Disclaimer: I don't own either RWBY or Digimon.
A/N: Here we are, the second part of the prologue. I know it seems weird to work on the second part so soon after the first, but I want people to read the prologues back to back, because they all happen at the same time. Anyway, I hoped you guys enjoyed the first prologue. Some of you might have noticed that I took heavy inspiration from the first episode of the classic Ben 10 series. I wanted to show that Jaune really wanted to help people, but he just didn't have the strength to do it himself yet, which the Ben 10 episode showed off brilliantly in its opening. I'll probably include other references and inspirations from other franchises and shows, so be on the lookout for that. Also, yes I did give Jaune goggles, because you can't have Digimon without someone wearing goggles, except that one time they did. Anyway, this is what I meant when I said that these characters will be different from their canon counterparts. So if you hate that, then this story isn't for you. Some of you might have questions regarding the Digimon stuff, and whether or not I'll be using the English terminology, Japanese terminology, etc. To keep it short, I'll use whatever I feel like using: I might use an English name for 1 thing, and use the Japanese one for another; I might use something from original Adventure, or something from Savers/Data Squad, etc. It really depends on how I feel about it. With all of that said, let's get on with the chapter. You also might have noticed a change in the rating. With what I want to do, and how my writing usually turns out, I feel like T is more appropriate.
L
Walking, it was something that 10 year-old Lie Ren was familiar with by now. For the last few months, his life has been nothing but walking from place to place, scavenging for any type of food he could find, all the while keeping them safe. Yes, them. Lie Ren wasn't alone, he was traveling with a small girl around his age. The girl has dirty, red hair; and piercing blue eyes, ones that Ren can feel staring into his soul every time she looks at him; and she wears a black jacket, a white shirt with a pink, broken heart, pink shorts, and pink shoes. She called herself Nora Valkyrie, and she has been Ren's sole companion for the last 2 months. Or was it 3? It was hard to keep time when everyday amounted to walking and more walking. She doesn't talk much, then again neither does Ren, but Ren doesn't really mind the silence, it helps him keep his mind focus on walking and scavenging for food, and keeps his thoughts away from the reason they're walking in the first place. The two keep walking, unsure of where they're going, of where their next meal will come from, unsure if tomorrow will even come. But they have each other, and that's all they need, so long as they have one another then they'll make it through the day, otherwise the other might end up alone.
It was still morning when Ren saw the outline of a town in the distance, one that hopefully wouldn't mind if they took some loose scrapes of food, and maybe they could beg for some money. Ren's just glad to finally see civilization again, its been weeks since they've last been in a village. With his new destination set, he turns back, and starts walking back to their "camp", which was just a small clearing in the forest and a tent they were given from a previous village. Nora wasn't feeling well, so they were thinking about staying there again for the day, and Ren was just looking around for food. But since they're so close to another village, it might be better for them to continue walking, even if Nora wasn't in perfect condition. The village was bound to have alleys they could sleep in, and they might even have Huntsmen to protect them from the Grimm, a constant threat while traveling.
It took Ren a bit longer to return to the camp than he would like, he must have travelled farther than he thought. But if they started moving now, then it would still be light out when they reach town, a must if they want to beg for scrapes and loose change. He makes his way to their tent and hoped that Nora was feeling good enough to travel.
"Hey Nora," he began, his voice was quiet and gentle, hoping he didn't startle his companion. "I've found a village a little further up. If you're feeling better, then maybe we could get moving?" He said as he entered the tent, but he stopped talking as soon as he did. In the tent, Nora was curled up in a corner, shaking, and hyperventilating. Ren instantly rushed to his friend and wrapped his arms around her. Almost immediately, Nora's colors began to fade, her breathing started to slow, and the shaking stopped. Ren didn't know how he got this power, only that he can stop a person from feeling negative emotions, which is the only reason the two haven't been overrun with Grimm during their travels. The pair spent a few minutes like this, neither one dared move.
