Hello everyone! Welcome to Famous for a Reason version 2.0. This is essentially an expanded version of the original Fic. I've been talking to a few people about how they felt about it, and I'm excited to answer some of the popular questions. This is still going to be a Ladybug fic, but It'll be longer and hopefully more believable than last time. Some of the interactions felt kind of forced to me, and frankly I rushed a few parts I really wanted to take my time on.
I'm a mood kind of writer so I only update stuff when I feel like it. Truth be told too; my work keeps me busy. This is the first time in a few years that I have more than a month or two to stay at home. I travel all the time and I kind of hate it. Related note, Commercial flying has sucked even harder these last couple years, am I right? Even I'm getting sick of my excuses.
The plan this time around is to flesh out all the characters way more and increase the length of the story. Fleshing out everyone will help with word count, but this story originally was a lot of organized chaos. No real arcs or storylines; so, to fix that, I'll be following canon relatively closely. That way I increase length and have an actual story alongside the mountain of fluff I like to write. Something for everyone hopefully. Of course, with any fic there will be some divergence, sometimes a lot, sometimes a little. Hopefully everyone can find something about this story they enjoy. I'd like to think I've improved as a writer, but I'll let you guys be the judge of that.
Also, the plan was for me to post this over the original story so that everyone that favorited and followed it wouldn't have to do it again. has a problem when you post chapter one twice, it won't let you leave a review or at least it used to. Still trying to decide on that or not, but if you can't review this chapter and want to share your thoughts, just PM me. I always appreciate anyone going out of their way to give me their honest thoughts about it. I've changed the direction of stories before because I agreed with the feedback given to me.
I'm trying something a little different. I'm trying to model arcs of the story after certain music albums and lining up chapters with the mood of certain songs. By no means is it required or even really recommended that you check out the songs or the album. But, as someone who plays a few instruments and spent my entire life around and playing music, I want to include it. Feel free to check out my suggestions if you're looking for new bands or new music. I'd like to hear how you guys feel I did lining up song tone to story tone.
Enough buffering the word count with pointless writer expositions! Onward!
Arc Album - Eidola To Speak, to Listen (Rock/Metal)
Song – Loti by Eidola (Rock)
Disclaimer (as always) – RWBY belongs to RoosterTeeth please support the official release!
Chapter 1 – Introspection (Minor Prologue)
She was alone, always. Traveling endlessly through somber forests or abandoned towns teetering on the edge of civilization. Each footstep cementing that melancholy. The only thing holding her together these days was the memory of her family. The times she would pick her little sister up and swing her around the living room dancing ravenously to whatever was on her dad's old ham radio. Her dad leaning against the door frame to the kitchen with a smile plastered on his face as he watched his goof ball daughters act like idiots. These days those memories were bittersweet reminders. She wasn't sure she could ever show her face there again.
She battled loneliness pretty much daily over the last few years. Desperately clinging to images of a far-gone time that she knew would never fully come back. Yang was such a cute kid back then. Eyes full of wanderlust and joy, looking up at her with unveiled adoration. The little spitfire always had a pension for recklessness. Yang was barely eight when she encountered her first Grimm. Little thing barely knew how to throw a punch but couldn't help but laugh at the thought of danger. What was it, six years since she'd seen her little sister?
She was sick of this to be honest. The months on end with no human contact, the seemingly endless fighting. Say what you will, but she took pride in her work. That same pride had earned her no small hint of recognition. Any time she found herself within signal range she would check her Scroll and find a few articles labeling her as the greatest Huntress of the generation. Sure, she took down a few big-name Grimm single handedly, and came out the other end without a scratch, but that was just her doing her job. She'd gotten messages begging for interviews a few times, and even responded with a text to a few questions, but this level of fame was ridiculous.
After all, she didn't deserve it. The off the record missions were something she was ashamed of. If anyone knew about those, nobody would even want to know her name. The underbelly of society spoke of her with more fear than recognition. In her mind she deserved to be forgotten. No one should aspire to be like her. The thought that the mass media of Remnant was encouraging exactly that made bile rise in her throat. If her little bright-eyed sister, or her unendingly kind adoptive father knew what she was really doing on the edge of the world they would never want to see her again. She knew that beyond a reasonable doubt. All the memories, the smiles, the laughs they shared together would always be just that, memories. The blood on her hands assured her that she would never deserve to have that again.
