Blasphemous Rose
A RWBY x Blasphemous Crossover.
-Guilty Rose I. End of a Pilgrimage-
(Blasphemous OST –Que las Campanas Me Doblen-)
It was over.
It was supposed to be over.
After all the pain, all the death and sacrifices done during their journey, that one last act of selflessness should had put an end to the nightmare afflicting the world.
And yet…
And yet, everything had been for naught.
"This fight is pointless, witch. Even if you were to wield his sword with enough skill to match mine, the deed is done. The wrongdoings you both committed against the Father and the Mother, against the Miracle itself… all of them have been undone by removing the blade. Even if you managed to defeat me somehow, Faith has won over Sin.
Surrender yourself to the dream of death, and let the Miracle judge you in there"-said the one wearing an armor of gold.
"Do you even realize what you did? You didn't just undo someone's actions, you condemned your very world to a new age of suffering under the Miracle!"- answered in defiance another, bearing eyes of silver and the remnants of a red hood that had seen better days.
"Silence! You, who are both an outsider and a sinner, could never understand the ways of the Miracle. How it cleanses one's self through the trials of suffering. How all who are touched by its blessings are an extension of its holy will upon our land. That sword carries the sin of felling not just my brethren but all the blessed outbreaks of the Miracle"- said the golden knight.
"Blessed? Your whole Church became a nest of monsters that preyed upon the weak and the innocent, and that was even before the Miracle twisted Escribar and your superiors into actual monsters! You were willing to let the curse upon your people continue because it came from the Grievous Miracle. You and all of your Church either refused or got cold feet into looking for a way out of it, turning your backs at all the people who needed you.
And when someone finally achieved what no others could before him, you could not accept it and instead went out of your way undo his sacrifice!"
"The will of the Miracle stands above all else, no one is above it! Be it old or young, man or woman, all must devote themselves to the Miracle and its plans for them. All who are willing to stand in the ways of the Miracle are worse than sinners, they are heretics and apostates that need to be put down!
And that man was but an apostate, daring to undo the greatest of all blessings since the First Miracle. It was my sacred duty to make things right once gain"- finished the golden knight.
The other fighter gripped the remnants of her weapon harder, her teeth grinding and her eyes showing anger and regret.
"Spare me your self-righteousness, Crisanta. Your duty is to no one but yourself, do not pretend otherwise. You would rather keep your precious position in a world of suffering and corruption than try your hardest to build a kinder world where people can actually hope for a better tomorrow. You are not a righteous knight... you are but a coward covering herself in piety and duty to hide your hypocrisy and fear."
Her words said, the second speaker waited for another reply.
Seconds passed with the golden knight remaining silent and still.
Until she raised her sword with both arms, ready for a high cut from neck to waist.
"And now, with the blessing of Our Miracle of the Greatest Pain I, Crisanta, shall put an end to your life of sin, Ruby Rose".
From an outsider's point of view, the blade of the executioner was falling in slow motion, getting closer and closer but taking almost an eternity to meet its target.
But it would.
And there was nothing that Ruby Rose could do at the moment to change the outcome. For beneath the anger there was regret and sorrow, adding to her tired body and soul.
Despite her struggle to honor the sacrifice of her dear friend and mentor, all that they had fought for had been undone. The weight of the guilt born from her failure stopped her from doing anything but stare at the blade and await judgement.
Everything had been for naught.
It was over.
And yet…
And yet, there was indeed another point of view.
And moments after the name of the one condemned to execution was heard…
"!"
"DON'T YOU TOUCH MY SISTER!"
"!"
Others entered the stage.
(Game of Thrones OST- Goodbye Brother Extended)
Beacon.
The one place sought by all who aspired to become professional Hunters and Huntresses, welcoming all but only graduating the best.
The place where she would show her strength to all others, maybe even find some cute boys along the way.
The place where her uncle, her parents and that woman, became one of the best teams. Just like she would become one of the best Huntresses.
And also, the place her missing sister wanted to go as well, to follow after their mother's steps.
…
One year.
It had been one year only since the fateful night when her younger sister simply vanished from Remnant, leaving no clues or witnesses to her whereabouts.
One night they had all been asleep, after spending hours talking about her own upcoming entrance into Beacon. And the next morning, Ruby was gone without a trace.
Just like her mother.
Just like that woman.
Months were spent looking for clues, any sort of sign really.
Even Uncle Crow had stopped whatever he had been doing and searched everywhere for her little sister.
All rumors false, all apparent clues leading nowhere.
And then people started giving up.
Authorities insisted on declaring her sister as an official missing person, some of them as well as some of the people of Patch even suggesting coming to terms with reality and making a symbolic funeral.
Another empty tomb, with a memorial to commemorate the short life of another member of their family.
