AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. Thank you for the support this series has gotten already after just a couple of chapters. In this one, we switch over to another duo of newcomers to this Pokemon world. Of all the companions, this one is probably my favorite. This sequence was longer than intended, but I liked it a lot. Hope you enjoy this chapter, leave a review with your comments and questions, and have a nice day.
See the most recent Save State Chapter for Cover Art details.
Chapter 3 – Speaking Out
"…Uh… What happened," Yang spke as she started to regain consciousness. In opening her eyes, she found herself in a massive forest, "Huh, how did I get here?" She said before standing up, scratching the back of her head, "The last thing I remember was-" Suddenly, the image of the unknown creature devouring her reformed. Yang then looked back at her right hand, seeing it trembling, "What's going on? D-did I … die?" She said before looking around, "N-no, that can't be true." The blond brawler then clenched her fist, "I need to find the others."
Yang ran through the forest as fast as she could, "Ruby! Blake! Weiss! Where are you!?" She called out as loud as she could, "Anyone! Does anyone hear me!?" She shouted as panic started to shut in her eyes, "Any-" suddenly, the blond brawler crashing into someone who was also running, throwing both onto the floor, "Ouch," Yang said as rubbed her head, then her eyes opened in realization, "Wait, why did that hurt so much?"
Yang then looked to who ran into, discovering her mute nemesis also recoiling in slight pain from the collision, "You!" Yang pointed as Neo gasped, "Why are you here?" She said as both stood up.
"…", Neo did not say a word and assumed a fighting stance.
"Heh, you want to go right now. Fine by me." Yang said before hitting her first together. However, she now noticed that her Ember Celica was gone, "Where did they go?" She thought before looking to her opponent's unarmed stance, "Well, at least you don't have that dumb umbrella." Yang taunted as Neo smirked.
The blond brawler rushed with a right jab, followed by a left cross. Neo dodged out of the way before going for a leg sweep. Yang evaded by jumping and then went for a downward punch. Neo rolled out of the way before standing back up. However, the blond brawler resumed pressure with her punches. The mute girl evaded as best as she could but was being pushed back. Yang reeled back for a knockout blow, but Neo smirked.
The mute girl moved out of the way of the punch, causing Yang's right fist to crash into a tree with yellow leaves. The force of the punch shook the bark, but Yang recoiled her fist in pain, "Ouch, that's going on!? I should have been able to punch a tree that size down." Yang said as she looked at her right hand, seeing the knuckles red, "What happened to my aura?" She then looked back to Neo, who was still smirking, "You little-"
However, the two then noticed the tree started to shake again. They to back up as the vibrations became more volatile. Suddenly, something emerged. A large hive-like insect creature in the shape of a woman in a dress. Yang and Neo gasped at this monster, as it was not like any Grimm they had seen before. It sounded like a wasp upon letting out a cry, unleashing a swarm of bees from its honeycomb and the tree.
"Oh crap!" Yang said before running away, the swarm chasing her. She ran as fast as she could but still heard the bees gaining on her. In the middle of her fleeing, the blond brawler also saw Neo running beside her, "This is all your fault! If you didn't dodge that punch-" Yang saying until she and the mute girl skidded to a halt. The two had reached the edge of a cliff. In looking down, the duo saw a river of running water, "That's pretty far." Yang though before remembering her injury, "If I had my aura, I would survive, but-" She thought before hearing the swarm closing in.
Suddenly, Yang saw Neo jump, "Hey!" Yang called out, but Neo was already falling. The blond brawler looked back to see the swarm approaching and the red glim in the insect monster's eyes, "Damnit!" Yang said before looking back to the river, then jumped. The bees just barely missed catching up to their target. The insect monster looked down the cliff, but saw no movement, causing it to retreat to its hive.
In the river, bubbles formed on the surface before Yang emerged, gasping for air. She breathed as best as she could, looking around for her opponent, know their fight was still going on. Suddenly, something pulled her underwater again. While her vision was blurry, she could tell it was the mute girl. The blond brawler went for a left cross, which connected. However, the force was not strong enough for a knockout in the water. Neo kicked Yang away, allowing both to return to the surface for air.
