R.W.B.Y.
A bleak end.
Chapter one.
Disclaimer. I do not own R.W.B.Y.
Ruby Rose was running. She was running because she was afraid. She was not running away in fear. Rather she was running to something; someone. She was in deep trouble. She was afraid.
Ruby.
"My legs hurt." I thought as I leapt from the bank of a creek and over its grey waters. I landed perfectly despite the pain. Trees flashed by me as I sprinted top speed through the forest of forever fall. Once upon a time I might have called this forest beautiful. Not tonight. "This is like a nightmare" I thought.
Rain began to fall and I could hear the sounds of Beowolves behind me. They were catching up. But once they reach me they will die quickly. I could see her by her orange hair. It stood out slightly amidst the red of the forest. Penny was only feet away. I stopped and turned around to face the Beowolves. They DID die quickly.
"Ruby… Stop following me"
Penny had tried to run away from Ruby. To protect her naturally. But Ruby Rose's semblance for speed made it impossible for Penny to run away. So she begged.
"Please Ruby let me fight this. Let me do live up to my destiny…. You'll die if you try to help.
"I won't let you leave me Penny. I won't let you fight this alone!"
Penny had her back to me still but I could almost taste her distress. She was thinking.
"Will we live through this?" I know because I was thinking the same thing.
Six hours earlier.
Ruby.
The air ship rattled and quaked on invisible eddies of air. I imagined we were in a cradle." A cradle being rocked by Zeus throwing a hissy fit." A serious storm was brewing in the north and was headed our way. Team R.W.B.Y., MY team, had been sent on a joint Grimm extermination mission. We departed with team C.F.V.Y. ("Coffee". Coco, fox, Velvet, Yatsuhashi.) Twenty Atlesian Knights, Professor Glynda Goodwitch, Penny and her two body guards. We arrived at the drop zone three miles outside the settlement. It was a plain covered in red grass as tall a Yatsuhashi. We gave ourselves five minutes to stretch and double check our gear and weapons before we began our trek towards the village in distress. We entered the village after an hour of walking briskly through the Forest of grass (The bleeding plains are their official name). Once we entered the village limits we saw a…. An unhappy sight.
"Oh….Oh no." muttered Prf. Goodwitch.
The entire village was slain. The bodies of smoking Grimm lay strewn about, but the smell that really choked us was the villagers decay. We were far too late. Whatever Huntsman or Huntress had been present had already died. The clouds began to grow thick above. I was actually sick to my stomach. I staggered over to the nearest ally and retched. When I finally drew in air to breathe the wind had changed directions. The corps stench had been blasted full onto me, and into my lungs. I did more than retch. I spewed my lunch into the ally and registered both a sick raw heaving sound (coming from my own throat) and a pair of hands holding my hair back as I let fly what little was left in my stomach. Once I finally finished vomiting all over the ally I tried to breathe again. The exertion of heaving into the ally made it impossible to breath. My head was spinning and little lights, like static on a badly tuned television, speckled into my field of vision I inhaled one more time. Got a blast of putrid air AGAIN. Dry vomited so hard my chest seemed to split. Then I passed out.
I woke to chaos.
The sound of Grimm roaring at the top of their lungs was the first sound I registered. Surprisingly I was on my feet already with Crescent Rose in my hands. I was standing and fighting. But, WHEN DID I STAND UP? Yang rocketed past me and slammed into the dirt road that was the only route into the village or out. Weiss flashed forward and rent a Beowulf apart with a burst of red from her blade Myrtenaster. Blake took advantage of the lull in the forward attack to rush over to Yang in concern. After that point I didn't see either of them again. Professor Goodwitch stood before an entire hoard of Grimm alone. But she was not being overwhelmed. What would have been too much for even Blake and Yang together was proving a healthy workout for the deputy headmistress. While wearing heels and a narrow skirt Glynda Goodwitch was visibly the more threatening enemy between the fifteen or so Grimm in front of her, and her own person. She raised her riding crop above her head and from it burst ten foot high arcs of lightning and crackling energy that smote her monstrous dance partners and reduced them to ash. But more Grimm were coming. And more. The tide of black and white armored bodies began to press in on us. Only two of the original twenty Atlesian Knights had been struck down thus far. Team C.F.V.Y. was a force of nature. No creature of Grimm stood before their number and lived. Velvet dashed quick as lightning round and round her opponents and dispatched them when she pleased. Fox and Yatshuhashi were standing back to back as the Grimm tried to pinch them in. But if any beast risked taking a snap or bite at the two the monster died instantly. The young men were simply too powerful to be overwhelmed. Coco was like a goddess of battle. One of the warriors of legend standing before my very eyes. Coco was being altogether ignored by the Grimm. The girl was do dangerous to get within a hundred feet of. She had leveled dozens of Grimm already and had dedicated the rest of her ammunition to keeping the skies clear of Nevermores. And Penny was flying. She dashed and danced and swung her arms and swayed her body, the very image of savage grace. Ten blades were at her disposal, but my android friend used them like ten thousand. I rushed up to stand by her and swinging my scythe I fell in beside Penny in battle. My legs darted, my back arched, my arms never stopped moving once. It was kill or be killed and I had no intention of dying. I kept fighting and fighting until I heard a voice call out.
