Well, that last chapter was really something huh? I introduced Qrow, Salem and to a lesser extent, Raven, Goodwitch, Ozpin and Ironwood. RNR know about The Outsider, and hopefully you have theories about just where I'm going with this fic. I would honestly want to know your speculations in the reviews! On a more technical note, the last chapter was just about 4 pages in Microsoft Word so now I should be getting chapter length and pacing to a good standard. Anyways, don't forget to follow if you want to see more, fav if you like it and review so you can throw in your opinions and theories!
To the story!
A young woman with mint green hair, red irises and medium-brown skin was running for her life. Behind her were the yells of an angry store clerk, words like 'thief' and 'street rat' mingled with curses in the Mistralian language as several civilians chased her through run-down alleys relentlessly.
She had absolute confidence in herself that she could thrash them all at once, if she had actuality eaten anything for the last week and a half.
Running was all this woman could do, there were too many for her semblance to deceive and she was in too terrible of a condition to defend herself. Her life had gone back to how it was before she met Cinder, except now she knew she was being hunted. Mercury would be sent after her, and she would die like all the other deserters they had taken down.
That, or she could keep running.
Emerald Sustrai spared a glance behind her when she heard the voices get further away, and quickly took small bites of the loaf of bread she stole. Food was getting harder to obtain for everyone, with distrust among the kingdoms, small towns were suffering while the larger cities like the one she was in became paranoid, which made everyone's pockets seem to be that little bit harder to pilfer.
'All according to the fucking plan' Emerald mused bitterly. She just couldn't handle the guilt after Beacon fell and ran. She couldn't go back to Vale while it was still in ruins after the Grimm took up residence, even if they were being cleared out like she heard. Atlas was out of the question since no one trusted them anymore to charter flights or sailing ventures and staying in Mistral was a death sentence.
That train of thought led to two places, Vacuo who was even worse off than Mistral with Grimm getting bolder by the week and Menagerie which was where she heard the White Fang reluctantly fled to.
Emerald had finished the bread and began walking out of the dingy alley into the streets, carefully watching out for anyone who recognised her. Seeing no-one who would look at her twice, the impoverished thief made her way to the other side of town, maybe she could find where her next meal would be.
With a little luck, she might live through the month.
...
Team RNJR had been trekking for three hours after their skirmish with the Grimm when they finally reached a village named Lonemire a few miles south of Haven. The group continued to walk until they stood in front of a large tree, bare of any leaves in what was apparently the centre of town. ''Nora and I will attempt to find lodgings'' Ren said. ''Ruby, you can go to a general store to restock our perishables and Jaune can search for anyone who is willing to spare some lien for work. We can met here again in one hour.''
''Sounds like a plan!'' Ruby chirped before accepting a handful of lien and adjusting her cape over her satchels. Jaune simply nodded and trailed to the eastern side of the village.
''Hey Renny, does Jaune look sad to you? Not pathetic sad because he can totally kick some Grimm hide as good as any other great leader but the other sad like someone who we don't know stole his breakfast again...'' Nora began to ramble until Ruby clasped her hand on Nora's shoulder.
''Jaune will be fine, he might just be a little freaked out y'know? Or he could be thinking about what he said he could do with his mark, like other powers, right Ren?'' Ruby had asked the teen in green.
Ren had donned a look of deep thought before he answered in his ever calm voice. ''You do have a point that Jaune could be anxious about his power. He is likely to be anxious over something not quite within his control that he wishes to master, but we should remain cautious of other possibilities'' the ninja had concluded.
The two girls nodded and the group split to achieve their assigned tasks. Meanwhile Jaune had come up empty in ways of scrounging up some cash. ''Not even a little girl with a cat stuck in a tree'' he thought out loud. Jaune continued walking until he saw a rather worn looking man sitting on the porch of a bar, with greying hair but a face that ranged within his thirties sporting a couple of small scars on his forehead and a black eye.
''Excuse me, sir?'' Jaune had asked politely, ''do you know who's got any jobs that need doing?''
The man acknowledged Jaune by looking him up and down before speaking one word in a questioning tone.
