September 29, 2020

Today, Blake was working the telephones at the Fire Alarm Office. On the TV, a morning talk show played on VNN, discussing the news of the day.

Blake answered a phone on a redirected 911 line. It was 10:04 AM. "Fire Department, Alarm Operator T875."

"My wife is having a heart attack! She's having chest pains and she can't breathe!"

"Sir, where's your address?"

"We're at 1872 Willow Lane! Please hurry!"

"Does she have a history of heart issues?"

"No!"

"How old is your wife, sir?"

"She's 52 years old! Hurry up!"

"Okay, sir, I'll notify the fire department ambulance immediately. Call back at 010-453-9221 if you need to update us." Blake then hung up and typed in the info of the call onto the CAD system. She then sent it to the paging station.

Another dispatcher said to her, "You're doing a good job, new guy. It won't be long before that letter T is removed from your ID."

"You got that right," Blake replied. Then, the dispatchers heard the signal on the TVs get interrupted. "Huh? What the hell is that?"

Then, the White Fang logo popped up on the screens of any TV showing VNN, VBC, or HBS, 3 major channels in Vale. A voice said, "For the liberation and empowerment of faunus everywhere against humanity, I present to you the White Fang."

Blake shuddered and thought, "Oh fuck no..."

Text popped up on the screen that said, "For massacring faunus everywhere, we will deliver justice to the monsters in uniforms known as police and soldiers. For supporting these monsters, we will also deliver justice to firefighters, paid and volunteer. Watch your back."

Then, 4 masked White Fang members appeared, holding assault rifles. They stood behind 2 families, all nude. One family had a man, a woman, and 4 children aged 17, 13, 9, and 4. The second had 2 women and 2 children aged 3 and 6 months. One of the terrorists said, "Humans of the world, these 2 families in front of us are an example of what us faunus are capable of when we stand together to kill you. The first family belongs to Lilac Chloris, the sheriff of Huntingdon County. The second family belongs to Mark Smith, the chief of the Huntingdon Volunteer Fire Company."

Blake said, "No... They wouldn't..."

Lilac said to the camera, reading from a script she held, "My name is Lilac Chloris. I am a Mistrali-Valeanian. I am 41 years old and a lesbian. I was elected to the position of sheriff in 2019 by my filthy human constituents and the traitor faunus that support them. If humanity does not submit to the faunus, and if the police do not stop killing faunus, the White Fang will only kill more of us officers and their families."

Mark Smith read, "My name is Mark Smith. I am the chief of the Huntingdon Volunteer Fire Company. I am 57 years old. I have been chief since 2018. Since I support the murderers in blue, I will be punished. All firefighters in Vale will be hunted down and killed for supporting the monsters in uniforms."

Another terrorist said, "Now it is time for justice." He then grabbed the 6-month-old baby from Lilac, who replied by screaming and crying. He then punched the baby in the skull, causing him to cry and bleed, threw him on the ground hard, and shot him. The other 3 then shot the rest of the group dead with their assault rifles. The screen then faded to black.

Tears began to form in Blake's eyes. In her time at the White Fang, she had seen horrible stuff and had even done some horrible stuff, but she had never seen them go this far. "This... This was all my fault for killing Banesaw..."

Another text message then popped up, saying, "Be prepared, Vale. We will strike again."

Blake got home at 4:35. There, Sun and Ruby were waiting for her. "Let me guess, you saw that shit on TV, right?"

"We did," Sun replied. "Ruby told me everything."

"Look, I'm sorry. I know that was my fault. I shouldn't have gone on my own."

"It's not that," Ruby replied. "We want to hunt these fuckers down ourselves. I talked to Delwyn IV earlier, and he said he is looking into beginning an operation to end these bastards for good before they cause any more harm."

"That will be impossible," Blake replied. "You can't kill an idea. We can weaken them, but every time we do, they just pop back up again."

"But we can neuter it," Sun said. "We can demonize it and remove the capability for it to be armed. After all, we can't kill the idea of Authoritarianism, but we sure did demonize it and ridicule it to the point where it's not taken seriously anymore."

Blake was about to reply, but stopped herself. "True... We will be ready when they strike again."

Ruby then got a call from Gwen. "Hello? Oh hi there, Gwen! Sure. I'll go out. I'm free for the night. Really? Alright then. I'll see you there. Bye." Ruby then hung up. "I'm going out with Gwen tonight."

"I'll tell Yang," Blake replied. "By the way, no pun intended, the Vale Pride March is on October 2nd at noon. Remember that."

"I will."

As soon as she said that, the siren went off at the station. "Let's go see what the call is."

When Ruby and Blake got to the station about 2 minutes later, they found a few guys who were doing bunk-in duty waiting. The ambulance had already left. "What's the call?"

"It's a car accident," a volunteer said. "Bravo response. We're going alone." They then saw Car 5 speed past the fire station.

As Ruby and Blake got their gear on, Weiss ran in. She said, "Any more room on the rescue?"

