Howdy folks, how's it going?
I know, I know, it's been months since I last updated, to the point some people seem to be under the impression this fic was dead.
Guys, let me be blunt.
I cannot promise consistent updates.
There will be long periods without updates much like this one.
But unless I specifically make an announcement saying so, NOT A SINGLE ONE of my stories is dead.
That said, this chapter is just about the largest I've written for this particular story, and even better, it comes with my first ever Omake as a bonus :)
As always, huge shout out to Chaos Productions for his continued assistance.
And now, since you guys have been waiting for this for so long, I'm gonna do things a bit differently.
First you get the chapter, then you get the Review answers, and then the Omake :) .
One last thing though.
Last time, just about everyone guessed the mystery character was Jaune. This time, no one guessed just what is slumbering beneath the forest ;) …
And now, without further ado, enjoy.
/
From the cliffs overlooking the Emerald Forest, the view of a vast expanse of green was truly a sight to see, and one that many students and teachers of Beacon Academy had enjoyed over the years.
But there were occasions were that beauty had to be disregarded in favour of the Dangers that lurked beneath. For Headmaster Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch, who were currently overseeing the first trial of the potential future defenders of Mankind, this was one such occasion.
"And with Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie, it would seem that all the students have found their pairs." The Deputy Headmistress reported while watching the video feed, to which her superior gave no response, looking into the distance, where the students' objective, the small ruin amidst the forest, stood. The woman couldn't help but wonder at the fact that he seemed more focused than usual.
"The poor boy certainly seems to have his hands full with his partner…" She continued, as she switched to another camera and frowned slightly. "… But still, I'd say this time around it was the Schnee Heiress who drew the short straw."
"Hhm?" The Headmaster finally responded, glancing at her inquisitively.
"She has partnered up with Miss Rose, and she's obviously none too pleased about it…" Here, a small touch of concern seeped into Glynda's usually calm and professional tone. "Ozpin… You know that I usually trust your Judgement, but I must confess I still have doubts about letting that one join Beacon."
"Oh?" Ozpin replied with an eyebrow raised. "And what is it that makes you uncertain, Glynda? You were there during the incident in the city. You know what she is capable of."
"And that is exactly what concerns me." The woman replied bluntly. Ruby Rose… Well, her files spoke for themselves. That night, witnessing everything the young girl did, when faced with her emotionless expression, reckless behaviour and strange presence, it had taken more effort than Glynda cared to admit to keep her calm demeanour. "I do not doubt her skill, only her restraint. You read about the sorry state those children were in, not to mention the two accomplices that were caught a few blocks away from the crime scene still running and screaming in terror. Is it truly wise, to bring such a person here?"
And as if that wasn't a big enough cause for concern already…
Out of all the feeds that were playing on her scroll, 4 of them were showing nothing but static. They were soon joined by a fifth, the last image shown being the wide open jaws of a beowolf.
"…And the timing between her arrival and the Grimm's increased aggressiveness seems a bit too fitting to be a coincidence."
Ozpin nodded in acknowledgement of the Deputy Headmistress's concerns, and once more turn his sight to the Horizon.
"You do raise some valid concerns." He conceded. "This strange Semblance of Miss Rose does represent a potential danger to those around her."
Surprised by his quick agreement, Glynda needed a few moments to mask said surprise and formulate her next question.
"Then why admit her into Beacon?"
"Honestly? Because I feel more comfortable having her where we can monitor her, away from those who could make use of her abilities for less than pleasant purposes…"
Glynda, quickly deducing the meaning behind the words, found herself unable to disagree.
Better to have her nearby than in the hands of the Queen.
"And as for the Grimm…" The Headmaster continued as he observed a strange scene from his own scroll. "I'd say Miss Rose has it well handled."
/
Weiss was not sure what to make of her current situation, but she was certain she did not like it one bit.
Out of all the potential future Hunters and Huntresses that had entered Beacon this year, out of all the potential partners she could have had, she got… This.
The little girl that threatened her with decapitation not a minute after they first met.
How the deuce had such a person been allowed into Beacon?! An Asylum or some secluded Mental Institution far away from the Kingdom seemed much more fitting…
Not for the first time, the heiress lamented these facts. Even one of those boot licking sycophants that were only interested in her Name, Fame and Fortune would have been better than this.
But as much as she felt… discouraged by this string of bad luck and her partner's sociopathic demeanour, her pride as a Schnee still allowed her to press on, however reluctantly. What would Father or Winter say if they saw her so… distressed by something like this?
Currently, the hooded girl stood quietly a little bit ahead of her, as she had been for a while now. The quiet tension in the air was wreaking havoc on Weiss's already fraying nerves. And just as it became too much and she began finding the courage to speak up…
"Caw".
… That damnable pet of hers returned from Dust knew where, landing on its perch on her shoulder and releasing a series of caws she listened to with undivided attention.
Speaking with animals, truly another sign of her partner's questionable mentality.
The hooded girl turned to glance at her, to which Weiss tried very hard to supress a flinch, with mixed results.
"…This way."
Her piece said, she turned and began walking in some random direction.
The Heiress would have loved to walk in any other direction, but unfortunately…
"Grrr."
… She had been denied that option.
A while ago, they had run into a pack of Beowolves. In mere moments they had been surrounded by the creatures, and after a few tense moments, with loud, rage-filled roars, the Grimm had struck, charging forward with unusual savagery…
… Only to suddenly stop half-way to their prey and haphazardly stumble back in a blind panic. A process that was repeated a few times as they gained distance, seemed to recover their mindless frenzy, charged again, and once again fearfully fell back.
