AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. This one is a little shorter than I thought, so I'll be doing a double upload today to make up for it. You can expect the next chapter sometime later this day. Hope you enjoy this chapter, leave a review with your comments and questions, and have a nice day.

Chapter 2 – Orange Light of Avarice

At the fairgrounds, Sun walked with a big smile on his face. "Well, I won my match." He said to himself as cracked his knuckles, "Now, I just need to win the semi-finals, then the finals. After that, I'm the champion." The monkey faunus then looked down with the smile on his face fading slightly, "I wonder what came over Yang in her fight. That was crazy what she did. I bet Blake is not happy with her." He then started to look at the different vendors selling a variety of items, "Maybe I should buy them both something to take their minds away from what happened. What to get through?" he said as he scanned the area.

Suddenly, Sun saw a lone vendor in a dark gray cloak. His table only had a single item in a small black box. The monkey faunus shrugged as he walked over to The Vendor. "Hey guy, what are you selling?"

"One item." The vendor said, "Only one."

"One item?" Sun thought to himself, "This must be a pretty rare item then. He must want a lot of money. Think Sun, what is the best plan you can think of?" Suddenly, a light bulb went off in his head. He turned to his left and pointed with his left hand, "Hey, what's that!?" Sun said aloud with The Vendor turning to the direction the monkey faunus was pointing. Swiftly, Sun grabbed the black box with his right hand. He opened it, took out its contents, and closed the box. The Vendor turned back to Sun in confusion. "Well, I guess I was just seeing things. Take care." The monkey faunus said as he walked away from The Vendor.

The Vendor watched Sun walk away, seeing an orangish aura emanating from his right hand. "The ring has chosen." He whispered to himself.

Once Sun was far enough away, he looked at his right hand. In his palm was a large orange ring, "Sweet, girls like jewelry. But I don't know if Blake or Yang like orange jewelry though." He said to himself as he walked. Her examined the ring more noticing something odd, "This is kind of big for a ring. Maybe it goes around the thumb?" he said as he placed the ring over his right thumb. However, the ring was still too big. As he took it off, he thought where it was meant to be placed.

Suddenly, he looked back at his blond monkey tail. Having an idea, he placed the ring on his tail. The ring fit perfectly a few inches deep, Sun now noticing the odd symbol on the item, "Neat, but now I need to find a new gift." He said before he heard his stomach growl, "That's weird, I just ate like twenty minutes ago," Sun said as he placed his left hand over his stomach. He then shrugged and made his way over to the concession stands. The ring around his tail began to glow with an orange aura.

Meanwhile.

Walking outside the grounds of Beacon Academy, the remaining members of teams RWBY and JNPR walked. Yang led the way as the other swarmed around Pyrrha, who had the book open.

"So," Yang asked as she lifted her left hand, "Does it say how I can take off this ring without feeling like vomiting out my eyeball."

"No," Pyrrha answered as she read. Yang sighed as she lowered her hand.

"Why don't we go talk to Ozpin about this now," Jaune commented.

"While the book and the hole in the floor are convincing," Weiss responded, "We need more information before we can go and tell him about cursed rings and acid-blood vomit."

"And I don't really want to remove it to try and prove a point," Yang added on, "So, let's see what more we can find on our own. Then, we can talk to Ozpin" in the distance, Yang saw people frantically moving out of her way as they walked. Others whispering as they pointed at the blond brawler. She then looked at the ground in worry, "However, I don't think I can focus with every other student me giving me dirty looks."

Blake walked over to Yang, placing her right hand on her friend's left shoulder, "Why don't you and the others go to the forest. It's a good place to relax and is away from prying eyes." Yang responded with a smile and a slight nod. The black cat faunus continued, "I think Jaune, Ren, and myself should check the festival grounds for that vendor again. He might be back or lurking somewhere in the area."

"Good idea," Yang responded. Three broke away from the group as Weiss caught up to Yang.

"I'm going to go see if my family has any connections to these rings." The white heiress said as the blond girl turned to her in confusion, "Even if that vendor is selling them for free. If they are a rare item, chances are my dad brought some for his collections."

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to find out." Yang said, causing her friend to nod before walking away, "Good luck."

As the three remaining members continued, they made their way toward the Forever Fall Forest. already reaching the thick brush of crimson trees. Nora peered over the shoulder of her teammate, "So, what does each color mean again?"

"Well, we know that red is rage," Pyrrha responded with Yang sighing again, "Orange is greed. Yellow is fear. Green is willpower. Blue is hope. Indigo is compassion. Violet is love. And White and Black are life and death restively." The red-haired warrior then took out her scroll, taking a picture of the page of ring symbols and their meanings, "I'll send this to the others. It may help."

"Wait," Nora said in shock as she looked at the page, "There's no brown!"

"What emotion would you associate with brown?" Pyrrha asked as she put away her scroll, "You know what, never mind."

"Can we focus!" Yang integrated angrily, "I don't care about the other colors, the other rings, or what they represent to each other." The blond brawler raised her left hand again, "I just care about getting this ring off without dying."

A silence fell over the group as they walked. However, Nora soon broke that silence, "What can people with these rings do?"

"I told you, I-" Yang was saying but Pyrrha cut her off.

"Apparently, the user can radiate an aura from the ring that can create different weapons of their imagination. The aura it creates is far stronger than any normal person can generate alone," Pyrrha read. "Also, it says here that people with the rings can use them to fly."

"Wait wait wait!" Yang said as she stopped walking. Nora and Pyrrha stopped also as they saw blond brawler turn around. "I can fly!?" she said with her red eyes filling with wonder.

"Only one way to find out." Nora said with confidants as she took the lead, "We need to find you a steep cliff. Onward!"

