Cupiditatem

by TheFinalOrder

Forgo the cold of snow, ignore your desire of the tropic wasteland, and shed your love for the place that feels like home. There you will search through Silver Eyes for what you most desire. That's what the Gospel read, but could this small child really grant a wish he never desired?

2. The Four Friends

I should note this before I start, Subaru and Regulus aren't good people in this fic. Well, that's what Im trying to write anyways, but I have a habit of making people look like good guys while writing their perspective. So this is new ground for me. Also, this isn't Dark Lord Subaru (yet). He's bad, but to a sense. In Ayamatsu he held pity for the wives of Regulus. In this, he didn't care one bit. But I'll still try to portray him as bad beyond 'I wanna kill everything!'

Yeah. I basically didn't know what to write for description. I need a better one. Anyone got any ideas?

Also, forgot to put this in last chapter, but I always answer questions and respond to every review at the very bottom of the chapter. Mostly the reason I do that is because I appreciate when people take time out of their day to leave one. That, and I usually skim over some flaws in my writing and I like pointing them out. Makes me a better writer for it.

Edit- Never writing 40 pages again. Oh god this was weird. Btw, I need opinions on pacing. Is it too fast? Too slow?

FOR PURE RWBY FANS- This chapter is mostly dedicated to Re Zero characters. Future Arcs will focus entirely on one character from RWBY or two characters. I just need to find a resolution for their problems.

Important!- please forgive me for the cringe skeleton scene! Not removing it, because I need to face my shame. Wont happen again Edit- removed it cause it's doesn't follow the flow of the story.

WARNING- There is a scene in this chapter some readers may get offended by. I'm not sure, but I think the implications are plenty to warrant a warning.

Thanks again my Beta, Mayazra! You've been awesome! Betas are awesome!

---

Outskirts of Vale

Mid Day

The sun shined brightly today, burning his pale skin as he pushed past the shrubbery in his way. Rays of light obscured his vision, making the path difficult to see. The branches tugged on his cloak, pulling and pushing him with the eagerness of a child. He faintly heard the telltale sign of clothing being ripped, much to his ever growing annoyance.

Truly, Pride hated the outdoors at times. It reminded him of the days of the past, before he joined the Church. Before when his family was but a simple one.

Slapping his neck, he killed another mosquito. He truly hated walking in the forest.

Why he couldn't just levitate like his fellow Archbishop annoyed him to no end. It seemed even The Witch of Envy played favorites when it came down to abilities. Having the ability to faze through anything and basically move your physical body to another dimension was really, really useful. What did he get? The oh so precious ability to travel back in time upon death and the ability to steal other Archbishop abilities.

While Pride was indeed grateful for both abilities, they were basically useless when it comes down to it. Yes, traveling back to the past upon death gave him a chance to fix prior mistakes, but on more than one occasion when he had done a perfect loop, some guy had a lucky chance to stab him in the back during a purging. Not only was it painful, doing it all over again was repetitive beyond belief. Not to mention he had to act like everything was new again, following a set path that would lead to a 'Happy End' he wanted. Maybe there was a way to set a save point manually?

Then there was the 'Absorption' ability. The only way he even knew about it was due to a scuffle with Betelgeuse. During the first days of his initiation into the Church, Betelgeuse had posed a question about his thoughts on Satella. When Pride gave an unsatisfactory answer, he had been beaten to death. Upon reboot, furious and vengeful, Pride had successfully killed Betelgeuse. Strangely enough, when Betelgeuse came back in another body, he wasn't that angered by the attack but claimed that it was the Witches doing that his body had died. Something about how his body had outlived its use and he needed a new one.

This had the affect of pissing off Pride even more. Not that he took it in stride, but the fact that Betelgeuse had a much more handsome body now.

It was a month later he had found out he had practically stolen Betelgeuse ability. Sort of. Betelgeuse still had his ability, the 'Unseen Hand.' Yet Pride did too. A much weaker version of it though. Its reach was around a foot long, and he wasn't able to summon many hands, but it was enough to make him realize his new ability.

And his new ability was useless. It mimicked other Archbishop abilities but was less effective. Also the only way to mimic others abilities were to kill the other Archbishops, which was a no go for Pride. If he started a crusade against them, his head would be on a silver plate on the millionth death.

With the audible sound of tearing fabric, Pride had enough. With a yell of irritation, he ran forward, 'hands' coming out and making a path for him. The snaps and cracks of branch's, twigs and occasional tree joined the scream of an enraged teen.

Coming to a stop, Pride greedily took in deep breaths of air. Leaning on a tree, he could feel sweat grace his forehead in heaps. That was another downside to the 'Absorption' ability. While Pride was able to use the ability to a certain extent, it took a lot out of him to keep it up for long. Using it in quick bursts was fine, but other than that put a strain on him.

"Pfft!" A sudden burst of chuckles and flat out laughter erupted behind him. His eyebrow twitching, he turned to glare at the group of Church members trying, and failing, to rein in their laughter. Half of them anyways. The other half were freaking out, trying their best to stop the others from laughing. Obviously, the ones afraid were of Lusts group. One of the more outspoken members pointed at him and laughed. "Can't handle a little green, huh Sir?"

"Awe shut it! You try walking in these miserable uniforms and you'll understand why it's so frustrating!" Pride said, causing the group to silence. That was before his face reddened in embarrassment, causing the other cloaked companions to burst out laughing again. "Y-You know what I mean, prick!"

With that, Pride stomped off in an embarrassed rage. If this was a cartoon, steam would have been blowing from his ears, like a kettle that was left on the stove for too long. He could hear the laughter fade as he got farther, the members having a field day. Even with this minor screw up, he couldn't find it in himself to detest them. They were his comrades. The ones who stuck by him through thick and thin. The ones who picked him up when he was down.

They were his friends.

Unlike the mindless drones that made up everybody else's groups, Pride was able to instill personality within them. This made the long trek from The World Above to Remnant all that more bearable.

"Once again, you express your abilities in the most mundane way conceivable!" A voice above him spoke with no small amount of amusement in his tone. Looking up, he took in the sight of the floating prick himself, Regulus Corneas. Admittedly, Regulus looked like a god coming down from the heavens to greet his followers. If he was any other person, Pride knew he would have looked at him in awe. If Pride was kinder, he would have told him this. Deep down though, Pride knew that if he even spoke a word of that to him, Regulus wouldn't shut up for the next year about that. "You could at least show some flair with your abilities you know? A shout of triumph or calling out your ability as you strike. Running and screeching like a banshee is not only unprofessional, but unimpressive. Imagine all those people who we fought screaming as they attack. Embarrassing, isn't it?"

"Oh shut your trap you prick!" Pride joked as he watched the White haired priest land next to him. They both continued their journey next to each other. "You know full well how hard it is to stay off man made paths. It's so irritating and difficult, and I swear I'm going to have to stitch new cloaks for us by the end of this."

As if to confirm this, his cloak tore again, much to the growing ire of Pride. Regulus laughed as Pride pulled on his cloak and proceeded to cry at the sight of the torn edge. It was a secret to Regulus and Pride, but Pride enjoyed sewing, but doing it every other day got on the repetitive side of things.

"Could you just cut a path for us, Regulus? Please?" Pride begged, tears streaming his cheeks as he held the torn fabric. Regulus couldn't help that his smile grew into a grin at the sight of Pride. It wasn't everyday you saw the living representation of Pride begging for anything, so you must cherish these small memories.

"I'm not so sure, Subaru. Last I remember, you seemed to be prideful of the fact that you could travel through most terrain." Regulus shrugged, enjoying the sight of Pride freezing, his eyes widening in realization. "Of course, if you want to take a little break from the difficult path ahead, that's fine too. I'll just cut a pa-"

"Forget it!" Pride yelled venomously. Stomping in anger and irritation, Pride cut his way through the bushes, barely visible hands briefly appearing a disappearing as it swatted away the offending plants. Regulus watched in amusement as he trailed behind Pride, his path of destruction making a man made trail.

"That was a wise choice, Sir Greed." A woman spoke up behind him. Regulus turned to see a Church member, her face all but obscured besides the lower half. She was of normal height, with deathly pale skin that seemed smooth from where he was standing. She didn't stand out much compared to other Church members, besides the hood having two 'ears' instead of a cone. This woman was the last of Greed's wives, the one who stuck by him when no one else would, Purpura. "If you had relented and helped Sir Pride, then that would have jeopardized our mission."

"Oh?" Regulus responded, surprised. He honestly wasn't aiming for that. His goal was to tease Pride for as long as Pride could handle, not do so to forward their mission. Of course, Greed would never admit to that. "Of course! If we had assisted Subaru in making his way through the foliage, then that could have made it easier for the main road to spot us!"

"Exactly." The woman agreed as she walked alongside Regulus, who's face took on a look of surprise in the fact that he was indeed right. "While you two may be good friends, for which I am happy for, we mustn't forget why we are traveling with Sir Pride to begin with."

"Ah, yes. I remember well. For now though, let us enjoy the company of others and travel with haste!" Regulus spoke, floating towards the fuming Archbishop. Purpara stared at the two friends with a fading smile. While she indeed held love for Regulus and the friendship between Greed and Pride, she couldn't help but worry. As time went on, something in Greed had changed, whether that was for better or worse was entirely based on your prospective. His feelings, which were unbreakable and selfish were now feeble and selfless. While those traits were exclusively for those close to him, Regulus could be broken in a snap. By either her or Pride.

Pride would never betray Greed, would he?

