Author's notes:

ArguableReader: I do know the color naming rule. What I meant when using Ironwood as an example is his first name, James, which has no relation to a color whatsoever. This tells me that when it comes to the color naming rule, the first name can be completely normal as long as the last name is related in some way to a color, and vice-versa.

As said before, I'm a pretty huge perfectionist, so I've researched and studied for a very long time on the entirety of RWBY to make this story as authentic as possible, so I do know most things about the show down to even the smallest fact, such as Patch receiving the latest issued weapons magazines a week behind Vale. I'm also keen on making certain inconsistencies in the show accurate through information I'm giving early in this story, such as the change of seasons. (For example, it makes no sense why Team RNJR leaves months after the battle of Beacon, yet Blake apparently takes just as long to reach Menagerie, even counting the fact that her story is a month behind the others- the timeline after Volume 3 is really a huge inconsistency, and as such I decided to explain the functions of the world as best as I can to make sense of it all. Menagerie is always in Summer, even if it appears to be in Winter time, while Atlas will always be in an eternal Winter, even if it's in the dead of Summer. Vale will be the only place with a seasonal change. We'll see about Vacuo, but my guess is that it's always a hot desert biome as well. Forever Fall gives credence to this idea as well.

Without further ado, lets continue the story!

Patch
December 31
Year: -1

[Hey, it's Lucian. Just a little while ago I came face to face with Ruby Rose herself, and now I've somehow found myself watching as she works on her sniper scythe in the forge at the back of the shop. It appears it was just newly built not too long ago, which I guess does line up with the original timeline. Apparently Ruby is just adjusting her sniper's calibrations, or something.]


"Watcha writing?"

Ruby immediately interrupted my thoughts, staring over my shoulder at the book in my hand. "…Huh? I've never seen letters like those before," she commented with a head tilt.

I immediately shut the small book. Even though Ruby can't read or understand Japanese, there's still the question as to what kind of language I'm writing as it shouldn't exist in Remnant at all. A little too important for prying eyes if you ask me, and asking any questions about it would only garner unneeded curiosity. It's mainly the reason why I always keep it on my person; I don't even trust leaving it alone at home.

I waved off Ruby's question. "Nothing important. It's more a diary or journal, is all."

"Huh. Neat. I'm surprised anyone writes in a diary nowadays," Ruby remarked.

"Remind me again, why am I here?" I asked, attempting to divert the conversation.

"Hmm? You want to be a huntsman, right?"

"I mean, yeah, that's why I came here in the first place."

"Well, if you really wanna fight monsters for a living, getting your aura unlocked is a must if you don't wanna die immediately!" She exclaimed.

True. It's a problem I've been having for a while now. Although I've been meditating often to try and unlock it naturally, it seems that no matter how much I try I just can't find a way to open it by myself. I guess it makes sense why not everyone has their auras unlocked in this world. If it were that easy anyone could be a hunter. To tell you the truth, out of Remnant's entire population I don't think hunters make up even 5 percent of the total, making a Huntsman or Huntress-in-training exceedingly rare and incredibly valuable, despite what the original show seems to portray. It makes sense then why these Hunters are regarded so highly by others as hero-like entities, huh?

"So, do you have a way to unlock my aura then?" I questioned the girl.

"Well, I don't know how to unlock your aura myself, but my dad can! He did it for me and my sister after all," Ruby replied while adjusting the lens of her sniper's scope.

It's kinda surreal seeing someone handling a weapon nearly the same size as herself, but it is Ruby after all. The girl in question then folded the weapon into its portable form and stored it at the side of her hip.

"Okay! I think I got it!" Ruby shouted with glee. "Now I just need some live targets to practice on!"

…I'm not quite sure how my reaction should be to that. Then again, Grimm are technically the pests of this world, so it does make some sense. "So, where are we headed then?"

"Hmm… I guess we can head to the Cliffside Forest to look for some Grimm to kill. After that we can head to my house to introduce you to my dad!"

"Sounds good to me," I answered matter-of-factly. Hmm… I don't know why, but I feel like I've missed something important in her wording. It's probably not that bad, right?


"It's pretty chilly out here, isn't it?"

