A/N

So this was a fun little project I came up with on an all night writing binge. I had been watching a few westerns, playing some red dead, listening some Morricone and thought to myself, what if RWBY was a western? Like a true western. I've toyed with the idea in the past but decided to put some effort into it. It took me a while to decide on the protagonist, whether it should be OC or one of the classic RWBY cast, as there are so many to choose from and settled on an OC for the sole reason of introducing you into the bizarre world I set up for the story with a fresh set of eyes. That said, the beloved characters of RWBY are going to have their place in this story. Some might seem different than from the show, that was intentional as the circumstances of their lives might be different. Other characters might be exactly the same as the show. I'm hoping you'll start to see over time the growth of characters into their traditional RWBY counterparts.

I went for a grounded approach to the setting, so the action feels like a traditional western. The chapters will be fairly short, but I plan on doing multiple 'volumes' of this story line. Probably about six short chapters a piece, possibly with longer chapters as I go on. I made it short to gauge the reaction people have with this story, not to say I'm going to wait on reviews or likes to continue, simply to see if this is a story people are interested in. It might help to think of early seasons of RWBY and the general length of some of the episodes to help deal with the short chapters of this story. But if you don't like the short chapters, feel free to let me know. As I said, I'll probably write longer chapters the further into the story I get.

This was actually the most fun I've had writing in quite some time, I am excited to try some more things. I have all six chapters written up and was recommended to spread them out so I'll upload them two at a time across the next few days. If you like the story, let me know in a review or if you'd rather you can always just tell your friends about this story.

Also for maximum immersion, put on your favorite western soundtrack, it helped writing this so it will probably help reading it too.

Enjoy.

Once Upon a Time in Remnant

Chapter 1 – High Noon Drifter

The badlands were a harsh place, between venomous snakes, poisonous insects, oh and the occasional Grimm, it had more than enough ways to kill a man. That's also forgetting natural hazards such as heat stroke and dehydration. Unlike the monsters and beasts, those tend to sneak up on you. Silver, a haggard looking man on an even more decrepit looking mare, had been riding for days. Between the outlaw gangs that wanted him dead, and the lawmen that wanted him strung up, and well, dead, things were looking fairly bleak. He reached an overlook and saw a city in the distance. The City of Vale, capital of this miserable county. Good place as any to find some food, water, and maybe a job. After all food and water cost money.

Silver was a young man, with a beard growing from days on the trail. He had dark hair, with silver eyes and scars across the left side of his face. He was dressed in a long silver coat, with a worn vest and shirt underneath, dusty dark leather chaps over blue jeans and old army boots. He wore a silver stetson on his head, with a few feathers sticking out of the strap. On his hip was a silver plated revolver, ornately engraved.

His horse gave a weary snort and they hurried down the hill towards the main road. The city had a palisade around it. Parts of the palisade looked hastily put together. Checkpoints along the main routes out were barricaded and deputies were resting along the gates. Silver noticed at least three long rifles drawn on him. All it would take is one slip of a finger and he'd be a dead man. He smiled and raised his hands as his mare stumbled towards the entrance.

A blonde and scraggly man approached, with a tin star on his chest and a lever action rifle in his hands. His blue eyes scanned Silver carefully. Silver sighed.

"Good afternoon deputy." Silver said.

The man stared at the pistol on Silver's hip. He gave a few awkward glances upwards.

"Don't worry about that deputy, Grimm are mighty keen to kill a man out there." He said. "Can't make it easy on them."

"Right." The deputy said. "Name please?"

"Silver Ray." Silver said.

"Really? Silver Ray?" The deputy said. "Alright Mr Ray, what is your business in Vale?"

"Looking for some water to start." Silver said. "Do you have a name deputy?"

"Jaune, Jaune Arc." The deputy said.

"What's with the barricade Mr Arc, it's almost like you don't want any tourists." Silver said.

"Right." Jaune said. He scoffed. After a short pause he glanced up and made eye contact, his eyes squinted slightly. "You don't know?"

"Know what?" Silver asked.

"Atlesian Cavalry has been seen these parts, they already issued a demand to surrender, whole town is under siege as far as our mayor/sheriff is concerned." Jaune said.

"Your sheriff is your mayor?" Silver asked.

"Yep." Jaune replied.

"Isn't that a conflict of interest?" Silver asked.

"Nobody else wanted the job, why not the sheriff?" Jaune replied.

"Right. See I want to hitch my horse and get a drink. Is that cool? Or do I have to find another town?" Silver asked.

"Go right ahead, but uh, don't cause any trouble. Understood?" Jaune said.

"Right Jaune, don't want to cause you any grief." Silver said. He rode past the barricade and trotted through the main street. The locals rushed to and from with a hurry in there step. Eyeing each of the buildings, Silver eventually found a saloon. He hitched his horse next to a trough and sauntered inside. He pushed the doors open and found the place filled with armed men. He counted twelve pistols, two rifles, one coach-gun. He shrugged and sauntered towards the bar. He sat down next to a bearded man in a black vest and a white dress shirt. The man had money, question was, how much and how generous of a man was he with that money. The man had a troubled look in his eye, and that's a sign of potential business.

"Haven't seen you around." The man said.

"Names Silver." Silver said with his hand thrust towards the man's chest. The man matched it and shook his hand.

"Junior." The man said.

"You look troubled Junior." Silver said.

"That's none of your business." Junior said.

"True, but if I made it my business, I might leave a richer man." Silver said.

Junior scanned the pistol on his hip. "How good are you with that?" He asked.

"The best in Mistral." Silver said. "Well, second best."

"Mistral, long ways away, what brings you here?" Junior asked.

"Trouble." Silver said.

Junior scanned him carefully and reached over the counter, he pulled out a bottle and a glass, he poured him a glass of whiskey and slid it over. Silver grabbed it and took a swig. His throat burned but compared to dehydration, the burn was worth it.

"Listen Silver. You want cash, I got a job and it needs an extra shot. I don't like bringing strangers on a job like this but I need the job done lickity split, understood?" Junior said. Silver nodded. "You are going to ride out through the north gate with my men, an hour down the train tracks you'll wait. The train won't stop for anything, so you'll have to jump on it. Get that train to stop and my men will handle the rest. Minimalize casualties if you can, try not to get yourself blown up either."

"What is that train hauling?" Silver asked.

"Dust, mined from the nearby Schnee Quarry." Junior said. Silver heard a gun cock, he turned around to see a man aiming a gun to his head. "You are either in or the undertaker's problem. I can't have the deputy be hearing about this."

"Oh believe me, I'm in." Silver said.

"Right." Junior said. "Good luck, get going. North gate now!"

Silver stood up and sauntered out of the bar. Half the bar was staring at him. He smiled back at the suspicious looks and left the bar behind him. He hopped onto his horse which was in the middle of drinking and it neighed angrily.

"North gate, train robbery. Easy money." Silver said under his breath.