AN/Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY or any of the characters portrayed barring my own OC. Apologies in advance for any errors. Currently looking into asking a Beta Reader for assistance.
Do you ever feel like you're stuck in a rut? Like your life just continues in an endless cycle? It's kind of where I'm at now if I'm being honest. I get up at six in the morning everyday on the dot, get my morning energy drink and I'm ready to start my work day in the Illustrious industry that is customer service. Which is just a fancy way of saying I work at a shitty supermarket. Then after working nine hours dealing with my horrid co-workers and unreasonable customers I make my way home only to start the cycle again.
"DAMN IT!" I slam my hand on the desk displacing various junk food wrappers and cans of soda, shaking as my anxieties flare up into a panic attack. I look down at my shaking hands with a grimace as I sigh heavily.
"It's happening again... every damn time I think about... about... RAAAGH!" I swipe my hands across the desk knocking over everything onto the floor but my monitor and keyboard.
My therapist suggested I get some sort of hobby to distract myself from my...issues. Not sure why I took up writing again considering all it got me was ridicule from my peers. All of them would make fun of me for writing fanfiction about my favorite anime or manga, calling me a nerd, freak, or my favorite in particular four-eyed virgin, creative right? Yet I don't see any of them now so I figured why not right?
Lately I've taken interest in a particular show, it's an American made anime of sorts called RWBY which takes place in the world of Remnant where humanity is in a bitter struggle for survival against the creatures of Grimm. Soulless monsters whose sole purpose is to wipe out every living being. In fact the newest episode should be coming on about…
"Oh crap! Its starting already!" I hastily type away on my keyboard and pull up the episode and watch with bated breath. Last I remember is the festival in vale and the tournament starting up.
It's been about twenty five or so minutes since I sat down to watch and so far? I'm appalled, I'm absolutely livid!
"What the actual FUCK!? They did NOT just pull this shit with... I mean ...how... AGHHHH!" In my anger and building frustrations I end up smashing my monitor and flipping my desk, "damn it all...I did it again. I can't keep letting my emotions get out of hand." I pick myself off the floor and start cleaning up the fragments.
'Maybe I should get some fresh air and just cool down?' I nod to myself before picking up my house keys and grabbing one of my heavier jackets with a fur lined hood. As I make my way to the front I stop to look at some of the various portraits of my grandparents and offer a silent prayer.
"I'll be back soon guys. Just got to get some fresh air." I lock the door behind me and I notice a drop of white fall from the sky and onto my face with much more following.
'Oh great... now it's snowing? Fuck it.'
I start walking down the road taking in the night air, not heading anywhere in particular for about half a mile. Out of the corner of my eye I notice the local gas station still open.
'I might as well pick up something to drink before making my way back home.'
As I walk through the sliding doors, I make my way over the the cold isle and pick out a bottled water before noticing a young red haired girl giving me a friendly smile, I smile back waving and make my way over to the register. The clerk is a young woman seemingly bored out of her mind before perking up having seen me approach while giving me the typical robotic greeting and smile.
After having made my purchase I hear the young girl whining to what seems to be her mother.
"Mommy I'm hungry... can we get something to eat?" The mother looks down at the girl hugging her leg with a rueful smile.
"I'm sorry honey. Mommy doesn't have much money right now. We are just gonna have to wait till we get home." The daughter gives a sad pout before tearing up.
"But...but.. I'm hungry now... and we don't have much food at home either..." The mother gets down on a knee and hugs her child before lightly crying, whispering silent apologies to her saddened daughter.
'I can't ignore this...'
I walk over to the food section and pick up a few boxed sandwiches. Having noticed what I was doing the clerk gave me a small smile, seemingly genuine this time before only taking half of the amount I owed for the food. After thanking the clerk I walk over to the mother and clear my throat to catch their attention.
"Hello miss, I'm sorry I couldn't help but overhear what you were going through and..." I blush and shyly put my hand out offering the sandwiches giving a small smile. The young girls eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. The woman however seems uncertain.
"W-we couldn't possibly-" The mother pauses seeing the sad eyes her daughter is looking at her with before sighing.
As we are walking out of the store the girl runs up to me and gives my leg a great big hug and smiles up to me.
"Thank you mister!" I pat her on the head before turning to her mother.
