A/N: Hey everyone! Hope everyone enjoyed the season finale! This is my sole entry for this RWBYRSWeek, featuring Neo and Ruby. It is set in an AU I came up with and wrote a little for called Imaginary Superheroes. In any case, this will likely be my last piece for RWBY due to deciding to stop following the show. I apologize if you were hoping for more fics/updates to old fics. In any case, hope you enjoy this one! Oh and the (heartemoji) is because FF is a but with the greater than sign.
Kindle Elementary. Many people saw it as a nice easy-going school, filled with happy little children doing their best to learn and spend time with their friends.
"But there is evil afoot!" shouted Golden Dragon, slamming her fist on the tiny plastic table.
Her audience jumped at the sudden outburst, Blinding Thunder especially. The four superheroes were meeting in the Dragonbase, scenically located inside Golden Dragon and Red Shadow's dad's garage.
Golden Dragon, standing up to her full height, an intimidating 4'2", began pacing around the room. Clad in a bright yellow dragon outfit, her wings and red scarf tongue flopped along behind her as she continued to pick up speed.
"Uhhh, Yang?" came a squeaky voice as Red Shadow slowly raised her hand. She was the youngest of the group but, along with Golden Dragon, was the founding duo of the Super Cool SuperheroesTM. She wore a red onesie with a black hooded cape with lovingly drawn on red roses. Brushing the cape and messy black hair out of her silver eyes, she saw Golden Dragon freeze mid-step. "Are you sure? I mean, aside from cooties, everything is okay."
At the mention of cooties, Blinding Thunder squirmed in his seat, feeling everyone's eyes turn on him. He was the newest member of the Super Cool SuperheroesTM and was only a sidekick, instead of an actual superhero like the other three. His costume was just a pair of oversized glasses and a glove with a lightning bolt on it, although his mom was making him a hat as well.
"First of all," began Frost Monarch, causing the younger girl now to be the one to squirm under the scrutiny of her peers. "We don't use our real names at superhero meetings. Second of all, there's more to our school than first-graders."
"Sorry," was Red Shadow's muted reply, as she suddenly found a burning interest in a particular mark in the plastic table right in front of her. Frost Monarch was Golden Dragon's best friend and the first one outside the family to join the Super Cool SuperheroesTM. She wore a flowing silver dress and a glittery masquerade mask. She was also the only member of the team that scared Red Shadow.
"Frost Monarch has a point," Golden Dragon said, finally taking her seat once more. "There is no telling what kind of dastardly evil is at work at school. Remain ever vigi… vigil… just keep looking, okay?"
Red Shadow nodded, looking at the other three heroes. They were all two years older than her and had to deal with some really bad meanies in their grade. As much as Red Shadow loved being a hero, she certainly was glad that first-grade was nice and calm.
"Good morning, class."
"Good morning, Mr. Oobleck!"
"Are you all ready for another wonderful day of learning?"
Ruby sat at her desk, face down in her arms as her stomach rumbled. After the meeting, Dad had took the four out for ice cream and she had eaten too much. If she ever saw another scoop of ice cream again, it would be too soon.
"Ah, but before I get too ahead of myself, we have a new student joining us today!"
This sudden announcement had Ruby bolt upright. A new student meant a new friend. Normally she liked to dazzle new friends with her amazing costume but due to the amount of ice cream she ate and spilled, her costume was in the wash. Still, Ruby could definitely make a new friend regardless!
At the front of the class, a short, even for first-grade, pale girl stood, with a small whiteboard and markers in hand. Her mismatched brown and pink eyes seem to scan her peers for a moment before locking with Ruby's. Ruby smiled and the girl did so in kind after brushing her long brown and pink hair aside, but something about that grin made Ruby nervous.
After a quick bow, the new girl began rapidly writing something down on her whiteboard before holding it up for the whole class to read. Unfortunately, this was a concept not all had properly grasped so Mr. Oobleck read it aloud.
"Hi! My name is Neo! I can't speak so I use this to write out what I want to say! It is nice to meet you all! (heartemoji)"
The girl looked at the teacher and shook her head before turning the whiteboard.
"Oh! That's a heart! Well isn't that just adorable?" Mr. Oobleck would puzzle over why he thought a first-grader was knowledgeable about math that was at least middle school level but he didn't let that thought distract him now. "Why don't you take a seat next to Ruby, over there?"
Neo nodded and skipped along to sit at the table with Ruby. Taking a deep breath, Ruby focused. Dad always told her that making a good first impression was important. Smile, be nice, and be yourself.
"Hi! I'm Ruby Rose! Nice to meet you, Neo!"
Neo nodded and began scribbling something down on her whiteboard. As she held it up to Ruby, she did that vaguely creepy smile. Ruby could not help but notice how pretty Neo's writing was. There were even a bunch of hearts. What a nice new friend.
Then Ruby actually read the words.
