A new story approaches! This one is very special too: the first installment of my Kamen Rider Multiverse!
The concept behind this fic and my following Kamen Rider fics is simple. I've read a lot of Kamen Rider crossovers, and it seems like the most common practice is for writers to insert their original characters into a world with the powers of existing Kamen Riders. I wanted to do something a bit different with that. So I thought up the Kamen Rider multiverse: a series of fics that have existing characters in fiction becoming completely original Kamen Riders!
And this is the first of those fics, Kamen Rider Aurum. I'm a huge RWBY fan, and I've been dying to have my go at writing about this world and these characters. With all that said and done, let's begin!
Remnant. A world of legend, of danger, of stories of heroes and villains. Mankind, born from dust, was born strong, wise, resourceful. But that meant nothing in a world so unforgiving. For the light of man cast a shadow, a shadow which took the form of vicious, merciless monsters. These creatures were given the name Grimm. The Grimm waged war on man and his creations, attempting to cast them back into the void. But man did not simply lie down and accept his fate. The two clashed, and it seemed like the light was about to be swallowed whole by the darkness.
But the darkness did not plan for the light to grow in the face of this adversity. Mankind's gifts from birth gave way to new weapons to fight this threat. Light from within that granted great defense and unimaginable power, called "Aura." Tools that could change forms in the blink of an eye to enhance one's combative abilities. And a mysterious resource that gave way to incredible opportunity and strength, known as "Dust." These helped even the odds and allowed mankind to push back the darkness. The light left behind granted new life, civilization, and a gleaming spark of hope.
But no light is without shadow. And over time, the light will fade until the darkness swallows it whole. A new threat is emerging in this unforgiving world, and only by facing this danger head-on and overcoming the inevitable tragedies will man be able to live, to fight back, to achieve victory.
~KRA~
The city of Vale was peaceful at night. The capital of the kingdom of the same name, and one of the largest cities in Sanus, if not all of Remnant. A typically bustling little town with a busy commercial district and a port where massive ships transported goods by air and sea alike. A residential district where thousands lived a life of relative peace. And a shining beacon of hope known, quite appropriately, as Beacon Academy. This was where young men and women trained their minds and their bodies, honing their skills to become esteemed Huntsmen and Huntresses who protected the city and its people from all those who would harm it. Yes, it was a blissful night in this wonderful city.
But peace was ever fleeting. After all, wherever there is good in the world, evil has a tendency to lurk around the corner. To destroy and pervert the peace. And under the dim street lights of the commercial district and the light of the shattered moon that was on display in the night sky, said evil was casually strolling through the city.
A man and his goons were walking down an alley, looking for something specific. Said man wore well-polished dress shoes, black pants, and a brilliant white coat with red lining. His hands were concealed with thick black leather gloves with two buckles around the wrists. One hand held an intricate cane that he obviously had no need for with a black body, a gray hook, and a red bottom with an impression shaped like a jack-o'-lantern. The other hand held a lit cigar, an expensive one at that. He put it in his mouth and let the smoke fill his mouth, blowing it out with a smirk. A gray scarf was tied around his neck in a complicated knot, and his bright orange hair swept over his right eye, leaving only his left on display. His visible eye was a very bright green. Completing his look was a black bowler hat with a red band around it, a small gray feather tucked into the band. His attire and swagger just screamed "crime boss," which was a perfect fit given his choice of company.
He wasn't alone on his midnight stroll. Flanking the man were four men who were nowhere near as notable in appearance, but no less classy. They all wore black suits and matching fedoras, large red sunglasses concealing their eyes. They were all armed, three holding short cleaver-shaped swords with red blades and one holding a high-tech red and gray gun. The final member of this little group was a figure cloaked in a thick black shroud. Not a bit of their body was visible from behind the cloak, save a pair of bright yellow eyes from behind the hood. It almost looked like the Grim Reaper, albeit in place of a scythe was a war hammer, one that looked like it could split a mountain in half with one swing.
The group left the alley and strolled down the street, the few passersby recoiling and backing away as they saw the criminal strut down the street without a care in the world. Nobody dared to get in his way, especially with armed associates surrounding him. It didn't take much longer until the group reached their destination: a curious little shop named From Dust Till Dawn.
The old man behind the counter nearly jumped out of his skin as the criminal swung the door open. His henchmen soon filled the store, the criminal looking around. The shop was filled to the brim with curious wares. Pipes and bags filled with a mysterious multicolored powder littered the store and its aisles. Underneath the counter, on a display behind bulletproof glass were crystals of a similar color. They seemed to be filled with energy. This was Dust, one of the most powerful and coveted resources on the planet.
The man walked up to the counter and sighed, pulling his cigar out of his mouth and knocking the ashes onto the floor. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to find a Dust shop open this late?" he asked the owner casually, heavily contrasting the fact that one of his minions had his gun pointed at the old man's head.
"Please, just take my Lien and leave!" begged the owner, only for the crime boss to rapidly shush him.
"Calm down, we're not here for your money!" false-reassured the man before he glared at his hired help. "Collect the Dust." His henchmen got to work immediately, opening a metal case and pulling out cylindrical containers. Two of them grabbed the containers and plugged them into pipes of powder Dust on the walls, filling them. Another grunt pulled out an empty case and started ordering the man to give him the crystals behind the display.
"Truly pathetic," muttered the cloaked figure. Its sleeve fell a bit, revealing gunmetal gray fingers that clenched the handle of its weapon. "Humans are such an easily frightened bunch. I have no idea why I was ordered to follow you."
"Hey, a little extra muscle is fine by me. Besides, who knows if any Hunters decide to stick their noses where they don't belong? You'll get to have your fun then," said the man as he swung his cane on his hand. The figure let out a satisfied grunt, possibly smiling behind the shadows of the hood at the idea of imminent carnage.
As one of the henchmen went to gather more Dust, he heard a faint rock song coming from the back of the store. It seemed that the robbers and the owner weren't alone, as somebody in a red cloak was standing in front of a magazine rack reading a weapons magazine.
"Alright, kid. Put your hands where I can see 'em," said the henchman, unsheathing his sword. The figure in red paid him no mind, far more interested in the magazine. This irked the man to no end as he walked up to them. "Hey, I said hands in the air! You got a death wish or somethin'?!" Pulling the figure's shoulder, they turned around as their hood fell off.