"Yes, thank you so much. Its just been hard lately what with our budget taking a hit, her father and I recently divorced and well..." I raise my hand up politely cutting her off.
"It's alright. I don't mind really, I'm just glad I could help." I notice the girl happily munching on her food before giving a small burp and giggling.
"Hey mister! I'm full, do you wanna play with me?" The mother chides her saying that its late and they have to get home, as she pouts I kneel down to the girls level patting her head.
"Hey, maybe some other time kiddo? Next time we see each other I'd be glad to play with you, so long as your mom's okay with that of course." The mother smiles nodding her head and the girl cheers in joy before hugging me. I stay there in shock before lightly patting her back and returning the hug.
"Well it was nice meeting you mister... I'm sorry I didn't catch your name?"
"Oh my apologies my name is-" I'm interrupted by a car horn as I look behind the two of them to see a car swerving out of control and heading right towards us.
My mind shuts down in panic, but on instinct I leap forward shoving the mother and daughter out of the way. In that instant time seems to crawl as I think back to all the happy times I've had, all the precious moments with my family, my grandparents. I think back to all the doctors visits and the heart shattering news. Yet, now? Now I look at the panic stricken look of the young red haired child that I know has a brighter future ahead of her, and with that thought, I can't help but smile as darkness takes me.
Cold... why is it so cold? I struggle to open my eyes as I see the snowy sky above me, I can see the clerk from earlier shouting something into her phone, but I can't quite make it out... I shift my gaze and notice the little girl holding my arm, I can't feel it though...maybe it's broken? The mother is consoling her daughter with tears flowing down her face. No...this isn't right.
"H-Hey...Why S-so sad there kid?" The girl and her mother look at me shocked before giving me those sad, tear stained faces. Stop... please don't look at me like that.
"B-Because of me you're...you're gonna..."
"N-one of this is you...or your mothers...fault, you hear me? I...I chose to do this..." I can feel my lungs starting to give out on me.
'Shit!' I coughed, yet my chest felt no pain. Finding it harder and harder to breath I try my best to continue speaking while I can.
"Hey, W-what's... your name kiddo?" The little girl sniffles wiping her eyes before speaking with a shaky voice.
"Mackenzie...my names Mackenzie..." I give her my best grin.
"Mackenzie huh? That's a nice name." She smiles weakly.
"Hey, can you do me a favor Mackenzie? In my shirt pocket there...there's two necklaces. Can you pull one of them out?" she nods anxiously before pulling out a small Celtic cross with a silver outline and a cobalt center.
"That...belonged to my Grandmother...it was part of a set...ungh...with my grandfathers. I...want you to have that one." Her eyes folded apologetically
"Don't...don't give me that look. Think of it as...as a gift between new friends?" Mackenzie takes a moment before nodding and putting the necklace on.
"There you go... it looks gr-great on you kiddo..." Her eyes softened at my compliment, I laugh only to start going into a coughing fit with blood running up my throat.
"MISTER! please! Hold on, the ambulance is almost here!" She..she's worried about me? A stranger? I look over at the mother giving me the same worried look in her eye... I grab hold of the girls hand grasping to feel anything in my cold hands.
"Hey Mackenzie... I'm feeling kind of tired... don't you worry about me. I'm... I'm just... gonna take a quick nap... Wake me when the ambulance gets here yeah? Once I'm better how about we..." I tried to speak, but my ragged breath was caught in blood and exhaustion. All I could muster was strangled breaths.
"W-we could go see a movie, or go out for dinner? Right Mommy?!" The girl looks over to her mother and sees here openly sobbing before pulling herself together and moving closer to me.
"O-of course dear. Just keep your eyes open sir! Keep talking… I know! What's your name? My names Bethany.." Ah, I see... she's caught on I suppose. Nothing for it I guess.
"M-My name is-" before I get any farther I start hacking and coughing harder for a time before settling back down a little. Clearing my throat as best as I can I look at the both of them before smiling.
"I think I better rest now... You're a good kid... listen to your mother alright? I'll...I'll see you in a bit okay?"
My eyes finally start to grow heavy...tired...so tired...well...I guess this is it...At least I won't be alone anymore. I'll see you soon...Gram...Pop.
As I drift through what seems like a dark void I start feeling something strange around me almost as if there is...Wind? It's whipping around me almost as if...I open my eyes and below me all I see is green as what seems to be the ground is growing closer!
