep up the good work, Grif!" Asher shouts and gives him a thumbs up.

A pole lands on Grif's head. "OW! Okay, that could have taken out an eye!"

Asher ducks back into the alleyway as a grenade launches past him and blows up part of the shop. Then Asher's Warthog flies past the alleyway. 

Asher steps out of the alleyway in anger. "Hey come on! I've still got payments left on that thing." He steps back into the alleyway. "You better not scratch the paint job!"

The Meta hisses as he reloads his grenade launcher. Suddenly an explosion goes off farther down the docks and he looks over to it. Smoke raises as the sounds of a radio turning on is heard in his helmet.

Someone speaks on the radio and the Meta hisses in response, then runs off towards the explosion. After a few seconds of silence everyone peaks out of their cover.

"Is he gone?" Grif walks out from behind his cover.

"Sadly." Asher says in a sad tone, but then returns to normal. "I was enjoying things getting thrown at you, Grif."

Everyone looks at the cloud of smoke rising in the distance.

"I have a feeling that may be, Blake." Donut points at the cloud.

"Come on, men." Asher runs over to his Warthog, and finds a large scratch in it. "That son of a bitch put a scratch on my car!"

Asher grumbles as he hops into the driver seat.

"Shotgun!" Simmons shouts.

"Shotgun, fuck!" Grif says a little to late.

"Shotgun's lap." Donut calls out.

"Fuck!" Simmons shouts.

Everyone gets into the warthog as it's music begins to play and they drive off.

.

.

Blake looks up as several more Bullheads fly over the docks. Suddenly she hears laughing and sees a something red spinning past her and up into the air.

The red blur flies through a wing of a Bullhead, and the wing falls off, causing the Bullhead to crash into the ground.

"What the...?" Blake questions.

The red blur lands on a stack of cargo containers and it's revealed to be Asher. His cloak flaps in the wind as he smirks. He flips his scythe around and turns it into a shotgun. He loads several shells in and fires towards another Bullhead. 

Slug slam into the side of the Bullhead, casing it to shake. It turns towards Asher and starts to rev up it's cannons, but suddenly the Warthog goes flying past it.

"Yeah, get filled up!" Donut, who's manning the gun, shouts as he fires onto the engines of the Bullhead. 

One of the Bullhead's engines blows up and sends it crashing into the last one. The two Bullheads crash into the ground, and blow up. White Fang members run out of the burning planes.

"Holy crap!" Sun shouts in amazement.

Suddenly three more Bullhead fly in and fire onto the Warthog.

"Oh, shit!" Simmons shouts.

"Oh, OUM!" Grif shouts as he punches the gas.

Penny jumps behind the Warthog and forms a shield with her swords to block the bullets shot towards them. She launches two of her sword into the wall behind her, which in turn pull their wielder back with their strings. When her swords swirl around her again, she commands them to open their points and build up a large glowing ball of green light. With a punching action, several bright lasers crack the pavement when they fire at the transports and slice each one in half, causing several of the White Fang members inside to fall and letting Ruby watch as Bullheads fall in pieces behind her.

Stunned, she turns back to Penny as she aims her swords at the remaining Bullheads holding the crate of Dust and pulls back on their wires, tugging the aircraft with them.

Ruby watches in awe. "Whoa... How is she doing that?"

Seeing the Bullhead's flight fall under Penny's control, Roman grimaces and turns to run towards the last transport.

Penny, after her large green pupils dilate for a second, pulls with all her might on the strings, and the aircraft crashes into a stack of crates, causing an explosion as a result.

Roman watches the scene from a Bullhead that's taking off. "These kids just keep getting weirder!"

Asher spots Roman's Bullhead. "Oh, no you don't!" Asher changes his shotgun into his scythe and he uses his semblance to swiftly fly towards Roman.

Roman spots the blur of flaming Rose petals and he motions to Asher. Suddenly the Meta appears from the side and aims his grenade launcher at Asher. He hisses and fires a round.

The round flies through the air and slams into the blur, blowing up. Asher slams into the ground and grunts a little as he watches the Bullhead fly off.

Grif pulls up next to Asher. "You good, sir?" He calls out.

Asher's aura covers him as he stand up and rolls his shoulders. "Yeah, just disappointed we let that neerdowell get away." He hops onto the side of the Warthog. "Come on, let's regroup."

Grif drives up to everyone else and they all hop out of the Warthog.