---

Cliff Overlooking Vale

A Few Hours Later

"You want to what!?" Pride yelled in surprise. The entirety of the Church Expedition turned to him in a look of mutual surprise. At this, Pride gave a soft cough, trying to clear his throat.

It had taken no longer than an hour to reach their destination. Well, the border at least. From what one of Lusts men reported, Vale was an extremely tricky place to sneak into, even for the Church. It should have been no surprise, seeing as Vale was one of the Four Kingdoms of this world, security should be tight. If it wasn't then it would have fallen to this world's monsters by now.

The solution for them was easy though. In casual clothing, they would act the part of refugees. Walking through the front gate would be a breeze, allowing them to start their mission. Perfect, right? Nothing could possibly go wrong.

Well, sure, if Regulus wasn't suggesting they split up.

"As I said, I believe we should split up." Regulus said, crossing his arms in thought. "I mean, don't get me wrong; I want to travel with you as much as I can but if we don't split here I doubt we would get anything done."

"That's a heavy load of bull crap and you know it!" Pride accused, pointing a finger at Regulus. "We have traveled together forever and done all our missions exceptionally well, even if I haven't been to Vale before, we won't fail now!"

"That may be so, but I still think we should split up." Regulus said, shrugging. "The way I see it, this is the first time you ever entered a Kingdom, correct? You should take the time to see the sights. View the city without worrying about anything trying to kill you. Besides, we are most likely going to end up on every single wanted article if we screw this up."

"The more I hear you talk, the more I think you didn't come up with this plan." Pride said, looking at Regulus suspiciously. As he glared down Greed, Pride started to notice the strange behavior that surrounded Regulus. It might have been his imagination, but every now and then his feet would start tapping rapidly, his finger which laid on his arms would start twitching, and his eyes would dart left and right, almost like he was guilty of something.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. I am just trying to help a friend enjoy his time in this world." Regulus responded, forcing a smile. To Pride, it was the most white faced lie anybody had told him.

"I knew it! You're too selfish to think if something so selfless like that!" Pride yelled, grabbing onto Regulus's uniform and shaking him back and forth. If there was one thing Pride detested, it was lies. The manipulation of another's mind by twisting the truth in their favor. He hated that, Especially when it was his best friend doing this

"H-Hey! S-s-stop th-that!" Regulus said, slowly his head starting to ache. His expression slowly turned into one of bliss as Pride lifted him up and swung him around. "Higher! Higher! Go Higher!"

"I'll be sure to send you to the moon!" Pride yelled as he swung him off the edge of the cliff overlooking Vale. Pride could hear the laughter of Regulus as he fell to his death, and the many surprised gasps of the Church Members witnessing the event. With a haste that was impossible for man, a few members ran to the edge of the cliff, to confirm if the Archbishops had died or not. Sadly, he did indeed survive; floating upwards to the sky as if to mock Prides efforts in the murder.

"I honestly didn't expect you to throw me off the cliff, Subaru." Regulus admitted as he landed, the Members watching in awe. No doubt his popularity pole went up sixty percent just now. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to kill me!"

"Who the hell said I wasn't!" Pride spit bitterly. From the core of his being, he detested lies. In all honesty, he was hoping Greed had died from that fall. At least it would bring him satisfaction before he traveled back in time. "You know how much I hate lies, yet you do this anyways! I have half the mind to gut you where you stand!"

"Now, there is no need for such violence. I was just looking out for your well being." Regulus spoke, before backing down at the glare Pride gave him in turn. "While I do admit it was uncalled for to lie."

"Then why the hell did you lie? I mean, there's no reason for us to split up at all! I could even help you with your mission!" Pride responded solemnly. While he wouldn't admit it out loud, it did hurt him that best friend lied like this. A normal lie, fine, but this was one trying to split the two up. It just wasn't right.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Sir Pride." Purpara spoke up. Making herself known was a risky move on her part. While it is true that Pride treats his men better than the other Archbishops, he did occasionally lash out at them. If they, for example, lied or tried to manipulate him, they would get a beating. Pride wouldn't go so far as to break bones or kill, but he did rough them up. Purpura walking up to an agitated Pride was like seeing if a wild cat would bite. It was totally unpredictable. "I'm sorry for having asked my dear husband to lie you, but I believe it was necessary. I think it would be wise to avoid joining us on this mission. It is true that we might end up on every single wanted ad this side of the Hemisphere, and you shouldn't be on that list if it can be prevented."

"All the more reason I should join you!" Pride insisted. At the questioning look Purpura gave him, Pride continued, urgency in his voice. "Look at it this way: It sounds like you're gonna do something big, right? So that means you'd need more hands! If you guys get in trouble, another Archbishop would be able to pull you out of any sort of pickle you may be in!"

"Possibly, but I still think it would be unwise." Purpura shook her head, like she was talking to a child. She probably was considering no one knew her age. "From what I remember, this world is able to have flyers out on our appearances in a clap of hands. That would mark us and, by extension, you as criminals within a days time." Purpura smiled, deciding to bring out her trump card. "Besides, aren't you looking for the Silver Eyes?"

In that brief instant, time seemed to slow to a crawl. Surprise ran through Purpura's face as she could have sworn she saw Pride glare in her direction, before everything returned to normal. Pride gave a deep breath, turning to Regulus with a glare that could rival the gods.

"I thought I told you to keep that a secret." Pride stated, remembering the night beforehand.

"Ah, I didn't tell her, Subaru. I swore to keep my mouth shut, and I plan to keep it that way." Regulus responded, shrugging, but not really caring. If Pride ended up throwing a fit, which was extremely rare, then he and Purpura would just continue with the mission. Dealing with upset Archbishops was not Regulus' forte.

"Actually, Sir Pride, it was I who overheard your chat." Purpura spoke, honesty dripping from her voice. "When you and Sir Greed spoke of the Gospel, I couldn't help but listen in. My apologies." Purpura said, bowing to the Archbishop before returning to her normal posture.

"Oh!" Subaru said, smiling softly as the sun hit his face. "You should have said so! I thought you guys had broke a promise! I'll have to make sure that everyone is asleep next time! My bad!"

"Anyways, what's with this ridiculous plan of yours? To split up because our faces could be broadcasted to the country is idiotic. If you haven't noticed, most of what we do is against the law anyways." Pride reasoned, his distaste to the idea as plain as day. Purpura flinched at the tone he used, still not over the event that happened prior.

"While I can agree with the last part, I still hold firm that we should part ways." Purpura insisted, not willing to back down. "Yet if you continue to insist, I won't stop you." Purpura turned around, doing her best to hide her repulsion. "If I were you though, I would take this chance to look for the Silver Eye's. This may as well be your one and only chance."

Pride watched as Purpura walked away, doing his best not to spit in her direction. It wasn't like he detested her or anything, but it annoyed him to no end how this woman thought her plan was better than his. It didn't matter if he was caught, he'd just restart until he received the ending he wished for.

"I do believe we should split up too, Subaru." Regulus spoke, his voice catching the surprise of the dark haired teen. With eyebrows raise, Pride watched as Regulus exaggerated his movements. "I believe, that for the good of you, we should part ways here! If not for only going about our own objectives, but also finding your inner most desire! If you do not take this chance, you may not ever have it again!"

"I-I don't think that is a wise idea." Pride looked away, towards the distant skyscrapers. From here, they seemed to shine with an otherworldly light. Almost like a beacon, yet the same as a warning. 'If you come near, you shall die.' Who the warning was for was obvious. "If either of us gets attacked, we could possibly die. With you on your last wife, you could be overpowered very easily."

"Who do you think you are speaking too?" Regulus spoke, his tone taking a sudden shift. Pride couldn't help but flinch as he spoke. Whenever he used this voice it meant he was serious. "I am the embodiment of perfection! Wanting of little, there is no limit to my humbleness and I live without avarice. I will not fall by the hands of anyone! Much less cattle like these city folk!" Regulus face softened, as he gently laid his hand upon Prides shoulder. Pride looked up, sadness in his eyes. "With that said, I urge you to look into your own future and not mine. Our paths shall diverge here, do you understand?."

"Regulus… You…" Pride spoke, unsure of what to say. Regulus had never acted this selfless before. He almost sounded kind, by the way he spoke. His eyes held no ulterior intent, which further drove home that Regulus might have a change of heart.

"Ahh! I will not hear more of this tomfoolery." With that, Regulus gave him a real, bonafide smile. Not a static nor plastic smile that usually accustomed his features. This was the genuine article. "Do not fret, dear friend, for we will meet again one day. It may be tomorrow, a week, month or year from now, but I am sure we will meet again."

With that, Regulus turned around, leaving Pride in a speechless state. Not once in his many days of being with the Church did Regulus do anything truly selfless. Sure, he helped out, but it was obvious he always wished for something in return. If he picked up a knife, he expected a sword. If he harvested wheat, he wished for bread. Always, without exception, he spoke of how selfless he was. How perfect he was. Not once did anyone think of this to be true.

Yet as he watched the retreating figure of the white priest, he couldn't help but think every over exaggerated speech and declaration made by this man to be true. That he was truly selfless. That he was truly useful. That he was more than just a man, but a perfect being. An angel in human skin.

And his dear friend.

