RWBY Fanfiction
Alternative Remnant: A World Inverted
Chapter Two
"I am Salem." She said. "The Headmistress of Beacon Academy."
"But that's impossible!" Ruby declared. "Beacon has fallen and the White—"
"White Fang attacking alongside the grimms led by Adam Taurus here, correct?"
"Headmistress, I—"
"I am aware, Adam. Do not fret. There simply has been...a misunderstanding. For as you can see, Beacon has not fallen and no grimm definitely is around in the city of Vale."
"Misunderstanding?" Blake pushed, stepping forward. "Are you saying we're lying?"
"Yes." Emerald answered.
"No." Salem indicated forcefully, meant to correct the green-haired girl. "Tell me, what exactly happened for you to act in such way? Destroying my school is one thing, but harming my students? Depending on your answer, I might need to punish you myself."
"You—" Ruby stopped Blake, shaking her head.
"Where is the Headmaster?"
"Headmaster?"
"Ozpin." At the mention of the name, Salem tensed for a moment.
"Ozpin?"
"The Headmaster of Beacon, gray hair, has this staff?" Weiss said as a matter of fact. "We kept telling you, Beacon has fallen and White Fang attacked along with the Creature of the Grimms they let loose on the city!"
"Are they simply... mentally ill?" Adam took the chance to ask.
"What?" Blake was retaliating.
"I'm afraid there is no deceit nor something wrong with their minds. Their words matched with Miss Xiao Long—"
"Yang! Where is Yang?" Blake interrupted in panic.
"As I was saying, your story matched with Miss Xiao Long albeit small differences in time and situations due to seperation."
"This is still all too strange." Weiss crossed her arms, blatantly saying so.
"Hmm indeed. However, I might have the general idea of what truly happened. Although I urge you not to harm one another inside my institution, otherwise I will be forced to take unnecessary measures. For now, Cinder."
"Yes, Headmistress?"
"Take them to the office. I shall return after a while to meet with you."
Blake and the rest of her team watched the 'Headmistress' walk away, silence immediately ensuing among them. The girl with the same amber eyes and raven dark hair nodded at the other two before walking ahead. Their little red leader sighed, having no much of a choice but to follow. The trio knew something was going on, and Blake did not fail to notice the Beacon uniforms their three supposed enemies were wearing.
The cat faunus was still weary of Adam's presence that she would unconsciously touch her weapon whenever the male faunus would move his hands. She could not help but remember Yang. Her partner had gotten so angry at the sight of Adam plunging his weapon at her side that she had attacked the man head-on. It was a mistake. Blake had regretted every second of it that she would rather run away in hiding than for her ex-partner to take all those important to her.
It took several silent moments for the group to reach the office. Blake had recognized the room, it was Headmaster's—or so it was supposed to be. The office was big, even bigger than what she had acquainted of. The left side of the wall had paintings hung over. They were all scrambled, as though a massive puzzle where pieces were scattered all around. The left side of the wall had been compromised with shelves containing books in different colours. Up front was a transparent glass wall where the whole of the Academy could be seen. Strange, but Blake was beginning to notice what had been happening.
Blake had awoken just in front of the Academy not so long ago. She had her weapon, but she knew she was not in a foreign environment. In fact, she had been so sure the earlier attacks led by White Fang and grimms were but one of her silly dreams. The faunus always did have the habit of napping on one of those trees, especially when the weather was nice and when the library had too much students—if any would call close to ten students at most, too much—for her to read.
She had expected Yang to suddenly show up and surprise her, knowing her brawler of a partner would always, somehow, find her. Blake had only known the female for months, but she had never grown more closer to anyone than she had gotten to the blonde. Wherever Blake would end herself in, it was as though Yang exactly knew to how to find her.
Ever since Sun Wukong, her other faunus friend, had helped her stop Roman's heist, Yang had become weary of the male blonde. She would catch Yang sometimes glaring at Sun with the latter completely being unaware of it. She had confronted her partner about it once, she couldn't figure out whether it had turned out well or not.
"Can you please stop doing that?" Blake had told her.
