Hello everyone, Shadowlink here. As of today, Cross Faiths has changed and I would say for the better. Nothing on the storyline changed to any degree, but changes in both the writing and character interaction is evident. As well as new additions to the story. Do leave a review down love, hate, suggest, do anything. I'm not against reading them, and feeling good about myself, and thinking that people actually give a damn about me
Anyway, thanks to everyone who read Cross Faiths, and hopefully you all enjoy Blades of Faith. Now then, let us start anew.
Chapter 1:
Dream Come True
Man, born from dust, strong, wise, and resourceful. However, it was all but peaceful for them, in this cruel and unforgiving world. The creatures of Grimm, creatures of darkness, hungered for these humans, and they were all but wiped out. The humans tried to fight back, but the strength of these monsters was too much, they could do nothing, and were cornered to the brink of extinction. But one day, with even the smallest of spark of hope to emit change. The humans discovered a source of energy, powerful energy, which they fittingly named Dust. They not only drove away these monsters, but had built civilizations, where humanity can prosper in the land. Dust soon became part of everyday life. However, even the most brilliant lights die down.
Walking through an alleyway in the dead of night, under the shattered moon walked a fairly tall looking man smoking a cigar. Wearing a black hat over his red hair, long enough to cover one of his green eyes. An attire of a white/red suit, brown pants and shoes. Wrapped around his neck was a gray scarf, along with a black cane with white handle in hand. Giving the way he handled said cane, it was obvious that the cane was not meant for walking purposes.
Walking next to him were a group of men in black suits, likely guards. The group arrived to what seems to be a shop, titled 'From Dust till Dawn'. (Cheesy name)
Once the ring leader entered the store, he smiled a smile filled with devious intent at the old owner
"Do you know how hard it is to find a dust shop open this late at night? Though I do commend you for being open at this time"
As the man spoke, the owner turned to see who was talking, only to find a gun pointed at his head
The owner (Who i'm just going to call Paul from now on) was just in shock "Please, just take my Lien and leave"
"Shhhhh, calm down. We're not here for the money" The ring leader changed his tone when he talked to the guards "Grab the dust"
Complying, they brought in a case. Contained inside were tubes of a special kind. As the grunts walked next to large dust containers, the placed the tubes at the end. Extracting all of the many dust till the container was filled to the brim.
The man holding Paul at gun point made sure to grab all dust crystals from the front. Demanding specific types of crystals such as 'Uncut' 'Burned'
While one was extracting the dust, something interesting caught the corner of his eye
That being a small girl with a red cape waving in the windless environment, hood up. Reading of all things.
Walking towards her threateningly, he drew his sword and called out to her "Alright kid, put your hands where I can see them"
Instead, the red hooded girl ignored his command. To which he spoke louder
"Hey! I said hands in the air! You got a death wish or something?"
Once again, she ignored him. Upon reaching her, he pulled her hood down, seeing that she was wearing a pair of red headphones. She wasn't ignoring him, just wasn't hearing him.
As a response, she turned to look at him, with a questioning look. He pointed to his ear, signaling to remove the headphones
Complying, she spoke "Yes?"
"Hey! Hands on you head" one other peon spoke.
The previous pair turned to look at a rather petite woman in the music section of the store. Slightly bouncing to the beat from her white headphones with green wire, with her black boots shuffling along the floor.
Bouncing along with her whole body was her LONG messy pink hair, reaching just past her waist. Wearing a cross zipped up white hooded jacket and dress, with black leggings. All three of which had a floral design to them.
The peon grabbed hold of the girls hood, stopping her dance and gave the man a questioning look with her emerald green eyes when he pulled a sword at her
Back to the first pair, the girl with black and red tipped hair turned to the peon as she came to the realization
"Are you robbing me?"
"Yes"
As if on cue, the pink haired girl launched her attacker through the front doors when he reached for her headphones,
"What the-"
"Okay!"