"Wait!" Pride yelled, halting the Priest. Looking over his shoulder, Regulus's golden smile only helped reaffirm his decision. "You think I would let such a selfless guy like you off without a' gift in return!?" Pride yelled, his smiling growing wider. Looking to the group of men and woman cloaked in their garbs, they understood the meaning behind his eyes. They would follow his orders without fail. "Men, Women, and friends! I hereby command thee to follow my orders as one of the six remaining Archbishops of Sin! I command thee to assist and protect the Archbishop of Greed, Regulus Corneas! Do so with your lives on the line! Failure to uphold this command is a grievous sin, and you shall be punished accordingly! This command is in effect until we meet again! Do I make myself clear!?"

"Aye Captain!"

"Yes, Boss!"

"I hope to see you soon, Sir!"

Multiple cheers and yells of understanding met Prides ears. The smallest of smiles graced his features as he looked upon his best friend, who seemed to be shell-shocked if his expression was anything to go by. The priest, who's face never failed to smile, seemed to forsake that unsung oath. His eyes held a shock that seemed to reverberate through his body. Watery eyes, that one would never admit too, met his being. His fists clenched as he did his best to hide the feelings he repressed.

"Subaru… You…" Regulus voice shook and cracked. It may have been only two words, but it was filled with enough emotion to last a lifetime.

"No take backs, Regulus." Pride spoke, his voice firm and resolved. "You are my most cherished friend, and I don't want to see you plastered on the street. We may not be good people, but we are who we are, so I don't see a need for us to ever change." Pride- no- Subaru spoke with all honesty, each word carrying his honest feelings. "You are my best friend, and that will never change. I hope we meet again soon."

Unshed tears graced Regulus' face, as he turned his back to Subaru. Regulus couldn't handle looking at Subaru anymore than he had. Fear that, if he let his instincts control him, he would back out on this vow. Subaru deserved happiness for all he went through. If Regulus couldn't even grant a friend this sort of freedom, what right did he have to call Subaru a friend.

"You better find the Silver Eye's, Subaru!" Regulus yelled, stomping away in a fury. "You better find them, and tell me all about them when we see each other again! I won't take no for an answer!"

With that, the albino was off. Floating away in a rage, the members leaving one by one. His subordi- no- friends waved goodbye as they followed the ever retreating Archbishop. Soon, he was left alone, the ruffle of trees as wind pushed against them the only sound he was graced with.

"I will, Regulus… I will." With that, he looked to the expansive city in the distance. He would be lying if he said looking at the towers didn't fill him with wonder. An excitement resembling that of a kids filled him, and a grin made its way on his lips.

"No point staring at them! I gotta urge to explore!"

With that, Subaru Natsuki was off.

---

Commercial District

Midnight

"Where is she!?" An enraged voice yelled, his voice panicked and fearful. The sound of heavy footsteps moving around with brisk pace filled the air with resounding thunder. Yet through it all, she could hear the captain's screaming. "Where in the hell is she!?"

"I-I don't k-know!" One of the fearful soldiers under his command whimpered. She felt slightly bad, as it was her doing he was in this mess. If she hadn't ran away then maybe they could have gotten a pay raise. Now, however? "S-She was with us just a s-second ago, then she disappeared again!"

"Y-yeah!" The second soldier agreed, backing his comrade up. She was starting to feel extremely bad, knowing the consequences of their negligence. "She W-was right behind us! Then we got here and she was gone! I swear!"

"I don't care whether you were watching her or if she was even here!" The Captain yelled, causing the soldiers to squirm under his gaze. "She isn't here right now, right!?" There was no response, most likely the other two were to fearful of his reaction. Sadly, that was worse than responding it seemed. "AM I RIGHT!?"

"Y-Yes!" The two soldiers stood up straight, the Captain glaring down at his subordinates. He no doubt felt extreme disappointment for these two, even if they were telling the truth. Walking back and forth, he kept them on edge, fearful for his next action.

"Fine!" The Captain spoke up, walking away from the two. "As punishment for your negligence, you two will be on Shop duty for the night!"

"W-Wah!"

"S-Sir! Please wait! W-"

"I don't want to hear any complaints! If I hear one more word about this, I will reassign you to Generator duty for the rest of the week!" The Captain said, leaving no room for complaints. She could practically hear the unsung complaints of the poor soldiers.

Having heard enough, she pushed herself off the wall and joined the many other pedestrians on the sidewalk. Blending in, she slowly drew farther and farther away from the Military outpost.

Penny Polendina was by all terms and logical reason, not human. She wasn't by any means a Faunus, nor a being from the World Above, or the Monsters that lurk beyond the natural barriers of Vale. She, in essence, was the only one of her kind. A Robot.

While the stories of fiction depicted her species as mindless, heartless, murdering machines bent on destroying life itself, she was anything but. She held the emotions of those that lived, or so she thought. While it closely resembled emotions, she herself was unsure whether they were real or not. If she was but a program easily deleted at a press of a button.

Was she even real?

"Of course you're real!" A voice from her past spoke up. Her memory file replaying the scene from her mind. "You think just because you have nuts and bolts instead of squishy guts makes you any less real than me?"

But was that really true?

Did an animate object such as herself really exist? That deep down, she held a soul just like all of those around her. That she wasn't just a pile of nuts and bolts compiled together with Aura? That, when she took in this air, it was actually being used as fuel to keep moving instead of making her look normal?

That when she died, she would transcend and go to this 'Heaven' everyone speaks so dearly about?

Shaking her head, Penny did her best to rid her thoughts of these plagues. She wasn't out here on a dance of despair, but a tour of Vale. Penny escaped the grasp of the Military to go near the towers in the distance, to look up in wonder at the World man had built with their hands. To record every single bit of this world before she inevitably returned to her father.

The people around her looked at her strangely, but it wasn't for long. The thoughts of Vales citizens were of no concern to her, but if she were to hazard a guess, it would be because of her palms. Penny had yet to repair the false skin on her palms, which stood out next to the peach white skin she had. She assumed that the reason no one commented on it was because they must have been used to strange sights by now.

Nearing the towers, she couldn't help but stare in wonder at the bright buildings. If she adjusted her eyes correctly, she would be able to the stars in the backdrop, glistening in delight for the life they had been given.

Maybe she was like a star? While lifeless, a star still made a difference to the world. The sun brightened the sky, gave plants their energy and humans their vitamins. Maybe she was the same, being able to change the world for the better? To keep these lives around her moving forward without any worries.

That was a beautiful thought. Her sole purpose for existing to keep the wheels of fate turning for these people around her. To protect and serve, not only as a duty, but of her own will. Penny enjoyed that thought, as she could feel her chest warm at the thought.

But still, the question was; was she alive?

"No!" Penny loudly said, startling those near her. "Ruby said I was alive, so I must be! Ruby wouldn't lie like that!"

Slapping her cheeks, she felt a sting of pain processed through her programs. Ignoring the odd looks she was given, she continued on her way, taking in the sights of this new world. Truly, it was fascinating how Vale differed from Atlas to such an extent.

Atlas was a military country, and It treated it's city as such. It would be difficult not to see at least one soldier on your day to day business. They acted as a stand in for the police and special units, and treated each incident as a federal crime. It was due to this militaristic lifestyle that Atlas had become a much more grimmer place to live. It was also due to this that crime was low.

Yet here in Vale, the feeling in the air was more free. Without the Military breathing down the neck of every other citizen who accidently stepped on their toes, it felt… cleaner. Like none of the disgusting smog of hate and pain existed. As if every person on this wide green earth was free to do what they wished, as they wished.

Was this the future that awaited the world once the Grimm were vanquished? If so, Penny wouldn't mind working for years to achieve this dream.

A crowd of murmur caught Penny's attention. Eavesdropping, she could hear questions arise from a crowd near her. "Who are they?" "Is that some kind of cosplay?" "Are those celebrities?". All these questions left her curious. Making her way through the crowd, she spotted a group of two walking on the adjacent sidewalk.

Truly, it was a sight that stood out from the rest of the city. Garbed in all white, from the tips of his hair down to the soles of his shoes, was what looked like a priest. Gold lined His uniform, as if to declare His higher status. His face was nothing but 'ordinary'. With no striking features besides the black book in his hand. Following close behind was a woman(?) in a garb in a complete polar opposite of the man. She wore nothing but black and purple, with a cat hood covering her face. Her skin was a deathly pale, but her smile seemed to radiate an unnatural beauty. Her hands were locked together, in a prayer.

If these two were to walk around a medieval setting, they wouldn't have stood out that much. Penny may have even forgot about them without a second glance. Here though? They stood out like a sore thumb next to all the men in dark suits and ties. There were few others other than herself that stood out, so this came as a strange sight for her.

As the crowd seemed to gather, watching the two as they moved along, Penny's curiosity seemed to only grow. A emotion she had come accustomed to gripped her chest, telling her that she must follow them. To know more about them, and even befriend them.

"Right!" With a haughty smile, she followed the two, trying to find a way to get to them.

---

"Is this it?" Regulus asked, looking up at the building with his ever so present smile. The building was old, having seen many days of wear and tear. It was no doubt on its last legs, and seemed pathetic standing next to the goliaths called skyscrapers. Walking up next to him, Purpura pulled out a small piece of paper. Giving it a once over, she gave her lover a nod.

"It appears we have the right address." Purpura said, hiding the note paper in her cloak. She gave Regulus a smile, putting the very irritable man at ease. It was still surprising that not long ago she was just a number to him. A number he memorized, but still a number. Now, here she was, ready to commit another atrocious crime in the name of her lover.

