Hello again!
This is a bit of an experimental work from me. And while it does take a lot of cues from RWBY, it's also gonna have a lot of AU aspects, both because it's 'post-series' and also on events that are 'on-series', and also some lore changes. So be ready for that. Also, usual disclaimers from my other fanfics, etc. etc.
With that said and done, enjoy!
8 years ago, the Grimm disappeared without a trace. No big war to end it all, no move on the Kingdoms from Salem or protective measures from Ozpin, nothing. It was like they never existed in the first place.
The reaction was almost immediate. Every Kingdom scrambled to find the answer, digging for anything concrete, and yet they found nothing. No answers in the records, and no explanation even from Headmaster Ozpin himself. He was as dumbfounded as anyone else.
The entire population felt like they had just woken up from a nightmare that seemed all too lucid. Even now, almost a decade after the fact, no answers have surfaced, be it from scientists or Huntsman-based academics alike.
But time never stopped, even as the answers continued to elude them.
Things had to be done, jobs had to be finished, and people had to live their lives. The world must continue to survive and thrive, lest it all mean nothing in the end.
So eventually the world moved on.
Expansion programs began anew. Incentives to increase the population were implemented. Every Kingdom worked together to expand their territories, in the shared interest of regaining what they had lost.
And so, Remnant flourished for the first time in its history.
It was free of its greatest threat. Everyone moved on, except for one kind of person.
After all, what was a Huntsman's place in a world without Humanity's greatest threat?
Vale, Present Day. 8 Years after the "Grimm Wipeout."
Standing on the sidewalk of Downtown Vale, 15 year-old Akane couldn't help but gape in awe at the tall buildings surrounding her. The bright lights, the skyscraper buildings, the blend of tradition and modern, she wanted to absorb everything she saw to her memory forever.
"So this is Vale, huh…." She gasped out. It was just… so different than home!
So exciting!
Things weren't near as fancy as Vale back in her small Mistralian village. In the few times her uncle brought her away from their cottage in the woods to the city, they mostly went to the markets to buy groceries and sightseeing on rare occasions. On more special occasions, though, he would take her downtown to get her anything she wanted, but other than that their lives were mostly spent in isolation.
But this, this was just so different!
She couldn't wait to see all this city had.
With that thought, she concluded that she had made the right choice in going here, it seemed. No matter what the cost of leaving her home was, this was the right step to take to follow her dream.
Her 'family' would understand with time, she was sure of it! Because her dream was only to-!
CRASH!
Akane's thoughts were broken when she heard the sounds of glass shattering. People screamed and ran in panic, and she shot her gaze to the source.
It was from a Dust store across the street, getting robbed by some thugs wearing black hoodies! Akane narrowed her eyes. Interestingly, they had a unique emblem on their backs as they pranced around. She felt familiarity spark in the back of her head. Where had she seen those before…?
"Police! Call the police!" The crowd had shouted as they ran past her, still frozen in spot. In mere seconds the street had cleared out, leaving her alone standing across from the store. From where she was, Akane saw the 'leader' of the thugs get closer to the terrified shopkeeper. He waved a gun around, intimidating the panicked and terribly old scared man.
"Well? What're you waiting for?!" The thug leader screamed. "Give us the goods!"
Akane narrowed her eyes. This was it, the entire reason she came to Vale. To reach her dream…
Helping people who needed it.
Akane smiled. And since that was her dream, now seemed like the proper chance to reach it, wasn't it?
Akane silently crept closer to the store. The thugs screamed louder as she crept closer, and of course none the wiser. She took a peek as she walked closer around the broken window. It seemed that a thug was standing behind the door, though why he was guarding that with a broken window on the store, Akane didn't know.
But still, that meant around that door was a blind spot.
Akane reached the door and hugged her back against it, careful not to open it as she listened in. She had to be patient…
But then she heard the 'leader' fire a warning shot. "Hurry it up, old man!"
Oh, screw patience.
"HYAH!" Akane kicked the door open.
"AH!" The grunt on the other side of the door went flying, face-first to the floor. The other guards quickly looked to the door, including the leader. An intruder-!
Akane dashed inside the building and punched the first guard she saw. He yelled and fell to the ground, not prepared for the assault.
"LITTLE BRAT!" A thug screamed.
Behind her!
Akane ducked and dodged a swing from a wooden katana. She turned around and kicked the thug away, sending him crashing against several racks of Dust.
"Cocky girl! Have some!" The leader shouted. He waved his gun and pointed it in Akane's direction, finger on the trigger.
Akane's eyes widened. If he missed, then he'd hit the Dust and blow up the entire store!
"TAKE THIS!"
Akane shielded herself with her arms.
BANG BANG BANG BANG!
The shot hit her straight on, hitting her skin and bouncing off of it harmlessly.
The thug looked at his weapon and stared at its smoking barrel in confusion. "What the hell…?"
"Hyah!" Akane dashed forwards and brought her heel to his chin. He flew up, crashing to the ceiling head first and getting planted there stuck. The gun clattered to the floor with a smoking barrel, aimed safely away from the store.
Akane let out a sigh of relief.
