This story is a rough draft concept.
Also my first pure RWBY story...
Although if you read the title, you can get there is a heavy Sonic Infinite influence here.
Actually just Sonic in general.
Not everything is fully planned at this time, but a lot is, as this is not meant to be a long story plan.
Showing some of my work as the thought came to me, and a lot built up very quickly.
Anyways, let me know what you think about this and how you like it.
It will eventually get worked on at some point when I get through my other works.
Just felt like with my return to writing anniversary looming within a week, it was a good time to pop this story.
Enjoy.
This place…
It was so mystic. So surreal. Beautiful.
These lights…
So majestic as her fingers traced through them.
If only he were here, maybe he could start anew with her. Do what the girl of Roses did…
And Ascend.
"You… Are not like the last." The voice of the bizarre mechanic tree lady drew her attention away from the starry night spacy and spectral orbs wisping past her. "You… Are much different indeed. Tell me, how long have you been broken?"
Heterochromatic eyes shimmered. Images of her father lifting her from underneath the chair after playing games… His unfair discipline while growing up… Her mother's reluctance to go along with it but her silent admonishment of her…
Being locked in her room after the age of fifteen for just trying to go and having a little fun, even if she did steal the family car and drug her teacher to manage to escape!
The slap of her and the destruction of her friend Neo after she tried to escape her confinement and nearly burn down their family home!
Being sent to that place…
Finally, meeting him soon after.
She closed, and she looked away. She had been broken all her life.
"I see…" The strange mechanical woman glanced over her. "Indeed, you are not like the last at all. You have always had an idea of who you are but have never been able to be that person. The world has never allowed you to shine and give you time to pick up your scattered pieces long enough. Always languishing, and in your one moment of peace and happiness, you stopped trying. Allowed yourself to be happy. Content while you let another do everything he could for you. And he gave you everything but couldn't as he didn't know you…"
"You have never been whole." The starry night had motes of what seemed to be large stains of shattered pink glass surrounding the two of them as she stretched her arms and beckoned for her to look. "This is a reflection of who you are, Trivia Vanille."
Neo's eyes wavered as she looked at the display of broken glass shards around them, seeing images of her past self in each of them.
That name!
She had not heard it in so long…
But how…
"I know, for these are your memories and a glimpse of who you truly are." The mechanic tree woman stood tenderly next to the biggest shard of shining glass, gently tapping it, and a tear gently swept down her cheek, seeing the blossom of glass shard within as his figure faded before her. "How strenuous it must have been to accept such a thing and why this shard is larger than the rest. And the drive it took to get to this very moment. To do whatever it took to achieve this…"
"Even if it meant harming that poor girl for doing something, she only thought the right thing…" The lady of the tree spoke, her words carrying and making Neo look inwardly.
She regretted what she had done to the girl of roses…
She had no right to do that to her. To make her…
End herself even if in this world there was indeed no end.
The thought of her never coming back was so tempting at seeing how broken she was. But the moment she drank that tea and saw her disappear, she felt nothing…
Her stomach clenched. All the years of having to put up with being locked away… Of being indirectly told she was never what her father wanted…
And she couldn't recognize she was becoming him and putting another through that torture or wanting it all to end?
"But often wills, even when both sides are not in the wrong, will collide, and one has to lose…" She heard the avatar's voice speak, drawing her attention back to her, her expression changing as she continued. "Your determination has always been admirable. Being able to pick up the pieces and start over again even when all hope is lost, as you won't give up. Not until that moment when you realize you made a mistake to that poor girl, and it finally shattered you, leaving you hollow… I can see why you were so powerful while you were here in the Ever After now."
"You are so broken you have never been able to reach your full potential. You are a creator, just my children."
Eyes shimmered.
That…
Was impossible…
Wasn't it?
Yes, her Semblance kept improving by massive leaps here in the Ever After, but she was sure that was because of this world's influence!
But was it…
Considering how close she was to her goal, she felt spurred on. Hopeful. Closer to completion. Almost as complete as she was when he was by her side.
