Based on a tiny blurb that wouldn't leave me alone. IMPORTANT NOTE: I've been "out of the loop" in regards to RWBY's canon (i.e.: not an RT First member). I apologize in advance if that offends any readers. As it stands, this is likely AU after Vol. 4 Ep. 5.
Warnings: Blood, Some Violence, Angst, Character Death?, AU (as my stories usually are), Potentially Confusing for some readers
Salem's WTCH trials
Tyrian
Location: Anima - Ruby
Ccshht! Ruby whipped around and raised Crescent Rose's scope to her eye as she scanned the forest. What was that? A few meters away from her, Jaune and the remainder of his team remained unfazed as they walked ahead. Didn't they hear that? The red-cloaked girl swiveled to check behind her, the other members of Team RJNR in the corner of her eye. Without warning, a dark shape blocked that corner of Ruby's vision. With a grunt, the teen spun and fired her sniper. Cl-click, bang! Cl-click, bang! Cl-click, bang! Three voices cried out in surprise. She didn't realize her mistake until a thin wisp of smoke rose from Crescent Rose's barrel.
"G-guys?!" Her voice wavered, tapering off into an uncertain silence.
Silver eyes stared wide-eyed at the three corpses lying in the middle of the path. W-what? Ruby's mind went into overdrive as she rushed to them. That... I didn't mean to... Why didn't their auras protect them?! She knelt beside Jaune and placed her hand on his neck. My bullets aren't that strong! The teen immediately pulled her hand back as soon as her fingers grazed something wet. Blood coated her fingers and stained the dirt beneath Jaune's face. Ruby held back her emotions as best as she could as she dared to examine Jaune's death wound. The bullet went straight through his neck. Tears pooled in her eyes as she rushed to the others.
Ruby forced back the tremble in her voice as she knelt beside the other two. "Ren, Nora!"
Ren lied face down, a bullet hole in his back. Looking away from the ninja, the former leader of Team RWBY examined Nora. The wild child fell on her side, which enabled Ruby to see both the entrance and exit wounds. Wh-what's going on?! Why is this happening? The young teen whimpered as she stared at the bullet wounds that marred Nora's previously-intact head. I... I killed my own friends...?! Ruby hung her head as she wept in the middle of the pathway. She furiously wiped away her tears with her clean hand but more fell down her cheeks. Their auras should've protected them!
"Urk..." A pained gasp caught Ruby's attention.
She darted to the green ninja's side as he tried to turn over. "R-Ren?!"
"R-ru...Ruby..." Ren's hands twitched as his arms lie uselessly at his sides.
Quickly, the girl flipped the wounded teen over and held him up in a sitting position, "I've got you, Ren. I... I'm so sorry."
Tired, magenta eyes stared accusingly up at Ruby. "Wh-why...?"
"I didn't mean to!" The red-cloaked teen cried out as she held Ren. "I swear, I didn't... I never wanted..."
"Y-you k..." Ren took a deep, shuddering breath as he tried—and failed—to grasp her arm.
"Stop, please." Ruby begged as she tried to lift him up. "I can... I can fix this! The village we left isn't far from here! Just...just stay with me okay?!"
A thin trail of blood dribbled down the side of Ren's mouth. "Why?"
"I saw someone! I thought that if I didn't shoot..." Her voice tapered off into sobbing as she held him up in an awkward half-sitting, half-standing position.
Ren turned his head away from Ruby. She followed his gaze only to see Nora's lifeless corpse. Glossy, turquoise eyes stared blankly at the green and red duo. The redhead's lips remained slightly parted. Blood trickled down from both Nora's mouth and the head wound she suffered. In Ruby's arms, Ren seemed to tense up and weakly balled his hands up into fists. The former leader of Team RWBY looked to the side in shame as the ninja sniffled. He gasped for air and let tears stream freely from his eyes. The green-teen rasped out Nora's name as he sobbed.
"N-Nora...! Nora!"