A steady sigh escaped her mouth as she trudged onward through the bleak forest. At the same time a low growl echoed all around her. An ominous wind blew ruffling the trees and the bush all around her.
"Back to the grind I guess." Her hands moved automatically behind her back and underneath her trademark crimson cloak latching on to her equally famous, or infamous, weapon. The feeling of cold metal beneath her fingers as she latched on and with practiced ease unfurled the behemoth that she viewed as her only companion. A massive war scythe with a built-in sniper rifle, Crescent Rose. With a twirl the compacted form unfolded and extended exposing the sharp and well-maintained blade to the open air.
"I'm in no mood for this bullshit right now!" she exclaimed to no one as she angled the blade behind her and pulled the trigger shooting herself forward into the fray.
Ruby Rose was in desperate need of a vacation.
Beacons Halls were considered in no small part to be extravagant. The endlessly high ceiling and the color gold always within sight were a big change from the desolate campground she'd grown accustomed to. Then again, her whole situation was vastly different than anything she'd experienced before. Friends were seated at the very top of that list. Yang and Weiss were an entirely new venture for her. Not to mention the ever present and more than mildly inconvenient team setup. Blake Belladonna, first year Beacon student and third member of the only three-person team in Beacon Academy, team SBL(Read Sable). As unorthodox as it was Yang and Weiss were the closest thing to family that she considered in years. She could've done without her Faunus heritage getting revealed the way it did though.
Weiss Schnee, the 'leader' of the team was hard to handle at first, putting it politely. Of course, Blake had already made her character assessment of the white-haired girl before they had even met. It didn't help that Weiss was exactly how Blake had pictured her. A snobby stuck up rich girl who stared down her nose at everyone. The condescending look she had when she was named leader pissed her off more than anything. Blakes other teammate, Yang, took that look about as well as she did. From day one the two of them went slightly out of their way to blatantly defy their leader. Obviously, tensions blew after some time. The headmaster himself, Professor Ozpin, had to come to their dorm and tell them to get it together himself for crying out loud.
In the following talk everyone blew up, the White Fang, Blakes ex group came up and Blake bubbled over revealing her status running away from her team. All in all, though the proceeding fight at the docks against the White Fang with Weiss, Blake, Yang, and this strange girl Penny that seemed to take a shine to Yang helped cement the fact she was no longer part of the now known terrorists; much to the heiresses' relief. They talked the entire remaining week, really talked heart to heart. Weiss vowed that she would do her best but confided that she may not have what it takes to be leader.
"Then how about we all just be teammates? Nobody leads, nobody follows. We make suggestions and go with what we think is best as a team. I'm sure there'll be a lot we mess up and fumble through, but from now on you don't lead this team alone like you have been. We all lead together. If someone falls behind, we all pick up the slack, and if you're lost you can rely on us. We'll fill the gaps left by each other. On this team we're all equals." Yang had told them seriously. The teary smile Weiss gave them was something Blake never thought a Schnee capable of. Weiss even went so far as to apologize to Blake for her family's hand in discrimination against Faunus. That one really caught Blake off guard, her opinion of Weiss drastically improving.
Only two weeks since that conversation and they were thick as thieves. Or in Blake's case cat burglars as Yang put it. Her opinion of Yang plummeted by the second. But Blake couldn't help but smile at the memory of the awful pun. That was the usual with Yang Xiao-Long, though. Big sister to all and a warm and welcoming personality. It may have taken a while to get here, but Blake could say she loved her team.
The comradery didn't help the team performance much though. One on one fights they were all seated within the top five of the class, but in team fights with three on four, team SBL always had a significant disadvantage. The absence of a clear leader on the field didn't help their coordination much either. At least all their grades were good.