The figure was a girl, no older than fifteen. Her hair was black with red highlights at the tips, cut at shoulder length. She had brilliant silver eyes with confusion evident in them. Her red hood was fastened to a black blouse with silver cross-shaped pins, the cape extending to past her knees. A black and red corset was wrapped around her waist, and the sleeves of her blouse were long with red-lined frills at the end, almost like roses. A short, frilly skirt with the same coloration as her sleeves was on her waist, held up by a lopsided belt with a silver rose emblem for a buckle. A gray pouch was on one side of the belt, and a row of high-caliber bullets lined the other. Most curious about the girl was the ornate red and black metal case strapped to the back of her belt. She also wore black stockings that went past the line of her skirt and black boots with red soles and laces. Completing her look was the reason why she hadn't heeded the warnings and the source of the music: red and gray wireless headphones with roses on the sides, the same shape as her buckle.
The girl let out a confused "Huh?" as she got a glimpse of the annoyed thug. He pointed to his ear with his free hand. The girl got the message and took off her headphones. "Yes?"
"I said, put your hands in the air! Now!"
"Are you… robbing me?"
The henchman was about five seconds away from separating this kid's head from her neck. "YES!"
"Ohhhhh…"
As the man and his minions were collecting Dust, the mobster flicked more ashes onto the floor. A loud "Hey!" could be heard from the henchman at the back of the store. With little warning, said henchman was sent flying through the air. He whizzed past the cloaked figure and crashed into the front wall. The criminal looked at the man as he struggled to get up, gesturing to the gunman to check it out. The gunman saw the girl and immediately pointed his gun. "Freeze!"
It was almost instantaneous. The girl burst forward with incredible speed, tackling the gunman. The two hit the large display window in the front of the store and shattered it, pieces of glass scattering on the sidewalk. The henchman was left sprawled in front of the shop as the girl picked herself up, grabbing the red and black case and holding it over her shoulder.
Suddenly, the case began to unfold as a long pole extended from it, its entire body shifting into a new form. When the transformation was done, the girl was now holding a gigantic red and black scythe. The pole was at least six feet long, and the blade was half as long as that. Opposite of the blade was a small hook. The pole ended in a spike that almost looked like a spear head. Part of the pole she was holding was thicker and seemed to have a trigger, a scope, and an ammo clip, and the end with the blade seemed to have a gun barrel.
This high-tech piece of heavy weaponry could only lead to one conclusion: this girl was no ordinary girl. She was a Huntress, or at least she was training to become one. The man narrowed his visible eye as the girl turned around, smirking at the five criminals who weren't lying in a pile of broken glass. Her face became serious as she spun her massive scythe as though it were weightless, finally planting the tip of the blade into the road and kicking up a small pile of asphalt chunks. She turned off her headphones and slipped them into her pouch, practically daring the remaining robbers to come at her.
"It looks like this night won't be so dull," said the cloaked figure, gripping its hammer tightly.
"Okaaaay," said the man in white. He briefly looked at his henchmen, including the one who had recovered from his brief flight across the store. "Get her!" His men soon ran out to fight, but as the cloaked figure went to make a move, the man stuck his cane in front of it. "Ap-bup-bup, not so fast, big guy."
"You're trying to keep me from combat?" growled the figure. "You insignificant-"
"Come on, it's just a kid playing Huntress," said the man as he blew a ring of smoke. "Besides, if you're up to the plate, you might as well see what we're dealing with." The figure just growled, grip on the hammer tightening as its eyes moved to the fight.
Once one of the henchmen, the same one that had threatened the girl, got close, he swung his sword at her. She easily jumped over it, hand still on her weapon's handle. She spun her body around twice before slamming her feet into the man's face, the kick knocking his sunglasses off and sending him sprawling onto the street. Using the remaining momentum, she managed to pull the formidable weapon from the road and flipped her body so that she landed on her feet, back to the other two goons.
The two wasted no time rushing towards her. Pulling the trigger on the handle, a gunshot fired from the top of the scythe. The girl used the blowback to spin around and slam the back of her weapon into one of the henchmen, sending him flying through the air. Spinning it around again and raising the blade over her head, she slammed the back of her scythe down on the third henchman, slamming him into the street and knocking him out.
The girl raised her scythe as she heard the sound of a gun being cocked. The gun-toting goon had recovered and was pointing his gun at her. The girl fired off another shot and propelled herself backwards as the man let loose a spray of machine gun fire. She kept firing shots and using the recoil to dodge the bullets, but her speed seemed to be unreal, a mysterious trail of rose petals fluttering wherever she went. With one last shot, she sped towards the gunman and sent him into the air. Digging her scythe into the road to stop herself, she spun around and pulled the weapon out to slam the back of it into the airborne thug. As she landed on the street with her scythe in hand, the man skidded between the cloaked figure and the man in white.
"You were worth every cent. Truly, you were," muttered the man as he looked at his battered goons in disappointment.
"Weak," grunted the cloaked figure. "As expected from mere humans."
"Yeah, yeah, us humans suck and all that jazz," said the man as he pulled something out of his pocket. It was a small black rectangle with a golden diamond-shaped button in the center. Tapping the button caused the object to split open and "unroll" like a scroll, a holographic screen forming between the halves as it became a tablet of sorts. This was a Scroll, the go-to communication and entertainment device throughout Remnant. The man was more concerned with the time displayed at the top, however. "Looks like we're ahead of schedule. Guess I've got some time to kill." Closing his Scroll back up and slipping it into his pocket, the man's eyes turned to the girl.
"Nice performance, Red. But let's see how you handle something… tougher." The man snapped his fingers and blew another puff of smoke. "You're up, big guy. Make it quick and painful."
"Finally," said the figure as he spun the hammer it held so that the head was facing down. He slammed the hammer against the road, the girl's footing becoming shaky for a moment. The figure grabbed his cloak. "Time to cause some destruction! I'll paint this town in your blood, human!" he shouted before throwing the cloak at the girl. She was quick to react, slicing the cloak clean in half. But that was exactly what the figure was planning on as he jabbed the hammer like a spear behind the cover, striking the girl and pushing her back. She managed to keep her footing and stop herself by using her scythe as an anchor again, but as soon as she came to a complete stop and freed her weapon from the road, she looked at the uncloaked figure and gasped.
The first thing she noticed, being a weapons aficionado, was the massive hammer he wielded. Its head was rectangular with a flat, square-shaped side for striking, and six small hooks curving downward on the opposite sides. The head looked like it weighed a literal ton. But the strange body of its user is what really caught her interest.
The best way to describe the… thing that stood before her was a monstrous hammer. The legs were the handle, resembling wood. However, said wood was gnarled and rotted, a dark brown color and with a twisted pattern leading to clawed feet resembling tree roots. The upper body was the head, being gunmetal gray in color. Along the torso was a pattern of pyramidal spikes forming a scale-like armor, with similar shapes on the forearms to form bracers. It had large shoulder pads resembling a claw hammer: on the right shoulder was the flat end with a concave segment that the monster was resting the handle of its war hammer on, and the other had the claw, which was sharp rather than blunt.
