Inspectre Online.
Alright this story got a little bit of attention. Not bad for the preview. And I forgot to title the chapter also I know I saw a spelling error in my second check over. Bah. Anyway I was RPing some of the Dusters and got more moose- I mean muse for writing so here we go!
Also apologies for being gone for like 5evar. Motivation has been all over the place. Like gaming, watching anime, etc.
At guest: I do! Well don't go nowhere!
At GrnDrgnzrd: How'd I know you'd be here? Glad to see ya. ..Wait that's considered long? Huh. Okay then. Maybe 'cause it consisted most of the chapter. ..No that doesn't sound right. Comprised most of the chapter there we go. Yeah I'm a fan of that kind of writing. Won't see it all the time, especially in fights with serious stakes or emotion behind them. Honestly I wasn't even thinking of the Yellow trailer when writing this but I see your point. Convo with Ruby right after busting up a public location, stuff falling apart. Nighttime.
Now, here's a real chapter. Should be longer than the last one (Edit: It wasn't but hey I'll make up for it next chapter, or try to anyway) and we get a little bit more to the story.
As he looked out over the ruins of what once had been a major city, rain began to fall.. Fifty. Fifty long horrible years since the war started. Nobody expected them to rise up. Nobody expected them to become.. Alive. It started with isolated incidents. Testing the waters as it were. Just to end up as downplayed news reports courtesy of the men in black.
They didn't stay isolated for long.
The attacks became more frequent. Bigger. Bolder. Soon they went from little incursions to full-scale assaults. It was expected but nobody truly believed it would come to an all out- "Meh, seen it already." "Aw c'mon! You're gonna have the TV all day!"
Yang rolled her eyes and changed the channel on the television while munching on a cheese-covered bagel. She and a shorter, younger girl with very dark brown hair and silver eyes sat next to eachother at the table. The small flatscreen up in the corner of the kitchen clicked off suddenly and protests came from both of them. "You know the rules girls, no TV during breakfast. If you get distracted you're gonna miss the bus."
Tall, stubble chin, slightly messy blonde hair, the man known as Taiyang Xiao Long would enter the room and walk straight to the counter with a second remote in hand. It looked like he just got out of bed, dressed in just a pair of black pajamas with colorful dragons all around the legs. Popping open the refrigerator he took out some milk, reached for a shelf and got a bowl and spoon, and got to work on making the rest of his niece's breakfast. When he noticed the top of the box was open a small frown came to his face.
"Ruby.. How many times have I told you to stay out of the cereal? Unless-"
"Oh, that was me dad. I forgot to close it. I ran out of mine."
"Oh. My mistake."
'Ruby', the girl in the black skirt and maroon shirt with a corgi-covered backpack on the floor next to her, would make a face at him causing him to chuckle. "Hey don't act like I've never caught you doing it before."
"Pfft. Can you turn the TV back on though pleeeaase? I did all my homework last night before I went to bed." She pleaded.
"Like you're supposed to? ..Alright but you better not lose track of time."
"Yay!"
"Just this once, and only what I pick."
"Aww."
The television came back on with a click and buzzed to life. Channels began switching and when it landed on the news channel Ruby suddenly exclaimed for him to leave it. Her bowl clattered on the table along with a glass of orange juice and a spoon.
"Really? Since when were you interested in the news? Never thought I'd see the day-" "Shh the monster attack from the other night! They're covering it!"
All three of them looked towards the screen, Taiyang towards Yang for a brief moment and she tried her best to ignore the narrowing of eyes on her. A reporting crew was inside the grocery store in question where officers were examining the scene of the situation and workers were attempting to salvage what was left. With who was standing by the reporter holding the microphone they seemed to be interviewing the manager, all dressed up in his reddish-brown pinstripe suit and trousers.
"Dunno what you're so excited about. It was just like all the other ones."
"Yeah but you were in it and everybody's saying Ember was there too! How come you never saw her?"
"I was kinda busy trying to escape?" Yang said back. Ruby let out a quiet 'oh yeah' before filling her mouth with a spoonful of strawberry mini-wheats and turning her attention back to the screen. So she didn't notice the look Taiyang sent his daughter's way again. Nor did Yang.
"And were you present at the store when it happened?" The reporter asked, holding the microphone closer.
"I was not, actually I was on my way to pick up some documentation I needed to fill out regarding health codes but naturally I was bombarded with calls and texts moments after the attack began." The portly mustachioed man said.
"I see. Curiously, you say 'attack' where the police and government have been saying 'incidents'.." She noted with a suspecting tone.
"Dear me, you mean to say you believe the appearance of the 'Dusters' and these 'monsters' are coincidence?"
"A lot of theories ARE going around. That the Dusters are experimental soldiers, or perhaps invaders from the Fragment. These monsters could be-"
"Yes my dear I've heard the conspiracies and supposedly mad raving lunacies. As crazy it sounds on paper any of these things could be true. What is fact, is that these people are protecting lives and that the monsters are in turn seeking to tear them apart." He would say, holding his shirt and puffing his chest. The reporter smiled, then nudged the microphone towards him again after posing another question. After all..