Before the peon was able to recover from the first shock, he was sent flying from the small girl. One seeing both men fly, drew his gun and went to investigate. Only to be promptly kicked through the store window, with the girl as well.
Gathering the attention from everyone in the store, she pulled an object out, quickly changing itself into a scythe, roughly twice her size, holding it over her shoulder. Looking back at the store, she quickly spun and embedded the weapon into the ground in front of her with one hand. Taking time to turn off her headphones with the other
The ring leader instead looked at the damage window, and spoke in an annoyed manner "Get her"
Grunts quickly charged at her, she responded by using the scythe as a springboard and kicked one in the stomach, quickly spiraling around and kicked another in the face.
Walking next to the ring leader was the pink haired girl, spoke nonchalantly "Not bad of a weapon eh"
"I've seen better pinky"
"I prefer the term 'Rose'"
He only blinked, coming to the realization. He quickly took a swing at her with his cane. To which she jumped out the window and walked back to back with the other girl. It was there that she noticed, she was a shy bit taller than Red herself
"Need some help?"
"Sure, if you can fight with your bare hands" turning to take a look at her weaponless hands, unknown to her was a grunt readying an attack at her blind spot.
Once getting within swinging distance, he was knocked unconscious by a white bo staff held by the rose haired girl, spiraling around the weapon were gold bangles, with a nice mechanical feel to it
"Nice!" Red spoke, just as two other robbers ran after them
"Up and over!" to which both said in unison
Red rolled over Rose and slashed at one, while Rose slid under and swung at the others leg. Reacting quickly, a gunshot was fired from one end and she moved with the recoil of her weapon toward the grunt and swung at the back of his head. Looking closely, both ends held separate dust containers by one end being red, and the other being blue. Emphasizing the type of shots currently in her possession.
One guard aimed a gun at Red and fired, but a gunshot was fired as well from the end of her scythe. Using the recoil as well to close the distance between them. Sliding right through his legs, scythe included, she sent him flying and tumble onto the ground.
Unbeknownst to everyone in the fight, someone was at a nearby rooftop. Taking aim at the ground below.
VVV
About a minute ago
Wondering around the rooftops was a blond man in a green tunic, odd green hat coming to a point, white pants, and brown boots and gauntlets with silver plating over. Brown leather belts around his waist and across his torso
His sharp ears caught the sound of glass breaking, followed closely by gunfire. Quickly following the source of the sound, he drew from his back three pieces of a weapon. Interconnecting them to form a rifle. Matte black frame and stock, along with a silver barrel. (Think of the Savage 110 BA design)
Taking out from his small pouch around his torso, was a specialized cartridge of concussive rounds. He reached the source of the sound, as he came across a dust shop just down the street.
Once jumping down to a good vantage point, he pulled the bipod attachment and rolled onto his stomach upon landing on the floor. His sharp blue eyes taking aim with the specialized scope, coming with thermal vision, night vision, and other gadgets. Strong enough to see clearly for well over 5,000 feet, while the rifle itself can easily make shots from over 7,000.
He held a look of surprise, considering both girls fighting were rather young looking. Yet paid no mind, seeing as the stories he heard and done part of his family's past. Readjusting his aim, he picked any stragglers, he didn't want to be noticed…..Yet
VVV
Once all robbers were knocked unconscious, and both recovered from the confusion of random ones dropping from...explosions?
The sniper did have a snicker at both girls' confusion
The ringleader walked out the shop and casually made his appearance, briefcase in hand, cane in the other.
"Well, Red, Rose, I think we can all say this was an eventful evening. However this is where we part ways" Pointing the end of his cane at both girls, a reticle popped up, turning out to be a guncane
However, the moment he pulled the trigger, the sniper matched him. Shooting his hand, he derailed the ringleaders shot and shot at their feet. All three were shocked yes, but the girl was more focused on the location of the sniper, she missed the ringleader moving to a ladder at the side of another building
Everyone thought the same thing, "Who is that person?" noticeably different tone
"Hey wake up" Shaking Red from her stupor, Rose tapped her head with her bo staff
"Right" She then turned to Paul "Mind if we go after him?"
