RWBY: SINS

CHAPTER 1:

THE BEST LAID PLANS…

With a deranged grin, he took the dagger, and plunged it into his neck, so deep that, as he tore the knife through, he decapitated himself. His body and his head toppled off the building into a river of blood below, his blood mingling with the crimson torrent. His duty had been done. He was the poisoned bait meant to kill a monster.

And yet, some part of him regretted this, the part of him that wasn't brainwashed into furthering the glory of National Socialism, of the one last spectacle of Millennium. He'd never gotten to have a girlfriend (the closest he got was flirting a little with the much older Rip, and that fledgling of Alucard's). He'd never gotten to drive a car at ridiculous speeds down a road (and if he crashed, well, he'd be fine). He'd never gotten to have a full life, even though normally he couldn't die. Permanently, anyway. Though this was set to change all that.

Soon, he was drowning. Not in blood, but in souls. Souls, souls everywhere, and he couldn't tell what was his own. His existence was drowned out in a cacophony of screaming voices. And he heard the Major's mocking voice, and then Alucard mocking him right back…only for a thrill of sudden realisation as he felt his existence dissolve, and take Alucard with him.

But a small and vocal part of him, one that he had thought had been silenced by experiments long ago screamed, No, I don't want this! I want to be free! I want to be free to be me! Not as part of Millennium! Not as part of Alucard! My mission is over…can I be free to live?

That small part of him felt it detach away from himself, trailing red and black like blood from a severed limb in water. The greater part of him was continuing in perpetual non-existence to fulfil his mission…but a small part of him was being brought to another world…for redemption.

Unfortunately, there were some passengers tagging along for the ride…

Fuchsia eyes flickered open, and lips parted to emit a hoarse groan of pain. It felt like he had stabbed himself in the forehead with his own knife. "I'd suggest not moving that much, or not speaking for a while," a calm voice said with considerable authority. "You've just inhaled an anaesthetic gas designed for security purposes. It's supposed to disorient the inhaler upon awakening, with symptoms rather close to a hangover. A special Dust mixture prevents you from being overdosed."

It came back to him in a flash, and he groaned again, more in self-reproach than pain. Stupid, stupid, stupid. Why oh why did he think that trying to raid some hidden basement beneath Beacon Academy was a good idea?

Oh, right. Because he was the leader of a group of daring criminals who liked to steal the impossible. And because he had a rather cocky attitude that threw caution to the wind. Besides, Beacon Academy had to have something interesting and potentially valuable locked away in its basement.

Well, it certainly had something interesting, if only in the curse sense of the word. While searching for something, he and his friends had stumbled across what looked like a life support capsule, within which a young woman lay, comatose and scarred along her face. And it was at that point that they had been gassed. It was probably one of the few things he was vulnerable to.

The voice continued. "Calico Schrödinger. Age: 18. Born in Mantle. Orphaned at a young age during a White Fang rally that turned violent, with interference from thugs hired by the Schnee Dust Company suspected but not proven. Turned to a life of theft, becoming known as 'The Cat Who Walks Through Walls' and 'Nine-Lives Schrödinger' for an unusual Semblance. You lead three other thieves in a group known as the Strays, although there is only one other Faunus aside from yourself. The other members are Ilia Amitola, formerly of Atlas, a chameleon Faunus wanted for the assault of the daughter of at least one prominent family, Neopolitan, no other name given, known for her usage of illusions and teleportation as part of her Semblance, and Emerald Sustrai, formerly of Vacuo, wanted on a number of charges of pickpocketing even before she joined you."

Schrödinger finally focused on the man who was talking, sitting next to his bed. A shock of grey hair framed a face of indeterminate age. Calm, analytical eyes peered out from behind small glasses. He held a mug in one hand, from which he sipped. "I wouldn't try using your Semblance yet," the man said gently. "The Dust mixture also contains an experimental formula designed to suppress Aura and Semblances. I believe James developed it specifically to capture you."

Schrödinger knew who this man was. This was the headmaster of Beacon Academy, Professor Ozpin. And James would have to be General Ironwood, the leader of the Atlesian military. A man he and his friends had pissed off on more than one occasion, though they did more with Jacques Schnee. Hell, not so long ago, Schrödinger acted as a distraction, scrawling on Weiss Schnee's face with permanent marker while his friends hijacked a truck filled with antiques Jacques was going to sell off to line his own pockets.

They sold them, and took much of the money for themselves, though they dropped a substantial amount at a certain orphanage in Mantle, one where he and Neo had grown up. And kept a few antiques for themselves.

Ozpin was peering into his eyes. "You have older eyes than you should, you know. Even in a world where the Grimm or other forces take our family from us, your eyes are older than they should be."

"What do my eyes have to do with anything?" Schrödinger croaked, alarmed that Ozpin seemed to know about his age.