Purpura was never part of the Cult/Church of Envy. Apparently to Envy she wasn't worthy, but Greed himself had claimed that she was. Having chosen to stick with the man, to him that was enough to put her on a higher pedestal than any of the other wives. Of course, Regulus saw himself as a higher being, but she didn't mind. Purpura was always the submissive one anyways.

"Finally!" Regulus spoke, stretching. It had taken all day to track this person down. Their objective had been clear in the Gospel, yet who they were supposed to kill was difficult to narrow down. After many trial an errors, they were able to track it down to this location. "I still can't believe someone as great as me had to be sent on this wild goose chase. Shouldn't the most perfect being be respected and adored, not dirtying their hands with scum such as this?"

"Of course, Sir Regulus." Purpura respectfully responded. She wouldn't dare disagree with him, even if it did sound selfish. This was greed, and Purpura loved him for his good and bad qualities. "We must move quickly though. We stand out in this city, and we have other missions to attend to after this."

"Of course!" Regulus spoke cheerfully. Walking forward, Purpura opened the door for Regulus, who walked in with a brisk pace. Looking around, isles upon isles of benches greeted him. A tattered and torn carpet marked the middle of the room, at the end a large podium sat. Behind it, a wide cross overshadowed the room, signifying what exactly this place was. "Ah, a church? So this must be one of the many religious sects in the World Below. Truly, their ideals and beliefs seem similar to those in The World Above, yet differ by so much. Fascinating, is it not? It brings out my old theory that this world and ours are somehow connected other than just gate ways. If my theory is proven correct, then that would fill the many inconsistencies within each world."

"Ah, who are you?" A voice spoke up, interrupting Regulus's rant. Drawing their attention to the voice, both Regulus and Purpura took in the sight before them. Standing at an average height, was a woman. Covered in pure black from head to toe, she wore a cloak not that dissimilar to the Cults. She had brown hair hidden behind a dark habit. A cross connected to a necklace, signaling her as a believer of this faith.

"Oh, you must be a believer, no?" Regulus spoke, respect lacing his tongue. He didn't detest anyone for not believing in his faith, but actually encouraged believing in what you chose. To him, all the religions of the world were but theories for him to indulge in. He enjoyed hearing the stories of brave heroes and kings slaying the great evil and ruling the world in prosperity. While make believe, all stories held a form of resemblance to the past, present and future. It may not be realized, but it was to be.

"Yes, I am but a humble nun of this Church." She spoke, her warm smile enough to brighten the snobbiest of people. "Have you come hear to pray? Or confess your sins with our father?"

"No, not today sadly." Regulus said, waving away the notions. He may come back later to witness the reactions of the priest hearing his grievous sins. Well, if everything went as planned. "Today, we have come to question this Church for some wrongful misdeeds."

"Misdeeds?" The nun said, confused as to what she was talking about. Purpura smiled, deciding to take it from here.

"Yes, it appears someone within this Church holds some of our possessions." Purpura explained, lifting her cloak as an example. "Like, for instance, this Cloak my husband has lovingly gifted for me. Or the book that he humbly holds."

"I-I'm sorry, but I don't think we have something like this." The Nun apologized. Regulus couldn't help his lip from twitching slightly in irritation. It didn't matter if they were telling the truth, they were denying what was rightfully his. Stiffening his muscles, he continued to glare down the Nun.

"Are you sure? It would have looked just like this." Purpura elaborated, spinning in her uniform. The look the nun gave her was all the answer she needed. It may be regretful, but if they wouldn't give th-

"Sister?" Another voice spoke up. Looking over to where the voice was, Purpura and Regulus took in the sight of a small child curiously. Beaten and bruised, his hair was a greasy brown, and face of that of a child's. Obvious signs of malnourishment Was shown through his face and arms, neglect and abuse most likely the cause. To anyone else, this sight would have been heartbreaking. To Purpura and Regulus? This was business.

The child wore the cloak of Envy.

"Ah! See, he wears the cloak belonging to us!" Regulus pointed out, focusing on the nearing child. The Nun looked at them skeptically, unbelieving. It was reasonable, two strangers in strange clothing accuse you of thievery while placing the blame on a child? They must have been seen as insane. Well, that wasn't far from the truth, but still.

"I-I'm not sure what you're talking about, but I promise you this is not yours." The Nun insisted. As the Child walked up to her, he started tugged on her uniform, rubbing his eyes as fatigue clouded his vision. It was a cute sight to Purpura. A disgusting one for Regulus.

"Sister, I'm tired. Can you read me a story again?" The child asked, leaning tiredly on the Nun. Gently, she pushed the Child behind her, her motion as an obvious sign of protection.

"Not now, Siniy. Big Sis has important business to deal with right now." The Nun spoke, revealing that she wasn't a sister just in name but in blood too. "Run Away to Big Sis Vorona, she'll take good care of you."

"I think that may be unwise, dear Sister." Purpura said, smiling as kindly as she could. "That cloak is ours, and we kindly request you return it to us. I'm sure that if you were to look, our symbol would be embedded on the top of the hood, enough proof of our ownership." As if to give an example of her proof, Purpura pointed to the symbol in the style of an eye. This was the symbol of the Cult, and a warning to all that has seen it. 'The Witch sees all.'

"Even if this Cloak was originally yours, we have rightful ownership of it now." The Nun defied, ignoring the Child who continued to pull her uniform. His walls grew louder, gaining the ire of Regulus. "We have bought this and many others from a kind peddler who offered us a discounted price. We spent much on his wares, so we don't have much left."

"Peddler?" Regulus questioned, adopting a thoughtful expression. If what she said was true, then this was not good. Not good at all. A lot of Church items were very valuable and rare. Say, for example, the cloaks. While on the outside they may look like a simple piece of cloth, in reality were enhanced armor able to handle a simple steel sword. There were many more dangerous equipment than that, and if this peddler was selling them to places like this, then this world may slowly crumble to bits. "Not good at all, but that is an issue for the future. For now, I request that you return the cloak. If we have to, we will forcefully take it from you."

"Are you threatening me!?" The Nun asked, astonished that the man in front of her would do such a thing. "This is a place of God! If you do not leave the premise immediately, I will call the police to carry you to jail!"

"So I take it that you won't hand over the cloaks?" Regulus asked again. At her death glare, Regulus couldn't help but smile. Deep down, he was hoping for this. "Very well, in all honesty this makes it easier. Don't blame me for what happens next."

With a smile, a snap of his fingers, and a blink of an eye, the world was painted a dark crimson.

Out of the shadows, knifes cut through the air, tearing through their targets. Blood sprayed and splashed across the floor, like spilled ink. A gurgling sound escaped the Nuns throat as she tried to regain her footing. It was bound to fail, as she soon fell, her lifeless eyes wide with fear.

"Ah, this is truly horrible." Regulus said, wiping his face clean of blood. "She could have died with more grace. Spraying your bodily fluid's upon other people is just disgraceful." Turning around, Regulus turned to the boundless darkness in the room. Clapping his hands, every member of his group, Lusts, and Subaru's walked out from the shadows. As if practiced, or programmed, the cultist gathered in front of the smiling madman. "As you saw, negotiations have broke down! It's our job to clean up this mess! Kill every man, woman, and child in this building without hesitation! Consider this as a purging! Ah! And don't forget the cloaks! After this we shall burn the church to the ground!"

With that, the Cultists ran past him, going through the doorways that lead to who knows where. Faintly, he could hear the shrieks of surprise, thump of bodies, followed by silence as the building was thrashed. It didn't matter who resided here, or if they knew what they were dying for. To the Church, if you fail to comply you are guilty. The woman spoke for everyone in this building when she denied him.

Speaking of…

"Filthy Sow!" Regulus yelled, kicking the dead body. "How dare you back talk someone as great as I! I am the embodiment of everything that's right in the world! I am the giver of gifts! How dare a lowly whore like you think to defy someone as great as I!"(1)

Breathing in, Regulus gave one last kick before spitting on her corpse. It disgusted him to no end how people like that existed. They sit and pray, do nothing and expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter. It didn't matter if they bought Cult items. The money was most likely from charity anyways, so it wasn't like this was truly hurting anyone.

Compared to the Cult, this Church was worthless. They strived for perfection, and worked for it. Not a day passed without the Cult moving along. No doubt, right mow, Betelgeuse was purging another Demi-Human village. Lust was slaughtering a neighboring Village. Gluttony was biding their time for their next meal. Wrath showing the world the true meaning of pain

It was beautiful.

"Filthy hags." Regulus spit. Now, all he had to do was just wa-

"Hck!"

What was that?

Looking over to where the sound came from, Regulus watched in amazement at the sight he saw. Crawling, Sobbing and swearing, was the Child in the cloak. A knife stuck the cloak to the ground, tearing the delicate fabric that took many, many hours to stitch. The child, weak and malnourished, pushed and pulled, doing his best to get out of the death trap. Tripping, he did his best to crawl to his sister, who laid slightly out of his reach.

Truly it was a pitiful sight.

"Shall I put him out of his misery?" Purpura asked, slightly hoping Regulus would agree. She may hold living things on the same level as bugs, but this was just a painful sight to look at. The boy couldn't even walk, much less pull himself out of this death trap.

"Hmm. I am surprised they missed him though." Regulus responded, ignoring the question. Scratching his head, he gave a weary sigh, stress eating at him. "You may do as you wish, Purpura."

With no hesitation, Purpura flung the knife to the child's head.

