Disclaimer: RWBY IS THE PROPERTY OF ROOSTER TEETH PRODUCTIONS AND ALL CREDIT FOR ITS INCEPTION AND SUCCESS MUST GO TO THEM.
It's been a long time since I've actually posted a story on this site, but this is one that has been building in my head for a while and I wanted to see what became of it before I forgot.
This is sort of a test chapter for my own personal reboot the RWBY and I will get this out of the way before we go further.
I DO NOT DISLIKE RWBY.
I'd be lying if said that I think it's perfect and that I wouldn't change a thing, but I see no point writing a story based on things I don't like.
Monty, Miles, and Kerry have created a world with concepts and ideas that are an absolute blast to play around.
It is versatile and powerful stuff and this fic was born from me just mulling over them in my head.
This story is me showing my appreciation and have some with ideas and concepts that I love.
This isn't some fix-fic.
This isn't me saying this is how RWBY should have gone (because in all honesty this could end up being so much worse that you end up appreciating canon even more).
This is a fan showing his love for a franchise is special to him in a way that he enjoys.
So, on to the details.
As I mentioned before, this sort of a test pilot for my fic.
I've gotten things planned out in pieces but it was honestly becoming an exercise in procrastination so I decided to just punch out the first chapter and see how it goes.
I will be rebuilding RWBY from the ground up in this.
This isn't some For-Want-of-a-Nail type story.
I am completely revamping and reinterpreting established canon so I hope there isn't any confusion on that front.
Don't take anything for granted based on canon.
Something will be the same, other could be vastly different.
You may see some familiar faces, some might be missed, and there will be entirely new players on the board as well.
The world and story will resemble RWBY canon on the broadest level.
Anything from characters, places, abilities, names, etc. is fair game for re-interpretation.
Like I said earlier this trial run.
Please comment and review as I could really use the feedback.
Tell me what you liked or what could be improved.
Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated but please do not rude or offensive I the comment section.
We are civilized people so let's act like it please.
So, without further ado.
Here.
We.
Go.
One who inspires others to cast themselves into the fray is a hero.
A hero whose feats challenge and change the rules of what we believe is possible is a legend.
But what happens when a legend becomes so great, so bright that the thought of grasping it becomes inconceivable? That the legend fades and all that remains are its followers?
That legend becomes an idea.
And an idea is a curious little thing. Small and quick like rabbit. Powerful and dangerous like a raptor.
It demands no thought, no feeling, it simply is.
A fact of the world.
And facts are meant to be challenged.
And throughout human history countless men and women have cast themselves into the fray to confront this challenge.
Thus, the cycle continues.
The cycle that has defined humanity.
In its great struggle against its ultimate the predator.
The Creatures of Grimm.
Black beasts garbed in vile ghostly pale armor, haunting the dreams and fears of men, women, and children for as long as humanity has walked this world.
Driven to consume all those with soul, the Grimm are truly Evil Incarnate.
But there is no rule that says prey cannot grow fangs.
A single warrior who wielded the power of the soul as if it were another limb fought back against the evil the evil. This warrior became the First Huntsman.
Eventually others would learn to wield the same power as the Huntsman. This "Aura" became humanity's salvation.
Taking the name of their savior, these "Huntsmen" continued the great struggle against the hordes of hate.
In time humanity would discover Dust. Fire, Wind, Lightning in crystal form with which civilization advanced exponentially.
As did humanity's potential in battle. Dust when combined with Aura allowed Huntsmen to wield Nature's Wrath at the tips of their fingers.
Grand, shining Kingdoms arose and within its walls, humanity prospered.
But the Creatures of Grimm were not idle. They too learned, and adapted, and evolved.
Their purpose as strong as ever.
They grow and continue to consume endlessly.
And humanity forgets the legends that forged them and what the Hunt truly means.
The night was quiet and alit by only the light of shattered moon and streetlamps. Security for the Schnee warehouse was as tight as could be expected. Figures in white with "SDC" the logo for the Schnee Dust Company emblazoned on the left pectoral right over their hearts and armed with state-of-the-art dust rifles stood at every entrance: two to each. And as intel would have it, a security camera at every corner.
So, Cinder did the only thing she could.
She walked right up to the warehouse, from the front, a dozen men in black and red suits and matching sunglasses trailing behind her armed with guns, red cleavers, swords, and assortment of other run-of-the-mill weapons for the standard thug.
Her long vibrant black hair shone in the moonlight as did her amber eyes. Garbed in in black leather pants that ended at her ankles, her feet clad in black glass slippers, and the blood red top she wore. Low cut with golden designs, wide sleeves that cut of right below the elbow and lower end of her top flared behind her like a waist-cape and her navel ever so lightly exposed as her garb swayed in the breeze.