The way her partner's eye glowed all throughout did not go unnoticed by the heiress.
Eventually, the wolf-like monsters seemed to realize the situation and began circling around them at range, snarling and glaring almost tauntingly, looking for any opening to strike as the predators they were.
For the girl, it was almost as if they weren't there. She merely walked forward, and with a mix of reluctance and distress, the pack parted before her, Weiss being forced to quickly overcome her shock about the impossible event she just witnessed in order to keep up.
The hateful glares the Grimm were throwing at her uncaring partner also did not go unnoticed.
They followed them still, hiding just out of sight in the trees behind them, sometimes daring to approach only to quickly stumble back.
Glancing back at the eyes peering through the foliage, Weiss pressed forward with a weary sigh.
What did it say about her partner, that even the monsters that hunted humanity since time immemorial were weary of her?
/
"Persistent little bastards…" Jaune grumbled, even as two of his blades tore into the boarbatusk's skull, silencing its squeals.
While, for once, the Grimm did not seem to be actively seeking them out, they had still run afoul of a greater number of them than they should have, and every single one of the damn things that caught him in their line of sight immediately charged in a frenzied rush.
Good thing that they were making the colossal mistake of completely ignoring Pyrrha while they went for him. Between their blades they had easily dispatched their attackers.
"Indeed." The Redhead agreed as her spear returned to her grip from the decomposing porcine corpse it had just been impaled in, sounding somewhat annoyed for the first time since he met her (not that long ago really, but that's neither here nor there). In the distance, the unmistakeable sound of gunfire could be heard. "But it would seem we're not the only ones who have made contact with the enemy."
"Good. Can't just be us having all the fun, right?" The Blond joked.
He was genuinely surprised that his partner actually let out a small chuckle. That wasn't really a response he was used to get out of the fairer sex.
He couldn't help but grin back.
Maybe this whole "partnership" thing wasn't so bad.
Their current opponents dispatched, the duo once more trudged their way through the forest, a vigilant but comfortable silence between them.
Soon, they reached a large cave entrance nestled at the base of a cliff.
There was something about the sight that left Jaune uncomfortable.
"So… You think this is it?" He asked, with a frown on his face.
Seriously, this reminded him of something…
"It is possible…" Pyrrha replied at length. "…But not very likely. The ruins could possibly be in there, but it feels to me like this the place isn't what Headmaster Ozpin meant. For one, we haven't travelled northwards enough."
"Yeah, I'm with you there. Probably best we be on our way then…" Jaune stated, his frown deepening as the reason this seemed so familiar escaped him.
"Jaune, is something wrong?" His partner asked, concern evident in her voice.
"It's just that… I feel like I'm having a Déjà vu… Something about this situation feels awfully familiar…"
Something… but what?
The cave didn't seem to be carved, but rather forming naturally in the cliff's wall, with no remarkable features other than some ancient paintings at the entr…
When the message on those pictures finally got through to the swordsman, his posture stiffened and his face paled slightly.
Dammit, not again…
"Jaune…?"
"Pyrrha…" He answered in a low whisper. "We have to back away, really slowly and reeeaaallly quietly…"
Noticing his seriousness, the champion did not argue as they both proceeded to do just that.
Unfortunately for Jaune, and despite his best efforts, Lady Luck was not on his side today.
The blades on his back began humming.
And a shrill, clacking screech echoed from the darkness, even as a loud, skittering noise heralded the approach of something. Something big.
"Of course…" Jaune sighed resignedly, almost as if he really hadn't expected the situation to happen any differently. "So much for that… Pyrrha, RUN!"
/
"You think this is it?" Yang asked as she and Blake stood on a hill overlooking a small circular ruin.
Her partner's response was to give a quick nod and hastily make her way down, to which the blonde could only sigh despondently.
Blake didn't really strike her as a talkative person right from the get-go, but upon learning of her parentage to Ruby, the black-haired girl had immediately started keeping her distance, trying to keep contact to a minimum, as if trying to ignore what she perceived to be a problem would make it go away.
It reminded Yang of so many times this exact same situation had happened, and with people who she had known well and had been friends with for quite a long time to boot.
On the one side, she lamented the fact that being her sister's sister had ruined a possible friendly relationship before it could even begin.
On the other, she couldn't really fault any of them for it.
Plenty of times, even she didn't feel like she could hold on…
Shaking her head free of such thoughts, Yang made to follow her partner, hoping that at some point, what little ruined potential for a proper friendship there still was could be salvaged.
"ROOOAR!"
"Eeeeeeeyaah!"
*Boom*
…
…
…Well, there's something you don't see every day.
/
Ruby was annoyed.
She was heading North, in search of Big Sis and Jaune, but she had yet to come across either.
And she had gotten the meanie Weiss as her partner.
Which reduced the chances she could be teamed up with her sister or her friend a lot.
The white-haired girl hadn't spoken since they found each other, always fidgeting and staring at her nervously as they moved.
Her fear was palpable to Ruby, and it confused her. She had made certain only the Grimm that got too close would be affected by the power manifesting, so why…?
"Caw caw caw".
Hhhm, Merle made a valid point. Partners talked to solve things. Maybe this was one of those occasions?
Well, talking had helped with Jaune.
Surely it couldn't be that hard… right?
She turned to look at her partner, which caused the girl to flinch yet again, looking ready to bolt at a moment's notice.