"Please, Ren..." Ruby fell to her knees, bringing Ren down from his awkward half-sitting, half-standing position in her arms. "Please, you don't have to come with me anymore. Just...just let me take you to the village."
"You," The ninja narrowed his eyes and weakly pointed at her, "killed us..."
More tears streamed down Ruby's cheeks as she violently shook her head. "I didn't mean to! I didn't mean it!"
Suddenly, Ren relaxed in the teen's arms. No, no, no, no! NO! PLEASE! Ruby's voice remained lodged in her throat as she continued to cry her eyes out. The ninja's head limply fell back as glossy, magenta eyes stared up at the bright, blue sky above. Ren, I'm sorry! Don't go! Don't die! She tightened her arms around the fallen teen and bowed her head against his chest. Ruby's forehead rested against the exit wound—the wound she gave him—as she rocked back and forth on the ground.
She screamed out apologies to her fallen comrades. She screamed out curses at herself. She screamed out into the darkness, swearing to hunt down Cinder and whoever else she worked with. I will finish what we started. Ruby sniveled and lifted her head from her dead friend's chest. She gently lowered him to the grass beside the dirt road before readjusting his arms across his chest. The red-cloaked teen repeated the task for Nora and Jaune after she flipped their bodies on to their backs and moved them to the grass. Ruby knelt beside them and closed their eyes with a quiet prayer.
"I..." Silver eyes stared sadly at the trio as the girl stood up. "I'm sorry."
Ccshht! "Hee-hee." A shiver traveled down the girl's spine as someone grabbed her shoulder. "I'm not."
Location: Anima - Nora
Nora hummed to herself as she trailed behind Jaune and Ren. She held her hands behind her back as she playfully marched along the dirt path. The pink-loving redhead glanced around at the forest surrounding them. Her eyes trailed along the tree trunks as she passed them. On the road, again... Nora's eyes dimmed. We'll get back at that witch for killing Pyrrha. She gritted her teeth and shook her head. I shouldn't think like that but... With a heavy sigh, the teen shoved her thoughts aside and opted to listen in on her friends' conversation.
"So, any idea what this next village is like?" Jaune asked as he and Ren walked along the path.
"It's likely the same as the previous village." The ninja mused, adjusting the straps of his backpack. "However, it's farther along than the others. We should restock our supplies when we get there."
Tilting his head back and forth, the blond knight hummed thoughtfully, "Again?"
Ren nodded his head. "We can never be too prepared. Better to have everything and not need it than need it and not have it."
"We'll see what we can do once we get there." Jaune replied before he glanced back at the pink-loving teen. "Hey, Nora. How are you holding up?"
"I'm feeling super!" The girl chirped back as she skipped along behind the boys. "I just..."
Her partner, and long-time friend, slowed down to walk beside her. "Nora?"
I miss Pyrrha a lot. "I... I miss—"
Ccshht! The remaining members of Team JNPR quieted as the atmosphere changed. Behind them, they heard Ruby unfold her scythe. Jaune angled his head and met Nora's gaze. He gave her a look and a brief head nod before he moved to grab his sword. Hammer time! Nora pulled Magnhild from its place on her back and spun towards Ruby. Nora bolted forward but immediately stopped short. Whoa! The red-cloaked teen suddenly whipped around and fired her gun.
"Hey!" Nora dove to the side as her friends cried out in surprise. Clang! Thud!
She turned to make sure neither male got hit. Her eyes—thankfully—met Ren's as he half-lied on Jaune. Apparently, he tackled the other boy down as the bullets zoomed past them. What's gotten into Ruby? Nora lifted her head to see Ruby drop her weapon and fall to her knees. The younger girl clutched her head in her hands as if in pain. Hopping on to her feet, the redhead tightened her grip on Magnhild and slowly approached the girl. Faint whispers of "I'm so sorry" and "I didn't mean to" reached Nora's ears as she got closer.
Suddenly, a shadowy figure appeared next to Ruby; he stooped down beside her and whispered. "I'm not."