It was important to make an impression and Cinder made her she was unforgettable. She was after all, Cinder Fall.
She smiled as the guards raised their weapon and were promptly choked out from behind – unconscious - by the men she sent to sneak up behind as well as all the others.
She drew her scroll and with few taps and swipe of the screen the security cameras too were turned away, their feed showing only the pre-recorded footage of the empty zone that Cinder had prepared beforehand. One simply did not steal from the Schnee with no preparation.
The heavy entrance through the warehouse raised and Cinder strolled in.
"Load the Dust into the trucks. Take every. Last. Grain of it," she said to her man as she surveyed over her find.
Fire Dust, Ice Dust, Wind, Gravity, the Schnees always the best products. She ran her fingers along the steel crates smiling to herself. She may have been young, but she was Cinder Fall.
The men began loading the Dust crate onto automated carts that made their way out back.
She stepped out behind the warehouse watching over her men load her haul into their simple baby supply trucks. Deception and misdirection were key in their line of work after all.
Her ears twitched.
In single fluid motion she drew her weapon, it was large rectangular metaling thing strapped to the back of her waist that unfurled into a terrifying grey and golden armament with two four-foot long single-edged curved blade attached on either and of steal leather wrapped hilt.
She twisted, flicked her arms, and the single Schnee guard that dared sneak up on her dropped dead in a pool of his own blood as her blade slashed his throat.
She heard as startled sound from one of her men and turned to him with a hard stare.
"Something to say?" she said with an undertone of challenge.
The man gulped and the fear shone from even behind his sunglasses. "R-Roman said – "
"That I am in charge of this venture!" she hissed, not wanting to hear anything of Roman. "If you grunts had done your jobs," she looked over the rest of the men near him, "this poor fool –" she kicked the corpse at her feet, "– wouldn't be in the predicament he's in now would he?" The men were silent and stiff, but she could tell they were glaring at her from behind their sunglasses now that their shock over the recent bloodshed had passed.
"Unless you want to be in a similar situation, I suggest you finish loading our haul and get someone to dispose the body," she turned to walk back into the building.
"When Roman finds out about this he won't be happy." It was one of her men.
Cinder turned back and sent a burning a glare at all of them. "Is that a threat?"
"No ma'am," one of them spoke. "It's a fact. We're on loan to you tonight and everything that happens will be reported to Mr. Torchwick." There was no fear in his tone. As if mentioning Torchwick's name would somehow get him out of trouble with her.
She was loathe to admit that he was right. "Continue with the job as you were. And no more surprises." She turned and stepped back into the building.
Cinder rubbed her temples, frustrated with the lack of respect.
Roman this, Roman that.
Who were these fools to question Cinder Fall?
She took a deep breath, calming herself. It didn't matter what these fools thought now. It wouldn't be forever.
She was after all, Cinder Fall.
"Who's the most beautiful monster-killer in the world?" Ruby cradled her baby in her arm in its unsheathed form, cooing it to it like it was her baby. Her face gleamed with as it reflected off the red metal of her beloved weapon. She ran a finger along its length in its folded state.
"That right, you are, you are," she cooed to her beloved weapon.
Ah truly, few people understood the beauty Ruby's Crescent Rose. But with the maintenance, perhaps they would finally be enlightened.
"Oh, I can't wait to show you off to Yang and Dad! Maybe, he won't even be mad I stayed out so late." Okay, he would still be mad, but who cared. All that mattered was that her baby was ready to slice ass better than ever.
Crescent Rose, the weapon that she had slaved over at Signal to build. The only weapon that ever felt right in her hands (and that she didn't accidently shoot someone with) was the one she had forged herself.
Other students had theirs specially made by a forge master from the school and simply provided the design. But Ruby commandeered the forge herself to make her baby.
She strolled (skipped) down the night sidewalk when she noticed movement across the street. Her short, black hair with natural red highlights shining in the dark. It would've been unnoticed by anyone untrained, but Ruby was being trained to be Huntsman and her Aura let her notice things that others normally wouldn't. Especially since what she noticed was someone who didn't want to be noticed.
The figure had slipped behind an iron gate into compound. Ruby put away her baby under red cloak with a hood clasped by a silver rose over her breast. She wore this over a black track jacket with and black studded harness with a red line black skirt and belt with bullets in it. Her short, black hair with natural red highlights shining in the dark which she pulled her hood over.
Her quarry seemed to be a tall six-foot man in a suit in sunglasses. She followed him discreetly, sensing that while the man also had an Aura, he didn't really control its flow well nor was there a lot of it. She could probably take him down but decided against it to see what he was up to. He led her to behind the warehouse where there were many more similarly dressed goons load crates of dust into bay supply trucks.