"…afraid."
Funny, she didn't know eyes could open that wide.
"U-u-uh?"
"You're afraid…Why?"
"I… I'm not…"
"Can feel it… Do I scare?"
Her partner gave her an incredulous look. And in her shock, she apparently found her voice.
"Do you scare-You put your scythe to my throat when we first met!"
"Being mean, even if said sorry...when not my fault."
Weiss's eyebrow twitched, even as her surprise gave way to frustration and anger.
"Normal people don't threaten others with decapitation when talking! Not that anything seems normal about you to begin with! Everyone steers clear of you, everyone except that crazy boy and your sister, and even she looks like she wishes she could be anywhere else!" She ranted in an increasingly loud, frustrated voice.
She did not notice the faint drooping of the younger girl's shoulders, nor the aggravated glare the crow was giving her.
"And now, as much as I don't want to, I am stuck with you for the next four years, because anything else would prove everyone who doesn't expect me to last long here right. You have pretty much been making my life miserable for the scant few hours you have been in it. And now you asked why do you scare me?! Who are you? WHAT are you?!"
Her rant finished, her emotions on the situation laid bare and her frustration vented, the heiress seemed to realize who she was talking to, as her eyes widened and once more fear was at the forefront of her emotions.
Silence fell between the two girls, utterly dreadful for one, the other gave nothing away.
So focused on this situation they were, they did not notice the Grimm following them calmly backing away, nor how the light over the canopy of trees seemed to dim.
…
…
"…Ruby Rose. Partner."
"SCRAAWWWWRRRRK!"
A loud, avian screech echoed through the woods, making the heiress recoil in fright.
Ruby and Merle glanced at each other, then looked back at their partner with some hints of annoyance.
"…Wasn't us." She mumbled, sounding vaguely offended.
Blinking as the meaning of those words sunk in, and suddenly realizing it was getting increasingly darker, both girls looked up.
Weiss began to seriously consider going back to Atlas.
/
Jaune really ought to have learned the lesson by know.
If things seemed to be looking up, it was just Life's way to get him to let his guard down.
Case in point…
"Deathstalkers! It just HAD to be Deathstalkers!"
Jaune ducked under the pincer the colossal, ancient scorpion-like Grimm was swiping at him.
"It's bad enough when they're small and many and swarming you from every direction in the enclosed space of an underground ruin! What the Heck was this one doing so close to the Academy?! Better yet, WHY the Heck was it allowed to nest so close to the Academy?!"
"I don't know!" Pyrrha replied, deciding to wonder about the oddly specific situation her partner described some other time. "But now doesn't seem like the best time to question it!"
Soon after, the running duo broke out of the woods into a large grassy field, where in the distance they could see a ruin where some others pairs were turning to glance in their direction.
Even from this distance, their shock at seeing the massive Grimm breaking the tree line hot on their heels was quite noticeable.
And also short-lived, as a hail of gunfire from 3 different sources immediately flew over their heads at the beast, seeking to give them cover as they approached.
They may as well have been throwing pebbles at it, for all the good it did in trying to pierce its carapace.
Then the redhead with a pink and white outfit's Hammer turned in to grenade launcher (freaking Hunter weapons…), and with loud bursts (pink, what the…?), her explosive ammo finally gave the Grimm pause as it staggered backwards, screeching its annoyance.
By that point, Jaune and Pyrrha had reached the temple.
"Thanks for the help." The blond said after a few seconds of catching his breath.
"Oh, You're welcome!" The cheerful redhead replied even as she kept firing. "By the way, Hi there! I'm Nora and that is Ren! We can't talk right now, trying to make the big bug go boom!"
The stoic boy beside her merely gave a quick nod of acknowledgement.
"Fair enough." The sword wielder stated bemusedly, and then turned to the only familiar person there.
"Hey, Yang, you seen Ruby?"
"No, and I'm kinda busy here!" The girl grunted as she threw a load of buck shot at the Grimm.
"Really? Uh, figured she'd be by your side 5 minutes into the forest…"
"Jaune." His partner interrupted, now in a kneeling position taking aim. "Perhaps we should focus on the immediate threat first, and ask questions later?"
"Uh, right… My bad." Jaune said with some embarrassment, rubbing the back of his head then he contemplated the situation.
The Deathstalker had recovered from its disorientation and was once again advancing towards the group. A few grenades to the face seemed to have snapped it out of its frenzied rush and made it approach the situation carefully, as it now moved at a much slower pace and actively using its massive pincers as shields.
The barrage had taken its toll though…
'Got'cha.' The blond thought, deciding on a course of action. "Guys, it's limping! Throw all you got at the legs on the left side! Aim for the joints!"
The other Five Hunters-in-training blinked briefly at the command given, then it sank in and they noticed that, indeed, the beast was favouring its right side legs.
They all immediately focused on that area, and yet another barrage of loud pink bursts and four other kinds of ammunition hit the gargantuan mockery of a scorpion.
They were rewarded for their efforts by a shrill screech of pain as it stumbled and fell, the first leg all but torn apart and the next two badly damaged. It did not stay down, however, and soon it began advancing again, nowhere near as fast, but if the red glowing marks and the frothing mouth where anything to go by, thoroughly enraged.
'Right, just like in Mistral then…'
"That was some quick thinking Jau…"
Before Pyrrha could finish her praise, her partner suddenly dashed towards the Grimm, blades at the ready, ignoring the cries of alarm and the calls to come back.