"Do you ever quit!?" Yang shouted before Neo splashed. While the attack did nothing, the mute girl used the distraction to dive underwater and tackle her opponent in the gut. Yang was dragged underwater again but was forced to think of a new plan. She grabbed Neo by the shoulder then, kneed her in the gut. The air bubbles escaped the mute girl as she tried to get back to the surface. This time, with was the blond brawler that was holding Neo under the water. She saw her opponent face start to turn purple but then saw something else approach, causing the blond brawler to gasp and release her oxygen.
The two returned to the surface to get some air, but then saw something else emerge. A large blue, serpent-like dragon rose from the riverbed, letting out a terrifying roar. Neo and Yang tried to swim away as face as they could, but the water monster was faster. Its large mouth opened as it lunged for Neo, devouring the mute girl. Yang watched as the water monster emerge again, fearing she would be next on the menu.
However, stuck in the water monster's mouth, Neo remained. Her hands on the roof of the mouth, holding a standing stance in the locked jaws. With her heeled boots, she stomped on the tongue as hard as she could. The water monster roared as it flailed, but Neo remained unmoved. She smirked as she could tell this creature was about to spit her out, giving her a chance to escape. However, her eyes widened in panic as water gathered inside the throat. The water monster unleashed a hydro blast point-blank into Neo's body. While shooting her out of the mouth, the mute girl's body crashed right into Yang's. The two were rendered unconscious as the water monster was about to move in to devour.
The water monster roared before it was about to lunge, but then saw the approaching waterfall. It turned around and swam the other direction, leaving the two girls to their fate. Yang and Neo fell over the waterfall, the current carrying them away.
...
…
…
"…" Neo laid at the edge of a sandy shore; her eyes barely able to open as she looked up to the still beating sun. She tried to move, but the pain was too great. Her body was numb from the high pressed blast of water from that monster. All she could do was sit and wait for her strength to return, hoping that nothing else would find her.
However, something did. While her vision was blurry, she saw a triangular-shaped creature block part of the sun. From the creature, a type of rain droplet fell onto Neo's forehead. Suddenly, the mute girl's body glowed in a greenish light. Her wounds healed as her movement returned. Neo moved to a sitting position, still in confusion as she looked around. In the sand, she saw what looked like a set of small rounded footprints. On each side of the tracks, someone thing looked like it was beginning dragged in the sand. The trial ended in a forest, of which Neo focused her eyes.
As she stood up, the mute girl heard someone else wash up to shore. Yang coughed water as she crawled onto land, "What…was that…thing…?" The blond brawler said as she tried to push herself up but then noticed Neo standing nearby. "Huh, how are you still-" Yang said as she gritted her teeth, standing on two feet, "So, you're more resilient than I thought?" She said before putting up her fists, "That's fine, it means I can beat you up extra hard now."
"…" Neo looked back with eyes half-open, shook her head, then walked away.
"Hey!" Yang called out, "You can't just walk away from a battle!" She said will watching Neo enter the forest, "Hey!" She said before following the mute girl. The walked through the forest, Neo trying to track the small footprints, but could not locate them again. She then signed before looking to Yang, "Look, I'm not letting you get away from me that easy." The blond brawler said with her arms crossed, "You and I still have a score to-Achoo!" she said before sneezing, her body slightly shivering.
"…" Neo looked on with half-open eyes. She then looked at their still waterlogged clothes, knowing she would soon be in the same situation. The mute girl searched and found dry sticks, leaves, and even some grass. Yang watched in confusion as Neo took the items and walked away, but then stopped. The mute girl turned back to the blond brawler, sticking her tongue out before resuming her leave.
"Hey!" Yang said as she followed. She eventually found Neo entering a large cave, seeing the mute girl set up a firepit, "What are you doing? I am trying to fight-Achoo!" Yang said with a sneeze, but Neo focused on making the firepit. A silence fell over the area as Yang gritted, "Tsk," She scoffed before entering the cave and sitting down, "We can fight when we are warm."