"Hmm? Ah, I nearly forgot you don't have any aura! Maybe we should have gone to my house first after all," Ruby contemplated.

"Nah, it's fine. With you here and only some Beowolves and Ursa wandering this forest, taking them out shouldn't be a problem for you, yeah?"

"True. My baby here would tear them apart with ease~" Ruby responded while hugging her scythe.

…Not gonna lie, that's kinda terrifying. "Yeah, right," I said while averting my eyes.

A few minutes passed while appreciating the snowy scenery, yet not a single Grimm entered our sights. It's slightly unsettling, for some reason.

"Hey, Ruby, is it normally this quiet in the forest?"

Silence.

"Hmm? Ruby?" I looked in her direction, but saw Ruby with a slightly somber expression on her face.

"Ruby? Something wrong?" I asked worriedly. She shook her head.

"Nah, nothing wrong, it's just… mom is near here. I haven't actually talked with her for a while now."

"...Oh."

The hell do I say to that? Ruby lost her mom when she was only a small child. I've never been good at helping others through their problems, and I seriously don't want to make things any more awkward than this. Thankfully, Ruby decided to continue.

"I don't exactly come here all too often, but considering New Years is just a few hours from now, I guess it just feels… right."

"…"

After a few minutes more of walking, we ended up passing through a large clearing and stepping near the edge of a cliff. At the very end laid the tombstone of Summer Rose, mother of Ruby Rose.

The two of us stood there for a while, in silence. Finally, Ruby spoke.

"I'm always training or studying to become a great huntress, but sometimes I just need a bit of alone time, you know? Coming up here always helped my mood whenever things got a bit too stressful. I haven't been up here for a long while now though… I guess it's long overdue."

Stressful? Ruby Rose? The girl who's always smiling with such boundless energy? Why would she be so stressed out? Perhaps my facial expressions gave away my thoughts, as Ruby glanced at me and continued.

"I know there are others out there that are going through far more stressful situations than me, but… well, I'm kind of, a little bit socially awkward, admittedly,'' she said while scratching her cheek.

Yeah. I know.

"I guess we're kind of the same in that respect."

…I feel like I just got burned real hard right there.

"Because of that, I have a lot of trouble making any friends. I have some friends at Signal, don't get me wrong, it's just… we're not exactly all that close. I feel like the moment we graduate, we'll all go our separate ways and never see each other again…"

Hmm. It's definitely true. Ruby did write to her "friends" in the original show before, but after that one instance they were never mentioned again, as if they never existed in the first place.

"The only people in my life I can truly rely on are my sister, Uncle Qrow, and my dad… and Zwei, our pet dog," Ruby said with a small smile. It soon faded.

"My mom was my biggest role model of all, though. I still remember the cookies she used to bake, the stories of her adventures she used to tell… those are some of the only things I can remember of her from back then. She's the reason why I wanted to become a huntress and protect others. Because to me, she was the best huntress there ever was."

I gazed at Ruby in sympathy. It was almost ironic. Ruby wanted to become a great huntress just like her mother, but if the lyrics to her own theme song are anything to go by, I don't think her mother actually wanted Ruby to follow the same path she went down. I wonder, if Summer were to still be alive, would she have even allowed Ruby to go down this same path? I'm not too sure…

We stayed there for a little bit longer. I took a few steps back to allow Ruby some time alone with her mom, while I looked up at the transitioning skyline. The sun slowly descended beyond the horizon. Soon, the light of the stars began shining through the vast curtain of darkness along with the shattered moon… the biggest reminder that I'm not of this world.

Perhaps we both needed some alone time.


Once Ruby finished, we began to head back the way we came. Ruby had her hood up to block out the snow that was just beginning to fall, while I tightened the straps on my trenchcoat to bundle up all the heat inside before it escaped. I took out some thick black gloves to warm my hands, but of course it didn't exactly do much good. How I wish I had an aura right now. I heard aura can regulate body temperatures and keep people warm even during harsh blizzards as long as you have some of it remaining.

I sighed. Hopefully I can get to Ruby's house soon. Ah, she still hasn't tested out her gun yet.

