Author's Note:Okay, just a few things before I get to this chapter.
First off: I wanna say, Holy Crap! When I posted the first chapter of this, I was not expecting it to be as well received as it was. Honestly, I was thinking, maybe I get a few favorites within a week or so, but within the first 36 hours, it had 5 Favorites, 6 Followers, AND a review. So I want to thank those who liked it for taking the time to read it.
Second: I went back and reread the first chapter and noticed an error. When I initially introduced the portal-thingy, I called it "The Dimension Skipper." However, after that I repeatedly referred to it as "Jumper," so I wanted to clarify that it is called the "Dimension Jumper." I'm sorry for any confusion.
Third: I have created a Facebook Page to share updates about the progress of stories I am working on, or other important info. So if you want to stay updated, feel free to like the page.
Anyways, with all that being said, here's chapter 2 of WUBAT.
-Remnant, Beacon Academy, 6 1/2 Years After The Events of RWBY Volume 4-
Ruby Rose stood in the Headmaster's Office of the newly rebuilt Beacon Academy with a large smile on her face. It had been nearly four years since team RWBY and the remaining members of team JNPR had taken on both Cinder Fall and Salem. They had won, albeit at a cost, and a heavy one at that. As happy as she was for what the day would bring, she knew there was still plenty of rebuilding left to do, plenty of lives to piece back together. While her and her team had been lucky, by no means had they come out of it unscathed.
Yang, her older step-sister, had just gotten used to her new prosthetic arm, but she still dealt with the occasional pains from the mount on her arm where the prosthetic attached. Her personality had returned, her party-hard, fun loving, joking self returning with it. While both Ruby and her father, Taiyang had insisted she take up a new line of work, she had quickly pummeled that idea, tore it to pieces, burned it, and buried it six feet under. She was now out doing the one thing she had set out to do almost seven years ago, when she had first come to Beacon, she was a professional Huntress, roaming Remnant and beating up on the creatures of Grimm.
Blake had chosen another, more peaceful way of life. Shortly after the final battle with Salem, she went home to Menagerie to take the lead of the White Fang, something that her team was happy to hear. After Adam Taurus's death, the White Fang was left leaderless and directionless, something that the other kingdom's had worried would only lead to more violence. Blake had put those fears to rest quickly, however; she had stepped up as both a hero and leader and made quick work of getting rid of the policies that Taurus had put into place. What weapons that had been stolen, were given back, as well as all the stolen Dust, and peaceful negotiations between White Fang missionaries and the various kingdom's leaders were started. It was soon after that the White Fang began flying it's original colors as well, the menacing red and white flag being replaced by the blue and white one's. Overall, the treatment and actions of the Faunus began to improve quickly, to the comfort of everyone.
But Weiss had done something that nobody had expected. After team RWBY and everyone else who had once gone to Beacon had celebrated their victory, Weiss returned home to Atlas. Her father, Jacques, had prepared to cut her off from everything when she arrived, though she had other plans once she had learned the truth behind the way the SDC operated. While Jacques had expected to lecture her on how she had disobeyed him and left home, he certainly hadn't expected for Weiss to come home with both the police and a furious Winter. Winter had tore into him like a chainsaw tearing down a tree, screaming at him about how he had treated her younger sister before she had left to reunite with her team. After that, he had been arrested and the SDC was left without a CEO. However, the two sisters quickly surmised that the best course of action was to take control of the company together. After that, all of the Faunus who had been mistreated as an employee were recompensed and given ample time off, during which time, Atlesian Paladin androids were used as a temporary/ potential new source of labor. While most thought that that was a bad idea, it turned out very effective, with the Paladins being fully implemented when the employees were home or on break. Needless to say, the SDC was finally taking a step in the right direction.
Ruby, on the other hand, had been through a lot, both physically and emotionally. During the fight with Salem, she and her team, as well as JNR and her Uncle Qrow had fought. And the memories still haunted her dreams to this day. It was during this fight, that Qrow had somehow found a way to teach her one last thing, before the witch struck him down. He taught her about sacrifice...
-3 1/2 Years Ago, Battle With Salem-
Ruby could feel the pressure increasing as Salem held her high in the air by her neck, her throat being crushed slowly while her lungs burned. She clawed at the fingers that held her in a desperate attempt to break free, but Salem just laughed at her.
"You have been a thorn in my side for far too long, girl. I think it's time we ended this, don't you agree?" Salem grinned as she tightened her grip.
Ruby cried out in pain as she felt her windpipe collapse. She closed her eyes and tried to scream for either her friends or her uncle, but she knew they were busy fighting Cinder, so she was on her own. In a last ditch effort she lashed out and tried to scratch Salem's face, but the witch saw it coming and easily dodged it with another bout of laughter.
"So ends the journey of Ruby Rose... goodbye, little rose," Salem said with an evil grin.