Finally, there was the head. The thing's face was completely covered by a bony white mask, save for the eyes. Said mask had a mouth with gritted sharp teeth and a red branching crack in the center, as though it had been slammed down. But the eyes were the worst part. They were a piercing red and yellow that she was all too familiar with, a pair of eyes that incited fear and craved destruction.
This thing might have walked on two legs, spoke, and wielded a weapon. But those eyes, that mask, and this slight feeling of dread were all too familiar. This was a creature of Grimm, albeit one the scythe user had never seen before.
Regardless, she was a Huntress in training, and she refused to let this Grimm wreak havoc in the middle of the city. Getting over the initial shock, she sped forward and raised her scythe over her head. With a loud, "Hi-YAH!", she swung the blade diagonally and slashed at his torso. But as she glanced up with a smile to see her handiwork, her face morphed into one of confusion. A black energy of sorts was over the line she had made the cut with, fading away like smoke.
'Was that… Aura?' thought the girl for a second. But that made no sense! Grimm couldn't have Aura, they didn't even have souls! The Grimm took advantage of her dumbfounded state, moving his hammer to the side and slamming it into her waist. The girl hit a building and let out a gasp. Fortunately, she had activated her own Aura before the second collision, a red energy coating her body and absorbing the impact.
"Is that the best you can do? What a disappointment," muttered the monster.
"Don't worry, I've got plenty more!" yelled the girl. Her weapon soon compacted itself, taking a more boxy form. The handle retracted a bit, the segment with the trigger unfolding into a grip and the spike condensing into a stock. Taking a hold of her weapon in its new gun form, the young Huntress took aim through the scope and fired. A high-caliber bullet landed right between the eyes of the monster, causing his head to recoil. She pumped her fist in victory.
Her feeling of pride didn't last long. As the monster moved its head back, the crushed remains of a bullet fell to the ground. The Huntress in training caught a small glimpse of that same pitch-black energy where the shot connected. "Ow," muttered the Grimm, her shot having been as effective as a paintball gun.
Panicking just a little, she cocked her rifle and fired another shot, this one at his chest. The monster didn't even flinch this time, the crumpled bullet once again falling uselessly. She fired shot after shot to no avail.
'This can't be Aura, it's almost automatic and way too small an area to be reflexive! It's like this thing has a 24/7 force field!' thought the girl as she blasted the monster. Eventually, the sound of bullets being launched was replaced by the sound of a trigger and an empty clicking, her cartridge being used up.
"My turn," said the monster as it turned, the right shoulder with the hammer head facing her. "Try these!" The hammer started glowing as red nails made of energy shot out like arrows. The Huntress was quick to react and sped away with a cloud of rose petals behind her, the energy nails embedding themselves in the wall. She bobbed and weaved around the blasts with little trouble, finishing her evasive maneuvers with a jump and a spin. While in the air, she replaced the empty clip with a full one and landed gracefully in the middle of the street.
The monster charging forward, the young Huntress quickly thought up a new plan of attack as she unfolded her weapon back into its scythe mode. As soon as the monster swung his hammer, she sped out of reach, the war hammer hitting only air and petals. Holding the scythe like a gun, she fired shot after shot while circling the Grimm with blinding speed. He never got an opening, unable to swing his hammer as he fired a few energy nails that never connected. But little did he know that she wasn't circling him, but was actually spiraling closer and closer. With a final burst of speed, she maneuvered behind the monster. Before he could react, she had the blade of her scythe right in front of his neck. With a cry of effort and a pull of the trigger, she pulled back the blade.
But it was unfortunately all in vain, the monster's head still firmly attached to its body. The Huntress moved her scythe away and took a step back. "Wha… what?" The monster growled, said growl turning into a war cry as he spun around and swung his hammer. The girl quickly brought up her weapon and matched the blow with the hook on the back. The monster swung his hammer a couple more times, the girl parrying with her own weapon. The monster raised his hammer over his head, the girl getting ready to guard an overhead strike. But this was just a ploy as he slammed the hammer on the ground instead, smashing a hole in the road as the vibrations messed up her balance. This was the perfect opportunity for the Grimm to swing his hammer back up, the spiked end smashing into her chin and launching her into the air. She once again flared up her Aura midair, but it only dulled the impact as she slammed onto the ground.
A groan of pain slipped from the Huntress' lips. Hand still clutching the handle of her scythe, she tried and failed to stand. Craning her neck up, she saw the Grimm slowly walking towards her and dragging his hammer across the asphalt. He was savoring the moment, a predator playing with its food.
'What can I do?' she thought. 'I can't just run away from this thing, who knows what'll happen if it goes free! But even though all of my attacks hit, all I did was make it mad! Maybe I can use my Semblance to tire it out? But then I'll run out of Aura, and there's no way I can take another hit from that thing and live! Come on, brain, help me here!'
"After seeing you deal with those humans, I had expected you to last a little longer," said the Grimm. "But even though you never had a chance of defeating me, this was a disappointment." He lifted his hammer over his head again. "But I'm sure shattering your skull will be fun!"
The Huntress hated this. She hated feeling helpless, especially since this whole thing started because she was trying to help somebody else. Her eyes and mind moved a mile a minute as she looked around for some small glimpse of hope. The sound of her heartbeat pounded in her skull, a light buzzing noise in her ears as she felt dizzy…
Wait. That wasn't dizziness, and that wasn't buzzing. It sounded like… an engine? Turning her head to her left, she saw something growing closer and closer. A motorcycle! For a second, she thought it was a familiar face, but a closer look revealed it was an unfamiliar bike with an unfamiliar rider. And it was driving right for her.
The Grimm heard the sound and saw his imminent victim turn her head and widen her eyes. As the sound grew louder and louder, he couldn't help but turn to the source. "Wha—"
And that was when tire met face. The rider jumped, the front wheel of the motorcycle crashing into the monster's face and knocking him off his feet. The bike landed back on the road as the rider drove another twenty feet before hitting the brakes. The bike swerved to a stop, the biker turning it ninety degrees before it finally came to a halt. With the Grimm on the ground, the Huntress took the chance to get up, slowly getting onto her feet with her weapon as a support. The owner of the Dust shop had seen the scene from behind his counter, where he continued to keep a low profile. As for the ringleader of the robbery, his jaw hung open as his cigar fell to his feet.
'What… the hell… just happened?!'
Once the Huntress was on her feet and using her remaining Aura to heal her wounds, she turned to get a better look at her savior as they climbed off their motorcycle. Said motorcycle had a slick shape with white paint and black for the wheels and tailpipe. There were two jagged golden lines that zigzagged in front of the seat, almost looking like insect legs. More obvious than that was the golden metal part that moved from the seat and bent back from the end to right in front of the rear tire, looking like a grasshopper's hind legs.