"Ah! I still haven't tested out my gun yet!" Ruby shouted at that exact moment.

…Great minds think alike, I guess.

Or two idiots.

"Yeah, I was just thinking about that," I responded with a sigh.

"I didn't realize how long I took back there with mom… Oh gosh! You must be freezing! I'm so sorry!"

"No no, it's no problem at all," I said with a shake of my head. "Still, it is getting pretty late, so I should probably head back to town for now. Maybe we can do this another da-"

A growl.

I froze. Ruby froze.

In front of us was a large clearing. Normally this wouldn't be such a big deal, but right now it was a really big deal. The cause? The dozens of Grimm that appeared out of nowhere like clockwork.

Beowolves. Arguably the weakest and most predictable of all the Grimm on Remnant. Alone they're very easy to take out; even a fully grown man without an aura could strike a few down with a simple steel sword as long as they were careful. But a few dozen? And more still coming in the distance? That's where things get really dangerous. And then it hit me.

Night time. Winter. Snowing. A clearing in the middle of a forest in Patch. Summer's grave. Ruby's red cloak shielding her from view…

The Red Trailer.

Is this a coincidence, or did my involvement somehow trigger the events of something that shouldn't have normally been canon? The Red Trailer was originally only meant to be a pilot episode for the actual show, if I recall. I don't believe it was ever stated to have been a canon event that really took place. For something like this to happen now… Without my involvement would the events have still lined up?

...Maybe.

I have no clue if it's a coincidence or just an unlucky turn of events, but I've now found myself smack dab in the middle of a Grimm-infested field with only a cheap gun and sword that I never even got to test out yet. To top it all off, this is the first time I've come face-to-face with a Grimm, and I have absolutely no combat experience whatsoever. Add all that together along with the fact that I can't even hold a weapon due to the thick gloves currently stuck on my hands, and you have yourself a terrible recipe for the worst emotion you can currently have: fear.

And because of that uncontrollable fear, every single head turned towards me.

Oh shi-

ROARRRRR-

CALM. CALM DOWN NOW!

I tried taking deep breaths, but due to hyperventilation it was becoming increasingly difficult to keep myself from shutting down completely. This… I was completely unprepared for this! I have to escape, I need to find a way to-

SLAP!

?!

I rubbed my cheek now stinging a bright red. I looked towards the source, and saw Ruby glaring daggers at me with a stern expression plastered on her face. Ah. That's right. I'm not alone. I… I was too easily spooked. I looked down in shame. Here I was, saying I would one day become a Huntsman capable of helping others, yet the moment I was faced with an unexpected situation my first instinct was to flee on sight. That wasn't the actions of a hero. That was a coward.

I looked back into Ruby's eyes, and nodded with a calmer gaze… at least, the best I could manage right now despite my constant shaking.

Ruby's glare softened, and turned back towards the approaching Grimm.

"Lesson 1: Never show fear to your enemy. If you show fear, the enemy will devour you in an instant. If you stay calm you can think clearly, plan your next move, and even turn unfavorable conditions into opportunities for victory. Uncle Qrow taught me that." She whispered.

I nodded. The Grimm were right on top of us now. Three began charging forward, and I started growing increasingly nervous despite trying to will myself to stand my ground. I hastily reached for my gun, fumbling with the large gloves on my hands, until Ruby stopped me with a raised arm to the chest. She turned in my direction and smiled. My breath got caught in my throat.

"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you," she promised.

She… she truly was the spark that could inspire hope, huh?

And then, she shoved me back into the snow as the Grimm descended - Ruby herself vanishing in a cloud of petals. I landed half-buried, cold and groaning, but as I looked up towards the moon, I saw it. There she was, Ruby Rose, illuminated by the light of the shattered moon with Crescent Rose (rifle form) in hand.

Her expression shifted to steel, and she fired.


The first shot ripped clean through the front-most Beowolf's head, taking it down in an instant. With a quick reload and a soft landing, Ruby sprung over the next Grimm whilst blasting another fatal blow through its head. Twisting in mid-air, she took aim again and pulled the trigger, firing off a third round to the other beast's stomach and blowing it clean apart. Using the recoil of her weapon to her advantage, Ruby tucked-and-rolled to the side, discharging a fourth shot into an incoming Grimm point blank.