Nora narrowed her eyes as Ruby recoiled at the figure's words. Behind the pink-loving redhead, she heard Jaune and her best friend prepare their weapons. Who is that? Grunting, the small teen lifted Magnhild in its grenade launcher form and shot at the stranger. Ccshht! In response, the figure nimbly dodged the grenades as the shadows lifted from his body. The figure's features filled out to reveal an unstable-looking man with a crooked smile. Yelling an indistinct battle cry, Nora switched Magnhild into its war hammer form and leaped forward.
"Hee-hee-hee." The man's smile widened. "Let's dance!"
Before Nora realized what happened, the man jumped towards her. He grasped Magnhild's pole and proceeded to flip Nora backwards with ease. H-how?! As she crashed into the dirt, the man whipped out his weapons and pointed them toward the trio. Ren helped the redhead back to her feet while Jaune stood in front of both with his shield raised. I'm going to break this guy's legs! Dusting off her skirt, the hammer-wielder hefted her weapon on her shoulder and glared at the man. Beside her, Ren aimed his twin guns without hesitation.
"Who are you?" Jaune shouted as he stared right into the man's eyes. "What have you done to Ruby?!"
Cackling, the unstable man smirked. "C'mon, kiddies. You really wanna fight me?"
"Step away from our friend!" The blond warned as Nora and Ren stepped forward alongside him.
The man's crooked smirk remained as he narrowed his eyes. "Or what?"
Nora raised her hammer with a threatening gesture. "I'll break your legs!"
With a shake of his head, the man boldly walked towards the trio. "Hee-hee! Go ahead and try."
The redhead yelled another battle cry as she converted Magnhild into its grenade launcher form and fired more grenades at the man. Beside her, Ren fired his twin guns. The man nimbly dodged everything they threw at him. Why can't we hit him? Before the stranger got too close, Jaune charged ahead of his teammates. He slammed his shield into the man's chest and began swinging his sword. Clang! Jaune cried out in surprise as the man grasped the sword with ease. The metal gauntlets on the stranger's hands kept the blade from wounding him.
"You sure wanna dance, boy?" A sinister glint appeared in the man's amber eyes. "Hee-hee-hee!"
The stranger jumped and flipped over Jaune, all while holding the sword. He kicked the back of Jaune's knees and then smashed his fist into the back of the blond's head. No! Nora felt anger bubble up within her chest as her friend fell forward in a heap. She looked to Ren, who simply nodded back at her. His eyes quietly pleaded for her to not do anything too dangerous. Nora playfully winked at her best friend before she leaped into the fray. She shifted her weapon once more and swung her hammer down.
"I don't think so!" Flipping out of the way, the stranger tackled Ren into the dirt before the teen reached Jaune.
"No, Ren!" After she landed, she spun around and ran after the man. "Leave him alone!"
Smack! Thud! Slamming his fist into the side of Ren's head, the stranger kicked the boy to the side. The man twisted to stop Nora's attack once again. His eyes narrowed as he grinned. He's too strong! Nora backed away from him to catch her breath. A second barely passed as he lunged towards her; the man's weapons dug into her gut. Thunk! Crashing head-first into a tree, the redhead lied on the ground in a daze. She blinked blearily up at the man as he brought his boot down on her face.
Moments—maybe even hours—later, Nora opened her eyes to see Ren looking down at her.
Short, sweet, and with a (sort of) cliffhanger! Sorry, but I've infringed on canon plenty of times before; it might be smarter to stop short than continue on for the long run. If this were to be a longer story... I'd edit this chapter to add more to the scenes and expand the scope of the story (reaching into Atlas and possibly Menagerie).
While I am FULLY AWARE that Qrow is tailing RNJR, I like putting our main characters in difficult situations. They can't build themselves up to be stronger until we break them down and force them to recreate their strategies and mentalities.
The rest of the WTCH trials? Or even the rest of this one? That's up for speculation.
Thank you for reading!