What really got her attention was the rider himself. At least, the frame made her assume it was a guy, as his body was completely covered in armor. The armor in question was mostly white with gold sections here and there. There were gold-trimmed rectangular armor pieces over the forearms and shins, gold plating on the knees, elbows, and shoulders, and a gold triangular chest piece that went from the neckline to right above the stomach. He also had a weird-looking belt. It was gray with a matching buckle, said buckle having a small T-shaped lever sticking out of the wearer's right side and what looked like a gold coin in the center with a… stag beetle on it? For the helmet, there was no mouth piece or anything, just golden lenses resembling compound eyes and a pair of golden horns above the eyes with two small spikes sticking inward. It almost looked like the jaws of a stag beetle, the coin making a little more sense.
"I heard a bunch of gunshots over here. Looks like I arrived just in time," said the rider. He had a somewhat high voice, but one that was still distinctively masculine. A brilliant golden glow coated his motorcycle as it began to compress, shrinking into a smaller, flatter form. When the glow faded away, a golden coin that was a little bigger than an arcade token fell into his hand before he put it… somewhere. It wasn't like that suit had pockets.
"What… who are you?" asked the Huntress, her silver eyes lighting up. "A Huntsman?"
"Nope! I'm a defender of justice!" shouted the man, putting his right arm forward with a peace sign. "Call me… Kamen Rider Aurum!"
The old man slowly peeked out from behind the counter as the man in white tilted his head. "Kamen… Rider?" wondered the man in white.
"That… is… AWESOME!" Suddenly, the girl started speeding around Aurum with stars in her eyes, asking him a barrage of questions. "So does that mean that you're a superhero? That's amazing! And that bike, it was the coolest! Well, maybe not as cool as my sister's, but it's a close second! Was that your Semblance? Can you turn things into coins? That would be so handy! Just think of all the awesome weapons you could put in your pockets!"
"Um…uh…"
"Hey, can I have your autograph? What is that armor made of, I've never seen anything like it! Does it have any weapons? Oh, maybe something hidden in those thicker parts on your arms! Some kind of secret blade or gun?"
"Whoa, whoa, slow down! Take a breath, miss… sorry, what was your name?"
"Oh, sorry! I geeked out for a minute!" The girl spun her scythe around before resting it on her shoulder. "My name's Ruby Rose! I'm a Huntress in training at Signal Academy!"
"Huntress in training?" It was only then that Aurum noticed the goons in black scattered across the block, one of which was hanging from a railing on the balcony of a nearby building. "Wait, did you take these guys out?" Aurum was impressed, though a little disappointed that he apparently wasn't needed.
"Of course! I couldn't just stand around and let these people rob my favorite Dust shop blind! You came just in time, though! Mr. Bowler Hat over there sicced this weird hammer Grimm on me, and nothing I did seemed to even scratch it!"
Aurum looked back at the Grimm, which was getting back up with a growl. He had never seen it before, but he recognized what it was immediately. "Looks like I'm needed here after all," he said, getting into a fighting stance.
"Wait, you know what that is?" asked Ruby.
"I've heard a lot about these things. That's a special type of Grimm called an Umbra," explained Aurum. "I really appreciate what you did, but I'll take it from here."
"Wait, you're gonna fight that thing?!" asked Ruby. "But I already told you it can't be hurt! It's got some weird Grimm Aura or something! I've been wailing on it and nothing!"
"You pathetic human, interrupting my battle!" screamed the Umbra, lifting his hammer. "Just for that, you'll be the first one I crush into paste!" The monster charged Aurum with a war cry, hammer over his head. But Aurum was ready for this. Jumping into the air, he swept his leg to the side and kicked the Umbra square in the chest. As Ruby feared, the black energy appeared where the masked hero's foot connected. But what happened next was a surprise. As soon as the black energy appeared, it suddenly shattered. The impact sent the Umbra flying back, tumbling along the road. When he got up, Ruby was dumbstruck. In the center of the monster's chest, one of the spikes that had been hit by the kick had a small, but noticeable crack. He had actually damaged him!
"Im-Impossible!" stammered the Umbra. "I'm invincible!"
"Not quite," said Aurum as he crossed his arms. "I've learned a lot about you Umbrae. Particularly the fact that you have your own version of Aura called Nether, one that automatically protects you from taking damage." Aurum uncrossed his arms and pointed to the medal inside his belt. "But thanks to the power of this medal, my Aether Armor has the power to break through your Nether!"
"So cool," said Ruby, hands balled into fists under her chin.
"So, it's that armor you wear that lets you harm me," said the Umbra as he heaved his hammer into the air. "In that case, I'll just have to cave it in and crush that weak human body underneath!"
"Not if I have anything to do about it," said Aurum, getting back into his stance.
On the sidelines, the man in white let out an exaggerated yawn as he pulled out his Scroll. "Do they ever stop talking?" he wondered as he checked the time again. It was almost time, which meant that he had to get a move on. He crushed the tip of his cigar with his cane. "Well, Red, Golden Boy, I think we can all say it's been an eventful evening, and as much as I'd love to stick around…"
The man lifted his cane, pointing the end of it at Aurum and Ruby like a gun. The bottom popped open and flipped up, revealing an aiming reticle. "I'm afraid this is where we part ways."
The tip fired a bright red flare, whistling as it sped towards the two. Before Aurum had a chance to react, Ruby wrapped her arm around his waist and pointed the blade of her scythe at the road. With a pull of the trigger, the two were airborne. Aurum let out a quick, involuntary yelp as the blast flew past where they once stood and hit the street, exploding spectacularly and leaving a flaming pothole that was a foot deep. The two landed somewhat gracefully, Aurum stumbling a bit when Ruby let go of him.
"You okay?" asked the young Huntress in training.
"Yeah, I'm fine," said the Kamen Rider. It wasn't often that a superhero was saved by a civilian. Then again, he hadn't been a superhero for long. "Thanks!"
"Don't mention it," said Ruby with a smile. "Looks like we're even now."
"Yeah, guess we— hey! Where'd he go?!"
Ruby and Aurum looked around the front door, but all they saw was the shopkeeper slowly making his way over to the door and an unconscious crook. In the street, the Umbra was seething as he clutched where Aurum had scarred him. Ruby finally noticed the ringleader climbing a ladder on the side of a nearby building.
"There he is!" she pointed out, Aurum turning around. The man turned to see the two heroes and scowled.
"Hammer Umbra, take care of these pests!" he ordered.
"With pleasure," muttered the Hammer Umbra, smacking the goon in the road over to the sidewalk.
Ruby turned to the shopkeeper. "You okay if I go after him?" One "uh-huh" later, she turned to Aurum. "I'll catch Bowler Hat, you take care of the Grimm!"
