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Natural Born Flamer: Alright, I'm gonna be patient. When I saw your "review", I immediately knew you were some kind of troller, trying to annoy me. I don't care, I can deal with that. However, anyone can see your "review" and will think this story is bad, and you have no right to insult my work like you did. You obviously didn't read the foreword and if you did, you ignored it. Also, 'Natural Born Flamer'? Your kind of people are what ruins anything public related, so, I'm only gonna say this once: Don't read this fanfiction, Don't review this fanfiction, And fuck off. Thanks for Reviewing!
HEY EVERYONE, I'M STILL ALIVE! Alright, so, the first episode of RWBY Volume 3 premiered today, and all I was thinking while watching it was "Oh my god! I have so much filler to do!"... and I do. Man, the time skip between Volume's 2 and 3 of RWBY was a BIG leap, not continuing immediately, as I expected. So, since I have plans for the Tournament, but required... set-up... the next half dozen chapters, even more, are all set-up.
Man, I could have done this a LONG time ago, but, that's what happens when you cannot predict the future. Couple more notes, just in case you forgot: this is first-person written, from Epsilon's point of view, and follows canon with the RWBY plot, so no major events effecting major characters (so no deaths.) Also, this chapter is mainly just Epsilon introducing himself to the main characters, since David didn't really connect with them much. That won't happen this time.
So, finally, let the second chapter of "Almost One of a Kind" begin!
Chapter Two - Epsilon Xiao Long
"So, Yang met her mother?"
I leaned against the wall of the room, looking directly ahead as Benjamin scanned my head on his scroll, analysing my... "brain" activity. I came to Benjamin after the event of meeting Raven Branwen with Yang Xiao Long, my "sister", as I have trouble believing if it was real, or if it was a dream. Explaining to him what had happened fascinated him, eager to learn more about how an AI thinks and feels. And dreams.
Oh, right, I'm also an Artificial Intelligence programme put inside a robotic body in order to become a hunter-in-training with the rest of the team I've joined, now dubbed Team "RWBEY", but technically unofficial.
"Yeah, she was... mad. To put it simply. I can't really remember much afterwards, I just woke back up with Yang in our dorm room. I came straight here, seeing as you would know what's wrong." I finished, as he lowered his scroll.
"Well, the good news is that your programming seems intact, so you're not going to self destruct or go rogue, or some other evil thing. The bad news is... I don't know why you forgot that night, or if you will ever remember. But, since you and Yang are both fine, I wouldn't dwell on it." Benjamin finished, putting his scroll on the table.
"Thanks Ben, I'd better get back to Beacon, half the team doesn't know where I am." I told him, leaving the room.
"Wait!" Benjamin yelled, catching my attention. "Almost forgot this." He handed me a closed card holder. I looked at it curiously and opened it, revealing... a piece of blank paper.
"It's... a piece of blank paper?" I asked, looking at Benjamin. He just smirked.
"Well, that proved one of my theories." He noticed I was even more confused. "This it Telepathic Paper, it allows the user to project anything that they want the reader to see."
"So, if I wanted to tell someone I was the headmaster of Beacon, and showed them the paper, they'd believe me?" I asked.
"Most likely. However, something extremely convoluted and impossible, it doesn't work. So you couldn't show that to Ozpin, since he knows he's headmaster. But it will work on others though, even I can see it." Benjamin explained to me. "Keep it, you'll definitely need it at some point." I started to leave again, but stopped and looked at him.
"Wait, how did you make this?" I questioned, really confused. He just laughed.
"That's for you to figure out." He finished. I just shook my head and left, leaving Benjamin to continue with... whatever he does when I'm not there.
Beacon Academy...
"This is unbelievable!" Weiss yelled at me. "There is absolutely no way you are the leader of Team RWBY!" All of Team RWBY stared at the paper, utterly dumbfounded as I told them I was now leader, showing them the proof. Ruby was basically in tears.
"B-b-but, I'm the leader." Ruby pouted, and grabbed the paper. "It even has Ozpin's signature of approval!" Ruby broke down in tears.
"So, since you're the leader... and since I control you... then that makes me leader!" Yang cheered, much to everyone, but Epsilon's, horror.
"Alright, firstly, you don't 'control' me, I still have free will. I just have to do what you say." I i told Yang, who just rolled her eyes with a grin. "And secondly, Ruby, I'm not actually the leader of Team RWBY, it was just a test."
"S-so, I'm still leader?" Ruby hoped, I just sighed and nodded. "Yay!" She yelled in joy, leaping into the air.