"Blake, help me hide my test paper from Weiss, I got a sixty-two!" The Blonde weight that just landed on her shoulders pleaded handing the paper to the ravenette (brunette or raven-haired). Two thirds of the team had good grades, and sixty-six percent is still passing.
"How did you manage to score a sixty-two in... Grimm Studies? I've seen you target weak spots on Grimm we've encountered, that's like seventy-five percent of the class." Blake eyed the page with one eyebrow raised almost asking if the brawler was really just that stupid.
"It's just so boring! How can you stay awake? Teach me your ways. How do I resist the cat nap?!"
"Just for that, you're on your own." Blake groaned.
"No no no, I'm joking, I promise. I'm sorry please help me hide the evidence. Weiss will go all Ice Queen lecture mode on me." Puppy dog eyes never really did work on Blake, but Yang sure was trying her best.
"Oh, trying to hide something from me? I wonder what it could be?" A voice belonging to one Weiss Schnee spoke up from behind them full of sarcasm. Weiss was really good at that voice.
"Uh, nothing, nothing at all Weiss. Scouts honor. What makes you think I'm hiding anything from you?"
"For starters you wouldn't look me in the eye after we got our tests back. So, how bad is it? Hand it over; we'll go over what you missed for the rest of the day."
Blake still holding the paper immediately handed it over to Weiss.
"Betraitor!" Yang exclaimed. Weiss took the page narrowing her eyes between Yang and the slip of paper. Moments passed without anyone saying a word. Weiss settled with her best look of pity.
"Say something here! It's not that bad right? Right? I still passed…" Two hands landed on Yang's shoulders. Both Blake and Weiss had looks of pity without a hint of concern. Weiss exaggeratingly wiped a fake tear from one of her eyes.
"I know you can't help being this stupid. You did your best." Weiss sniffled as she spoke, further playing up the act.
"Wh-Blake say something, it's not that bad right?" Her eyes begged the team Faunus to come to her aid.
"You did your best." Was Blakes brief reply.
The blonde barbarian collapsed on all fours in heap to the ground.
"Well, best to get started now. Come on Xiao-Long, you've got a lot to go over." Weiss patted her back assuredly speaking with her best mother hen tone.
"You think you can leave me feeling like this and get me to study?!" Yang gave her best snotty inhale.
"Oh, I apologize. I didn't mean to give you the assumption you could escape." Weiss said with a shit eating grin on her face as she grabbed Yang's collar and began to, literally, drag her away. Soft wails left Yang's mouth until she was out of earshot.
Yup this year was full of new experiences for Blake Belladonna.
Ruby sat her pack down on the chair next to her. This was her first time around people in months. An inn town on the edge of the outskirts. This place was the edge of charted territory, the small town didn't even have a name. A quick exhale of breath trying to release her stress and take in the brief moment of respite she had. It was the first time she would sleep in a proper bed in months too. It was genuinely lucky this place even had an inn. Not many travelers make their way this far out.
She checked her scroll now that she had signal again. Two new messages, one from her dad asking if she was alright.
Another from Ozpin asking if she completed her last mission and if she was ready for the next. Annoyed she typed out her reply.
Yeah yeah, last mission was a success, no problems. Grimm density was a little heavier than forecasted, but that seemed to deter rogue huntsmen from going that far. And no, I'm not ready for my next mission. I need a damn vacation!
Hitting the send button and pocketing her scroll, Ruby looked up to see who she assumed to be the inn's waitress. Even the simplest meal was far and above what she'd been eating lately.
"I'm sorry to bother you miss, but would you happen to be Ruby Rose?" Her eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Wow, I'm surprised someone recognized me all the way out here." Ruby put on the fake smile she was accustomed to at this point.
"Not at all, Miss Rose, you're practically a celebrity. I don't want to bother you too much so what can I get you?"
"Anything is fine at this point; I'll take whatever you recommend."
"Sure thing, local catfish and grits. I'll have pops make it extra special with some marinara as a thanks for all you do." The waitress bowed and scurried away.
"Thanks for what? I'm just a gun for hire who picked a side…" Ruby said quietly to herself knowing no one would hear her. Her scroll dinged inside her pocket.