"Huh? Oh, right," said Aurum, surprised that she was the one giving the orders.
"Kick his butt to the curb!" she encouraged before she sped away, Aurum only able to catch the trail of petals that zoomed up the ladder.
"She's fast…" he whispered before turning back to the Hammer Umbra. Sensing the upcoming fight, the shopkeeper went to hide in his store until this blew over. "Okay, Umbra! Your little reign of terror is over!"
"Don't think so. It's just getting started!" The Umbra started shooting another barrage of energy nails. Aurum was quick to react, rolling out of the way and leading them away from the shop. Unfortunately, he wasn't quite as fast as Ruby as a stray nail struck his shoulder, causing him to let out a hiss of pain. The Grimm took the opportunity to charge forward, thrusting his hammer like a spear.
Aurum sidestepped the attack and took the opportunity to counter, throwing two punches to the monster's lower torso in quick succession. His third punch was blocked by the handle of the hammer, however. The Umbra kicked Aurum back and went for a sideways swing. Acting quickly, Aurum rolled under it and got to the other side of his opponent, landing a side kick as soon as he got onto his feet. Furious, the Umbra spun around three-hundred-sixty degrees and brought the hammer lower for a sweeping hit. Aurum backflipped over the attack, dodging it and getting some distance. Once he landed, Aurum got back into his stance.
However, a purple flash caught his eye. Looking up, he saw that an aircraft with two large maneuverable turbine engines - a Bullhead, if he recalled - was hovering over a nearby alleyway. In the sky above it, a purple glyph pulsed in the sky. A storm cloud suddenly formed from the glyph, raining gigantic hailstones on the ship.
'What the heck is going on?' thought Aurum. 'Did that girl do that? Or did somebody else join her?' His train of thought was suddenly derailed by the feeling of pain as the Hammer Umbra slammed his hammer into his left shoulder. The monster cackled behind his mask before swinging his hammer right into the right side of Aurum's head. With the superhero dizzy from the impact, the Umbra twirled his hammer so the flat end was facing him and smashed it into Aurum's left hip. This hit knocked Aurum off his feet and sent him tumbling into the middle of the street.
"Ow…" muttered Aurum as he got back to his feet, the Hammer Umbra walking further away as he made his own way to the street.
"Letting yourself be distracted mid-battle is a foolish mistake, human," spat the Hammer Umbra as he fired an energy nail into the street, bringing his hammer over his head. "One that you'll take to your grave!" And with that, he brought the hammer down, driving the energy nail into the ground. A red wave of energy pulsed from the nail, hitting Aurum and sending him sprawling onto the ground and lying on his back.
'He's right,' thought Aurum, the Hammer Umbra inching closer and closer before breaking into a sprint. 'This isn't training, this is real life! And I'm not going to let my first fight with an Umbra end like this!'
"Now die!" shouted the Hammer Umbra. As soon as he started to swing his hammer down, Aurum lifted his legs up and pulled off a backwards somersault. He pushed his hands off the ground just as the war hammer smashed into the pavement, chunks of road flying. Aurum managed to land on his feet, albeit a little shakily, before sprinting forward while his opponent tried to wrench his weapon out of the road. Stepping on the spiked end (thank goodness they were blunted) and using it as a platform, the Rider jumped to the left and swung a powerful right hook right in the monster's face. The impact knocked the Umbra a good ten feet away and made him release his hammer, said weapon remaining stuck in the road.
"Let's see how tough you are without your weapon!" challenged Aurum, propping his arm on the handle with renewed confidence. The Umbra growled as he scrambled to his feet, sprinting over to retrieve his weapon. But Aurum ran up to cut him off, landing a punch. Aurum followed up with an uppercut, the Umbra growling even louder as he clasped his hands over his head. He swung them down on Aurum, but the latter managed to put his arms over his head and block in time. He still felt the power behind the blow; this Grimm was tough even when unarmed. Aurum pushed the arms of his opponent away and kicked him square in the chest, then planted the foot he kicked with and threw a second kick at his face. This landed right in the crack-shaped mark on the mask, sending his opponent reeling back and clutching said mask.
'Okay, he's disarmed and weakened. Time to wrap this fight up before anyone gets hurt.' Aurum grabbed the lever on his belt and pushed it down, the lever immediately snapping back up into position. The medal in the center started to glow much brighter, Aurum's armor glowing as well.
VICTORY STRIKE!
"Victory is in my sight!" shouted Aurum as he leapt into the air, stopping twenty feet above the ground as if held by an invisible force. The golden energy appeared around him as an image of the stag beetle medal in his belt appeared behind him, the energy focusing around his right leg. At this point, the Hammer Umbra had stopped clutching his face and was staring at the airborne Kamen Rider. Out of desperation, he turned his body around and unleashed a barrage of nails. Positioning his body, Aurum began diving forward with his right leg extended. The nails shattered against the kick, doing nothing to impede him.
The kick struck true, hitting the hammer-shaped shoulder pad. A crack branched out on the surface, then another, then another before the shoulder pad shattered into pieces, the kick continuing into the Umbra's face. The Kamen Rider kept moving, skidding to a stop on the road. The monster was still standing even after that impact, but his body was starting to crackle with energy, as if he had been overloaded by that final blow. The Hammer Umbra let out a scream of pain as the sparks surrounded his body before he suddenly exploded, erupting into a huge fireball.
The fire soon died out, leaving no trace of the Umbra but his weapon and a smoking crater. And only the latter would be around for long; the handle of the hammer started to disintegrate into ashes that were swept away by the wind. Viewing his surroundings, Aurum noticed that he was a short distance from the Dust shop, the unconscious goons still unconscious despite all the excitement. He also noticed quite a few holes in the road, half of which were already present when he arrived.
"Glad I don't have to do cleanup," said the Kamen Rider as the elderly shopkeeper cautiously made his way out the door. Aurum was quick to catch up with him. "Are you okay, sir? Any injuries?"
"N-No, I'm fine," stammered the old man. Before either of them could say another word, the loud sound of turbines filled the air. Aurum turned to see the Bullhead flying away, no doubt taking the mastermind behind this robbery with it.
"Sorry that I couldn't save your Dust," said Aurum with a sigh.
"My Dust? Why, if it wasn't for you and that young lady, I might not even have a store! Or a life!" The man grabbed Aurum's hand with both of his and shook it vigorously. "Thank you so, so much!"
"Oh no, I was just doing my duty!" said Aurum sheepishly. "Besides, that girl Ruby did most of the work."
"And I'll thank her just as much when she returns to my store!" said the man with a warm smile. That smile made Aurum beam behind his helmet. Nothing satisfied a hero more than the people they protected being safe and happy.
