Author's Notes: Howdy do my fellow Fanfiction readers/writers; Omniarch strikes one again with another new story for you all. After watching RWBY in all 5 volumes thus far made recently, and getting hooked on it like I've never been hooked on any show before… I felt the compelling urge to write a story on it and could ignore said urge no longer. So this story is going to take place in an alternate but similar version of the canon RWBY universe aka the planet Remnant.
It will be an OC-centric story about an original character called Zeneptron IBIB or simply ZIBIB or Zeneptron. While he'll be arguably one of if not my most overpowered protagonist he will be determined to downplay his full strength and spare Remnant from the Trans Omni-Omniversal wars of his own people for as long as possible.
He'll be a ZOF Grandmaster/Supreme Omnidony and thus endlessly beyond all other omnipotent God tiers, and among his fellow Grandmasters he'll be arguably the strongest of all of my characters ever, but his arsenal of powers in the Remnant Universe will be explained as something he calls the Semblance of Assimilation. He'll explain to them that he has the power to copy and assimilate any and all other semblances from people he's met the instant he sees them and their semblances in action. As for the main romantic pairing; I have decided on Zeneptron himself and Ruby Rose.
Anyways, if any of you are still on board with the premise for this story then come one, come all. I welcome any and all readers, but bear in mind haters/trolls will be blocked and their guest comments deleted. Let's begin shall we?
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my OC and the ZOF concept, all other content is the property of their respective owners. I don't make any profit off of this whatsoever and write purely for fun.
Inverse ZIBIB- A RWBY Story: Volume 1
Chapter 1: Ruby Rose and that other guy
It was a well-known fact that sound couldn't travel in the vacuum of space. Even though recent theories had come about to debunk that belief somewhat- such as the fact that ultra-massive black holes were known to hum to themselves in the deepest note ever heard in the universe- the popular opinion was that in space, no one could hear you scream. Blame the people who made the movie Alien for getting the idea inside people's heads… but know that on this day in an Omni-Omniverse endlessly removed from our own; something or someone completely violated that supposed rule. Their furious tone carried out across the endless vastness of the deepest space unimaginable by sentient life.
"THOMAS!" the voice roared, sounding suspiciously like and yet not like that of Ash Ketchum. The reason for this paradox was because this version of Ash was like no other. He was Ash Ketchum IBIB; aka Appaneesty IBIB, aka the original ZOF Grandmaster, aka the mightiest Pokémon Master in an entire Omni-Omniversal supercluster consisting of ten thousand of the giant-ass fuckers. Sensing an imminent telling-off that would put all others to shame, the aforementioned Thomas materialized within this ultra-deep-space-region as well; manifesting outside of one of the many Omni-Totalities he currently inhabited. He appeared in the utter nothingness between it and all of its alternatives.
He took the form of a tall, lean-muscled young man with an ageless-looking, flawlessly complexioned face, slightly curled obsidian-black hair with two cowlicks on the back of his head, and two differently colored eyes. One was endlessly multicolored while the other was simply a warm, syrupy light brown- similar to the color both his eyes had been in his mortal life; before his Deification process had even begun, though with a far more Anime-like quality to it than most Earth Prime humans possessed-. He wore stretchy sweat-pants as well as a purple tee-shirt with the words 'here comes trouble' etched on the chest in bright yellow. To complete the ensemble, his forehead glowed with the letters TIBIB in a dazzling golden font. The light from his forehead made the tawny-gold tan of his skin pop out more; giving him an immeasurably Celestial look.
"How unexpectedly appropriate." He commented idly while studying the words on his shirt. Believe it or not he was wearing this tee-shirt from back in his mortal life out of nostalgia… not because it fit his current situation. The fact that it did was just a really nice piece of delicious irony.
'Everything okay Thomas?' An angelic voice cooed to him via telepathy, and Thomas nodded… his presence casting the darkness surrounding him away as he lit the deepest space up with light that outshone the brilliance of even the nearest Omni-Omniverse.
'It's all good Yellow. AIBIB is just pissed out of his gourd at my latest um… innovative gamble if you will. So I've manifested in the dead space so we can talk without our discussion blowing a hole in reality itself. Not that I'm expecting it to come to that.' He responded back to her with a cheeky grin, and he felt rather than heard Yellow sighing on the other end as he sensed her wondering how in the world this was her life now. Admittedly, it was a perfectly understandable and reasonable question.
'Do you want any of us with you in the event that this conversation turns violent?' the voice of his favorite Sekirei asked him in case he needed assistance. She was number 8, the Sekirei of Fate, aka Yume, and Thomas had met both Yume in Yellow around the same time in their respective universes. She was perhaps one of the biggest voices of reason he had in his seven-way Soul Bond, but she would do anything for anyone so long as it was in the name of love.
One of the many benefits of being a ZOF Grandmaster AKA a Supreme Omnidony was his ability to be in every place he could think of simultaneously, while also juggling the problems of many different worlds at once. Yume and Yellow were the only people in their respective worlds who decided to choose the life of a ZOF Grandmaster alongside him; though he knew others in their worlds they chose to remain as they are… to live and die as Sekirei or Pokémon Trainers. There was a third girl he met just recently, following his first ever regeneration into his current form.
'Nah, I'll let you know if that becomes necessary Yume, but for now I'm good-in-the-hood. Besides, it's AIBIB and while he is one of the original Grandmasters I'm not too worried because… in all modesty…' Thomas paused as he tried to think of a way to put this that didn't make him sound like an arrogant ass-fucker.
'I'm guessing your abilities as a Grandmaster currently outstrip his own.' His third immortal soul mate deduced, and Thomas nodded as a warm smile came over his face. Of the top six mates whom he chose to bind himself to forever more; Asia Argento IBIB had a special place in his infinite number of hearts. His other forever girls seemed to understand and respect this a great deal… and he was so relieved that they all got along well for the most part.
He had also gained a forever mate in the form of Rosa; the female protagonist in Pokémon Black and White 2 and one who shared his love and affinity for Pokémon battles… allowing them to grow closer over their mutual love for such things during his time in her world's Unova Region and for him to eventually name her as her IBIB Counterpart. He didn't precisely know where Anime Serena IBIB was currently, but he suspected she was getting ready for her next Omni-Omniversal Pokémon Performance Contest, and he made a note to himself to go watch her own the competition.