"Phew!" Akane rubbed the sweat off her forehead. Now, time to call the cops and get this all sorted out. She just wanted to help, after all! Hopefully, this wouldn't ruin her chances of getting to Beacon, eh-?
"Those were some pretty good moves, young lady." A voice said from the doorway. Akane turned her head towards it and found a Huntress leaning against the open door.
Leaning on the door, 27-year-old Ruby Rose did her best to smile reassuringly. Ah, a young girl stopping a Dust Store robbery. Not to mention in the night, and doing so without proper supervision!
How time flies, right? The scene reminded her of her old days…
Ruby smiled at Akane, "Maybe a trip to the police station could explain things, right?"
Akane groaned, and Ruby responded with a mirthful smile. She saw the young woman cover her head with her hands in embarrassment. Yep, definitely some memories here.
"Well, it's not the first time I've seen someone do this, y'know?" Ruby said, sitting across Akane with her hands on the table. They were both inside VCPD's interrogation room, consisting of a one-way window, a table with two chairs, a lamp, and a door.
Ruby was sitting as relaxed as can be, a small smile on her face as she looked at the other side. The young girl, on the other hand, started squirming under her gaze.
Seeing this, Ruby chuckled. "Oh, there's no need to panic!" She tried to calm Akane down. "It's just, well..." Ruby coughed into her fist. "A bit funny, is all. Anyways, we should get on with what you just did."
"I mean…" Ruby leaned in with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "You do know what it was, right?"
Akane mumbled.
"What was it again? I couldn't hear you clearly~!"
"I intervened too early…" Akane mumbled while looking at her lap.
"Yes, correct! And not to mention, you just recklessly risked other lives too…" Ruby hummed and leaned back. "But I get where you're coming from. Honest! You just wanted to help out, right?"
Akane nodded weakly.
"Well, at least you have pure intentions! That's more that can be said for some people these days." Ruby smiled. "But still, we can't let you off the hook that easy now, can we?"
Akane stayed quiet, and Ruby took this to ask again.
"What's your name?"
"Akane. Enko Akane."
"Hm. Sounds Mistralian…" Ruby said. "Are you a tourist? Taking in Vale's sights before getting some shuteye?"
Akane shook her head but didn't say anything.
"Oh, okay then…" Ruby thought it over again. "Hm, maybe... did you come from a Combat School? You had your Aura unlocked, after all."
"I've never been to a Combat School." Akane finally spoke said. She started to speak louder, for some reason more interested than before. "Everything I did, I learned it from Uncle."
"Uncle, huh?" Ruby asked. She smiled, "Is he a Huntsman?"
"Something like that." Talking about her Uncle, Akane seemed to brighten up even more. She raised her head and looked at Ruby with nothing but adoration in her eyes.
Mentally, Ruby took note of this information and made sure to remember it. So this Uncle must be pretty important to her, huh…?
"He used to help people a lot, and helped me a lot too." Akane continued, growing more invested with every passing word. "I just wanted to be a lot like him. Help everyone in need!"
"Yes, well that's certainly a noble goal, Akane!" Ruby nodded her head approvingly. "One I can get behind for sure. Not a lot of people have that these days, unfortunately. Is that why you're here?"
"Yeah! I wanted to join Beacon." Akane said. Then, she seemed to sadden again. "Oh, but that plan's shot now, I guess…"
Ruby tilted her head. Her age didn't match up, though… she seemed a bit young! "You seem kinda young. How old are you, Akane?"
"I'm 15."
Ruby's eyes widened. Oh, well that's- that's… disturbingly familiar. Way too close, this time. "And you figured you could get into Beacon early?"
"That was the plan." Akane confirmed sadly. "I just couldn't wait anymore. A-And, I heard Uncle say he had a friend once who joined an Academy early too. I figured that maybe I could get in somehow, just like that person!"
Ruby leaned back and kept herself composed. Well, she was the only person on Beacon's record to have ever been admitted early. Either Akane's uncle was talking about her, or someone who had early entrance in the other three Academies. She had to dig in deeper later but for now…
On the off-chance that Akane's Uncle knew about her, and if so clearly on a much more personal level, then it was her responsibility to look over Akane. Made sure she saw her Uncle again, at least.
Everything else they could smooth over later.
"You never told me. who's your Uncle again, Akane?" Ruby asked.
"Oh! Um, you wouldn't know him." Akane said. Despite this, Ruby didn't see any signs of deceit. She genuinely had no idea this 'person' that her Uncle probably talked about was sitting right across from her. But still, it seemed that Akane didn't want to divulge his information. That didn't match up with her adoration at all…
Regardless, Akane continued, "He's been retired for a while now. Today would make it…. Eight years. Yeah, eight years."
"But still, maybe I've run into him sometime?" Ruby decided to press. "If I know, then maybe I could take you back-."
"NO!" Akane shouted.
Ruby went still for just a moment. So then, maybe her suspicions were true-?
"No, please don't tell him." Akane whispered. "He can't know I'm here."
Ruby narrowed her eyes. "…Is he abusive to you?"