"On the rear step, I guess." The rescue then started up. Blake and Ruby ran to get in the cab, taking the last 2 seats. Weiss put her boots and helmet on, grabbed her coat, and ran to the back of the rescue-pumper. There, she stepped up onto the rear step, threw her coat onto the hose bed, and held on as the rescue drove out of the station with its lights flashing and siren blaring.

When they arrived about 5 minutes after the call came in, the paid guys and a volunteer that rode with them were treating the only patient in the crash. The rescue blocked the roadway.

Weiss got off, pulled her boots up, and put her coat on. She then opened a compartment and grabbed traffic cones to put around the scene. Ruby and Blake got out of the rescue and opened another compartment to grab cleaning supplies.

Weiss said, "Ruby, Blake, clear the scene of broken glass and small debris and make a pile of it with the brooms."

Blake replied, "Got it." She then grabbed a broom and said to Ruby, "How long do you think we'll be here?"

"About 45 minutes, since it usually takes that long for a towing company to get here. Don't know why."

September 30, 2020

It was 6 PM. At the Wednesday meeting, 2 new members of the fire company were going to be sworn in, the first since Ruby, Blake, and Yang had joined.

In the meeting room upstairs, Team RWBY talked amongst themselves. Weiss said, "I predict we'll get a fire right after we swear the new kids in. There's always a call after these things." Then, they were interrupted by the pagers ringing. "Is that a fire call?"

"No," Hermann replied. "Just an EMS call for a fall. Nothing major."

"Anyways," Weiss continued. "The day I was sworn in, we had 2 Code 99s back to back plus an MVA with extrication. I didn't go to bed until 5 in the morning. Luckily, there was no school tomorrow because of a water main break that cancelled classes at my private school for 3 days."

"Holy shit," Yang replied. "I can't imagine staying up that late. What kept you up?"

"For the first time in my life, I drank coffee and liked it. It was in the dead of winter too."

"Did somebody call my name?" Winter asked.

"No, sis. I'm telling them of the night I was sworn in like 9 years ago."

Afterwards, the meeting was called. Captain Kirkridge said, "A moment of silence for yesterday's events." After a pause for a minute, he said, "Okay, let's begin. First order of business is that we will be swearing in 2 new members to the fire company. They are Theresa Mikusch, aged 15, and Denis Ap Owain, aged 12, soon to be 13. Teresa, you may stand up."

The girl, a brunette with her hair in a short ponytail and one strand a green colour, stood up. Weiss walked over to her carrying a book containing the fire company's rules and regulations. Weiss said, "Repeat after me. I, state your full name."

"I, Theresa James Mikusch."

"Do hereby declare,"

"Do hereby declare,"

"That I will support the Kingdom of Vale,"

"That I will support the Kingdom of Vale,"

"And respect and uphold its laws."

"And respect and uphold its laws."

"Furthermore, I will protect the City of Vale,"

"Furthermore, I will protect the City of Vale,"

"From the threat of fire,"

"From the threat of fire,"

"As a volunteer firefighter of the Vigilant Fire Company."

"As a volunteer firefighter of the Vigilant Fire Company."

"Furthermore, I will provide,"

"Furthermore, I will provide,"

"Rescue and emergency medical services,"

"Rescue and emergency medical services,"

"To the City of Vale."

"To the City of Vale."

"I will not reveal,"

"I will not reveal,"

"Sensitive information,"

"Sensitive information,"

"Unless authorised to."

"Unless authorised to."

"I recognise that my badge,"

"I recognise that my badge,"

"Is a symbol of trust,"

"Is a symbol of trust,"

"And if I break that trust,"

"And if I break that trust,"

"I will face the consequences."

"I will face the consequences."

"As a volunteer firefighter,"

"As a volunteer firefighter,"

"I will accept no compensation,"

"I will accept no compensation,"

"In the form of money."

"In the form of money."

"Finally,"

"Finally,"

"I will do my duty to the best of my ability."

"I will do my duty to the best of my ability."

Weiss then said, "Welcome to the fire department, Teresa." The crowd then clapped.

She shook Weiss's hand and said, "Thank you. You can call me Tracy if you want to."

After Weiss also swore in Denis, the meeting continued. The captain said, "Now onto other business. The company treasurer will now speak."

"Okay," said the company treasurer. "We have a total of 3 bank accounts. Account 1 has a total of 287,569 Lien and 74 Sublien. Account 2 has a total of 422,435 Lien and 20 Sublien. Account 3 has 98,343 Lien and 15 Sublien. Total income for this week from the 23rd to the 30th is 10,232 Lien and 8 Sublien. Total expenses for the week from the 23rd to the 30th is 9,342 Lien and 18 Sublien. The sources for these expenses and income have been posted on the bulletin board and the website. For the week of the 3oth of September to the 7th of October, we are looking at a 15,000 Lien starting budget for any expenses that may occur. Shall we approve this budget?"

All the hands of the company members were raised.

"Any objections?" Nothing. "Abstentions?" Still nothing. "Okay then. The finance part of this meeting is over."

The captain said, "Alrighty then, let's all go downstairs to go over-" Suddenly, the pagers rang, soon followed by the siren tone. "Or not."