As he ran, a sense of calmness invaded him, and almost as if taking a deep breath, the world seemed to slow down.
Seeing him approaching, the Deathstalker screeched its rage as it swung its pincers at him.
With serene grace, Jaune ducked under the first swipe which would've taken his head, then leaped, landing briefly on the second incoming pincer, and using it as a platform leapt again, raising his fist as he went.
In mid-air, the bladed formation drifted to float parallel to the forearm, and the two swords pointing towards the elbow parted slightly, giving the whole ensemble the slight impression of a scissor.
A faint gleam passed through all four blades.
Then as he fell, the blond made a punching motion down, towards the creature's head.
It didn't cut deep. It wasn't supposed to.
The Deathstalker crumpled to the ground with enough force to lift a cloud of dust and a shriek of surprise and alarm, almost as if it had been struck by a meteor rather than someone much smaller than itself.
Stunned by the strike as it was, the creature didn't react as Jaune proceeded to land on its back, moving his arms in fast yet measured waving motions.
The blades fell like guillotines.
And pain joined surprise and alarm in its shrieking as the two badly wounded legs were severed at the joints, effectively crippling the Giant Grimm.
His plan successful, Jaune leapt off the monster and ran clear away of its maddened trashing.
This all exchange happened so fast, that most of the others barely had the time to react in any way other than staring in shock.
"Jaune." Pyrrha said in a tone of pleasant surprise as he approached the group, unheeding of the Deathstalker's hateful screeches and failing attempts to stand. "That was…"
"Awsome!" Nora butted in, surprising Jaune by suddenly appearing inches from his face. "That was soooo Awsome! You totally kicked its butt! How did you manage to slam it down?! Usually I'm the one who can do that but now you did that and you don't have Magnhild so how-"
"Nora, you might want to give him some space."
"Ok, Renny! But it was pretty awesome!" The redhead replied, skipping away from the bewildered blonde.
"That was impressive." The only person there he still didn't know the name of stated.
"Very impressive." Yang agreed despite herself. "It's like this wasn't your first time dealing with large Grimm."
"Uh, Thanks." He replied with some embarrassment, rubbing the back of his head. "First rule of dealing with Deathstalkers, always go for the joints… I'm sorry, but I think I didn't quite catch your name…?"
"Blake." The black haired girl said simply.
"Blake, right, nice to meet you." He nodded, then turned to the creature. "Anyway, that thing's down, but not out. It's not going anywhere anytime soon, but still, we should probably get moving."
No one had any objection to that.
However, before they could put the idea into practice…
"SCRAAWWWWRRRRK!"
"Ooooh, what now?!" Jaune whined.
The entire group looked in the direction of the shriek, and out of the tree line, two figures came running, one slightly behind the other.
"Ruby…" Yang muttered, sound half-way between relieved and apprehensive.
"And Weiss, too." Jaune noted dryly. "Seems like they're partners. Eh, ain't that something…But why are they run-?"
With yet another screech, the answer rose above the canopy for all to see.
"A Giant Nevermore. Of course…"
Now that they were on an open field, Ruby stopped, spun and swung her scythe in one swift motion, sending a crescent of ghastly green light towards their pursuer.
The avian Grimm dodged the attack, a single, mighty beat of its wings carrying it upwards, and then retaliated.
A barrage of gigantic feathers was unleashed upon its prey, rows upon rows of black spears slamming into the ground in a deadly shower.
Closer and closer, the onslaught approached.
Seeing this, Weiss redoubled her efforts to reach the ruin.
Unfortunately, in her mad dash for safety, the heiress tripped.
/
She was going to die.
She had managed to turn her stumble into a roll forward, but it made no difference, as it cost the scant few seconds she couldn't afford to.
Was this to be her end, impaled with extreme prejudice by a Giant Grimm? To fail so miserably, barely at the beginning of what she had set out to do? Of what she set out to prove that she was capable of doing?
It sounded like a bad joke. And she was the punchline…
It wasn't fair, she wanted to live!
But the spikes were but a moment away now.
She wouldn't close her eyes. She would see her Death coming.
Faint shades of White and Purple appeared at the edge of her vision…
Only to be overtaken by a speeding Red Blur, as with a pulling sensation and a sense of weightlessness, Weiss's world spun.
When it stopped, and after a few brief moments shaking her head to get rid of the dizziness, the heiress looked back, confused about what just happened.
The Nevermore was nowhere in sight, probably coming around for another pass.
Its feathers jutted from the ground like dark mockeries of the forest nearby.
The girl's eyes widened in shocked realization when the dust settled, and an unmistakable red shape was visible again.
Ruby laid face down, most of her body hidden under her hood and cloak, except for a single arm, outstretched in her direction.
She laid face down… impaled to the ground by one of those massive feathers going through her back.
She wasn't moving.
The surreal silence surrounding Weiss seemed to shatter as that thought dawned on her, and all the others present.
"RUBY!" Two different voices shouted, with different pitches of fear and panic, as two figures passed the frozen heiress towards the fallen girl.
Jaune and Yang both stopped at Ruby's side.
The swordsman was down on one knee, trying to look for any signs of life, but all he could see was the darker shade of red staining the cloak, to which he gritted his teeth in frustrated hopelessness.
Dammit…
The sister, on the other hand, was on both her knees. Her trembling hands were hanging weakly in front of her, as if she wanted to reach out for the body but couldn't bring herself to. Her face radiated horror and disbelief, the slack, wide-eyed look of someone who just couldn't believe the truth in front of them.
