RWBY: The Verdant Light of Remnant
Chapter 19: A Plan Ahead
Author's Notes: This WOULD'VE finished sooner if i didn't constantly cut & rewrote this chapter in certain scenes, good lord! Anyways, we finally arrived at The Garnet Papillon's first mission. This little arc will take 2-3 chapters, so it won't be that long. I'm anxious about this arc since this is the first time where i have to make a Fire Emblemesque battle & as you guys can tell from the action scenes of this story so far, i REALLY suck at making fight scenes. So yeah, THIS will be fun. I have an idea of how i wanna do it, but if you guys have any suggestions in the comments, please leave them below.
Now, i'm personally very excited for a FUTURE arc that will occur in the future. After this miniarc, we'll have 1-3 SoL/Break chapters to have the characters relax & interact, then they'll go on ANOTHER mission & around THAT point, it's where we'll get into the arc i was excited for the most in the V1 section of this story: "The Manslayer Arc". Which will span from their second mission: Which will also be around 2-3 chapters long & the readaptation of the final 2 chapters of V1: The Stray & Black & White. I'm not gonna tell you how the full arc will go... What i WILL say is that we're going to be there for a WHILE!
Now, without a further ado, let's get started!
The following is a non-profit Alternate Universe fanfiction.
RWBY is owned by Rooster Teeth, Warner Bros. & the late Monty Oum. While Fire Emblem: Three Houses is owned by Nintendo, Intelligent Systems & Koei Tecmo. Please support the original release.
Also, major spoilers for both RWBY & Fire Emblem: Three Houses, specifically the Verdant Wind Route. If you haven't caught up with either of them, it's recommended that you catch up with both of them before reading this story.
& On that note, enjoy this chapter.
Before heading back home, Ruby has an encounter with Roman Torchwick at the streets of Vale & he quite literally came packing some heat as he brought a large battle walker to match against the small Huntress. Unfortunately for him, even that toy of his wasn't enough to take down our heroine. While it did put up a good fight, Ruby was able to take it down without any serious issue… Or so she thinks!
After her bout with Roman, a new figure appeared, Neopolitan Torchwick! Roman's right hand lady, his adoptive daughter & assassin first-class. Despite Ruby's best efforts, she wasn't able to land a single hit on the small girl with multicolored hair & artificial voice… In simpler terms, Ruby was utterly crushed! This will be one defeat that will stay in Ruby's mind for a good while, at least until she cross paths with Neo once more. Will she be ready in their next inevitable encounter? Only one way to find out!
We begin today's tale at April 25th, VY1180, The start of the last 7 days of April. This will be the week where The Garnett Papillons will have their first mission as Huntsmen of Beacon Academy, both Byleth & Ruby are at Ozpin's office as they discuss the matter at hand. Glynda's there as well, with the documents for their mission in hand.
Glynda: As you have already been notified earlier this month, your first mission will be to subdue a group of bandits that took residence in a village outside of our boarders. Our students have been learning about combat through studies & mock battles, but this is a precious opportunity to provide them with practical experience.
Ruby: A group of bandits, huh? That doesn't sound too bad.
Glynda: You're correct, Ms. Rose, it doesn't sound so bad… For Sophomores or higher, of course! this isn't a mission that's usually given for Freshmen such as you & your class…. However, due to circumstances & how much more skilled you are than the other freshmen & even most sophomores in Beacon Academy, his majesty believed that your first mission should prove to be more difficult.
Ozpin: Do keep in mind that you'll be going with them as their Prof. Huntress to watch over them, so we won't be sending any more Huntsmen to go with you on your mission.
Byleth: In other words, we're on our own.
Ruby smiles before scratching her upper lip like an anime protagonist.
Ruby: Heh, no problem! we've been training for the last month or so, I think we can pull it off just fine!
Ozpin smiles at Ruby's determination.
Ozpin: That's the spirit, Ms. Rose. I'm sure you all will do great out there.
Glynda: We'll be sending you a message for you all at 4PM, which is where your airship will arrive to take you to your destination. You all have until April 30th to come back to Beacon Academy with a report… Do not fail us out there, or else-!
Ruby: Yeah, yeah, we get it! We have one week to kick some bandits out of a village & bring back whatever they've stolen back to where they belong, right? Look, we got this! Look, if anything serious comes up, we'll give you guys an emergency call, alright?
Glynda: *Sighs* Very well… Now remember, you all must follow 2 core rules on every mission! Rule #1: Don't cause too much collateral damage or put civilians in harm's way under any circumstances! Unlike some of our allied nations, Beacon Academy does not condone any form of tactics that involve using innocents as bait or anything of the sorts. & Of course, there's Rule #2: Unless you have no other options, taking someone's life is strictly forbidden! Any such actions will be dealt with severe consequences on your end, do I make myself clear?
Both Ruby & Byleth nod at Glynda's question, to which she nods back as she gives Byleth the documents about their first mission.
Glynda: Good! Take this with you. This is everything you need to know about your location & your enemies, as well as any other dangers that might occur on your journey. You all have approximately 3 hours before you must depart, use that time wisely.
Ozpin: We wish you all good luck on your first mission, I myself am confident that you will do a phenomenal job. For now, you're both dismissed!
Both Ruby & Byleth bow before they turn back to exit the office. Once they leave, Glynda can't help but rub her head & feel a little tired.
Glynda: *Sighs* I swear, that girl's attitude can drive me crazy sometimes!
Ozpin: Don't let it get to you, Glynda. Ms. Rose is a kind hearted girl, she just isn't afraid to speak her mind, that's all… However, what she told us last week after their break concerns me. If what that Neo girl said was true, then…
Glynda: You mean Mountain Glenn? Are you certain that Neo girl who bested Ms. Rose wasn't just tricking her?
Ozpin thinks about what Glynda just said as he grabs his mug of coffee & starts drinking.
Ozpin: Whether or not she was just messing with Ms. Rose's mind at that moment, I'd like for us to not risk finding it out. I've already sent Mr. Branwen to investigate for us, while also telling him to avoid any form of combat if possible.
Glynda: But there's also The Scepter of Okami, I thought that it was sealed away many years ago, even before The Holy War! If someone was able to release The Scepter from its prison, do you think those other artifacts were released as well?
Ozpin: I'd hope not… But given how things are going, we should expect the unexpected. Glynda, I'd like for you to get in contact with Kobra. If there's anyone who'd be highly knowledgeable about ancient ruins & lost relics of the past, it's her!
Glynda: *Nods* Understood, I'll get right onto that.
Glynda takes her leave as Ozpin thinks of what will happen in the near future, praying to the heavens that his worst fears won't come true. We cut back to when Ruby was first telling him the news of what happened in her fight with Roman & Neo.
Ozpin: What?! Are you sure they took this exact scepter, Ms. Rose?!
Ozpin was actually sounding concerned for once as he showed Ruby & Byleth a picture of the scepter Neo took, it looked exactly like the one she saw in their fight.
Ruby: Yeah, that's the one. I may not be the best at academics, but I have a good eye for things that you don't see every day. I'm positive this is the one!
Byleth: As do I, there's no mistaking that the scepter Neo had is this exact one.
Ozpin sits down with a hand on his head, feeling a little nervous as Glynda looks at him with a concerned look at her face. Ruby & Byleth looked at each other in confusion before Ruby asks her Headmaster what the big deal is.
Ruby: Your Majesty, what seems to be the issue? Is this scepter that important?
Ozpin takes a deep breath before he readjusts his glasses.
Ozpin: This scepter is a relic from an ancient past, one that's thousands of years old…
Ruby: "Over thousands of years old"? You mean it predates even The Holy War?
Ozpin: Correct, it was back when Remnant was a land where the supposed Gods that created us were watching over us at all times… Back in those days, there were a few artifacts that granted a mere mortal the power of a god should all requirements meet. This scepter was one of them, which housed the power of one of the 4 Children of the Gods. This artifact's name: The Scepter of Okami.
The 2 young women were shocked to hear the news from their King, it's as if they were learning of something of far grander scale.
Byleth: "The Scepter of Okami"? What exactly does it do that makes it so powerful?
Glynda: The exact details are unfortunately very unreliable given how old it is, the only thing that we know of certain is that whoever meets the requirements of the scepter – whatever they may be – will be granted with incredible power, one of which will make them unrivaled… If The Scepter of Okami gets linked with the other 3 artifacts of its time, Kusanagi-Murakumo, Yata-no-Kagami & Yasakani-no-Magatama, the wielder will be granted with the power to change the world as you see fit… For a price!...
Byleth: Which is?
Glynda: The wielder will lose sight of who they are & will never be the same person ever again, almost as if they've completely lost their humanity.