"That was fast." She pulled out her scroll seeing the reply from Ozpin.
Approved. We've been discussing giving you one whether you wanted it or not.
Ruby was surprised it was that easy.
Wait, just like that? No fight, no pleading? You're not messing with me, are you?
Immediately after the message was sent her scroll buzzed with the caller ID as "Ozpin". She answered without missing a beat.
"You're joking right? It can't be that easy to get time off." A laugh echoed across the speaker.
"You do realize every other Huntsman and Huntress only take missions when they want to right? You're no exception to that. And here we've been thinking we would have to force one on you."
"That's not funny Oz! You told me this stuff needed to be done!"
"And I assure you it does, but no one does back-to-back missions for nearly four years. Most people take one once a month."
"Bullshit! You said and I quote 'Urgent Missions'!"
"They are urgent and we're grateful you're taking them, but you're not the only one. Qrow is still taking mission of the same nature you are." Ruby heard him take a sip of what she knew was tea. It sounded ridiculously smug.
"Ass." Was Ruby's oh so intelligent reply. He laughed at that, but she wasn't sure it was at her or for her. Stupid smug Asspin.
"Now now, no need for that. I've already dispatched transportation to your location, they'll be there in the morning."
"You're treating this awfully high profile, so what's the catch?" Ruby sighed for the hundredth time that day. Nothing with Oz came free after all.
"I would merely be asking you to come to Beacon and give a few lectures. God knows Peter is in dire need of a vacation too. We'll give you room and board as well as meals free of charge for a few weeks, or however long you intend to stay. I'm sure the students would love to have the ever-famous Ruby Rose as a professor for however long they can. A certain blonde student in particular."
Ruby knew he was talking about Yang. It was hard to believe Yang was old enough to start beacon this year. She hadn't seen Yang since she was a second year at Beacon herself.
"Isn't twenty-five a little young for new hires?" She questioned.
"Not for one who has the skills of someone who's been a huntress for twenty-five years. Come home for a while Ruby, take a break, relax."
Ruby almost teared up. She knew Oz was close with her mother and she saw him as something of an uncle in her younger years. It had been a long time since he called her Ruby and spoke to her with his uncle voice. Shit, he buttered her up for this.
"Fine, I'll be there when I get there." She conceded.
"Very good, but please go see Tai, he's worried about you." Damn it, not this line of questioning.
"I'll get around to it. See you Oz. Tell Aunt Glynda I said 'Hi'." Ruby said with a chuckle.
"It's like you're trying to start a fight with her. Goodbye Miss Rose." Oh, Old Ozpin was back.
"The old fart got me..." Resigning to her fate, Ruby thought it could be worse.
"Guess I'll get to catch up with Yang plenty. She's gonna be mad... What did I just agree to." The table shook as she thudded her head against it.
Ruby's food arrived not long after and with a grateful smile and a thank you she ate her meal peacefully thinking of how in a day she'd be walking the halls of Beacon academy again with her little sister. Noticeably excited, but a bit hesitant her head would hit the pillow that night contemplating how she would deal with her little sister and even worse, how to deal with her dad if she would at all.
Hopefully Yang wouldn't be too mad. Ruby had texted and called every few months when she could, but in the last year she could count those calls on one hand. She couldn't come around much back when she was in Beacon, but she called her family at least three times a week. Then three times a month and now barely three times a year. Tai, she hadn't called in over a year. She wanted to tell him what she was doing, how she was supposed to deal with it. She wanted to confide in her papa, but Ruby knew if she did her dad would never look at her the same. These thoughts had been normal for her for a long time at this point, and just like normal the last thoughts she had before sleep claimed her.