Something told her it wasn't for the babies.
"It's all clear," the guy said to his buddies.
"Good." A new voice said. Female. Her tone was controlled and authoritative and silky. She stepped out and she had a weapon strapped to her waist, wore red, and long black and amber eyes.
Ruby could tell from how she carried herself with dismissive grace that they would be very bad friends.
"Finish loading the rest of the — "she began to order but was cut off by a blur of rose petals which dissipated and Ruby emerged. Her semblance allowing her dash there in the middle the obvious heist with her baby unfurled.
A scythe with a red and black three-foot long blade that curved inward to the end. It's pole arm as tall as herself and what appeared to others to be a small engine at base of the blade.
Ruby crouched into a stance and yelled with as much authority as she could muster, "Halt! In the name of the law!" She sent a powerful glare at them. Her silver eyes shining with disgust and threat.
For a moment there was simply silence.
And then, there was laughter.
The bad guys were all laughing. Even the woman in a restrained and dignified manner, but it was clear she found this situation to be nothing short of humorous.
"Are- Are you supposed to be some kind of cop?" one thug asked between laughs as he tried to steady herself.
"Well… not exactly." She said, nervously rubbing her toe on the ground her face heating up in embarrassment.
And so, this continued for a good minute until the woman sighed away her humor and the others got a hold of themselves too. She snapped her fingers and immediately the thugs drew weapons and charged at her.
They circled her. Ruby activated her semblance and whipped through her attackers knocking them away on the backs and bellies. But they were resilient. Their Auras glowed at it dampened most of the damage but no doubt they were shaking off the pain.
One tried an overhead chop with a cleaver and Ruby respond by sweeping his legs out from under him with Crescent Rose before slamming her weapon into his back knocking him into one his buddies who had just gotten up, sending them both skidding across the pavement.
Strong arms grabbed her from behind she briefly panicked before pulling a trigger on Crescent Rose and activated her favorite feature. Teo exhaust pipes side by side at the base the blade unleashed small stream of blue flame like a rocket, carrying and her attacker away until she allowed them stop abruptly and the thug was sent flying flat into a wall.
She danced and sliced through each of her attackers, sure not to seriously injure any of them. And then she heard the screeching of tires and turned to see the trucks driving away.
"No, no, no, no . . ." she muttered in panic as she chased after trucks only to be tackled by another goon.
She threw him off and backflipped into a stance. They were all up again. One thing could be said about low-level criminals. They weren't strong fighters, but they were certainly resilient.
Ruby was surrounded on all sides. She tried her earlier tactic and activated her Semblance, but they were prepared.
Three of them formed a wall caught her, struggled for an instant and then threw her. Back. She narrowly blocked the cleaver coming at her from the die and was finally caught by thin sword at the back of head.
The pain rattled her slightly, but she knew that's all it was. Her Aura couldn't be pierced so easily and the she knew there no damage. But her foes had caught on to her tactics. Things could south really soon.
They came at her all at once wasting no movement. And she did the only thing she could. She activated Crescent roses rocket and launched herself into the air and tried firing bullets from the top of her weapon at them. They rolled on the ground evading her shots before she landed on the ground and they were on her again. One of them kicked her in the back and she broke into a roll to avoid landing flat on her face. She parried another blade coming for her face but another tried come at from behind with a knife which glanced off her Aura. The tables were turning.
They weren't strong individually but knew how to gauge their opponents and mount a coordinated offensive.
Ruby grit her teeth for the next round.
But then the woman from earlier strode up, her glass slippers clinking on the pavement softly. She smirked.
"I'll take it from here. You all run back home." She kept her gaze on Ruby as she said this.
"But Roman – "One of the began, but the woman fired a bullet from her weapon. Some kind dual blade longsword with and elaborate guard that fired bullets.
The grunt . . . grunted, made a signal and the rest ran off into a black car and drove away
Ruby's attention wasn't them. She had eyes for only one thing in that moment.
"That weapon is – it's beautiful." Ruby was practically drooling. It was well-made clearly. Mechashift judging by the gears and other mechanism subtly inlaid into the blades.
The woman blinked at her, clearly not expecting this response.
Ruby didn't notice. She kept on rattling off.
"Ooooooh, didyoumakeityouselfwhatsitmadeofittitaniumorAtllasiron . . ."
She suddenly realized she was rambling and that her new opponent was staring at her perplexed.
"Uhhhh, sorry I just get really uh, excited by weapons, it's kinda my thing." Ruby was trying to regain some measure of dignity and respect in this woman's eyes but seemed she didn't have the same idea.
