Entropy
Prologue - Pressure
Disclaimer: I own nothing of RWBY, and I regretfully am not gathering any sort of monetary compensation for this work. Both of those rights belong to Rooster Teeth.
"Ruby?" inquired Weiss harshly.
The crimson-haired girl in question looked up from the thin but clearly ancient tome in her lap, her silver eyes slowly flashing in the soft light of their dorm room. "Er… yes, Weiss?"
"What the fuck is entropy?"
Hair flaming gently, the young girl crept quietly through the darkened forest, the handle of a small red wagon in her off hand. Her primary held a torch, held out in front to ward off the rapidly thickening shadows. The creaking of the wagon's wheels were, strangely, the only sound besides the crunching of the flame-girl's footsteps. A light breeze wound crossways through the path, but not the slightest breath from it could be heard.
The creaking stopped as the flame-girl's feet did the same. A small slip of paper, previously held in hand with the torch, fell to the ground as the flame-girl and her companion arrived before a small, decrepit hut. Wreathed in yet more shadow, now starting to shift slightly, the hut loomed above the young Yang.
Yang looked up, desperately searching for any next clue, flames now fully wreathing her hard, determined face. Mom…
She jerked back at a sudden creak from within the dark hut, causing the wagon to creak loudly. Footfalls could now be heard, and a bright flash from her Semblance, courtesy of her panic, illuminated her surroundings even as the torch was blown out by the now-howling wind.
Yang turned and ran back along the path with the wagon, tears starting to leak from her screwed-up eyes. Scared…!
"Yang…?"
Horror welled up within her chest.
"Go back to sleep, Ruby." Yang's voice broke at her dear sister's name.
The pale, crimson-adorned sprite within the wagon sat up slowly, heedless of the bouncing of the wagon.
"Why, sis? What's going on? Did you find-" A black blur erupted across Yang's vision, upending the wagon and tossing Ruby further along the pathway. Ruby started to stand, her tiny frame barely upright before the shadow pounced, claws extended towards her just as her silver eyes started to widen with the realization of the fate soon to befall her.
Ruby sat bolt upright, breathing heavily. The old nightmare, she reflected. Never had she forgotten the day she and Yang ventured out into the woods near their home, tracking Yang's long-lost mother. It was a taboo topic between the two of them, and Uncle Qrow respected the tale in much the same way – caution, fear, and a hint of relief that the misadventure had not resulted in worse for either sister.
Now quite fully awake, the adrenalin from her previously terrified state keeping her active, Ruby surveyed her room, focusing on the energies of the air around her and the sounds outside. Dawn was just breaking, and between summer's dawn being around half past seven and the fact that Yang hadn't yet barged in whilst loudly announcing the start of the new day indicated it was probably just before eight.
A bit of time to collect myself, then. I wish the old nightmare hadn't followed me to Signal like this. Hopefully when Yang leaves to Beacon next month I'll be able to cope. It's always worse when she's not around.
Though she mightn't have realized it, Ruby wouldn't have the nightmare again for two more years.
A/N: It's been absolutely ages since I've written. Hopefully I'll be able to pull of some interesting world/story-building within the wonderful realm of Remnant, and give the cast a couple of... ah... fun! ...experiences along the way. However, fair warning, this will be suitably AU! That being said, welcome to Entropy!