RWBY: Against All Odds
Legends tell us many things
Lies
Truth
Hope
Despair
Benevolence
Malevolence
But, as I was saying before, for every rule there is an exception.
Chimaera - this is the name of it, my students.
A village outside of the kingdoms. This village possess a natural large reserve of Dust.
However, the village is plagued with an erratic climate, chaotic vegetation, constant assault of numerous and powerful grimm and many other problems.
So, do any of my students wonder how they survived?
Hm? None?
Very well, I shall tell:
By going beyond logic. By breaking taboos. By challenging the impossible with impossible and surviving.
Arc 1 - Disillusioned Vampire
This village is one of the few places of true equality, where humans and faunus understood that they are different, but actually accepted that fact in order to survive and worked together.
They ran a very militaristic and-
RIIIIIINNNNNNNNGGG!
Jaune Arc was begging for that to happen - the time when Oobeleck's class would be over.
When he could finally encounter Pyrrha.
They could not stay in the hospital and where bougth back against their wills by Beacon Staff.
But one thing was for certain: Jammer's students sent a declaration of war to them before the tournament even started.
Just as Jaune got Crocea Mors from his lockers, a hand grabbed him.
"I already fended off Ren's followers, he should have gotten an airship by now".
Nora said those words without her usual smile.
"Got it" Jaune nodded.
They were planning on visiting Pyrrha to see if she had recovered.
As they were walking, he checked his scroll:
Impaler Vampire - leader of Jammer's best first year team and the best first year student. Has the practice of impaling all the grimm he defeats alone. Victory ratio: 64%
Silver-Clad Werewolf - holds the position of the most powerful first year student. Victory ratio: 87,5% (only one loss in official matches)
The Creature of Stein - possess above average aura reserves. Victory ratio: 54,7%
Mummy of Impossible Defeat - Victory ratio: 100%
Nora seemed worried.
"Jaune..."
"We need more information..." Jaune's eyes seemed hollow.
"Jaune, even if we have that, it isn't sure if we will fight them".
Jaune looked back at her and didn't speak. He just felt an instinct.
'We will fight them... Even if we don't want to'.
He looked ahead and finally arrived in front of the airship.
Ren was already side-glancing at them.
"Let's go".
Chapter 6: Preparation for the Battle
In Jammer...
"What kind of monster is Pyrrha Nikkós?"
A female voice asked that question as if she wasn't capable of believing it.
Impaler Vampire, the leader of her team was in a miserable state.
A leg broken in two places.
An arm barely attached to the body.
A severe loss of blood.
Bruises accross the whole body.
The girl couldn't believe that even after treating him.
It was as if he had been the defeated one in that battle, or even worse.
"Even with all the treating, the loss of blood remains and not all of the wounds have healed yet... For now..."
She snapped her fingers and a floating hologram screen appeared in front of her.
"What is it?"
Medium length black and white hair appeared, but the boy had his back to her.
The Creature of Stein was how Beacon called him.
"Newton" said the girl. "I already know what Vlad is thinking to do once he wakes up".
"Oh..."
The boy turned around. His face had a large scar and his eyes had X shaped pupils. They were constantly shining with an electric green light, as if they were neon.
The girl looked at him and said:
"Gather to me all the information you can find on her team and any related ones. I am positive that he will request it. Hack Beacon's systems if needed, we have to have what he wants beforehand".
"Roger. His condition?"
"Weakened".
"Understood".
Two boys watched that conversation in the window outside of the tower.
Neptune, who was barely hanging there, said:
"So, they plan to get info on team JNPR now. A possible next target?"
Sun was upside-down while sending what they acquired to their allies.
"Dunno... I already sent it to Blake. I think it's better for us to return".
Neptune nodded, but said:
"In any case, let's call Sage and Scarlet to spy on them should anything happen".
"Got it".
In Vale...
"Still sleeping" said Nora upon returning from the room.
Only one person at a time could visit her, so they decided to let Nora in. Jaune didn't know if he wanted to see her still fainted and Ren decided it was best for him to stay near him.
"So..." Jaune looked at th boy in green. "You knew it would come to this, right?"
Ren averted his gaze, but spoke:
"Pyrrha was the best first year student and we are dealing with a Mercenary Academy. I feared that they could do something like that sooner or later, so I wanted to get information on them to avoid the worst, but... Pyrrha and you were training so diligently that I didn't want to interrupt. That's why I went to team RWBY".
"I see..." Jaune's eyes were empty.
THUD
The trio turned around.