"Oh no!" Akane shouted in horror. And then, she cast her gaze down in shame and mumbled her next words, "It's just, I ran away, you see, without his permission. I-…" Akane sighed, "I don't want to make him worry… he'll definitely be if he knows I'm here."
Ruby closed her eyes. So thaaaat's what it was. But still, she couldn't just let Akane keep recklessly endangering her life like this. Either she went back to her Uncle, or she got some guidance on how to get to her dream. Just like herself.
But the entrance to Beacon wasn't in her hands, though. She didn't exactly have the power for that.
Ruby tapped her fingers on the table as she leaned back. What to do, what do to….
Her thoughts were interrupted when knock sounded on the door. "Come in!" Ruby shouted. Not a moment later, a person stepped through the door carrying a cup of cocoa. A person Ruby knew well.
"Oh, Headmaster Ozpin!" Ruby smiled. "Having a nice night, professor?"
"Just like yours, Professor Rose." Ozpin smiled. "I take it you've spent quite the time with our young companion here?"
"Oh, we've been in here for a few minutes." Ruby chuckled. "Is there anything you need, Headmaster?"
"Well, it's regarding our young friend here." Ozpin turned his gaze to Akane. "Miss… Enko Akane, correct?"
Akane's vision shot from her lap to Headmaster Ozpin. With eyes wide in surprise, she nodded vigorously at his question.
"If I may ask, why exactly did you want to be a Huntress?"
"So I can help those in need," Akane said firmly. "Everyone around us has their own problems, and sometimes they can't finish it themselves. So why don't we take a little bit of our time to help them? That's what Huntsmen should do, right?"
"Correct, and quite the admirable trait." Ozpin nodded. "And do you know the risks that come with being a Huntress?"
"I do." Akane nodded solemnly.
Ozpin took a look into those eyes. There was something different in there. She fully understood what she was talking about, it seemed. No trace of ego or false pride. But that signature youth was still there, a youth that made her prone to mistakes should she not be trained.
"Hm… very well." Ozpin put his cup down and looked at Akane straight in the eye. "If that's the case, then what would you be willing to do to achieve that dream?"
"Anything." Akane answered in a heartbeat.
Ozpin continued to stare into Akane's eyes. Searching and searching, he stared without blinking for what seemed like several hours.
When Akane didn't back down one bit, Ozpin smiled and retreated his gaze. "Well if that's what you really want, then I have good news. As of today, you are eligible for the entrance exam to Beacon."
Ruby's head shot to the side to look at Ozpin's. This was sudden! And without telling her as well! What was his game here?
Ozpin didn't look at Ruby and kept his gaze on Akane. "Any charges today will be dropped. As long as you stay on good behavior, keeping the books clean shouldn't be too hard. Be sure to arrive at the test in three days, starting at 10.00 AM."
Meanwhile, Akane shot out of her seat in surprise.
"Seriously?!" She shouted. Without waiting for Ozpin's confirmation, she grabbed his hand and shook it vigorously. "Oh thank you thank you thank you! I promise I won't let you down!"
Ozpin chuckled. "Yes, yes. If your skills are worthy, then the test won't prove hard at all." He softly pried his hands free from Akane's. "Well, off you go then."
With more thank you's and I won't let you down's, an ecstatic Akane practically skipped away out from the interrogation room and into the streets. Ozpin's gaze followed her as she closed the door and left him alone inside with Ruby.
Ozpin kept his gaze away from Ruby, but started speaking to her. "You must be asking what I was thinking, aren't you Professor Rose?"
"Something along those lines, yeah." Ruby leaned back in her seat and twisted it to look at Ozpin. "Mind telling me what this is about, Headmaster?"
"…You know the position we're in, right?" Ozpin said slowly.
It dawned on Ruby, and she spoke to fill in her part. "We're short on applicants this year?" She said sadly.
"Correct. The first in our history." Ozpin gave a slight nod. He gave a sad sigh. "Huntsman interest has been declining ever since the Grimm Wipeout eight years ago. The number of applicants have hit record lows year-by-year, and even after all of our efforts, it has barely improved, if at all. After all, why should you risk becoming a Huntsman when the police or the Expansion Corps are much easier? Better pay and more missions too, despite my struggles…"
Ozpin shook his head. "For this year… adding Ms. Enko should round up our numbers just right. And besides, the situation wasn't too different from yours either, Professor Rose."
"Yeah, that's true and all…" Ruby leaned back in her chair with her hands behind her head. But still, she couldn't help but wonder.
"What do you plan on doing with that 'Uncle' of hers?" Ruby asked Ozpin.
"Nothing." He said simply. "Beacon will give Ms. Enko shelter, and we'll… investigate when the time calls for it."
"Right, right…" Ruby gave absent nods. Then, her voice dropped to a whisper.
"Any news on the 'Queen', Headmaster?"
Ozpin sighed and shook his head.
Ruby deflated, but only just.
If Salem was playing the long game with the Grimm, then she was certainly winning.
Because compared to RWBY's days, back when they were still in the Academies, and even the year after it, and the year after that … it twisted her heart that there were barely any Huntsmen left.
The times had moved on.