Yangs sister was a bona-fide badass. If nothing else, she knew that much. Growing up she always wanted to be just like her older sister, just maybe more punchy compared to Ruby's stabby. So far, she guessed she was on the right track. Yang had mixed feeling about her sister the last few years. She knew how hectic the life of a huntress was. she knew that where Ruby was wasn't always a place she could call from. She knew it would be difficult to keep in touch at all with her superhero big sister. But that didn't stop her from wanting to, and that didn't stop the anger, the disappointment, and the sadness that came with the lack of any communication. Yang felt guilty for feeling that way, but like her big sister taught her, she would face those feelings head on. Yang felt angry at the distance now established between the two. They used to be so close, almost inseparable, but now it seemed impossible just to say a word to one another. Their last calls were brief and a little awkward, but Yang looked forward to each and every one of them and hung up with a smile on her face. Ruby felt the same way as her little sister, and Yang knew that. The last calls were brief, but the older sister always seemed so apologetic, like it was agonizing to her that she wasn't around more.
More than anything Ruby had always cared about people. It didn't matter who, Ruby was always so eager and happy to help in any way she could, desperately trying to make anyone within her reach happy. Yang was at the top of the list of people Ruby wanted to make happy, Yang knew that. Ruby had told her that more times than she could remember. Yang loved her older sister more than anyone in the world. But all that love, all the admiration, even her well-deserved sky-high fame in the last couple years didn't stop the one traitorous thought that Yang always had when she thought of her sister. The sister that would give anything to make her laugh and smile.
"Then why aren't you ever around?" The tears fought to escape as she drifted off into sleep that night.
"Morning guys. Sleep alright?" Yang greeted as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Whenever she thought of Ruby her dreams were filled with the sister she missed dearly.
"Well enough. You?" Weiss greeted back patting down her skirt, ready for classes this morning.
"I've had better but no complaints." The best fake grin she could muster adorning her face.
"I know you well enough to know when you're bullshitting so spill. No more secrets remember? We all agreed to that." It certainly didn't help Yang's case when leveled with an accusatory glare like that. They all promised no more secrets after all.
"Just thinking about my sister. She's the coolest person in the world and all, but she doesn't talk to me much anymore. Ever since she went full time huntress, I hardly hear a peep. Just missing her a lot. I'll be fine, don't worry. Where's Blake anyway?"
"We'll talk about that subject change later. I didn't even know you had a sister. She's in the shower getting ready. You should hurry up if you want to make it in time for breakfast."
"Sure thing, Weiss cream cone. It's not the easiest thing for me to talk about." Weiss felt something stir in her at the grateful smile she received from her outrageously sunny teammate.
"When you're ready. I just don't want you to hide things, especially from me..." The last part was said barely above a whisper but in the quiet room Yang heard it all the same.
"I don't want to hide anything. Especially from you snowflake." Let it be known that Yang Xiao-Longs shit eating grins were equally annoying as her terrible puns. Wiggling eyebrows added an exponent of at least four to the word annoying in Weiss's opinion.
"And just like that I don't want to talk to you for the rest of the day."
"Aww c'mon Weiss, don't you see how these games we play hurt me." The bathroom door creaked open to reveal the missing teammate of the now complete trio, Blake.
"You guys are at it early this morning. What'd Yang do this time?"
"Why do you assume I'm always the one doing something?"
"Because you always are." The black and white duo countered together without missing a beat. Yang chose to smartly adapt a sheepish look. At least she had the dignity to look a little ashamed.
"Yang was being gloomy this morning. She misses her older sister." Weiss caught Blake up to speed.
"You have a sister?" Amber eyes looked questioningly towards Yang.
"Yeah yeah, I'll let you know more about her sometime. She's awesome."
"I'm surprised you haven't told us about her at all." Weiss contributed.
"It's not like I don't want to, but like I said it's not the easiest thing for me to talk about right now. Besides, with all the drama that's happened on this team do you really think I could've squeezed in my minor family trouble compared to the two of you." Yang got off the bed heading for the bathroom, effectively stopping any more questioning.
"Fair point. Blake, want to head to breakfast. I'm sure Yang will catch up?"
"Sure thing. Just let me grab my scroll." Pocketing the device quickly Blake stepped out the door with her teammate ready to start the day.