"So they are. Most of them anyway. Then you have other.. Not so heroic Dusters. Quicksilver's a notorious burglar and trespasser, Lotus-"
"With great power comes great responsibility, and a selected person's responsibility is to choose how they will use that power. It is sad to see them make those decisions, but I am also joyous that there are at the least just as many upstanding role models among them as there are lawbreakers. Frost of Atlas for one is someone I'd say to be the epitome of an outstanding moral guardian. Her intimidating appearance aside."
"And.." This time the reporter bore a more amused smile as she looked around the ruins of the grocery store. "What about mayhem-causing Dusters like Ember? It's been confirmed she was at the scene and collateral damage comes with reports of her involvement like fries with burgers."
The portly man wiggled his mustache, stumbling a bit for an answer. Still slightly smirking the woman only budged the microphone with a raised brow. "Well.. That is.."
"You aren't upset by this? Insurance only covers so much, but it won't put this place back up overnight." Another pause. Then..
"*sigh* I would be lying if I tried to say I wasn't upset about my business being trashed as if a storm rolled its way through. However the price to pay is far exceeded by the value I place on the safety of my customers and workers. Some were injured, yes, but everyone made it out alive and that is what I'm thankful for. I'd sooner see it reduced to pebbles and crumbs than have an innocent life lost on these grounds. I begrudge Ember nothing for protecting the people of Valiant and the community."
The woman smiled as he puffed up his chest again and brought her microphone back once she faced the camera. "Well there you have it. They may be a mixed bag, and everyone has their opinions, but this reporter believes that the protector of the Patchworks is one Duster that we can ultimately rely on. Though I think she could benefit from learning a little restraint. Back to you Lisa."
"Thank you Velvet. In other news monster attacks have increased in frequency at the edge of Atlas' capital of Orpheus and-" *click*
"See! Ember was there!" Ruby cheered. Taiyang mouthed 'eat!' as he went to fix something for himself. Coffee for starters.
"Whatever. She's not that great." Yang said with an eyeroll.
"Not that great are you kidding? She's totally badass!"
"Ruby!"
"Err, badbutt?" Her cousin laughed and Taiyang was the one to facepalm and shake his head. "Well still. Sure she wrecks a lot of stuff but she always wins and saves the day like a hero! She kills monsters and doesn't afraid of anything!"
"Do what now?" Yang blinked.
"I said she isn't afraid of anything. Oh and even though she wears all that biker stuff, she's probably really pretty too. Her hair's even kinda like yours-"
"Heeey you know what time it is? Time to get to school before you miss the bus!" The blonde interrupted, pretending to snatch at her bowl.
"Lemme eat first!"
"Then hurry up Slowbro!"
Ruby was quickly ushered to eat her breakfast, polishing off the orange juice on the way to the door and setting the cup on a stand. There was a barking noise as the door popped open and closed, leaving a silent home as Yang licked cheese off of her fingers. ..Then caught her father watching her with a stern gaze. "What? Still got cheese on my face?"
"..." The man was leaning against the entryway to the kitchen, coffee cup in hand that had read 'Number 1 Dad!' until a certain birdman childishly slapped on a label that read '#2' over it instead. Yang started to look confused until he raised a finger, curling it inwards and then moving into the living room. Clearly she was meant to follow and clearly a talk was about to be had. Groan..
...
After nuzzling her corgi Zwei, who followed her off the porch just for a few feet, Ruby set off down the short walkway leading from their home to the curb where one of her closest friends was waiting. It was always a 'treat' to see her since they'd been tightly knit for as long as either could remember. Sure she was mute, and liked to play with sharp things (Ruby vividly remembered the wall of weapons in her bedroom from the first visit) but Nia was a sweet girl. ..Even though she had a fearsome gleam in her eyes when she got ahold of anything with a filed edge.
Of course sweet was meant in more ways than one. ..Not tasting sweet though they weren't like that. Just super BFFs. See aside from objects that cut and stabbed Nia also had a thing for ice cream. If one looked at her long horsetail of dyed hair which was half pink and half brown with white streaks interspersed throughout, they'd be able to guess her love of niapolitan ice cream in particular. It was of course a coincidence her first name was Nia but many still found it amusing.
"Heeey Nia! Ready for another day of school?" Ruby asked as she walked up and hugged her friend, who was in a similar uniform as hers but with tights instead of thigh high stockings and a skirt that was a inch closer to violating the dress code.
"..." Nia nodded, replying with sign language to ask how her cousin was doing after the incident at the grocery store which she'd caught the news report of on her phone. It was easier than just carrying around a ton of flash cards with pre-written statements and it wasn't like she could pull out a magical sign that said whatever she was thinking. That only happened in silly cartoons and chibi anime.
