0ooooooooooooooooooo0
Colt
Redbreach, Abandoned outskirt city.
"Are you sure about this, Church?" I asked, looking at the vehicle before me. I regarded it with a look of awe yet apprehension.
"Sure thing, Colt. Even if you crashed, everything would be fine because of your Aura, though it might tear up your clothes. Besides, I'll be analyzing traffic in your area and advising when needed throughout the date." Church side, materializing at his shoulder and looking at the new motorcycle, with chrome parts on the exterior and black covers, seats, and handlebars, it was very slick in design.
"What did you say it was like in your galaxy?" I asked as I pulled on the helmet, stepping cautiously to straddle the bike.
"It's a lot like a Yamaha, model 2017 YZF-R6 ABS, according to records. I saved a lot of pictures of bikes in my hardware, wanted to get one when I got back home from the fake war." Church growled. "Anyway, let's get going. We've got today to teach you how to ride this thing, come back, take a shower and change, and get the the bullhead pads at 6."
I waved my hand. "I'm sure it'll be easy."
0oooooooooooooooo0
Ruby
Beacon
"Alright, sis. So what do you do if he tries to make a move on you?" Yang drilled.
"What kind of move? You said there are all types of moves. Ones that lead to kissing, ones that mean you need to run or draw your weapons, and York told me if a boy makes a move to castrate him." I whined. Behind me, Pyrrha giggled, reading an X-ray and Vav comic.
Weiss rolled her eyes, then left to go look for Blake, who had disappeared soon after we arrived in the library.
"The kind of move that means you need to castrate him." Yang said. "Honestly, he's not allowed to touch here or here." She pointed out the crotch and breast. "Not with his hands. If he brushes them or something, that's fine."
"Why the chest?" Nora asked, gesturing to me. "It's not like there's really anything there to touch.
"Okay, Nora, I think it's time we left." Ren began pulling the carrot-haired girl away as soon as he saw the sisters' death glares.
"But why are you teaching me this stuff."
"Rubes, you have no experience in being social-"
"Hey!" I interjected. A couple of people glared at me, raising fingers to their lips.
"You know it's true!" Yang pressed, waving my comment off. "I need to make sure you lose what might be your only chance of having a boyfriend for the next four years."
"Yang!" I cried, with resounding shushing around the library.
0ooooooooooooo0
Colt
After barely making it out of the driveway, I finally started to get the hang of it as I zipped through the ruined streets of Redbreach, one of many abandoned attempts at a town near Vale. I had set up a new home on the outskirts of this ruined attempt at civilization, in a modest home that gave me plenty more comforts than the shacks that littered the Shadowed Peaks.
Church screamed like a girl as I turned, leaning down towards the ground suddenly. I quickly corrected, now knowing that, once again, it was different in many ways to a horse.
I whooped as I sped up, the engine buzzing like a mechanical insect.
"Easy tiger, don't get yourself killed, then my life'll be a hell of lot more boring." Church's voice crackled.
"It's okay, Church, I think I've got this!" I said, braking and turning hard to spin around and pop a wheelie before speeding on back.
"Yeah, it actually does look like you're getting the hang of it, kid." Church admitted, and I swear he had his programmed eyebrows raised. "Let's head back before we attract a Grimm that might actually be a challenge for you."
"You mean there are ones that usually aren't?" I asked, slowing to a stop next to a half-constructed four-story hotel. I'd found clean towels and bed sheets when exploring there.
"Beowolves a mile to the east, Ursa somewhere closing in from the west, but it's still a ways out. Wait, hold on. I've got something big, something just blipped on the long-range sensors, but it's on the far edge, kind of patrolling, weaving its way here. I'd suspect a Nevermore."
How do you tell which kinds they are?" I asked.
"Beowolves are usually in large numbers, packs are easy to read, and Ursa are usually in pairs, Giant Nevermores usually fly in straightish lines, big on the sensors, while griffons and smaller Nevermores are smaller versions. Beringel's and Deathstalker's are hard to tell apart, but Goliaths also travel together, and are bigger than both." Church stated, "I can also tell Grimm apart from troops and such because of aura sensors. As long as there's a person inside, I can read it."
"That's actually really cool, Church." I grinned as I started back down the street. "Well, I guess we should head back to the house, so I can get ready." I sighed, a hint of nervousness in my voice.
"You're gonna be fine, Colt. Besides, I'll be with you every step of the way."
"That both comforts and worries me…"
0oooooooooooooo0
Ruby
Vale Bullhead pads
After my teammates had their fun with my outfit and the little makeup I left them apply, I had barely escaped to catch the bullhead to Vale, absent-mindedly taping Crescent Rose for comfort. I was sure I looked like a wreck.
When the bullhead landed, I stepped off and looked around, seeing if I could spot Colt, then went to the ticket station, standing in the foyer.
