A RWBY/HALO Crossover with Ruby being a Spartan. Set in rwby universe
I looked down at the train, which I would easily be able to jump into from the height and speed of the train. 'Roughly 55 seconds until jump.' I thought, once again testing the radio for anyone who could tell me what's going on. 'Hmmm. there's two individuals jumping into the train other than me.' tensing,I jumped, and before I hit the train, I activated the boosters to slow my fall. Even so, I went completely through the roof of the train car before I came to a halt. The sounds of fighting were close by, and I thought about the other two individuals. They could be robbers? No, they would have support vehicles if they were. If not robbers, then some flavor of destructive persona that needs to be stopped. I deactivated my combat-skin, the red fading from the cracks, and settled into the shadows to wait for the inevitable invaders. Soon enough, the car door opens, and in steps a duo, who seem to have additional appendages atop their heads. I'll have to investigate later. "Perfect. Move up to the next car, I'll set the charges." said the man, who appeared to be clad in japanese yukata. So a terrorist or insurgent then. "What about the crew members?" the girl asked. "What about them?" he replied. The girl was obviously the more human of the two. I'd heard enough. He was obviously in over his head, even if he didn't know it. With a thought, the armor activated, and I drew my anti-material rifle(matte black with a single red rose decal), and boomed out through my voice modulator, "Stop right there or I'll blast your head open." The man sighed, thinking he knew what was going on. "Another human full of arrogance because of their perceived superiority. You don't really think you can win this do you?" he said, turning to face me. He pulled a trigger on his sheath, and the sword shot out at me. This man's obviously never fought a Spartan before. I dropped my rifle, grabbing the sword by the hilt on one hand, and the man by the neck in the other, quickly slamming his back against the flooring. His sheath collapsed into a small quick fire weapon of some sort, and he shot at me. I let my shields catch the bullets, easily ignoring them, as he swiped the sword from the ground. I easily kicked up and caught my HISS in one hand, sliding it onto my back and drawing a pair of shortswords from their sheaths on my thighs. He groaned, and set into a pose I recognized. "I don't even know you, and I can say that you have too much rage to use Iaido to it's highest effectiveness." "shut your mouth, filthy human!" he snarled, as I slid up my blade pair. "I'm not human." I say. "No Faunus would stop this from happening." I snort. "A Faunus with any sense of right and wrong would." He growls angrily as I watch him. He tenses, and I note how slow it appears. He really shows his inexperience in super-soldiers. Spartan augmentations increase reaction time to roughly 20 milliseconds, and I have better than most. That's not even counting my time dilation and speed increasing semblance. He's fucked. His blade gets within an inch of my body, and I move, catching his blade in one of mine and severing the scabbard from his waist with the other. 'Am I really so arrogant now?' i think. Placing the unused blade at his neck. "This is Sierra-141, does anyone read?" I spoke into the radio by my neck. "This is specialist Schnee, Who are you and what do you need?" I smiled to myself. "I needed a ride and hitched it on your train, and there's a person here who has tried to detonate your cargo. Do you have any containment areas here?" I could hear the surprise in her voice as she replied, "No, we don't have any containment areas on this train, but there should be some steel cording in the cargo hold. If you could restrain the insurgent, I would appreciate it. I'll be right there." I smiled, and tied him with so much steel cord that the train wouldn't be able to move. In nearly no time, the specialist appears in the cargo compartment, and gets a look at my hostage, gasping. "I take it that this one is important then?" Schnee nodded. "That's Adam Taurus, one of three leaders of a terrorist group called the White Fang, if our spies are to be believed. Would you like to make your way to one of the passenger compartments? You definitely deserve a seat." "I've dealt with much worse, accomodations-wise. I just don't wanna get thrown off the train." Schnee shook her head. "I'm not that cruel to someone who already aided me. I've got a couple seats in first class that aren't in use, let's go up there, and you can tell me what you were even doing this far from a settlement." I nodded, "Just a moment then. I imagine my armor might be frightening for the average person on the train." and I activated the mental contraction command. The armor receded from my body, slowly lowering me a foot to the ground and tightening to a backpack, which I promptly slung off my shoulder and set on the floor. "I would appreciate proper introductions. I am Ruby Rose, soon to be huntress in training." "nice to meet you, my name's Winter Schnee…" Specialist says absently as she ogles the person behind the armor. Blinking her confusion away, she nods. "You may want to know that Jaques Schnee placed a bounty on this man's head last week. You've the choice to either take him there, or to the authorities. We won't have as large a monetary reward, but Jaques is liable to torture or kill this man." "I'll leave him with you then. Even