Both Ruby & Byleth are taken aback by what Glynda just said, thinking that she has to be joking… But given her extremely serious expression & how she sounded, they knew that this wasn't some kind of twisted joke. Ruby recomposes herself & tries to lighten the mood a little bit.
Ruby: Well, what if the one Neo gets is a fake? If this scepter is supposed to be one of the 4 artifacts that can give you such immense power, then why would it be locked away in a museum? Shouldn't something like this be sealed away?! Heck! For all we know, the real things might've been destroyed thousands of years ago!
Ozpin takes his mug of coffee & takes a sip of it, hoping it will calm him down.
Ozpin: Ms. Rose, I certainly hope that this is the case. While the legends of these ancient artifacts are mere myths that are now lost in time, we cannot risk something like this being in the wrong hands if it is indeed the real thing. The good news to all of this is that A: The enemy can't use it properly just yet due to lacking all necessary requirements & B: We know exactly where they are! We will be sending a few of our spies to see what's going on over at Mountain Glenn, to take a better look at what we're dealing with.
Ruby: Okay, then what about us?
Glynda: The 2 of you will keep your mouths shut about this topic! If what Neo said is true, then there could be some people lurking around our territory & spying on us. Once some of the other Venatores come back to Vale, we will begin a full search across the Nation & show those wretched scum what happens to those who dares to disturb the peace of our beloved Kingdom!
Everyone is taken aback by Glynda's sudden radical speech, something Glynda herself notices as well & calms down from.
Glynda: *Clears her throat* My apologies, I don't know what came out of me back there.
Ozpin: What Glynda was trying to say is that The Kingdom of Vale prides itself in being the most welcoming, coexisting & peaceful of the 4 Nations of Remnant. Because of that, we make sure that the people know they are safe at all times & have nothing to worry about. If the commoners learned of a possible war happening, panic would rise.
Ruby lowers her head, knowing what Ozpin means by that.
Ruby: & In turn, the Grimm would feed themselves with all of the negativity that this would cause…
Ozpin: Correct, which is why situations like this one must be restricted at all costs. Thank you both for sharing this with us, we'll take it from here. For now, try to relax a bit & not let any of this get in the way of your upcoming mission in a week's time, understood?
Ruby & Byleth give Ozpin a nervous nod, with Ozpin nodding back in response.
Ozpin: Good, you're both dismissed! Have a well-earned rest, you both need it.
Both young women bow before their King before turning around & leaving, all the while Ozpin begins to sweat a little nervously as he prays that Ruby's words about the scepter being a fake & not the real thing becomes true.
As we cut back to present time, we see the other members of The Garnett Papillons in Byleth's classroom, discussing about their first mission.
Pyrrha: So our first mission will be taking down a group of bandits, a group of people… I don't know if something like this is acceptable as a first mission to freshmen like us.
Weiss: I agree. We were trained to fighting Grimm, not Humans… Then again, there will always be times where we'll have to fight against our own kind.
Nora: Does it matter who we're fighting? They're still the bad guys here, we have to beat them up just like we beat up the Grimm. I don't really see a difference.
Ren: Not only that, but we don't have to necessarily kill them in order to stop them.
Pyrrha ponders about it a bit more before responding.
Pyrrha: I guess you 2 make a fair argument, even so… *Sighs* Who am I trying to fool? I'm the one who's the most experience in fighting other people, there's no point in me trying to lament about this… In reality, I'm not so different from those bandits.
Jaune is rather shocked by what Pyrrha just said & tries to talk some sense into her while also trying to make her feel better.
Jaune: Pyrrha, don't say stuff like that! You're not a monster like they are, you never had a choice but to fight back when you were a warlord, those bandits did! They chose the path of pillaging towns & killing innocent people, don't lower yourself to their level!
While Pyrrha appreciates what Jaune's trying to do & understand what he's trying to say, she can't help but feel a little more conflicted about it due to the way he phrased it. But to make sure he doesn't feel bad, she forces a smile before nodding at him.
Pyrrha: Yes, you're correct! Like it or not, those bandits have caused trouble enough as it is! It is our duty to deliver justice & take that town back to the people who lived in it!
Jaune smiles, thinking that he was able to get through Pyrrha, all the while both Nora & Yang shake their heads in disappointment. Jaune is as dense as a rock, he couldn't even tell why Pyrrha was really feeling that way & that he actually made her feel a little worse.
Yang: Wow, this guy's an idiot… So, how exactly are we going to kick these guys out? Beat the shit out of them & throw them somewhere else?
Ren: No, I believe we must capture them instead. If we just beat them up, the bandits will just begin their cycle of pillaging & killing all over again.
Pyrrha: If we somehow manage to capture their leader, we could force the other bandits to surrender. That way, we could minimalize casualties for both sides & end the mission without anyone taking any serious blows.
As Ren & Pyrrha are telling the others on what they can do, Blake suddenly gets into the conversation & throws her own piece of trivia about fighting other people.
Blake: That'll be easier said than done! I've dealt with many tribes of bandits & pirate crews on my time as a wandering sellsword, they're not as mindless as you may believe. Contrary to popular belief, those scum are good at working as a unit & aren't slouches in the battlefield either.
Yang: Blake?
Blake: *Cross her arms* We're more powerful than them & are more skilled in battle, sure. But if you underestimate them on the battlefield, you're going to lose your head faster than you can beg for your life… Literally!
Everyone looks at each other before they all look back at Blake, with Sothis being the first to say something about Blake's comments.
Sothis: Is that so? Well then, is there anything you'd like to share with us?
Blake just looks away before responding.
Blake: Not really, the only advice I can give you is for you guys to take them out before they take you out. It's as simple as that.
Weiss: *Huffs* That's rather vague, don't you think?
Blake: What? Are you incapable of understanding something as basic as this? Then again, you're useless on proper 1 on 1 battles, so good luck taking out a bandit or 2 by yourself.
Weiss: *Shoots a glare* I'd like to see you try to do better yourself?
Blake: *Smirks* What are you talking about? I'm already far ahead of you. Don't bring me down to your pathetic level, "Princess".
Weiss groans in annoyance as she prepares to draw Myrtenaster, but Pyrrha steps in front of her to stop her from engaging Blake & prevent a possible battle in the classroom.
Pyrrha: Wait! Please calm down, you 2! We're not at Prof. Goodwitch's class or on the training grounds, please don't bring your personal issues here! *Looks at Blake* You too, Blake! Come on, can't you put this aside just this once? This is our first true mission & we can't waste our time fighting amongst each other like this!
Blake takes a deep breath before looking back at Pyrrha.
Blake: Fine, I'll give you guys a few more tips… Ya want some advice? Just make sure to not let them get you as a unit, bandit groups work well when they're attacking together. There's also their weaponry, which is both outdated & limited in range. If you managed to split them up & hit their blind spots, they're going down without any trouble.
Sothis smirks as she places her hands on her hips & looks at Blake.
Sothis: See? That wasn't so hard, was it?
Blake: Don't push it, runt!
Sothis groans in annoyance before talking back at Blake.
Sothis: I'm not a "runt". I'm Sothis! So-this!
Blake: Whatever! Point is, just keep your head in the game & don't bite off more than you can chew… Do all of that & you'll be good to go.
As they all nod to Blake's advice, she notices that Weiss was staring at her the whole time while humming curiously. She decides to bite the bullet & ask her what's her deal.
Blake: What's with that look on your face, Atlesian?
Weiss: You seem to know a lot about how bandit groups fight, especially those that we haven't even met yet.
Blake: Like I said, I was a wandering sellsword, a Ronin. I've come across many of those around my travels… If anything, shouldn't you know a lot about their way of living as well, Pyrrha?
Pyrrha: I've encountered bandits & thieves in the past, but never any massive groups such as this one. Most people I've fought back at Argus were either warlords from other nations or hired assassins that are going after those I was tasked to guard.
Blake: That's odd, Mistral's suppose to be infested with bandits & thieves… *Looks back at Weiss* But back to you, what's your point?
Weiss: Nothing, I just find it odd that a mere "sellsword" would know so much about bandit groups & how they work… It's almost as if you might've been… I don't know, connected to one of them in the past?
Everyone immediately looked at Weiss as she said that with many shocked &/or confused expressions on their faces, with Yang being the first to speak out.
Yang: Weiss, you're not implying what I think you are, right? If this is some kind of joke, I'm not laughing.
Weiss: Oh, I'm not joking Yang, I assure you… Even today, I still find it odd that out of everyone here, she's the most secluded & isolated out of all of us, almost to a disturbing degree… *Smirks* It can't be because you're hiding something from us, right?
At that moment, everyone but Blake got scared as they looked at Weiss, afraid that she might've pushed Blake's buttons. Although Pyrrha looks the most scared out of them, but for different reasons since she knows some of Blake's secrets & is afraid that Weiss is somehow getting close to figuring them out. Blake doesn't budge however; she doesn't even have a reaction to what Weiss is asking of her. But before this could become some kind of mind game, Byleth & Ruby get in the classroom, quickly removing almost all of the tension that was in the classroom, much to their relief.