Finally, he had met and fell in love with Yancy; the pink haired idol/singer who hailed from the same world as Rosa IBIB and whom he spent the better part of his journey through Unova communicating back and forth with while holding onto her custom-made Cross-Transceiver for her. Thomas had been delighted to have known and met her, and the two of them talked about everything and nothing day in and day out without ever getting bored of one another. For some reason, he was at a loss to explain whatever it was the two of them shared; something about their bond seemed completely unquantifiable even from his beyond infinitely vast perspective.
It had been a difficult task explaining to them everything regarding the ZOF and its creator and the whole prospect of polygamy and how Zenith and Supreme Omnidonae alike viewed them as a positive thing rather than something taboo like many of the human races did. It had been even harder still to try and get some of them on board with the idea of sharing him; though some such as Yume were not opposed to it due to it being somewhat normal for a Sekirei to share their Ashikabi.
Once he did explain everything and reassured them their relationship would be completely open for all members involved- once he vehemently protested the very thought of double-standards and hypocrisy of any sort or variety- he was pleasantly surprised to find all of them on board with the idea. And he was so blessed to have met each and every one of them. Yellow, Yume, Serena, Rosa, Asia, and Yancy; these people, these wonderful women were his big six… his everlasting, forever mates, and they were so much more than just a harem to him. At this point, he couldn't see himself sharing his everlasting existence with any other mates; seven just seemed like such a powerful number.
'I'll be fine you guys. AIBIB and I have a lot of history together… just let me handle this alright. If it comes to it I'm fairly confident in my ability to kick his ass." Thomas reassured them all with a cheery grin. He could sense Yellow IBIB 2 was less than pleased and knew he'd have to give her a grand-ass fucking tonight in order to smooth her over. He loved how hectic his life was sometimes and juggling six women who could do everything he could was a lot of work, but it was a worthwhile effort.
People often asked him how the hell he did it all; he was the leader of the Supreme Omnidonae, an amazing boyfriend to six sexually insatiable Goddesses, and one of the strongest Pokémon and ZOF Grandmasters to boot. His answer was always simply that he reveled in his new lifestyle and that being omnipresent as he was allowed him to be the ultimate multitasker on the biggest scale conceivable. In all honesty though, he was looking forward to the Christmas Holidays coming up; because even his indefatigable ass needed to rest and take a load off every once in a while. It was as he thought about the upcoming holidays that Ash Ketchum IBIB appeared before him in the deadest space… his entire being radiating emotions such as anger, shock, and fear unsurprisingly.
"I trust I don't need to explain to you what this is about Thomas." Ash sighed in exasperation as he rubbed his temples in obvious distress. The number of times his fellow ZOF Grandmaster had done things on this extravagant scale was way too many to count… but this was on a whole new level.
"Alrighty then, cutting right to the chase I see. You really need to learn social etiquette Ass Ketchup… I mean, would it kill you to exchange a few pleasantries every once in a while? By the look on your face I'm guessing it really would kill you. If you're trying to get me to come right out and say what you're so boldly accusing me of; I'm guessing it has something to do with my latest 'transgression' as it were. Though let's be honest, that is a pretty long list given that I've done many extravagant, revolutionary things during my sovereignty as an IBIB counterpart." Thomas cheekily replied as Ash's eyes narrowed, his ZIB cheek markings flashing dangerously.
"Cut the Tauros shit Thomas… I know you've created another Inverse counterpart of ZIBIB. Dear Jesus Christ IBIB almighty; there's fucking three of him now… all of my worst nightmares have been realized at once." Ash accused emphatically, and Thomas winced imperceptibly at the man's use of Christ IBIB's name in vain, though thankfully his accuser didn't seem to notice.
"Well, that definitely narrows it down by a large margin; at least now I know what you're trying to imply. I'll have you know this was a calculated risk on my part." Thomas said with an infuriating smirk on his face, knowing it would drive Ash absolutely Crobat-shit insane.
"CALCULATED?! I know what calculated risks are Thomas Currie and this is not one of them. You've created a ZOF Grandmaster who is already too powerful for either of us to control… one whose overall potential as a Grandmaster will ultimately allow him to become more powerful than either of us, maybe even both of us. There's a reason his is referred to as one of the forbidden IBIB title Thomas… it's said ZIBIB and his Inverse counterparts are the true wielders of absolute infinity, or as close to being said wielders as any of us can ever be, ZOF Grandmaster tier or otherwise. Omni IBIB Title Emulation is the only means we have of defending against them, and given that no one is meant to have that kind of power we're in over our heads as it is. Do you have any inkling of what you've just unleashed, or do you just not care?!" Ash finally finished his furious tirade as Thomas stood there and listened the whole time; his eyebrows quirking dangerously high. While he could understand some of Ash's reasoning; his logic wasn't exactly flawless either.
"Look mate, I get what you're trying to say, I really do… but this is not about us being in control anymore. I made a calculated risk and bet it all on this second Inverse ZIBIB… because he hates the darkness of his legacy even more than we do. And he wants nothing more than to drag his cursed name out of the mud, if only a little. You once said you trust me and my judgement right? So trust me on this Appaneesty… this version of Zeneptron is the best possible version of him for the job. He has the potential to become the greatest contradiction in our collective shared history; the ZIBIB who saved everyone and everything. Besides that, unlike us he's able to use the Omni IBIB Title Emulation boost for a near indefinite period; that's a very handy power to have against our common enemy. I've yet to be wrong in any of my more reckless ventures and I'm not wrong on this one… or have you forgotten old friend that every one of my 'transgressions' as you so eloquently call them have paid off for us in big and meaningful ways." Thomas said in an offended tone as Ash sighed in defeat; knowing when an argument wasn't going the way he wanted it to.