As the orange-haired girl marched, Yang turned to Pyrrha in slight worry, "She's joking, right?"

"Yeah, she's just into the mystery," Pyrrha said as she had a slight smile on her face.

"I guess," Yang responded, noticing Pyrrha eyes half open as she looked down, "Are you okay?"

"I just have a lot of things on my mind now," The red-haired warrior said.

"Nervous about your match?" The blond girl assumed.

"You could say that," Pyrrha responded with a slight giggle, "Let's just focus on helping you out and solving this mystery. I still have time before I have to fight."

"Thanks, you're a good friend," Yang said with a smile as she put her left arm around Pyrrha left shoulder, "And hey, you know what not to do from watching my fight." She said with a giggle as they walked. Pyrrha laughed also, but her eyes glanced over to the red ring radiating the same color aura.

Meanwhile

Ruby searched the school grounds for her robotic friend. The campus was nearly empty as almost everyone was in their seats for the upcoming area matches. "Penny! Penny!" The red-hooded girl called as looked. Suddenly, she felt a tug on her cape. Upon turning around, she found the person she was searching for. "There you are-" Ruby said with the robotic girl shushing her friend by placing her right hand on Ruby's mouth.

"Ruby, why did you follow me?" Penny asked, but the red-hooded girl's answer was muffled. The robotic girl then lowered her hand, prompting Ruby to catch her breath.

"I wanted to see what you knew about those symbols." Ruby restated.

"I told you," Penny said in a slightly panicked voice, "I do not know anything?" a hiccup followed the end of her sentence.

Ruby had a slight smile as she raised her right hand on Penny's left shoulder, "Penny, I can tell when you're lying."

"You can," the robotic girl asked, "How?"

"Because we are friends." Ruby replied with her smile growing in size, but her voice changed to be a little serious, "And right now, I need your help to help my sister. If you know anything about any of those symbols or the rings, please tell me." Penny tried not making eye contact with Ruby, but the red-hooded girl moved her head to regain that connection, "Come on, you already told me you are a robot. You know you can trust me with any secret."

After a few seconds, Penny quickly scanned the campus grounds. She spotted two Atlas soldiers walking around, looking for someone. Penny the grabbed Ruby's right hand, "Okay, but not here. Follow me." The robotic girl said as she guided Ruby into the campus building.

The two made their way to an empty classroom. The orangish light of the setting sun peered through the windows of the room. Penny and Ruby stood near the professor's desk. A silence fell over the two as Ruby had a look of confusion. "So?"

"Of those nine rings, I only know about one," Penny responded as soon as Ruby finished her sentence.

"Really, is it the red ring?" the red-hooded girl asked.

"No," The robotic girl said, "The green ring." She then turned her back to Ruby, causing the red-hooded girl to have a look of confusion. Penny the reached behind her neck, pressing what looked like a button. Suddenly, steam radiated from her back as her it began to fold outward like a hatch opening. Ruby looked in awe as she saw the circuitry and wires that composed her robotic friend's inner workings. Right where Penny's heart would be, that is where Ruby saw the green ring. It emanated a green light as it floated in a small glass orb. Wires connected to the container with that green light flowing like blood through veins.

"I…," Ruby said as she felt almost speechless. She shook her head quickly to refocus, "That ring is powering you!?" Penny nodded her head as Ruby leaned in closer, "Is this what generates your aura and powers your weapons also?" the red-hooded girl asked with Penny nodding again, "Is this ring…what makes you…you?" Ruby asked with another silence falling over the two. After a couple of seconds, Penny nodded again. The robotic girl then pressed the button the back of her neck again, causing her back to close again. Penny turned around to look at Ruby.

"Ruby, whatever those rings are, they can do things most people think are impossible." Penny said in a voice of joy and worry, her head looking to the ground, "The person that built me said that the ring chose me, but I do not know what that means?"

Ruby smiled as she knelt to make eye contact with Penny, "It means you are amazing Penny!" the red-hooded girl said, "You just keep surprising me with how amazing you are." The robotic girl began to blink rapidly as a smile formed on her face, "Are you okay?" Ruby asked in concern.

"I…I have never cried before." Penny said with a slight giggle in her next sentence, "I do not think I was built to do that." Ruby shared the same giggle as she got up.

"It's okay, they're tears of joy you just can't see." Ruby said as she walked over to the door out, "Thank you again for trusting me."

"Did I help?" Penny asked.

"Yeah." Ruby said as she placed her right hand on the doorknob, looking back at the robotic girl, "I know those rings have a lot of energy stored in them. I need to go tell my sister." She said before she started to turn the knob.

However, before she could fully open it, the door blasted off its hinges. Penny looked in panic as Ruby was flung back, her body collide with the professor's desk. "RUBY!" Penny shouted as she rushed over to the red-hooded girl. Ruby made a slight grown before fading into unconsciousness. Penny glanced over to the wooden door near the two, seeing a boot print in the center.

"I'm sorry," Someone call in a sarcastic voice from the doorway. Penny looked to see Mercury with a smug look on his face. His right leg was positioned were the door once was, his boot lining up with the point of impact. Behind him stood Emerald, holding one gun in each hand. "Did I interrupt the girl talk?" Mercury said as Penny glared up at him while she cradled Ruby's body.

AN: There you go, not a lot of big events in this one, but a lot of set up for things to come. Sun gets the orange lantern ring, which for him is a tail ring. We also see that Penny was powered by the green lantern ring's energy, similar Aya from the animated series, (Which was an awesome show that ended too soon). In rereading this story, I did like how it had everyone on a mission and has a role. Of all the stories I have written, this is the one I feel closet matched the writing of the rwby series in storytelling format. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.