"Wait, how did you got Ozpin's signature?" Blake asked.
"Someone I know gave me this paper, it let's others see what I want them to see. So, I can theoretically be anybody. Watch." I handed the paper to Yang, who looked at it curiously.
"Since when were you the first heir to the Schnee Dust Company?" Yang asked, tilting her head to the side. Weiss was so angry her hair might as well have been on fire.
"WHAT! Give me that!" She yanked the paper from Yang's hands and looked at it. "See! It's blank!" She held it up and showed it to us.
"It says you're, and I'm quoting here, 'The Queen of the Ice'. Blake informed her. Weiss shoved the paper into my hands and crossed her arms angrily.
"Wow, that's so cool! Can I use it?" Ruby asked excitedly.
"Sorry, but only someone as perfect as me can use it." I joked.
"What, you're not perfect." Ruby said to me.
"Alright, name one way I'm not perfect." I dared.
"You're too tall."
"You're too asymmetrical."
"You're too loud."
"You're too blonde."
I sighed. "Ruby, I'm 3 inches taller than you. You want someone 'too tall', go talk to Yatsuhashi. Weiss, you're hair is asymmetrical, so you can't judge. Blake, I'd be too loud if I was mute by your standards. And Yang, I'm just as blonde as you are!" I finished, all of them 'hmm'ing in agreement. "Alright, now that the air is clear, what now?"
"Ooh, you can meet Team JNPR." Ruby suggested.
"Yeah!" Yang agreed.
"Well, it seems like a good idea. David didn't exactly get to know them very well." I noted, and headed over to the room opposite ours, Ruby and Yang with me. Ruby knocked on the door, but after a few seconds got no reply. Ruby pouted.
"Huh, I guess they're busy. Oh well, let's go find some other adven-" I swiped the paper on the panel and the door unlocked. "Okay, never mind." She said, chuckling embarrassingly. I opened the door and was slightly... surprised at what I saw. Jaune and Pyrrha were studying normally, not much surprise there. However... Nora was carefully balancing her books on Ren's head, as he sighed and continued studying. As Nora placed another book onto the pile, she noticed me at the door.
"INTRUDER! INTRUDER! MUST BREAK LEGS!" Nora yelled, running towards me. Luckily, Ren managed to grab her before she got out of his reach, the books dropping from his head. The rest of the team turned towards me, slightly confused.
"How... did you open the door?" Jaune asked.
"You didn't lock it." I lied.
"Damn it! That's the third time this week!" Jaune yelled, surprising me that he actually believed it. "Oh, I'm Jaune Arc, leader of Team JNPR. And you are?"
"I'm Epsilon Xiao Long, Yang's brother and the first official-unofficial-official member of Team RWBY." I explained.
"Uhh... what?" Jaune asked, confused.
"To put it simply, Vomit Boy, he's my brother and newest member of the team. So don't mess with him, or you'll feel a new definition of 'pain'." Yang threatened.
"Y-yes Ma'am!" Jaune yelped in fear, causing Yang to laugh. Pyrrha rolled her eyes and walked up to me, holding out her hand.
"I'm Pyrrha Nikos, his team-mate." She said, as I shook it.
"Ah, yes, 'the Invincible Girl'. One of the best fighters in Beacon, graduated to of your class at Sanctum, four times winner of the Mistral Region Tournaments and the mascot of Pumpkin Pete's Marshmallow Flakes cereal." I summed up. "I could still beat you in a duel." Pyrrha opened her mouth in shock, but a small smirk appeared in it's place.
"I'm Nora!" Said girl yelled, jumping towards me. I casually looked past Nora and to Ren, who continued to study. "Oh, that's Ren!" I leaned over towards Ruby.
"How the hell does Ren stand her? Why is she so hyper?" I half-whispered.
"You just get used to it. Pancakes and Syrup... and everything else with sugar in it." Ruby told me. I nodded slowly and turned back to Team JNPR.
"Well, it was nice to meet you all, hopefully we can kill Grimm together some other time." I finished with a wave, and walked out, Ruby and Yang following.
"Since when did Yang have a brother?" Jaune asked his team, not getting an answer. Pyrrha just thought of someone who might be a challenge in a duel. Nora continued with her shenanigans. Ren sighed.
Beacon Cafeteria...
"You really think you could beat Pyrrha in a duel? She's like, the best fighter ever." Ruby informed me, munching on a cookie.
"Well, I have seen her fight before, and she did manage to beat the entire of Team CRDL... yeah, I could." I bragged.