"I won't deny your track record speaks for itself, but I worry sometimes that you'll eventually take too great of a calculated risk one of these days. We can't always expect these gambits of yours to pay off every time; I worry you're tempting ZIBIB just by taking this chance. I really hope you're not wrong about this old friend… I really don't. We've been fighting this war for so long, and that's just against one ZIBIB; two would be unmanageable, and all three together would be unstoppable. We can't do anything about the first Inverse ZIBIB, given that he predates the creation just as I do… but when you went ahead and made a third version of him without even telling me what you were planning, I admit I panicked." Ash admitted in a slightly Mareepish tone; not used to being in a situation where he was in the wrong… though that seemed to be happening with alarming frequency ever since Thomas came into the picture.
"I'm not wrong Ash, and even if I am… I'd be damned if I didn't give this Zeneptron the opportunity to try and make a better name for himself and the Entity he represents on the omni-benevolent side of the coin. Besides which, while it is true we may be tempting the ZOF Grandmaster of Fate as it were; I also know that fortune tends to favor the bold. If we let fear stop us from taking chances, then we may never change the outcome of this war and it will just be more of the same old shit. We need to be innovative and break the cycles if we want to inspire real change." Thomas declared with zeal, and Ash sighed as he finally relented. The both of them settled into a calmer atmosphere. They stood side-by-side in the nothingness and companionable silence of the Realm of Absurdities. The emptiest of all spaces greeted them with the alien sights of the nearest Omni-Omniverses; the shapes of which constantly shifted between endless omni-dimensional geometric forms.
"Where did you send him?" Ash asked in a curious tone, and Thomas shrugged airily.
"Nowhere in particular… He didn't really have a world picked out when we last spoke, and I promised not to micromanage his every move or breathe down his neck in any case. I've mostly just left him alone." Thomas responded as Ash's eyebrow arched, his skepticism written plainly on his face.
"Okay, okay, I… may have tracked his current whereabouts to the planet of Remnant in the RWBY universe as subtly as I could. I have to admit, I approve of his taste; that's a really awesome world." Thomas admitted with a smile of embarrassment, and Ash nodded in satisfaction. Anyone who knew the eccentric and brilliant man as long as Ash did could tell his first response had been complete and total bullshit.
"RWBY huh… I've heard of it but never been there myself." Ash admitted casually as Thomas rounded on him with wide, incredulous eyes.
"Seriously?! All of your countless sets of endless eternities spent traversing the vastness of your creation and you're telling me you've never set foot there; not even once?!" Thomas practically demanded for clarification, and Ash wasn't ashamed to admit his old friend's overzealous passion on the matter startled him somewhat.
"No, I haven't, why is that so hard for you to believe? Is RWBY really that great?" Ash responded questioningly as Thomas glared heatedly at him.
"You did not just ask me that man… seriously, RWBY is an amazing world; I've always considered going there myself but never got around to it. I was most fortunate to come across the TV series for it in my youth… back on my home world; even to this day it is among the most amazing cartoons I've ever had the privilege of watching. It's up there with Pokémon even mate, and trust me that is not an easy thing for a show to accomplish in my case. I guess I had to save some worlds for the other Grandmasters to enjoy; it looks as though this new ZIBIB has beaten me to that particular punch." Thomas replied with a jovial smile splitting his face, and Ash considered his words.
"Did you ever end up writing a fanfiction about this world and about this Inverse ZIBIB as well; is that why you deified him perhaps?" Ash asked him, wondering if maybe his old friend had been planning this all along. He was surprised when Thomas shook his head in the negative, squashing that notion before it could even begin to fester properly.
"I considered writing fanfiction for RWBY but never got around to it. I had too many incomplete stories in the works at the time and was determined to get all of them done. Sorry to say Ash, but I have no more knowledge on what to expect from this than you do. We're both flying blind this time around… and we're going to have to have faith that for better or for worse; this new Inverse ZIBIB will tip the balance of power between our people towards the light."
XXXXX
The planet known simply as Remnant was an interestingly unique anomaly. While it was in fact inhabited by humans as one of the two dominant species, it was not strictly speaking a parallel Earth. The humans on Remnant were relatively close to Earth humans in overall biology and anatomy as well as their evolutionary traits and adaptations- minus the inhuman levels of aura they had comparatively- but the world itself didn't match up with the landscaping or overall geography of any Earth counterpart in any mainstream Multiverse.
It was entirely possible Remnant was an alien planet entirely its own, with its own history completely separate from any mainstream versions of Earth, yet the humanoid species that evolved here were far more comparable to Earth Humans than places like Krypton or Gallifrey. Even if one went with the potential theory that the supercontinent Pangea simply split apart into different shapes, that theory would be debunked almost immediately afterwards because the continents didn't merge together to form anything even remotely resembling Pangea, regardless of how one fit the pieces together it produced something not known to any alternate Earth.
Yet, despite its extreme differences compared to most mainstream Earths; there were also several key parallels. Perhaps the biggest parallel of all was Remnant's tendency to sport its own representations of several iconic figures in both fictional history and in various fairy tales; sometimes even in high positions of authority on Remnant itself. Professor Ozpin of Beacon Academy was a noteworthy example of such; given that he was also most likely a representation of the Wizard of Oz. Naturally of course, this world added its own elements and spins to every classic tale found on other Earths, and nothing here would be as children remembered from their sweet little fairy tale creatures and characters. Surely, this would be a planet with a humanoid species worth visiting.
These astute observations were made by a very different kind of humanoid individual altogether, and the alien yet Earth-like aspects of Remnant appealed to him immensely as he continued pouring through all the raw data while plugging himself into the CCTS via the powers of Cyberspace/Digital Omnipotence and his Technopathic abilities. Everything he needed to know about this world was instantly at his fingertips, and while he could've easily rewritten the entire system however he pleased he was only here to glean necessary information about Remnant and nothing more.
"Let's review what I've learned so far then… 5 major landmasses of approximately continental proportions- one of which is seemingly uninhabited and shaped like a dragon, while another called Menagerie is found at the southeastern corner of the planet, lacking a kingdom of its own but home to a group called the Faunus people. The other three host the four major kingdoms of this planet's human-like species-. Your basic molten core much like Earth itself, though with huge pieces of crystalized energy propellants rather appropriately called Dust instead of diamonds or other rare gems and minerals-; this seems to be a reference to the primordial state of being that many anthropological species are believed to have been born from.