The woman hefted her weapon and in blur was before Ruby who barely managed to block with Crescent Rose and throw her to the side.
The two clashed again and again, sparks flying, and concrete being thrown off the ground.
Ruby tried using her semblance to circle but the woman was prepared and twisted and smacked her back with weapon with no movement wasted. The woman smirked at Ruby. She seemed be both bemused and impressed.
Ruby rushed forth with semblance and locked and took another swing at her head which she gracefully ducked under and delivered a solid kick to Ruby's stomach which was followed up by a series of click clashes that strained her Aura.
Desperately, Ruby clicked Crescent Rose Rocket Function into action, catching her opponent by the pole arm and throwing her back.
The woman smiled – no grinned at her something feral.
Then something impressive happened. The woman switched hands on her weapon. There was a click and the back blade and bent forward at the base and curved inwards for the rest with a metal wire attaching both ends of the blade together. She pulled back and fiery orange lines and edges lit up along the arms of the now greatbow and glowing flaming arrow was knocked between her opponent's fingertips.
"Fire Dust?! That is awesome!"
Ruby dodged the first arrow by jumping to the side and then tried charging her with her Semblance but this time her opponent's arrow struck true. And Ruby was sent back in an explosion that definitely put some dents in her Aura.
The woman knocked arrow after arrow with a mad grin and Ruby could only just keep herself from being blow to bits when something caught her foot and she hit the pavement flat. She grwoaned and looked at feet which her cover ice and then at the woman's weapon which was glowning a sinister blue.
Ice Dust too?
This was not going well Ruby deduced as her opponent stalked up to her, her weapon back into it's dual-bladed form.
"Did you like that?" The woman asked mockingly as she held up her weapon. "I call it Risen from Ashes, I designed her myself." The woman said almost conversationally.
"Would you like a closer look?" Risen from Ashes glowed Orange and the woman hefted it over her head ready to execute her fallen prey
But Ruby was ready this time.
She activated her semblance and Crescent Rose's rocket function at the same time and tackled into the woman's midsection. She kicked her opponent off and didn't let up, firing multiple bullets from between the engine and blade of Crescent Rose.
The woman swatted aside her counterattack with ease, but her face was now twisted and rage and fury.
Cinder charged at her opponent again and again. She was getting tired of exchanging blows with this child. It was obvious who was superior but the girl wouldn't let up.
The brat was clearly getting tired from the exchanges with a stronger opponent but continued throwing herself into the fray as if she had a right to.
She fired a hail of bullets at her opponent who blocked them but was getting pushed back. Cinder fired a volley of fire arrows at her blowing her back into the warehouse.
The girl kept getting up.
Cinder's fist clenched around Risen from Ashes. She prepared for the next exchange whe the air shattered.
Like glass.
Damn it. Why now?!
A new player appeared. Dressed in white boots and coat with dark pants and white top hat and carrying a black and white parasol. Her distinctive hair – brown from one side, pink from the other – marked her as the last headache Cinder needed right now.
"What are you doing here?!" Cinder demanded, not caring who she was.
Her back was to her, but she wagged her finger at the girl in red turned to Cinder, grabbed her around the waist and the air around them shattered again, no doubt leaving her opponent confused at the turn of events or relieved that it was finally over.
The two landed in a back alley.
Cinder turned to her "ally."
"I had that under control! I didn't need you -"
The girl held up her hand. A condescending smirk on her mouth and mirth and her mismatched – pink and brown – eyes. She merely gestured with her head to black car waiting for them.
Cinder let out her frustration in a calm breath and followed Neo Politan to meet with Roman Torchwick.
Ruby let out a breath of relief.
Any more of that and I would've been in serious trouble.
She didn't expect to meet someone so skilled that night. Even the fact the weapon – Risen from Ashes as Ruby recalled – she apparently crafted was one of the most beautiful things she had seen couldn't keep her from feeling the danger she was just in.
Ruby heard muffled groans from behind the building.
She found several men tied up – no doubt the guards of the warehouse that just got ribbed and trashed.
"Don't worry, I'll have you out of there in no time." Ruby ran over and worked at their bindings.
But in that instant, she heard the sound of police sirens and several police cruisers turned up.
The officers stepped out dressed in blue, looked at the scene before them and Ruby could tell which conclusion they came to. They held out their weapons and Ruby in response held up her hands.
"Oh, this is not how I expected this night to go."
She found herself sitting in an interrogation room lined with two-way mirrors.
She fidgeted in her seat.
They'd taken (pried) Crescent Rose from her and now all she could think about was if her baby was alright.