"EVERYONE THE AIRSHIPS ARE ON APROACH WE MUST RETREAT! WE CAN'T KEEP FIGHTING."
I couldn't tell who spoke but authority supported the tone of the words, Glynda? Maybe. But the order was in to fall back, so we would need to do just that. The air thrummed as two small airships, of a different design from the one we rode in on, dropped in and opened their outer hatches to admit us inside. Professor Goodwitch blasted the road behind us with violet energy as regal in hue as it was deadly. After blasting the ground to cover our backs for escape prf. Goodwitch began shouting orders.
"Team R.W.B.Y. board the craft to our left Penny, Red, Blue accompany them. Tem C.F.V.Y., Knights with me on the one to our right. Let's move people!"
My team and I boarded the craft designated. But only two of us.
"Weiss, where are Yang and Blake?"
My partner turned to me and frowned.
"I don't know Ruby…"
One of Penny' body guards spoke up. (Blue)
"Is that them?"
He said pointing towards the center of Glyndas lightning. Almost in answer Yang burst through the wall of spell woven electricity with Blake over her right shoulder and blood rushing down her left arm. She began running towards the airship nearest, ours, and was shouting at the top of her lungs. At first her calls were inaudible, but she finally made herself heard.
"RUN! GO GO GO! I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS! ITS TOO STRONG GO!"
Yang reached the airship and pounded the pilots' cabin shouting.
"TAKE OF NOW! YOU MORON! TAKE OF NOW!"
The pilot took her words to heed and launched. But unfortunately we all got the chance to meet the Grimm that Yang had fled from. At first I mistook it for one of ours. But the more I looked, the more I saw. It was a walking nightmare. Its body was black as night and without depth like a shadow. Its mask was shaped like a human skull. It looked up at us. Or… ME? The… divergent? Held a ruined knight in its left hand… But suddenly its arm was extended towards us and the ruined robot was smashing into penny who had darted forward to spare me the blow. We crashed down onto the deck of the airship and rolled. Penny was stunned and gripped me around the middle as I slipped off of the edge of the deck and gripped the frame of the door. The rest of my team and Penny's bodyguards had also crashed down as the pilot began whipping around and about to take us home. We accelerated and were over the forest of forever fall in a matter of seconds. Yang had seen my fall but was too stunned from blood loss to do any more than reach towards me. Red darted to me and grabbed my wrist to help pull me in. But the combined weight of both me and penny along with the g-forces was too much. He fumbled. Cursed, and lost his grip.
Penny and I fell.
We landed safely in a small pond, lucky right? It depends on your point of view really. Landing in a pond in the Forest of Forever Fall…. That only sounds half lucky. As best as I could tell we had been able to escape the skies above the bleeding plains but the forest edge was probably no more than three or four miles away from the fortunately place body of water that Penny and I climbed out of. (Dripping wet.) But penny had a look on her face that bothered me.
"Um, Penny? Are you OK?" I took a step towards her as I spoke. But my red haired friend took a step back. Penny looked me in the eyes.
"Ruby… Did you see that Grimm? It looked a lot like a person. Mr. Ironwood thinks that Grimm like the ones we saw today are the next evolution in monsters. And he tells me that fighting this new threat, or ANY threat like it really, is my reason for existing."
I understand what she means. But I won't hear it. I can tell she wants to go and do what General Ironwood conditioned her to do for as long as she has been alive.
But she isn't going anywhere.
"Penny we need to get out of here! Yang and Blake were both messed up by that thing! What makes you think we could do any better?"
"WE won't do anything Ruby. Only me. I exist to fight monsters of a different level than anyone else."
I was both afraid and annoyed, but what penny said next was truly what sent me over the edge with frustration.