---

Other side of the Commercial District

A Few Hours Earlier

Subaru stood, his heart pounding as sweat poured down his face. Greedily, he took in mouthfuls of air like it was to be his last. Gripping his chest, he did his best to calm himself down. His enemy sat before him mockingly, taunting him as each second passed. This was not a battle he could win with brute force alone. Subaru needed to think; use the cunning mind of his to defeat his foe in one fell swoop.

Gripping his took, he moved in from the side doing his best to scrape away at the enemy. It seemed to work, as it pulled out avoiding his attacks. This would give him time to think of a strategy. This threat didn't deserve a half-assed approach. Subaru grimaced, realizing how terrifying this opponent truly was.

Subaru needed to calm down. Closing his eyes, he took great breaths, circulating the oxygen and carbon dioxide. Glaring, he prepared for the nex-

"Huh?" Subaru asked, half smiling as he felt himself burn up. Slowly, he felt a burning sensation similar to fire. A smoldering flame that scarred and spread through his body hungrily. "An after effect!?"

Subaru backed off, sweat continuing to poor down his face. 'I-I don't think I can fight this! I… I might just die today! No amount of resets can fix this mistake.'

Of course, who would dare stand up to a god?

"U-Um sir?" A voice broke him out of his fantasy. Looking in the direction of the nervous tune, he spotted a waitress doing her best to smile honestly. For most others it would have worked, which Subaru applauded, but he was trained to read false images. "Could you please quiet down, your disturbing the other customers."

Almost like it was programmed, the whole of the cafe turned to him, giving him death glares. Subaru swore he saw some of the eyes in the back glow a bright red. Truly, this worlds residents were much more frightening than The World Above.

"Ah, I'm sorry!" Subaru apologized, getting up from his seat. "While I would like to finish this, it appears I am short on time!" He said, reaching in his cloak and pulling out a Holy Coin. "Would this suffice?"

"Huh?" The waitress looked at him like he was stupid. "T-that kind of currency isn't accepted here. I'm sorry, but do you think you can pay in Lien?"

Subaru's reaction was instantaneous. Sweat poured down his face as he took on a look of absolute horror. A deep frown marred his features as he reached into his cloak. Shaking, he pulled out two more holy coins. Nervously, he smiled at the waitress. She smiled back, a smile that seemed to promise pain.

'How was the waitress so frightening!?' Subaru thought to himself as a cold sweat developed on his back. Never had he felt fear of this intensity before. Even near the great Sword Saint Reinhardt Subaru had no fear. Of course that was before joining the Witches Sect, but that was besides the point.

"Can I just pay with these three Holy Coins? I must admit, it may look worthless for you, but in Lugnica this would fetch a hefty price!" Subaru half offered, half begged. It was true though, these Holy Coins could indeed allow someone to live for months without any worries, so it wasn't like this was a bad deal.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not sure what this 'Lugnica' is." Her words were like a knife to the heart for Subaru. Grabbing the table, he forced himself to stand, unwilling to fall. This woman was good. "If you can't pay now, you could leave something important with us and get it back after you have finished paying the tab."

Those words turned from knifes to swords in an instant. Not only was he unable to pay the bill for the spicy meal, he was also being dragged along by the leash by this woman. Truly she had a way with words no other being could possess. Nervously, he reached into his pocket, retrieving another set of Holy Coins. Carefully he pushed them to her, nervous of the outcome of his predicament.

"I can't afford to leave any personal belongings with you, as I may be outlasted by my Church in doing so." Subaru revealed, the woman looking at him skeptically. Understandable, as he did appear to look like a shady character. "However, with this lay my Holy Coins, you would be able to live for years without worrying about leaving your house. Of course that is just where I'm from, and It is dearly valuable to me. Please take it as compensation for the meal."

The waitress, as skeptical as she was, wasn't that heartless as to immediately turn down the young man. She was an open-minded woman, and at times like these it took an open mind not to be a jerk. From the looks of the boys attire, he did look like he was affiliated to a church. Yet that could also just be a guise, his true self a cosplayer trying to weasel his way out of paying.

The waitress gave a sigh. Situations like these required a logical mind, but alas she was instead impulsive.

"Alright!" The Waitress said, grabbing the Holy Coins. Pocketing them, she gave Subaru a dashing smile. "I'll be taking these, but I'm only holding onto them! I want you to return and pay the full tab later, you understand!?"

"Certainly!" Subaru responded. Grabbing at where his heart would be, he straightened his back and gave a joyous smile. "I swear on my position as Archbishop of the Church, I will repay this kindness in full!"

"No, please just repay the tab." She responded, nervous at the boys antics. She watched as the boy left, smiling as he did so. She couldn't help but think, for some reason, it had been forced.

"What should I do now?" Subaru wondered aloud, walking the streets of Vale. Getting into the massive city had been a piece of cake, as no one had even noticed him enter. Security was extremely lax for one of the supposed dying kingdoms. Even if the natural barriers or the mountains surrounding Vale protected them from hardship, there were other threats besides Grimm out in this vast world. Subaru couldn't help but think that this negligence in protection would one day be their downfall.

Looking towards the towers in the distance, the sky a blood red from the setting sun, he had to wonder to himself how he got here. While he did enter the city from a different angle than Regulus, it was strange that he had meant to enter from where the towers were, he instead entered a sort of commercial center. It wasn't that big of a deal, but it was confusing for his sense of direction was never off.

It didn't really matter that much anyways. This town was through and through beautiful. Compared to the Capital of Lugnica, this looked like a more refined and polished version of that. Subaru had yet to even come across any slum dwellers, almost like the poor didn't exist. As if to this Kingdom it was foreign to them.

The buildings were magnificently built with the sole intention for convenience. The streets seemed to have been built with transportation in mind, as Dragonless carriages moved about the town. There seemed to also be a crossing section at every corner of the street, allowing pedestrians a chance to cross without any need for worry about being killed by the moving carriages.

This Kingdom was definitely a Kingdom of peace.

"Seriously, what should I do though?" Subaru thought aloud as he continued his mindless walk. Ever since Regulus left, he seemed to be lost. Not in the literal sense, more of a mental sense. He didn't know what to do, besides look for the Silver Eye's. That in itself was really difficult too due to the amount of people walking the streets. Many of them could have Silver Eye's and he wouldn't have even noticed. Also, which Silver Eye's should he follow? If there was more than one, that may cause a problem.

"Agh! I can't think straight like this!" Subaru groaned, messing with his hair. He needed somewhere to relax. To think over his predicament. That was when he spotted something of interest. Something that may or may not help clear his troubled mind.

"A park?" Yes, a park. Green leafs covered the walkway entrance, setting a scene of wonder and intrigue. The Red Sky, contrasted by the setting sun, made the entrance all that more welcoming.

Yeah a park might be perfect to clear his troubled mind.

Subaru never noticed, however, that three men watched as he entered. Sneering, they donned their makes of monster, ready to take their next prey.

---

She stunk. She didn't know where she was, she was tired and she stunk.

Ruby Rose wasn't having what you would call a great time. Today for that matter wasn't that great either, but she tried not to let it get to her. It had started like any other, wake up, eat, brush teeth and race Nora to class. Fine, right? Then after school it just went downhill.

It started with Team RWBY meeting in their room for a plan of action against the Faunus terrorist group known as "The White Fang." The White Fang was once not so malevolent, instead aiming for peaceful protest and boycotting's. Once upon a time, that was how that group operated. But as the times changes, so does figure heads and leaders. As with any new leaders, a new vision comes into play. Violent attacks, kidnappings, thievery, you name it. And it worked. The White Fang had slowly turned into a glorified gang that held power on a governmental level.

Now you might be asking yourself, what is a bunch of kids going to do about a terrorist organization such as this? The answer; well, nobody knew. On the insistence of Ruby Roses friend, Blake Belladonna, the team had came together to come up with a plan of action. The over all consensus of that meeting was that everyone would split up and look for information about The White Fang.

Ruby was unsure how her other friends were doing, but she knew she herself had spectacularly failed in that regard.

Having found a friend that had been missing, she chased after her on an impulse. It didn't take that long to find her, nor convince her to tell her what was wrong. In fact, it was as if she was yearning to tell the young Rose.

Ended up, surprisingly, her friend was a freaking robot.

That in itself was surprising, but her friends dilemma was almost as equally surprising. Penny Polendina had questioned her very own existence. Call it cliché, or whatever, but the fact was that this was a serious matter. If she herself didn't believe her friend was alive, then who would?

So Ruby gave her honest opinion on the matter. She spoke about how Penny was indeed real; alive.

The reception was mixed. The death hug she gave followed by a thousand thank you's sent a good signal, but being thrown in the dumpster sent a bad signal. Ruby understood why Penny decided to throw her in the dumpster, but it didn't make it any less unpleasant.

"Dang it Penny! You could have at least let me run instead of throwing me in the dumpster!" Ruby complained as she pulled out another piece of garbage from her shoe. How it got in there was beyond her, but it didn't really matter. Ruby still couldn't help but smile at the thought of Penny's smile. She seemed so happy to know that Ruby saw her as no different than a human.

Putting her boot back on, Ruby gave her surroundings a look around. After she was thrown away like old stew she had wandered aimlessly for somewhere quiet. Embarrassingly, those she had passed had given her odd look, basically broadcasting how bad she stunk. Ruby wasn't the vengeful type, but the more that people stared, the more she thought about pouring spaghetti on Penny.

The place she ended up was filled with the green of summer. The light of the sun colored the world around her a darken red and orange. Green leafs covered the walkway, making the path obscure and difficult to read. A fountain rested itself to the right of her, water pouring endlessly in a infinite loop.