Two different, but equally distraught reactions to the girl's fate.
A fate she suffered… trying to save her.
From out of nowhere, the crow landed on the hooded girl's back, staring at the three teens inquisitively.
"I…I…" Weiss struggled for words as she approached haltingly, feeling totally lost on what to do and for once not afraid to admit it. "I…I'm Sorry… She… I'm Sorry…"
The bird cocked its head to the side and then seemingly lost interest, turning to stare at the feather.
"S'Okay…"
…
…
Three pairs of wide eyes slowly turned to the source of the voice.
Silver and Green looked back, Ruby's head turned as far as her position allowed.
Her face was as blank as ever, with only the barest hints of confusion, like she couldn't quite figure out what brought this on. Her eyes darted from her sister, to her friend, to her partner, to a point in the distance, over by the forest's edge, where they stopped for a while and she gave a nigh unnoticeable nod.
There was a long, long moment of silence as everyone observing the scene processed what just happened.
"Ruby?" Jaune spoke, being the first to recover, but even then he sounded completely dumbstruck. "Are you…?"
"M'fine…" The girl replied as if she shouldn't be dead right about then, calmly planting her hands on the ground and trying to stand, with no success. Merle squawked in frustration and began aggressively pecking at the shaft.
"Stuck…" She deadpanned.
"Do you…need help breaking free?" The blond asked lamely, deciding it was probably better to just go along with it.
"…Yes, please."
"Uuuuh, Right then…" He replied as two his blades moved forward. "Gonna need you to move away a bit, Merle…"
The crow cast one last baleful glare at the mockery of his own plumage and hopped to the ground.
And with a small wave of Jaune's hand, the swords moved in a cross slash slightly above Ruby's body, slicing the feather off, the blond grabbing the falling projectile and tossing it away.
Unimpeded, the young girl tried again, rising with a sickening, ripping squelch.
On the ground, the spiked tip of the dart was crimson, and blood now flowed freely from the gaping hole on the hooded girl's stomach.
Other than a slight slump in her stance, she barely seemed to register it.
"Ruby…?" Her sister all but whispered.
"I, am fine." The girl replied pausingly, only to briefly stumble, to which Merle cawed in concern as he once more occupied his perch. "I'm fine…"
Her mismatched eyes turned to look at Weiss.
"…Ok?"
The disbelief was palpable on Weiss's face and trembling posture.
"Why…?" Was all the heiress managed to say, in a quiet tone of surprise, concern, confusion, frustration and relief.
Both girl and bird tilted their heads, seemingly not comprehending the reason for the question, and completely ignoring the trickle of blood that dripped from the corner of her mouth.
"…Partners." She replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Faced with such a simple yet unyielding answer, there was really only one thing the White-haired girl could think of doing.
"Thank you." She said, her face calm and half-way relaxed for the first time since they met, before once again growing concerned. "We… we need to get you out of here. You are bleeding badly…"
"I'm fine…" The girl answered, a small gurgle escaping her throat when she finished the sentence, even as she apparently began to scan her surroundings, briefly stopping on each person present, looking for something. "Just need… Just need…"
Her eyes stopped on the still trashing Deathstalker.
She took a step towards it, using her scythe (where had it come from…?) to support her weight, and then another, and another, and another.
She stopped when a hand landed on her shoulder.
It honestly surprised Ruby. Not only the fact that someone touched her, but the fact it had been her partner doing it.
"What do you think you're doing?! You can barely stand. Even if it's crippled, going near it would be suicide!"
…
… Was that concern?
"It's fine..." Ruby answered. "Trust."
At those words, her partner made a very conflicted face, but ultimately let go.
Nodding her gratitude, the younger girl started moving again.
The girl stopped just outside of the Giant Grimm's range. Her presence made the beast double its efforts, chelicerae clicking rapidly and both pincers and tail stretching to their max in an effort to reach her, every single one of its eyes glaring balefully at her small figure.
Uncaring of her target's frenzy, Ruby merely lifted her hand towards it.
Ghastly flames burned in her left eye.
That same pale green glow surrounded the Arachnid Grimm's massive frame.
And then the Deathstalker let out an agonized shriek as that green energy drained from its body, siphoning into a single beam that connected the beast to the girl.
As the confused and surprised Hunters-in-training present watched, Ruby stood straighter and steadier, while in inverse proportion, the Grimm seemed to grow weaker and weaker. Its movements began to grow sluggish. Its shrieking faded into what almost sounded like whimpering. Cracks began to appear in its increasingly weathered carapace, and its trashing grew fainter and more desperate. Even the red glow of its eyes and markings faded.
A few moments more, and the only outwards signs it was still alive were some faint twitches.
Ruby momentarily contemplated her drained victim… And then swung her scythe at its face, the resulting spectral crescent easily breaching the weakened carapace and bursting it like an overripe fruit.
Her work done, the cloaked girl turned towards the group. The only indications she had been injured where the blood caking her clothes and the hole in her blouse revealing the pristine pale skin underneath.
"…Better."
Then she vanished in a burst of petals and feathers as another barrage of black rained down from the sky, blurring into being next to her sister.
"Annoying." She muttered, even as Merle threw a glare at its much larger facsimile.
"No kidding." Jaune agreed, once again being the first to snap out of the shock Ruby's actions caused, by simple virtue of the fact he decided to add them to the long list of questions he had for the girl later. "And it's coming around for yet another pass. I vote we grab the relics and split."