Ruby: Hey guys, sorry we took so long.
Sothis: & About freaking time, too! Weiss was about to go full on prosecutor mode on Blake's ass just a moment before you 2 came here.
Both Byleth & Ruby blink in confusion after Sothis said that, with Byleth rolling her eyes at her comment as she heads to her table.
Byleth: I think you've been playing too many games as of late, young lady…
Sothis: Hey!
Byleth: Anyways, His Majesty just gave us these files right here.
Byleth places the folder holding the documents about the mission on her table.
Byleth: They contain all we need to know about our first mission, from where we must go, to the tribe of bandits we're after, to what we can or can't do & whatever else that we might encounter during our mission. Before I begin, I must ask you all… Have any of you thought of possible plans while Ruby & I were gone?
As Byleth says that, Ren & Pyrrha step forth to Byleth before Pyrrha begin speaking.
Pyrrha: As a matter of fact, yes. We were just talking about capturing the bandit leader & forcing their comrades to surrender, we can minimalize casualties on both sides if all goes well.
Ren: We also thought of splitting them up during the fight, due to bandits fighting better when they're fighting as a unit than fighting on their own.
Byleth smiles before she nods at the 2 young members of Team JNPR for their ideas.
Byleth: Alright, good start. It's good to see that you kids can think of plans on your own & not rely on me every time. Now then, I might as well share some of my own personal experiences with fighting bandit groups.
As Byleth said that, she puts her scroll on the table & starts projecting a few screenshots of some bandits. Some who are big & carry axes or large swords, while others look slimer & are equipped with bows & arrows alongside throwing daggers.
Byleth: As Ren just pointed out, bandits work best when they're fighting alongside each other. That becomes really dangerous if said bandit group has a good variety of fighters. Kids, remember back in our first day in class when we talked about the 4 core keys on what makes a great team of Huntsmen?
Weiss: A well-oriented fighter, someone who can take heavy hits for the team, a reliable supporter & an unpredictable wildcard, correct?
Byleth looks at Weiss with a shock of surprise after she said that, remembering that back in that class, Weiss wasn't feeling really well, so she assumed she wasn't listening back then… She was wrong. Weiss catches up on that & feels a little insulted by Byleth's look.
Weiss: What? Just because I was feeling unwell back when you first told us about this, doesn't mean I wasn't listening!
Byleth: Anyways… What Weiss just told us comes back to this, as I'll explain to you all right now. As you can see by these pictures, we see a larger bandit with a large blade & a small bandit with a bow & arrow. Every bandit group has at least these 2 archetypes.
Byleth decides to focus on the larger bandit first.
Byleth: First there's their main fighting force, their frontline warriors: The Brigands. These individuals focus on doing one thing, wiping out anything that gets in their way. The Brigands are often larger men with high attacking power & carrying heavy weapons with a single arm, mostly axes. However, they're not well trained in the martial arts. Which makes it easier for us to read their attack patterns… However, you can easily get a lethal blow & die if your careless, I learned that the hard way…
Byleth turns around & jabs her thumb at her back.
Byleth: You can't see it with my top & jacket on, but I have a large scar on my back from one of those Brigands… I was protecting one of my students back at the Church & didn't pay attention to my surroundings, I almost died that night…
The students stay silent for a moment at the thought of their Professor dying, especially in a way like this. Ruby closes her eyes & looks away as she tries to get that thought off of her head as Byleth then switches to the other figure, the slimmer one with a bow.
Byleth: While bandit groups mostly consist of Brigands, they wouldn't go anywhere if they didn't have the reliable support of The Rogues. They serve 2 purposes: Catch their enemies off guard by striking them from behind & being snipers. A normal arrow won't do much if you have your Aura Shield is on… But if they fire a Dust-tipped arrow like a Fire Dust Arrow or an Ice Dust Arrow, you're in trouble. These people are very good at using Dust, fighting them without a plan is a death sentence.
The students begin thinking about what they just learned from Byleth, with Yang being the first one to speak her mind.
Yang: Let me guess, these 2 "archetypes" of bandits work with each other a lot to cover each other's weaknesses? With the big guy handling the fighting while the short one covers his back from afar & snipes out anyone who's trying to escape?
Byleth: Correct. While separating them is a good idea in paper, it'll be difficult to execute due to how large their numbers are & how they use the terrain to their advantage.
Nora: "Terrain?"
Byleth then takes a folded map of their destination from the folder, unfolds it on the table & shows the area to the students, mainly Nora.
Byleth: See this small town that has a circle drawn around it? That's where the bandits are, the town itself is most certainly in shambles by now. Terrain is another way to call your surrounding area, where you're currently fighting at. There are many terrains that can give one side a huge advantage & that's exactly what they have!
Byleth points at the town where the bandits are as she keeps explaining.
Byleth: These bandits marked their territory here & surrounding woods, which means they know the place inside out. It's like trying to hunt down a wild animal by stepping foot in their territory… Needless to say, trying to do that without a plan is suicide!
Nora: Oh, I get it! It's kinda like going on a labyrinth to find a treasure, but the treasure in this context are the bad guys & the labyrinth doesn't make you go that lost.
Everyone looked at Nora with a weird expression on her face, except for Byleth who just smiles at the way Nora just described things.
Byleth: Yeah, kinda like that! *Looks back at the map* Ren, Pyrrha, you 2 said that you guys talked about finding their leader & capturing them to make his comrades surrender, correct? The first step is to find where the Bandit Leader would stay put. "A true general doesn't move from his position until it's clear that he needs to get involved", as one of my fellow teachers from the Church once told me. The best spot to settle in during battle would be either at the highest point of the terrain like a large hill, a fort or something along those lines – or in the case of a town – the largest building he can sit on. I'd say that he'd stepped foot & made his "fort" somewhere around~… here!
Byleth finds a large mansion on the map & draws a circle around it, Jaune looks at Byleth curiously before asking her a question.
Jaune: A mansion? Wouldn't that place be very defensive & hard to get through?
Byleth: & That's exactly what most leaders of large groups would ask themselves if they came across something like a large mansion, a deeper level of a cave or a tall mountain! They'd both surround & fill that entire area with some of their most powerful men to defend their base of operation, not unlike defending a large fort in a war.
The students get some time to think in silence as they think about what Byleth said & how they should approach this mission, their initial plan – while very effective in concept – will not be very easy to pull off if what Byleth said is true. While they're all thinking about any other plans or trying to figure out how the original plan could go, Sothis smirks as she takes a chair to stand next to Byleth at "her height", so to say.
Sothis: Now you see why my Big Sis is so incredible? She can both kick your ass & is the smartest chick in the room! If you ask me, you kids shouldn't stress yourselves with this too much. We still got 3~ hours before we head off, so there's no need to rush things. But I'm sure we'll be fine, this first mission will be a breeze for us!
After Sothis finished speaking, Byleth's expression grows somber as she looks away from Sothis before telling her the unfortunate news.
Byleth: Um… About that, Sothis… There isn't really going to be a "we" this time…
Sothis loses her cheerful look before looking at Byleth curiously.
Sothis: What's that supposed to mean?
Byleth: Well, the thing is-… You not really coming with us to take out the bandits…
Sothis' eyes widen as she turns to Byleth.
Sothis: What?! Why not?! We've always been together & we never left each other's side for a moment, especially after Dad died last year! But now that you're an officially licensed Huntress, I can't stand by your side anymore?
Byleth looks away for a moment, not really knowing what to say. The other students look at them with concern, not liking the fact that they're having a disagreement like this… Until Blake suddenly breaks the silence & tells Sothis straight out.
Blake: You don't have any fighting abilities or experience; you'd only get in the way.
Everyone suddenly looks at Blake in shock from what she just said, with Sothis getting pissed at her & walking towards the ronin.
Sothis: Hey, don't act like you know me! If it wasn't for me awakening my Semblance earlier this month, Byleth would've still been tied up while you guys would've died!
Everyone widens their eyes as Sothis says that, not knowing what she's really talking about. Yang is the first to ask Sothis what she means by what she just said.
Yang: Uh, Sothis?... What are you trying to say?
Sothis: *Turns to Yang* For a while, I've been heaving some weird visions that gave me slight headaches. When you guys went to Forever Fall Forest, I learned that those visions were my developing Semblance… That's what Nurse Peach told me anyways…
Yang: Okay?... & What's your Semblance exactly?
Sothis: It allows me to see specific events of the near future.
The whole class goes silent for a brief moment, only for them to realize that Sothis was actually serious about her Semblance. Their reactions speak for themselves.
Everyone (Minus Byleth & Blake): WHAT?!