''Huntsman?''
Jaune shook his head and replied, ''Not yet''. The weary man stood to his full height, maybe an inch taller than Jaune, but he didn't enter any stance to attack.
''No jobs really need doin', but if it's quick cash yer after then I would look in this here tavern. Guy who owns it has fights, in the cellar. You put yourself in and win money the people bet on you.''
Jaune was sceptical, but this seemed like the quickest way to make lien. The man must have sensed his doubt and spoke, ''you got a couple of hours before the fights stop, and this isn't exactly illegal as much as it's frowned at by most. Plenty of lien in there, not much else we got for fun.''
Jaune nodded and turned to walk back to the tree in the town square. ''Thank you, I'll consider it'' Jaune had called over his shoulder. The man simply shrugged and walked into the bar, leaving the door open behind him.
Ren had managed to rent two rooms in a well kept inn for a night, Nora currently doing careful research into the density of the mattresses. *bounce, bounce, bounce*. ''Hey Renny, how long do we have to wait before we can see that cool tree again?'' Nora ceased jumping on the bed and sat cross-legged, attempting to mirror her oldest but still young friend.
A valid question he had to admit, if what she meant to ask was 'Ren, how long must we be remain idle for until we may rendezvous with our comrades?' Ren sighed and checked his scroll for the time.
''We left our group forty-eight minutes ago, Nora. Perhaps we should make our way back to the town square.''
Nora gave Ren a wide grin and leaned over the bed for her bags. Not a minute later, the pair were out of the lobby and walking to the tree landmark. When they arrived, they found Jaune sitting on a wooden bench alone, tracing the mark with his other hand and a bored expression marring his youthful visage.
''Hellloooooooo leader!'' Nora had announced as she plopped down on the bench hard enough to give an unnerving creak.
Jaune snapped to attention from his reverie before returning the sentiment to his team albeit with no more than the volume needed and asking them if they had found a place to figuratively (though always a possibility for literally with Nora) crash for the night.
''We have found a place where we can stay for the night, though how goes your search for a mission?'' Ren asked while watching Nora climb the tree. Jaune brought a hand to rub the back of his neck as he told Ren. ''Well, I didn't find any missions or anything, but there was this guy who said something about betting on fights in a tavern and that we could enter the fight ourselves... I'm not to sure about it though'' Jaune answered. ''What do you guys think?''
Nora hung upside down from a branch above Jaune, a few feet from his face. ''We can fight people here? Part of me really wants to, but another part of me wants to see you kick butt! I say let RNJR fight!''
Ren stroked his chin for a couple of seconds before saying ''If you couldn't find any missions, this may be our only option besides menial civilian work. However I am sceptical of the bets, we should fight just to ensure our winnings.''
''See Jauney, Renny wants to fight too! Now we just need Ruby to vote... Where is she?'' Nora did a 360 degree spin. ''And isn't she too young to vote for things? *Gasp* Aren't WE too young to vote for things?''
Ren decided that the group wait a few minutes for Ruby to show up, and lo and behold the telltale rose petals that sprung into the air.
''Hey guys, sorry I'm late. I ran everywhere trying to find a dust shop until found out that this town didn't have one'' Ruby leaned on her knees breathing deeply through her mouth a few times before standing straight with two of the group's packs over her head, ''Got the food though so everything is okay!''
''Me and Renny found this cool hotel with bouncy beds that are so awesome, and Jauney found a bar that lets people fight for money and right now Renny and I really want to fight but Jaune wants to know what you think'' Nora had finished her analysis before dropping to the ground and dusting herself off.
Ruby tilted her head in thought, before turning to Jaune. ''I'm not sure about this, but there's no way we can lose... Right?'' Ruby wondered.
Jaune sighed and stood up from the bench. ''I guess we're gonna fight then. Come on, I'll show you the way then afterwards Ren can take us to the hotel'' Jaune beckoned his friends to follow him and they followed one of the streets to the tavern.
...
Glynda Goodwitch had been stationed in the residential district of Vale, decimating Grimm left and right with swipes of her riding crop by slamming them into each other or ripping them to pieces when familiar cawing of a bird briefly caught her attention.