Asher turns to his team. "Well, we found Blake. Mission accomplished. Good job RDDD team!"

RDDD team high-fives and cheers.

"But you guys didn't find her." Sun points out.

Asher turns to Sun and frowns. "Shut up, let me have my moment... Who are you?"

Blake walks up to Asher. "His name is Sun. Where you guys also looking for me this whole time?"

"Yes, all day!" Grif complains. "Sarge here wouldn't even let us have a break either."

"We got a lunch break." Simmons points out.

"But that's Lunch, what about second lunch, third lunch and Dinner?!"

Asher turns to Grif. "We had a mission to get done, Grif."

Blake chuckles and brings Asher into a hug. "Thank you." She lets go of the hug. "That means a lot to me."

Asher rubs his head in embarrassment. "Doh, it was just a mission given to us by your amazing team leader here." He motions to Ruby, who just waves in response.

Penny zooms up to Asher and gives him a big hug. "Hi Asher!"

"Hi, Penny." Asher chuckles.

.

.

A little later everyone's sitting on some crates as police cars surround the area. Their radio chatter fills the silence between everyone.

Though the sounds of heels approaching gets all their attention. They all look to the side and see Weiss and Yang approach them all.

Ruby gets up and starts walking towards Weiss. She starts talking really fast. "Look Weiss, It's not what you think she explained the whole thing, you see she doesn't actually wear a bow she has kitty ears and their kinda cute."

Weiss walks past Ruby and up to Blake. The two stare at each other in silence for a few seconds.

"Weiss." Blake starts. "I want you to know that I'm no longer associated with the White Fang. Back when I was with-"

Weiss interrupts. "Stop. Do you have any idea how long we've been searching for you? Twelve hours. That means I've had twelve hours to think about this. And in that twelve hours I've decided..." Everyone watches in suspense. "I don't care!"

"You don't care?"

"You said you're not one of them anymore, right?"

"No, I-I haven been since I was younger-"

Weiss interrupts again. "Upupupupupup! I don't wanna hear it. All I want to know, is that the next time something this big comes up... you'll come to your teammates, and not some..." Weiss and Blake look at Sun. "-someone else."

Blake looks at Ruby and Yang, who both smile at her. Blake smiles as she wipes a tear forming in her eye and looks back to Weiss. "Of course."

Weiss smiles in response.

Ruby throws her arms up into the air. "YEAH! Team RWBY is back together!"

Everyone gathers up.

Donut cheers. "The whole family is back together. It fills up up really full to see this."

"Donut, please don't word it like that." Simmons sighs.

Asher zooms over to Weiss and brings her into a big hug. "YAAAY! You've changed for the better!"

Weiss blushes and pushes against Asher. "Let go of me, you- you Dolt!

Asher laughs as he sets Weiss down.

Weiss then turns to Sun. "I'm still not quite sure how I feel about you!" Sun nervously laughs.

Ruby looks around and spots Penny's missing. "Hey, wait a minute. Where's Penny?"

From the darkened back seat of a limo, Penny watches the group of friends reuniting with each other.

"You should know better than to go running around in a strange city." The Driver says.

Penny lowers her head in sadness. "I know, sir."

"Penny, your time will come..."

Meanwhile, Ozpin is holding a Scroll showing a 'LIVE FEED' of Ruby and Asher at the docks. He clsoes the video and opens up a communication with Qrow, whose team name and other information is left blank and his only messge is:" QUEEN HAS PAWNS."

Ozpin hums.

.

.

Roman walks into a large warehouse with a shadowy interior. He goes over to a table and places down a case of mysterious contents, sighing in tiredness.

"How very disappointing, Roman." A sultry voice is heard from the darkness.

Roman turns around at the nosy entrance. "Whoa! Hehe... I wasn't expecting to see you guys so soon."

Three other figures are seen behind Cinder, one is sharpening a large knife.

Cinder walks forward. "We were expecting... More from you."

Roman laughs a little before getting serious. "Hey! You were the ones who suggested working with those stupid mutts from the White Fang."

Cinder chuckles darkly. "And you will continue to do so." 

Cinder summons a fireball in her and and steps out of the darkness with her three companions, a gray-haired man, a mint-haired, tanned woman, and a man with black with the front of his hair dyed orange. 

Cinder smirks. "We have big plans for you, Roman. All we ask is... a little cooperation."

The Meta suddenly walks out from behind Cinder and her companions, and he cracks his knuckles as he stares at Roman.

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02-06-2024

7038 words