Weiss: How is that even possible?! Time-based Semblances are nothing but a myth! there's no way a human could actually have it, let alone a small child!
Sothis: Well, I do now! While I can't use it properly, my visions can still be of use to us!
Blake: No, it can't!
Everyone's attention goes back to Blake as she continues speaking.
Blake: A Semblance that can't be used by someone's command is worthless, what's the point of a "Vision of the Future" that only activates when it feels like it?!... Easy answer: there is none! That's like if we suddenly couldn't use our weapons unless the weapons themselves feel like it, that's the complete opposite of being useful!
Sothis looks down at that statement, unable to find a counterargument to what Blake just said… Although this power was of great use when it did, Sothis can't exactly use it like everyone else can use their respective Semblances. Without another word, Sothis just takes her bag & starts to leave, feeling really bitter about it as well.
Sothis: Fine! If you guys wanna go out & play hero, then go knock yourselves out! See if I care! Just don't come crying to me when you need my "worthless Semblance…" Jerks…
Ruby tries to go after Sothis & try to reason with her, but she leaves the classroom before she gets the chance to… Ruby's understandably upset at Blake for what she just did.
Ruby: Ya'know, I'm starting to get a little fed up by that attitude of yours.
Blake: If you guys aren't willing to come straight, then I'll do it. We got bigger fish to fry at the moment & we shouldn't be wasting time with a spoiled brat who doesn't know her place! *Shoots a glare at Weiss* One is more than enough…
Weiss just looks away, not caring at Blake's last bit of her comment in the slightest. Byleth just sighs as she focuses back on their plans for their mission.
Byleth: Look, I'll talk to her after we come back… She just needs some time for herself… Let's just focus on this for the moment, okay?
Ruby closes her eyes in frustration, the mere thought of family members going through this really disgusts her… But she does what Byleth asks as she turns back to face her.
Ruby: *Sighs* Alright… So, any ideas on what we can do about that mansion? It'd be filled with strong bandits as Prof. Eisner stated, getting someone to sneak in & take their leader as hostage won't be easy…
As Ruby's thinking of possibilities for their initial plan to work, she suddenly gets an idea as she remembers something crucial that they have on their disposal.
Ruby: Wait, I got it! *Turns to Ren* Ren, you can camouflage yourself from Grimm by masking your emotions, right? Does that work against other people?
Ren: Somewhat, I did something similar against Yang back at our Mock Battle… Where are you going with this?
Ruby: Tranquility makes you invisible in the eyes of the Grimm & lets you blend into the background, even if you can't completely hide from the eyes of Humans or Faunus. But what if everyone else was distracted during battle? You think you'd be able to sneak in while most bandits are too busy fighting us?
Ren thinks about Ruby's idea for a moment before he smiles at her.
Ren: That might actually work, I should be able to sneak around through the mansion if you guys manage to give me an opening… That said, I fear that there could be some men ready on the higher levels for those occasions.
As Ren says that, Byleth smirks as she gestures to Blake before she gives Ren an idea.
Byleth: No problem! Blake will come with you to provide you back up, right Blake?
Blake: Me?! Why do I have to go?!
Byleth: You & Ren share similar fighting styles & abilities, so having you guys work as a team to sneak through the mansion & capture their leader would be the most logical solution. While the rest of us do damage control, you guys do what you gotta do!
Blake: *Groans* Fine!... But what about The Grimm? Won't our battle cause an outbreak & alert whatever nearby Grimm there could be in that town?
Ruby smirks at Blake's question as she gestures at both herself & at Yang.
Ruby: Just leave those freaks of nature to us! Slaying giant monsters is our specialty, I'll be able to go back & forth thanks to my high mobility & speed while Yang can take care of any higher-level Grimm that passes through us.
Yang smirks at Ruby's declaration before smashing her fists together.
Yang: Damn straight! Once those assholes come, we'll send them all straight to hell!
Byleth looks back at the Rose Xiao-Long Sisters before nodding at them with an assured smile on her face before looking back at the other students.
Byleth: Thank you both. Alright everyone, we still got a few hours before our ship comes to take us to our destination. I suggest you all take a short break & get yourselves ready, we're going to be out of The Kingdom of Vale for at least a few days & I want to see all of you at your best, understood?
Everyone (Minus Blake): Understood, Prof. Eisner!
Byleth: *Nods* Good, you're all dismissed!
As Byleth said that, all of the students leave the classroom, except for Ruby who decides to stay with Byleth.
Ruby: Heh, looks like they're just as excited as we are.
Byleth: Aren't you scared? This isn't a Grimm neutralization mission; we're going to fight actual people here.
Ruby smiles as she sits on Byleth's table before she answers her question.
Ruby: Why would I be scared if you're coming with us? You're not only powerful, but an excellent leader. It's only thanks to you that Team RWBY won The Mock Battle, I know things will be the same here! I can fight with everything I got knowing that you have our backs, just like we'll have your back in return.
Byleth: *Smiles* Yeah, you're right! Just don't get too over your head, alright? Getting too confident will get you killed… *Looks away* Or worse, get someone else killed…
Ruby's expression grows somber when Byleth said that last bit.
Ruby: Did… Did something like that happened to you in the past?
Byleth: Yeah, it did… But that's a story for another day, I don't like thinking about it…
Ruby's expression becomes softer as she places a comforting hand on Byleth's shoulder, taking The Ashen Demon by surprise.
Ruby: Hey, it's alright. You don't have to talk about it if you don't feel like it... *Smirks* Instead, why don't you tell me more about your old students?
Byleth suddenly becomes confused as she looks back at Ruby, with Ruby herself laying down on Byleth's table on her stomach while holding up her face with one of her arms.
Byleth: I'm sorry, my old students?
Ruby: Yeah! You never really talk about them as people, except for that one time you & I knocked some sense into Jaune a few weeks ago. So come on, tell me more about those guys! I wanna know what they were like!
Byleth can't help but smile at the young Rose's child-like curiosity. She decides to bite the bullet & tell Ruby a bit about The Golden Deer Class as she sits down at her chair, just as Ruby readjusts her position.
Byleth: Alright, I'll tell you… But I'm not going into full detail about them, we'd be here for hours if that was the case. Either way, let me tell you bits about my Golden Deer.
Ruby smirks as she clenches her fist while whispering "Yes", Byleth takes the painting of The Golden Deer Ignatz made for her before she begins her story. We don't hear what or who they're talking about, but as we can see from their expressions, Byleth looks very happy to be talking about The Golden Deer students to Ruby, while Ruby herself gets excited to learn more about the first class of students Byleth taught in class. Wondering if she'll ever meet them in person one day… Who knows? Fate works in many ways… Perhaps someday, their paths may cross with one another… But only time will tell…
Cut to the 2 of them parting ways for the moment, with Ruby walking through the halls by herself as she thinks about The Golden Deer.
Ruby: (Man, Byleth's old students are something else!... She definitely seemed to have a pretty close connection with that Claude guy, the guy she said I shared traits with… I hope I get to meet those guys someday; fighting alongside them would be awesome!) Huh?... Hold on, is that-?!
Ruby suddenly stops having internal monologues as she spots Ozpin walking downstairs by himself as he finished talking to someone through his Scroll.
Ruby: Prof. Ozpin? What's he doing here of all places?... Excuse me, Your Majesty!
Ozpin stops in his tracks as he turns back to face Ruby as he finishes taking a sip of his mug of delicious coffee.
Ozpin: Ah, greetings Ms. Rose. Are you & the others getting ready for your mission?
Ruby: *Nods* Yeah, the others went on ahead to do some stuff on their own. As for me, I was talking with Byl-… Prof. Eisner. We just finished our discussion a few minutes ago & parted ways for the moment. I was just about to meet with the others, but then I saw you walking around here of all places.
Ozpin: Ms. Rose, you do know I don't stay in my throne – as you youngsters say – 24/7, correct? I need to step out & get some fresh air as well, ya'know. But to answer your question, I was in a call with someone just now. We've just finished, you see.
Ruby: Oh- sorry, I didn't mean anything like that!... I was just- a little bit surprised, that's all… Also, "Youngsters"? Your Majesty, you don't look that old, not to me at least. If I'm being honest, you don't look a day past your 20s.
Ozpin: Why thank you, Ms. Rose & please, do not pay too much mind. It's quite alright.
As Ozpin readjusts his glasses, he suddenly gets an idea now that Ruby's here.
Ozpin: Actually, do you have some time to spare? I'd like to discuss something with you… If you're not too busy, of course.
Ruby thinks about it for a moment before she looks at her Scroll, it's only a few minutes past 2PM. She texts to Yang about how she'll come by a little later now that Ozpin wants to talk to her, with Yang texting back saying to take care of herself. Ruby puts her Scroll back before looking back at Ozpin.