She had punched some of those people, and so had done her dad.
But anger gave way to sorrow, and their small family was never the same.
From what she had learned from her mother, when that woman had abandoned their dad and left who knows where, he had been devastated.
When their mom had disappeared and everyone had to accept her death, they had all felt the terrible pain. In fact, it took the sisters almost getting killed by Grimm during a dumb adventure in order to snap their dad out of his isolation.
Now, however, they had no one to turn to.
As much as they had refused with all their might during the first months, even her family started coming to accept the truth. Just like how they did with their mother.
Uncle Crow continued to visit, even more than before the incident. In all honesty, it was those visits that kept the family working somehow, since her dad spent lots of his time on autopilot.
But even her uncle had started working on moving on.
All those that knew her sister were moving on, having accepted her death.
Except for herself.
Yang Xiao Long refused to move on.
A year had passed since her sister Ruby Rose went missing, but Yang refused to move on.
Because it was too terrible to accept it.
Two people had already left her family to vanish, one to never return. If she just accepted that her sister was another example, who was to say that another would not follow?
Was she supposed to accept that her family was fated to fall apart slowly, that their happiness was not to last or even return?
For Yang Xiao Long, moving on meant giving up on caring about anything, becoming someone like her father or worse, that woman.
So, in spite of her uncle's warnings, she persisted.
Had circumstances been different, Yang would have spent her free time looking for clues about the possible whereabouts of that woman.
Instead, she continued to search for Ruby.
Every week, when she was not training or simply trying to live, she sought her sisters wherever rumors took her. Small steps, since she could not just disappear as well, but every small step counted.
And just like that, a year had passed.
Yang continued forward, never giving up on either life or her obsessive quest.
Even amidst the numerous candidates to become Huntsmen and Huntresses, Yang sought her missing little sister, hoping for a Miracle.
Even as she joked around strangers, even while she had fun breaking a serious black haired girl from her reading, she still sought her sister. Hoping for a Miracle.
Even as she made her way through the Emerald Forest during the Initation.
Even after she met her partner in the girl she teased before, throwing jokes once again to make conversation.
Even when they met the annoying, uptight, but somewhat fun to tease princess, who joined their journey to the abandoned temple to get the relics.
Yang sought her missing little sister, hoping for a Miracle.
Now, the three of them had been joined by other couples, one of which seemed to be an actual couple (even if the guy, Ren, pretended this was not the case).
There was even more fun messing around, some bad puns, and even complaints (those coming mostly from the Ice Princess).
But admist all the jokes and annoyance, there was something else.
A feeling of foreboding.
A feeling that kept growing the close they got to the center of the temple.
Even then, most kept walking because they wanted to prove themselves.
Yang just kept walking because of another feeling she got in her chest. A feeling that told her that if she simply turned around to avoid whatever was at the end of the path, she would regret it for the rest of her life.
"So what is your semblance exactly, Cereal Girl?"- she said, trying to alleviate the tension in the air.
"Ah, well, I can't tell you yet since I don't know if we will be on the same team"- said the tall redhead sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck while sounding honestly apologetic. In response, Yang began another of her teasing wars.
"Does Jaune boy know then?"- she continued, a knowing smile on her face. It may not fit the situation completely, but awkwardness was better in her book than anxiety.
"Well, not really. I mean-" added the guy in question, messing his words in the process and giving more ammo for Yang to continue her so called inquiry.
"Oh, but you are so close. You are even partners for Beacon, all thanks to Pyrrha here." –she gestured to the redhead, who was somehow managing to blush in the darkness – "Or maybe, what you need to spill the beans is more incentive"- finished Yang in a flirtatious tone, making the blonde guy blush and sputter this time.
This made Pyrrha move slightly closer to him, something that the blonde jester didn't miss and made her laugh.
But before she could continue her game, there was a roar, which cut off all conversations and put everyone either in panic or in full alert.
They all looked at each other on search for some explanation.
And then Jaune made the obvious question
"Wha-what was that?"
"Whatever it was, it came from the end of this path, most likely from the chamber we are supposed to get the relics from"- replied serious person N° 2, Lie Ren.
Number one was Blake, her very partner.
"Yay, an explosion! Let's go take a look Rennie."
"Shhhh, Nora please be quiet"- he told her in a low but scolding voice, which seemed to work on the now less bubbly ginger – "We don't know what made that, and I don't think we should either go to it or call its attention unless there is no choice".
Jaune was quick to agree, and Pyrrha followed. Even the Ice Queen tag along followed, which left only Blake and herself.
In the short amount of time that Yang had been partners with the usually calm black haired girl, she got the impression that she was not one to throw herself at adventure unless pulled along.