"You certainly look different." I heard him say behind me, and I turned to look at the teen in front of me.
Colt was dressed in a navy-blue shirt and a pair of jeans, a black belt with a rectangular silver buckle was wrapped around his waist, the longsword and his pistol in view from his hips. At his feet were a pair of brown, square-toed cowboy boots. Over his shirt was an open jacket, black with silver buttons and red cuffs, which intercepted his gloved hands.
He looked over me, my own pair of black denim skinny jeans and a pair of black, calf-hugging boots with a two-inch heel, the black T-shirt with a single rose positioned over my heart, a larger version on my back, but that was covered by the tan leather jacket I wore, Crescent Rose hugging my back just below where the edge of the jacket stopped, so, without the weapon there, you would be able to see my lower back.
"Did I overdo it?" I asked, brushing my hair, which I had left alone for the night, out of my face.
He shook his head. "You're outfit looks great, Ruby." He told me, and I blushed at his compliment, happy and suddenly relaxed at his words. After a few moments, he gestured towards the city. "Let's head that way."
I looked around. "Colt, the next bus doesn't show up for a few minutes." I told him, glancing at a clock that read the estimated time for the next city bus.
"I bought a bike." He told me, pointing over to a sleek black-and silver motorcycle with a helmet resting on the handlebars.
"That ought to be fun." I told him. "But I don't have a helmet."
Liquid seeped from his sleeve into his hand, taking form before hardening into a helmet identical to the last.
"Okay, you're going to have to show me how you did that." I told him, eyes starting to sparkle at this new power.
"We can talk about it when we're there, we'll have plenty of time." He told me, handing the helmet to me, which I slipped onto my head and into a snug fit. We walked over to the bike, and I slid up to Colt, wrapping my arms around his waist. Colt started the motorcycle, then he started slowly, but when he pulled into the first main street, he gassed it, and we tore off into the city.
A good thirty minutes later, we pulled into the carnival pier's parking lot. Colt waited until I was off, then swung off, his helmet disappearing into his sleeve. "Here, toss me your helmet." He told me, and I handed it to him, watching in awe as it melted and disappeared.
He grinned as we began walking. "So, you wanna know my secrets? Ask away." He encouraged, then added, "But one at a time."
"Okay, how do you make stuff disappear and appear in liquid trails?" I asked. "Is it part of your Semblance?"
"No, it's not, I make things appear and disappear through this." He told me, then pulled back his sleeve to reveal a midnight-black gauntlet covering his arm. "I call it the holo-gauntlet."
I stopped and grabbed his arm, examining the device with interest and awe. There was a small depression that allowed me to pop open a cover, where a few buttons and gadgets lay. "What is it?" I asked, looking up at him.
"I made it originally when I had this idea. I used hard-light to create tools and weapons, using a computer and a projector, so it can be used as a scroll, too. It also has equipment to monitor my vitals as chemical readouts, plus a small patch of needles that use different vaccines and shots of adrenaline in times of need." He told me, pressing a button, which made a projector on the small panel that had been hidden by the flap. A screen popped into the air, and below it a keyboard. Both were about five by eight inches, the screen showing nothing but a single symbol, a tribal flame in black detail on a silver pronged shield with a helmet above it and a sword behind the shield.
"I use hand signals to access the different functions in battle, I've upgraded it so now, and it can generate a knife, shield, bow staff, and mini-crossbow in holo-weapons."
"But that doesn't explain the trails of stuff coming from the gauntlet." I told him, crossing my arms.
"Hold on, Ruby, I'll get to it." He told me, then pointed to a small ramp in the underside of the gauntlet where a small hole lay. "I installed a module in the gauntlet that creates a pocket dimension inside it, that's where I keep most of my supplies, weapons, and other objects. I call it the Void. I can request them by using the interface. Then, I wired a liquidizing module to it, using this spigot here to pull in and out the materials, except for one cool setting I use."
"What is it?" I asked him, eager to learn all of the gauntlet's secrets.
He chuckled and stopped to pay for admission into the carnival, then continued after we were inside. He flipped the gauntlet over, exposing his knuckles where four more ramps, this time exposing out of the gauntlet, lay. "I have the computer set to connect to a bar of alloy inside the Void and, with a certain signal," He rolled his fingers into a fist in a wave, and claws extended out, almost two feet long. He did the same with his other hand, and the claws liquefied, but stayed in the same shape, and slipped onto his other hand, at a same place on his gloves, while even more of the alloy made the same set of claws in his gauntlet hand. "It can also discharge energy in a large explosion, but I reserve that unless it's a dire situation, and it takes a large charge of my Aura."
"That's so cool!" I cried as he relaxed his hand, the blades disappearing into the Void.