Ruby: Of course, I could spare another hour.
Ozpin: Wonderful! Now then, follow me.
Ozpin begins stepping downstairs once again, with Ruby following suit. During their way, they'd have to deal with all of the students they've come across suddenly letting Ozpin pass through & bow down to him. Ruby found that rather annoying. Yeah, Ozpin's their King, but he's not their god… She thinks!...
Cut to Beacon Academy's Gazebo, the place we saw Byleth & Sothis have some tea with sweets earlier this very month. While Ozpin himself keeps drinking some decaffeinated coffee, Ruby's either eating sweets or drinking some water whenever she has the chance.
Ozpin: If I'm being honest, I wanted to have this little meeting for a while now. But given my duties as both a Headmaster of an Academy & a King of an entire Nation, I haven't gotten the time to do so. Tell me, how are you fitting into Beacon Academy so far?
Ruby: *Stops drinking* It's going well, thanks. The professors are pretty cool & actually help me whenever I need it, the training grounds are fantastic for me to keep myself in good shape & running around the woods surrounding us is a nice way for me to relieve some stress.
Ozpin: "Stress", eh? Mind if I ask what kind of stress are you referring to exactly?
Ruby: Contrary to popular belief, I hate being in crowded places. I rather stick around people I'm close to or by myself, mostly the latter… As for stress, let's just say that things can get a bit… "hectic" with my newfound comrades.
Ruby takes a small cookie & eats at as Ozpin begins speaking once more.
Ozpin: Is that so? Would it perhaps involve Ms. Schnee & Ms. Blake's by any chance?
Ruby: Mostly, yeah. Weiss is now nice to most of us, especially me. We frequently study together & I even teach help her with Prof. Eisner's assignments, Weiss' not that bad once you get to know her… & Get pass her… *clears her throat* "Personal issues…" Please don't tell her I said that, I wouldn't hear the end of it!
Ozpin: *Chuckles* Don't worry, Ms. Rose. My lips are sealed… & What of Ms. Blake?
Ruby sighs as her expression grows a little somber.
Ruby: I just don't get her deal. Back when we first met her, she seemed nice & to me, Yang & Pyrrha at least, she's not so bad… Everyone else however? Not so much…
Ozpin: I assume she doesn't get along well with the others?
Ruby: Afraid so, especially with Weiss… I swear, those 2 would've killed each other by now if I wasn't around to set those 2 straight!... I can understand why she doesn't like Atlesians & why Weiss doesn't like the Faunus given what they did to them respectively, especially in the case of Weiss with her late Grandfather… I'm certainly against it, mind you & I hate whenever Weiss uses that disgusting "Sub-Human" slur… But it's not like they did something to each other directly, ya'know?
Ozpin removes his glasses & begins cleaning them before replying to Ruby.
Ozpin: Sometimes, things can never be that simple to other people. Sometimes, it's hard to… "Let it go", so to say… Move on from the pain of the past, let go of the hate that controls you, it's not the kind of strength everyone has… You however show signs of said strength, just like with young Summer…
Ruby takes another sip of water as Ozpin cleaned his glasses, just as she remembers something that she wanted to talk to Oz about for a while.
Ruby: About that, can I-… Ask you to tell me more about her?... My Mom, I mean…
Ozpin looked up at Ruby curiously before she continues speaking.
Ruby: I haven't spent a lot of time with her & I don't have too many memories of her… All I got are very faint memories of my early childhood & stories my Dad, Uncle Qrow, Yang & even Sir Khloud told me about her… But despite all having similar views on her, their perspectives are also a little bit… Different from each other, ya'know? If it's alright with you, could you tell me what you saw in her?
Ozpin's expression grows softer as he puts his glasses back on.
Ozpin: I'd be my pleasure, Ms. Rose… I guess I should start things from the beginning, late February of Valean Year 1157. An old friend of mine has come all the way from The Vacuan Alliance to meet me, the King of Vale, in person. She was a mysterious woman from the eyes of the public, only known as "The Maiden of the Desert of Death". She has earned that title due to living in the Vacuan Deserts for most of her life, along with her Daughter, who she loved more than anything in the world…
Ruby gets quiet as her expression begins to get a little serious as Ozpin continues his story about Summer Rose, Ruby's Mother.
Ozpin: She was young & beautiful like a fine wine, her beautiful red hair flowed with the wind, yet her eyes were that of a true warrior! Nobody knew her name or who she really was… I, however, remember her true name from memory. She was once one of my most powerful allies & one of my most cherished friends, her name was "Garnet Rose". Her previously mentioned Daughter was your own Mother: Summer Rose.
Ruby: "Garnet Rose"?...
Ozpin: *Nods* You see, Garnet knew that sooner or later, her time would come. She knew that she wasn't long for this world, knowing that the darkness was after her…
Ruby: "The Darkness"? You mean The Creatures of Grimm?
Ozpin: In a way, yes… But in another way, no… To put it simply, there were people that knew about Garnet's existence & what she was capable of… Those people feared her, they wanted her for themselves or get rid of her in some form… Given how the Vacuan Alliance is, these sorts of things aren't nearly as uncommon as you might think, but even this was – as you youngsters call it – "overkill"! Garnet could care less of what the people did to her, but to her child? No Mother would ever want their child to suffer because of their parents' sin, which is where I come in.
Ozpin takes this chance to drink some coffee, giving Ruby a moment to think about what he told her so far. After a moment of thinking, she theorizes something & tells it to Ozpin.
Ruby: You said that she reached you for a reason, would that reason involve sending Summer to Beacon Academy?
Ozpin: *Nods* That is correct, it's good to see that you're paying attention.
Ruby blushes as she scratches her cheek.
Ruby: Well, I've always been praised for being a good listener.
Ozpin: *Chuckles* Now where was I?... Oh yes! February 22, Valean Year 1157, that is the day Garnet came to me in person & requested me to watch over the young Summer Rose, knowing that both the Vacuan Deserts & The Darkness that was always after them was no way for a child to live. Summer was 15 years old when I first met her, not unlike you. In fact, she was the only other student that enrolled in Remnant's history that has enrolled in a Huntsmen Academy earlier than most students have.
That fact actually surprises Ruby, she didn't know Summer enrolled early in Beacon too.
Ruby: Wait, she did?! Huh, what a funny coincidence, wouldn't you say?
Ozpin: Ms. Rose, if there's one thing that I don't believe in is coincidence. I've lived long enough to know that things don't just happen by chance or an accident… Now, Summer herself was quite like yourself… She was kind, selfless, noble, caring & very cheerful… As well as very introverted & a little on the awkward side… But unlike you, who has mostly got over that phase, young Summer hasn't even started going through said phase… She didn't have the "spunk & attitude" that you have right now, that's for certain.
Ruby laughs awkwardly at the mention of Summer acting like that in her days in the academy, all the while Ruby remembers how she was just like that when she was a kid.
Ruby: Is that so? Heheheheheh…
Ozpin: Despite her faults, Summer was easily one of my best students. While she never liked violence or fighting, she had a strong sense of justice that was second to none. She always finds a way to minimalize casualties as much as possible, she even earned the respect of her enemies. If there was a situation where she had to pick between 2 options she didn't like, she'd do everything in her power to form a third option to deal with the situation at hand. She was a powerful ally & a wonderful friend; one I greatly cherished…
Ozpin expression suddenly grows sad as he looked down at his reflection through his coffee mug, something Ruby takes notice of.
Ozpin: But as you know now, she's gone… I wasn't able to keep my promise, I wasn't there when she needed me… I failed her…
Ruby's expression grows sad as well, feeling some empathy towards Ozpin.
Ozpin: You may not remember this given how young you were back then, but Khloud, Glynda & I were at her funeral with you & your Family. Young Ms. Xiao-Long was crying in her Father's arms, desperately calling out for Summer… Mr. Branwen looked at the grave of her old Leader & Friend, I've never seen him like that before or since… Glynda was in tears as well, asking why things suddenly went this dark path & Khloud cursed his weakness for not being able to save her… My main concern was towards you, Ms. Rose.
Ruby: With me? Why is that?
Ozpin: While you were in tears as well, you didn't, shall we say, let your tears fully flow like your Sister has… You expression was almost… "Lifeless", in a sense… But at the same time, I felt a sense of anger within you… On that night, you were the one who stood at that gravestone for the longest time. I assured Mr. Xiao-Long that I'd take you back home once you were finished… When they left, I decided to ask you something…
Ruby hums as she tries to remember what Ozpin's talking about, she then remembers something back at the funeral. She remembers someone with white hair approaching her out of concern.
Ruby: Actually, I remember something!... I remember someone talking to me at Mom's funeral! It wasn't a very long talk per say & we only exchanged a few words, but I think I remember what it was… That kind man I talked to… That was you?!