"Mhm" was his only response
She quickly made her way towards the building for the ringleader. Besides doing so with a shocking amount of speed, rose petals trailed her just as fast. Once reaching the rooftop, he quickly responded with a turn and shot at the girl.
"Persistent" he spat
Though she managed to spin her scythe to defend, she skidded back a slight amount by the force
"I got him!" Rose shouted, making her way onto the roof, by running up the wall. Jumping higher than the wall, she backflipped as her bo staff quickly morphed into a crossbow. Quickly she took aim at the ringleader, as if she was laying on her stomach, and fired. The sheer sound that came from it, it was obvious that dust shots with this form are far more potent, as Rose actually gained height from this.
The ringleader jumped back to avoid it, but the shock wave from the shot blew a bit of the flooring, as he fell off the roof.
Just as the sound of whirring appeared and became louder.
Off the side of the building was a heliplane, door opened to reveal the same ringleader inside.
"End of the line, Red" He spoke, drawing a stolen crystal from Paul, pausing as everyone heard an 'Ahh' taking a look at the noise, as it came from Rose. Seeing as the wind pressure from the heliplane knocked her landing as she missed the roof
"Haha, now that's a bonus" smiling at the girls inconvenience. Lightly tossing the crystal by Reds feet. She paid more attention to it, and missed the the thief firing his cane at the crystal, causing an explosion. However, a blond woman wielding a riding crop leapt between them. A seal was in the air, protecting both girls from the explosion.
Making gestures with her riding crop, she proceeded to shoot at the heliplane, hoping to bring it down, but only managing to shake it. Red quickly followed suit, as she changed her scythe to a proper gun.
VVV
"Great" Sarcasm evident in his thoughts "I don't have a clear shot of the inside, and moving vantage points will take too long. Need to change, and a whole lotta luck" The sniper thought to himself, as he changed from the Concussive rounds to Armor Piercing rounds.
Once readjusting his aim, two thoughts crossed his mind "Something is telling me not to use Thermal mode…..That pink haired girl seems like she's had worse?"
VVV
A few seconds
"Ugh, being lightweight is both a blessing-" sitting up from their back was the same pink haired girl. Popping her back as she continued "-And a curse"
She took a sigh "I think i'll shower home and get a well deserved nap" Climbing out a garbage tank she landed in, she took a notice of something. "Who throws a full gallon of milk?" just as she sheathed her weapon into her hood and popped her headphones back on her head, lightly dancing her way back home
VVV
Back to the fight
The ringleader stepped into the cockpit and announced to the pilot, "We got us a huntress" changing positions
The back of the heliplane opened up once more, revealing a woman obscured by a shadow. Managing to fire, fire at the blond woman, who defended with another seal. However, the embers reignited forcing the blonde to dodge the incoming explosions
Picking up the debri from the explosion, by her own means. She morphed it to a pillar of stone, and fired at the heliplane
The shadow woman shot and destroyed the pillar, to which the blond reformed the pillar behind and brought it back again. Much to the surprise of the red haired thief, who turned the plane in such a way for the pillar to glide across the roof.
The shadow woman proceeded to raise her hands and started to create a fire pillar beneath both girls. Quickly, both women dodged away from the erupting flames
VVV
'Thank the dust I didn't use thermal mode, I would have been blinded...either way' the sniper thought, releasing one more breath before pulling the trigger
Just as the heliplane decided to move away, at the same moment of time, a loud, and powerful gunshot ripped through the heliplane armor like it was non-existent, but hitting nothing vital nor anyone
"Welp, body's pierced, but nothing vital was hit" the sniper sighed to himself as he disassembled his gun back into the three proper parts
VVV
Both women watched as the heliplane flew away unscaved by their own means, trying to not be shocked of the weapon that caused that damage
Red turned to the woman in awe "You're a Huntress! Can I have your autograph!?" Glee evident in her face and voice.