"…" Neo looked back to Yang, then pointed to the exit of the cave.
"Fine! I don't need you to start a fire!" Yang said as she stood up, "I can do it on my own and then I'll come back to kick your-achoo!" she before sneezing. At the same time, the crackle of thunder was heard, followed by a sudden rainfall. A line of sweat ran down Yang's forehead as Neo slightly giggle. Yang looked with a scowl but then noticed the mute girl struggling to start a fire with two rocks. Neo gritted her teeth as she could tell her hands were starting to shiver. The blond brawler sighed before getting close to the firepit, looking towards Neo, "Okay, I'll make a deal with you. I stay if I start the fire?"
"…" Neo waited before responded, feeling her body shiver. She nodded before passing the rocks.
"I don't need those," Yang said as she sat down, then pulled out her side pouch for fiery ammunition. However, there seemed to be no slugs inside, "Figures, if I don't have my weapon, why would I have my ammo?" She said before reaching deep into the bag, "Luckily, my Dad gave me a backup." She said before taking out a thin rectangular slab metal with a slightly darker edge. Attach to it was a flat piece of metal with a serrated edge. On one end, an engraving was seen, Always handy to have a Fire Starter. Neo watched as Yang struck the rounded side of the slat with the thin serrated pierced, causing sparks to the fall on the dry leaves and grass. Soon, smoke started to form, followed by a warming fire.
A little while later.
After the fire had started, the two had remained silent. Neo and Yang sat across from each other, the fire between then. Their jackets and boots were placed nearby to dry. Yang looked out at the still pouring rain, "Nowhere close to stopping." The blond brawler then turned the other direction, looking into the darkness of the cave, "And no way do I want to risk running into something else in there tonight. This should be far enough away to avoid disturbing anything." She commented before looking back to the mute girl.
"…" Neo sat as she hugged her legs. A look of sorrow in her eyes as she focused on the flames.
Yang sighed, "Look, we need to talk about this." She said with Neo looking back to her with eyes half-open, "You know what I mean." She before sighing again, "On that mountain, that thing ate us." Yang said before looking at her right hand, seeing it slightly trembling, "Right afterwards, I woke up in this odd forest of Grimm I have never seen before. No weapons, no aura, no semblance." She said before shutting her eyes then opening them again, "I don't even think I could change my eyes too red if I wanted to." The blond brawler then looked back to Neo, "What about you, do you have anything?"
"…" Neo shook her head, then blinked a few times in a row. However, the brown iris was on the right eye, and the pink iris was on the left eye. Neither had swapped or changed colors.
"So, we're both nerfed and stuck here together." She said before sighing, then scowling, "Look, I'll cut to the chase. I still have hope that I can find my friends. Wherever they are, I know I can reunite with them." She said before clenching her right fist, "I'm not giving up that easily."
"…" Neo did not respond but glanced back at the fire. In looking at the orange flame, the image of her One Thing came to mind. While she had saved him from that monster, the mute girl still wanted to see him again. Neo knew that, as long as she was still alive, she be able to reunite with him as well. The mute girl looked back to Yang; her eyes filled with determination.
"So, while I know we both don't get along," Yang offered before sighing, "Let's call a temporary truce until we get our friends back." she said with Neo narrowing her gaze, "Also, if we find my friends first, I will convince them to help find Roman." She reluctantly said as she looked at the fire, but Neo was slightly shocked, "While I don't agree with that, I know it's what Ruby would say is the right thing to do." Yang then looked back to Neo, "What do you say. Yes or no?"
"…" Neo did not respond with words but did smirk as she nodded her head.
"Good, at least we agree on something now." Yang said as a smile formed as well, then yawned, "Now, do not smash a rock over my head me in my sleep." She said as her eyes started to close, her body going limp as she fell to one side.