Ozpin smiled softly as he nods to Ruby's question, feeling a little happy that she saw him as a kind man. Given Ozpin's current state, it's nice to see people actually treating him like a person & not a god.
Ozpin: Yes, that was me… I told you that no matter what, your Mother would never be truly gone & that she'd live on in both you & your family… The words you said afterwards are words that I will never forget… This is what you told me on that night: "I won't let go, not until I find who took away Mommy… When I grow up, I'll find who did it… & I'll make them pay!" I had no more words after that, there was nothing I could've said… You turned five just a few days prior to Summer Rose's funeral, I've never seen a child of that age sound so… "Lifeless", in a way…
Ruby didn't answer Ozpin directly just yet, she just looked down at her hands with a conflicted expression on her face. A wry smile grows on her face before she responds.
Ruby: Heh… "Lifeless", you say? Sorry if I sounded distasteful back then… I was too young to understand what was truly going on back then, how to… Feel after that…
Ozpin: Don't say that! There's nothing distasteful in wishing justice for those who have wronged you! I was just worried about you, nothing more…
Ruby looks up at Ozpin with a surprised expression on her face, shocked from hearing Ozpin's reassuring words.
Ozpin: Ms. Rose… No, Ruby!... There's something I believe you need to hear, are you willing to listen to what I have to say?
Ruby: Uh… Y- Yes! I'm all ears, Your Majesty!
Ozpin: I will not tell you how to live your live, your life belongs to you & you alone. Trust me when I say that I have made far more mistakes than any man, woman or child on this planet, but letting you enroll at my Academy & give you the role of a Leader was not one of them! Which is why I will tell you the following: If you're ever in doubt or feel lost, know that there will always be people that will help you no matter what. You're never truly alone, even if you believe otherwise. Don't carry all the burdens to yourself, there's no shame in asking for help & advice from your comrades… Remember that!
Ruby looks down for a moment to think about what Ozpin told him, before looking back at him with a smile on her face.
Ruby: Yeah, I'll remember!
Ozpin: *Smiles* Good! If there's anything else I can do for you, know that I'll help you with whatever I can as well. I'm a Professor too, ya'know.
Ruby takes her scroll to see the time, her ship should arrive in less than an hour. She takes a sip of her remaining water as she gets stands up.
Ruby: I'll make sure of that when I'll need it, thank you. I must be going now; I have to pack my stuff for the mission. Will you guys be alright without us?
Ozpin: *Chuckles* We'll be fine, Ms. Rose, I assure you. Thank you for your time today, I certainly hope this isn't the last time we talk to each other like this. Now go out there & do your best, I'm sure you & The Garnet Papillons will come home victorious!
Ruby nods before bowing down to Ozpin & bursting into petals as she goes like the wind, Ozpin looks up as she thinks of whatever trials will await Ruby. After she left, Ozpin felt his pocket vibrating. He takes his Scroll & sees a new message from someone named "Sapphire". The scene begins to fade as Ozpin decides to give her a call.
Cut to a few minutes later in Team RWBY's quarters where Ruby's packing some stuff for their mission, all the while her friends talk in the back about outside world experience.
Yang: So Weiss, is this your first time ever going outside of the Kingdoms?
Weiss: Correct. The closest I have to "outside world" experience was my training in the forests of Solitas, where I did most of my Aura training.
Yang: I see… *Smirks* Well, guess Ruby & I will have to show you the ropes. Don't worry, Ice Queen, we'll teach you everything we know about surviving outside of the kingdoms!
Weiss gets a little confused by that statement before she speaks up.
Weiss: What do you mean? Isn't this your first time doing something like this as well?
Yang: As a matter of fact, it isn't! Ruby & I actually went on a couple of missions when we were younger, mainly on her early teen years.
Both Weiss & Blake looked at Yang with shocked, horrifying expressions on their faces.
Weiss & Blake: You 2 didwhat?!
Yang: Yeah, it was part of our training. Our teacher occasionally took us on missions so that we're "better prepared for what's to come" as he puts it.
Both Weiss & Blake looked at each other confusingly before looking back at Yang, with Blake being the one to ask something of Yang with a concerned tone.
Blake: Uh… Which teacher? Your Father or your Uncle?
Yang: Neither actually.
Blake suddenly froze in confusion before speaking again.
Blake: Wait, what?! But you told me during our initiation that those 2 specifically were your only teachers!
Yang: & They were… Well, kinda!... There was one more person, but he was both rather absent for the most part & mostly focused his teachings on Ruby, he didn't train me all that much in comparison.
Weiss: Okay?... So, who was this 3rd teacher who mainly mentored Ruby?
As Weiss asks that, Ruby decides to join in the conversation while she's almost finished packing up. She turns her head back for a moment before answering Weiss' question.
Ruby: His name is Khloud.
That name suddenly rang into their minds, mainly Blake's.
Blake: "Khloud"? I've only heard about one Khloud, he's the most powerful Huntsman of The Valean Venatores & is the most loyal of King Ozpin's personal men, even more so than Glynda… Are you talking about that Khloud?
Ruby scratches the back of her head sheepishly before responding.
Ruby: Heheheheheh, pardon my rudeness… I meant Sir Khloud. He was our Mother's apprentice & a close friend of both our Father & Uncle, mostly the former.
Blake: I've heard the guy was a loner who lives all on his own, yet he's friends with the most powerful & revered Team of Huntsmen of the last generation?
Ruby: Yeah, he wasn't around for very long as Yang just said… That said, he's certainly someone I admire a lot. In a way, it's like having another older sibling.
Ruby looks away blushing a little bit, feeling a little embarrassed to say that.
Yang: While our Dad taught me in the ways of martial arts & our Uncle taught Ruby how to fight with a scythe, Khloud taught us how to fight by using whatever's on our arsenal, as well as some important lessons that he learned from our Mom.
Weiss raises an eyebrow as she crosses her arms.
Weiss: Oh really? What kind of lessons?
Yang: *Smirks* Maybe we'll tell you both in the near future if you girls start to behave.
Both Weiss & Blake get triggered by Yang's words as they talk in unison again.
Weiss & Blake: What's that supposed to mean?!
Ruby can't help but laugh as she finishes backing up her stuff for the mission.
Ruby: Hahahahahahahah! Don't let her get to you guys, Yang's always been like that to other people. That said, I'll tell you guys about it in the near future.
Weiss: *Sighs* Very well, I'll wait for when the time's right. Anyways, are you finally ready to go? You've been out on your own for over 2 hours before you finally came back here to our room.
Ruby: Well, I had a bit of a long talk with Byleth… As well as His Majesty, who wanted to talk to me about something.
Weiss: Good thing you at least let us know instead of making us too worried.
Ruby suddenly gets smug as she wraps an arm around Weiss' shoulder & pulls her close.
Ruby: Oh? Does that mean that you like me now or something?
Weiss groans in annoyance while pushing Ruby away.
Weiss: OF COURSE NOT! I just don't want us to get into trouble because you were holding us back, nothing more!
Ruby: Ah, don't be like that! We're friends now, aren't we? There's no need to be so cold to me now, lighten up!
Weiss: Not even over my dead body, you cocky little pest!
Ruby lets go of Weiss as she looks innocently at her before speaking.
Ruby: But… I'm taller than you, even now when you're wearing your heels.
Ruby's Height: 153 Cm Tall.
Weiss' Height: 149 Cm Tall (With Heels).
Weiss' Height: 144 Cm Tall (Without Heels).
Weiss: You know I didn't mean- Oh, forget it! Let's just go…
Weiss takes her stuff before walking out of the room all flustered as Yang laughs her ass off from what just happened, while Blake looks rather smug from seeing Weiss looking all flustered. Ruby just shrugs it off as she makes it to the desk & taking the fireball sculpture & getting a closer look at it.
Ruby: {Wish me luck, Cin.}
After another moment of self-reflection, Ruby puts the sculpture back onto the table before she leaves the room with the others, locking the door before leaving the dorms entirely. As they're leaving the dorms with the others, Yang takes notice that Ruby's looking a little… Off… Especially since she's way behind everyone else. Yang goes with her Big Sister Instincts & goes back to Ruby, checking on her to see if she's okay.
Yang: Hey Sis, something on your mind?
Ruby: Huh? Oh, it's nothing… I was just thinking about that night, that's all…
Yang: What night?
Ruby looks back at the others, noticing that they're further away from them. Ruby looks back at Yang & calls her to come closer for a bit.
Ruby: I didn't tell you why Byleth & I took so long back on our "Class Date", did I?
Yang: Well, you told us that you & Byleth walked around the city at night before coming back home... Wait- are you-?
Ruby: *Looks away* Yeah, I lied… I only told that to Glynda & His Majesty about what actually happened. Did you heard about Roman's robbery that happened on that night? I was actually there to fight the guy & bring him in for good this time.