"I'm going to hurt you and everything you love! (heartemoji)"
As Ruby watched the grin grow in smugness, she knew Golden Dragon was right. All was not okay at Kindle Elementary, First Grade. And Red Shadow would be the one to make it okay.
These kids were pathetic.
Neo sat on top of the crossbars, twirling her closed parasol as she watched the insects below pay her tribute. It had been one week since she started at Kindle Elementary and she was in control of the first-grade. They had quickly fallen into place once she had shown them the rules of the jungle gym. Not a single spine amongst the lot of them.
Well, except that Ruby girl. The thought of that girl made Neo angrily grasp at the whiteboard that she wore around her neck. Ruby was headstrong and refused to go along with the herd. If she didn't do as she was told today, Neo would have her be made an example of.
Thoughts of finally beating up another kid after such a long break distracted the young bully from the sounds of gasps from the other first-graders. Pulling herself along the crossbars, Red Shadow moved slowly. She did a great job of hiding it but she was terrified of heights. She almost didn't want to keep moving forward.
A superhero is, most importantly, brave. Red Shadow recalled her mother's words. And being brave is facing your fears head on and winning.
"Neo!"
The high-pitched squeak snapped Neo from her daydreams. Someone had joined her on top of the crossbars. Clad in pure red with a billowing black cape, her features were hidden under a hood.
Before Neo could write her question down, someone from the crowd answered it for her. "It's Red Shadow!" Cheers erupted from the kids as Neo silently snarled. Red Shadow… What kind of a superhero name was that? And what kind of a superhero fights first-graders?
"That's right!" Red Shadow said, fists on her hips. "I am Red Shadow and I will beat this evil meanie!"
Neo's hands strayed to a marker but stopped just short. The time for talk had ended. The time to punish an annoying goody-two-shoes had begun. Nimbly getting to her feet, she slowly began to walk towards her opponent, both hands on her parasol.
Red Shadow was notably less nimble, barely holding her balance when the first strike lashed out. The air itself seemed to cut away as the horizontal blow missed by less than an inch. Another one was thrown out that Red Shadow dodged by falling flat on her stomach, groaning at the maneuver's associated pain.
The wind was howling as Red Shadow slowly got to her feet to look her opponent in her eyes. "Why are you so mean?" she asked, barely audible over the cheers of the crowd and the billowing wind.
Because I am. Neo mouthed, stepping forward and thrusting with the parasol. The move happened too fast for Red Shadow to dodge it, striking her right in the shoulder. The blow knocked her off balance, causing her to lose her footing. Victory is mine! thought Neo, laughing silently.
However, Red Shadow would not be defeated so easily. She had grabbed a crossbar as she had fell and was hanging in. However, the wind buffeted her and her grip was weakening. Grabbing with her other hand, she slowly began to pull herself up, wincing as the wind cut like a thousand tiny blades across her exposed hands.
As Neo turned to address her disloyal subjects, she spotted Red Shadow's return to the fray. Why wouldn't she just give up?! Neo screeched, charging forward with another parasol thrust, aiming to spear her tenacious foe off the jungle gym.
But this time, Red Shadow was ready. Leaning to the right, she evaded the telegraphed blow, grabbing the parasol with her own hands as well. If she could disarm Neo, she might be able to win the fight.
But Neo was stronger than Red Shadow, as she began to push back against the attempted theft of her weapon. The struggle moved the two back and forth as the crowd and wind fell silent.
With a final push, Neo wrested control of her parasol from Red Shadow, who fell onto her back on the crossbars. A sadistic grin crossed Neo's face as she raised her weapon to deliver a final, decisive blow. But she forgot one thing.
The wind was howling.
As the wind picked up once more, the gust blew the parasol open. The full force of the screeching miniature gale hit Neo and her weapon, sending her airborne and away from her foe. Neo's grip on her parasol remained ironclad, as she shot a look that would and could kill at her now-safe opponent.
As Red Shadow slowly got to her shaky feet, one last burst of wind blew in, knocking away her hood. As Neo touched down amongst a sea of angry six-year olds, she finally saw who her rival was.
Ruby Rose. Her desk partner.
This isn't over! she mouthed, before fleeing from the angry mob.
"Status report, Red Shadow."
Red Shadow stood at the plastic table, a wide grin on her face. "I stopped a super meanie in the first-grade!"
"Good job!" said Blinding Thunder, a smile almost as big on his own face. "Who were they bullying?"
"The entire grade."
There was a momentary silence in the Dragonbase as the other three shared looks of disbelief.
"Wait, how?"
"Easy, Wei- I mean, Frost Monarch!" Red Shadow struck a triumphant pose, with one foot on the table. "She was a new girl in class but I beat her in a super cool battle on top of the jungle gym!"
"That sounds… dangerous…" Blinding Thunder said softly.
"Yeah, if someone tries to fight you, let us know." Golden Dragon grinned wide. "We are a team and I won't let anyone pick on my team!"
The rest nodded in agreement. The Super Cool SuperheroesTM would keep Kindle Elementary safe. Together.