A/N: Oh man, I hope I'm not making a mistake with the upload process here.
So uh, first fic! Well, this is…I've never imagined myself posting a story on this site. Always enjoyed reading the content, but was never bold enough to produce it myself. This is both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. Here's hoping I don't look like too much of a fool.
This is more of an experiment than anything right now. Think of it as me testing the waters with my writing. If it goes well, then that's great! If not…well, I'll burn that bridge when I get to it.
Negative predictions aside, to anyone taking the time to read this first chapter, or even better, review it, thank you. Your mere action of clicking the title, or typing in a critique could be the very thing that opens up a whole new avenue for me on this site.
Disclaimer: RWBY is the creation and property of Monty Oum (may he forever live on in our memories) and Rooster Teeth.
Breathe in.
I can't move.
Breathe out.
My legs.
Breathe in.
They feel light.
Breathe out.
But I can't move them.
Breathe in.
Everything's numb.
Breathe out.
Is that something on my eye?
Breathe in.
If it's on my eye, why can't I see it?
Breathe out.
Where am I?
Breathe in.
It looks…bright.
Breathe out.
I'm tired
Breathe in.
I need to sleep.
Breathe out…
Yes…sleep…
Breathe…in…
…sleep…
…Breathe…out…
The two men watched as the boy nestled himself back into the slumber that he had briefly awoken from, courtesy of the new batch of sedatives that had been injected into his bloodstream. They both wore doctor coats, which were only a few shades lighter than the cream-coloured walls of the room they were in. Light from the ceiling's bulb hit their faces, revealing rings and crinkles of stress and fatigue on the skin. The silence between them was jagged, constantly interrupted by the various whirrs and beeps of machinery surrounding their person of interest.
Finally, one of them decided that he had remained mute for long enough and turned to his colleague.
"How is he?"
He didn't need to ask. They had both performed on the boy earlier on in the day, pumped him full of drugs before going to work on his body. The question was more to distract their minds from the sixteen or so hours they had been on the job for. Keep them from descending too far into the depths of exhaustion. Fortunately, the other man understood, and instead of snapping that he should already know, he replied in earnest.
"Stable, and likely to be so from here on. He'll have a few adjustments to get accustomed to when he properly wakes up."
The first one snorted. "Right. 'Cause that's what a trio of amputated limbs, a battered throat and a gouged eye qualify for nowadays: a fucking adjustment."
A smirk formed on his colleague's lips. "You must be more tired than I thought if I'm hearing you cuss within earshot of a patient.
He received a half-hearted shrug. "Eh, he's out cold right now. And besides, the last time I went for this long without sleep was when I was giving myself an aneurysm over my doctorate. And that makes me feel old, so you'll forgive me if I fumble a few bombs here and there."
"Of course. And I'll also make sure to tell your missus what a good influence you're being to the next generation."
It wasn't even that funny, but they laughed nonetheless, leading their minds to a better place. And for a moment, they relaxed; basking in the moment of innocent reprieve they had given themselves.
Then it was gone, as all the troubles of the world seemed to come crashing back down on their shoulders. Once more, they turned back to the sleeping boy with sombre expressions. This time, when they spoke, they didn't take their gazes off of him.
"He's gonna have a tough life, isn't he?"
"Yes. He'll need to relearn almost every action with the prosthetics, not to mention getting used to the new larynx and eye. That'll take at least a month, but we're confident he'll manage."
"You know that's not what I meant."
No answer.
"He's just a child…a child with no friends, no parents. He's going to be at a borderline prison with a regimented life for at least the next couple of years. And don't even get me started on the mental trauma."
Still no answer.
A sigh. "He'll have no one to look up to. No reason to live. We'll be lucky if he doesn't try to cut himself after the shock has sunk in."
At last, a response, but this time filled with a hint of irritation. "And what do you propose we do?"
"I don't know. Something. Anything that'll help ease him into his new life."
"We're specialists, not soothsayers. You and I both know we can do nothing for this boy beyond what we already have."
The first doctor's head lowered until he was looking at his feet. He took a deep breath and clenched his fists once, before letting his body loose.
"I know," he said.
Then he tensed up again, glancing to his colleague, then down, as if he was filled with a wave of energy that he didn't know where to release.
The second doctor placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.
"The psychs' will take care of him. They'll pick off where we left off."
He received a terse nod in agreement and released his hold and they both returned to the boy.
"This is fucked up."
"Hmm?"
"This whole…thing, with Mount Glenn. It's fucked up. And it's been eating away at me."
"Yes, it is."
"It's just…how did we screw up so bad?"
"I don't know...all I can do is take comfort in the fact that, against all the pain, and the suffering, and the death; we managed to save one more life."
"Do you think so?"
"I do."
"…he's gonna have a tough life, isn't he?"
A grunt.
"Yes…He probably is."
"Glad to see you know what I mean now."
"Hey, for all you know, I could just be too damn tired to argue with you again."
And just like that, the two were back in the same position they were a minute ago; standing side by side and joking with each other in an attempt to stay awake.
Except this time, one of them was wearing a smile. Not a smile of humour, or camaraderie.
Rather, a smile of hope.
"I've got a good feeling about this one, you know?"
"You just said that he was going to slit his wrists after he wakes up."
"I know, I know. And this could be some kind of coping mechanism to help me deal with all the drama and shit I've seen today. But I think if he can make it past it this…this initial bump, he's gonna go on to do some great things in life."
"That's an unusually optimistic view, coming from you."
"I'm serious! He'll struggle, there's no denying that. But I think he's gonna have a real impact on our world. Call it a gut feeling."
A chuckle.
"If you say so. Either way, that was the last patient we had to check on, and I'm ready to collapse. I reckon it's about time we went home, had a nice shower and pass out until Monday."
The second doctor turned and made to head for the room's exit. A few footsteps later, he stopped, noticing that the first one wasn't following.
"You coming?" he asked.
The recipient to his query jerked, as if he was wrenching himself out of a trance. He shook his head slightly. "Yeah." He hastily went to join him at the door and they made their way out.
Before leaving, he gave one last stare at the boy, taking in the youth's figure one last time. His eyes lingered over three stumps of his arm and legs, still prominent beneath the aqua blanket that had been placed over them, and the patches covering his throat and right eye.
"Good luck kid," he muttered.
Then he shut the door.
To the citizens of Vale.
It is with utmost regret that I, Councillor Severax, on behalf of the Vale Council, must inform the people of a national tragedy.
Yesterday, at 8:30 in the morning, a mining operation from the subterranean populace of Mountain Glenn inadvertently uncovered and unleashed a horde of Grimm on the inhabitants.
The local defence force responded quickly and valiantly, coordinating with the main city, as well as Hunters stationed within the area, to enact their contingency plan of an Emergency Evacuation through the underground, back to the Central Vale.
It was with incomprehensible misfortune, however, that through a combination of unfamiliar infrastructure, miscommunication and sheer luck that the evacuation failed to bring the majority of Mountain Glenn's people through the tunnels.
Out of the ten thousand men and women present at the evacuation, one hundred and seventy three were able to escape, the names of which will be released within the next twelve hours after they have been properly identified.
To the survivors of Mountain Glenn, and those affected by this terrible event, I can give you nothing but my most sincere condolences.
That is all.
Councillor Stratus Severax's formal address to the people of Vale on The Fall of Mountain Glenn; three days before his, along with Councillor Pluto Meesh and Councillor Loran Doyle's simultaneous resignations from the Vale Council.