"I'm sure she'll be thrilled," said Aurum with a smile, turning back around. "I'm sure that the police can handle these four. But for now, I have to get going. Stay safe, sir!" Pulling out a golden coin with a grasshopper on it, he flipped it into the air before catching it and throwing it into the road. "HopperCycle!" The coin let off a brilliant golden glow before it suddenly turned into the motorcycle he had arrived on. Hopping onto the bike, he revved up the accelerator and sped into the distance, leaving only a golden trail in his wake.
~KRA~
On top of a nearby building, the same one that the man in white and Ruby had climbed earlier, a woman walked to the edge of the roof and watched as the mysterious cyclist drove off. The woman had her platinum blonde hair in a prim and proper bun, though a curled lock fell around her right eye. Said eyes were bright green, a pair of oval-lensed glasses in front of them which she adjusted with her index and middle fingers. She wore a white top with a diamond-shaped hole above her chest, said top having long sleeves with gauntlet-like cuffs around the forearm and puffy, pleated ends: a top that accentuated her attractive figure while maintaining a professional demeanor. A small teal gemstone dangled from her collar, matching her earrings. A black corset with bronze buttons was wrapped around her waist, a black pencil skirt around her legs. Brown stockings trailed from her skirt to a pair of black boots with bronze heels. An ornate cape that was purple on the inside and black on the outside trailed from her collar, reaching her lower legs. The cape ended with a cut shaped like arrows and flames, a row of bronze beads and a symbol of a tiara on the back. Completing her disciplinarian look was a black riding crop held firmly in her hand. Anybody familiar with the esteemed Beacon Academy knew (and possibly feared) her as Glynda Goodwitch, the vice-headmistress and combat class instructor.
Glynda's eyes narrowed as the motorcycle faded from view. If its rider had been in range of her Semblance, she would have picked them up and dragged them over for a thorough discussion. While their intentions were admirable, they were still a vigilante whose fight left quite a bit of damage. Still, she shouldn't dwell on it. Headmaster Ozpin would want to hear about this, however.
"You're a Huntress…"
Glynda turned around to see the young girl in black and red, hands balled into fists and twinkles in her silver eyes. "Can I get your autograph?"
Of course, before that, she and Ozpin would have to deal with the OTHER vigilante that night.
~KRA~
The roar of the HopperCycle's engine slowed to a purr as Aurum braked by Vale's dock. The shipyard was full of cargo, and all the remaining ships had been anchored for the night. Security was relatively low due to said cargo's contents being little more than some inexpensive foreign goods and furniture. This, plus the wide area, made it the perfect rendezvous point.
Returning his ride to its medal form and placing into the small compartment on his belt, Aurum jumped down to the dock below, walking past the crates and reaching the shipyard. "Hello?" he asked the empty dock. Except it wasn't empty. Slowly, something began to fade into view, a veil being lifted in a way.
What seemed to be an empty aircraft landing platform actually had a Bullhead, albeit this one looked a little different than the one from the city fight. It had a different color scheme (black and white in favor of black and gray) and had skids for emergency landing gear. Said Bullhead had its engines pointed up, four legs acting as the primary landing gear. A door on the side opened, inviting Aurum to enter. The hero did so without a moment's notice, the door shutting behind him and the cloaking mechanism turning back on.
The small transport ship had no seats, just a few hooks to hold and steady oneself. There was a door and a soundproof wall separating the pilot and the passengers, an extra feature added by the owner of this Bullhead for privacy. There was a small circular window on the door, and a walkie-talkie attached to the wall for communication between the pilot and passengers.
Standing in front of the wall was a man whose presence demanded respect. He had a clean-shaven face with visible cheekbones and had well-combed black hair with graying sides. A small metal plate was above his right eyebrow and dark blue eyes that had seen their fair share of battles. He wore a black sweater, a gray undercoat that covered his chest, and a white overcoat that went down to his thighs. A red necktie was tucked under the undercoat, and he had a white glove over his right hand. He also wore white dress pants that were tucked into silver boots. This man was James Ironwood, general in the Atlesian military and headmaster of Atlas Academy.
"Oh, General Ironwood! Uh, sir!" said Aurum. The general looked up and down, seemingly scanning the Kamen Rider's body. "Oh, right! Still have the armor on." Aurum grabbed the medal, pulling it out the top of the belt buckle through an indented coin slot. He grabbed the buckle and pulled it away, the belt disappearing as Aurum's body was covered in a bright golden glow. When the glow faded, the armor was gone, a scraggly teenager standing where a superhero once was.
The young man had messy blonde hair and dark blue eyes, albeit much softer and more innocent than those of Ironwood. He wore a short-sleeved black hoodie with orange detachable sleeves. The front of the hoodie had a logo that was obscured by a white, heart-shaped chest piece. Along with the armor on his chest and back, he had a pair of white spaulders on his shoulders with rerebraces underneath. Furthering his arms' protection was a pair of black elbow guards and brown leather fingerless gloves with metal plates on the back of his hands and wrists. Two crisscrossing belts with small pouches on the hip, both different shades of brown, held up a pair of blue jeans with a tear in the left knee, and he wore black sneakers with white soles that had "left" and "right" written on them.
The unmasked Aurum put the belt buckle, apparently the source of his armor, into the pouch on his right that belonged to the lighter belt. The medal was slipped into the pouch on his left, the jingling of coins indicating that there were more of those medals inside.
"You arrived later than expected, Jaune," said Ironwood, placing his hands behind his back. "Did the scouting mission go well?"
"Oh yeah, totally! Uh, sir," said the boy, apparently named "Jaune." "Well, there was something that held me up for a bit."
"Explain the situation. Keep it brief," ordered Ironwood in an even tone, face unreadable.
"Well, there was a break-in. A robbery, target was some small Dust shop in the commercial district. I heard gunshots, so I drove over there to investigate and help out."
"And you stopped it, I presume?"
"Uh, no sir. Somebody beat me to it."
Ironwood cocked an eyebrow so slightly, you'd need a magnifying glass to tell. "The police? A Huntsman?"
"Huntress in training, not much older than I am. She was friendly."
'Apparently, the Huntsman academies in Vale do little to discourage vigilantism,' thought Ironwood. Then again, looking back at the young man, he had little room to talk. "So all this excess time was spent conversing?"
"N-No, not exactly," said Jaune, rubbing his hand against his arm. "The guy in charge of the robbery… he had an Umbra with him."
This was quite the bomb to drop. Ironwood's eyes notably widened, catching Jaune off guard. "I see. So it's begun."
"What's begun?"
"Patience, I will explain shortly. For now, what has become of the Umbra?"