It was then that Ruby heard Salem grunt in pain as Ruby fell to the ground. She coughed in pain as the air rushed through her injured throat and into her lungs, and looked up at Salem to see her uncle fighting her. Qrow moved in a flash swinging his scythe in anger, attempting to kill the woman, though she was just quick enough to dodge most of the attacks. Ruby turned her head in the hopes of finding Crescent Rose, to help, but it was nowhere to be seen. She mentally screamed in anger and looked back at the fight.
Qrow transformed into a bird and flew high into the air, almost at lightning speeds, then stopped at a height of almost one hundred feet. He stared at Salem a moment, who glared at him in return, then transformed back into a man with his scythe in his hands. He began freefalling quickly, the wind blowing his hair and clothes around like paper, and brought down his weapon as he reached Salem. There was a loud boom as his scythe was embedded into the ground, followed by the sound of sinister laughter. He turned and saw Salem behind him with a large black spear, made out of crystal, and she was grinning again as she looked into Qrow's eyes.
"You missed, old man," She said simply. Then before either Ruby or Qrow could react, she jammed the tip of the spear into Qrow's abdomen.
Both Ruby and Qrow screamed, while Salem twisted the end of the spear inside Qrow's stomach and smiled. Salem looked over to Ruby and smiled at her, then wrenched the crystal from the man's stomach with a sickening squelch. Qrow stumbled backwards, letting go of his scythe as he did, and then dropped to the ground in a heap.
Ruby glared at Salem, tears streaming down her face, and balled her hands into fists as she felt her world shatter. She screamed, and a bright white light shot out from her eyes, enveloping everything nearby. The ground shook, as if being torn to pieces, and the surrounding air was filled with a searing heat, burning everything as the light spread. Salem's smug grin was replaced by one of shock and fear as she watched the girl's power being unleashed.
"That's impossible!" She yelled in defiance as she ran towards Ruby, her spear in hand. She didn't get far, though. The blinding light quickly enveloped her and she was soon set ablaze, her very skin being burned to ash, along with everything else that was once Salem.
The light quickly faded and Ruby dropped to her knees as her Aura was drained. She panted in exhaustion for a few moments, looking up as she did, and saw a pile of ash a few feet from her. She glared at it and then climbed to her feet as she remember her uncle. Her body hurt all over, but she still ran over to Qrow, scooping him up in her arms as she slid across the ground. She lifted his head and saw his skin was white as a ghost. His eyes were closed and blood sat in the corner of his mouth.
"Uncle Qrow! Uncle Qrow, wake up, please!"
The man stirred and slowly opened his eyes to look at his niece. He smiled stared at her a moment before he spoke.
"Hey there, kiddo," his voice was pained and sounded like it hurt to talk. "Did you get her?"
Ruby felt tears forming in her eyes as she nodded. "Yeah, she's gone."
"Nice job, I knew you could do it..." he closed his eyes and sighed.
It was then that the rest of team RWBY and JNR ran over to Ruby's side. None of them approached though, they knew all too well what was going on, and didn't want to bother the two. Yang, though, began to silently cry as she looked at her uncle, while the others just stared in silence.
"J-just hang on, Uncle Qrow. You're gonna be okay," Ruby said as she put on a fake smile.
Qrow laughed softly and reached his hand up to mess with Ruby's hair. "You're a bad liar, you know that?"
Ruby frowned and wiped away a few tears. "I did learn from you."
"Oh yeah..." Qrow was quiet for a second, then looked over to Yang with a smile. "I told you that you two were gonna go far. I'm glad to see I was right..."
Ruby tried holding back the sobs as her uncle died in her arms, but when Yang had come over and laid her hand on her sister's shoulder, the dam shattered. Everyone started to cry, in one way or another, but none of them as hard as Ruby.
-Present Time-
Ruby sighed as she finished recollecting about the past and turned to enter the elevator in the office, to make her way to the opening ceremonies, but was stopped when the doors opened. She paused and quickly checked herself to make sure she looked presentable, then stood calmly behind the large desk. As the doors opened, a man wearing a brown trench-coat and a matching pair of blue sweatpants and tank-top, walked out. His red hair was messy and he looked as if he had been running for several hours. As he walked his arms hung at his sides, and he was grinning.
"Good afternoon, Ms. Rose," The man said smoothly.
Ruby smiled as she stared at the man for a moment, then nodded as she replied. "Yes, it is, isn't it?" She paused and watched as the man approached the desk. "Can I help you? I was just about to head downstairs, as I'm running a little late for the ceremonies." She explained quickly.
"Ah, sorry, of course, of course. I'll be sure to be quick, then." The man's grin disappeared and he began riffling through a few pockets inside his coat, then pulled out a what looked like one of the many scrolls that would be found throughout Remnant. "I'll just leave this with you, then."