"…Good idea."
No one argued.
/
They ran West, the colossal raven Grimm hot on their heels.
Bullets, grenades, Dust, scything crescents and feathery missiles were exchanged all throughout.
Soon they reached one of the many ruins that dotted the wilds of Remnant, a massive temple like structure of stone built across a large chasm, taking cover from yet another barrage under one of the large arches.
"That thing's so damn stubborn…" Jaune grumbled.
"I agree." His partner replied. "That Nevermore is being way more persistent than his size and age would imply. We're not going to be able to outrun it."
"Which means we need to bring it down." The blond swordsman concluded.
"Any idea as to how?" Blake piped in she glanced out at their circling foe. "Because as long as it stays airborne, it's easier said than done."
"Maybe we can do something to draw it in?" Nora suggested. "Maybe Ruby can do that glowy thingie again…?"
The cloaked girl shook her head.
"Too far… But can-"
"INCOMING!" Yang shouted.
And the party barely had time to move out of the way as the creature rammed through the arch above, bringing it down on their heads.
Out in the open, Ruby had had enough.
"I'll bring down." She said. "Be ready."
Before the anyone on the group could ask what she meant, a sudden, unnatural quiet fell over the battlefield.
Merle took flight.
Left eye blazing with a mist like flame, Ruby stood very still…
And then the silence was broken by a cacophony of frenzied caws, as all around her, thousands upon thousands of crows burst from out of nowhere, obscuring her figure with their sheer numbers as they carried her upwards.
The frenzied murder took to the skies with a fluidity more akin to a single, cohesive organism than a disjointed flock, making a bee line for the Nevermore.
Noticing the interloper, the avian Grimm screeched its fury and dove to meet it head on.
But instead of the collision it had seemingly expected, just as contact was about to be made, the roiling black cloud parted to allow the Grimm into its midst…
… And then like a net it closed in around the beast, the ravenous birds striking at every spot, passing through the openings of the steel hard plumage to strike at the flesh beneath.
The Nevermore's shriek of fury turned to one of indignant pain as it spun and turned, trying to no avail to get rid of the swarm that now plagued it.
Down below, as the others observed the scene, Jaune turned to his partner.
"You know, on second thought I take it back. Small and many can be much worse than one big one."
Disoriented, infuriated, and with tiny wound after tiny wound piling up, the Nevermore failed to notice the pale green gleam on steel that approached from within the black…
…And then it let loose a truly agonized screech as the scythe slashed across its right wing, severing vital tendons.
It desperately flapped its pinions in an attempt to compensate, but the damage was too severe, and thus the Grimm fell, bested by the creatures it was made to resemble.
Its wailing screech was silenced by the earth-shaking noise of its crash landing on what was once a plaza in the temple structure.
Its job done, the murderous flock approached the ground, dispersing as it went, until a couple of meters off the ground, Ruby emerged from the dark mass and landed softly.
The dust settled, to reveal the creature was still alive, and rising with some effort, its previously injured wing now completely crushed from the rough landing.
"It's down. GET HIM!" Jaune yelled.
At that command, the hunters-in-training fell upon the massive Grimm.
Deprived from its main advantage as it was, the tables turned.
Grounded as it was, its clumsy attempts at striking back were easily avoided or repelled and even more easily retaliated against.
Its beak snapped at Blake, only to strike an image left behind as the real one dodged and slashed at its eye.
It turned to Weiss, only for a burst of explosive fire dust to slam into it, followed by a haymaker from Yang that left a crack on its beak.
It tried to lash out at Ren as he opened fire upon it, only to find Nora standing between them in a slightly crouched sideways position, her hammer resting on her shoulder and a cheeky grin on her face.
That particular blow lifted the gargantuan bird of the ground and tossed it back a few meters.
And in this fashion, bit by bit, the Giant Nevermore was pushed back.
Pretty soon, they were near the edge of the cliff, the beast trapped between them and a fall into the misty depths of the chasm.
In what seemed to be a fit of fury, the Nevermore rose to its full height, stretched its wings as wide as it could, and let loose one last, deafening shriek.
Not even the impact force of Pyrrha and Jaune slamming into its chest and pushing it into the abyss stopped it.
It kept shrieking as it fell, disappearing into the fog below.
A loud impact, and it was silenced forever.
A silence that stretched out for some long minutes.
"It's over." Pyrrha said.
At that statement, sighs of relief and cheers at their victory were had.
"That was some good work, guys." Jaune stated with a tired grin. "But now, I vote we get the heck out of here before any more Grimm show up. I don't know about you, but I feel like I could sleep for a week."
Everyone voiced their agreement in one way or another. Their troubles forgotten. For the time being, they were comrades in victory and that's all that mattered.
What they failed to realize however, was that the Nevermore's last action hadn't been an act of mindless rage.
No, it had been a call.
/
Miles below, eyes of molten flame opened briefly in curiosity.
It heard the call, but it remained unsure about the reason for it.
Then the scents from above began wafting into its lair, piecing together the events that had unfolded.
Its lesser brethren had been slain in large quantities, even the two that were elder to the others, vanquished by a superior foe.
Vanquished… but by whom?
And then, two particular scents came to the fore.
Scents it hadn't felt in ages.
Scents it had remembered briefly while it slumbered.
…
…
Them…?
…
…Here?!
…
They lived…
…AND THEY WERE HERE?!
Anger filled its mind as old instincts awakened, an anger so great it distorted the air around it with heat and lit the cavern with its wrath.