a criminal doesn't usually deserve torture. Anyways, could you tell me what's been going on in the outside world? I've been living in the deserts of Vacuo for most of my life. Who're the White Fang in their eyes? What are this Adam's horns? and what are the crystals they were trying to destroy?" Winter shook her head at the diminutive girl who easily took out Adam Taurus, and started towards the front of the ship. "Taurus' horns are because he is a Faunus, and he is a leader of the White Fang, which is a Faunus exclusive terrorist group. Recently, they've been assaulting Cargo trains, and pulling heists on Dust shops. They're building up weaponry, which means that they're preparing. In their eyes, the White Fang is a group of freedom fighters for the Faunus. They believe they've been treated like second class citizens, and are trying to force people to treat them as equals. It isn't working, obviously." Winter said as they walked. Ruby was a tiny girl, even by standards of people 5 years her junior, so she was a sight to behold when she walked beside a Schnee who stood over 6 feet tall. Ruby slung her backpack back over her arm, and trotted along, nearly jogging to keep up with Winter's longer legs. They made it to the seating, and Winter offered Ruby a seat, citing that it was improper hosting to allow her to stand with the cargo. "IknowAnywaysI'msureyou'dliketohearhowIendedupoutinthatforestinthefirstplaceIwasonmywatoValetoapplyforBeaconAcademyandwantedtogetthereasfastaspossiblesoItookaslightlyshadylookingshipthathadareputationforfastjourneysNotthebestIdeayouseebutIwastooexcitedtonoticeAnywaysIwastossedoutoftheboatroughlyaKilometerawayfromtheshorelinethereMademegladmysuitiswaterproofandhasarebreatherbuiltinanywaysIsunklikearockandwalkedtoshoreandfoundmyselfintheforestIcouldn'tfindmywaytothecitysoIpickedadirectionandwalkeduntilIfoundyourtrainPerfecttimingreallyIdon'tknowifIwouldhavemadeitintimeifihadtowalkthereWhat'syourstory?" Winter nodded along, pretending she could follow the insane speech of the little girl. A moment later, her mind caught up with her companion, and she responded. "That's certainly an interesting journey you've had. Mine is simple though. I am a specialist in the Atlesian Military, and I was assigned to protect this cargo train after the increase in attacks. Where'd you get that armor? I've never seen anything like it." Ruby smiled at that, and said, "Of course you haven't. I built it myself. I found the schematics in the desert, and built it up after I got what I needed from Vacuo. Uh, pleasedon'ttellyoursuperiorsthatIstolestuffidontwannagotojail!" Winter chuckled. "I won't. After all, I think It'd be considered rude to do so right after you completed my assignment for me. I've gotten comfortable. Feel free to stay here for now. Our next stop is in the Vale station. I've got to go back to my station. Good-bye, Ms. Rose." Ruby smiled her assent, waving a goodbye and nodding off near instantly. Trekking nearly half a continent in heavy armor is tiring, as most would expect.
Later
Ruby woke to the jostling of the train, shaking herself into alertness and standing up, drawing her pack with her. "Please disembark now, the train has come to a full stop." Ruby stepped over to the doorway, and checked the station clock. 20 minutes until her combat readiness test begins. She could make that, if only barely. Ruby shook herself, and felt the strain on her aura reserves as she tensed, and bolted off towards Beacon Academy. Time slowed down, and she sped up as she depleted her reserves. It's a good thing she needed her aura so much in the wastelands, or she would be spent by now. Reaching within herself to pull her healing factor into her speed, she got into the building with seconds to spare for her recovery. "I'm here for my aptitude and combat readiness tests. Where do I go?" she asked the attendant, who gestured towards a door. Ruby quickly went through it and found herself in a forested plateau, with fifteen other people, possibly other prospective students. That would be her guess, if she hadn't recognized three of the people who were there. First, there were the professors, Ozpin Zoroaster and Glynda Goodwitch. Finally, there was a dark haired girl with a bow on her head. What is she doing here? Ignoring that, Ruby stepped into line with the other 13 that were nearby. "Ok. time to begin." Ozpin said, as she stepped into the line. "Before you presume that I was waiting for anyone, It is precisely 6:30, and she merely made it on time. There are more who were allowed to come, but they chose not to or were late. I begin at the exact time I say I will, and nothing more. Now, I have a conundrum. You all are here to see if you can enter Beacon Academy, but do not have the credentials or scholastic prowess to make it into the school through academia alone. Some of you do not even have any formal training in aura, combat, or history. This is a slightly remedial course introduction and test for those of you who came here. The conundrum - I have already found and accepted two hundred and thirty six students into the school's initiation test. This means that only the best four of you will be accepted, so do your best and hope that it's enough." Glynda stepped forward, and Ruby smiled to herself. 