Hmm… a very rich and diversified history including a war fought against the oppression of creativity around 80-years prior to the present day, a plethora of modern-day families implementing names for their children based on color motifs, fascinating creation myths and unique fairy tales and folklore not matching anything known on mainstream versions of Earth, and a humanoid race much more similar to Earth humans than that of the Time Lords or Kryptonians like Superman, though with several key differences as well.
Aura seems to be a Remnant Human's primary go-to weapon for battling these monsters known only as creatures of Grimm, as well as various weapons powered by 'Dust' and highly advanced technology. No direct ties to any Earth or their respective histories apart from its representations of various characters in famous fictional works. These fictional and fairy tale representations are rewritten with a slightly darker, much more mature edge than most other similar worlds.
I've got to say, this Cross Continental Transmit System has been a huge help to me. I've already finished assimilating all of the basic knowledge I need to exist in this world including geography as well as things like history, mythologies of various kinds, and even the various types of Grimm currently known to man. I've even learned about the concept of Semblances and how they're an Aura User's own unique superpower. This will prove beneficial for blending in and coming up with a Semblance broad enough to cover my infinite arsenal of powers might be easier than I thought. I think I'm going to like it here very much! Seriously, I'm getting some serious 'Once Upon a Time' vibes from this universe, only much better! I mean, I've seen some pretty creative rewrites of classic fairy tales in my time but this one might just top them all!" The aforementioned humanoid whispered to himself with manic levels of passion.
Even while sitting down at a park bench with his mind no longer wired into the CCTS, a casual observer could tell he was a man of significant height; standing two meters high at least and weighing around 235 pounds, though it was hard to tell… he was also a solid tapestry of lean muscles. His hair was blacker than the most polished obsidian and disheveled to the point of resembling something feral, yet it was perfectly clean and free of dirt and grime as well. His skin was pale but not deathly white, and there wasn't a mark or blemish anywhere on his body. He was hairless on every part of his body minus his head of hair and the seemingly perpetual 5 o'clock shadow he sported.
His most striking feature however were his eyes, which weren't eyeballs at all; they were a pair of searing black, Trans Omni-Totality-sized event horizons shrunken down to fit inside of his eye sockets, and they held all of the proportionate gravity and irresistible raw power as those same event horizons… allowing him to permanently entrance and hold someone forever in place with his gaze alone, imprisoning them forever in body, mind, and soul with just the slightest of glances. They would occasionally burst with light that continuously shifted between many impossible, celestial colors; rather like the gamma emission of an ultra-luminous quasar. Because of this feature he manipulated their personal gravity levels so that he could be selective with who he chose to irresistibly capture and contain, and of course he constantly radiated an aura of the slightest fear-inducement- just potent enough so that most people were naturally inclined to avoid meeting his eyes directly.-
He was dressed in a tattered grim reaper-style cloak with grey trim and the hood up exposing his face; masking his features from all but the most all-seeing ZOF Grandmasters... his cloak held many mystical and divine properties beyond all comprehension. The abbreviation ZIBIB was etched on the front of said cloak in a bold, italic font and was pigmented with little more than steel grey. Of course, he didn't exactly have the scythe or nightmarish undead face to go with the Death Entity look he was currently sporting.
"Speaking of scythes and weapons in general; if I'm going to try and blend in as one of these humans I was thinking about taking on the job of a Huntsman. Frankly, I've got nothing better to do whilst staying here, but this means I might need a signature weapon apart from my signature sword, and a Semblance to fall back on that can potentially cover my endlessly broad range of abilities, or as many of them as any semblance can be expected to cover." The Deity known as Zeneptron IBIB mused aloud to himself, pondering his choices which were frankly a lot.
He shrugged after a moment of puzzling, a wry grin making its way to his hauntingly handsome face. "Oh well, I can figure out that sort of stuff later; right now I need to see if there are any dust shops currently open. If I can buy me some dust and maybe augment their properties with my Supreme Omnidony energies… no, wait a minute that's a horrible idea. Simply creating an endless supply of dust for myself should suffice. Enhancing it with my powers could result in something truly catastrophic. Alright, I've made my decision; you best be ready mister omnipresent shop keeper… you're about to receive a visit from the future Grandmaster of all huntsmen and huntresses." He declared with a manic, infinite megawatt smile as he disappeared from one of the City of Vale's many nameless local parks in a whirl of speed. Houses, stores, and even skyscrapers blitzed past him; the very landscape of the world becoming a blur of motion as he had to consciously slow down so he didn't break the light barrier. He was currently traveling at 175 thousand miles a second… very close to the speed of light but not quite there. Frankly, anything that fast or faster would be unnecessary and overkill.
His neural transmitters were processing information faster than any human could ever hope to match; allowing him to perceive his surroundings and experience something called time dilation. Basically what that meant was relative to him, he was moving at a regular human's speed or maybe a little bit faster and everything else was standing still… or rather mostly everything. This was often referred to as ZOF Master Relativity, or in his case Supreme Omnidony Relativity he supposed. He commanded his body to constantly absorb the G-Force he generated while running; hell bent on ensuring he didn't split the world in two beneath his feet. The last thing he wanted was to fuck up the planet's polarity. As he reached a dust shop by the name of From Dust till Dawn he was surprised to see a figure in red in the middle of a street brawl with a group of stereotypical thugs.
It wasn't the fight itself that surprised him… stuff like that seemed commonplace on this planet-, when it wasn't the humans fighting the Grimm it was the humans fighting amongst themselves, you'd think a common enemy would have more of a unifying effect on the species as a whole- it was the fact that the figure in red wasn't rendered completely immobile from his perspective. She was inching towards one of the thugs a single nanometer every few seconds from his relativistic perspective, and if he hadn't been paying such close attention while looking at the dust shop he would've missed it… but she was moving fast enough that his all-seeing could detect the slightest trace of movement from her even in his temporally dilated surroundings.
"Interesting, by my rough estimates she's either approaching or slightly surpassing hypersonic velocities; nothing compared to me but still impressive in its own right. Who is she?" he asked himself too fast for anything slower than a sub-light speedster to hear him. Deciding to get in close and get a better look rather than use something like telescopic vision; he covered some of the distance between them before she could move another nanometer beyond her previous position. He got just close enough that he could confirm the fact that she was a girl and dressed in mostly red with a hood to boot. She also possessed a rather Grim Reaper-styled weapon of her own; a scythe that seemed to double as some form of Sniper Rifle… if his observations of the duo weapon's inner mechanisms was anything to go by.