VVV
She somehow had ended up in the interrogation room of the police station. As she sat guiltily at the table, scythe taken from her, she sighed "This was not what I asked for"
The door opened and the same woman from before and a man with silver-white hair entered, holding a cup of coffee.
"Ruby Rose, correct?" the now named Ruby nodded "Well then, it's a pleasure to meet you"
The man slid a plate of cookies in front of Ruby. "The feeling is the same" Ruby said, shaking the man's hand
"May I ask, do you know who this person is?" The man pulled an image of the pink haired girl fighting alongside Ruby
"No, she usually comes to that store for either dust or music, but I don't know her personally"
The man nodded in understanding, quickly noticing Ruby, from the corner of her eye, was eyeing the cookies. Looking at her, he nodded for her to have her fill, to which she took one...then another...Then quickly devoured the rest.
"And, if I may ask, where did you learn how to use one of the most deadliest weapons designed? Only other person i've seen wield one with such skill is a dusty old crow" slightly chuckling at his joke
"Mh thash muh unkul"
To which the man responded by raising an eyebrow
Ruby quickly swallowed the cookies and whipped her face "Ah, sorry. That's my uncle Qrow, he's a teacher in Signal. I was complete garbage until he taught me how to be like, Boom, sham, ting" As she spoke, she emphasized with karate gestures. Both were not amused
"Ah, I see. So Qrow was the one who taught you" Ozpin rubbed his chin in thought before looking more closely at her, "You...have silver eyes" Ruby nodded before looking at the blonde from before
"You were amazing out there! You were-"
"You do realize the damages you have cost, both to property and the dust stolen. Leave these kinds of things to the Hunters. Personally, I would send you home with a pat on the back" Ruby smiled at the praise, but it was quickly shot down as she continued "And a slap on the wrist" Emphasizing with her weapon, Ruby only 'Eeek-ed', it almost hit her hand
"Now now Glynda, don't be so hard on the girl" Ozpin said "Miss Rose. Do you know who I am?" Ozpin said to the girl, looking at an empty plate that used to be filled with cookies
"Of course, you're the headmaster of Beacon, going there is my dream"
Ozpin looked interested "Your dream?"
Ruby only nodded and continued "That's right. I only have two more years of training left at Signal! And then I'm going to apply to Beacon. You see, my sister's starting there this year, and she's trying to become a Huntress, and I'm trying to become a Huntress 'cause I wanna help people. My parents always taught us to help others, so I thought, 'Hey, I might as well make a career out of it!' ImeanthepolicearealrightbutHuntsmenandHuntressesaresomuchmoreromanticandexcitingandreallygoshyouknow!" Ruby said in one breath, Ozpin smiled and looked at Glynda, who only rolled her eyes
"Glynda, I think we might have a new applicant"
VVV
Unbeknownst to everyone, the sniper was above the rooftop, polishing his rifle. Sighing at the whiff he made recently. "Missing a vital part from that close of distance. Could have brought it down if the pilot did not move. Ah well, what's done is done. What's with them? How much dust does one need?"
As he said this, his ears picked up the conversation from inside the station, smiling to himself at the end "She's going to Beacon...great! I thought I would have to break someone innocent out of jail...again"
Getting up, the sniper continued his track to his mission before the interruption, not without turning around a spoke "Let's see if we can make proper introductions in Beacon, Ruby Rose"
VVV
Ruby just couldn't believe it, she was going to Beacon. Yes that was a possibility after Signal, but 2 years earlier than she thought.
Yet her thoughts of the enchanting thought was quickly interrupted by a blonde haired teen, placing the young girl in a bear hug
"I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M GOING TO BEACON WITH MY LITTLE SISTER, THIS IS THE BEST DAY EVER"
"Y-Yang, can you give me my lungs back"
The long yellow-haired girl, now named Yang, released Ruby from her death grip "Whaaaaat!? Can't I be proud of my little sis, going to Beacon two years early, with me nonetheless"
Ruby took deep breaths, savoring each breath, and spoke "You can, but don't kill me before I even step foot in Beacon" (I can see it now, 'Ruby Rose, Hugged to Death'. Man will that sell)
Yang laughed as she turned to look at the passengers. Yang was 17 compared to Ruby being 15, and physically more mature. Long golden hair with fuchsia eyes. Personally wore, slightly revealing beige clothes with a small orange scarf around her neck. As a passerby whistled at her.