"Ouch" Ruby was lying on the ground.
THUD THUD THUD
"Ugh!" The girl was under three other girls.
Weiss, Blake and Yang looked at them with wry smiles.
Jauje blankly looked at them, but returned his sight to the door of the hospital room.
Yang whispered to the others:
"Did they just ignore us?"
Blake said:
"I think Ruby won't hold on much longer".
"Please..." She was struggling. "I... can't... breath..."
Weiss got up and aproached the trio.
"So... could you explain what happened?"
Jaune clenched his teeth. Nora was worried and Ren was about to speak when another voice interrupted them:
"Jammer's vampire attacked Pyrrha".
All of them looked at the window. Sun was entering through it while Neptune was coming from a nerby corrido.
Ruby was worried.
"They did? Wait, he actually beat Pyrrha? In a one on one?"
"I higly doubt it was a fair fight" said Neptune. He them turned his attention to the members of JNPR. "Isn't that right?"
Weiss didn't understand why he directed his words to them.
"Neptune, what do you mean?"
Nora averted her gaze.
"Pyrrha has been poisoned".
Silence. That was what struck the corridor they were in.
Ren sighed.
"I was trying to get information of them, but forgot it was useless. Assassins don't need to engage in one on one battles".
"This isn't over yet" Jaune's eyes were shadowed. "I will find out why this happened and find the one responsible".
"And then what?" Asked Ruby. "Give him a beating? I don't think I would be able to fight Pyrrha, how could I fight the guy that sent her to the hospital?"
"Well... you will need to" said Sun.
All of them turned their attention to him.
"Sage and Scarlet are currently undercover in Jammer and constantly sending me intel. It seems the vampire is interested in team JNPR and any possible allies".
"Which means..."
Just as Neptune was about to speak, Yang interrupted him:
"They are also researching about us".
In the highest tower of Jammer...
The boy called Impaler Vampire looked around at all of the information among the students of teams RWBY, JNPR and CRDL, the three top teams of the first years.
"Vlad..." A girl with silver hair approached him.
"The information on CRDL is useless. That ex-bully team doesn't seem to have befriended them".
"Yes, but, still, you see... Why do you think they will interfere?"
"Because" the boy turned around, his red eyed shining. "Walls have ears and doors have eyes. Not to mention, the bond of friendship isn't something to be underestimated".
"Still..."
"They will interfere, I am certain of it" he looked at the hologram screens again. "Look at Jaune Arc's transcripts, someone like him is bound to find us".
"So..." Ruby spoke first. "You don't think it's related to the tournament?"
Jaune nodded.
"The tournament should have rules the would make both sides have advantages. Why would he need to attack Pyrrha before it them?"
Ruby thought about it, but Blake was the one with the answer:
"He didn't need to. Sending a sign of power through her would be a bad idea. Pyrrha's attack has nothing to do with it".
"Really" Weiss didn't seem to believe it. "He seems like the type of guy to do it".
Sun negated it with his fingers.
"Impaler Vampire holds the position of best first year student by his intelligence too. The guy would think twice before doing anything dangerous. All the more because of the way he was wounded".
"What do you mean".
Naptune took out his scroll and said:
"Seems like he lost too much blood, got his arm wounded and leg broken while fighting Pyrrha. The guy should have known that he would get like this if he fought her".
"And yet, he did" Jaune analyzed it thoroughly. "I can't understand it, I don't know what they plan, but seems to be up to no good. And I am going to stop them".
"We" said Nora while putting her hand on his shoulder. "We are team. And we are fighting back!"
Ren nodded. Nora continued:
"The chuunibyou duo of the Fallen Hero and the Demon Lord together with me!"
"Pff!"
Team RWBY fell into laughter. Ren and Jaune blushed upon remembering their 'fated' battle.
Sun and Neptune smiled and the monkey faunus spoke:
"We will be helping you out too. We are going to Jammer and keep and eye on them while sending information".
"And team RWBY will too!" Ruby pointed to the sky beyond the window. "We always get into confusion and giant robots anyway, horror movies creatures aren't different!"
"So... What are we going to do?" Asked a girl wearing a purple and golden dress.
The 'vampire' walked around in the darkness. Most of his body was healed, but his leg wasn't fully.
"I understand. I shall head out with Luna. Meanwhile, Newton shall go to Beacon while you will stay here and offer support to our scrolls".
"You are sending Newton to Beacon?" The girl in purple shook her head. "He is bound to cause a problem!"