Yang doesn't say anything, she stays quiet & listens to what Ruby has to say.
Ruby: I was able to defeat Roman, but he got away before the Cops & I could apprehend him… That's when it happened.
Yang: That's when what happened?
Ruby closes her eyes as the image of Neopolitan appears in her head, looking down at her with a smirk on her face.
Ruby: Some short girl who could turn her body into shards of glass & copy my abilities suddenly came out of nowhere & kicked my butt! Despite my best efforts, I stood no chance against her… I couldn't even land a hit on her!
Once Ruby finished speaking, Yang's eyes suddenly went red at the mention of her Little Sister being defeated in such a brutal manner.
Yang: Wait, what?!
Yang immediately goes in front of Ruby & grabs her shoulders, making Ruby look up at Yang with a surprised expression on her face.
Yang: Who is this girl & where is she now?! Once I get my hands on her, I'll-
Ruby: Yang!
Yang suddenly stopped as she realized that she suddenly got a bit too heated & let her emotions go over her head. She lets go of Ruby as her eyes go back to their lilac color.
Yang: Sorry, I was just a worried about you… But why didn't you tell us anything before?!
Ruby: Because this isn't your fight, it's me that she wants. Besides, you & Dad always overreact when something bad happens to me, even if it's nothing serious.
Yang: What? No, we don't!
Ruby: You just grabbed me by the shoulders & demanded me to tell you who defeated me mere seconds ago, how is that not overreacting?
Yang: *Sighs* Okay, fair point… Still, you could've at least told me about it…
Ruby looks away a bit ashamed at Yang's words, feeling a little guilty for keeping this a secret for the sake of not making her friends worry too much.
Ruby: I'm sorry… I just didn't want you guys to worry about me as much… Just because I'm the youngest one of us here, doesn't mean I can't take care of myself. I'm not a little kid anymore, I'm a fighter now… I have to act like one, I have to be strong…
Yang places a comforting hand on Ruby's back before comforting her.
Yang: I know you do, Sis… I just can't help it sometimes, especially nowadays… Look, our Mom told me to look after you… & Whether you like it or not, that's exactly what I'm going to do for the rest of our lives. The next time something like this happens, you talk to me about it. Don't fight all of your battles by yourself… Okay?
Ruby looks down for a moment with her eyes closed, thinking about what Yang just said. She looks back at her before speaking once more.
Ruby: Look, just-… Keep this between us, alright? I don't want the others to get worried over nothing.
Yang sighs before pulling her Little Sister for a hug, to which Ruby returns her kindness by wrapping her arms around her waist.
Yang: {Alright… For your sake, I hope you know what you're doing…}
Ruby nods in her Sister's embrace as Yang tightens said embrace a little bit, running her hand through the back of Ruby's head like their Mother did whenever she held them in her arms. After a minute or 2, they let go of each other before catching up with the others.
They all meet up at the front yard of Beacon Academy, where the ships usually land. As everyone was waiting for their ship to arrive, Byleth was off to the side having a call with Ozpin & Glynda.
Ozpin: [I see, I'm sorry things went this way for you both. Ms. Goodwitch & I shall keep an eye on Ms. Sothis & make sure she's alright.]
Byleth: Thank you, Your Majesty… I couldn't even find her in our room, guess she's taking it really personally this time around…
Glynda: [But she isn't a fighter like you, nor does she like to fight. How come she's upset over not coming with you to your first Huntress mission?]
Byleth tries to twist the truth to make it a lie so that her cover isn't blown just yet.
Byleth: We've always been together. We never let each other's side, no matter what. Even if Sothis never fought alongside me in a literal sense, she was always there with me… I guess she felt that things would stay the same here, now that I'm a Huntress… But when I told her this wouldn't be the case, she must've felt… betrayed, in a sense…
Ozpin closes his eyes for a moment before speaking.
Ozpin: [I know that feeling all too well… Regardless, I wish you all the best of luck. Remember, anything can happen out there. Stay close to one another at all times & don't engage in battles where it can spell disaster to you, understood?]
Byleth: *Nods* Understood, expect a report around a week's time from now.
Ozpin: [Good, I'm counting on you all.]
The call ends right there, with Byleth putting her Scroll back in her pocket while sighing.
Byleth: {Sothis, whatever the hell's going on with you right now, I hope you don't end up doing anything stupid!}
Ruby spots the worried Byleth & goes to see if she's okay.
Ruby: Hey, ya still worried about Sothis?
Byleth: A little… I shouldn't have said what I did back there…
Ruby places a reassuring hand on Byleth's shoulder to comfort her.
Ruby: Hey, don't worry about it. I'm sure she's fine, she just needs some time for herself.
Byleth: I hope you're right about that, Ruby… Sothis isn't your average kid, I know her better than anyone…
Ruby: Trust me, everything will work out. For now, let's just focus on accomplishing the task at hand, okay? There are people out there who got their town sacked by Bandits & it's our job to take back their home. You can talk to Sothis afterwards, alright?
Byleth got lost in thought for a moment before looking back at Ruby & nodding.
Byleth: Alright, thanks Ruby.
Ruby shoots Byleth a thumbs up before she starts hearing something from very far away slowly coming close, she looks around & from the skies, she spots a small ship from very far away approaching them.
Ruby: Hey guys, looks like our ride is finally coming! About time, too!
Everyone minus Yang & Byleth looked at Ruby with shocked expressions on their faces, completely flabbergasted by the fact that Ruby is able to both hear & see their ship coming from too far away.
Nora: Wait, WHAT?!
Weiss: That's impossible! no human could have such heightened senses! You'd have to be a Sub-Human to have those kinds of senses!
Ruby: Well, I can & I'm a human! *Looks at Weiss* & For the last time, stop using that disgusting slur, Weiss! You should be better than that!
Weiss: Why should I? It's not like there's any filthy half-breeds with us at the moment… & If there were, I'd cut them down on the spot!
The other students present in the scene, (mainly Ruby, Yang & Pyrrha) all groan in frustration from Weiss' words. Blake however just scowls while looking away, all the while she adjusts her bamboo hat.
A few minutes later, their ship lands, said ship not being the usual bullheads that they're used to seeing. This is a slightly smaller battle ship of sorts, almost like an airship you'd usually see in RPGs. Everyone looked at awe of their ship, especially Ruby, who looks super stocked by the ship's design.
Ruby: WOAH! We get to ride on that?!
Pyrrha: This ship isn't one like the ones commonly used in Vale, I wonder why we're riding on what looks to be a modified sky pirate ship?
Ruby: Who cares?! It looks so cool!
Nora: I wonder if there's cannons inside that thing!
Ren: For our sake, I hope it doesn't.
As they all look at the ship, a set of stairs suddenly comes from the ship & lands on the ground. They all look back up to the ship & spot a young woman step down said stairs, said woman being very beautiful. She has shoulder length azure blue hair, with her bangs being pulled back by a pair of goggles & bright green eyes.
She's wearing a sleeveless bright red vest that leaves her midriff exposed & has the Kingdom of Vale insignia on its back, with her wrists being wrapped in bandages similar to Blake, wearing sleeveless leather gloves & a blue bandana wrapped around her left arm. Speaking of her exposed midriff, she has a 6-pack along with small biceps. She also leaves her vest open, exposing her blue crop top which leaves some cleavage out.
She's wearing an azure blue mini-skirt alongside a pair of leather knee-high boots & tight high white socks, there's also some kind of hip-skirt that look like are made out of feathers as well. The young lady steps foot on the ground & looks at The Garnet Papillons for a moment before speaking.
Ship Pilot: So? You guys will be coming with me for the ride? His Majesty was right, you kids definitely stand out amongst the crowd.
Weiss is a little triggered by what the pilot said & misunderstands her message.
Weiss: What's that supposed to mean?!
Before Ruby could say anything, she notices something else about this pilot. She spots a tail of sorts, one made out of feathers of many different colors. After taking another look at her eyes, Ruby realizes that this young woman is a Faunus.
Ruby: Excuse me, Miss. Is that a tail over there?
The pilot looks innocently at Ruby before looking back & spotting her long-feathered tail, with the pilot looking back at Ruby cheerfully.
Ship Pilot: Oh yeah, it is. As you probably noticed by now, I'm a Peacock Faunus. See?
The pilot says that as she approaches Ruby & lets her have a closer look at her eyes, which are piercingly sharp like that of a peacock's.
Ruby: Ooh, that's pretty cool!
The pilot chuckles at Ruby's excitement before stepping back to introduce herself.
Sapphire: Oh! Pardon my manners, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Sapphire Mayil, I'm a sky adventurer originating from The Menagerie Archipelago.
Ruby smirks before jabbing her thump at herself before introducing herself.
