Here we go again!:)

RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth and is the creation of Monty, Miles and Kerry


Emerald ran back into the comforting darkness of the alleys. While she had no trouble navigating the route back to her sleeping spot, her mind was in a whirlwind.

How dare he. How dare he?

She had helped him, saved him from the stealers and got him to safety, even tried to get him to safety away from Renard (that he had actually managed to save her there was uncomfortably forgotten) and what did he do in return?

Pity her!

Pity. She didn't need pity. She had enough of pity from the people in the streets. People who gave them, all the street rats in their filthy and torn clothing while they had clean and colourful clothes, those looks of disgust and condescending pity. They would shake their head at the sight , and then continue on their way to meet their families and eat their three square meals a day without a second thought. Every now and then, one threw a lien coin at them, or some food, or even some clothes during the winter. They took them because pride came second to survival, but the feelings of inferiority still rankled.

Her hands clenched. She had seen the same look in his eyes. That moment when he found out that she didn't live a happy life like him. When he found out that she didn't eat Ice-Cream(as if that meant anything for people who starved every day),that she had no family to return to. She hadn't complained before, and lost what was likely to be the largest meal she ever had(she still felt slightly funny from it) and would probably ever have.

And then he asked her to live with him. Like a stray cat or dog. Something he would feed and keep clean and possibly dress up to make himself feel better.

She'd rather rummage through trash. At least she would be living on her own strength.

Alone.

She took a little more time than usual to reach because of her full belly. Her sleeping spot was a few moldy blankets arranged besides an old wall of an abandoned house. She would go to sleep now that she was fed and would be able to hawk the powder the older crooks gave them. There was a new supplier, a youngish man with hair that was even brighter red than Renard and a weird laugh. She didn't like how he looked at everyone, but he paid well.

It was probably her dulled senses that were to blame, or maybe she was too busy with her miserable thoughts, but she only noticed that someone was watching her when she almost walked into the trap.

She stilled, heart beating furiously. It wasn't something she had heard, or seen, or smelt. It was just a knowledge that she wasn't alone in that place.

She took a few steps back, the pounding in her head drowning out everything. She knew, knew, that there was someone there. It was just something she always knew, from when she was eight. Or maybe seven. She trusted her instinct, and slowly backed out of the alley where she slept, her eyes scanning the shadows for anything that stuck out. Like the rat before the trap...

With a scream of jubilation, a red headed figure burst out from behind the dumps. Emerald let out a scream of fear of her own, helplessly throwing out her hands and closing her eyes. It wouldn't do much, but there was nothing she could do but wait for the knife to land...

And bounce off?

As if it were just a rubber knife, what she recognized to be a tin can top folded into a serrated blade crumped uselessly against her palm. The other hand, however, grabbed her throat with ease. She lashed out desperately, and landed a blow on the jaw of her bigger assailant. To her surprise, he let go with a grunt of pain.

She didn't question her luck, turning to run. She knew the alleys like the back of her hand, but Renard was older and had been born here. The only way she could escape for good was to reach the police station and take her chance with the Bluecoats.

Now to keep away long enough for that...

She took a sharp turn into a small alley, cursing the greed that had made her eat so much. She couldn't possibly run as fast as she always did. All she could hope was for that he didn't see her.

No such luck. He was no fool and had probably hidden here before from older kids, because he immediately stopped and looked inside.

Curled in a crack, Emerald prayed with all the desperation in her heart for him to not see her, that he would just look in and see nothing...

Tin Renard looked in, and he saw her.

"Get away from me!" She shrieked, backing away as he closed in on her. His scarred face was in an ugly leer as he approached her. Emerald's hope ran out as his eyes fell directly upon her.

And passed over.

He looked in every book and cranny, even upturned some cardboard boxes, and spied out every crack. He looked at her three times, ignoring her presence completely. He mumbled curses at her name. His teeth gnashed like a beast and his hands clenched. He looked around the alley like a crazed dog.

But he didn't see nor hear her.

Emerald's breathing slowed down. A very strange thought came to her. Slowly, nervously, like a rat emerging from it's hole, she took a step out. She looked in his direction. He was looking her way.

He didn't react at all.

She slowly edged towards the end, her footsteps making noises when they met the puddles on the floor due to the pipe's overflow. Tin Renard suddenly jumped and looked in her direction...

She barely let out a squeak as his eyes didn't stay on her for a moment. He snorted, tuened around,rummaged around in the alley for a minute, then turned and left, cursing all the way and discussing how he would rip her eyes out and...with her barely a step besides him.

Emerald sank to her knees, drained. What just happened... Made no sense. She would try to make some later, when she was safe.

She forced herself onto her feet, and fled to safety as fast as she could.


Looks like Emerald has received the first miracle of her life. Well, I say that she's long overdue!

Sorry for no Jaune PoV. That will come later. This fic was originally supposed to be just a 2K oneshot, but it seems to have gone slightly longer. Nevertheless, the next chapter will be the end of the Introduction Arc.

I'll see about continuing after that.