'I doubt anyone can keep up with my physically boosted abilities, but you never know with hunters. We'll see.' Glynda began, "You're first objective is to find Professor Ozpin before midnight. He is somewhere on this plateau, but you will not be told where. The rankings will be based on how long it takes you to find him, if you manage, and your condition when you do. In order to make sure this is accurate, we will first test your aura levels, for comparison after the test. Place your hands on this device, and channel your aura into it, and it will record them. After you do so, the test has begun." It was close, but I, and apparently two others, noticed when Ozpin had vanished, his form wavering in green outlines, disappearing. Scent will likely be the easiest way to track him now. I placed my hand on the device, and it recorded my current levels. They'll likely be surprised when it turns out that I have so much of it. I walked over to where his form last stood, and met with the duo who noticed as well. "I'm Ruby. It's nice to meet you!" The cat nodded, and walked off to continue the test, while the green clad ninja guy smiled softly and offered his hand. I was about to shake it, but a banshee of a woman with apparently enhanced strength picked me up by the extended hand and shook me vigorously. "Hii'mNorait'snicetomeetyouareyouRen'snewfriend?" I smiled at the speech, reminded of myself, and shrugged. "I don't know. Hey Ren, are we friends?" I asked, looking towards Ren. Ren grimaced. "It appears that Nora has decided that we are, and I can't argue with her at all. I suppose that if you agree, we are friends." I smiled. "That's nice. I haven't had any humanoid friends in years. Most of my friends have been weapons I built." Nora, if such a thing could be believed got even more enthusiastic as she asked about the type I built. "Yes." "That's not an answer, what kind of weapons did you build?!" "That's the answer. Yes. any of them, all of them. I don't know it was all I did for 6 years." Ren's eyes showed the surprise he kept from his voice, "You've been on your own for that long?" I nodded, though it's personal. I don't think it matters that much. "I've been living in the Vacuan Wastes. Regardless, the longer we stand talking, the lower our score. Lets go hunting." I said, sniffing the air. He's fast, I'll give him that. "Come on, let's follow his aura scent." I said, moving in a circle to find the strongest direction. Ren seems to know what's going on, because he does the turn simultaneously towards the forest, and with Ren dragging Nora along, We headed off into the woods to find Ozpin. Ten minutes later, We are standing under a tree, with the cat lady beside us, staring up at the sleeping Hunter, who seems to have forgotten that he was bait in a test. He used his aura intentionally, so we know he intended for us to track him that way. Maybe that was a feint? No, otherwise the smell wouldn't be fading. I kick the tree, shaking it all the way to the top. "Hey Oz, We found your spot!" I sit down after he doesn't wake, and focus on my Aura. Aura sensing is a funny thing - your Aura sense is directly inverse to your own Aura's strength. Thinking of this, this is probably why Grimm are such good Aura sensors. That's thought for later. In opposition to this fact, by meditating, you can dampen your Aura's strength to temporarily see through Aura illusions and find signatures. I followed the mint Aura to the tree by scent, but I don't think he intended for us to find him so easily. I felt out, and found a tendril, reaching down through the tree, and pulled at it with my own. I opened my eyes at the gasps my companion trio gave. "He must be an excellent Dust mage, to mask his Aura scent so completely while using it to create an illusory copy." Ren commented, watching the wobbly form of the headmaster. I forced my Aura into myself, completely closing off my ability to use it quickly, and allow myself to see through the eyes of the Grimm. "I can see his aura stretching in that direction. And I walked off towards a new tree, following the underground line of energy, glowing through the ground like it was air. I found a tree. Shocking really, in a forest. My new cat acquaintance found a trap door, masterfully composed to look like the wood surrounding it. We opened it up, and found good ol' Professor Oz. "Congratulations, Students. You four have done what I hoped everyone would do. There is room for one more team in the initiation, and only those who show that they can learn to work together with strangers can be a student here. It takes too long otherwise." 'Ruby Rose, Lie Ren, Blake Belladonna, and Nora Valkyrie. If I remember correctly, you were the only four with no schooling whatsoever. This will be a most interesting year.' Ozpin thought to himself. Ruby stepped back as he climbed out of the trunk. "If you would, I would like to know how exactly you found me. What were your thought processes and tracking methods?" Ren nodded. "Myself, Ruby, and...I didn't catch your name." he turned to the black girl. "Blake." "Thank you. Myself, Ruby and Blake followed your Aura-scent to the tree to start. I took Nora with me." Ruby picked up from there. "After that, we spent a lot of time trying to figure out why you weren't responding to anything we did, so I suppressed my Aura and followed the tether yours left connected to you. Nora found the exact tree, and Blake found the trap door." Nora blinked. "I did?" Ruby sighed. Ozpin smiled. "The ability to lie to your superior to aid another ally is a good one to have, Ms. Rose. I appreciate the sentiment, but I was watching you all from the beginning. Back to Glynda we go." He shuddered at that last part.