Exiting the dorms and walking through the gardens in front of the cafeteria was always a great way to start the day in Blakes opinion. Somehow the congregation of smells between food and flowers mixed wonderfully and was an extremely uplifting way to start any day. Entering the massive building it wasn't hard to pick out one of the teams the SBL trio had grown very close to. Team JNPR had been close friends since the start of the semester. It helped that they were currently the Rank on team among the first years. Pyrrha Nikos, the Mistral Champion herself being the biggest contributor to that rank. She was number one in single combatants too with Yang being second, Blake third and Weiss fourth. No matter how good Yang was she still couldn't hold a candle to Pyrrha. Even with the addition of Jaune Arc, who was absolutely bottom of the barrel in combat practice, the team still handily dealt with everyone else. Combat ability aside, Jaune was a good leader and sometimes, with a stroke of inspiration, a scary strategist. He was what team SBL was missing the most. A clear-cut leader to take charge of a situation quickly and efficiently. Nevertheless, the two teams had become fast friends with a healthy and friendly rivalry.
"Did you guys see the news this morning?!" Blake and Weiss were greeted by the most eccentric person currently enrolled at Beacon, Nora Valkyrie.
"No, did something happen that I should be aware of?" The two took a seat next to team JNPR while Weiss acknowledged Nora.
"Aware of?! Only that the one and only RUBY ROSE just confirmed her kill on the Western Seas Leviathan a few days ago!"
Everyone was dead silent at that. The damn thing was massive. Argus had its own Leviathan but, it didn't stop much trade routes or generally cause too many problems. The western seas Leviathan had completely stopped all naval trade along the western coast between Vale and Vacuo. The thing was considered to be one of the most powerful Grimm on Remnant.
"Who was she with? I've heard a little of Ruby Rose before, but it had to take like thirty Huntsmen to take that thing on." Jaune joined the conversation.
"Nope, just her, all by herself. A literal dumpster of dust probably helped from what I read. Wish I could've seen the boom." Nora supplied.
"No way she took on something like that alone. I have an older sister in Argus and the Leviathan there is massive. Nobody could take it on alone." Jaune spoke in rebuttal.
"Then clearly you don't know much about Ruby Rose. She's killed a lot of high profile grimm by herself. Her career only really started a few years ago, but she's quickly shown she's one of, if not, the best of the best. Everyone should strive to be like her." The Schnee Heiress had always admired the young Huntress. To the point of following her career almost religiously. The rest of her team didn't need to know about the excess of merchandise modeled after Remnants famed Reaper that she may or may not own. They would never find her stash.
"Very true. In my more recent years, I've endeavored to devote myself much like she has. Her feats can only be described as incredible. That article where she talked about what drove her sticks with me to this day. Simply striving to be the best we can every day and helping whenever we're able is something I think all exemplary Huntsmen and Huntresses should adhere to." Pyrrha spoke with a calm and composed tone.
Pyrrha's outlook wasn't uncommon for the current students at Beacon. Many if not all of them had heard about Ruby's exploits. She showed the level they should strive to perform at, as well as the kind of people Huntsmen and Huntresses should strive to be.
"Wow, she sounds really awesome." Jaune looked a little sullen about that. He knew he was the furthest from that kind of strength than anyone here.
"I wonder what she's like outside of being a Huntress." Blake idly mused.
Yang had been alone with her thoughts in the shower and composed herself as best she could. It wasn't exactly something she could deal with right now. Checking her hair in the mirror, and getting dressed Yang opened the door and stepped into the cool air out of the steamed bathroom, fireproof and all, water needed to be pretty hot. Thigh high socks on, Yang walked over to the desk where her scroll sat, still caught in her own musing, wondering what her older sister was up to.
"You got pretty tall, Fire fart. I'm surprised those boobs don't drag you down." Yang heard from behind her, dropping her scroll, letting it clatter on the ground. She knew that voice. She'd been wanting to hear it again for months now. Her entire body lurched to turn around, terrified that her head was playing tricks on her. Seated on Blakes bed like it was the most normal thing in the world was her older sister Ruby Rose, the same Ruby Rose she hadn't seen in six years.
"Ru-Ruby?"
And cut! Well that's all for chapter 1 guys, this is the final edited version, but man that last line break feels a little short. This is going up the same time as Chapter 2, so I dont even have to apologize. As always R&R I do in fact check my PMs.
-StasisRage