"He will make the progress far faster if he is directly there instead of hacking here. Besides, he would go alone even if I forbid him. Therefore, I shall be sending him".
"And what if it-"
"He will be keeping the locks. As such, I believe there won't be a problem, since he took well the hiding classes".
The girl in purple dress tought about it and looked back at the red-eyed boy in the shadows.
"And you? You still haven't recovered. You do realise teams JNPR and RWBY will probably interfere. When that happens, you will have to engage them".
"Even without a leg, I believe I would still be a match for Pyrrha Nikkos."
"Do you really expect one on one battles should you fight them?"
The 'vampire' looked at the window.
"Honorless peasants" he spoke such words when reffering to Beacon students. "Hypocrites. Does not matter, I will be taking Luna with me. She can deal with them".
"... I see".
Sun and Neptune had left. Team SSSN had decided to go there and stay in Jammer to offer support from there. The others were devising strategies.
Ruby came back to the corridor running.
"Okay, Pyrrha will be transfered soon to Beacon since most of the treatment is gone and, well, grimm attacks happened in the city recently and robots with scattered roses... Hahaha..." She forced a laugh. "So... Jaune, you will stay in Beacon".
He nodded.
"I understand. According to team SSSN, it seems like the members will be scattering to the city and Beacon. Not to mention, they have been going to Vale daily. Ruby, remember to use their routes".
"Got it. Weiss, you will stay with them".
The girl nodded. Ren didn't understand that part.
"Shouldn't it be better with your team was completed?"
"No" answered the ice girl. "One of them is coming here and none of you has a Dust based style. I handed some to Blake, but if you stop to think about it".
"Pyrrha didn't have one" said Blake. "And got defeated. A loss ratio of 36% indicate a weakness. Let's bet on Weiss should anything happen to you people here."
Jaune didn't say anything. Ruby was now talking to Nora and Yang said:
"Watch out, vomit boy. Ruby, Blake and me will be going to Vale".
"Yes. Ren, Weiss, Nora and me will stay here".
Ruby readied her scythe.
"Very well, see you people at night if we don't find anything. Watch out for the agent they will send here".
Nora returned to their side while the trio parted.
Sun and Neptune where hiding in a few bushes after taking the last dangerous picture.
"Good" Sun smiled. "Sent it to Blake".
Neptune brofisted him.
"Now they will know their appearances".
Jaune and Ren had barely arrived in Beacon and Weiss ran away saying she had a small business to deal with.
Nora distanced herself from the two boys while saying:
"I will guard Pyrrha. It's better if it's me, cause... Y'know?"
"Good luck No-"
Just as Ren was about to finish, Nora hugged him.
"Good luck, Ren" she whispered in his ear.
Nora released him, hugged Jaune too and said:
"Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to her. If she wakes up, I will call".
"... Thanks" for the first time in a while, Jaine smiled.
With that, Nora parted ways and he and Ren were alone.
"Now we wait" said the boy in green.
Jaune nodded.
"Beacon has already been certified and Jammer's director is coming here. I plan to meet her".
RIIIIIINNNNNGGG
Ren and Jaune checked their scrolls simultaneously.
Jaune smiled wryly.
"Team SSSN works fast..."
Ren smirked.
"Sun and Neptune looked like children about to play hide and seek".
"They got the vampire's name... Vladimir Tepes"
On Jaune's scroll there was a image of a dignified boy that seemed to have come from the highest nobility. He had black hair, red eyes and wore spectacles.
"Doesn't seem like what I imagined" said the blonde.
"Fear of the worst is greater than the actual danger".
"Wow, Ren... That was deep, man".
RIIIIIINNNNNNGG
"Again?!" Ren was surprised. "Possible semblance is telekinesis..."
Jaune realized what it implied
"Explains a lot. He could keep up with Pyrrha's polarity".
Ren opened his eyes wide.
"It was a bad match-up... for both of them" he looked at the scroll again. "No team name?"
"Probably VLAD?"
Ren shook his head.
"Beacon has that thing to leader names or colors, but Jammer uses a different system for the names, Jaune".
"... Weapons?"
"Characteristics of warriors. Cowardice, regret, courage, power, skill and so on. The name should be one of those things".
"I see..."
Jaune and Ren looked to the side. Weiss was approaching them running with three boxes on her hands. Unlike before, she wore her alternate outfit, the snow dress with black details from when she went out with team RWBY to investigate the white thing.
"Guys, got battle gear for you! Wait, where is Nora?"
"Guarding Pyrrha" said Jaune. "Wait, we got alternate outfits?"