"…" Neo smirked, the idea coming to her mind, but she decided against it. She looked back at the fire, remember her One Thing. It was thanks to him that she was no longer alone in the world. However, now in this odd land, she was without her One Thing. "…" Neo looked back to the sleeping Yang. While she did not like this blond brawler, the two were in the same situation. While they could survive on their own if they wanted to, that was no way to live. While they were afraid of the new monsters that had tried to kill them, their biggest fear was ending up alone. Neo did not need Yang to say any of that to her, she could tell by looking at the blond brawler in this light now. Slowly, the weight on the mute girl's eyelids was heavy. She yawned before closing her eyes, falling asleep in this new world.
The next day.
The morning sun rose as Yang got up first. The fire naturally went out as only charcoal was left. The blond brawler stretched her body, looking out at the slightly wet landscape. "It finally stopped, that's good." She said before hearing her stomach growl. She looked to a still sleeping Neo, then knelt to slight shake the mute girl, "Hey, wake up."
"…" Neo slowly opened her eyes before yawn, then heard her stomach growl.
"Before anything else, we need to find food." Yang said before standing, walking over to the jackets and boots, "As it stands, I think the best bet is we search together." She said before tossing the mute girl the rest of her attire.
After the two were ready, they exited the cave. However, Neo stopped upon seeing something near the entrance, "…" She thought upon discovering a wooden sign covered by wet vine.
"What is it?" Yang asked as she walked over, seeing Neo removed the vines, "Bewear Cave, stay away." The blond brawler read aloud before turning back to Neo, "Why did they spell, 'Beware' wrong?" She asked with Neo shrugging.
Suddenly, a growl was heard from inside the cave. Yang and Neo turned towards the noise, seeing something walk out of the darkness. Is was a large bear-like monster with dark brown fur on its body and pink fur on its head and back. Yang and Neo started to slowly back up, but the mute girl stepped on a branch. Hearing the noise, the bear monstrosity turned to the two girls, then stood on its back legs. After letting out another growl, it extended its arms as if it wanted a hug.
"Okay, stay calm." Yang spoke to Neo, "On three, we run." She said with Neo nodding, "Right, one-" Suddenly, the bear shot forwards at hyper speed. Yang gasped before realizing the bear was about land a wild kick. She nearly avoided the kick, before panicking, "Run!" Yang shouted as she and Neo dashed into the forest.
"…!" Neo hyperventilated as ran, sweat running down her forehead.
"Whatever you do," Yang advised as they ran, "Don't look back!"
While Neo agreed, she still had to look. Not too far behind the duo, the bear monstrosity was rampaging through the forest, its arms still extended for a hug. As a tree looked like it was going to get caught in the path, the wood snapped under the power of the bear monstrosity's arms. If Neo's eyes could change color, they would be a ghostly white right now. In trying to run faster to evade this foe, she failed to watch her step. A stray root caught her left foot, causing her to fall on the ground. Neo was not even halfway up before hearing the footsteps from behind her stop. She slowly turned her head to see the bear monstrosity looming behind her, letting out another growl.
Neo tried to back up but already knew there was no escape. As the bear monstrosity got closer, she shut her eyes in fear.
"Beware this!" Yang shouted as she lunged into the bear monstrosity, punching it in the gut. Neo's eyes widened in shock as the creature let out a growl of pain. Yang grinned, but then saw the bear monstrosity glare down at her. Its arms locked around the blond brawler, followed by a faint cracking sound, "AAAAAHH!" Yang screened before gritting her teeth, "Get…out of…here!" She said called out before screaming again, "AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
Neo froze where she was, but she knew she had to move. While she wanted to run away like she was told, it would lead the blond brawler to a terrible fate. Even afterward, the mute girl would be alone again. However, if she stayed, what chance did she have to beat a monstrous creature? Suddenly, Yang's ammo pouch fell off her and onto the ground. In looking at it, Neo gained an idea.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Yang screamed as she could feel her spine about to snap. The bear monstrosity had the same deadpan express it had since first spotting the two. It was about to finish off the blond brawler but then sniffed the air. Something was burning. It turned its head around to see Neo near the tail, using the flint to create sparks. The sparks ignited on the fur on the tail, causing a small fire to form. The bear monstrosity growled at it started to sweat, letting go of Yang while it tried to put out the flames. The blond brawler hit the ground, gasping for air as Neo grabbed her left arm, "What are you doing?" Yang said in between her breaths as Neo helped her walk, "You don't speak, and you don't listen either."