But it was like the strange tree lady said…
She was never whole.
It was why she constantly broke the law—wandered aimlessly with no real purpose.
Found as many pleasurable things to fill the void!
It was why Roman meant so much to her, as he enabled her to do these things! Gave her the freedom to do whatever she wanted! Be the person she never got to be!
And she watched his back. Kept him out of harm's way whenever she could… Helped him reach the top while he helped her become who she wanted!
She cherished him. Wanted him back in her life…
But he was gone. She had let go of that foolish desire.
It wasn't like he died here and could return as himself, as he most decidedly would. He was arrogant enough to believe nothing needed to be changed with him…
She smirked at the thought. She loved him for that…
Wouldn't want him to change either. He was perfect…
For her.
"This rebuild will take quite some time. I have sent that poor girl and her friends to their doom…" The strange woman spoke with a heavy sigh, her head lowering, drawing Neo's attention. "But that was always their destiny. It was when they were needed most, but unfortunately, her world has been corrupted far more than I anticipated by their mistakes. I fear they are my greatest failures of creations…"
Her body went rigid…
What, no…
She just put her faith into their hands.
Believed that they could finish the story. Allowed them to continue and finish it!
This could not be!
The girl, sweet as the roses…
The girl, pure as the snow…
The girl of beastly shadows…
The girl of brilliant gold…
The chivalrous knight who was years too early to be ready was dragged into this and finally found the right time…
That loud, obnoxious friend of theirs, full of energy!
Her quiet and intelligent boyfriend, who both luckily avoided coming to this place…
Were all going to meet their end?
To that witch?
The one who drew her into this nightmare! Brought him into this mess! Forced him to accept her hand in order to survive!
And to the one that commanded her from the darkness! Who summoned the foul beasts and was plunging Remnant into peril? Was turning into the worst fairy tale she had ever read…
One she played a role in all because she was afraid and took his words by heart…
Survive.
"What is this?" The mechanical woman watched in awe as the glass pieces slowly stuck and started to piece themselves together before gazing into the burning desire of her companion in the void. "I see. That determination of yours. You are trying to pick up the pieces again. Piece by piece. Step by step, attempting to put yourself back together once more when you don't even know who you are, Trivia."
That… Is not my name.
"Is it not?" The Blacksmith pierced directly into her gaze, looking unfazed by hearing her voice all around before taking her eyes off Neo and brushing her hand against a particular shard of glass gently. "You have long forgotten who you are and replaced yourself with an idealized image of what you wanted to be. Who you wished you were when you had no choice. But what if…"
The very world around shifted, and Neo tensed.
What was this? Where were all the shards going? She didn't have the time for this! She needed to put everything back together… She needed…
Was this her home?
Her room?
Her bed?
Her desk!
Wait…
Is that…
Can it be?
That's me… And Neo… Playing together when we were six.
"Yes, that is you." The avatar echoed beside her, even though she could no longer see the strange robotic tree woman. "Both you and who you idealized yourself as."
Neo went rigid, freezing as two sets of heterochromatic eyes turned to her, focusing on her.
One head of brown hair.
The other of pink.
And then they smiled and reached out for her, taking her hands and drawing her over to their game.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as confusion welled in her eyes, looking at her past self and her old friend…
Wasn't this just a memory? Why could they see her? What was this?
Why could she interact with this?
But seeing the two point to the game they were playing, happy as they could be, the faintest smiles quivered on her lips.
How carefree both were. The freedom they were still displaying despite being kept in this room. Locked away as her parents most likely were having some soiree below.
Typical. How often she and Neo were forced to do this kind of thing…
And she only grinned, wanting to show the two how easily it was to skip across them now!
So with a shake of hips, a couple of accentuated skips, a spin, and a curtesy bow for her performance, Neo grinned at the appraisal of her past selves.
To see the excited faces of both Trivia and her old friend Neo as they both bounded to her, almost waiting expectantly for a story, made her quake with laughter.