"I don't know... she's pretty tough. I doubt even a robot could beat her." Yang told me.
"How do you know how she fights, you've never seen her fight." Weiss pointed out.
"Unless you saw her during the Breach." Blake noted, reading her book.
"First time Ruby and Yang saw me was during the fight between Pyrrha and CRDL, just before the Dance. Blake met me after her argument, I don't remember when you met me." I say, pointing towards Weiss.
"I guess he just forgot. Weiss, to be fair, you are probably the most forgettable member of the team." Yang added.
"What? How dare you! I'm not forgettable!" Weiss yelled, pouting afterwards. Then, out of nowhere, a random Sun appeared.
"Sup losers." Sun announced.
"Hey Sun." Ruby responded happily. "How have you been lately?"
"Oh, you know, preparing for the Vytal Tournament with the rest of my team, getting to know people, Neptune's a nerd, who's that blonde kid? Where's David?" Sun asked nonchalantly.
"I'm Epsilon. Good to meet you Sun." I say, holding out my hand. He looks at me skeptically.
"Wait... wait, wait, wait... OH MY GOD! Your David's A-" I tackled Sun to the ground, covering his mouth. He murmurs under my mouth, as I gesture him to be quiet. He nods and I let go. "Hey, why'd you tackle me, you trying to cause a scene?"
"Me, 'cause a scene'? You're the one yelling at the top of your lungs so everyone turns towards you for no reason." I argue. He raises a finger to make a point, but fails.
"So... are you David's AI?" He asked, significantly quieter than before. I sigh.
"Yes, Sun, I'm an android. Okay? Keep your mouth shut about it or I'll get Weiss to freeze your tail off, then I'll smash it." I threaten, and he gulps audibly.
"Y-Yes Sir!" He confirms, and I help him up. "Right, where's David?" We all looked at Sun, slightly shocked. "What?"
"Sun, David left for Vacuo a couple of days ago." Blake told him, and he raised an eyebrow.
"Really, Why?"
"Didn't you realise that there was a Queen Nevermore heading for Beacon? Didn't you evacuate?" I asked, amazed.
"Oh, guess some things go unnoticed." Sun shrugged his shoulders.
"Sun, there was a huge alarm, how did you not know?!" He stared at me blankly. "Alright, I helped David and his team kill it, they were punished, they got sent to Vacuo as their punishment and a mission. Got it?"
"I... think so. Why didn't he tell me, I lived in Vacuo, I could have given him a heads up on what it's like there." Sun added.
"He... was busy." Ruby told him, sparing the details.
"Yeah, he got real busy with Anna too." Yang joked, getting a kick in the shin from Blake.
"Wait, why are you here?" I asked him.
"Oh, I... I..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"I forgot." Sun admitted. "Oh well, nice meeting ya Epsilon." He waved and walked away. I took my seat and we all sat in an awkward silence.
"Well... that was a thing..." Yang spoke up.
Everyone was silent.
I sighed. "I bet Ultramega doesn't have to put up with this."
Profes- Doctor Oobleck's class
"- And that, students, is why you don't attempt to ambush Faunus during their sleep." Oobleck finished. "It appears that's all we have time for today. Everyone have your essays on the history of the Vytal Tournament ready for next lesson to read out to the entire class. You are dismissed." We all got up and started leaving, as I noticed the particularly annoyed look on Yang's face, knowing she'll do a bad, no awful, essay. I knew what she was going to say.
"Yang, I swear, if you order me to hel-"
"Epsilon, I order you to help me with my essay!" She declared, and I swore under my breath.
"Fine." I grumble. She pulled me into a literal breathtaking hug, luckily I didn't need to breath.
"Oh, Epsilon, thank you! You're the best brother ever." She released me as we continued walking out of the class. As we approached the door, Oobleck spoke up.
"Epsilon, please remain behind for a few minutes. We have things to discuss." Oobleck requested, and I raised an eyebrow in curiosity. I sat back down on the front row as he stood in front of the desk.
"How can I help you, Doctor." I asked.
"It's Doctor Oobl- Oh, wait, you're right. Sorry! Now, Epsilon, you may deceive people who once knew you in your other form. However, you did not deceive me." Oobleck informed me, pacing back and forth. "Now, since you were with us during our mission at Mountain Glenn, I can assume you know what I am going to ask you."
"Why did you become a huntsman." I stated.
"Correct."