"Oh man, it was a tough fight!" said Jaune eagerly. "He had this gigantic hammer and kept shooting nails at me, and when I thought I had him on the ropes he blindsided me and made a mini-earthquake or something! But then I disarmed him and finished him off with the Victory Strike! And he exploded into tiny pieces! And… and…" The teenager trailed off as he noticed the blank stare of his superior, causing him to frantically correct his statement. "Um, the enemy was eliminated, General Ironwood, sir," he said awkwardly.
"And what of the man who orchestrated this robbery?"
"My friend ran after him, but he got away," explained Jaune. "I saw what he looked like, if you need to know."
"No need, I am sure it will be on the news shortly. Simply deal with the situation if it coincides with your mission."
"Mission? But I thought my only mission was to scout out Vale, sir," said Jaune, scratching his head.
"I have a new mission for you," explained the general, "one that you should find appealing."
~KRA~
"Kamen Rider," said a man as he took a sip from a steaming mug. "That was the term Miss Rose used, correct?"
"That is what the masked man called himself, yes," said Glynda. She was currently standing in front of an elevator door next to a slightly taller man. Said man had tousled gray hair, though his black eyebrows indicated this color was the result of age. His face was sharp, with thin brown eyes behind shades with small circular lenses and zigzagging arms. A green cowl was wrapped around his neck, a silver cross-shaped pin with a purple center attached to it. He wore a black suit that was left unfastened, revealing a dark green button vest over a green shirt. He also wore dark green pants and black shoes. In his left hand was a white mug with a gray symbol on it: two crossed axes and a wreath, the symbol of Beacon and the kingdom of Vale. Inside said mug was some of the finest hot cocoa Vale had to offer. In his right was a cane that, like the man in white, he didn't seem to need. It had a square, dark gray shaft and an ornate silver handle with a knuckle guard, the area connecting the two being circular with golden gears seen inside it. This was the enigmatic Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy.
The door to the elevator opened, both headmaster and vice headmistress stepping inside. Once they were situated, Ozpin selected the button to the top floor, the doors closing as the elevator slowly made its way up Beacon Tower.
"Curious," said Ozpin. "I can't say I've heard of the term before. What do you make of him, this 'Kamen Rider?'"
"I say he's just a self-righteous troublemaker who has no respect for authority," put in Glynda.
"You said the same thing about Miss Rose," said Ozpin, "and her actions were wholly selfless, if irresponsible. Perhaps our masked man is one and the same, somebody who wants to protect and is in need of guidance."
"And will you be inviting him to Beacon as well?" asked Glynda. Ozpin said nothing for the rest of the ride, simply thinking of the events that transpired an hour ago as he drank his hot chocolate. After Glynda had dragged the young Huntress in training to the nearby detention center and scolded her reckless behavior, he had the chance to speak with her personally. There he learned that she was in her third year at Signal Academy, and had learned how to use her complicated tool of mass destruction (which she affectionately referred to as "Crescent Rose") from her uncle Qrow. Her skill, selflessness, and determination had left him thoroughly impressed, and he knew he had to enroll her as soon as possible.
And so he did. He offered to enroll her two years early, an offer that she accepted without question. He saw a very promising Huntress in her, her silver eyes intriguing him. He had also learned of the hero who had aided her and fought off an Umbra, this "Kamen Rider Aurum."
Umbra. A familiar word, one that gave him an uneasy feeling. It seemed that the first moves had been made by both sides, but only time would tell how this ended.
"Ozpin? Is everything alright?" Glynda's words snapped Ozpin back into reality. Just as he was released from his thoughts, the elevator stopped. The doors opened to reveal his office, his base of operations, his home away from home. The room was circular with a green-gray floor, the only furniture inside being a few chairs and his own chair and desk. Said chair was metallic with gear-shaped legs and supports, a row of cushions and arms preventing it from being as uncomfortable as it looked from a distance. The table had similar mechanical-looking legs, a green gear symbol opposite of the chair, and was arched in shape opposite of the user. The desk had a blue, translucent surface with cogs visible inside of it. There was also clockwork visible around the walls and the ceiling, and there seemed to be glowing green spheres through the floor. The gears were slowly moving, seemingly operating the clock on the outside of the tower that doubled as a window. The walls on the desk side of the office were also windows, made of durable fiberglass. The moonlight shone through, lighting up the place and giving it a beautiful, yet mysterious vibe.
Ozpin shook his head, collecting his thoughts as they stepped into the office. "I don't know if I'll enroll him yet. Admittedly, we know very little about this vigilante."
"All the information we have is from Miss Rose, and while she seemed genuine, there is no way of knowing whether this 'Aurum' is," said Glynda.
"Quite right, Glynda," said Ozpin. "Information is what we need most, and I think I know where to get it. Could you please cover the windows?"
"Right away," said Glynda as Ozpin walked up to his desk, getting into his chair. Glynda started fiddling with a control panel on the wall, all the windows save the one with the clock being covered with an opaque, concrete-like filter to keep prying eyes out. She walked over to the headmaster's desk as Ozpin tapped on it, a holographic screen showing up.
Pulling out his Scroll and placing it face-down on his desk, the screen changed to a list of contacts and a keypad. This was one of the many secrets that Ozpin guarded: a private long-range communicator. Typically, Scrolls were only able to communicate within a kingdom. However, due to his office being part of one of the main four Cross-Communication Transmit System (CCT) towers, Ozpin was able to connect his personal Scroll to the tower and perform long distance, undocumented calls without having to use the main tower computers. There were only a few people who had access to this kind of private communication, and one of those people had his name all over this Kamen Rider situation.
Right as Ozpin was about to hit the call button, an electronic ringing filled the room. "An incoming call?" asked Glynda as she saw who was on the line. It was exactly who Ozpin intended to call.
"I suppose our friend is a mind reader," said Ozpin, accepting the call. The screen changed to a video call, a familiar face displayed on the screen.
"Greetings, Ozpin, Miss Goodwitch." Glynda narrowed her eyes, choosing not to respond to their caller.
"Hello, James. I see that you've renovated your office recently."
"Humorous," said Ironwood without a hint of emotion. "I was simply in Vale for some brief business, and I decided to take a brief detour and call you before leaving Vale airspace. There's something I must discuss with you."
"What a coincidence. I have a question or two for you myself. Mind if I go first, old friend?"
"Very well. The floor is yours," said Ironwood.
"Most appreciated," said Ozpin as he took a sip of his cocoa. "Let us get right down to brass tacks. Have you heard of a Kamen Rider Aurum, perchance?"
Ironwood couldn't help but sigh, using his free hand to bury his face in a gloved palm. "So he chose to use that name after all."
"You didn't come up with it?"
"The name of the project was simply 'Project Gold.' 'Aurum' happens to be an ancient word for 'gold' that the user liked, and 'Kamen' is an older Mistraltan word for 'masked' that he discovered in one of his graphic novels."