And as it surged forward to meet its prey, it let loose a roar.
/
It was a loud, deafening sound.
A primal resonance of Rage, so blood-curdling and so hateful that it shook the very world itself.
The trees, the temple, the very ground they stood on, everything trembled.
Jaune looked to the sky.
"Haaaad to go and jinx it…" He muttered with a long-suffering sigh.
And then, from the chasm it rose.
The majestic ruin that had stood the test of time for so long crumbled as it slammed through the structure like it had never been there.
Briefly, the day grew dark, because its sheer bulk blotted out the sun.
Carried aloft by absolutely colossal, reptilian pinions, each one the size of the slain Nevermore's full wingspan, the black bolt rose into the skies.
Then with a single beat of its wings, it turned, describing a large circle.
A wave of heat struck them as it breathed fire, a gargantuan stream of flames that scarred the forest in a semi-circle that enclosed the ruin.
The hunters-in-training were trapped, as all around them the Emerald Forest burned.
It turned once more, and landed on the cliff on the other side of the chasm, overlooking the inferno it had just created.
And finally, its form was fully revealed.
It was as black as any other Grimm they'd seen.
Massive plates of white bone jutted out in an uneven row across its back, all the way to a reptilian tail tipped with a massive club of bone.
Its four-legged body, which brought to mind some unholy combination of feline, reptile, and humanoid characteristics, was run through with fissures that glowed brightly with the heat of some internal furnace, akin to rivers of magma flowing freely across a charred landscape.
And in its crocodilian head, the upper jaw adorned by the white skull mask of its kind and the massive lower jaw the same midnight black as the rest, two pairs of orbs of pure flame glared at the horrified humans bellow.
Those eyes narrowed as they locked into two forms that where familiar, yet different.
And then, with another world-shaking roar, the beast took flight and dive-bombed its trapped prey.
/
"Glynda." Ozpin said in a dead serious tone. "Have Peter and Bart extract all of the students from the forest. Then gather the staff and prepare to fight. I want every Bullhead we have available packed and ready to depart as soon as possible."
"Right away, sir." The deputy headmistress replied urgently, before all but dashing away to make the preparations.
This was one foe that was beyond the students' capabilities.
Ozpin looked to the horizon, not needing the cameras to see the creature even at this distance.
There hadn't been records of it since over 400 years ago.
How had they missed it, slumbering this near to the Kingdom?
The Scourge of Vale.
The Ruinous Blaze.
Ebonmaw.
/
Alright, just in case I wasn't clear enough…
THAT IS NOT VOLUME 3'S GRIMM DRAGON.
That, people, is a Grimmified version of the Rift's Dragon(Veteran LoL Players will probably get the reference), and I had this planned for MONTHS before Volume 3's finale came about. I actually cursed up a storm when the Damn Thing showed up…
Just why there is a Grimm Rift Dragon around? That's for me to know and for you to find out :) .
And you may notice that Yang is having some contradictory behaviours regarding her sister. All intentional.
Now, to answer some reviews:
Guisniperman: You see, m8, the thing with Yang is that this whole situation is taking its toll on her. Those Ursa actually helped, by allowing her to vent her frustrations. Too bad it was not nearly enough.
Xbox432: Who knows, m8, who knows… (I know, xD)
Goldensteel: Would you believe me if I told you that for the longest time I was just making this up as I went? As for your guesses, well… It's not just weapons that are showing up.
IronWolfe: I was wondering if anyone had picked up on that. Like I mentioned before, to another reviewer I think, this Jaune went through a slightly different set of circumstances than his canon counterpart.
Al Azif: Mate, first off, I'm am a huge fan of The Chain Reaper (is it ever going to be updated?) and it's an honor for me that you're enjoying this fic :). That said, while I am uncertain of what I'll do with Pyrrha, there already was a "blink and you'll miss it" hint regarding that.
Indecisive Bob: Yes, it was a facet of Ruby's power that allowed her to pierce through Aura.
SirMandokarla: I'm glad you liked my approach to Jaune. Admittedly, my intention was just to make him a bit more competent, not an outright Badass (yet :P).
And now, ladies and gentlemen, my first ever Omake.
I'd highly recommend you give it a go, because it's a plot relevant tidbit, a small expansion to the events of the first chapter, if you will.
Enjoy.
/
A long hunt
In the forest of Patch, within the remains of a chamber lying at the center of a glade in which nothing grew, lying beneath the roots of an oak that seemed more like a twisted mockery of life than anything else, the ghastly green light that had been pouring out of every opening died down.
And with its disappearance, darkness was quick to reclaim its domain, an eerie silence pervading the woods, everything that could move moving away from the site.
Then, within the entryway for the chamber of a long forgotten era, the shadows stirred, and out walked a small figure.
Ruby Rose stood, no uncertainty or fear in her posture, no emotion nor expression on her face.
The little girl cast a long gaze over the clearing, and then looked back into the darkness, as if expecting something.
The darkness stirred yet again, and with a fluttering noise something popped out from it, a crow that took its place on her shoulder.
She stared at the bird blankly, and then turned her gaze upwards, towards the shattered moon.
Many times before had she seen it, yet now it stirred something within, like only now for the first time could a part of her truly appreciate the sight.
Then the moment vanished as the crow cawed, and an odd, yet familiar presence was felt.
She was not alone.
Feeling watched, the little girl turned and looked up towards the gnarled tree's roots…
… where two figures stood, looking back, with eyes reminiscent of vibrant blue embers.