The dark door opening and an older man in green-tinted glasses, dark suit, with a mug of what smelled like hot cocoa in one hand, and a can with an elaborate white handle in the other. IT didn't seem like he needed it based on how he carried himself.
Ruby tilted her head. This man looked somewhat familiar.
"Good evening Miss Rose," he began. "My name is —"
"Is my baby okay?!" She jumped from her seat leaning over the table separately.
The man blinked at her. "Your uh, 'baby'?"
"Yes. You know who I'm talking about." She glared at him glared at him accusingly. "She has the most beautiful red pain-scheme and plating of any monster killer known to man! If you hurt her —"
The man held up a hand authoritatively. She felt compelled to obey.
"If you are referring to your weapon. It is perfectly fine, and might I add that it is of exquisite make. Did you perhaps make it yourself?"
"Oh. Oh yes." Ruby sat back down and was now smiling. "I built it at Signal academy. Everyone else usually gets the forgemaster the designs but it didn't feel right until I did it myself."
The man hummed in approval. "Indeed. I stress to my students to do their own repairs to get intimately acquainted with the tools that will be with them throughout their careers." He said with a sigh.
There was a pause.
Silence.
Silence still.
Then he leaned forward looking her directly in the eyes. "You . . . have silver eyes."
"Um, thank, you?" Ruby backed into her seat slowly.
"I haven't seen pair like them since your mother."
Ruby's eyes widened. "My mom? How do you . . ."
The man chuckled. "You haven't realized who I am yet do you. Rather unfortunate considering you will be one of my students in the coming term."
"One of your —" Ruby gasped. "Your Headmaster Ozpin. Of Beacon Academy."
"At your service." He lightly bowed his head.
"Me – me and my sister are going to be Beacon next semester. And you're the Headmaster, so that means . . . " Suddenly dread filled. "Oh no! Please don't expel me! I didn't mean to get into that fight. I was just walking home after some maintenance on Crescent Rose. Oh pleeeeeeeease!" Ruby was all but sobbing now.
She heard the man laugh softly. "You needn't worry about that. You are in no trouble tonight. I simply wished to discuss something with you before letting you be on your way."
"Please! I'll do – Oh, what?" She blinked, having now register her – apparently – headmaster's words.
"The woman you fought Miss Rose. Do you know who she was?" Ozpin folded his hands on the table.
"Oh, no. she didn't give a name."
"Hm. Based on your description you gave to the officers earlier, I can tell you that the woman you faced this night was Cinder Fall."
"Oh, okay," she nodded her head. "Uh, who is that?"
"We don't know much about her exactly. Our source indicates she simply appeared one day and is working closely with notorious crime lord Roman Torchwick. She is something of an up and coming figure in the organized underworld."
"I see. Is she super dangerous or something?"
"As of right now, Miss Fall doesn't appear to be any more dangerous than your standard criminal but showing up out of the blue and immediately being in a position of command isn't exactly normal."
Ozpin's eyes bored into hers.
"I must stress to you just how lucky you were tonight Miss Rose. While your intentions were noble, this night could have gone very badly for you."
"Right sir." She downcast her eyes. "There was also another girl there. With pink and brown hair?"
"Ah yes. That would Neo Politan. Bodyguard of Roman Torchwick. She is a rather formidable adversary, and our records of her – however few – indicate she is not to be taken lightly."
"Hmmm." Ruby couldn't help but be ashamed. She was overwhelmed and likely would've been helpless if that Neo girl hadn't scampered of with Cinder with her weird semblance. "Thank you, Professor."
"Of course, Miss Rose. Don't be disheartened. You performed very well this night. There is footage of your display by the way from security cameras that weren't deactivated." He pulled up the video feed on his Scroll.
It was her fighting Cinder.
"The skills you displayed are amongst the finest I've seen in your age group."
"Oh, thank you," she said enthusiastically. "My Uncle Qrow taught me. I was completely useless before he to me under his wing but now I'm all like —" She made swishing motions with her arms and hands and action movie noises.
Ozpin chuckled at the display. "Yes, Qrow is a fine teacher. How is the old bird these days?" He inquired casually.
"Oh. Last I heard he was on some ultra-top-secret mission in Mistral. Haven't heard from him in months."
"I see," he nodded with a smile. "Well, I look forward to seeing you next semester Miss Rose." He made to get up.
"I hope I haven't taken too much of your time."
"Oh no. It was nothing. I'm always happy to help."
"That's good." He smiled at her as they made their way out of the room.
She briefly noticed a stern-looking blonde woman in glasses whom Ozpin began conversing with. "Boy she looks scary," Ruby muttered under her breath. "Hope she isn't a teacher."