Though she merely ignored it, she was used to this type of attention, and actually used it, both in and off combat. With how her muscles were like, it was easily distinguishable that she was a brawler
Yangs eyes drifted away toward a window "Can't get this kind of view in Signal, can ya?"
Ruby followed her sister to look out the window, able to see Vale, even the Signal Academy. Shocking her, the window flickered, as it was also a tv. It showed the image of the same man who fought Ruby
"...The robbery was led by the nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick, who continues to evade authorities-"
"Hey! That's the guy from last night!"
"You know this guy Ruby?"
"Not really, no. But he did rob the dust store I was in. Even lost my weapon magazine too. Sadly, he escaped with a decent amount of dust!" Ruby explained "Also...I don't think we were alone"
With another flicker, It showed a group of people with animal like features, called Faunus. The news reporter explained, yet another Faunus riot. Before Yang had one question.
"Wait,waitwaitwait, you fought that guy, Roman Tor-"
To be cut off by a scraggly blonde gagging. I guess flying isn't for everyone.
"Okay, that ruined the moment, let's finish this later, Ruby, Kay" Ruby only replied with "Kay"
The screen flickered to a hologram of Glynda "Hello to all of those new faces."
Yang questioned "Who's that?"
"My name is Glynda Goodwitch" Yang only mouthed a 'Oh' "All of you have been selected to attend this prestigious academy because you have proven to be powerful fighters in your own right. Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is you duty to uphold it. I am eager to meet all of you in person."
With that, the hologram faded and returned to be a window. Ruby decided to take a look around and saw some interesting faces. One was a long blue-haired swordswoman, even though this is everyone's first year of Beacon, she is already dressed as a huntress. Wearing blue knee-high boots, armor platings and gloves, with a golden crown like pin on her head. Also having black clothing under her armor, though Ruby couldn't see it, her eye had a insignia. She was polishing her, very sharp looking, and elegant looking sword while looking out the window. Having a hole on the tip made it rational for that to shoot dust rounds. And to be honest, she did indeed look rather beautiful
The other person that caught her eye was the same short, emerald eyes woman.. Same pink hair reaching her waist, and clothing. Doing the same thing she was at the shop, listening to music with her headphones, and dancing about with her hair whipping around. Ignoring the looks she was getting because of this.
Just as Ruby made an attempt to get to know her. Yang interrupted her thoughts
"Ruby, you're stepping on it!"
Looking down, she saw she was stepping on the gagging blondes vomit, quickly chanting 'gross, gross, gross'
VVV
At the roof of the transport
"So, I guess i'm not the only one who came here" A rather taller than average, blue haired man spoke, a noticeable scar was over his right eye, them being brown. Wearing a white shirt, black jacket, pants and belt. Red shoes with white laces. Brandishing a large, heavy looking black greatsword strapped on his back. Near the guard was a crystalline hole on the blade. Looked like it weighed a ton yet, he moved around like it was weightless.
"I just prefer the outside, always liked the peace in nature, you?" The man in a green tunic spoke, holding his hat on one hand to the side. His blonde hair whipping back by the wind along with a blue scarf wrapped around his neck. By the wind pressure, he should be blown back, but his normally brown boots where fully coated in iron.
"Wanting to get away from the crowd, name's Leon Tora, yours?" The now named Leon explained, not moving not moving an inch from the wind
"Pleased to meet you Leon" Giving the man a handshake, which he kindly returned "Link Avelon"
Change is coming people. Better hope it's the right kind of change.
Now then, let the positivity or negativity flow through the gates...Again!