"It's a cliché, though one with some truth to it, that they are a window to the soul. Now, if you'll forgive me uttering another cliché, what to do with you?" Ozpin's demeanour, while friendly and genial, suddenly became a lot more serious. "I want you to answer one question: did someone ask you to steal something from Beacon, or was it your own idea?"

"It was my idea," Schrödinger blurted out without thinking. Something about Ozpin's presence had him speaking the truth. Well, he would have said they weren't hired by anyone even if they were. And some instinct of Schrödinger's told him that Ozpin was old. Ancient even. More so than Alucard.

Ozpin nodded. "I believe you. But…you have seen altogether too much. You and your friends saw things that, if it reached the wrong ears, would spell disaster."

"The Fraulein in the capsule?" Schrödinger asked. He hadn't completely gotten over the habit of using the occasional German word.

"The Fraulein…yes, you mean the girl," Ozpin said. "Especially as the Strays are rumoured to have abilities that could have made attacking her easier. There are rumours, for example, that Miss Sustrai has turned her opponents against each other, and Miss Neopolitan can create illusions capable of fooling anyone."

"We didn't do it!" Schrödinger protested. "I hadn't seen the Fraulein before, at least not until we were there." Then, after a moment, he asked, "Who is she? Why was she attacked, Herr Ozpin?"

Ozpin took a sip from his mug, apparently contemplating an answer. Eventually, he said, "Her name is Amber, and she has…abilities that were coveted. The attack, which happened about a month or so ago, left her in a coma, on the verge of death. We have reason to believe that those who attacked her intend to finish the job."

Schrödinger's mind raced. A young woman, with abilities that were coveted? "A Maiden," he murmured in realisation, unaware that he was thinking out loud until he saw Ozpin's eyes sharpen. "The Fraulein is one of the Maidens."

"As I've said, you've seen too much. But I'm not a mobster, and I don't kill people because they have found out my secrets," Ozpin said. "Besides, you're rather infamous for being able to undo your own death using your Semblance. Curiosity certainly wouldn't kill you permanently. Therefore, I am going to bring the Strays into Beacon."

"…What?"

"I've been following your exploits with considerable interest," Ozpin said. "You've become something of a group of folk heroes, particularly to the Faunus, despite your sabotage of many White Fang missions, because of your attacks on SDC holdings. James is particularly frustrated because you have delivered documents relating to some of the dirtier deeds of the SDC to him, and he doesn't know whether to commend you, or shoot you to see how your Semblance works. Not to mention the prank you played on Winter Schnee, exchanging her uniforms for…" Ozpin coughed into his hand, concealing an amused smile. "…well, let's just say that while leather and rubber have a place in military clothing, that's not it. Though a certain dusty old crow of my acquaintance found it hilarious."

"You're allowing a group of known thieves into Beacon?"

"Yes. Your skills are superlative, and I have need of them, bluntly. And I have admitted worse people into Beacon." Ozpin looked pensive. "Given your ties to the local underworld, you have heard the rumours that Roman Torchwick is working with the White Fang?"

Schrödinger nodded uncertainly. "Neo was actually approached by him the other night. We were planning this, though, and declined. Actually, she encountered the daughter of one of your former Huntresses."

"Yes, I'm aware of Neo's altercation with Yang Xiao Long," Ozpin said. "And of the rather unflattering, but sadly accurate way she spoke about Raven Branwen. You encountered her before?"

"We were defending an orphanage we were helping from her bandits," Schrödinger said with a scowl, before it became a shudder. "There was…something that attacked us all, something that had been stalking me. I fled with my friends, while that…monster attacked the bandits."

"The Forest of Stakes," Ozpin said with a nod. It had become infamous: most of the bandits, not just Raven Branwen's tribe but a few others, had been killed, scores impaled on stakes. Indeed, Branwen's tribe was the only surviving bandit tribe. Eyewitness reports varied wildly, Schrödinger knew, but they spoke of a pale-skinned, dark-haired man with crimson eyes and clothes. Only, he was more of a monster than a man.

A monster Schrödinger had inadvertently brought with him. Well, part of one.

"Well, Miss Xiao Long wasn't pleased, but she was grateful for any information about her mother all the same," Ozpin said. "In any case, this is my offer: officially, the Strays will be brought into Beacon Academy as Hunters in training. Unofficially, I'd like you to do off-the-books missions for us, missions uniquely suited to your skills, in exchange for reasonable compensation to yourself and to the causes you…assist with your escapades."

Schrödinger bristled a little. "And why should we join you? I could escape very easily if I wanted to, and get my friends out too."

"Well, I could appeal to your sense of decency, or of having a stable source of income that doesn't necessarily entail theft…but perhaps the thought of giving James an ulcer at the thought of being here will help?" Ozpin raised his hand, intending to sip from his mug, only to realise it was gone, and currently in Schrödinger's hands.