I stared on in awe as the young girl rolled backwards onto her feet, uncoiling her sniper rifle into its scythe mode. In less than a mere ten seconds, four Beowolves were already blasted to bits.

The Grimm howled, charging in once more.

You would think that after viewing this particular scene so many times I would have found it nothing particularly new by now, but looking at it on a screen as opposed to watching it in person is a completely different experience. Sure, these Grimm were the weakest of the weak, but the numbers were still many and Ruby was still only one 14 year old girl. This fight alone proved how worthy she was to become a Huntress.

Expression still steeled and focused, Ruby tore her way through the tide of Grimm with the swings of her scythe and the sounds of screaming gunfire. It was, to put it simply (and possibly a little bit morbidly), a beautiful sight to behold. After slaughtering who knows how many Grimm by now, Ruby was pushed back, scythe dragging across the snow to slow herself down. She reached behind her back and took out the next cartridge, when she noticed me still staring shell-shocked behind her. After looking between me and the wolves a few times, she clicked her tongue and inserted the new cartridge.

And then, she charged in my direction.

…Huh?

Next thing I knew, I was being wrenched through the snow by a hand on the collar of my trench coat.

Eh?

"Sorry, but I can't risk taking them all on while protecting you at the same time," Ruby acknowledged. "I mean, I'd win, but there's still a chance I'd leave you defenseless for a while. The Grimm may get to you if that happens."

I see. Still, perhaps you could ease up a little? I think I'm about to pass out from choking on my collar…

I would voice these thoughts out loud, if it weren't for the fact that I was literally dying from lack of oxygen right now.

After a few minutes of "running", the sounds of howls in the distance began to diminish. Ruby finally slowed down to look behind her, making sure she wasn't followed further. Meanwhile, I was on the ground barreling over in a coughing fit.

"P-please- CKkkk, Ne-ever d- CAKkk, do that agai-KKK -ainnn…" I croaked out.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Ruby apologized after turning around, realizing what she'd done. "I was in such a rush that I forgot you probably wouldn't be able to handle going at that speed without aura! Are you okay?"

No.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," I lied through my teeth. I just hope and pray I don't have permanent brain damage from whiplash…

The two of us waited there for a moment as I caught my breath. Luckily it didn't seem we were followed by the wolves, but Ruby continued to remain vigilant just in case. A few more minutes later and I could finally breathe normally again. A miracle, to say the least.

Ruby awkwardly turned towards me with her head down, pointer fingers touching in embarrassment. "Um, sorry again for, you know, dragging you through the snow and all," she chuckled nervously.

"It's fine, really," I responded. "It should be I who's sorry. My fear kinda led them all towards us like a lighthouse after all."

"Haha, yeah…"

"..."

"Ah! No offense!"

We continued to walk like that for a while, basking in the frigid night air, until Ruby spoke up once more.

"Here we are."

Standing in front of us was a quaint two story log cabin in a small clearing. The Xiao Long household, home of Ruby Rose, Yang Xiao Long, and Taiyang Xiao Long.

And Zwei.

"Home sweet home," shouted Ruby with a grin on her face. "Dad should be inside. Let's go!"

I timidly walked up to the door with Ruby, the young girl barging into the house like she owned the place.
…Which, I guess, she technically did.

"Dad! Yang! I'm home!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. "And I've brought a friend too!"

Just then, a tall 5'8" blonde-haired girl in an orange crop top and black short shorts walked down the stairs into the living room. "A friend?" She asked, brow raised.

The blonde looked at me, then back at Ruby, then back at me again. A shit-eating grin spread out across her face.

Oh no.

"HEY DAD! Ruby brought a boy home!" She yelled out.

At that moment, frantic footsteps charged into the living room from the back of the kitchen.

"WHAT?!" Shouted Tai, hand literally crushing the kitchen doorway.

Ah. I see.

So my lease on life expires today, it seems.

End Notes:

Heads up. Next chapter may take a while longer due to life and Genshin, but mainly due to life. It's Christmas season here, and that makes things a bit more hectic after all.