"I became a huntsman... because I want to help people, people who can't protect themse-"
"Wrong! Any person can become a hunter to protect others. But only one person has your reason, and that person is you. Tell me, Epsilon, why did you become a Huntsman, the whole honest truth why you, yourself, became one." Oobleck tested.
"I became a huntsman because I wanted to prove what a huntsman really is. The greatest reason for why I became one was David Xiao Long, my old master, who I helped protect and helped to save people. But I also helped him kill people. To me, a huntsman is a person who protects the innocent and defeats the criminals. However, David kills both the innocent and the criminals. You may not know, but I do. During the Breach, when David 'saved' his team, his family, his friends, even you, he left innocent to die. I watched them get slayed by Grimm, but couldn't do anything but watch. He was selfish. The whole honest truth of why I became a huntsman: So I can protect people without having to kill people. To show everyone what a true huntsman should look like. That's why Benjamin made it the first law I cannot break." I explained to him.
"I see..." Oobleck said, drinking his coffee. "You believe David is 'selfish'?"
"No, I believe David is a monster. He is unstable, he's lost too much in his brief life, especially since coming to Beacon. The only thing that keeps him sane is love for Anna and the rest of his team. He loses them, he'll loose himself." I finished, and left. I stopped at the door and turned to him.
"If I know David, and I do, very well, when he returns to Beacon, he's going to bring death and destruction with him. I just prey I'm wrong."
Professor Goodwitch's Class...
"And that's the match." Glynda announced, as a grinning Yang and a... broken Jaune walked off the arena and into the stands. Yang took a seat next to me, and I just shook my head in disappointment.
"What?" Yang asked.
"I can't believe you literally tortured a fellow blonde." I said to her.
"What? I didn't 'torture' him, it was just a really, really, one-sided fight." Yang reasoned, and I just showed her my scroll.
"Your aura is 99%, from a lucky hit he landed, on your hair." I emphasised by pointing at the ever so slightly shorter strand of hair on Yang's head.
"Look, I don't care if people try asking me out, hit on me or even stare at my 'gauntlets', nobody touches my hair." Yang explained, stroking her long, golden blonde hair.
"Except me."
"Except you."
"Up next, we'll have... Epsilon Xiao Long. You've never fought before, let's find you an opponent." Glynda stated, tapping on her scroll.
"Actually, I want to fight, her." I pointed at Pyrrha.
"Epsilon, your skill in combat at this time is unknown. Do you really think it's wise to duel against the top student as your first duel?" Glynda asked.
"Yes."
"Very well then, you may fight with Ms. Nikos, if she would like to." Glynda said to her.
"I'd be happy to oblige." Pyrrha told me with a small nod.
"Well then, get your weapons and prepare for the fight."
10 Minutes Later...
"Why do you have a cement barrier?" Glynda asked, as we stood in the arena at one side, Pyrrha at the other.
"I may need to use it in the fight." I informed her, leaning against it.
"You realise this isn't exactly legal in a duel." Glynda reminded.
"I know, but you have to use your surroundings if you want a better chance at victory." I told her.
"How, you'll barely be able to lift it." She pointed out.
"I think I'll do fine." I said with a grin. Glynda just rolled her eyes and walked off.
"Xiao Long's: they're all the same." She muttered under her breath. I leaned off the barrier and turned to Pyrrha, who readied her weapons, determination in her eyes. I held out my arms and both daggers appeared in my hands, seemingly out of nowhere. I held them in a ready position. Glynda reached the centre of the arena.
"You both know the rules: first one to forfeit or have their aura into the red zone loses." Glynda told us both, and we nodded. I looked up to the crowd and saw that everyone was watching intently, waiting for the 'invincible girl' to fight a nobody. Once Glynda reached the stands, she spoke up again. "Are both combatants ready?" We both readied our weapons.
"Alright then, let the match begin."
End of Chapter Two
And of course, I leave you on a cliffhanger. But don't worry, I'll update this ASAP, I promise! Now, if you are a fan of another one of my Fanfictions, "RWBY: The Walking Dead", that story is on hiatus for god knows how long, at least until volume 3 of RWBY ends, so maybe not until Christmas time. Don't worry, I haven't abandoned it, I just don't have the time with school starting again.
As always: Story Recommendation:
Name: Journey into the Stars
Author: SleepinEyes
General Synopsis: AU: The planet is lost to the Creatures of Grimm. Humanity is forced to live in space colonies. The last hope of humanity is a new spaceship made to explore the deep space and find them a new home. One young captain and his crew now need to get together and do what they can to give their people hope.
And, as always, remember to follow, favourite and leave a review, and thank you all for reading!