"Do what?" Yang shrugged, doing her best from tearing her haunting purple orbs from the other blonde faunus.
"If you're mad about the dance, remember it was you who made me go to there in the first place."
"Yeah, but not with him." Yang had her arms crossed.
"We did dance together, Yang."
"Uh yeah," she rolled her eyes. "But only for a short while."
"You gave the way and handed me to him."
"Yeah, because you were staring at him."
"Well, he was my original partner for the dance."
"Exactly."
"Exactly. Why are you mad?"
"Argh!"
The brawler had merely groaned, standing up from her seat which had gotten their friends' attention. Yang ignored their questioning gazes and angrily left the cafeteria with her eyes turning red. Blake had always been wondering what had gotten into her partner, but she was quite happy about it for some reason.
She had been brought back to the present with Adam staring at her. It had made the girl uncomfortable knowing they had...a little history together. Nonetheless, she cleared her throat which caused the male sitting on the opposite couch from them, flinch.
"What happened to you, Blake?" Adam questioned her, his accusing tone had ensued a frown upon her face.
"What happened to you. Your mask. Your eyes."
Adam did not know what the black-haired girl was saying. He had never worn a mask, nor were there anything wrong with his eyes. He tilted his head, eyes solely focused on his ex-partner—or ex-lover, in that matter—before a thought came to mind. Something Blake had once told him when they were way younger, more... innocent.
"A picture book!" Young Blake had exclaimed, seeing his younger self leaning over the wall by the corner.
He was never someone who worked well with other people that he was known for being so introverted. Naturally, other kids his age would ignore him and the only one who ever did become his friend was a Belladonna. His friend, Blake, as a child, was what would other faunus call a star. She was a great opposite of himself. Blake loved the spotlight, she loved leading, she loved control. At first, Adam had admired his past partner for her passion of making Faunus race feel normal, feel equal. Until everything changed.
"What is it about?"
Adam closed the book, having been distracted. He had liked picture books a lot as a child, only in secret, of course. Other children had only teased him about it that he had learned how to hide his likes and dislikes. Blake was having none of that though. She would always find a way to make him talk about his preferences.
"Has anyone heard about alternate dimensions?" Adam said, attracting looks from his team and the supposed enemies.
"A what now?" The Schnee girl had her brow lifted.
"An alternate dimension." Blake answered instead. "I have just been thinking about its possibility. Unless Emerald here used one of her illusions against us." The girl faunus shot the neon green-haired girl a sharp glare.
"Woah, since when did I have that much aura to completely put you all into a big illusion? I'd die, you know?" The neon had retorted, rolling her eyes at the process as though it was the most obvious.
"The thing is, team RWIN (Ruin) found you just outside of Beacon. Except for Blake Belladonna over there." Cinder gently explained. "With your...beaten up situations, it is only a natural protocol for you to be admitted for further medical evaluations before being sent to Atlas."
Adam noticed how the Schnee girl notably perked her head up from that. "And why would we need to go back in Atlas?" She asked.
"So that the Atlesian Military can detain you." Emerald told them in a matter-of-fact tone.
"What?" Weiss Schnee hissed, holding her Myrtenaster.
"But," Cinder held her arms to stop them. "As you can see, there seems to be something going on here. I trust the Headmistress. We have to wait for her to figure out what to do."
"Or we can figure it out now." Adam said. "Like I have mentioned."
"You mean that alternate dimension?" Weiss snorted. "Different realities may exist, but it is similar to the concept of time travel. Crossing between a reality to another would mean one must travel at a speed of light or even greater. Plus, as far as I know, no dust is capable of such event."
"What about Ruby's speed?" Blake
"Ruby traveling similar to the speed of sound is one thing, but at the speed of light? Her body would disintegrate."
"Did something happen when you two were at the tower?" At Blake's question, the two looked at cloaked girl who had been silent for a while now.
"I..." The red girl shook her head, as though snapping herself out of her own thoughts. "The last time I remembered was...Cinder cremating P-Pyrrah." There was that murderous tone behind the girl's voice.