He shrugged. "The only downfall is that it has a certain battery, which is really drained if I use it too much, and the battery is charged by solar power, so if I wear a jacket or I use it a lot during the night, it'll power down, cutting me off from my arsenal."
"How'd you get it to use solar power instead of Dust?"
"I'll keep that a secret." He told me, and then winked. He stepped away to buy wristbands for the rides, and I stood there, thinking about the interesting gauntlet and the equally fascinating person who made it.
Colt returned and attached my wristband, his hand sending electric sparks up my arm every time it brushed my skin. "So, where are we headed?"
So began one of the greatest nights ever. Of all time. We first went on the zipper, then to a ride called the Starship 2000, then onto a couple other fast spinners and one roller coaster before buying a few snacks from the pier food trucks. Colt paid for cotton candy, funnel cake, and a couple of lemonades, and we ate at the edge of the pier, our feet dangling off the pier. I soon asked to see his pistol, a Desert Eagle Mark XIX, beautifully designed with its own modifications, the grip had been replaced, the clip extended, and the reloading system modified so it could be shot from either hand.
Along with masterfully installed mods, the gun was well oiled and cleaned, and I handed it back to him with even more respect. Gun care had always been important to me, and his was as devoted as mine with my own Crescent Rose.
We continued with a second roller coaster and a circular ride called the Fireball, then we played a few Carnival games, saving the Ferris wheel for last, and Colt won me a plush wolf, which reminded me of Zwei back home. I hugged it tight and thanked him over and over, while he just smiled.
Colt, Plush Zwei, and I boarded the Ferris wheel, a giant ride that stood easily over 200 yards tall, with tons of cars on the rim. It rose slowly until the last few cars were loaded, and then we rotated. I looked out to Vale, resting my chin on my arm. The sun had set and the lights lit the city beautifully. I smiled.
"There's a sight that really takes your breath away." Colt said behind me.
I nodded, "Yeah, it's a good view of the city from up here."
"I uh…" He coughed awkwardly. "I wasn't talking about the view."
I flipped around to see his face reddening. "I'm sorry, I made it awkward, I didn't mean it! Well, I did, but it just wasn't the right time and I probably just ruined everyth-"
I cut him off by sliding over to him and leaning in, lightly brushing my hair back and pushing my lips against his, closing my eyes as fire seemed to spread across my body.
Colt froze, and I continued for a couple seconds. I panicked, worried that I'd assumed too much, and was about to pull away.
Almost sensing my worry, his hand wrapped around my neck, pulling me back in. I let out a muffled squeak in surprise as he finally got into the kiss. My own first kiss had just been taken, and except for a few tips from Yang every now and again, I was clueless on how to proceed. Our lips separated lightly, then Colt pushed back in, locking my lower lip between his. My arms instinctively wrapped around his neck, hands hanging loosely off the wall of the carriage.
Colt pulled away, breathing deeply through his nose, and he gave me a grin. "Well, that went better than expected."
I giggled, then he kissed me again. His hand intertwined with mine. He pulled back, the top of his teeth gently nibbling my bottom lip.
"You're way too good at this." I told him.
He shrugged. "I blame TV." He chuckled, our foreheads touching with only a couple inches between our noses. Colt sighed as the Ferris wheel seemed to stop, letting us out. I was amazed. Time seemed to have flown by. I checked my scroll, and my eyes widened. I'd been at the fair with Colt for four hours, and the last Bullhead to Beacon was about to leave in five minutes.
"Colt, I need to go. How fast can you get me to the launch pad?" I asked, and he gave me a wicked grin.
The answer was very, and it upset my stomach, but I was able to keep it down. We arrived in two minutes, plenty of time to get me onto the Bullhead. I turned one last time to Colt, who offered a weak smile. "I had a great time with you tonight." I said, stepping up and hugging him.
"I'm glad, 'cause I did, too." He said, pecking my lips. "Goodnight, Ruby."
And with that, I turned and boarded the Bullhead, watching him roar away as I rose into the sky.
0oooooooooooooooooo0
Unknown Location
Colt
I pulled into the small alleyway and stepped off my bike, swinging off the seat and moving a dumpster that covered the small cavity I had created days ago, sliding my motorcycle into the space before sliding the dumpster back.
Next to the dumpster's original spot was a manhole. I removed the cover and dropped in, then slid the cover back over, letting a flame ignite into existence in my hand.
I now stood in a section of the old sewers, which were now obsolete, due to all of the new pipes being connected, and with a little cleaning supplies, elbow grease and air freshener, you couldn't really pick up the smell. I stepped around to the underground compound I had created, sliding down a pipe to where Summit waited.
"Dude, you did great!" Church materialized due to a projector placed on a table, connected to the computer. The white AI had his arms crossed. "That line at the Ferris Wheel was great."
"Really? It seemed corny…" I muttered.
"It worked, didn't it?"
"Thanks for your advice Church." I said awkwardly.