"What were you thinking?!"
"You'll have to be more specific Glynda."
"You know what I mean Headmaster. Since when do we disclose details of a criminal investigation to a teenager?"
"I simply believed the child ought to know with whom she tangled. One never knows when such information would come in handy."
Glynda Goodwitch glared at her superior.
"Do you expect her to have need of this knowledge?" she asked pointedly.
The man smirked in that annoying all-knowing way. "I merely expect her to use this knowledge as best she can."
Glynda turned her eyes forward. Ozpin always did as he pleased. It wasn't without reason or caution but often without forewarning.
"It seems Qrow is still in the wind then?" Glynda asked, changing the topic of discussion.
"I am afraid so. I didn't expect Miss Rose to have any answers, but it still worries me that no one knows of his whereabouts."
"Yes," she hummed. "The question is, are we unable to track him because he doesn't want to be found, or because someone else doesn't want us to reach him?"
"At this point we will simply have to trust in our favorite bird," Ozpin declared. "On another note, how are things between you and James?"
Glynda went red and glared daggers at him.
Ozpin laughed awkwardly holding up his hands in surrender. "Very well, still a touchy topic." He quickly dropped that line of conversation.
"James does his best. Just like the rest us." she said quietly.
"I know. And it is at our best we all must be." Ozpin concluded solemnly.
"Mmhmm. Not bad for a first haul at all Cindy," Roman commented with a smirk.
"I told you I'd deliver didn't I, Roman?" Cinder grit out. That ridiculous nickname he insisted on addressing her with grating on her. She followed the man and his pink and brown-haired bodyguard down as he walked amongst the crates of Dust that she'd appropriated from the SDC warehouse. His signature bowler hat sat upon his head and black cane that he didn't need being not nearly old enough for those kinds of problems. He was garbed in a white coat and boots that matched his bodyguard. They were truly an annoying pair.
"And deliver you did." He tapped one of the crates with his cane.
"I believe I was promised something in return." It wasn't a question.
"Now, now Cindy. Let's not be hasty. You have to tell me how the night went," he said with a knowing smirk. "Neo tells me it was quite wild."
Neo simply smiled at her. Damn her.
"A girl simply wandered where she shouldn't have. It wasn't anything I didn't have handled." She sent a glare at Torchwick. Then at Neo.
"Oh? So why did Neo have to bail you out?"
"She didn't."
"That's not what Neo tells me."
How can she tell you anything?!
She made sure not voice these thoughts. She had to some decorum after all.
"I had everything under control. A few more moments and the girl would've been dealt with."
"Yes, we all know how you deal with your problems." Torchwick drawled with wave of his hand.
Cinder narrowed her eyes. As expected, Neo wasn't there to save her, but the stupid girl she was fighting.
"And what of it?"
"It's too loud. A guard dies, not cool, but we can scrub ourselves of that; that's basically what those poor boys are there for anyway. But killing a kid in a high-flying, Semblance-throwing deathmatch? Yeah, that's gonna attract attention. The kind that'll have cops and Huntsmen kicking down my door to hang me up from a high rise for the people to cry and boo as a heartless child murderer and chuck me in prison and throw away the key!"
"I wasn't aware that you had such compunctions Roman."
Neo stepped forward with her parasol drawn but Torchwick held up a hand, signaling her to stand down.
"One does not become top banana of Vale's criminal underworld Cindy, without knowing the value of a gentler touch."
"'Gentle'? Are you mocking me?" She stared down Vale's top crime lord; her amber eyes boring in his mischievous grey ones.
Torchwick sighed. "Kids these days. Am I right Neo?"
Neo simply shrugged.
"True, true. Right as always." Torchwick said with an amused sigh.
Cinder's eye twitched.
He sat down on a crate and crossed his legs.
Then, took a long drag from his cigar.
"Well, a deal is a deal," he said in a bored tone. Torchwick reached into his coat and pulled out two keycards and a grey memory stick. "Your own personal hideout to do as you please and that information you wanted on the kid."
Cinder all but snatched it from him.
She turned to leave before Roman spoke to her one last time.
"Remember Cindy. In this business, it's just as important to know which hands to shake as it is to know which to break."
She turned to him over her shoulder. "I'll keep that in mind."
"I hope so. I'll look bad if one of my charges went around making noise for no reason."
Cinder huffed and walked away.
She left Torchwick's storehouse behind and hopped into her red car to make her way to her new
hideout.
It was in an old alleyway. It would've been an abandoned building for storage. There were stairs that led down into an underground bunker, which the keycard granted access to.