Ren was surprised.
"So quick?"
Weiss smiled.
"It was crazy. I was searching out for a store that delivers in a day, then there were those crazy girls that talked about Ren in a high regard since you helped them with their relationships and they delivered these to me".
"Ugh" Ren blushed in shame. "Once again my dark past strikes me".
"It happened yesterday, dude. Yesterday, not in junior high" said Jaune. "Besides, I also went crazy there and... most of the school too".
"Yeah, but you became the hero. I became the Dark Flame Master! It's totally different".
Jaune Ren were about to continue talking but Weiss was already laughing about that.
Both of the boys blushed.
""Shut up, Weiss!""
"Sorry, sorry" Weiss passed a box to Jaune. "Here, my hero".
"Ugh" he accepted it reluctantly.
"And here, my evil lord".
Ren silently received the box.
Weiss held the third one and went away while saying:
"I will deliver this one to Nora. You two get ready in the way. Meet me in front of the... the library!"
Vale...
In the streets, Ruby, Blake and Yang walked together.
Blake picked her scroll.
"Sun says that they are about to depart. Two to Vale and one to Beacon".
Ruby nodded.
"Got it".
Yand smashed her fists.
"Let's get the Impaler Vampire!"
Jammer, front gate...
"With this, we shall be departing" said the bespectacled boy with red eyes. "I trust you to make the correct choices, Tracy. Find the target that keeps escaping us".
The girl in purple dress nodded. The boy smiled, revealing his bigger canines.
"Luna, come".
"Yes yes!" A girl with silver hair covered with a blue hood approached him. "Let's go to Vale!"
Beacon...
Jaune was in front of the library with Ren.
The blonde wore a white long-sleeved shirt and black pants. There were black armor pieces in his shoulders, chest and he also wore gauntlets and greeves. In a way, he felt both more and less than a hero than before. The black armor must have been due to Ren's minions wanting him to look like a fallen knight.
Ren seemed much like the time he was the Demon Lord, green shirt and black pants, but he also wore shoulder guards and green protections in his forearms and legs.
"I look like someone with chuunibyou..." He muttered with a hollow voice.
"Kay... But it also feels a bit cool, you know? By the way, how did you get the support from girls?"
"I made a senior notice one of them, the adoptive brother another, there was one that stalked a student and so on... It was easier than it seems".
Jaune was a bit worried
"I see..."
RIIIIINNNNNGGGG
He took out his scroll.
"Got the team name".
Ren was curious.
"Name?"
"Valiant. V-L-N-T".
Ren sighed.
"The quality of a warrior that is ready to risk his life for his beliefs... This just keeps getting better and better"
"And that's why we are going to stop them" said a female voice.
Ren and Jaune looked around. At the end of the corridor, Weiss was smiling like someone ready for a battle.
"They declared war against us. We won't show any mercy! We will DESTROY their whole families and pride as warriors while dishonor will be spread among..."
Jaune ignored the rest of her speech while turning to Ren:
"See, that's true chuunibyou, not what you are now".
"I feel much better now" he said while smiling. "Let's go, Jaune. One of them is being sent here and we will defeat him".
Outside of Beacon...
A green static could be seem as he stepped closer.
A boy with black and white hair approached the gate hidden to all machines and eyes.
"Failure is something that shall not happen".
The Creature of Stein readied himself.
A battle was bound to happen and soon...
Heretic notes:
A freaking calm chapter!
More like a preparation to the battle?
I felt like alternate outfits were needed for the members of JNPR, sorry that was the best I could imagine for them.
Now, how about a trivia?
Team VLNT was the antagonist team I used in another fic, not important now. They are, as pointed out, based on horror movie creatures and still have color references, but some are easier and others are harder to determine. Ex: Luna means moon - her colors are blue (fake) and silver (true). Once in a blue moon, anybody?
Also, their members are designed to be opposites to team JNPR, with Vladimir being Jaune's opposite, for example.
Either way, that's all for now, folks! Hope you people have enjoyed.
The synopsis of the story has changed, as you might have noticed, since it adapted to the current chapter.
The previous one was:
''A tournament between schools is coming, but are the students ready? Some just wanted to test their skills, others to prove their worth. But when Jaune cancelled his training with Pyrrha in order to not burden her, it may have brought the attention and anger of a certain all-female team upon the dense boy. Can team RWBY ship Pyrrha and Jaune? It may take more than a few efforts.''
And that's it. Bye bye!
Heretic, out!