"And…"
I glanced over, eyebrow raised. "And?"
Church sighed. "Aren't you glad for all those awkward lessons on kissing?"
I chuckled, then looked over to Summit.
You're late. The wolf growled in my mind.
"Oh, calm down, Summit." I told him. "It's not like you can't entertain yourself, you've been analyzing all the stuff from our world."
The wolf shook his head, looking at the objects around him. I have learned many things from you, Colt and Church. What shall we go over today?
I smiled and took a seat on the armchair in a corner of the room. Church pointed at the wolf. "I figured I'd let you decide."
I've heard so much about Dust and Aura, tools you humans use. What are they?
Church had been tutoring us both on the modern world, educating us with what he could for the past week. I had found him soon after my arrival in Vale, while adding a small computer system. He had hacked in and quickly decided to stick around, refusing to reveal anything about himself.
I was still a bit wary of Church, due to his secretive nature and sudden appearance, but I allowed the AI to instruct Summit and me in the ways of society. As soon as he learned of my interest in Ruby, he'd began teaching me in the ways of dating. Together, we taught Summit the laws, procedures, and daily rituals of life, as well as understanding the English language. I relayed the message to Church, and he smiled.
"Well, that's a good one, Summit. Accessing files now."
"Dust is a mineral that harnesses certain elements of nature. The four main ones are Fire, Electricity, Ice, and Wind. They're really effective against Grimm, and they can be used in weapons as well as infused into tech and clothes." I told the wolf.
"There are currently twenty types of pure dust and fifty alloys of combined Dust elements and/or metals." Church said. "And only half of those are actually utilized by the majority of the public."
That seems absurd. Why only use a few types?
"I think they don't truly see some of the uses of them, or they don't know. Most are in laboratory and testing stages, while others are used expressly for military Spec Ops."
"Aura is the manifestation of a person's soul. Everyone on Remnant has one, Faunus or human. Only animals and Grimm don't seem to have one." I said, "It protects us, gives us power, could renew someone's stamina or increase their strength."
"And a Semblance is the greatest power your Aura can create. It's a power that is unique to each person's character." Church said. "Colt here is a rare case: most humans can only possess one, he has three."
"Pyromancy, Telekinesis, and telepathy."
What are those? Summit cocked his head to the side.
"Pyromancy is the ability to control fire and summon its creatures. This one time, I was able to call a phoenix and it was there for two seconds, then burst into nothingness." Colt told the wolf. "The other two let me move objects and talk to things by mind. It's how I can talk to you."
"Alright, I think that's all we have for today." Church told them, then seemed to pause and sigh, "Hey, Colt, can I speak to you in private?"
I shrugged. "Sure thing. Summit? Could you step out, please?"
The wolf trotted away into the abandoned sewers, and I turned to face the AI.
"I've been looking into what you asked. About the fall of your village." Church said easily. "I hacked into the files, and I found something."
I stood, eyes widened. "What?"
"There were signs of sabotage on the gates, someone wanted the Grimm to breach the village walls. So, when your sisters were born, your mother gave so much pain it, and when it was combined with worry from others in the village, it attracted enough Grimm to get through, leading to the fall."
I shrugged off my jacket and shirt, leaving my white crew undershirt then made my light armor, my Shadow Hunter armor, float into my hands. I kicked off my boots and pants as I pulled on the shirt, then attached the armor to my biceps and right arm I pulled on the pair of pants, the zipper on the side quickly ascending as I pulled on the chrome-plated boots. Next came my bandolier, and I clipped it along with my belt, then strapped on my knives and ammo cases.
"What are you doing, Colt?"
"We're going home, Church. I need to sort out the truth." I told him, shrugging on my trench coat and sliding my triple case onto my back before pulling my hat onto my head. "Port to my gauntlet, we're leaving." I told him. His hologram disappeared and I heard my gauntlet beep, signaling the transfer.
I whistled, two pitches, the last higher by an octave than the last, and Summit loped back into the room. "We're going on a trip, Summit. Back to my old village."
In the Wilds? Why?
"Someone sabotaged the gates. I'm going to find out who and why." I growled. "Let's get going, it's a long way there."
0ooooooooooooooooo0
Beacon auditorium
Ruby
"As first-year student, you will be tasked with shadowing a professional huntsmen or huntress, on a mission." Ozpin spoke, his voice ringing through the amphitheater. "Some of you may be taken out of the kingdom for several days, others may work within the walls for the rest of the week. But, no matter which path you choose, remember to be safe, remember your training, and remember to do your very best."
"This is perfect." I said to the rest of my team. "All we have to do is shadow a huntsmen working in the Southeast."
Yang spoke up. "Yeah! We'll follow them around by day and give them the slip at night." She added.
"Let's check search and destroy." Weiss suggested, and we all stepped towards the panels.