Oh, she wanted to tell them…
But there was so much she wanted to leave out…
So many bad things that were to happen…
So much darkness that stained what little good she had…
Did she even have any good in her life? There was barely enough time to enjoy it!
Three years! That was it! That was all she had…
But then, when she saw those amber eyes filled with a burning hatred, she knew there was no enjoyment in life for her but pain for others…
She shivered.
Neo had liked causing suffering before, but now…
Feeling a tug on her hands, she looked down at her past selves, who looked up at her with curious worry.
She bit her lip, her eyes quivering. What was she doing here? She needed…
No… Stop pulling.
Kneeling and placing her hand on their heads, gently combing through their hair, she closed her eyes and smiled at her past selves.
I have to go… There are things I need to do… A story that needs to be finished.
Opening her eyes, she frowned, seeing her past selves point at each other and then shake their heads as they held on.
Can't take you with me. I'm sorry… Let go…
"But you must…" The ancient voice of the tree spoke in her mind.
Heterochromatic eyes shimmered as a shiver trailed down her spine.
What? What do you mean… Girls, let go of my hair. Yes, I have a white strip now…
Feeling the two past versions of herself gripping the white strip of her hair annoyingly, wanting to know why it existed, and looking at her expectantly, Neo snarled. She needed to get out of here…
She needed to rebuild herself!
Ascend! Fight the witch!
Both of them!
This was a waste of her…
"To save your friends and return to the time you can help them the most…" The calm, assuring voice of the mechanical woman echoed and drew her ire as she looked around as her six-year-old forms still tugged on her hair. "You must accept who you really are. Why you became empty and shattered when you committed such an atrocity yet didn't feel what you did was right…"
"Why you could not feel anything when your father and mother burned alive in this house due to your actions." The voice continued as her eyes shimmered in terror, as everything around for the briefest of moments was suddenly set ablaze, the very image of this place scorched by the flames she had started to save herself and Roman years earlier.
And just like that, everything was back to how it was, and she felt her hair being grasped by the two past versions of herself once again.
Neo's eyes misted as she began to struggle for breath.
"A part of you knows and understands. It's why the girls react to your hair, wanting to understand…" The Blacksmith spoke, her voice never wavering and almost sounding soothing in an odd way. "Perhaps forgetting who you were is the start of why you are so empty? Choosing to burn moments like this and pretend they never existed along with all the horrible ones…"
Collapsing on all fours, her breath ragged, the two past selves soothing placed their hands on her back. They didn't know what they were doing and were shaking her, probably panicking…
Not that she could blame them. She didn't understand any of this either!
"This reforging process will not be simple. And it will take quite some time before you are whole." The voice echoed, almost sounding regretful. "Your friends cannot be saved as you are now. But press on like you always have. Find that determination and strength to pick up the pieces…"
"And let's rebuild. You have a world to fix when I'm done with you."
How long…
Has it been…
So many times…
I've had to face myself…
What I had become. To not cross it out!
To accept it and not wash it all away!
To draw out every last part of myself and refuse to let it be erased ever again.
No more fires…
It was time to let go of these burdens weighing me down finally.
To live freely…
"Your Ascension is finally finished… It is time…"
Yes… Yes, it is. But I fear it has been too long, and I will be unable to help…
"That was never your destiny."
I don't understand…
"Fear not. It will all make sense once you step through. I told you before we began rebuilding you from scratch you had a world to fix. It's time to go back and fix it."
But if it is too late…
"It is never too late. You will arrive just when you are most needed. Trust me. Now before you go… Can you tell me one last time… Who are you, child?"
Still on about that, huh? I've figured it out now…
"Humor me. We've been at this for quite some time, and I am quite old, dear."
You are an old hag, that is for sure… Made me sit and do tedious tasks forever… But if your memory is that bad…
The name is Trivia Neopolitan Vanille. The Crime Queen of Vale coming back for her throne after she rips out the heart of a heartless witch and crushes the Queen of Darkness with these damn annoying brats…
"Ha. Still haven't changed all that much, I see."
