- Chapter I -

{Ruby's Dream}

Red like Roses, Red like Blood,

For in the Hunters dream you may rest,

For the beast shall descent from shadows,

And golden beauty shall fold.

- Iosefka's Clinic, 1st Floor Sickroom, Central Yharnam -

Sight was vague the room was dark the air was cold, no sounds greet thy ears unless you count the drips and drops that hit the rotten floor, loneliness, isolation, abandonment is an image well painted here.

Breath is drawn not from one but two souls, ah I see you towering over me but your face is disguised in the dark.

"Finally awake I see, what's this?...that can't be right, oh dear oh dear you poor thing...so young, how did you fall into the Hunter's Dream, was it fate or was it curiosity, no matter your here now and here...you shall stay.. ..hehaha."

Then her vision plunged into the silence of darkness with no sound or thought to be heard.

-Hunter's Dream -

Ruby's silver eyes opened a second time but something felt different although it was much colder the air seemed...so light, she groaned as she sat up and observed her surroundings and gazed up at a single house sitting on top of the hill, as she stood to her feet she noticed her attire had changed wearing black leathered gloves and dressed in Hunter garbs, but her prized hooded cloak remained although it was less ruby and more rose in color.

Then curiosity and concern struck as she reached behind her back and revealed her faithful scythe to the dark cold night, it made a clanking sound from when she had removed it from her belt as it unfolded, she observed her weapon noticing it's shape was similar but of a much more crude design, it was unrefined, unpurified. But it's reputation was undeniable for what it does best...bringing monsters and villains to heel.

"Crescent Rose." she smiled as she embraced her sweetheart, but then another thought crossed her mind.

"Where am I?" As she approached the house she noticed a lonely figure dressed in doll clothing laying at the foot of the stairs that led to the house, She refolded Crescent Rose and placed her back on her belt, The young Huntress got closer but no movement came from the mysterious figure, upon closer inspection her features instantly became recognizable baring a complexion of white pale skin with orange hair and green eyes.

"Penny?" The doll slowly opens her eyes and meets Ruby's.

"Good evening dear Huntress." Her voice was gentle as she stared at the young Huntress who was caught frozen.

"Penny how...where..how are you here and where are we?" The doll surrendered no expression as she was about to explain to Ruby her question.

"You are in the Hunter's Dream girl." Ruby's gaze was drawn to a second voice coming from top of the stairs, An old man sitting in a wheelchair with a cane at his side.

"The Hunters...what?" Confusion was written upon her lips and deep within her haunting yet beautiful mysterious silver eyes.

"He.. ..you don't know do you, do not fret little one all those who came here before you are lost anyway, most of them are shells of their former selves or walking husks who were unfit to die, but you...you are something else...you carry something that others have forsook long ago."

"What's that?" She asked

"Hope." He gestured for her to follow him as he span round and wheeled himself into the house, Ruby looked to Penny for a response but received none and eventually followed the old man up the stairs.

"This is the Workshop...please excuse the mess, it hasn't been used in a very long time...the old days of when this place was at its prime are long gone, but with someone well equipped as yourself I know you'll put these tools to good use."Stops next to his desk and turns around.

"To do what?"

"You are a Huntress?" He leaned forward

"Well I'm training to become one." She looks around the workshop and gazes at the many cruel looking weapons hanging on the racks.

"I see." Leans back in his chair with his head down Ruby had yet to see his face due to his large hat obscuring it.

"You said something about hope, what did you mean by that?"

"You have the look of a leader, not to lead the few by example but you have the potential to lead kingdoms, without fear or doubt, when walking into oblivion you won't fall, when your friends and allies lose faith you will walk on with your head held high...and alone."He smiles

"What are you talking about?, what do you mean alone...I have my team.."

"Forget them girl, they'll only give you pain."

"How can you say that, you don't even know them let alone me." Ruby was becoming rather frustrated by this old man who dared to question the qualities of her team mates.

"Oh but I do know you, well enough as you know yourself."

"Your not making any sense." She shakes her head.

"Nothing here ever does child, please use my workshop as you see fit." He gestures with his hand.

Ruby walks over to the workbench filled with bottles of all shapes and sizes.

"Here you can strengthen and repair your weapons when necessary but in order for you to do that you require more Blood."

"Blood?" Raises her brow

"Blood is the currency, it is worth more than gold and alcohol, If you have no Blood then you will die and return here to the Hunter's Dream, you are cursed to do so over and over until the moon is shattered and the sky turns red as blood."

"Sooo how.." She asked but was interrupted mid sentence.

"Have you ever hunted beasts before?"

"I've hunted monsters yeah." She nodded

"Heh well...at least you have some...experience...but be warned the beasts you will face are not to be trifled with."

"Is there anything else I should know like anything out there that might be OP?"

" ..he..only that you must tread carefully...but other than that you have all that you need."

"Crescent Rose." Looks to her scythe.

"Now go kill a few beasts, it's for your own good... .. ."