Adam was clearly surprise by this. His team immediately frowning, sending side glances at their leader. Adam knew his human friend would never do something so evil, Cinder was far too kind for that. The more he stared at the people in front of them, the more sure he was they weren't the people they knew.
Weiss had stood up from hearing this, a scowl on her face. "Pyrrah Nikos of all people was defeated by this woman?!"
"Not quite that woman, Miss Schnee."
Students watched as their Headmistress slowly strode herself behind her table, her hands formally settled on her front. She sat on her seat, assessing the faces of the... supposed most wanted criminals on Vale and yes, including the Schnee no matter how much her family had covered it up. The Headmistress, Salem, of Beacon was known for her wisdom and knowledge about... particular things. She was also a woman of mystery, as for nobody quite truly knew what she's thinking. Even at the moment as she gazed at her...guests.
"What do you mean 'not quite'? And who in the Remnant are you?"
"I urge you not to speak with Headmistress that way," Cinder frowned. "As she said before, she is the Headmistress of Beacon Academy. Headmistress Salem."
"Are you proposing that this alternate dimension thing is our reality now? Because this sounds like her illusions." The white-haired girl sharply pointed at Emerald.
"Calm down, Miss Schnee. Emerald Sustrai, member of Team CAEM (Sayem), is not capable of harnessing her semblance to the point of altering all of your minds or memories. What most likely happened has something to do with Miss Rose's silver eyes. What exactly did you do, Miss Rose?"
"I don't know. There was that bright light and before I knew it, I woke up with my hands cuffed on the bed."
"Hmm you were fighting Cinder, correct?"
"Cinder Fall is the current Fall Maiden, she attacked Beacon so that she could get Amber's Maiden powers who was in a state of coma. Jaune had explained after the two of you left to save Pyrrah." Blake said, causing the Headmistress to let out a sigh.
"Maiden? What's this all about?" Cinder pondered. "Headmistress, what's going on?"
Before Salem could answer, the door opened revealing the girl she had previously instructed to come by together with Team RWIN. The blonde haired girl momentarily stopped as she eyed one of her students, Adam Taurus, rather intensely. Silence befall before Belladonna had decided to come at this said girl's aid, holding the latter's hand. Salem had noticed the shaking of the girl's remaining hand, and she knew then whatever happened to these girls have something to do with their previous realities.
"Hey, isn't that...?" Roman Torchwick entered together with his team, pointing wearily at Ruby Rose.
But what came as hardly surprising was Winter Schnee immediately grabbing her sister into a tight hug, causing a surprise shriek from the other white-haired girl. Everyone watched as Winter Schnee held the girl dearly, her team sighing at the sight.
Weiss did not know what to do. As far she remembered, Winter would never break her composure like this. She was torn from choosing to push her sister or to hug back. But she knew such show is inappropriate, she was taught never to show too much emotions in public and perhaps because of that reason that she had unconsciously pushed Winter away despite still on the process of deciding.
"Sister. T-That was um... it is an honour to see you again." She did her usual stance when greeting someone important than her, with her foot behind another and a slight bow.
Weiss was nudged by her partner, sensing the atmosphere had become awkward. She looked up, seeing her older sister almost tearing her eyes off in shock. She was perplexed, she was uncomfortable of Winter staring at her with amount of expression on her usually stoic and emotionless facade.
"Oh Weiss! Dad will be so happy to see you! I better call him right now!" Winter giggled happily, taking her scroll out.
"Oh no, that won't be necessary—"
But it was too late. Her sister had already dialled their father, with great excitement at that. Winter had pushed her the scroll, leaving Weiss no other choice but to take the call. She was nervous, and everyone was aware of that. She heard something beyond the line, it was her father's voice hinting the pause of a meeting. She was even more nervous at that point. Her father wouldn't be too happy about being interrupted on something important.
"Winter, is there something wrong?" The usual stern voice Weiss had come to get used to was replaced by a deep yet soft one.
"Father." There was an abrupt silence on the other line, and Weiss was so sure she was going to be scolded.
"...Weiss?" Unsure, but hopeful. "Weiss, is that you?!"
"Y-yes, Father."
"Oh Oum! You made us worry about you, Weiss! Where are you? Are you safe?"