Was I supposed to?
"No… I suppose not… Are you ready to head back?"
Get on with it! You've been with me this entire time! You know by now I'm not patient!
It's time for a little just dessert… Cinder Fall.
Her eyes squinted as she stepped forth…
Wait, she knew this place. She knew it well!
All these decorations! Trinkets! Stylish coats! Umbrellas! First-class dresses! Emulate throw rugs! The bookcase filled with fairy tales!
This closest! This bathroom! This beautiful bed and the lovely spread!
Oh, this bed was still warm… Wait, why was this bed still warm? She wasn't sleeping in it!
This was the top penthouse suite apartment she shared with Roman in Vale!
And was someone using it while she was absent? Cause they didn't get rid of their stuff, and she knew she had it on her payment plan!
This place was paid off thanks to her lovely daddy's lien that she inherited! The only good thing she ever got from him…
She gnashed her teeth. She could get upset about that later. If she found the person sleeping in her home while she was away, she'd make them suffer….
But more importantly…
Why was she here? Shouldn't she be taken to Vacuo if that is where everything was happening? She knew well enough from the psychopath that the last treasure was there. Well, there was still technically one here in Vale…
No… Are the idiots okay? Did I take that long to put myself back together?
Moving to take out her scroll, Neo tilted her head. That was strange…
It was in her pocket when she…
By Oum… It was on my old body! Ascending into this form left it on that body! Great! I don't have my scroll! Wait, there is a scroll on the bed stand…
Scowling, seeing someone had left a scroll here, she gnashed her teeth. Who dared to dump their stuff in her home? Oh, she was gonna break them and make them pay for it later. But for now, she did need a scroll. It was important…
But the moment she activated it and checked the information…
It dropped to the ground, cracking in half as she fell onto her rear, her eyes blinking in and out. Her breathing went ragged as she felt like she was hyperventilating.
It couldn't be… That wasn't possible.
How is it mine? That doesn't make any sense! It should be in the Ever After! It was on my person when I…
Not understanding precisely what was happening, she crawled to the device, gently lifting back into her palms. Well, if it was hers, that was a stroke of luck. She didn't know how it got here or why it was on the bed stand…
Crap, now it's broken! I really could have used it! Now I have to repair it, and I don't have my lien card… Why is my lien card in the drawer like how I always left it when I slept?
Placing her hand on her face, trying to calm down as her breaths only quickened, Neo steadied her breathing.
This was unnerving.
What was this? Why were things so neatly laid out like she had just awakened from a bad dream and was back in Vale? That wasn't the case, as she had his memento still adorned on her head, and she scowled.
This was too alarming. Oh, and great… Her scroll was broken, so communication was going to be a pain! She needed it fixed to get anything done! It was an essential portion of anything she did with people that didn't know who she was and understood her nonverbal communication! At least then she could tell people to…
What was that?
Concentrating on her scroll, her lips pursed.
Did it just move when I began ranting about my scroll?
Tilting her head as she lifted the cracked object, she scowled. That was the oddest thing. All she thought was that she needed it to be operational and…
Her eyes began to shimmer as shards of glass began to build around the object briefly as those thoughts came to her but left the moment of her shock. But to her surprise…
Some of the cracks it had sustained from the fall were no longer visible.
As if it hadn't sustained nearly grievous damage. And was able to start to function mildly.
For nearly a full moment, Neo stared at the object in her hand, unable to process the minor fix, before pursing her lips again.
It was her Semblance activating like it had done so many times before. But it triggered by thought. And while that happened quite often when she was younger and didn't have control of her Semblance, as such, the creation of her friend called Neo, she had complete control now.
So what was this? How did her illusions respond with her scroll, which shouldn't even be here…
And start to repair…
A thought came to her after.
Something the tree woman had told her very early when they were putting her back together. And her eyes glimmered as she still expressed confusion.