"I'm FALLING! Oh god! Oh man what do I do!" This has to be a dream! Any moment now and I'll wake up! The ground is becoming closer and closer!
"Dammit... this... isn't fair. HAVEN'T I been through enough!? I refuse to take anymore of this!" before I can curse my luck any further, I look down and it's only about 100 ft before I hit the ground. I close my eyes before impact and all goes black.
In another part of the forest below a young girl with a red cloak is following behind a decidedly grumpy girl wearing a white dress.
"Weiss we've been walking for a while now. Are you sure you know where you're going?" The girl now called Weiss continues trudging along letting out a humph of indignation.
"Of course I know where we are going you dolt. Now shut up, we need to keep moving and find the temple. How you ended up as my partner I will never understand..." The girl in red pouts before running up to Weiss' side.
"Could you please not call me that? My name's Ruby." Ruby lowers her voice grumbling to herself.
"Besides...it's not my fault that we were the first thing each other saw after landing here."
Weiss face palms while grumbling lowly. "What was the headmaster thinking? Employing such a rule..."
"I don't know maybe he- wait, what's that sound? It sounds like...yelling from above?" Both Ruby and Weiss look up to see a person falling from the sky shouting angrily a little ways ahead.
"Think he'll be okay?" Weiss turns her nose up haughtily. "If he has a hard time just coming up with a landing strategy then maybe he shouldn't-"
"Weiss LOOK!" As the young huntress points out, the young man shows no sign of even slowing down and as his form disappears beyond the tree tops.
BOOOOOM!
"Oh my gosh! We need to go check on him!" Ruby starts to rush towards the crash site ignoring Weiss' shouts of dismay.
"Uggh my aching...everything." as I painstakingly sit up trying to alleviate the pain in my head, I take in my surroundings. Tall green trees all around me and...
"Am I sitting in a crater?! I... fell... how did I survive?" I stand up dusting myself off trying to get my bearings when I start hearing voices and one of them doesn't sound too happy.
'This might be a stupid idea but I think id better get out of here before I get caught up in something.' I pick a direction and start heading through the foliage. 'With any luck maybe I'll find a road or something. I think I saw a structure in the distance during my...entry...maybe I'll find someone who can tell me where I am.'
Nearby on a cliff overlooking the forest, an older gentleman with stylized silver colored hair, holding a clockwork cane is sipping out of a large mug.
"Miss Goodwitch?" A young woman with blonde hair done up in a bun, wearing a blouse and tattered cloak responds to the man's call.
"Yes headmaster, I saw it too. Should I deal with the intruder?" As she moves forward to descend from the cliff the man stops her.
"No. leave him be. There is... something about this young man that intrigues me. Did you notice that before impact there was a massive increase in pressure for an instant?"
"You can't possibly be insinuating..." The woman stops in thought.
"Yes Glynda. it seems that before the fall, the young man didn't even have his aura unlocked...Until now that is, and I must admit, his capacity is quite large to have survived the fall and not have shattered from the impact."
"Ozpin. please tell me you aren't considering-" The blonde professor looks on in astonishment.
"I am not considering anything for the moment Glynda. However, I would ask that we keep a watchful eye on our young friend." Glynda scowls before nodding in silence.
"Ughh my feet are killing me... maybe I should take a short rest. Oh! Well that's convenient." before I can complain further I notice a cave opening a few meters ahead, but as I make my way inside I notice different markings on the wall. Unable to satisfy my curiosity I venture further in, before I get too far though I start hearing a pair of voices, however different from the other two I heard earlier.
"Hello? Is someone there? We noticed footprints on our way in." hearing the friendly tone in the feminine voice and considering my situation I suppose it'd be smart to ask for help.
"Ummm yeah I'm here. I kind of got lost and came in here to take a breather. Hang on a sec and I'll make my way to-" before I finish my sentence I begin to feel a creeping chill run up my back followed by a loud, chittering sound. I turn my head back and notice two glowing red eyes that quickly multiplies to four, then to six, and finally eight.