'Little Red Riding Hood with a sniper rifle scythe; that's a new one… though I'm glad there are still things I haven't seen yet.' He commented indolently inside his head as he decided to come out of his super speed and see how this played out. What followed was a scene akin to a movie resuming play after being paused for a number of minutes. Zeneptron watched in wonder as the little girl proceeded to kick each henchman's ass in a series of acrobatic flips and kicks… her insane speed propelled even further by the explosive firing of her sniper rifle… the blowback from each Dust-imbued shot enhancing her already ridiculous velocity.
'Her fighting style seems to be heavily reliant on her weapon; I'm curious about how she would fare without it. Is she any good at hand to hand, or just using that speed of hers to enhance her reflexes and create supersonic punches and what not?' Zeneptron said, unable to help but critique her fighting prowess a little… having been in many wars himself even prior to his elevation from a ZOF Master to Grandmaster. Hell, he was the sole survivor of his entire Omni-Omniverse and an exceedingly rare, naturally created Omni IB ZOF Master… but that was another story for another time.
Aside from the scale on which the Grandmasters operated; comparatively they were similar enough to the ZOF Masters that he didn't have too much trouble adjusting his control to fit the new level of strength. The fact that he didn't have many if any friends among his fellow ZOF Masters after they all died had helped immensely with his decision to leave everything behind; he hadn't hated them and some such as AIB had been nice to and even accepting of him on some degree… but he hadn't exactly cried at their funerals either when he held a private memorial service for his Omni-Totality and its people. Honestly, he mourned far more for the many countless mortals who had lost their lives, and made it his mission in life to ensure ZIBIB and his battalion of Anti ZOF Masters paid for the uncountable lives they stole.
He had gotten used to dealing with the idea that he'd never find acceptance amongst his fellow Zenith Omnidonae; because unless one counted his Omni-Totality's version of AIB… there were just too many people who had outright rejected him on sheer principle because he shared a name in common with the evilest and most dangerously overpowered Entity in the entire ZOF Master God tier. His own kind judged him before they even got to know him, and that's why he was better off in a brand new world with mortals who had no idea who he was.
The last of the henchmen fell to Red Riding Hood's scythe with a cry of agony as the teenaged girl brought it down on him while in midair, sending him to the ground with a resounding thud. Zeneptron whistled appreciatively as some douche with orange hair who looked to be the leader of this gang or mob or whatever… glanced down at his crew with a disappointed sigh.
"Well, you were worth every cent… truly you were." He said in a bored, cocky tone as Zeneptron's eyes narrowed, even while he secretly praised the girl who sought to stop him. It didn't take the Zenith Omnidony long to deduce the situation for what it was; these guys were likely after the Dust shop's supplies and this girl had either been in the neighborhood or in the actual store itself. The shattered window at the front of From Dust till Dawn seemed to suggest that the fight started inside the store; given that the broken glass spilled towards the outside it could only have been shattered from the inside; unless one decided to ignore basic laws of physics, and frankly that could sometimes happen.
'This girl is the most kickass Red Riding Hood ever, and this is me speaking as someone who has seen the movie Hoodwinked!' Zeneptron exclaimed excitedly in his head; having to refrain from geeking out hardcore. Even though he had seen far more impressive feats among his own people; these people didn't have the unnatural advantages that the ZOF once granted him, and frankly that only served to make what these people were doing with their powers all the more impressive. Things just got a whole lot more fun in a very short amount of time, and he braced himself as the orange-haired thug turned his attention towards the girl.
"Well Red, I think we can all say it's been an eventful evening. And as much as I would love to stick around; I'm afraid this is where we part ways." The man proclaimed as he his cane lifted upwards to reveal the barrel of a gun, which he then pointed it at her. Zeneptron's eyes widened as a massive, searing, explosive projectile was fired from the tip of it to where 'Red' was standing, and he was just about to move to intercept the bullet or whatever it was when 'Red' took action all on her own. He stopped midstride and watched as Red fired a shot from her rifle at the ground, the backlash from the shot carrying her clear over the spot where the bullet struck with explosive impact; sailing out of harm's way effortlessly and far higher into the air than any normal human could've managed.
He could see the orange-haired douche taking advantage of the girl's distraction to beat a hasty retreat for the nearest fire escape stairs, and could no longer stand by and watch as 'Red' saw him climbing to the top of the building as well. "You okay if I go after him?" The girl asked the shopkeeper who nodded silently. Zeneptron would've gushed at how cute the girl's voice sounded if he wasn't a Deity on a mission.
"You need a hand nabbing that person Red? I was in the neighborhood about to enter the store when I saw this shit going down. Nice moves by the way." Zeneptron introduced himself to her quickly, recognizing that time was of the essence as the girl nodded; though she frowned when he called her Red. She ignored it and shrugged, evidently sensing she wasn't in a position to criticize him for playing the vigilante when she was doing the same exact thing. He also noticed that she barely gave him an onceover and didn't seem aware that he had no weapon. It wasn't technically true of course; he had a ZOF-imbued sword that meant a lot to him and that he attached a great deal of emotional significance to… he just didn't see the need to use it against Non-ZOFed or Supreme Omnidony opponents. Given the number of times people have commented on his intimidating choice of attire; her not really seeing him yet due to focusing on getting her guy seemed the only explanation for her not saying anything.
Zeneptron caught her flash of annoyance at his use of the name Red as he started running alongside her towards the building. "Sorry, I just don't know your name, and I heard that man calling you Red. I'm guessing that's just his condescending nickname for you though." He deduced while running beside her. The girl seemed surprised that he was matching her quick pace and able to talk at the same time.
"My name is Ruby Rose, but this guy needs to be stopped so let's talk later alright?" She shouted over her shoulder as he nodded mid-run and picked up the pace. Ruby fired a shot from her Crescent Rose's sniper rifle; the blowback from the shot combined with the explosive properties of her Dust-enhanced bullets propelled her all the way up to the roof in one blast. Zeneptron wasn't as fanciful with any sort of weapon and simply ran up the side of the building without slowing down or hesitating; appearing on the roof around the same time as his crime-fighting partner.
