The REDS of war

Volume One Chapter Nine (Volume one finale)

It's been four months since the battle at the docks. And today, is the start of winter vacation. Many students are headed home for vacation, though a group of four students are headed north. Glossy, Rai, Dusk and Rei, all headed to Mantle/Atlas. The group wave to Sky and Erin, Sky's headed back to her home in Mistral, a town named Shion. Erin however will be spending his entire vacation at Beacon.

The four sigh as they sit in a room together, their hours long flight will be far worse if alone, so they agreed to share a room, despite the fact that three of them could easily afford their own rooms.

"So what are you three looking forward to doing when we get there?"

"Meet your asshole father." Glossy grins and Rei rolls his eyes.

"Ah... likely we're not gonna see him."

"Why's that?" Rai asks.

"I'm gonna meet with some old friends, sure they're not 'good' people, but they helped me as a kid, so, it'll be nice to see them again, what about you, Danny."

"Come on, we all know who he is." Rai speaks first. "He's Dusk Kai,  CEO of Kai Weapons & Manufacturing."

"Technically, not until we get back to Atlas."

"Then who is it?"

"Until I get back? An old friend of my dad's."

"What's their name?" Glossy asks.

"His names Cassidy Orange."

"Uncle Cassidy?" Rai asks as she turns suddenly from the window to Dusk.

"Uncle?"

Glossy raises her hand to answer Dusk's question. "Rai's mother was a teammate of Cassidy."

"Really now, well ain't that interesting, I haven't called him uncle in years."

The group continue conversing the entire trip. Once they arrive they land at the entrance to Atlas Academy. But a surprising note for them is the people standing there, or rather person. General James Ironwood. The four initially attempted to avoid him, however he stood directly in front of the group.

"Mr. Kai, a pleasure to see you again. Is this your team?"

Dusk scoffs slightly. "I wish. These two are my mentors Glossy Grayson and Rai Sin."

Ironwood nods to the pair before turning to Rei. "Ladies, if you'd be so kind to give us some privacy."

The two ladies agree bowing to the general and walk away.

"May I speak with you two in my office?"

"You're not going to ask who he is?" Dusk asks pointing to Rei.

"I'm well acquainted with the Vermillion's Crimson Squad."

Rei gulps a slight groan escaping his throat. The pair of boys follow the headmaster of the school and general of the military. The three walk down a hallway with dozens of soldiers saluting the general, once they reach the office they enter to find the three of them won't be alone, seated in the room, on a chair below the stairs to Ironwood's desk a young teenage girl also with dark red hair similar to Rei's. She and Rei both notice each other before smiling and laughing. She leaps from the seat and rushes over hugging him.

"Shit man, I didn't think I'd see you till the joint mission." The girl speaks breaking away from the hug.

"I said I was gonna visit during winter break. But I didn't think I'd find you here, Scar."

"Yeah, today came as a bit of a surprise for me. No one here knows aside from the General I guess, what about you?"

"Ah, I've let the beans spill slightly."

Scarlet scoffs. "Come on, you bend over that easily?"

"No. Dealing with a racist caused me to get upset, and reveal I have friends in the familia."

"So a bean spilled."

"Yeah, I guess."

"Aside from myself, and maybe Eclipse, no one else knows he's a member of the Vermillion's let alone THE captain Ferrari."

"Captain Ferrari's my mentor, I'm just Ferrari."

"Mister Kai?" Scarlet asks seeing Dusk for the first time in the room.

"Yes, yes, it's nice seeing you two again."

"Ahem." Ironwood interrupts the friendly reunion his gaze focused on the three. "I called you three in here, not because of each of your individual ties to the Vermillion's, though that hasn't gone without notice. It's to discuss the joint mission for each second year team. Currently all three of you are first years correct?"

The trio all nod.

"I wish to make a team of first years between the schools with a rotating roster. You three are my ideal candidates for the pitch to Headmasters Ozpin and Theodore. Professor Lionheart has already agreed to my idea. These are the files for Lionheart's students first year picks.

Ironwood shows on a hologram three student profiles. Sun Wukong, Mercury Black, and Oliver Hunt.

"Hey, Dusk, we know that guy."

"I recognize two of these names."

"You do?" Ironwood glances to the pair.

"Sun Wukong was involved in the incident at the Docks with the Schnee freighters." Rei answers the General.

"You mean the incident where Penny fought."

"Yes. Where Penny fought. Sun Wukong is a monkey Faunus, from what I can tell no ties to the Fang, current or previous." Dusk steps forward swiping the screen away from Dusk to focus on Mercury Black. "Rei, his name ring any bells?"

"You know, now that I reread it..." Rei begins, Scarlet however answers first her eyes wide.

"The assassin?"

"No, that's Marcus Black, but the resemblance is striking." Rei stares at the image a tinge of fear in his eyes.

Dusk turns back to them. "I agree to the team idea, but I definitely suggest keeping an eye on Mercury Black."

"Good, I'm glad you three are on board. I still need to pick two more students from Atlas, and if Ozpin agrees to the pair of you, then you'll have another student from Beacon academy."

"If I had to pick, Blake or Erin." Rei speaks brushing some hair out of his face.

"I would agree, but the previous connection to the Fang rules them out for most Atlas students, I wouldn't recommend Weiss." Dusk responds, the pair of boys now thinking about potential answers.

"General Ironwood, If I may make a suggestion." Scarlet speaks up to the General who nods for her to continue. "Can suggest Goldie Range from team ORGS..." Oranges) "..She's not a vermillion, so I have no familial reason to recommend her, but something about her drives my curiosity and if I can figure out something about her history which is a large unknown to most of us, would that be beneficial to you?"

"It would. Okay, Goldie Range, I'll come up with a third student later, for now three of you can leave, please enjoy your winter vacation. Oh, and Dusk, Winter and Cassidy will be waiting for you in your office, please, be there before five."

"Of course sir."

The trio leave the office, Dusk leading them as they think about what's happened today.

Chapter End.

Volume 1 End.