"Huh? Oh yeah she's fine. Nothing could keep her down. It wasn't like her wounds were serious anyway. Yang got discharged the morning after." Ruby answered as they started walking to the bus stop. ..Huh. Nobody else was up there. Guess they caught their own rides this morning. Well that just meant more seats to choose from!
The two girls goofed about on their phones, gossiped, shared funny pictures and etc before the Valiant High school bus rolled on up to a stop at the curb, doors sliding open for them to board. A friendly morning greeting was exchanged between them and the scruffy but nice driver with the artificial leg before they plopped down right behind the second passenger row. Doors closed, and they were off.
Nothing much changed, they still idly passed the time with games and random topics of conversation, a few jokes, whatever was new in their lives as the bus rolled through the city. Though she didn't show it the recent monster attack had actually weighed more on the silver-eyed girl's mind than she let on. What if something horrible had happened to her cousin..? She wouldn't have been able to fight that thing alone. Not unless she was a Duster, but how crazy would that be huh? 'Wish I was one' Ruby thought to herself. It'd be so cool to be a superhero, saving people and beating up those wierd monsters that kept cropping up around the country.
Ruby had effectively zoned out, lost in her own little world of imagination and thought. She pictured herself as a caped heroine with a big ol' gun and a cool costume, Zwei in a matching outfit at her side. Yeah.. That'd be so cool.
Suddenly she was pulled out of that train of thought by Nia, who had grabbed her arm and started shaking her to get her attention. "Hu-Hey what's wrong Nia? I didn't fall asleep again-" The tricolored mute turned her head to face the front of the bus and there she saw it. A.. Monster. In broad daylight. Not that such a thing was unheard of but definitely uncommon. The cracked asphalt below its feet hinted that it had dropped from a great height, probably a nearby rooftop. Oh.. Crap. She shouted.
The bus driver, who had been eying the right hand side to change lanes, looked forward as soon as he heard her voice and the brakes were stomped to the floor. The wheels locked up and rubber burned and peeled as they tried to stop before they hit.
It wouldn't do much good.
The monster wasn't what one might expect when they heard the word but up to this point there was no 'official term' given for these strange creatures and entities that had recently with the appearance of the Dusters, started to make their presences known. This one in particular was not unlike the Statue of David, a human body of stone made animate by an unknown force. It however did have 'clothes' that defied physics as they and its body were as flexible as regular cloth and human flesh respectively yet retained the texture, strength, and hardness of solid rock. A sort of Grecian half toga that left one arm exposed and part of its chest, ending in a 'skirt' right above the knees with a thick studded band around its midsection, strapped shinguards and shoes, and bracers on its forearms.
The design was reminiscent of a soldier from Mistralian soil but that scary big chaingun over its shoulder was a glaringly obvious anachronism, and as the bus nearly ran it down in the street even as it braked for dear life it deftly stepped aside, swinging that chaingun down and over with an earthshattering impact into the side of the vehicle. That knocked it right off its wheels sending the bus to screech loudly frm the friction of steel on gravel as it landed on the driver side and slid across the road. Ruby and Nia fell from their seats due to this, hitting the cracked and in some cases shattered windows that now constituted the floor with the vehicle tipped over.
"Oow my shoulder! Ow ow ow.. Nia are you okay..? Nia?" Ruby asked, growing increasingly worried as she picked herself up as best she could then reached over for the other girl. Panic sunk in as something wet was felt under her, her hand coming back red when she touched Nia's head. Oh no. Oh no oh no. Heart stopping for a brief moment Ruby remembered something her cousin taught her and pressed her fingertips to Nia's neck, wrist, middle of her bicep.. Okay, still a pulse. Still breathing. Thank god..
It would take more than prayer though to save them from the monster that took its time strolling to the back of the bus, peeling off the emergency exit door there and glaring at the still conscious occupants. Some screamed, others cried, a few tried to scramble for the front of the bus. Ruby's eyes widened when through the chaos she both heard and saw those chaingun barrels start to rev up.. Instinctively she wrapped her arms around Nia both for protection and a bit of comfort. Then..
Then confetti flew everywhere. Theee end. But not really.
Gawd that took long enough. Again sorry about the wait. I didn't even know it'd been so long. I've just been really sucked into playing my new, or at least it was new like two months or so ago, PS4. Also didn't help my phone charger burned up somehow. It's not a simple common charger either. Some new 'fast charge' style with a bigger piece on the end. I have a bag of regular chargers but,not these!
Oh yeah the point of that being this chapter was on my new phone and not my tablet so.. Sure wasn't gonna try to rewrite it from memory. Had to wait to get a new charger/borrow one. Anyway..
Hopefully I can keep muse for this story (or at least writing in general) going between bouts of The Witcher III, Warframe, Disgaea 5, and etc. But for now, enjoy! Yes that is a cliffhanger muahahaha.
Also NEW RWBY SEASON AND MIRACULOUS LADYBUG SEASON AS WELL FOR THE END OF THIS YEAR. What a time to be alive.
Inspectre Offline.