"what's wro-"
"RUUUUUUN!" as quick as my legs will take me I start booking it back to the mouth of the cavern. There I notice the two individuals standing at the entrance. In my rush all I could glimpse of them was a girl in armor with long, red hair done up in a ponytail and a tall young man with blonde hair wearing some chest armor. Judging by the expression on their faces and the fact that they have started to run as well, the thing behind me is quickly gaining. As my two fellow runners and I make our way through the trees and foliage I glance back to see just what is chasing us and what I find is less than ideal to be sure.
"WHAT in the Seven Hells IS that thing?!" The creature is enormous, easily larger than a city bus. Six chitin covered legs, Two giant clawed pincers with a long tail ending in a stinger. What strikes me as odd is the coloring of the thing is Black with the chitin being stark white.
'It actually looks more like bone now that I look at it in the light'
"HEY just keep running man! Last thing you want is for a Deathstalker to get it's claws on you!" I turn my gaze forward towards the young man and now that I have a better look at them they seem... familiar?
CRASH
"Oh GOD!" In my lull of concentration the now dubbed Deathstalker blind sides me, slamming a massive pincer against me. I'm sent flying through the air ahead of the girl and boy. As my flight carries me through the tree line I slam against the trunk of another. Hitting the ground with a loud thump, I hear other people talking. Wait... I've heard those voices before... I struggle to my feet noticing a motley crew of individuals with largely varying appearances.
"Ugghhh Damn...How has my spine not shattered at this point?" A girl with gold-yellow hair calls out to me interrupting my grumbling.
"Hey you okay? You took a nasty hit the-" bursting out of the woods is a massive bear covered in similar bone armor with red markings and an... Orange haired girl riding it? What?
"Awwww, Ren! It broke!" A long black haired man with a pink streak, wearing green stumbles out of the foliage huffing and puffing.
"N-never do that…ag- NORA!" The girl comes bounding back happily from the structure I saw earlier. A temple of sorts actually.
"Coming Ren!" How did she even move that quick!? Next thing I know the two people I was running with bursts out of the tree line with the giant scorpion trailing behind them. Then a young girl in red comes falling down after having jumped from a bone armored raven that is the size of a gods forsaken AIRLINER! OH! And now a girl in white falls from the sky crashing into the blonde guy and the yellow haired girl is now shouting with her hair LITERALLY BURSTING INTO FLAMES!
"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE!?"
The gold haired girl scowls angrily shouting. "Great. The whole gang's here, now we can die together!"
"Not if I can help it!" The young girl in red takes off towards the scorpion wielding a massive scythe, but ends up getting knocked down from the giant ravens feathers pinning her cloak to the ground.
"RUBY! GET OUT OF THERE!" While the girl in yellow shouts my mind flashes back to the car. I hesitate before seeing that massive scorpion bearing down on the young girl.
'I-I can't...' Next thing I know I'm dashing towards the girl trying my best to reach her in time. I don't know why, but ever since the fall I've felt... different. Like I have more energy. Using that energy I run even faster and throw myself in front of the girl crossing my arms to block.
'Well... I guess this is it again...' Everything in my mind starts racing as I face my impending doom.
'No... No not this time. This time I'm going to live! I need... I need to live! for their sake. For everyone's sake!'
"I REFUSE to die here!" A bright green flash encompasses me as the Deathstalker brings its stinger down. Looking up I see a faint green glow of energy covering my arms with various markings in a hexagonal pattern and to my amazement the stinger is being held to a stand still! As I struggle to keep it there though I start to feel something coursing through my arms, it feels... warm? My strength starts to steadily increase and once I've hit a certain level, I yank the tail to the side and punch the beast sending it skidding backwards a few feet. I along everyone else stare dumbfounded before the creature let's out an angered shriek. Without even realizing it I draw my fist back instinctively, feeling the energy I've gathered in my arms start to swirl, shake and rumble. The tension in my arm starts making me cramp up and feels like it's on fire. Looking back, the beast winds up for another attack and as it does I throw my fist forwards, feeling every pulse of energy in my arm rushing out like a raging tsunami of power. A beam like blast of energy shoots from my fist and hurtles towards the Deathstalker, impacting it the blast encompasses the monster, rising in size before shrinking back down and imploding with it inside.
"Did... Did he get it?" As if the blond haired young man had jinxed himself the smoke clears and the beast while alive looks like it has seen better days. Chunks of the armor plating have been blown off, one of its pincers vaporized along with a few of its eyes missing. Everyone assumes a fighting position, but as I go to join them somethings wrong.