Ruby stepped out of the house, she left with an uncomfortable feeling in her heart the longer she listened to the old man speak she would gain more insight into just how far he had descended into madness, then she remembered Penny, she walked down the steps to see the doll no longer laying where they had met before, she looked around for the doll until she found her round the corner, there she stood next to the Bath Fountain talking to some Bath Messengers, her face gleamed before the moon, Ruby could of sworn she saw the doll's lips curve into a smile but she wasn't so sure.

"Shhhh It's ok my little ones I'm right here." She tried to reassure the small creatures that looked like they crept out of a nightmare, although they appeared to be rather harmless they didn't say a word back to her as they withered in what seemed like eternal agony.

Ruby wasn't much of a screamer when it came to facing hideous creatures but this was something completely different.

"Don't be afraid they mean no harm, their actually pretty nice once you get to know them."

"Really..you sure about that Penny." Ruby was uncertain due to their uneasy appearance.

"Oh yes most certainly the Messengers are harmless" She nodded.

"Messengers...so what do they do?". Ruby asked the doll.

"Well there are all kinds of Messengers given different roles to play, some accompany the Hunters on their journey, some will follow orders, others will give weapons and attire to help them along the way, while the rest take care of messages left for others."

"That's kinda cool actually."

The doll nodded in agreement recognizing it as a compliment, then awkward silence fell upon the two as they stared at each with only the Bath Messengers moving in the corner of their eyes praying or reaching out to the moon.

"Sooo...this is nice." Ruby scratched hair.

"It is a beautiful night." The doll replied.

"The old man told me to go and kill a few beasts but I really don't even know where to start or how to get there, I don't even know what I'm hunting." Ruby expressed her concern to the doll.

"I can not assist you in battle, but I can show you the way." She walks over to a headstone at the base of the stairs.

"This headstone can take you anywhere you wish, just write the name of the place you wish to travel to and it will take you there." Ruby looks at the headstone.

"It can do that?." The doll nodded, Ruby gazed at the doll and took her hands in her own.

"Come with me Penny we can go back to Vale, to Beacon." Her voice and eyes both pleaded for her friend to accompany her back home.

"I'm sorry but I can't leave the Hunter's Dream, I am bound to this place, If I did accompany you to the other side I would become nothing more than a puppet falling to the ground without her strings attached."

"Penny." Her voice was themed with defeat, confused with so many questions that remained unanswered, why was she here, why was Penny here, who is the old man, and where is here exactly and for what purpose does it serve.

"It's ok we'll see each other again."

"I'll find out what's going on here and then I'll come back for you that's a promise." She gripped her hands.

"But why?" The doll asked.

"Because your my friend." The doll blinked.

"Friend?" Ruby nodded.

"Yes." The doll suddenly smiled for the first time.

"Your hands...their warm...just like your heart, mine are cold." Ruby then placed her hand on the dolls chest.

"That's not true just because your made out of wood instead of having blood running through your veins doesn't make you any less significant, you have a heart and a soul I can feel it."

"Good Huntress your presence soothes me...I sense an ancient power course through your veins." Ruby was taken back by Penny's statement, could she have been revering to her Aura?

Eventually they let each other go Penny bowed to her and Ruby repaid in kind, she pulled her hood over her head and then turned to the headstone and knelt down and wrote one name Beacon.

- Courtyard, Beacon, Vale -

Ruby appeared before the statue in the schools courtyard she looked up expecting to see a Huntsman and Huntress towering over a Beowolf in defiance, but instead stood before her the statue of a woman cloaked with massive wings and scythe in hand, as she looked around she began to notice the architecture was more Gothic but to a haunting degree, then to her horror corpses littered the sides of the path from hanging in the trees to floating in the water stained in red, she then ran to the edge of the platform overlooking the city of Vale, the city was was in a state of discord with levels of city higher and lower than others opposed to the more tame design she was familiar with, she shook her head in disbelief.

"This isn't right, this isn't my home, this isn't my world...please someone...anybody...wake me from this nightmare." She fell to her knees as tears streamed down her cheeks.

But her grief was not for long for the sound of howling met her ears, the sound was like a cold knife sliding into her back, her body trembled with fear she just wanted to go home to be with her friends, her family, her team.

"Blake, Yang, Weiss...where are you." The howling was getting closer, Ruby dried her tears and stood up, as she turned around her eyes took on a sight of ten Wolf Beasts cautiously approaching her.

Ruby composed herself and took a deep breath, three of them lunged at her only then to disappear in the blink of an eye, they looked up to see the girl in red before the presence of the full moon, she unleashed Crescent Rose from her hip and pointed her at their new enemy, Ruby pulled the trigger and Crescent Rose's gun barrel sang.

First time I ever written a Fanfiction, I really love the stories and lore of both of these series, hope you guys liked this test story, I do have other ideas ahead for it so don't worry i'm not just ending a single chapter so don't fret more will be coming soon, we all have good ideas for stories its just laying them out right is a taxing process.

I am terrible at writing so feel free to write down constructive criticism or even advice, look forward to your opinions on this, and hopefully you've enjoyed the story. Until next time :3