Weiss was bewildered, she had expected her father to scold her for being an embarrassment for the Schnee Family name. That sudden outburst about her father's concern did make her feel warm inside but she also knew something indeed was going on now. She looked at her team, then back to Winter, finally settling her questioning gaze to the Headmistress, Salem, as she had referred to herself.
"I am at Beacon." She answered, suddenly unaware of what to do.
She heard a sigh of relief. "Beacon. Of course. I'd meet you there. Just...just please stay where you are and don't go anywhere."
"As you wish, Father."
"Don't speak too formal to me, Weiss. I'm just your Father."
"I-I...yes, of course."
"I'll see you, okay? Be safe." Then followed was a soft beat of an ended call.
Weiss handed back the scroll to her hopeful 'sister'. Then she sat back down, touching the scar on her left eye. It didn't hurt, but it was reminding her of the fact that she had to acquire that pain just to show her Father how determined she is. Something that her own father never got to see in the end. It was, so to say, that Jacques Schnee truly never cared about her in a way a Father should. He cared for her as a tool he needed to control, and that was a realization Weiss was beginning to accept since the first day she left the household.
"That...was not my father." She declared. "None of us should even be here."
"What are you saying?" Winter touched her shoulders. "Stop distancing yourself and come back home—"
"I believe Team RWBY here is not the people you know." Salem had interrupted.
"Team RWBY? Since when did they form a team?" Roman Torchwick asked.
"They came from a different dimension. A different version of Remnant where Team RWBY is a group of students from Beacon Academy and whereas Cinder Fall, Adam Taurus, Emerald Sustrai and possibly Mercury Black, are enemies."
"You forgot to mention the criminal who is working for White Fang." Blake also said, pointing at Team RWIN.
"Me?" The orange-haired fellow had his eyes wide, laughing nervously with everyone looking at him." ...me?! Hoho, very funny, kitty cat."
The cat faunus glared at Torchwick for saying that one particular nickname. The name calling had always irritated her. She also pointed at the other chameleon faunus and the pink-brown-haired girl. Blake was uncomfortable with the glare Ilia Amitola had been giving her so far, not that she could really blame them. Things had been quite...a little strange for them to know who was who.
"I see. So Team RWIN and Team CAEM, one of the best teams in Beacon, happened to be...criminals in your dimension." Salem nodded, understanding until Weiss cut in, standing up with her fists clenched.
"Not Winter! She's an amazing Specialist in Atlesian Military's Special Operatives Unit! Not only she graduated as a top Huntress, she's also the Wint—" she stopped, feeling Ruby's hand on her shoulder.
"Weiss being a fangirl again. Please continue, uh Headmistress Salem." Ruby Rose said, slightly smiling at Weiss' pout.
Winter, seeing her sister being like that, made her heart thump in joy. She had known Weiss as the rebellious type, she would always throw insults at her whenever they saw each other. Winter, being an understanding older sister, didn't really care for she had rather enjoyed the attention. But it wasn't a lie to say she liked hearing Weiss get proud of her like that. Albeit being a different person overall.
"I...see. A Specialist, huh? But as it is, Winter Schnee here, along with everyone, is only 19, giving them another year before graduation. Which means your time is farther than ours."
"Uh hey Headmistress," Roman raised his hand. "Why exactly are they here? They aren't here to kill us, are they?"
"No, Roman." Salem answered. "There simply has been a misunderstanding. Team RWBY, being in their own dimension, have crossed and happened to reach ours. Silver eyes have the power to either disintegrate or freeze the grimms into stones. They were once a powerful group of individuals until they were killed into extinction due to... enviousness and fear."
"So this little twirp has a power like that, is what you're saying." Mercury Black stated. "Doesn't that make the Ruby Rose here in our dimension, a little too dangerous then?"
"That is why I have been so keen on having her caught to be detained. Your latest missions do involve her, no? It would be dangerous once she learns how to harness her silver eyes power."
"Still, that doesn't explain why we're here." Blake said.
"No, it does not." Salem stood, looking over the entire Academy from the glass wall. "When we talk about fairytales, what's the first thing that comes to mind?"