"Hey." Ruby called after the orange haired douche as she and Zeneptron caught sight of him on the other side of the building… grabbing his attention as he gave a sigh of exasperation.
"Ah fuck; so persistent." He cursed, and Zeneptron let him talk; already preparing to take the guy down in one fell swoop.
ZIBIB took immediate action just as a shuttlecraft appeared over the top of the building to whisk the orange-haired mobster away; covering the distance between himself and the head honcho at speeds that even the IBIB Chromo Speedster- the fastest of all the ZOF Grandmasters- would've found impressive, and delivered the lightest of chops to the side of the man's neck. What happened next was truly remarkable as the orange haired man's mouth opened in a gasp of pain that forced spittle to fly out as he collapsed on the rooftop in complete unconsciousness… said rooftop impacting slightly in response to Zeneptron's blow.
He looked down at the unconscious form of the leading thug as two things became readily apparent; one was that he, Ruby, and the aircraft's pilot were being observed by some form of surveillance and they had caught the attention of the higher-ups because of said footage, and two was he'd have to come up with some creative explanations and pretty damn quickly at that.
"How did… wow! You're really, really fast; I think you might be even faster than I am!" Ruby Rose gushed in a tone that clearly indicated she was close to fangirling over his fighting prowess and inherent speed.
"I'm Ruby by the way… Ruby Rose; oh, I think I already told you that, my bad!" She rambled in an awkward tone, and Zeneptron would've responded had he not been so focused on nabbing both criminals. He smiled inwardly at the thought; now it was his turn to keep them focused on the situation at hand… it was nice to know that this Ruby girl was as bad with her attention span as he could be from time to time. It was also cute how she rambled and talked away to a total stranger despite being clearly socially awkward on some level, and Zeneptron shook his head lightly as he reminded himself to stay focused.
"I'm sorry… but can we table this conversation for now?" He asked her in a brisk, slightly teasing tone, completely focused on the situation at hand. Ruby caught herself before she could grin at his request; well aware that he had turned the tables on her from earlier but decided to get her head back in the game rather than let him see he was amusing her.
"Sure thing!" Was all she said in response as the two of them watched the side door to the aircraft draw open with a slight hiss. A feminine figure in a red dress whose face was obscured by the shadows observed the situation and duly noted their accomplice's current state. She had just fired a massive column of all-consuming fire at the both of them when the new arrival Zeneptron sensed earlier hit the scene and intercepted the blast; blocking them from the explosion and absorbing it into a purple shield of kinetic energy.
The two of them saw a blonde haired woman in her mid-late twenties or so drop in on them; standing between the two of them and the figure on board the hovering aircraft. Zeneptron could see she was wearing glasses and could literally smell the telekinetic energy she gave off… reminded of the time he briefly met Aaron Thompson IB in passing; one of the strongest Omni-Kinetics in the known Omni-Omniverse.
She held in her hand what appeared to be a baton or wand-like device; though whether it was a focal point for her telekinetic energies or something else Zeneptron couldn't say for certain without further investigation, and frankly he didn't care enough to bother finding out. Ruby watched in awe as blondie twirled that stick of hers and fired a series of purple lights towards the giant hovercraft that struck it from all different angles; the collisions causing the vehicle to jolt uncontrollably and threaten to toss the lone figure right out of the hanger. Blondie ended her onslaught of light streams, and then proceeded to shoot a purple orb of light up into the sky that caused a storm cloud to seed overtop of the flying getaway car. Shards of ice and jagged balls of hail began to rain down on top of it; some of them even managing to dent or pierce the craft and one of them smashing through the windshield and into the head of the pilot's seat.
The faceless woman in red shot a stream of fire towards them but blondie conjured another of her purple force fields to absorb the blast. The red woman didn't stop there however, and with the clenching of her fists, caused the ground beneath blondie's feet to erupt with a much more explosive kind of fire. Blondie easily dodged it with a one-handed, hand-standing backflip and waved her baton the second she righted on her feet again… causing the pieces of roof that were broken apart by the explosion to form a spear enveloped in purple light; which she then hurled at the figure and the craft both at once. The red woman countered by breaking it apart piece by piece with several balls of fire shooting from her outstretched hands.
Blondie quickly reformed the spear from the broken pieces of roof rubble, but the red woman had already retreated back inside the cockpit. Before Ruby or Zeneptron could think to help their protector, the red woman had apparently decided the orange-haired mobster was no longer worth the effort and disappeared back inside with the hanger door closing shut. The aircraft began to fly away from the scene as Zeneptron contemplated an infinite number of scenarios that could result from him taking out the aircraft and detaining the person inside it.
He could've very easily flown after it or held it fast with his own telekinetic powers, but that begged the question of whether or not hypersonic flight was a common semblance among aura users on Remnant. He also had to keep in mind that if he stood out too much he would not only bring attention to himself from the people of this world but would likely put this world itself on the radar of less friendly Entities from the ZOF or the Supreme Omnidonae Pantheon.
No matter the scenario he postulated- sans the one where he stood by and let this person get away as Ruby and blondie seemed to be doing-; all of them ended with his secret being widely exposed to not only this world but his many enemies among both the Zenith and Supreme Omnidonae alike. He would not put Remnant in anymore danger than it needed to be in… not if he could help it. He came here to get away from those wars and to find a people and a place to belong. He came here to find acceptance for the first time ever in his impossibly long life; amongst people who no more understood the significance of his name than any other mortal. Most importantly; he came here to find a cause and a people worth fighting for, that special something or someone who would give him and his vast powers a purpose. He wouldn't let this world suffer in order to protect his secret, but he wouldn't go to extreme lengths to stand out either; at least not as something more than the extremely enhanced aura-using human he was pretending to be.
Looking beside him over at Ruby as blondie turned to face them with a stern look; Zeneptron resisted the urge to smile when the girl's silver eyes lit up. A small part of him thought she looked cute as a button when obviously passionate about something, and wished he could share in her enthusiasm a little bit more. Overall, the fight was extremely impressive, and blondie fought well in any case, but he had seen fights and choreographic stunts the likes of which no mortal being could ever pull off so it was hard sometimes to take such pride in what they accomplished.