"Fascinating," said Ozpin. "So now that we understand the name of this Kamen Rider, do you think you could shed some light on his purpose?"
"Very well," said Ironwood, internally aggravated that "Kamen Rider" had apparently become the official term. "But this does not leave this room."
Ozpin turned to Glynda, who nodded in understanding. "You have our word. Keeping secrets is our specialty, after all."
"Excellent. I assume you need no information on the Umbrae?"
Of course not. Ozpin was the one who informed Ironwood of them in the first place. "No. They are an ancient type of Grimm that formed bodies from the tools and creations of mankind, Grimm that were nearly impossible to destroy until a powerful type of magic item was created. Magical items that have since been lost to time."
"Not quite lost," said Ironwood, piquing the interest of Ozpin and Glynda. "Indeed, I have been rather busy over the past five years. My men and I have been scouring ancient ruins and caverns, areas lost to mankind. And a very small number of those artifacts, the Huntsman Medals, have been rediscovered."
"Incredible…" said Ozpin.
"Unfortunately, the centuries have left their power diminished. Fortunately, I have a solution. With the help of one of my most brilliant scientists, I have created a device that allows a user to amplify the remaining power in those medallions. To create armor and weapons capable of destroying an Umbra. The result, as you have seen, is the Kamen Rider."
"But why go through this process at all?" interrupted Glynda. "Until tonight, the Umbrae have been extinct. This is nothing short of paranoia."
"Perhaps," admitted Ironwood. "But when I was informed of those monsters, I couldn't contain that paranoia. This is what sparked the search in the first place. My reasoning was that even if my fears were unfounded, we would have a new breed of Huntsman on our side, one who could help push back the Grimm. But unfortunately, it seems that my worries were not in vain."
"I see," said Ozpin, absorbing this new information. Ancient forces on both sides of an eternal battle had been revived into the modern age, reforged for brutal combat. "One last question. What of the boy in question? How would you describe him?"
"That is simple. He wishes to be a hero, nothing more, nothing less. His aspirations are remarkably idealistic and selfless."
"Good to know," said Ozpin with a smile, mind briefly turning to a certain silver-eyed girl he met that night. "I think that covers just about everything. Now then, you had something to say, did you not?"
"Indeed. I would like to enroll the young Aurum into your academy."
"What?!" shouted Glynda, slapping a hand over her mouth as she realized she had lost her composure. Even Ozpin couldn't hide his surprise as his eyebrows went underneath his hairline. The headmaster of Atlas Academy recommending somebody to Beacon? These were strange circumstances if he'd even seen them.
"If I may, why Beacon?"
"Tonight was a scouting run, one to get familiar with the city. My intel had led me to believe that if the Umbrae did return, the kingdom of Vale would be their first target. And as you no doubt know, that has been made painstakingly clear this night."
"I see," said Ozpin flatly. "So in response, you have decided to send a super soldier into my school to spy. Is that it?"
"You misunderstand my reasons," said Ironwood. "All I wish is for Aurum to aid you in the fight against the Umbrae. Without his abilities, they cannot be permanently dealt with."
"True," said Ozpin, "but I know you, old friend. And I cannot help but shake this feeling that you have ulterior methods."
"I can assure you, I do not," rebutted Ironwood. "Besides being there to support this fight, he is there to learn, to grow, to further hone his skills as a Huntsman. I expect you to treat him no differently than any other of your students."
Ozpin thought about this. "I would like a moment to discuss this with Glynda before making my decision."
"Very well," said Ironwood, the camera turning off as Ironwood muted his received audio.
Ozpin turned to Glynda. "This feels like a ploy of his," said Glynda. "We know nothing about this Aurum, as I have stated. And we have no way of knowing if Ironwood was honest."
"Quite right," said Ozpin. "And with that, my mind has been made up." Turning back to his screen, he turned the camera back on, prompting Ironwood to unmute Ozpin. "I have made up my mind."
"That was refreshingly brief. Your decision?"
"I will allow this 'Kamen Rider' to attend my academy." Before Glynda or Ironwood could speak, Ozpin pointed a finger into the air. "On one condition. I wish to speak with the boy myself upon his arrival. I cannot say for certain what his character is until I meet him myself. You do understand, don't you?"
Ironwood was quiet for a moment before nodding. "Very well, you have my permission."
"Very good. I'm glad that we could have this discussion. Have a safe flight back to Atlas, James."
"One moment," said Ironwood before Ozpin could hang up. "I have one last request."
"You do, now?" asked Ozpin, finger still hovering over the "end call" button.
"I want you to find worthy candidates for Project Silver and Project Bronze."
This caught Ozpin's attention as he moved his hand back, crossing his fingers and resting his chin on them. "More Kamen Riders, I presume? I would like to hear about this."
"As it stands, the Aura Driver that Aurum uses is the only one of its kind. However, that remains to be changed."
"An army?" asked Glynda cautiously.
"Not quite. We didn't find nearly enough medals for that, only enough for two additional allies. You see, the blueprint for the Aura Driver has been finalized. However, it will take quite some time to reproduce."
"So you want us to find users in the meantime?" asked Ozpin.
"Precisely. Once the Driver has a user, it becomes locked to their Aura signature. Only they can activate and deactivate the Driver. I need candidates from your students who have the skill, the training, the resolve to endure this mission. Candidates who Aurum can work well with in an emergency situation."
"Very well, I accept this responsibility," said Ozpin with a smile. "Any excuse to watch my students excel and grow. When can I expect the Drivers?"
"I will send messengers with the Driver and its respective medal upon their completion. Both are set to be completed before the upcoming Vytal Festival."
"Excellent. In that case, I suppose all that is left to do is wait for his arrival. Thank you for the information, general."
"And thank you for this opportunity, Ozpin. I can assure you, Aurum will exceed your expectations." And with that, the good general hung up. A short while later, Ozpin's scroll pinged. Checking his mail, he saw that Ironwood had sent him a file: the transcripts for one Jaune Arc.
"So this is the true face of Masked Rider Gold," chuckled Ozpin as he turned to Glynda. "You're excused, Glynda. Enjoy your well-earned rest tonight." She simply nodded and walked to the elevator. Ozpin downed the last of his no-longer-hot cocoa and set to work, filing the proper paperwork with a small smile on his face. 'Ruby Rose. Jaune Arc. This is sure to be an exciting four years.'
And that's the first chapter! Not too much to start with; just some exposition and some brief action scenes. Hopefully the fights I wrote are well-received, since this is the first time I've dealt with this level of dynamic fight scenes. As always, feel free to leave a review! Catch you all next time when we see what Beacon is like! Starpion out!