"Ruby… You need to go back to Beacon alone, OK? Tell Mr. Ironwood what I found. I have to do this…. Goodbye"
Penny turned to face me. Then a loud metallic sounding burst sounded as two of Penny's blades hurtled out of her backpack and into a tree trunk several hundred feet behind her. The wires that connected her swords to her coiled into her pack wrenching back towards the desolated village. She repeated the process over at the first tree and disappeared.
"NO! Penny stop come back!" I was alone in the forest of forever fall. And Penny was running towards one of the single most destructive Grimm in recorded history. Well more like sideways zip lining-WHY DO DETAILES MATTER?
I called on my semblance for speed and raced through the trees after her. I could hear the calls of Beowolves behind me. They had begun to pursue me. I was exhausted after maybe three hours… Four? Of battling Grimm. But I kept going. I kept running.
Now…
"My legs hurt." I thought as I leapt from the bank of a creek and over its grey waters. I landed perfectly despite the pain. Trees flashed by me as I sprinted top speed through the forest of forever fall. Once upon a time I might have called this forest beautiful. Not tonight. "This is like a nightmare" I thought.
Rain began to fall and I could hear the sounds of Beowolves behind me. They were catching up. But once they reach me they will die quickly. I could see her by her orange hair. It stood out only slightly amidst the red of the forest. But like they say. "Grey eyes are keenest". I happen to have grey eyes. Penny was only feet away. I stopped and turned around to face the Beowolves. They DID die quickly.
"Ruby… Stop following me"
Penny had tried to run away from me. To protect me of course. But my semblance for speed made it impossible for Penny to run away. So she begged.
"Please Ruby let me fight this. Let me live up to my destiny…. You'll die if you try to help.
"I won't let you leave me Penny. I won't let you fight this alone!"
Penny had her back to me, unmoving. But I could almost taste her distress. She was thinking.
"Will we live through this?" I know because I was thinking the same thing.
"Penny this might be your purpose, but it's also my job! I am a huntress of Vale. I fight the creatures of Grimm to protect those who cannot protect themselves. I have a partner Penny. Weiss. She and I fight together! Not apart. Professor Ozpin paired Juan and pyra. And Nora with Ren. My sister Yang with Blake. Coco and Fox, Velvet and Yatsuhashi. Sun and Neptune. Scarlet and Sage. Cardin and Russl. Dove and Sky.
Teams R.W.B.Y., J.N.P.R., C.F.V.Y., C.R.D.L., S.S.S.N. We fight together Penny always! Don't run from me. Let's do this together, OK?" Penny turned to look at me. She had green eyes that glowed with an internal luminescence. They seemed almost afraid but at the same time perfectly sure. They were beautiful eyes. And eyes filled with hope and fear in equal quantities.
"Together? As partners? Like you and Weiss?"
I smiled. She was listening to me. Penny might let me help. It filled me with joy. I was afraid of anything that could hurt Yang. Her semblance to take energy from blows and make herself stronger made her formidable. But if none of that matters to the strange Grimm? I doubted that Penny could take it alone. I doubted that we could take it together. But as I said it's our job. It's our destiny. I flashed forward and took Penny by the hand and pulled her into a gruff hug.
"Just like me and Weiss, except it'll be me and you!" The rain fell around us. Grimm lurked behind every tree. The very leaves stood blood red. We were surrounded by bad omens and WORSE omens and even WORSE monsters. But we were partners, teammates, and friends. We could never possibly fail. It felt that way at least.
"Team CopperRose" I mused quietly. Penny smiled.
A.N.
I think this will be fun. Also I call the Ship CopperRose. The name Nuts and Dolts is cute, but I always felt my name for it was better. This is my second fanfiction and the first time I tried my hand at a R.W.B.Y. fanfic. I hope it's fun. But what do you guys think? Put your thoughts in the comments, and if you have suggestions, tell me. For example what OTHER ships do you want to see? OzpinXGlynda? JuanXPyra? CocoXVelvet? YangXBlake? WeissXNeptune? Tell me and I'll see what happens. Also whatever ships are MOST popular on the side lines of this fanfic, might get their own story later. And just because I failed to list it does not mean I'm not open to hear about it. So fire away shippers! I am one of you!
… I really hope the RoosterTeeth crew reads these…. I would be soooo psyched out… If wishes were changes though. Ah well.
Finally. I have another Fanfiction, "Redemption", however it is not only a hassle to write it is based off of a less appealing series to me. Soul Eater. And while I love that series very much R.W.B.Y. is a whole new level of fun and amazement to me. So it would logically follow that I have more drive to write for it. So I am shelving Redemption for the time being and will instead release a new chapter to my R.W.B.Y. Fanfic every month. Enjoy.
Hollowman1994