Ruby accepted the object, cautiously, then looked at the man. "What is this?"
"It's a message. After the ceremonies today, go ahead and take a look at the video that is on it," the man turned and began to make his way back to the elevator.
Ruby stared at the scroll a moment, then tried to get more out of the stranger, but found he was already gone. She sighed and looked back down at the scroll, turning it around in her hands, before she pocketed it and left the office.
Once Ruby had made her way outside and to the stage outside of the school, she saw that her sister had been trying to delay the audience while she had been running late. Ruby quickly strode up to the podium and tapped on Yang's shoulder and took a position behind the microphone with a smile. Among the audience she could see the rest of her team, many of her friends, and her father, Taiyang. She grinned, softly, then cleared her throat and began the speech she had been practicing for the last week.
"Good afternoon, everyone," she paused and turned her head, looking at the many newly rebuilt structures around Beacon, then returned her gaze to the audience. "It's hard to believe that almost four years ago, all of this was destroyed and crawling with the Creatures of Grimm. But after many long years of perseverance and hard work we finally were able to reclaim what was taken from us... Our home..."
-Later That Evening-
Ruby sat alone in her new office at the top of Beacon Tower, staring at the strange scroll that had been given to her earlier that day. Honestly, she was mildly concerned about the man who had come to see her, but at the same time, she also wanted to see what was on the strange device. After a few more minutes of thinking, she finally picked up the scroll and powered it up. As the screen lit up, a symbol of a double helix with a shield behind it appeared, rotating slowly, followed by a small square underneath. Ruby stared at it for a moment, wondering what else it would do, before she realized it needed something to activate it. Cautiously, Ruby placed her thumb on the square, then the screen flashed red and a video appeared on the screen, waiting to play. She shrugged and pushed the play button and watched as an image of the man from earlier that day, appeared on the screen.
"Hello, Ms. Rose. My name is Dr. Martin Flaine, and I am in need of your help. There is a dark force known as The Corruption, that seeks to destroy the very fabric of reality itself. You are one of many others, who I hope, will be able to help me stop it. I can't tell you everything yet; but know this: if you choose to help me, there is a high chance you may not see your friends or your family for a while, as there is a possibility you may perish. But, regardless, if you choose to aid me in my mission to stop The Corruption, meet me in the Emerald Forest tomorrow morning. I look forward to hearing from you, though if you choose not to accept, I understand, and I will not hold it against you."
The video ended, and the scroll turned off quickly after, leaving Ruby to ponder what she had been told. If what the man had said was true, then she felt slightly obligated as a Huntress to help. But at the same time, she had a duty as the new Headmistress of Beacon to be at the school. Perhaps she could get Yang to come back and watch over things while she was gone...
Ruby pulled out her own scroll and dialed her sister, who quickly answered.
"Hey, sis! What's up?" Yang said from the other end.
"Hey, Yang, could you do me a favor?"
-Emerald Forest-
-The Following Morning-
"Good morning, Ms. Rose. It's nice to see you again."
Ruby found Dr. Flaine in a large clearing with a large green and black armor-clad person. The mystery man nodded to Ruby as she approached, to which Ruby waved back, but was otherwise quiet as Flaine continued.
"So, I assume you saw the video I left you?" He asked.
"Yeah, I saw it. And I decided I want to help," Ruby said with a smile.
Flaine nodded and raised his left arm, as he began pressing a series of buttons on a small arm-mounted device. "Wonderful, I was hoping you would," He finished pushing buttons and a large green energy circle appeared behind him.
"Whoa! What is that?" Ruby asked in awe.
"That, is how we will be moving about, for the most part. It is a portal created by a machine I built called the Dimension Jumper. It's very complex, so I wont go into the specifics. All you need to know for now, is that it will help us get from place to place."
"Cool," Ruby smiled as she stared at the portal, then shook her head and looked at the other person present. "And who is that?"
"Call me Master Chief," was the only thing she got as a response from the man. He then entered the portal, leaving Ruby and Dr. Flaine in the clearing.
"He doesn't talk much, don't worry though, he grows on you," Flaine explained. "Anyways, we'd better go, we have a lot to do, yet."
Ruby nodded and followed as Flaine entered the portal. Though she wasn't fully expecting to emerge into a spaceship. Needless to say, everyone aboard the Sanctuary was subjected to a lot of impressed ramblings for quite a while.
Author's Note:
Oh my god, I'm sorry this took so long to post. I have had a lot going on since chapter 1. I don't really want to go into specifics, so I'll just say that chapter 3 will not take me as long.
And again, I want to say thank you for all of the positive feedback and how well this story was received when it came out. Keep it up everyone, you guys are the reason I keep doing this. Thanks so much for your support and please feel free to leave me a review if you have questions, any ideas, or just wanna talk to me.
As Always,
I'll See You Starside,
Soul's Release