"Thank you," the silence was finally broken by Nora, who turned to smile at Ren. A smile that reminded Ren of simpler times, a smile that Ren swore to protect. With the situation over, the two parted from each other, both of them feeling better than they did moments before. "You said you found a village, right? So what are we waiting for? Let's hurry up and go." Most people would have been taken aback by the contrast between how Nora was acting now vs just moments ago, but Ren was used to this, and in fact he preferred it this way. The gung-ho and spontaneous girl was the real Nora, how she would act like with a normal life, and how Ren would hope she'll act like in the future. It didn't take long for them to pack up camp, it was just that small tent, and they started walking towards the town.
It was around midday when the two of them reached the town. While the town wasn't to the size of cities like Mistral or Argus, it was bigger than what Ren and Nora were familiar with, and that brought a wave of anxiety and caution to the young kids. Grabbing each other's hands, Ren used his strange ability to rid themselves of their negative emotions, pushing them to the back of their minds where they wouldn't think about them. Hand in hand, the two take their first steps into town. While they were looking for a good place to start begging, Ren looked at his reflection in the windows of the buildings they were walking along. His black hair, which was usually tied up in a small bun, now flows freely down his face, and is matted with dirt and grease, and his magenta streak now appears to be as black as the rest of his hair; his clothes, a green coat with black and magenta accents, white pants, and black sandals were similar covered in dirt and grime. Traveling the road didn't leave one with much opportunity to clean one's self and clothing.
The two made their way to a central hub of the town, a circular area lined with shops with a fountain in the middle. "I think this area is good enough," Nora reasoned, looking at Ren and waiting for his response. Ren took his time before answering, looking at all the shops, the types of people walking around, and the time of day. Until eventually, "I agree, and if worst comes to worst, we can take the change from the fountain." With their temporary base set, the two hid their stuff in a nearby alley, and started begging in front of the fountain. It wasn't long before some people walked over and gave them some money, most likely just loose pocket change, but any money was good enough for Ren. As the day went on, less and less people gave them money, but that was to be expected. At the end of the day, Ren counted up their profits and smiled, they earned enough for a small meal, which means they wouldn't go to bed hungry again. "We earned a lot today, didn't we? Maybe our luck's beginning to change?" Ren said, feeling content with the days results. What he didn't expect was for Nora to whip her head at him, and gasp loudly, louder than any other time he's heard her speak before. "You shouldn't say that! Something bad always happens after you say that! You've doomed us all!" She cried out dramatically, whipping her head from one direction to the next, looking for anything out of place or dangerous. Ren just shook his head with a small smile. He wanted more of the energetic Nora, but even still, she says some of the strangest things.
"Nora, I don't think something bad will happen just because of something I said."
"Yes it will! The universe always gets even with people who doubt its power!"
"Nora, I think you're just being paranoid, nothing's going to happen to us."
"Just wait Ren, the universe has a way of dealing with nonbelievers." Ren waited a moment, and another, and another. "See Nora, you're just being paranoid. I don't think the universe is personally out to-"
"HEY! What are you two doing out past curfew?" Busted, looks like a police officer discovered them. Ren and Nora looked at each other, and at the officer running towards them, and made a split-second decision. They quickly jumped into the alley from before, grabbed their tent, and ran. While the officer was no doubt faster than them, their smaller bodies made it easy for them to squeeze through cracks and tight openings, and they quickly lost him. But the two of them didn't stop running, that cop might have alerted others about them, so they couldn't afford to be caught.
"I told you, the universe finds a way."
"Nora, this is just a coincidence. There is no evidence that we were caught because I said something."
"I wouldn't taunt the universe if I were you." Nora insisted. Ren just sighed, arguments with Nora usually ended up like this, with her insisting on something before forgetting about it completely in just a few minutes. Still, seeing Nora act more open and energetic brings a small smile to Ren. During their travels, Ren saw glimpses of the real Nora, but never this much before. 'Perhaps things really are looking up. So long as we have each other, we'll pull through.' Unfortunately, neither of them were paying attention to where they were going, and ended up running into someone, and all of them fell to the ground. The person they ran into was a short, old man wearing dark blue robes with pale red accents, and red sandals. He was mostly bald, save for his small ponytail and large mustache, both of which were very grey. Ren and Nora quickly got up, apologized to the old man, and prepared to leave.