"AGGGHHH! My arm!" Pain shoots up my limb like my very bones are breaking apart and my skin feels like someone is taking a blowtorch to it. I look down to notice the entire sleeve of my shirt is gone and my arm is now a deep angry red. Before I can further writhe in agony the Deathstalker is bearing down on me and the girl once again before the one in white points what seems to be a rapier at it and with a strange pattern encompassing the tail it flash freezes in a block of ice.
"You are childish, hyper active and dim witted." the girl in white then glances over at me "Don't even get me started on you! What were you thinking? going in there without a weapon?"
"I-In my defense I couldn't just sit back doing nothing. I mean we're alive aren't we?"
"BY SHEER LUCK!" She backfires. As I stand there holding my arm the two girls carry on with their conversation.
"Look, this is nice and all but whatever I just did back there has put my arm out of commission and we still got two horror monsters trying to kill us all."
"He's right." the girl in yellow looks at me after hugging her sister. "Name's Yang. Thanks for saving my sister Ruby."
"Don't worry about it. I'm just glad she is alright."
The blonde haired guy garners everyone's attention. "Guys? The Nevermore is circling back. What are we gonna do?"
The girl in white steps forward. "There's no sense in dilly dallying, our objective is right in front of us."
"She's right. We have the relics, we just need to make it back to the cliffs." Ruby nods her head in agreement
The blonde guy smiles nervously. "Run and live to fight another day? I can get behind the idea."
As all of us start making our way forward a girl with a black bow on her head stops me. "You're injured and dont have a weapon. You should try to avoid combat. We''ll try to make an opening for you to run forward."
I grimace and go to speak up but she's right. I'd only slow them down right now. Nodding my head I hobble over behind a fallen pillar watching the carnage ensue. I can't help but feel useless.
'I should be helping but... At least now I know why everything seems so familiar. Somehow I've ended up in the world of Remnant! What I did back there must have been my semblance.'
Before I can stew in my thoughts further I hear a loud cry and see that team RWBY is struggling with the Nevermore more than they should be. Something isn't right. It's at this point I notice Yang putting more of her weight on her left side.
'Did she injure herself at some point?'
The Nevermore notices this as well and starts dive bombing Yang! She tries to move out of the way but the pain her leg seems to be flaring up. I gotta do something! Dashing out of my hiding place I run past Blake who shouts something at me. Not paying attention I continue running and realizing I'm not gonna make it I use what strength in my legs i have left and leap in front of the attack. Another flash of green encompasses my arms as I cry out in pain from my left arm and am sent flying into a stone pillar. As I struggle to my feet I notice a faint flickering around my body.
'My aura must be about depleted'
SCRAAAAW
The Nevermore circles back and starts descending in my direction. The girls are screaming for me to get out of the way, but... Looking behind me I notice I'm on the edge of a cliff leading down into the chasm. Chuckling with a sardonic smile on my face I pull my good arm back feeling the thrum of power once again. This time it seems stronger than the last.
'I think i have an inkling of what my semblance is doing, but right now all I need is a well placed shot. This arm's also likely to break after this so I've only got one shot.'
The Nevermore continues closing the distance. Eighty feet, sixty feet, forty feet, at the thirty foot mark I grit my teeth and throw my fist forward.
"BURN IN HELL YOU BASTARD!" feeling the energy explode out of my fist it's all I can do to not get flung back from the recoil of the blast.
As I drop to the ground in agony I look up to see that it's still alive. Looks like it moved out of the way enough, but it's barely keeping itself in the air. Deep gouges and scars litter its body and mask. The wing that got hit is barely moving enough to keep it afloat. It stares at me with utter hate and rage, but before it can finish me off I see Ruby sent hurtling towards it. Hooking her scythe around its neck she plants her feet against the cliff side and with the help of Weiss and her glyphs she rockets up dragging the beast with her promptly decapitating it as she reaches the top.
'Heh... good job Ruby. Time for a well deserved nap now...'
With the adrenaline settling down the pain catches up with me. Letting loose one last cry of agony I close my eyes and let the darkness take me once more.
AN: So hey guys! glad a few of you stuck around! As you can see there was quite an overhaul to the structure and even added some stuff to the chapter.
Hope you all enjoyed and I look forward to seeing you all again in the next chapter!
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