Schrödinger sipped it, and blinked. "Hot cocoa? I expected coffee or tea."

"Everyone thinks that," Ozpin said. "It's good, isn't it?"

"Ja," Schrödinger agreed. Eventually, he said, "I want to discuss this with my friends first…"

"So the girl's the Fall Maiden, huh?" Emerald remarked, the green-haired, dark-skinned girl folding her arms underneath her breasts. "No wonder Ozpin had all that security around her."

Ilia nodded. The brown-haired (well, when calm and not using her abilities) chameleon Faunus looked pensive. "And a couple of the White Fang members I managed to speak to said that some weird woman turned up and defeated or killed Taurus' minions with powers that sound like a Maiden's. This was shortly after Taurus' girlfriend Blake Belladonna left at the conclusion of a train robbery."

"Wait, isn't she the daughter of Ghira?" Emerald asked. "The leader before Sienna Khan sunk her claws into the Fang?"

"Maybe she's gotten a clue," Ilia said. "I'm all for sticking it to the SDC and these other anti-Faunus idiots, but there are better ways than terrorism. Killing some of them, yes, the ones that deserve it, but still…" She turned to another girl, the smallest, though she was about their age, with pink and brown hair, the pink having white streaks in it, and mismatched eye colours. "Neo?"

After a moment, Neo pulled out her Scroll and typed into it, before showing the message. As much as I don't want to be Ozpin's leashed dog, I do anticipate many fun opportunities for depriving people of their monies, their possessions, their dignity and their sanity. Not necessarily in that order. I'm in.

Schrödinger looked at the others, who nodded. "Okay. For the moment, we'll play along with this. Who knows, we might have some fun, ja?"

"And it means having to move around less," Emerald said. "But do you think Ozpin's setting us up?"

"He probably sees us as useful. Besides, you hear rumours about him. The main thing that really worries me is his ties to Ironwood," Ilia pointed out. "Other than that, Ozpin is a considerably vocal supporter for Faunus rights, at least within Vale. Better him than that shifty idiot Lionheart. Seriously, how did that old fraidy-cat get to be a headmaster of a Hunters Academy?"

"I don't know, Ilia. So, it's agreed? We accept the offer for now?" The three nodded. "Alles klar."

As part of their cover, they were coming in to Beacon, at least publicly, on one of the airships. Unfortunately, they, or at least Neo, had been recognised. Well, by two people.

"You!" a buxom blonde snarled, storming up to Neo, who affected a look of mock innocence that fooled nobody.

"Hey, hold up, Yang!" a short redhead that reminded Schrödinger of Little Red Riding Hood yelped. "You're making a scene!"

"Agreed. Can we get over the ass-kicking Neo doubtless gave you?" Emerald asked.

"It's more than the ass-kicking, which totally didn't happen no matter what this brat claims," Yang snarled.

Neo typed something into her Scroll. Ah, denial and anger, the first and second stages of grief.

Ruby blinked. "But…nobody died, did they?"

Neo smirked. No, but Yang's dignity and self-assurance has a terminal illness. So sad. I'll bring flowers to the funeral.

Schrödinger, despite his smirk, intervened smoothly just as Yang seemed set to explode. "Sorry about my girlfriend's rudeness, Fraulein. I am told you interrupted her eating her ice cream. It's not a good idea to do that. I'm Schrödinger. You've met Neo, and these two are Ilia and Emerald."

Yang calmed herself with an effort, before she said, "I'm Yang Xiao Long. And this is my sister Ruby Rose."

Half-sister, Neo typed in. Same daddy. Yang's mother was Raven, for which you have my sincerest condolences, Yang. As I said when we last met, I'm glad you got her bitching good looks instead of just general bitchiness. Ruby's mother was Summer Rose.

"Nice to meet you, Yang, Ruby," Ilia said, shaking their hands. "Sorry about these reprobates. Emmy and I are the better-behaved ones." She promptly got swatted playfully over the head by Neo.

"Neo told us you fought pretty well," Emerald said. "Don't feel bad about losing to her. She's ridiculously skilled, and she likes playing with her foes. Sometimes, she acts more like a cat than Schrödinger. Plus, her Semblance is ridiculously OP."

"Yeah, that is seriously hax," Yang said, rubbing the back of her head.

That's the Power of NEO, Neo typed in smugly. Fuelled by eating so much ice cream I could puke.

As if Oum Himself wanted to punish her for her hubris, the moment was promptly ruined when a queasy-looking blonde boy staggered over and emptied the contents of his stomach all over her shoes. Still, the bruises he would then endure would take his mind off his motion sickness for the rest of the journey…

CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:

So, Schrödinger and his friends have been conscripted into Beacon, and have met Ruby and Yang. And Jaune emitting a Technicolour Yawn. Good times.

No numbered annotations this time.