"Now hold on a moment," the old man began, "You two nearly ran me over, I could've broken a hip. I think as punishment, you should help me carry my groceries back to my home." He gestured to the bags sprawled across the ground. The two of them looked at the bags, then at the old man struggling to get up, then at each other. Both of them felt guilty and agreed. Nora helped the old man up, and Ren picked up the bags, and the three of them set of towards the old man's home.
The old man's house was small, but not tiny, large enough for maybe 3 or 4 people to live in comfortably. And the style was familiar to Ren, very familiar, it was the same style of the houses in...His colors become muted as he reflexively used his power again. Ren quickly turned it off, when he realized what he did. He hoped the old man didn't notice, but it was hard to tell because he never opens his eyes. The inside of the house was furnished quite a bit: bookcases filled with books that Ren couldn't understand; chairs and seats with soft looking cushions, and that was just the main room. The old man led them to his kitchen which had countertops made of a material that Ren didn't recognize; a small wooden table with four chairs; a small refrigerator in the corner; and a large array of cooking utensils hanging up on the wall.
"Just put those bags on that counter right there, thank you," the old man spoke for the first time since their meeting. "I'll get starting on making us something to eat, then I'll prepare a room for you." Ren and Nora looked at each other confused. "What do you mean sir? I thought we were only carrying your bags?" Ren asked.
"Yes well, you helped me carry my bags home when you could've just ran away, and I think that deserves a reward. Besides, if you go out now, you'll just get in trouble for being out during curfew, and sent back to your parents. And judging by your appearance, they don't live around here, do they?" His last statement stung a lot harder than the old man meant, but it still hurt the two children. Nora grew quiet, reverting back to the girl she was at the start of their travels, and Ren could feel the tears about to fall, but he held them back as hard as he could. He wanted to use his power to calm the both of them down, but he didn't want to reveal it to the old man, scared he might take him away from Nora. "I must have said something I shouldn't. Please forgive this old man for his mistake." Ren could here the guilt in his voice, and that calmed him down a little bit. "I'll make some food, its up to you two if you want to join." Ren wanted to leave, to resume their journey, but the smell of warm food kept tempting him, and Nora kept looking at him like she wanted to stay, and eventually, "We'll stay for the night."
"Excellent. Come and help me ok. Food always tastes better when you help make it." And the three of them enjoyed a nice dinner of soup, the best meal Ren and Nora had in a long time. After that, the old man said something about getting the bath ready so that they could clean off the dirt and grime that built up during their journey. The moment he stepped into the bath, Ren felt better than he's done in a while. His hair, which was tangled and covered in and grime, felt silky and smooth to the touch, and his magenta streak could easily be seen. All of the dark blotches of dirt, dried blood, and grime on his skin washed away, revealing his pale skin in its full glory. Ren wanted nothing more than to stay in the bath, felling the warm water cascade over his body, but he couldn't, not while Nora was still in the state he was just in. So against his body's wishes, he stepped out of the water. The air felt ice cold on his skin, he quickly wrapped himself in a towel to both dry off and warm up. When he was finally dry, he found his clothes cleaned and neatly folded in the corner, and after getting dressed he left the bath to allow Nora to get clean.
While Nora was taking a bath, Ren helped the old man prepare one of the bedrooms for them to stay in. During the process, the old man approached Ren and asked him, "That power you used that muted your colors, you don't know much about it, do you?" The question came out of no where, and Ren didn't know how to answer it. Should he tell the truth and risk being taken from Nora, or should he play dumb and hope he drops the subject. Ren kept debating which choice he should make, measuring the pros and cons each one would bring, he almost didn't hear what the old man said next. "The fact that you have that power is unfortunate. Judging from your earlier appearance, and the way you've been acting, it doesn't look like you unlocked it by choice."