It used to take a lot more than this to impress him, but he had learned since his early days that Thomas IBIB was right when he said he could find a way to be impressed with what the mortals accomplished; when he learned not to hold them to his own ridiculous and Godly standards. He said it was easy to do the things they could do when they could do anything… but not being super Gods made what the mortals did more remarkable, not less. Zeneptron could honestly see why Thomas was the leader of the Supreme Omnidonae; especially with profound statements like that. He was dragged out of his reverie when Ruby spoke up.
"You're a huntress! Can I have your autograph?!" She exclaimed questioningly in an awed tone. Zeneptron could tell the blonde woman was not amused, and sensed a stern telling off was coming their way as she instructed them to follow her without saying a single word; making her way back off the roof and disappearing over the edge while silently urging them both to follow. Ruby looked to Zeneptron with a questioning look in her eyes but he shrugged, and with that response the both of them decided they should do as they were asked for now.
XXXXX
"I hope you both realize that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly! You put yourselves and others in great danger." The blonde woman continually admonished them while pacing around the room. Zeneptron sat perfectly calm in his seat, having never had a fear of authority figures in the first place. Ruby however, looked like a desperate kid ready to latch onto whatever means she could use to defend her case, and what she said next made the Supreme Omnidony want to facepalm.
"But they started it!" She protested in a halfhearted, high-pitched tone. Blondie looked like she was about to respond, but Zeneptron beat her to it; unable to just sit by and let Ruby take a harsh scolding like this when she was just doing whatever it took to stop a robbery.
"With all due respect mam; by the time the 'proper authorities' could've made it to the Dust shop, and you and I both know their response time isn't near fast enough in any case… said robbers would've already been long gone. You should be thanking us for being lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time to stop them; not standing there reading us the riot act." He stated in a calm, collected tone that was somehow able to portray his annoyance in a mature and healthy way. Blondie's eyes narrowed as she scrutinized him, and he met her gaze unflinchingly… silently daring her to look him directly in the eyes and smirking when even she unconsciously flinched away from them.
"Well, luckily for both of you… someone here wants to speak with you; because if it was up to me, you both would be sent home with a pat on the back, and a slap on the wrist!" She said in a stern tone as she snapped her wand across the table near Ruby's hands like a whip. Zeneptron's expression softened at the adorable squeak of surprise Ruby made when she reflexively shot her hand away from the unexpected movement.
At that moment, someone stepped out of the shadows with a tray of cookies and a cup of hot cocoa, and Zeneptron's eyes narrowed as he saw none other than Professor Ozpin himself stepping into the room with a serene expression on his face, and the Supreme Omnidony could instantly tell he was more than he appeared. Not only did he possess magical energy; which gave a distinctly different vibe compared to aura; his cane also seemed to have the power to manipulate time to a certain degree and his soul was full of a near infinite life force and multilayered in that way that indicated many reincarnations and living for many lifetimes. Knowing all of this would've set most people on edge, but Zeneptron was only moderately intrigued. He'd seen things even this spiritual transmigrant wouldn't dare to believe.
"Ruby Rose…" Ozpin paused as he spoke her name without her ever having introduced herself, leaning forward slightly to get a better look at her. "You have… silver eyes." He added with a small smile as Ruby looked perplexed, and frankly Zeneptron couldn't blame her.
"Um…" Was all she could manage as Ozpin turned his attention to a display screen that Blondie held out for him; the video displaying her impressive fighting style as well as Zeneptron's abrupt appearance onto the scene.
"So, where did you learn to do this?" Ozpin asked Ruby, seemingly completely ignoring Zeneptron as the Supreme Omnidony couldn't help but smile. He knew it was only a matter of time before the Headmaster of Beacon Academy gave him the 411, and obviously it was simply Ruby's turn right now.
"Um, Signal Academy." Ruby supplied her information in a hesitant, nervous tone. Evidently, Ozpin's presence here was more than a little nerve-wracking to the young girl. Ozpin looked surprised and more than a little impressed by this admission.
"They taught you how to use one of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?" He questioned in an intrigued tone, and Zeneptron noticed Ruby relaxing a bit more as she fired back her response a tad more confidently this time.
"Well… one teacher in particular." She confessed honestly, a sheepish smile on her face.
"I see." Was all Ozpin said as he handed Ruby the plate of cookies, and Zeneptron had to suppress his mirth at the way the girl's face lit up at the site of them. He made a mental note to offer her some cookies as well if ever he needed to make a peace offering with her after a fight or something, and he hoped they could be friends. He watched in amusement as Ruby took a bite out of one cookie then proceeded to scarf down every last one of them at a speed comparable to her running speed. Clearly, she had a metabolic rate that was proportionate to her Semblance.
"It's just that… I've only seen one other scythe wielder of that skill-level before… a dusty old Crow." He remarked casually as Zeneptron sat to the side and watched Ruby scarf down the entire tray of cookies at a breakneck pace.
"Mmhmm, thas muh unkel Crow!" Ruby responded excitedly, her words extremely muffled by the food in her mouth as she seemed to realize nobody could hear her. She swallowed her mouthful and flushed sheepishly.
"Sorry… that's my uncle Qrow; he's a teacher at Signal! I was complete garbage before he took me under his wing! Now I'm all like..." Ruby broke off to mime some mock-fighting movements while making some adorable noises to narrate her fighting prowess. All and all, Zeneptron was finding this girl more and more endearing by the minute… and he couldn't help smiling a bit.
"So I've noticed." Ozpin said with his own smile of amusement.
"And what is an adorable girl such as yourself doing at a school designed to train warriors?" He added questioningly. Ruby took a small moment to consider her answer before coming right out with the truth.
"Well… I want to be a huntress." She confessed.
"You want to slay monsters then?" Ozpin asked for clarification.
"Yeah, I only have two more years of training left at Signal, and then I'm going to apply to Beacon. See, my sister is applying there this year, and she's trying to become a huntress, and… I'm trying to become a huntress because I wanna help people. My parents always taught us to help others so I thought, 'may as well make a career out of it.' I mean, the police are alright, but the huntsmen and huntresses are just so much more romantic, exciting, cool, and…" Ruby broke off as her excitement got away from her and her next words became nigh unintelligible. Zeneptron couldn't stop the snort of amusement that came out of him; though thankfully no one seemed to notice him right at the moment. He doubted he could get away with trying to sneak his way out without being spotted however- not without using his powers to modify their memories of him- which would ultimately be counterproductive because he was trying to become a huntsman himself.