The firefighters ran to the bunk room in the front of the building and formed a line to go down one of the 2 fire poles in the station. Ruby, Yang, Weiss, and Blake ran to the second fire pole over Truck 201's bay. When they got down, they ran to their gear and quickly put it on. The call was for a structure fire in Goodwill's first due. The ambulance was still at the hospital and advised that they would divert to the fire once they were available.

Weiss got in the driver's seat, having been certified as a driver just before leaving for Beacon. Hermann got in the officer's seat. He said, "You're finally driving to a call for once."

Weiss laughed and said, "You're right. The problem is is that when I get here, this seat's already taken." She then turned to the back of her. "Are all the seats filled?"

"Now they are," said the new girl. "I can go, right?"

"Yeah. Is Denis here too?"

"No, he's on the rescue."

"Alright then. Looks like we got a crew of 10 with 8 interior guys. Dad, you do the radio." Weiss then drove the truck out of the station and flicked the lights and electronic siren on.

Hermann radioed, "Fire Alarm, Truck 201's en route, crew of 10, 8 interior."

4 minutes later, Truck 201 arrived, narrowly beating out Goodwill's Engine 202. They arrived to smoke pouring out of a 4th-floor window in a residential building with a store on the first floor. As the interior firefighters got ready, Car 5, Car 6 and Rescue 202 arrived. Theresa and Denis met and congregated near the captain to watch the fire as 6 interior firefighters from Truck 201's crew grabbed tools, secured their SCBAs, and got ready to go in.

Ruby stayed outside and helped to secure the hydrant. Weiss, Blake, and Yang grabbed a hose line from the truck and opened the first floor door to the apartments above the store. Weiss said, "We're gonna go in, hook up this line to a standpipe, and when the truck fills the dry riser with water, we spray. Remember, when we get to the 3rd floor, put your masks on."

Blake and Yang nodded. The 3 of them then went up the stairs to the second and third floors. By now, all the occupants had pretty much flooded into the street. The team behind them carried pike poles and axes for venting.

When they got to the foot of the stairs to the fourth floor, the 3 of them put their masks on. Weiss then led them to the standpipe on the 4th floor, right next to the stairs. "Yang, open the connection and connect the line to the standpipe."

"Got it," Yang replied as she opened the cabinet of the standpipe up and secured one end of the hand line to the standpipe. "We're all set."

Ruby screeched over the radio, "Interior, here comes the dry riser water!"

Weiss replied, "10-4. We're attacking now." By now, 2 apartments were involved, and the fourth floor was full of smoke. The venting team went to the fifth floor to cut holes into the floor and break windows to let out smoke from the fourth floor.

Blake was at the end of the nozzle. She led her team to the burning apartments. She said, "Wait until we begin to hear the axes chop up the floor above and break the windows."

Blake said, "Got it." Then, they heard the thumping of axes above them as the venting team cut up the floor below them, as well as the sound of breaking glass.

Weiss grabbed Myrtenaster from her coat belt, unsheathed it, and fired a round of dust at the door, breaking it and sending wood chips all over. Blake immediately sprayed water into the wildly burning apartment, sending thick and blinding smoke all over the place. As she did, Engine 202 began spraying the apartment next door from the outside with a deck gun.

Weiss frantically radioed, "Engine 202, we're still in the building!"

"10-4, we'll shut down the gun."

"Vigilant Interior to Incident Command, send another nozzle up here."

"10-4, we got a 2-man nozzle team coming up from Goodwill."

October 2, 2021

The Vale City LGBT Pride Parade was today. At 11, Yang, Blake, Ruby, and Weiss all congregated near a rainbow-coloured fire engine that would march in the parade with a police car, an ambulance, and an infantry mobility vehicle to represent firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and military personnel in the LGBT community.

The firefighters marched in their turnout gear. Weiss would drive the engine. As Ruby and the new girl, Theresa, talked amongst themselves, Yang walked over.

"Hey guys. Are you 2 ready?"

"You got it," Ruby replied. "You know, Theresa here is pan too."

Yang said with excitement, "Really? You're pansexual too?"

"Yep! I'm pan as hell. You know, are you sure marching with the cops and the military is a good idea?"

"Huh? Why?" Yang looked confused.

"There's been some grumblings from other LGBT people at my school and stuff about that, because they don't trust the cops or the troops and don't like them. I'm afraid to tell them of my affiliation as a fireman."

Yang immediately saw where this was going, and her eyes turned red. "Well listen here. I held nothing but contempt for those radicals. They insult people like me and my sister and friends, and I will not stand for that. They further divisions in the community, and that is the last damn thing we need, Tracy. I seethe with anger at them, as you can tell by my eyes changing colour, almost as much as I seethe with anger at homophobes and transphobes." She then took a deep breath and calmed down. "If they cause a ruckus, ignore them and keep marching."

Blake said, "I heard about that. Will there be radicals here?"

"Probably amongst the crowd," Theresa replied. "I don't think the organisers would take kindly to opposing groups in the same parade."