In fact, it was pure common sense to avoid anything to do with explosions inside an abandoned place, like this temple.
(Spiderman 3 OST- Sandman's Theme)
As for herself…
"I will keep going".
No jokes, no puns, no flirts this time. It had been a statement with all the seriousness possible at the moment.
The rest looked at her with wide eyes, her partner and tag along going as far as to protest her choice.
"Yang what are you-"
"Are you insane, you dolt!? Who the hell runs into the source of an explosion in the middle of a gigantic old cave? I don't think your partner wants to be buried here now, I sure as hell don't!"- Ice queen complained.
"Weiss don't shout please!"- spoke Ren again, careful to keep his voice as low as possible while reprimanding.
"Why you-"
"Weiss please, he didn't mean offense, is just common sense" –interrupted Blake, unintentionally making a rhyme. Yang would have commented on it had her mind not been focused on other things, like the feeling in her chest becoming even stronger now.
Blake continued – "Please explain yourself now, Yang".
Now everyone was looking at her expectantly, making her release a sigh in frustration with herself before giving a reply.
"Look, I don't know why; I just know it. If I just go back now, is not the competition or being accepted at Beacon that worries me. Something in here" –she put her palm over her chest, right where her heart was- "tells me that I will always regret it if I don't keep going forward."
Everyone was paying attention, and she kept speaking not letting anyone interrupt her.
"You can all go back if you feel it's the best, you included Blakey. I will not drag you with only feelings, this is something I must do alone. You can always just become partners with Ice Queen here, just pretend we never saw each other in the forest before here"- finished Yang with an apologetic smile this time.
She was met with silence from all, including Weiss.
She made small wave of goodbye and kept walking on her own, willing to see the end of the road.
So be it.
Memories and feelings were all she had nowadays, and her desperate hope to recover the one who was lost into the unknown.
Everyone wanted to move one and forget they ever felt something else before or after the quiet pass of time. Yang would keep walking the road, guided by her guts and her desires.
That is the kind of person she was.
And yet…
A pair of steps was heard following after. Then it was joined by more and more.
Yang stopped once more, turning to look at the small gathering of people that had entered into the temple alongside her and were now catching up to her.
"You guys, why?"- asked the surprised blonde.
"Rules are rules, Yang. First person you make eye-contact with is your partner for the next four years. Either I do that or I just quit"- replied first Blake, a small smile gracing her face.
"Is not like I care about what you do, but in the chance that we end up together, Blake and I will need your muscles. This is simply caring for an investment"- huffed the tsundere.
"As mom said, strangers are just friends you haven't met yet. So we will help you as your friends… we're friends, right?" –added her dummy but well intentioned fellow blond. His companions seemed to share his feelings, nodding in support.
There was no need for more words.
They made their way into the center of the temple, careful to not make too much noise and sticking to the walls as much as possible.
The closer they got, the more sounds they got to hear.
Sounds that were not too difficult to discern.
The clash of weapons.
Followed by the sound of someone hitting the floor harshly, as if thrown.
"Someone is fighting inside. Maybe the ones responsible for the sound of the explosion"- inquired Ren, once again in low voice.
They tried to get as close as possible, some for curiosity and some for duty.
First there were just some silhouttes but they finally got close enough to watch and listen better.
From what Yang could see, there were two people in the giant room where the relics were supposed to be.
One was standing, wearing a full armor in gold and a very stranger helmet covering her face. In her right hand, she held what appeared to be a longsword, wrapped in a red cloth with knots.
The other was trying getting up from the floor, a broken stick held in her left hand. Most likely, the remnants of her weapon. As for clothing, the second person less armor, a tattered red scarf of sorts tied around her neck and right shoulder.
-badump-
For some reason that scarf triggered something in her. A memory of sorts.
Before she could look into it, she was brought back to the two strangers as they spoke to one another.
(Blasphemous OST- Vuestra Faz Denegrida)
"This fight is pointless, witch. Even if you were to wield his sword with enough skill to match mine, the deed is done. The wrongdoings you both committed against the Father and the Mother, against the Miracle itself… all of them have been undone by removing the blade. Even if you managed to defeat me somehow, Faith has won over Sin.
Surrender yourself to the dream of death, and let the Miracle judge you in there"-said the one wearing an armor of gold.
The kneeling person answered in anger, speaking of sacrifices undone and of the horrors of the so called Miracle.
Witch? the Miracle? These people were either very committed cosplayers, or they were in some very weird stuff. And yet humor was gone when one looked at the person on her knees, her exposed arms and legs showing cuts and bruises.
'This person had no more Aura to protect herself', concluded Yang in concern.
The golden swordswoman continued prattling about holy duty, about punishment and submission to this Miracle, while the person with black hair that finished in red denounced the cruelty and selfishness of some Church the one in golden belonged to.