"A park?" Ruby questioned herself. It wasn't like she disliked these kinds of places, but it was just odd. She was never one to fully take in the scenery of… anything really. She was always a 'Seen it once, seen it enough' type of person. Never really looking at things twice as there was no need too. So a park would be the last place she would ever venture too, much less step foot in.

Getting up, she decided to go against that tradition. Ruby had nothing better to do besides explore anyways. Well, besides look for information on the White Fang, but she didn't even know where to start on that. There was also no doubt Blake had already found some juicy details, so all she really had to do was wait around for the meet up time.

Walking along the pathway, she couldn't help but notice the lack of people in the area. If she remembered correctly, parks were supposed to be a sort of social hub, where families and friends alike gathered and partied. Kids running about without a care in the world. Grandma and Grandpas watching them as they frolic about, and parents cherishing the memories of old. If that was true, then why was there no one here?

"Hey, prick! Wait up!" Ruby squeaked, surprised by the sudden voice. Looking around, she tried to spot the owner of the voice. As time passed, Ruby thought she was just hearing things. "Prick! I said wait up!"

"Huh? Are you speaking with me?" Another voice questioned, confused. Ruby was now sure that she wasn't hearing things. Following the sound of footsteps, Ruby spotted four men. They all wore attire that made them stand out, but only one of them truly stood out from the rest. He wore a dark cloak, the insides an orange color. The hems of the cloak looked torn and tattered, almost as if it had been through a battlefield. His back was turned to her, so she wasn't able to see his face, but his hair was a dark black, sticking up from the angle she stood. The other three looked normal enough, except for one crucial detail that caused them to stand out from the crowd.

"Grimm Masks!" Ruby whispered to herself. This was not good. Not good at all. If they all attacked the dark one, then he was liable to get severely injured. Gripping Crecent Rose, Ruby prepared herself to go all out on these men.

"Yeah, we're talking to you!" Fang one said, pushing the dark one back. "Where the hell do you think you are!?"

"The park?" The dark one responded, confused as to why he was asked such a dumb question. The Fangs looked at each other, before laughing hysterically. This only served to confuse the poor dark haired one.

"Oh, that was a good one!" Fang two said, wiping away a nonexistent tear. "You gotta be a comedian man, you'd make a killing!"

"Awe, thanks man!" The dark one replied good naturedly, his formal speech having been dropped in favor for a light hearted one, the threat flying right over his head. Scratching the back of his neck, he looked at Fang One. "You know, I've been trying to become a comedian myself. I'm not really good with crowds though, so I'd need to work on that."

"No, I'm sure you'd be fine." Ruby whispered. She didn't know why she hadn't made her move yet, as she was gripping Crescent Rose with an iron fist. Her legs shook in anticipation, but her body did not move. It was frustrating.

"Enough with the jokes." Fang Three said, having enough of this trivial chatter. "You know where you are, right? The park, and you know who owns the park?"

"The Government?" The Dark One answered, angering the Fangs even more. Walking up to the Dark One, The Fang grabbed his shoulder, trying to intimidate him. If Ruby was in that position, she knew she would be a little nervous due to his ginormous size. She couldn't imagine the fear that the Dark One held.

"No, this is White Fang territory. And we White Fang don't like it when people, especially humans like you, walk on our territory." Fang Three explained. It seemed the Dark One was deep in thought, as all he did was look down, unresponsive. But five seconds passed before he snapped his fingers.

"So you're the White Fang?" Dark One questioned, to which the Fangs confirmed. Thinking some more, the Dark One nodded his head. "And this is your territory?" Another round of 'Yes' made their way through the crowd. Thinking some more, the Dark One nodded his head. "Alright, I'll leave. I don't want any unnecessary violence."

"Good, now if only there were more humans like you, we would have world peace!" Fang one said, willing to let the Dark One go. Fangs two and three seemed to look at each other, a conversation taking place by just a look.

"Actually, I think this guy needs to be roughed up a bit!" Fang Two said, causing Ruby to stiffen. She didn't know why she thought they would let him go unharmed. Every encounter she had with The White Fang seemed to disappoint her even more.

"Yeah! This prick needs a lesson in respect!" Three said as he spit at the ground where the Dark One stood. He seemed to be disgusted if his reaction was anything to go by.

"Dibs!" Without warning, Fang Two threw his fist out at the Dark One. Gasping in surprise, Ruby unfolded Crescent Rose, ready to defend the defenseless man.

Well, that was until the Fang was knocked back, a black claw hanging over the man's shoulder before disappearing. Ruby stopped, watching as the injured Fang held his face, screaming on the ground. If he wasn't such a massive jerk, she would have felt pity for the man, but as it stands she didn't even spare him a glace. Instead, she stared in wonder at the Dark One, who calmly picked his ear, like nothing happened.

"W-What the hell did you do!?" Fang One yelled, grabbing hold of Two. As he moved Two's hands away, he got a good look at the broken nose left by the Dark One. "You broke his nose, you prick!"

"I don't know what your talking about." The Dark One said, putting his hands in his pockets. He seemed extremely laid back for the situation his was in. "He broke his own nose. Besides, he attacked me first, this is just self defense."

"Bull crap he broke his own nose!" The biggest of the group, Three, yelled as he cracked his knuckles. To a normal human this man may be intimidating, but Ruby had a feeling The Dark One didn't even see him as a threat. "I'm gonna teach you a lesson! A lesson in pain!"

With that, the Fang threw a punch at the man. Instead of dodging or blocking though, another 'Hand' appeared and deflected his punch to the side. As that hand deflected, another uppercut the giant, knocking him out.

"Enough with that cliché pain thing. Grunts like you don't have the right to talk like that." Dark One spit, shifting the 'Hands' near him before they disappeared all together.

Ruby was sure now, there were black appendages that appeared whenever someone got near him. At first, Ruby thought she was just seeing things, but with this she knew her eyes hadn't deceived her. Instead of being afraid or disgusted by its figure, all she could think if is how cool it looked. With sharp claws and purple mist surrounding it, the way it disappeared without a trace, it looked just like a magic trick!

"Y-You monster!" One yelled as he grabbed the giant by the arm and lifted him over his shoulder. Two, nose still bleeding heavily, followed ones example. With a heave, both of the Fangs ran, almost like their life depended on it. As they vanished from sight, the Dark One gave a great sigh and a shake of his head.

"That didn't help with mine at all." He said, scratching his head as he turned around. He stopped however as he spotted her, standing stock still. This gave her a good chance to look at his face. If she was to describe it in one word, it would be 'Scary.' It wasn't as an insult either, as he looked genuinely scary. The dark cloak, creepy hands and sinister eyes just screamed bad guy. She wasn't going to let his appearance be the judge of that though, as he did wait until the Fangs attacked to attack back. Besides, if she judged by looks, what would that make Penny? "Ah, hello? Um, I'm sorry if I look frightening, I've been told I look like a bad guy before. Don't worry though, I don't hurt random people! Only those who deserve it!"

"N-no! I-I wasn't thinking anything like that!" Ruby defended, trying to hide the growing blush on her face. Not only was what she thought rude, he had guessed it perfectly. By the haughty laugh he gave, she could tell he didn't believe her. "A-Anyways, what was that cool looking claw thing!?"

"Huh?" The man asked confused. By the look on his face, he genuinely believed he didn't hear correctly. This made Ruby question if she has really saw them. "What did you say? I'm sure I heard you wrong."

"The claw! You know, the thing that you used to beat those White Fang guys to a pulp!" Ruby said, exaggerating her movements. The man stared at her, unbelieving, but Ruby didn't notice, too enthralled by her own antics. "It was all 'Vroooooom' and when you punched them it made a 'Snap' sound! It was so cool! Can you do it again!?"

"W-wait!" The guy said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Sighing, he held out his hand, and with a deep breath, he brought out the purple claw again. It floated briefly before giving her a wave. "You can see this?"

"Oh! This is so cool!" Ruby squealed in delight, jumping for the waving appendage. Grabbing it, she couldn't help herself from looking it over. "Hey, hey! Is this your aura!? I mean, your semblance! Are you able to create more than two!? What about your weapon? You have to have a weapon, right!? Wait, you gotta be a hunter! There's no way a regular person could beat the White Fang like you did!"

"U-Um?" The boy nervously replied. As soon as he spoke up, Ruby froze and jumped back. Ruby internally grimaced at what she had just done, letting her love for the unknown take over. Usually she wasn't this excited about anything, other than weapons of course. Seeing something like this was just as intriguing to her as weapons it seemed.

"I'm so sorry!" Ruby apologized, trying to conceal her embarrassment by hiding her face with a deep bow. "I didn't mean to grab your hand like that! I just got really excited and I couldn't control myself!"

"A-Ah! No it's totally fine!" The man said, freaking out as much as her. "I-I was just surprised is all! You can still look at it if you want!"

"N-No it's fine! I already got a good look!" Ruby insisted, straightening her back as she waved her hands back and forth.

"N-No! I insist!" He said as formed two claws, both hanging loosely over his shoulder. Ruby watched them diligently, but held back. It was already awkward as it was. If she broke out into a mad spiral over two claws, then it would just increase the awkwardness.

After a moment passed with neither doing anything, the man put the claws away. Laughing awkwardly, he scratched the back of his neck. Ruby coughed nervously, unsure what to do in this situation. Was she supposed to leave it at that and walk away? No, that seemed rude. What if she acted like she wanted to be friends, then they slowly became friends? No, that wouldn't work, this was a stranger, not a student of Beacon.