Ruby: I'm Ruby, Ruby Rose! *Points at Byleth* & That's Byleth Eisner, our Professor.
Byleth approaches Sapphire as the latter extends her hand for a shake, to which Byleth obliges & shakes Sapphire's hand.
Sapphire: So, you're that "new professor" His Majesty told me about?
Byleth: Correct. Pardon my rudeness, but why did His Majesty hired you to take us to our destination? Doesn't he have access to many bullheads?
Sapphire: Yeah, he does. But~ he thought that you guys could use something a little more… Extra, so to say. Besides, I'm returning a dept to the guy.
Ruby: You mean we get to ride on that on all of our monthly missions?!
Sapphire smiles as she headpats the excited Ruby.
Sapphire: As long as I'm around, there's no sky I won't conquer without you kids around!
Ruby: Sugee! I've never ridden on a sky ship before, this is gonna be awesome!
Ruby starts heading up the stairs as the others follow her one by one, all sharing their thoughts about all of this.
Yang: Hey Rubes! Don't take all of the fun stuff on that ship for yourself, ya hear me?!
Nora: I'm going straight to the cannons!
Ren: Nora, get back here! That ship isn't a toy!
Jaune: I just hope I don't get motion sick again…
Pyrrha: Don't worry Jaune, I'll make sure you don't get ahead of yourself.
Weiss: *Sighs* Dealing with you is exhausting sometimes…
Sapphire looks at the Garnet Papillons getting in her ship with a cheerful smile on her face, happy to see the students being so energetic, with Byleth feeling the same way.
Sapphire: Those kids are a lively bunch, aren't they?
Byleth: Yeah, they are… & I wouldn't have it any other way.
Sapphire then takes notice of Blake, who hasn't stepped into the ship just yet. She takes a closer look at her while humming curiously, which suddenly catches Blake's attention.
Blake: What? Something on my face?
Sapphire: You look… Familiar… Have we met before?
Blake immediately gets flustered & tries to deny the idea outright.
Blake: Hell no! I'd remember someone like you in a heartbeat if we did, I know I've never seen a sky pilot before in my life!
Sapphire: Are you sure? I could've sworn that-
Blake: Enough! Let's just go, we've wasted enough time as it is!
Without another word, Blake starts stepping up the stairs as Sapphire just shrugs it off. As for Blake, she knows who this Sapphire girl is & hopes to the Gods above that she doesn't blow her cover. For now, she'll stay away from that woman as much as possible. Byleth then stairs going up the stairs with Sapphire following suit.
Byleth: So… Is it just you here? On the ship, I mean.
Sapphire: Nah, there's 4 more of them inside. It's a small crew, but it's quite the lively bunch. I'm sure your kids will get along with them just fine.
Byleth looks away for a moment as she steps foot on the ship.
Byleth: Everyone except Weiss… Please try to forgive her behavior, she just-… Doesn't have a good history with The Faunus… It's a bit of a long story…
Sapphire: Oh, it's quite alright. I'm sure she'll stay away from us as much as possible anyways… To be honest, I can't fully blame her…
Byleth: Still… It isn't right, wish I could do something about it…
To say that the ship looked even better from the inside was an understatement. Ruby ran across the whole place & was amazed by how well its designed, not to mention how big it is. Currently, she's sitting in the figurehead of the ship, a large phoenix which doubles as the ship's keel, as there's phoenix-like wings at the end of the ship's keel on the back alongside the wings of each side of the ship. Ruby looks around to see the great view from up there, seeing how vast the world is from up there.
Ruby: Sugoi! The view's amazing from up here, I can see the whole capital city from up here! Imagine what I'll see below when this thing's flying, it's gonna be great!
Sapphire: Enjoying the view, kid?
Ruby gets caught off guard as she looks up & spots Sapphire looking down at her, who slides down the figurehead & sits right next to the young girl with Silver Eyes.
Sapphire: Just you wait, you'll see things you've never seen before in your life! Hope you don't get motion sick from our rides.
Ruby: Oh, I'll be fine!... Can't say the same for Jaune, you might wanna keep an eye on him… Ya see, he's our team's "Vomit Boy".
Sapphire: *Giggles* Don't worry, I'll make sure he's in good hands, the same going for the rest of your friends. If you need anything, you can find me or my crewmates at the deck or at the helmsman room. Hope you kids have fun around here.
Ruby: I will, thanks Ms. Sapphire.
Sapphire pats Ruby on the head before standing back up.
Sapphire: There's no need for formalities, Ruby. Just Sapphire is fine. Alright, I'll be off. Ya'know where to find me if you need anything, cool?
Ruby shoots Sapphire a thumbs up as she climbs back to the ship, with Sapphire taking her Scroll & reporting to one of her crewmates.
Sapphire: Alright Luds, everyone's on board. We're ready to take off!
"Luds": Copy that, Capt. I'll turn the engines back on in a moment.
The ship slowly begins to fly off the landing area & as the engines get stronger, the ship begins to take off & fly away into the sky. The Garnet Papillons look at how high their going & how exciting it is to fly in a ship like this. Ozpin looks at the spectacle from his office, nodding at them & bidding them all good luck. As for Ruby, she stands tall while hanging into the figurehead at the ship.
Ruby: YOSHA! ADVENTURE, HERE WE COME!
After a few more minutes, the ship is so far away that nobody can see them from Beacon Academy. The Garnet Papillons soar through the skies as they make way towards their destination, where their first mission as Huntsmen will begin.
What trials wait for our heroes? Will they accomplish their mission with flying colors or will their first challenge be tougher than it looks? What connection does Blake have with Sapphire & why did she avoid her earlier? Will Ruby become strong enough to face Neo in their unavoidable rematch in the near future? Find out all & more next time on RWBY: The Verdant Light of Remnant!
RWBY: The Verdant Light of Remnant - Chapter 19: A Plan Ahead - End
Author's Notes: Okay, i already know you guys have MANY questions, ESPECIALLY about the ending, so let's just get them over with & move on
1: "What are the artifacts Ozpin talked about"? This will be explained later in the plot (& I mean WAY later) But for those who're aware, RWBY canon has these 4 magical mcguffins called Relics, which can perform a specific task depending on what relic it is, what said relic can or can't do & how you phrase your "wishes" so to say. The Lamp answers you questions of the past, the staff can create anything so long as you have a blueprint for it, ETC. These artificacts are suppose to be a COUNTER BALANCE to the relics & this is as MUCH as you're getting from me about them, because i REALLY don't wanna go into spoiler territory for my drafts.
2: "Why did Sothis get angry when she learned that she wasn't coming to the mission"? Well, consider this: Byleth & Sothis were fighting together (Both figuratively & literally) for around a year & if you wanna go even FURTHER, Sothis has been by Byleth's side since Byleth was an infant! In other words, whether sharing the same body back in Fódlan or living as their own selves right now in Remnant, they NEVER left each other's side... So imagine Byleth telling Sothis "No, you're staying here!" to her after EVERYTHING they've been through together so far? Quelling a Kingdom Rebellion, awakening the Sword of the Creator, Fighting MANY demons & monsters alike, Fighting TWSITD on MULTIPLE occasions, failing to save Jeralt from Kronya's hands, fusing into a singular being to escape from Solos' dark void & save The Golden Deer... Yeah, these 2 went through alot. So when you consider all of THAT & combine it with the fact that Sothis can't fight without her Magic because it'd blow her cover... NO SHIT, SHE'S UPSET! We'll get more of that when Byleth comes back home, but i thought you guys should know about THIS at least since i KNOW people will call out Sothis for being called a spoiled brat in this chapter if i didn't.
3: "Who's this Sapphire girl & why did you give The Garnet Papillons a JRPG airship"? I'm gonna confess something, that was actually a last minute edition that i thought of when writing the ending of this chapter. I WAS thinking of doing something similar to this for Part 2. But then i remember that i have a friend who's OCs could work better here, as well as both foreshadow the upcoming Manslayer Arc & further develop Blake. So i reached out to my friend (Ghira Taylor, or King of Shadows on Discord) to talk about him with this idea i had in mind & if he was okay with me using his OCs (Which sidenote, while i technically HELPED him make these 5 OCs... It's TECHNICALLY his since it was HIS original concept, just wanted to point that out there) & he said yes... So i brought them over here. They'll all get a proper introduction next chapter, so don't worry about feeling like something's mission... Now before you guys complain about me using OCs on this RWBY fanfic when it's suppose to follow the canon a bit more, other Xover Fanfics do it too & if THEY can do it, so can i! (Not to shit on those fics mind you, i like the respective RWBY Xover fanfics with RWBY OCs, those are great!)
Anyways, that's all i have for you guys tonight, imma go edit videos for Mark & do some art & writing on my free time. This has been Remnant Bardock & until our next meeting, have a WONDERFUL day, my friends!