"…" Neo responded with a glare before hearing the growl again. The two turned to see the bear monstrosity glowing with an aura of hate, the tail fire put out, but the fur was scorched.
"Well, if it wasn't mad now." Yang said as she and Neo saw the bear monstrosity's arms glow in a brown aura, "This is it," Yang said as she and Neo closed their eyes in dread.
Suddenly, one of the bushes rustled with something running out. Both girls opened their eyes to see what it was, discovering a small pink creature with floppy blue hair that covering its eyes. The body was just a sphere with two pill-shaped legs. The back of its head was shaped like a party hat.
Neo's mind flashed back to the moment on the shore. The shape she saw matched the top of this creature's head. The tracks in the sand looked like something this creature would leave. This pintsized creature was what saved her before but was now facing down against this bear monstrosity. As the foe was getting closer, the top of the hat glowed in a pinkish light. Suddenly, a beam of energy shot out and collided with the bear monstrosity's face, forcing it to stubbled back and close its eyes. Upon opening them, the eyes of the bear monstrosity were tinted blue. Yang and Neo watched as the arms were swung wildly in all directions, taking down the nearby trees. The bear monstrosity was breathing heavily as it reeled back for one more final swing. However, the right arm's motion circled back and collided with its face.
"…" Neo and Yang had no words for what they just saw. They watched in shock as the bear monstrosity fell over and fainted. The mute girl then looked down to see the pintsized creature had turned to face her. It opened its mouth to speak, but no words came out. Still, Neo smiled back, causing the pintsized creature to smile as well.
"That was insane!" Yang said to the pintsized creature, causing it to gasp in fear. It ran behind Neo's left leg. The blond brawler had a look of confusion as Neo's giggled. However, the trio then heard a rustle in the bushes again, "Oh, what now!?" Yang said before seeing a red and white ball fly by, "Huh?" The ball collided with the unconscious bear monstrosity, encasing it in red energy before absorbing into the ball. Neo and Yang watched as the ball shook three times, then clicked.
Walking out of the bushes was a young girl with long brown hair. She wore a red skirt that matched her running shoe and a teal top that matched her baggy socks. The girl walked over to the ball, picking it up, and smiled. She then put the ball in her yellow bag before adjusting her white hat. In doing so, she noticed the three looking at her in astonishment. The girl slightly waved, the leaves passing in the wind as she spoke. "Hey."
AN: There you go, Yang and Neo are the other duo for this series. Of all RWBY characters, these are the two I wish had more interactions in the main series. Still, they have a lot of cool dynamics that work well for fanfictions that I am excited to explore. They certainly ran into more trouble than Ruby and Roman did upon arriving, but still were saved by a little friend. And we also get the reveal of their third member, who will be an interesting one for me to write. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.
Also, I had one review that was confused about the last name joke in the prior chapter. So, for those who do not know, Ash Ketchum is the dub name of the character. The Japanese name is Satoshi, and just Satoshi. That is the case with almost all characters in Pokemon, they only one name and maybe a title. Foe example, Gym Leader Brock, but you never hear his last name. Even in families, like May and Norman, still no last name. The only example I found is with Gary and Professor Oak, because of the way they are related and how one's title is a professor. So, they are characters with first and last names, which makes them the exception that proves the rule. To my knowledge, Pokemon has not done anything like this again and stayed with the one name approach. (anime exception do not count, but Gary the one I use as a point here). So, while they do have last names in the world, it is very uncommon to say and is why I thought it would be a funny joke for Rosa to say regarding Ruby Rose. (And before anyone brings up the Mr. Mime line, same case as Ash. Japanese name is Barrierd, which is also why it can be female in the games). Just thought I would throw in some Pokemon trivia.
Edit: I forget Steven Stone, which is another example like the Oak situation. I apologize, but my point still stands that they are uncommon.