Is this what she meant by being a creator? So if I…
Concentrating like she was using her Semblance, shards of glass focused around the object. And before her wildly expanding eyes, the scroll mended into it was put back together…
Just like she had been.
And it turned on, and the holo-project screen activated like she wanted.
Neo blankly gazed at it, unable to process what she was looking at.
How any of this was possible, she didn't understand. She remembered being told she wasn't quite at her full potential by the strange tree lady and told she was a creator, but…
This? Fixing a scroll?
That was something her illusions shouldn't be able to do!
And where were all the apps she used to have? This was so bare-bones! Like it was when…
Wait, that number…
Why was it still in her scroll?
She had deleted it.
She knew she had…
She didn't need the reminder every time she opened it and saw his name.
Why was it back in her scroll?
Wait… Was that a text message…
From him…
Her eyes widened as the woman's voice echoed in her head.
"It is never too late. You will arrive just when you are most needed. Trust me."
No… No… No…
Falling to her knees, seeing the message on her scroll, her eyes misted as tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably. Her hands shook uncontrollably as she struggled to keep a grip on the object in her hands, reading it carefully.
This wasn't possible.
She couldn't be back here!
Why here? This wasn't when she was needed! How could this be when she was needed?
That didn't make sense!
Wait… Was this day…
Everything started this day!
Her eyes glistened at the implication, her grip tightening around her scroll as the message about a deal came across the screen.
A deal that would change their lives forever…
Arrive just when I am most needed… To fix everything!
Getting off her knees, her eyes burned with unbridled passion. Putting her scroll in her pocket and tightening her grip on Hush, she adjusted her bowler hat…
Her heart fluttered…
I can save him! Stop this madness right here and now! Heh, the foolish girls aren't needed for this one!
I'll do it myself!
This was not his day.
The morning had started well enough, he supposed.
She was sleeping heavier than usual, so he let her be. She was a goddess when she slept so snugly next to him… So angelic in her sleep. So beautiful, ready to be…
Heh. Of all the women in his life he used, he would not dare touch her unless she clearly gave him consent. He didn't care about anyone but himself but for her…
There was something different about her. He never comprehended why, but there was something different about her. He couldn't act the same around her, even after he outwitted her with his tongue…
So he let her be. Besides, he needed the energy for the day. Now for a night, if she was feeling up for it…
He'd be her devil.
But the moment he left her be. Let her sleep. He made his first mistake.
She was his partner in more than one way.
He was the Kingpin here in Vale. All crime ran through him now, but without his Queen to enforce his rule…
Things did occasionally get a bit messy.
She was the iron fist when things got out of hand. He wasn't sure what it was, as he was certain she wasn't training besides staying in that beautiful perfect shape she had, but she continued to get stronger. Her abilities were constantly improving, which was quite valuable in a pinch…
Could be really useful right about now…
This meeting was his next mistake. This should have never occurred.
He never knew how she contacted him, but he would speak with Junior after this. That man led him into this trap! Was he not over what had happened almost three years ago to his father and his clan…
Okay, fair enough. They fucked them over…
But that was unacceptable! He was going to pay him back for this after he was finished! This treachery would come back to bite him…
And what was this woman?
Huntsman weren't this strong! Her two sidekicks were capable brats, sure! Probably academy strength! Annoying…
She was a damn monster!
All his men were knocked out, if not dead, in the blink of an eye! Those glass swords scorched in her hands that formed out of nowhere…
How easily she countered all his plans, and her idiot friends kept him from fleeing! The one moment he got the edge with a well-time blast on them and a Dust container…
A wall of fucking fire erupted in front of his exit, and now the woman was floating in front of him, using fire as some sort of ignition before she landed in front of him.
What witchcraft was this?
"My dear, this wasn't a negotiation…" She softly stepped before him, the flames burning from her hands extinguishing.
Green eyes wavered as he met brilliant burning amber eyes, his hands shakily gripping Melodic Cudgel. His teeth gnashed before he spat before her, refusing to yield. "Then just what is this? A takeover?"