Quickly ridding the area of a stubborn boarbatusk, she turned to address her avian ally.
''Qrow, this had best be important-'' Glynda paused to raise a charging Beowulf into the air with her semblance, dismembering it's arms and using them to claw out the throats of several Creeps before they disintegrated. ''-I am currently occupied with something''. The blonde mage had expertly rolled out of they way of another Boarbatusk in it's charge.
The Boarbatusk didn't live long as a gunshot was heard and Glynda turned her head to see the dishevelled Huntsman holding out his scythe with the blade shortened and bent forwards, his appearance was rough around the edges due to his time dedicated to following Miss Rose and the survivors of team JNPR through the wilderness.
''Believe me Glynda, you're gonna want to hear this'' he began to assist her in purging the remaining Grimm, taking the professionals less than a minute to paint the street red.
Glynda pushed her glasses a little higher on the bridge of her nose, the right lens bearing a crack and fixed her hair which had loosened during the fight before Qrow had appeared. She still wore her purple cape, even though it had several rips along the fabric as did her sleeves.
''Whatever is the matter Qrow? You certainly did not come all the way from Mistral to waste either of our time'' Glynda crossed her arms, waiting for Qrow's response.
Qrow shook his head sideways and leaned closer to Glynda. ''It's about that your former student, that Jaune kid... he's been chosen by that damned Outsider'' he growled. Glynda for a moment appeared flabbergasted and opened her mouth to speak but Qrow kept talking, ''We shouldn't discuss this right now, even if it is as big of a deal as last time.''
Glynda Goodwitch nodded and the two made their way back to the one of the safe zones in Vale, where the Huntsmen could rest between their time clearing the Grimm and the civilians could wait to be evacuated. After passing through a guarded checkpoint they walked towards the building reserved for the Huntsmen, moving past the occasional injured man or woman and stepped into a sparsely decorated lobby, finding an elevator which took them a few levels higher to the floor where Glynda currently lived.
A short walk down a corridor and Qrow followed the huntress through a door into a bare living room with a single window open wide for the light. 'Really Glyn, would it kill you to get a rug?'
The blonde witch spun on her heel to face Qrow, sporting a look of concern. ''No games, Qrow. Tell me the truth... Did The Outsider claim Mr Arc?''
Taking a swig from his flask and settling to lean against the wall, Qrow nodded solemnly. ''Just like Raven, even saw him dance with an Alpha Beowulf. Impaled it right through the bone plates.'' There was no devil-may-care attitude from Qrow... Something that Glynda figured must have been from the memory of Miss Branwen.
''Who else knows this?''
Qrow held an arm up reassuringly, ''Far as I know, us and the kids.''
That made sense, out in the wilderness where no-one would be around to witness amazing feats and Qrow did have a head on his shoulders. Even if it was diluted with alcohol.
''As much as I would want it otherwise, James must know about this. I'll send him an encrypted text and you continue to watch over my students.'' Glynda removed her glasses to polish them with her sleeve, placing them back on her face with a deep sigh.
''Got it, anything else you need while I'm out?'' Qrow had stated mirthfully while walking over to the window.
''No, just try to not drink as much. We don't need you flying into a tree like in our initiation again do we?'' Glynda jested, making Qrow grumble something about Tai and spiked water bottles before vanishing through the window without so much as a squawk.
Turning around, Glynda brought out her scroll and typed a message to one General James Ironwood. Leviathans in the Deep share a bittersweet song.
''What has the world come to?'' Glynda stared through the open window towards a grey dusk.
Another chapter under my figurative belt! I have plans for this little tale, such plans yet to be seen mwhahahaaa... Anyways, anyone catch the V4 Character short? IT WAS SO BADASS! And Ren's new threads are cool, everyone practically changed wardrobe and the animation overhaul was awesome! The Grimm are so freaking neat what with the glowing and the smoke effects and all. Come October 22nd the RWBY fandom will rejoice! Or weep. Maybe both? Until next time!
Teaser: Next chapter will have Yang.