Ozpin, Blondie, and everyone else present were remarkably silent for a moment or two after bearing witness to Ruby's natural enthusiasm… but Ozpin recovered first and continued his questioning of her.
"Do you know who I am?" He asked her, more curious than anything as Ruby nodded immediately in affirmation.
"Mmhmm, you're Professor Ozpin; the Headmaster at Beacon Academy." Ruby clarified as Ozpin smiled in satisfaction.
"Hello there." He greeted without wasting anymore time.
"Nice to meet you," Ruby fired back in response just as rapidly. Ozpin leaned forward in his set, both he and Ruby inching towards one another slightly.
"So you want to come to my school?" He asked her, as though that weren't already obvious. Zeneptron continued to sit patiently in his seat by Ruby's side; wondering idly to himself when it would be his turn and whether said turn was coming soon. Not that he cared… he wasn't exactly pressed for time; being a nearly absolute immortal worked wonders for training one's skills with patience as well as their ability to stop and smell the roses as it were.
"More than anything!" Ruby exclaimed with exuberance, unconsciously leaning closer to Ozpin as well as the headmaster turned to Blondie with what almost looked to be a pleading look. Zeneptron noticed how she scoffed and managed to shrug at the same time, almost as though she were saying 'if you must.'
Ozpin turned towards Ruby with a small smile. "Well okay." He said in a tone that seemed to be mock-exasperation and genuine acceptance both rolled into one. Zeneptron could tell instantly that this had been the sneaky old wizard's plan all along… and couldn't help but smirk a little. He was honestly curious about what the headmaster was planning, and didn't want to spoil the surprise by reading the man's mind.
In the time he had spent in this universe so far; it was becoming clear who was who around here in terms of Fairy Tale alternatives. Ruby Rose was Little Red Riding Hood, and Ozpin could only be the Wizard of Oz, but he hadn't figured out who Blondie was supposed to be and hadn't exactly met too many others from this world to make an opinion of them yet. The way Ruby's eyes lit up and the sight of the smile on her face in response to Ozpin's statement made Zeneptron's heart melt slightly. Ozpin and even Blondie couldn't help but smile as well; though once again Ozpin recovered from the sweet moment before anyone else to return to the matter at hand.
"Ruby, do you think you could leave us alone with your friend for a while? I promise we will return him to you unharmed? I just have a few questions I'd like to ask him… preferably in private." Ozpin requested of her. Although his tone was polite, it was pretty clear he was telling, not asking, that she do so. Ruby caught his undertone as well, and Zeneptron had to smile when she seemed hesitant to leave his side, and looked to him with an expression of concern on her face.
His response to that was to throw her a reassuring smile and even a teasing wink for good measure. Ruby beamed with relief and acquiesced to Professor Ozpin's request for now. However, she secretly resolved to try and get the full story out of her new friend afterwards, because to be perfectly honest; even though she knew not his name, where he came from, or how he got to be so fast… she couldn't help feeling a sort of kinship with him. She found herself wanting to get to know him, and despite her awkwardness and Yang's annoying tendency to 'get her out of her shell' as her older sister so eloquently put it; she hoped that they could be friends. First things first however, she needed to know his name, and set out of the room with exactly that goal in mind.
She had seen his fighting prowess, and she had seen his speed which vastly outstripped her own, but instead of squandering his gifts like so many people did he chose to use them help her stop a store robbery in progress. And now, thanks to his help; the nefarious crime lord Roman Torchwick was behind bars and in Atlas custody. So, no matter what anyone else said about him or his abilities; she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. She wasn't even concerned by the idea that she could be putting her faith in the wrong person, not right now anyways. She only hoped she got to see him again, but now that she was moved ahead 2-years and on her way to Beacon she wasn't sure when she'd see him again.
"I hope Ozpin agrees to let him come to beacon as well; it'd be nice if I could have just one person there who I was friendly with and who was friendly toward me, besides Yang of course." Ruby mused aloud in a hopeful tone.
Meanwhile, back in the room with Ozpin; Zeneptron sat with his left leg crossed over his right and leaned back in his seat, sensing that this was going to be a somewhat long night. He prepared himself for an interrogation, and summoned to mind the best potential Semblance he could use as an explanation for his various feats. Ozpin scrutinized him carefully while Blondie stood off to the side.
"So, what are we to do with you I wonder?" Ozpin asked while looking contemplative. Zeneptron realized that this was a crucial moment, and that his responses from here on out could mean the difference between life and death for this world. Protecting his secret right now was a must; this world's safety may very well have hung in the balance depending upon whether the wizened wizard saw through his façade or not. He understood more than anyone how dangerous his secret could be, and how keeping it has destroyed countless lives; even if he couldn't hide who he truly was forever, he wasn't ready for this world to know what he was yet. So, he waited on baited breath for the inevitable 411 to begin, and he made sure to keep his breathing and heartrate even before he got down to it. And with that out of the way; the interrogation as Zeneptron called it began without any further delay.
Author's Notes: And that's all he wrote for now folks. Chapter 1 is officially done, and chapter 2 will feature the arrival at Beacon. Things are already beginning to deviate from canon quite a bit; perhaps the biggest difference is the fact that that mobster guy whose name I struggle to remember was successfully apprehended. You know the guy with the orange hair lol; anyways, be expecting the timeline to divert even further down the road as Zeneptron's presence continues to create tidal waves of backlash.
Forget ripples in a pond; this shit is straight up tsunamis over an endless ocean of time, and will ultimately affect far more than just the course of history on Remnant. As always, R&R guys; reviews are like my bread and butter… they keep me motivated to write. Constructive criticism is always welcome as well; provided of course you aren't just trolling me hardcore. Flames will be ignored and oftentimes even laughed at, but I'm honestly glad I don't let them bother me anymore. Have a wonderful day everyone and I hope to see people reviewing as often as they can spare time to do so. Omniarch is signing off now.