There was a strange duality to these newcomers, a stark contrast between two beings who looked so different and yet so alike.
One was a large mass of purple shadows, not entirely solid and yet not entirely spectral. Its form was that a large, bulky beowolf, massive claws and lupine tail fading away in wisps of smoke, with no spikes anywhere, and while it donned a white mask, rather than the bone mockery of a wolf, it was a wooden representation of a lamb, marked with purple rather than red. The beast was glaring angrily back at her, a low, spectral snarl escaping from its not fully corporeal, indistinct jaws.
The other was a little girl, fully corporeal. She was not much taller than Ruby herself, and stood barefoot besides her hulking companion. She was pure White to her counterpart's dark Purple, from her pale skin, covered in waving marks that glowed silver, to the pristine sundress she wore, to the cloak and hood she donned over her frame, billowing in the breeze with ethereal grace. In her hand she wielded a short bow of gnarled wood, marked with the same symbols across her skin, and her face was hidden by both the hood and a mask of black wood marked with white, in the shape of a wolf. The girl was staring back at her passively.
She had never seen anything like them before.
"Kindred…" The words escaped from her lips in a faint whisper.
The Eternal Hunters, Lamb and Wolf.
"I told you to hurry, Lamb!" The purple Beast bellowed at its companion, a voice as ghastly and inhuman as its spectral bulk. "Let us feast on this prey while we can!"
"Calm yourself, Dear Wolf." Was the serene response, in a quiet, ethereal tone that sounded so human compared to her counterpart, yet at the same time anything but. "It may come to pass yet…"
With dainty little steps, the white-cloaked girl stepped down from the roots, standing on the ground a little distance away from the red-cloaked one.
"Greetings, little one…Little Ruby." She greeted politely. "What is one such as yourself doing out here at night, all alone?"
"Causing disruptions, no doubt!" Wolf rambled angrily. "I smell the Balloon's hand in this. It should know better than to meddle so blatantly!"
"Now, now, Wolf." Lamb chided. "Let it answer."
Both being turned to Ruby expectantly.
"…Looking for help." She muttered.
"Help? Help is good. And what exactly had led you to seek help?"
"Does it need help meeting its end?" Wolf drawled out. "We are happy to help with that…"
"Sister in danger. Help to save her…"
"And if she can't be helped?"
"Save her..." She repeated.
"What if the Folly has claimed her already?"
"Save her." She repeated once again, more forcefully.
"And what will you do once you've achieved that? Will you return to your chosen prison? Take the fight to the Folly? Mingle with the living?"
"Blah, blah, blah!" Wolf interjected before the Red-cloaked girl could answer. "Lamb, I am hungry! And bored. And I hate being hungry and bored. If we are not taking this one, let us hunt somewhere else. The little Yang thing is not far from here…"
A pressure suddenly set into the glade, a chilling presence that would fill even the bravest of hearts with dread and horror had any been present.
Baleful green flames wafting from her pale eye, Ruby stared at the Aspects of Death blankly, the lack of expression doing nothing to hide the anger and menace in those pools of silver and green.
"Stay. Away." She said.
Lamb tilted her head inquisitively, while Wolf blinked as he processed the words.
Then the beast threw his head back, peals of raucous, monstrous laughter leaving its jaws…
"AAHAHAHAHAHAHA! It can bark, this Ruby Thing..."
…And a mere moment latter he was upon the girl, claws slamming into the ground in front of her and jaws clamping shut a hair's breadth from her face.
"…But can it bite?" He growled tauntingly.
To his surprise and slight disappointment, the girl didn't react. Not so much as a flinch.
"Now, now, that is quite enough, Dear Wolf." Lamb intervened. "It seems that for once, we were mistaken."
"But, Lamb-"
"It is not her time." She said with finality. "There will be no prize in these woods tonight."
Wolf made to protest once again, but then seemed to think better of it. Throwing one last glare at the Red-cloaked girl, he backed away with great reluctance.
"It seems that it is not yet time that we come for you, Little one." The girl in White stated. "And so, we will take our leave. But before we go, would you answer one last question?"
…
Ruby nodded.
"Which one are you, Little Rose? The Innocent..."
"…Or the Outsider?"
For a long moment, Ruby did not reply, pondering what she could say.
…
…
"… I am me."
That answer earned another tilt of Lamb's head.
"As good an answer as any." She replied with a nod. "Farewell then, Little Rose. 'Till we meet again…"
"…For meet again we will."
And with a long, ghostly howl, they were off, running into the woods in search of new prey.
Ruby stood still for a bit, watching them go, then she began walking in the opposite direction.
Time to find Big Sis.
/
"Is it wise to let it go?"
"Time will tell."
"It is not natural. An affront to the cycle we uphold."
"Perhaps, but it is no longer up to us."
"…So be it. Let us find other prey then."
"Are you sad, Dear Wolf?"
…
"Yes."
"How does it feel?"
"A long hunt…"
/
Ruby laid on the ground, impaled by the feather of the Giant Nevermore.
From the edge of her vision, something caught her attention.
In the underbrush, two familiar masks observed.
The black wolfish one nodded.
She nodded back.
And then they were gone.
"…With no kill."
/
And that's that.
What conclusions will you guys draw from this, I wonder?
Alright, next up, I'll be posting the first chapter of a new cross-over I have in the works. Depending on how long it takes, the next chapter of Beneath a Broken Moon may or may not tag along ;) .
Cya guys on the next one.