She opened the secure door and stepped into her newly acquired base of operations. It was highly equipped lair containing multiple metallic vaults and cases for storing weapons and other equipment. An elaborate but sleek computer system in the middle of the room. In the back, it led down a hall where the bathrooms and several other rooms were for retiring.
When Roman Torchwick promised something, he delivered. She'd asked enough equipment to set her on her way and Torchwick outfitted where more than she would immediately need.
She'd have more soon.
She wouldn't settle. This was Torchwick simply trying to clean his hands of her. As if she were something that could simply be dismissed.
Cinder sat down at the computer system and plugged in the drive that Torchwick had given her. On the screen popped up records of children.
Orphans in Vale.
Newspaper clippings. Medical reports.
She stopped a hazy image of green-haired child taken from behind. She couldn't have been much older than 12. Cinder smiled.
This was a girl who had far more potential than anyone realized, and she was simply wandering the streets living off of scraps and the ignorance of others.
Cinder had others plans for this one.
There was a knock.
She carefully made her way to the door. Cinder opened up the security screen on the wall by the door and the image of bespectacled chestnut-haired young man came up. She opened unlocked the door for him rather quickly. His head was shaved but from the top which was spiked backwards in a sleek fashion. He wore a blue-line black leather jacket over grey body armor as well as cargo pants and boots. There was He wore several belts with pouches. He cut a rather intimidating yet sharp figure.
"You took your time William," she said with a smile.
"Well running your errands has ever been a time-consuming endeavor Cinder." He said with casual drawl.
"What can I say? I'm a hard woman to please."
"Yes, I've noticed." He rolled his eyes.
"So, this is our humble abode?" He waved his hands exaggeratingly.
"We were promised a hideout, and Torchwick delivered."
"Color me impressed. I had my doubts the old pomp wouldn't string us along."
"Come now. You know I'd never let anyone takes us for a ride again."
Cinder led her companion to the computer screens.
"So, this is our little ghost?" William said referring to the girl on the screen.
"That is her."
He didn't look especially impressed. Not surprising considering the quality of the image and the task she had in mind for the child.
"Adorable."
"Formidable." Cinder smiled almost excitedly. "This is the best image anyone could get of her. She's perfect."
"A child with an illusion Semblance as powerful as Torchwick's bodyguard. She won't be easy to get a hold of."
"If she was, then she wouldn't be worth the trouble." Cinder leaned back in the chair and turned toward William. "After all, we are looking for quality, aren't we? Now, what of that errand I sent you on?"
"Cute," William snarked at her. "If we're looking for quality, you're going to be disappointed. The great assassin, Marcus Black it seems, is a drunk washout living on the outskirts off the kingdom in a glorified shack." He said bluntly.
"I see. So, he's desperate enough that he'd take it work from the first party to offer it to him?"
William nodded. "With a price I imagine. He's still one proud bastard."
"Good. He isn't supposed to last us longer than a few kills anyway."
"I thought we were looking for quality."
"We are. But for now, we'll settle for quality fodder." She stood up and walked over to him.
William held his hands out to his sides. "You're the boss."
She smiled before remembering the events earlier that night. Cinder sighed. "Earlier this evening I ran into a rather annoying girl."
"Neo? I told you she just enjoys getting under your skin, but if you give her some ice cream —"
"No!" She shook her head exasperatedly. "Damn it, I'm not talking about that infuriating ice cream mute. It was a student. She wore a red hood and wielded a rocket-powered scythe."
"I take it you want me to look into her?"
"Yes. It's not urgent by any means. But, see if you can dig up anything on her."
He tilted his head to the side. "How did this little red manage to piss you off?"
"She interfered with my heist, trying to play the hero," she hissed.
"Okay. But it was a success, if this hideout here is anything to go by." William raised his hand gesturing to their newly acquired base of operations.
"That's beside the point. I don't like nosy brats butting in where they shouldn't."
William stared back on her. He probably thought of this as petty, but it wasn't as if she had any plans to actively hunt her down.
"I'll put it to the brats I got running around for me. Maybe even go to Junior."
"Good." She nodded and walked past him on a table in the corner. William took her seat in the chair at the computer system.
They sat there then. No words exchanged, just weight of it all upon them.
She got up and went down hall to her room and William followed her.
Cinder shared one last look with her companion before opening the door to her room to turn in for the night and William did the same.
She didn't bother with anything else and simply plopped herself down on the bed. Tired.
"And then I was all like —" Ruby narrated her encounter, making sure to capture the sheer awesomeness and terror of the battle. She mimicked swinging her scythe to make it clear to Yang just how insane it all really was.
"And her weapon — oh her weapon. It was amazing! It was all like —" and then Ruby gripped the air like the girl — Cinder, her name was Cinder — gripped hers and danced around the living room.