"Ah-!" The man spoke, startling Ruby. Looking up, the man seemed to be surprised. His mouth hung agape as he looked at her, his fingers trembling. His eyes seem to widen, before they relaxed. His whole body followed suit, his body stiffening. "Eyes-"

"Eyes?" Ruby asked questioningly. At her response he seemed to snap to attention. Shaking his head, he slapped his cheeks, worrying Ruby further. His whole behavior having been a rollercoaster until now.

"I'm sorry, it's just been one surprise after the other." The man apologized, relaxing himself as he laid his hands behind his head. He gave her his most natural grin, his teeth a sparkling white. "My name is Subaru Natsuki, the Archbishop of my Sect. May I inquire as to yours?"

His speech was formal, which bothered her for some strange reason. Maybe it was because of the fact that not just a second ago he was a flustered mess as she. It just didn't feel right having someone switch tunes like that just to appease someone.

"I am Ruby Rose, student of Beacon Academy." Ruby flinched.

Why did she use such a formal tone?

Subaru seemed to wince, sniffing the air curiously. With a grimace of pain, he doubled back, coughing repeatedly in an attempt to breathe. Ruby started freaking out, believing something to be extremely wrong. Scenarios of possible closures ran through her head, all leading to Subaru's untimely demise. This only seemed to stress Ruby even more.

"W-What… is that awful smell!?" Subaru choked, being brought to his knees. Ruby stopped, backing away nervously. She gave a nervous chuckle, looking away from Subaru's downed figure.

"Hahaha… about that… god dang it Penny."

---

"So that's why you stink so bad!?" Subaru keeled over, laughing at the expense of the young Rose. Ruby in response blushed and laughed a little at her own misfortune. Putting it into perspective, it sounded really comedic from a outside view. She was just happy he didn't make her feel uncomfortable by constantly complaining about it, but instead just laughed it off. "I-I'm sorry, but this is way too good! I-I haven't laughed this hard in a long time!"

"Ha Ha Ha! Laugh now, but when you have to pull a banana peel from your boot, I'll be the one laughing!" Ruby laughed, Subaru laughing with her. He wasn't sure why he found this so funny, but he just did. Maybe it was because his mind felt clear now that he found the Silver Eye's. Subaru laughed in glee that he found an objective to keep his mind busy, and not just to wander aimlessly. As the laughter died down, Ruby swung her feet on the bench they sat on. "Hey, this has been bothering me, but are you a hunter?"

Subaru calmed down his laughter, leaving just the few chuckles of giddiness every now and then.

"Hunter?" Subaru said, laughing a little afterwards. Breathing in, he calmed his breathing so he wasn't unnecessarily breathing. Putting his hand on his on his chin in thought. "Hm. I have hunted deer and other animals on my way to Vale, but no, I wouldn't consider myself a 'Hunter.'"

"What?" Ruby asked, confused. What was he talking about? "No, that wasn't what I was talking about. I mean Grimm Hunters. Monster Hunters! Like the ones in books and movies!"

The look Subaru gave Ruby was all the answer she needed. In shock, she couldn't help but reel back. It couldn't be that Subaru had never heard of Hunters before! They were a central part of modern society. If he hadn't heard or hunters, then he must have been living under a rock for most of his life.

"You really don't know what Hunters are?" Ruby asked, astonished by Subaru's affirmative answer. What kind of life did he lead up until now not to know something as simple as this. "How do you not know what Hunters are!?"

"Haha- Well… I'm not exactly from around here." Subaru responded nervously. He wasn't very good at picking up social cues, but even he could tell by the look she gave she didn't believe him.

"Everyone knows what Hunters are! Even Jaune knew what Hunters are and he lived on a farm!" Ruby yelled, astonished he didn't know. If this was any other topic, Ruby would have been to nervous to tell at a stranger he just met, but this was something that involved her dream. "How do you not know who they are!?"

"Hahaha! Well, about that…" Subaru nervously pointed upwards, causing the girl to curiously look upwards. All she saw was the dark sky, the Moon of Remnant broken and shattered, hanging above them in a sinister gaze. "I'm from The World Above."

"You're from the moon!?" Ruby questioned in disbelief. Subaru just face palmed, his cool (in his mind) revelation being stepped on in but a sentence.

"No! I'm from the Country of Lugnica! From the floating Continent lazily called 'The World Above'!" Subaru explained to Ruby, as she crowned a thoughtful expression. Subaru would have thought people would have learned about their world by now. It wasn't like they were even trying to keep themselves secret either. Heck, they were pretty open about it Last time they (Knights of Lugnica) were here.

Ruby took this time to think of exactly where she had heard the word 'Lugnica' before. A normal person would have just swiped this under the rug, but Ruby wasn't a normal person. The name Lugnica rung a very, very important bell in her head. She didn't know why, nor where, but she swore she had heard that name before. Slowly, she narrowed down her list. She didn't hear it from her friends at Beacon, nor from those in Patch. She definitely didn't hear it from some stranger she just met. That just left her family. Ruby felt like she and Yang had argued about this before, and she cried about it to her dad before. With a snap of her fingers, she instantly remembered what Lugnica was. Snapping her head to the ever growing nervousness that was Subaru, she couldn't help but grin cheerfully.

"You're from Lugnica!?" Ruby asked loudly. Subaru gave a hesitant nod, unsure if he should actually tell her. With the giddiness of a child, she sprung from her seat, jumping in the air in excitement. "You're from the Kingdom in the Sky! The Magical World of Lugnica! I can't believe it!" She stopped jumping, moving to dancing on the tips of her toes. "I argued with Yang and Weiss for hours about this! I knew it was real! I knew it!" Ruby stopped as she leaned into Subaru, who leaned back in response. "You have to tell me! What's it like up there!? Uncle Qrow told me there were animal people there, Knights and Princesses! Oh, it sounds so romantic! Knights saving princesses, princesses ruling a country! Oo-h Blake is going to love this!"

As Ruby trailed on with her rant, Subaru couldn't help but nitpick certain details out from her excited gibberish. Specifically, the detail about whether Lugnica was real or not. That greatly disturbed Subaru, as that was a detail that The World Above tried venomously to get across to The World Below. Subaru had believed it had all worked out, but apparently he was extremely mistaken. If a commoner like this girl didn't know they existed as a common fact, who's to say that no one else thought the same? They could have been written off as common myths.

"Well, the gates have been pretty strict until now." Subaru theorized. There were multiple way to arrive to The World Below, and the most common and practical ones were the gates. Gates were giant portals, manned by armed guards of either continent. The use of these gates were expensive, and only the wealthy were able to activate them. Recently though, a Kararagi merchant was able to lessen the volume of magic needed to transport beings, while allowing more than one to enter at a time. It was still expensive, but not as much.

"Hey, Hey!" Ruby called, catching the attention of the wandering Subaru. "Are you a Knight!? You said you were from Lugnica, so you have to be a Knight! I bet you're hear on a epic quest to save the world, right!?"

Subaru laughed nervously. By all mean, Subaru was not a Knight. A Knight upheld the law and fought for justice in the world. A Knight didn't kill pregnant woman and their children in their sleep. A Knight didn't plan and scheme behind closed doors on what Demi-Human village they should purge next. A Knight was good.

Subaru was bad.

"I-I guess you could say that!" Subaru laughed nervously, lying through his teeth. Subaru disliked lying, heavily so, but he had a feeling that if he spoke of his true self he would be outcast. That and Ruby seemed really happy at his response. "Y-Yeah, I am a Knight (to an extent)."

As if a lid on a cap had been open, Ruby started mouthing off question after question. Words flew as Subaru's head spun. Truly, this girls excitement showed no bounds. With each question, Subaru felt his heart drop a little at the knowledge that he wasn't a Knight.

"W-Wait!" Subaru said, stopping the rabid Ruby. "I can answer all your questions later, but you never told me what a hunter was!"

"Oh!" Ruby squeaked. She didn't mind telling him more about hunters, because that's as cool of a topic as Lugnica anyways. "Yeah, I could tell you that! Hunters are basically Superheroes who fight Grimm! They defend the weak from the strong and basically do a ton of superhero things!" Ruby tersely explained. Reaching into her skirt pocket, she pulled out her wallet and took her ID out. "See! I'm an official Huntress in training! Isn't that cool!?"

"Y-Yeah…" Subaru responded, trying to sound as enthusiastic as she did. It ended up coming out sounding half assed, as compared to Ruby's enthusiasm, his just sounded plain. It also didn't hurt that Hunters sounded more and more like the Knights of Lugnica. "So Hunters are basically like Knights of this world?"

"Yep!" Ruby said, nodding in excitement. "Hunters always save the day! No matter how dark or how evil are enemy is, they will always save the day! You can count on us!"

"Ha! Really, you do sound like a Certain Knight I kn-"

"Ruby! It's time to move!"

Surprised, both looked up in the trees as they saw a brief flash dash across the night sky. Wearing mostly all white and black pants, a girl crossed their vision. While Subaru remained astounded and surprised, Ruby instantly recognized who that was.

"Blake!" Ruby yelled in glee. Why was she running though? Was there something coming?

"Why does it always have to be me!?" Another voice cried as he jumped into view. A blonde, ripped to the bone (Subaru detested that) and with a yellow monkey tail cried visible tears as he flew across the sky to the next tree.

'Does everyone have the ability to jump across great distances!?' Thought to himself, jealousy growing in his stomach.