Her cruel smile made him snarl. "You catch on quite fast. That is exactly what this is, Roman Torchwick. Now if you would, you are quite invaluable to our plans as no one has been quite as successful as you have, and I dare say we need your skill…"
"Oh, go to hell!" Roman's expression twisted as he held Cudgel directly at her face, his eyes glinting without fear. "Who the hell do you think you are talking to woman? I am Roman fucking Torchwick! I'm done obeying others! I made it to the top, and I refuse to bow to anyone else ever again! So just try and make me yield. See what happens!"
With a shift of his eyes, his aim shifted to the left as he aimed at one of the many Dust barrels kept in this facility to her left.
Dust was money, after all. Was an excellent investment to steal it and sell it later when the price rose. But now it was going to serve a much greater purpose…
Protecting his life!
With a click, a flare released from Cudgel and impacted the barrel, an explosion burning heatedly in front of him that nearly took him off his feet from the impact. He only cackled as her two partners cried out her name. "You idiot! You didn't even try to… Oh, you have got to be fucking kidding me!"
"Go to hell, you say…" A whisper lowly rumbled through the fires as it whisked around and bent around a figure walking through them, amber eyes burning with an unholy fire fueled within them. "Do you wish to go there as well? I can show you the depths of my hell."
"What in the hell are you?" Roman roared as his eyes shimmered in horror, seeing the woman unharmed by the explosion and…
What was she doing?
All the flames from his explosion were drawing into her hand, and she was gathering it…
And superheating it!
Aim straight at him!
"Allow me to show you just a glimpse of the pain of my hell." Her voice was cold and remorseless as she cruelly looked upon Roman.
His eyes snapped.
He couldn't win this!
He couldn't survive this! He wasn't fighting a human! This was some force of nature! A demon!
Roman held out his hands, dropping Melodic Cudgel to the ground. "Wait, wait, wait! Whatever you want, I agree to it! Just…"
"Too late…" Her face twisted with sadistic glee. "Well, unless you pledge your undying love to me. Then maybe I'll…"
Her words died on her tongue as she was forced to backstep as a blade nearly pierced through her throat. But what followed next was the tip of a toe directly connecting to her chin…
And she felt her jaw dislocate as her feet left the ground…
Then two heels drove directly into her stomach as she flew across the warehouse, crashing through what felt like several Dust containers and scattering the valuable substance across the floor. That would be an issue if it got ignited by her flames later…
And as she slowly rose, her two allies approached her side while she put her hand on her jaw, readjusting it with a wince as she nastily stared at the newest addition with a seething hatred…
Shards of pink glass shards slowly descended and permeated the room, hanging in the air. The massive warehouse room quickly filled with small, reflective aura particles.
And two heterochromatic pink and brown eyes burned with a pink flare of aura sparking around her eyes, shards of glass glistening at the corner.
"Neo?" Roman's voice echoed, pitched higher as he took in her appearance, never having seen his partner like this before…
Or dressed in an outfit like this…
And was this his bowler hat?
Okay, that was confusing! That was on his head!
Roman…
"Neo!" Roman stumbled, hearing what he could only assume was her voice, but he didn't even see her lips move. "How… What is…"
It has been… So long… Go…
"What? I…" Roman struggled to process what he was seeing, seeing his partner for three years, some he held with deep respect, standing before with tears forming in her eyes…
And looked a bit older than he last remembered her.
Weathered…
And those eyes were staring at this woman in particular.
So filled with vitriol!
I can't lose you again… I'm not strong enough… Leave this place and let me take care of this.
A cold wind swept over Roman as he felt the flames behind him extinguish, the glass shards strangely active around them as if they were putting it out…
Quite sure that wasn't something Neo could do…
Those words…
His eyes quivered at the meaning to him.
This outfit…
The worn appearance…
His hat.
This Neo…
Wasn't his Neo…
She was…
She snarled at the woman before gazing back at him, her eyes looking back at him one last time with a loving but desperate expression.
Leave Roman… I have three corpses to dispose of.