"And then, the cops showed up and then —"
"We know what happened then Ruby," Dad cut her off exasperatedly.
Ruby looked away sheepishly. It's not like it was her fault. She didn't expect to walk in the middle of heist that night. She just wanted to do some maintenance on her wonderful Crescent Rose. But alas, life was rarely so simple.
"Oh man, I can't believe I missed iiiiiit!" Yang whined. "I bet if we were there together, that bitch wouldn't have stood a chance." Yang had that bloodthirsty grin on her face which told you she wanted to beat something up. Her mane of power golden hair and deliberately torn brown and yellow jacket and duster and dark shorts definitely helped her wild-girl image that Yang was so proud of.
That's when Dad decided to chime in again. "Uh, let's not talk about getting into fights. Especially after you were hauled to the station for that fight at the club." Dad scolded.
"Aw come on, could you let that go already?" Yang moaned dramatically. "That was like, forever ago."
"Wasn't it like, just last week?" Ruby said quietly.
Yang looked her way and then blinked. "Eh. Tomayto, Tomahto." Yang finally shrugged.
"Just – just please, can we avoid getting into fights for the next week?" Dad ran a hand through his blonde hair as his brow furrowed. "My anxiety's bad enough as is, and I think I'm starting to go grey." He said clearly referencing his hair.
"Isn't that normal for old men?" Yang smirked cockily.
"O-Old Man?" Dad squeaked out.
Ruby ran over to her old man before he broke down. "No-no-no. You're not old Dad, you're as strong as an ox," she said rubbing her hand on his shoulder trying to calm him down. He was built like bear and cast an otherwise imposing figure with his fur vest and dragon tattoos but two seconds with the man and he was more like a big old teddy bear. One that could tear off the head off a Grimm with his bare hands, but still.
Said teddy sniffed. "Yeah. Yeah, thanks Rube."
"So, come on sis." Yang piped up. "What else did the headmaster talk you about. Is he getting you a scholarship? Ooh, can I get one too?"
"Nah," Ruby waved her down. "He just asked about Uncle Qrow."
"Huh? Qrow?" Dad suddenly perked up; his insecurity over his age forgotten.
"Yeah. I just told him he was on a mission."
"I see." Dad nodded. He suddenly had serious expression on his face. His blue eyes betraying his worry
Ruby and Yang both raised an eyebrow at his change in demeanor.
"It there something wrong Dad?" Ruby asked.
"Huh?" He looked dazed for a second, like he wasn't sure where he was. "Oh no. Everything's good, just spaced out there for a moment. Worried about Qrow you know?"
"Aw he's fine," Yang waved him down. "I bet he's at some bar trying to hit up the waitresses."
"And getting rejected," Ruby added.
All three of them laughed at that.
They sat down on the couches and began chatting about other senseless topics like clothes sales and the latest technology. Theirs was a quaint dwelling. Built of wood from the outside and the interior upgraded over the years, with modern technology and Dust appliance, it was home of history and family.
And in the light of their fireplace and wood-built home in the town of Patch; it was a relaxing night.
Then Yang stretched and yawned. "I'm gonna hit the sack. Girl needs her beauty sleep." She winked and went up the stairs.
"You head on up too Ruby. You've had an exhausting night." Dad said to her.
Ruby made to argue but a yawn involuntarily escaped, and she sighed. "Right. G'night Dad."
He reached over and kissed on cheek before letting her go up the stairs to her room.
She'd changed into her pajamas and threw herself on her bed. She pulled a photograph from under her pillow.
It was of herself. A toddler with flailing limbs and a smile as bright and potent as roses and of a woman who looked like a much older version of her. Black hair with red highlights and distinctive silver eyes.
Mom. She was dressed in black body armor and white-hooded cape.
Ruby smiled determinedly at it. "Just you wait and watch Mom." She stowed the picture back under her pillow and lay down for the night.
Indeed, people humanity may have forgotten what means to be prey. It is inevitable for nothing is meant to last.
But can it truly be said that we are doomed?
Heroes rise and fall.
Legends are made and forgotten.
And new ideas are born every day only to be torn down the next.
A cycle that has continued endlessly and without fail.
We endure.
We thrive.
We conquer.
We hunt.
Perhaps the true enemy has been forgotten by the people but I my dear, have not.
And I swear that this world will always be ours.
And any who try to take it will be shown what the Hunt truly means.
Authors Note:
So, there it is.
First chapter of my fic, RWBY: Endurance.
As I said before this is a test chapter.
So please comment and critique and don't be rude or offensive.
I look forward to hearing from you all.
Thanks for Reading!