"That was Blake and Sun, but why were they running?" Ruby thought to herself again. There isn't much in this world that would make two hunters run for their lives. Even Roman Torchwick, able to fight off multiple Hunters at once, wasn't that much of a threat to make them run. Whatever it was, it had to be big to scare them off like that.

As if to answer that question, a giant metal foot almost crushed Subaru.

Both Ruby and Subaru stopped what they were doing, holding their breath as the metal boot picked itself up and ran along. A thunder clap of metal and earth resounding in the nearly silent park. Ruby, who was watching Subaru when the boot fell, couldn't help but drop her jaw. Subaru, who was almost killed by a metal boot, shook in his own.

"S-S-Subaru!" Ruby stuttered, the shock of almost seeing someone die frightening her. "A-A-Are you a-alright!?"

"Y-Y-Y-Yeah!" Subaru stuttered, almost having a death by squish. He had never experience that kind of death, and he didn't want to. "I-I-I'm fine! W-what was that though!?"

"I-I don't know!?" Ruby responded, truly unsure. Taking out Crescent Rose (Subaru blanched at the enormous scythe), Ruby jumped on the balls of her feet. "I'm not sure what that was, but I need to go! It was fun talking to you!"

"Ah, wait!" But it was already too late. In a flood of roses, Ruby Rose was gone. A trail of Roses left behind as a blob of crimson escaped to the distance, leaving Subaru in a shocked mess. "Why does everybody have such cool powers!?"

With a sigh, Subaru sat back down. He was able to find the Silver Eye's, who's name ended up being Ruby Rose. Admittedly, she was an enjoyable kid to be around, if only a little awkward. She seemed to jump between excitement and childlike curiosity with a blink of an eye. Her personality seemed extremely innocent, as she believed every word he spoke. Even if this world was skeptical of his existence, she believed it without a second doubt, where as anyone else would treat him like an insane man.

"I just wonder how she is going to lead me to my desire?" Subaru thought aloud. He felt bad for using a girl like this, but if Regulus selflessly urged him to find her, then he will and use her as such. He was Pride. There was no need to worry about the opinions of others.

With a weary sigh, he stood up. There was no reason to stay here anymore. If anything, he needed to find Ruby Rose and use her. The Gospel didn't specify what he should do once finding the Silver Eye's, but he would at least stay by her until he realized his desire.

"CULTIST!"

Well, that would have been the plan anyways. With a loud crack, the ground cracked and shattered but a mere ten feet from Subaru's left. With an unsurprised glance, he looked at the man who landed there, growling like a savage beast. Covered in white, with the mask resembling those of the men before, the man stood, his hands shaking in unkempt rage. Flaring his teeth, Subaru took in the sharpness of each tooth the blonde man held. "CULTIST!"

Subaru flinched. He had a feeling this was going to be a tough fight.

'I hope you're faring better than me, Regulus.'

---

Regulus

Present Time

How did she miss her mark?

That question repeated in her mind countless times in Purpura's head. Each time, it was left unanswered. A never ending cycle of questions and unsolved consensus. Her head throb at the sight, of the blood that pooled under his body, yet was not his. There was no knife in his body. There was gaping wound that not even Ferris the Healer could heal. But that didn't matter, what mattered was why?

Why was this kid still alive?

"Purpura?" Regulus questioned, staring at her worriedly. Never had the woman missed her mark. Today should have been no exception, yet here it was. Two inches from the shocked child's head laid the Cults signature weapon, a dagger that could be used as a small sword. "Are you okay, Purpura? If you want, I can cleave him in two for you. It can be over in an instant or agonizing pain. I'll allow you to choose."

"No, it's fine, honey." Purpura shakenly said. Was this a side effect of Regulus's abilities? Was her time slowly nearing the more he used his ability? Regulus was careful not to use it too much, but it had already been a month. They would need to spend their time after this sparingly. "I won't miss this next strike."

Regulus stayed silent, very uncharacteristic of him. He always had a response to everything even if it was unkind. That was probably one of the reason Purpura loved him so much. He always spoke his mind truthfully, never with hesitation. Unlike all the suitors of the past, it was her kidnapper that treated her like she was. A spoiled princess.

Breathing in, she swung the dagger. It sailed through the air, cutting and singing as it danced between the space of her and the child. She was sure, this time it would hit her target.

"No!" A frantic scream resounded. The thump of heavy feet passed her with haste. Faster than the dagger, and with more grace than a deer. Picking up the child, the intruder jumped in the air, landing on top of the cross. As the intruder straightened herself, she took in the sight of the girl in neon. Black, gray and neon green clashed together to form the thing she called a outfit. Orange hair was pulled neatly together to form, the admittedly, beautiful bowl she called hair. "What are you doing!?"

"None of your concern, child." Purpura spit bitterly. Why did this girl have to go and make her look bad in front if her husband? It was unacceptable. "I'm sure you already know this, but since you saw what has happened here, you must die. Truly, regretful but I shall cherish your death."

"Why are you doing this!?" The girl yelled, obvious pain in her voice. Purpura smiled at this. If this girl was a combatant then she would be undoubtedly would be shaken by what she saw. This would make the coming battle that much easier for her.

"It is just business. Business that you yourself have decided to step into." Purpura took out eight knives, each hung between her fingers. She grinned at the girl. "Now, let me offer your blood to my husband. It's the least you can do for making me look bad." She pulled back her arms, ready for the barrage she was about to unleash. "Now, will you submit quietly, or die fighting?"

There was no vocal answer. With a glare that could kill God's, the girl atop the cross raised her arms. Swords, as if rising from a higher level of existence, positioned themselves around the young girl. It would be hard to lie about not being intimidated by what Purpuru bore witness to. The girl, who seemed so weak, looked like a god looking down in her unworthy sinners. A glowing eye pierced the Vale of darkness that was Purpuru's soul. Judging and tormenting, yet untouched.

Purpuru smiled. This would be a night to remember for sure.

---

First, sorry for the nun scene. I know some people get offended or upset at that. Secondly, I might never write 38 pages again. Ever.

1)This is how Regulus really acts in Canon. I've held this off because I didn't want it just being him yelling at everyone every second. It would have been interesting honestly, but his character would just be annoying.

Story Rant

Ok, if you can't tell, I have a long way to go before I can write perfectly. While rereading this chapter, I came across some issues that have bothered me. One being the characters, the second the writing, and thirdly the pacing.

First is the characters. Out of all the characters, I feel like only two were truly ever in character. One being Subaru, the other being Penny. Ruby felt off at times for me, which I will remedy by using her more, and Regulus was being selfless, which was actually the point of this chapter. So I think I did moderate.

Now the writing. Rereading it, I actually felt content with it. It's only when I came upon Penny's part where I realized how subpar everything was compared to it. Penny's part was detailed, to the point, and expressed her thoughts on her role in this world. More on that later.

Thirdly, the pacing. I'm not sure, but while writing this it feels like I'm going at a snails pace. While reading on the other hand feels like I'm going at a rockets pace. I read slow, adding in expressions and emotions to each word I read, so when reading like that it's fun. Reading fast just feels… fast.

So I wanna know, should I put in more detail to each chapter and draw out future arcs and fights? I sorta need to know this for a more enjoyable experience.

Ok, so for those who haven't noticed, I put a lot of symbolism and opposition in this chapter. Mostly in Regulus and Penny. Penny, who is made of steel and plastic, feels like she isn't really alive in this world. She is a robot with a heart, and emotions, and cares for those of this world. Regulus on the other hand could be described as the complete opposite. Regulus is made of blood and bone, believing himself to be the perfect being, that he was made specifically for this world. That no one besides him matters. Do you see where I'm going with this?

This difference in emotions and behavior will contrast in the fight next chapter. The fight will be as much as a psychological one as it is physical.

Plus I think the Robot atop gods cross looks cool.

That's about it for the story rant. Thanks for listening!

One last question. Due to the amount of villains in each series being so limited, would it be fine to bring in Villains from other series? It won't become a jumbled mess, but without a threat this story will just become a slice of life comedy shig. Well, I am trying to amplify everyone's problems, like Penny's situation, but I'm unsure how well I can work that out. I won't do any of this unless I'm 100% sure I can pull it off.

Personal Rant

Well, I'm happy that this fic has received positive opinions. I know the first chapter was slow, but I was doing my best to set the stage for things to come. I honestly wanted to show Subaru around some more, but I also want to show people what this fic is all about in just three chapters.

I already showed that I can set up a sort of plotline reasonably. I showed that I can express characters worries and different traits. Next chapter In going to try to prove t that I can detail fight scenes well. That I will definitely have trouble with, as I am not good with back and forth combat or battle tactics. I will do my best though. Future chapters will deal with resolving character plights and traumas.

Wish me luck!

Btw, If anyone has ideas, please don't hesitate to leave them. While I have most arcs and chapter planned out, I am but one boy. I might not necessarily use said ideas, but if able, it would allow me to create new ideas and arcs!

Reviews

Reviewr524- Honestly I hope it is. It would be horrible if I was just writing this and everyone thought it was mundane and boring. Thank you for dropping by though!

.73- Oh, if your looking for that, you'll love future arcs. I still need to plan out how I'm going to deal with that though. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make the RWBY characters come out alive unless I seriously nerf the Archbishops or remove them entirely. Glad to see you around man.

Guest- Thank you! You don't know how glad that makes me! And I'll be sure to keep the content fresh so it doesn't die or get to a point where I'll abandon it.