-badump-
Again, there was something terrifyingly familiar in that woman kneeling on the floor. That hair was so familiar it spoke to Yang of happier times. Of someone lost
Of someone missing.
And even as her logical side refused to just go with it, her heart cried out to the terrible hope brimming inside it.
"The will of the Miracle stands above all else, no one is above it! Be it old or young, man or woman, all must devote themselves to the Miracle and its plans for them. All who are willing to stand in the ways of the Miracle are worse than sinners, they are heretics and apostates that need to be put down!
And that man was but an apostate, daring to undo the greatest of all blessings since the First Miracle. It was my sacred duty to make things right once gain"- finished the golden knight.
The other fighter gripped the remnants of her weapon harder, her teeth grinding and her eyes showing anger and regret.
Eyes of silver, just like the woman who became her mother.
Eyes of silver, just like her missing sister.
Yang was shaking inside and outside. Her eyes wide, her breath refusing to come out of her lungs.
She had waited for others to no avail. She had searched for answers for months without results, tasting the bitter reality of her powerlessness in spite of her talents as a fighter.
She had kept going like a mad woman because otherwise she would become mad anyway.
And now, there was a clue. No, this was much more than a clue or a coincidence.
A part of her had grown accostumed to failure even as she kept trying, and refused to accept what was in front of her as reality. The one part driving her obsession dared to hope.
"Spare me your self-righteousness, Crisanta. Your duty is to no one but yourself, do not pretend otherwise. You would rather keep your precious position in a world of suffering and corruption than try your hardest to build a kinder world where people can actually hope for a better tomorrow. You are not a righteous knight... you are but a coward covering herself in piety and duty to hide your hypocrisy and fear."
Her words said, the second speaker waited for another reply.
Seconds passed with the golden knight remaining silent and still.
Yang was now seeing more and more of someone missing in the older girl kneeling. Her red scarf, probably the remnants of what was once a cape with a hood. Her hair and her yes. Even her face was familiar in spite of the person looking obviously older.
And then…
And then, the woman in golden armor raised her sword with both arms, ready for a high cut from neck to waist.
"And now, with the blessing of Our Miracle of the Greatest Pain I, Crisanta, shall put an end to your life of sin, Ruby Rose".
(Blasphemous OST- Taranto a la Hermana Mía)
-BADUMP-
The world stood still.
Her partner didn't matter.
Her friends didn't matter.
The Initiation didn't matter either.
-BADUMP-
'Ruby'
In that moment all that mattered was the truth. A truth feed on hope, on a name spoken by a stranger to another who could be no other than the person she had been looking for a full year now.
-BADUMP-
'My sister, Ruby Rose'
A name that signified the end of her journey, the end of a quest that may have been brief from another's point of view, but long and desperate for her.
'The girl kneeling on the floor, covered in cuts and bruises, disarmed… is my sister, Ruby Rose'
While she looked older than a year ago, Yang knew in her heart that her sister was in front of her.
'The girl at the end of that sword is my sister, Ruby Rose!'
During these realizations, Yang had felt numb to the rest of the world.
But this numbness gave way to another feeling quickly.
To an outsider's point of view, her hair turned brighter and her eyes became crimson.
Her body covered in an aura of flames and her visage set into a snarl.
Of course, all this could not be seen by an average viewer, as Yang had exploded into motion before any of her companions could react to do anything.
And in no time, she was very close to the one called Crisanta, her right fist aimed to the head as she screamed in rage.
"!"
"DON'T YOU TOUCH MY SISTER!"
"!"
And so, others had entered the stage.
And the children who were supposed to try themselves against Grimm in a controlled situation, were about to face a foe of terrible caliber.
N/A: So this is the firs chapter and tomorrow will be posting the second. I'm learning the hard way how to organize my mind and it tends to give more ideas than finish them. I have read PMs and other comments calling for updates for stories like "Lord of the Forsaken "or "I can't believe it's not a Game"; in all honesty, I have not abandoned them but aside from being disorganized ,my last months have been filled with nothing but thesis and I feel kinda dumb becuase the problems I have with writing something good happen also in my academic work.
Sigh.
I apologize if it seems as if I'm just uploading teasers instead of full stories, not too far from the truth given the appeal of new ideas and how easier it's to write something new instead of trying to solve a mess of my own making.
I cannot make promises of actual dates for new chapters of my other projects, even this one is getting only another chapter this weekend and then we will have to wait. I will still work on "Lord of the Forsaken" for a new chapter, and the other projects will eventually get their turn. Still, I hope you take your time to appreciate this idea.
Thanks for being patient with a guy like me, and I hope I can solve my stuff so I can start posting new chapters more often.
Have a good weekend.