Set after the Battle of Beacon. Same world except that Beacon did not fall and Team RWBY is not broken apart.
Today was the first day of the training tests to determine if students would be accepted into the prestigious Beacon Academy. In line with tradition, only the top twenty students from academies across Remnant were being tested today. Tomorrow would test, at maximum, 300 students. But Ash Grave was different from the people who would come tomorrow. He was different because he was the current pride and joy of Signal Academy. While not as well known as the two sisters that graduated from Signal the year before, he was still quite a fearsome opponent. He was so fearsome that in his freshman year he secured the first-place rank school wide. This obviously angered some students most notably the senior that Ash took the title from but Ash did not get lucky in their first fight and he proved that in the seven challenges after taking the title.
As Ash entered the room signified by the sign "Applicants Enter Here", he was handed a slip of paper that he did not bother to read. He brushed his light gray hair back as his dark gray eyes scanned the crowd and took in the room. The people were split into two groups, the second-year students and the students applying to Beacon. The room housed an arena that consisted of an approximately thirty-foot ring surrounded by ten-foot wall. He rubbed the ash filled vial at his neck and thumbed the grip of Silver Dust while deliberating where to sit. He was dressed in light grey jeans and long sleeve button up that was opened to reveal a black undershirt. He had hardly sat down when a loud tapping caught his attention.
The woman that Ash Grave recognized as Ms. Goodwitch from her visit to Signal Academy last month had moved to the center of the arena. She cleared her throat and looked at the crowd of approximately forty students. She tapped her foot again and was met with idle chatter throughout the an annoyed look, Ms. Goodwitch waved her hand and the doors slammed shut, silencing the room.
"Now that I have your attention, the students applying to this great academy will be tested by the students already enrolled in Beacon for skill assessment and ranking. The battles have been chosen at my discretion and if there are any complaints then please bring them to me now." She stated to the silent room. Ash noticed that everyone pulled out slips of paper and Ash looked at his only to see the name Ruby Rose next to his.
"Oh, great. One of the heroes of Beacon" Ash muttered to himself. Of course, Team RWBY was famous. They were instrumental in the Battle of Beacon with their defeat of Adam Taurus. He could not believe that was he was the one stuck with their leader of all people. But even as he was mentally complaining, he could feel his excitement building. He was only woken from his thoughts when Ms. Goodwitch spoke.
"Fine. If there are no complaints, let the testing begin. The first battle is Ruby Rose of Team RWBY against Ash Grave of Vale. Please enter the arena." Ash looked on in shock as a girl with a cookie in her mouth skipping down the steps towards the arena.
As he entered the arena, he could feel his excitement building and started to gather his aura because he knew that this underwhelming girl would not be an easy opponent.
"The rules are as follow: 1. Unconsciousness or aura drained to the minimum safe amount will be the end of the battle. 2. Anywhere in the arena is playable terrain but being thrown over the wall will be end of the battle. 3. Any strikes after the end of the bell will be cause for expulsion from the test and will result in denial of your application. Those rules are the only rules and will be strictly enforced." She stated in bored tone. She has probably given this exact speech for the last twenty years.
Ash idly rubbed Silver Dust's hilt as he took position and Ruby rose extended her scythe to its full length and took crouched. She smiled at Ash and he smiled back while beginning to build a strategy.
"Begin." She said as she rung a bell.
Ash knew his best chance would be an early offence then switch to defense after attempting to wear her down. He charged and swung his large black and gray great sword in an overhead diagonal slash which she jumped over and returned with a swing of her scythe. He blocked the swing and for a few moments they locked blades. As he looked up at the petite girl, he saw only excitement and knew he mirrored the expression. She fired her rifle and launched above Ash while firing constantly. He had to resort to the first use of aura of the fight and a cloud of ash burst from the vial at his throat to block the sniper rifle rounds. He knew instantly that he made a rookie mistake as Ruby charged him from across the arena. Surprised by her speed, he threw an ash copy of himself at her but she destroyed the copy with a single strike. In the time that it took Ruby find Ash again through the puff of his destroyed creation, he had already prepared one of his stronger moves. Ruby fired her rifle twice to close the gap only to be met with a whirlwind of sharp bone shards which threw her back but she slowed as she dug her scythe in the ground.
He could tell that the whirling cloud of bone shards surprised the redhead. Ash smirked. That little display always surprises his first-time opponents. But his eyes widened in surprise as he felt some other type of cloud enter his. He barely had time to throw his sword in front of him when a rose-scented swarm hit him. The body slam caused his cloud to disperse into fine ash and threw him across the arena. At the last second, he threw up a gravestone made of ash to prevent him from leaving the arena. The stop hurt as much as the body slam and he fell to the ground with a grunt.
He heard the bell ring again and looked to see that his aura on the monitor was below the safe level to continue. He groaned and sat up. He was definitely going to be sore tomorrow.
"That was cool, kid!" She chirped and Ash had to admit that she was very cute.
After being helped up by the redhead, Ash followed her to the edge of the arena where she motioned him to sit beside her.
"Yeah, until you knocked me on my ass. How did you do that?" Ash would never admit it but that hit really hurt, both his body and his ego.
"Well, I kind of have the same semblance. Mine doesn't have all this gritty ash, though. Just sweet smelling rose petals! Like my name, Ruby Rose! Oooh! I really like your weapon! What's its name? Can I see it? Please?" Ruby Rose rambled. He had no idea how she could say all of that in one breath.
"Sure. Its name is Silver Dust." He said while handing her his sword, Silver Dust.
"Ooh! It's so cool! Does it do anything?" She asked while swinging the sword around effortlessly. This display of strength surprised Ash, especially when considering the sword blade came up to her chin and almost as wide as her shoulders at a solid 14". Then, remembering the fight, he realized that her weapon most likely weighs the same.
"Well, it transforms from sword form into a dual scythe, rifle, and dual pistols. I usually use it in sword form because that was the main training I had when I was a kid." He replied while showing each form as he listed it. He looked up to Ruby practically drooling with eyes fixed on Silver Dust.
He was going to speak with her further but was cut off by the commanding voice of Ms. Goodwitch saying:
"The next fight will be Wiess Schnee of Team RWBY against Steel Tin of Atlas. Please enter the ring."
Silver Dust is based off of the ancient sword of Norse mythology Hǫfuð that is wielded by Heimdallr. Silver Dust is slightly wider than the sword in the MCU.
No, he is not named after Ash from Pokémon.
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