"Do you know what this power is?" Ren asked, hoping that the man might have answers to the questions Ren has had since the beginning of their journey.
"I do. That power is known as a semblance, and its unique to the individual. You can only unlock your semblance after unlocking your aura. Your aura can be unlocked in two ways: either someone unlocks it for you, or you experience a traumatic event and your body forces you to unlock it. I'll tell you more about it tomorrow, until then, rest well." The old man turned to leave.
"Wait. I've never asked for your name." Ren suddenly said, feeling guilty for receiving the old man's kindness without ever asking for his name.
"My name's Gennai." He smiled, and resumed leaving the room.
A few moments latter, Nora entered the room, and right away, Ren could tell she was tired. Even when she was quiet, she always had a certain type of energy in her step, but right now her movements were slow and sluggish. She dragged herself over to the bed the two of them were sharing, and plopped right next to Ren. "Hey Ren, I passed the old guy on my way here. He said something about making pancakes in the morning. I don't know what pancakes are, but they sound delicious, I can't wait to try them." She mumbled, already getting under the bed's covers. "I wouldn't mind staying here for a little longer, like a few days, or weeks, or forev..." Her words were interrupted by her own snoring as she fell asleep right as her head hit the pillow. Ren couldn't help but give a small smile at the display. Nora as shown more personality and energy today than she ever had before. He turned off the lights, and got into bed himself. 'When was the last time I slept in a bed this soft. When was the last time I slept in a bed.' That thought ran through his head, before he used his power to dispel it. He didn't need any bad thoughts before going to sleep, and he slowly closed his eyes...
Except that he couldn't sleep. He's tired, he's in a soft bed, and he feels save, so why wasn't he asleep. He managed a little nap here or there, but his body refused to fall into deep sleep. Was it excitement for learning about his power, or was it what Nora said about staying here, and the fact that they couldn't. They had to wake up early tomorrow so that they can get a full day of traveling. 'But what are we traveling for? Where are we going? When will we stop? We have nowhere to go, no family or friends that we could go to, so what's the point of traveling? But we can't stay either, we have to keep moving.' Ren's inner turmoil kept him awake, and his power, or Semblance as Gennai had called it, wasn't stopping those thoughts. Whenever he was about to fall asleep, his power would turn off, and the thoughts would invade his head once again. 'Maybe some fresh air will help me calm down.' Ren removed himself from their bed, careful not to disturb Nora, and opened the window. That's when he noticed something strange, there were strange lights in the sky, lights that Ren had never seen before in his life. Opening the window further, he climbed out of it, and laid down next to the house, looking up at the night sky utterly enthralled. This remined him of times when his whole family would stay up and watch the stars. Remembering times with his family, he pulled out a small dagger hidden in his robes, if Gennai had seen it then he didn't comment on it. The dagger was all he had left of his home, of his father. Looking at the side of the blade, there was a small inscription written in ancient Mistrali, the language used in Mistral before all four kingdoms created a universal language. The inscription read: "Never give up without a fight." Ren's father had strove to live his life by that principle, and he did, Li Ren went down fighting to his last breath. Tears threaten to spill over as Ren used his Semblance to detach himself from his thoughts. It was then that Ren noticed that a shooting star darted across the night sky, and was heading towards him. Scrambling to his feet, Ren got up just as the shooting star crashed into the ground.
Ren slowly tiptoed his way towards the small crater. As he got closer, a small glowing light rose from the ground, and in that light was a small device, the same device that appeared all across Remnant. Ren hesitantly reached his hand out towards the device, and when his hand grasped the small device, Ren felt a warmth unlike any other, a warmth that reminded him of a mother's embrace. He wanted to share this warmth with Nora, but found his arm unable to move. He tried and tried to let go, to move his arm, to return to their room, but his arm. Until suddenly, the device started to rise up further and further, taking him along with it. Ren looked down at the shrinking house as the device took him closer to the heavens.
A moment later, Lie Ren was nowhere to be seen.