Hello friends! Earlier than originally planned, here is Part 2!
I want to quickly thank everyone who has written a review, and for the follows and faves. It means a lot, and I will do my best to present the best story I can write.
I do want to briefly touch upon a point that has been brought up in the early reviews; this will not be a HAREM story. While I do have some possible romantic sub plots in mind (one does get hinted at in this chapter) they are not the main focus of the story. And, I honestly want to treat the characters as close to how they've been depicted in canon as possible. So, no Deku X RWBY.
See the end of the chapter for more notes. In the meantime... on with the show!
A Few Moments Previous…
"I can't believe you talked me into doing this... Again!" Weiss Schnee complained at volume, as she and the rest of her team-mates rode the back of a Nevermore. Blake Belladonna gave her a side-eye look as she held on just as tightly as the others while the Grimm was in the air.
"It's a little late to be complaining, don't you think?"
"Weiss," Ruby Rose called out, preventing any more bickering, "I told you it's going to be different. Because I know you and the others can do this." She looked back, her eyes brimming with confidence. "I'll take down the other Nevermore, you guys finish this one and join me on the ground. JNPR and Professor Goodwitch shouldn't be that far behind us, so we won't be alone. Are we ready team?" Weiss steeled herself with a composed look of resolve, Blake nodded, while Yang Xiao Long smiled cheekily and gave her a big thumbs up.
Ruby turned her attention forward. She would need perfect timing, as the Nevermore they were hitching a ride on (thanks to a clever application of Weiss's Glyphs) circled around a group of twenty or so people, fighting for their lives against a massive assault of Grimm from what she could see. The other Nevermore hadn't noticed them yet, still hovering in place, unaware of how Ruby was forcibly steering its' kin using her scythe, the blade planted in the Grimm's brain just enough, that Ruby's movements forced it to go where she wanted.
[Prof. Port: "Ahem! Introducing, from Beacon Academy, 1st Year Huntress Team RWBY; Ruby Rose."
"Her Weapon; Crescent Rose – A Mecha-shifting Scythe/Sniper Rifle."
"Her Semblance; Petal Burst. She can dash about at super fast speed, all the while leaving a trail of what appear to be Rose petals behind her. This ability isn't fully developed yet, so she has yet to reach her full potential."]
"Steady...steady...NOW!" She yelled as she removed her scythe and jumped, firing a few quick shots to boost her up, even as petals appeared and disappeared behind her. She reached the second Nevermore and quickly put the edge of the scythe beneath it's neck before firing once more. The recoil pushed the weapon back with enough force to decapitate the Grimm.
As this happened, Weiss and Blake leapt off the Nevermore they had been riding, as Yang crawled up then discharged her shotgun gauntlets into the wound Ruby had left, finishing the Grimm off while also flipping the blonde backwards. She laughed as she fell, using the recoil of her weapons to slow her descent, making sure that they were aimed at the Grimm down below as she did so. She made a hard landing, punching an Ursa Major in the back of neck hard enough to break it whilst simultaneously breaking her fall. "Nailed it!"
[Prof. Port: "Yang Xiao Long."
"Her Weapons; Ember Celica – A fine pair of Shotgun Gauntlets."
"Semblance; Burn. She stores up kinetic energy from impacts to her Aura, that when she activates her power, it gets added to her already impressive physical strength. Piece of advice; don't mess with her hair!"]
Weiss and Blake made use of the former's glyphs to get down at a controlled and steady rate. Blake pulled her weapon from it's sheath, and fired a few bursts from it into the horde, clearing room for herself and her white haired team-mate, and also keeping the monsters back from the nearly overwhelmed group now behind her. She was dimly aware of more than a few of the strangers gawking at her and Weiss but she paid it no mind at that moment.
[Prof. Port: "Blake Belladonna."
"Weapon; Gambol Shroud – It's a sword/pistol with a ribbon allowing it to function as a Kusarigama, and it's sheath can also function as a cleaver."
"Semblance; Shadow. She can form short lived shadow doubles that help her avoid being hit, and give her the chance to get away from danger, or counter attack."]
Weiss rotated the dust stores she had in her swords guard, holding it in her left hand even as the blade started to glow red along the edge and it's runes. Three glyphs appeared behind her as she fired a string of fire balls into the stunned Grimm not crushed under the body of the Nevermore Ruby had slain.
[Prof. Port: "Last, but certainly not least; Weiss Schnee."
"Weapon; Myternaster – A master crafted Rapier with a rotating carousel for different types of Dust in it's guard."
"Her Semblance; Glyphs. A rare inherited Semblance, known only to members of the Schnee family. This versatile power, allows her to create platforms, accelerators, gravity traps, and when combined with different types of Dust, can have even more uses. Some aspects of this power have not yet been mastered..."]
"Fear not strangers. Help has arrived... for Team RWBY is here!" Ruby declared while her team-mates assembled in a line between the group of (as far as the team had been able to tell at a quick glance) combat school students, and the Grimm. The Nevermore was beginning to break up, along with the Grimm it had crushed beneath it's bulk, though a few Ursai and Boarbatusks had survived, albeit stunned.
Meanwhile the Elder Alpha, the Megatherium, looked upon the new arrivals with what could have been a derisive snort, before opening it's maw and releasing an ear splitting roar!
[Cue Opening - Save The Day]
Episode 2: Day of Arrival Part 2 – Beneath a Broken Moon
The Elder's roar galvanised the rest of the Grimm and they advanced. Ruby switched her weapon to sniper mode, while the rest of her team fired into the horde. "Prepare to get close!" Ruby called out, already considering the best team combos for the various Grimm before them, Ruby herself emptying her magazine, and swiftly reloading without missing a beat. 'Boarbatusks are making mess of the ice field, along with the Beringel... And that Alpha is really big! Definitely going to need a co-ordinated strike to take that down.' She steeled herself, as she switched back to Scythe mode, bisecting a Beowolf, and then a pair of Creeps. Suddenly a grey-white scarf wrapped around the head of a second Beowolf trying to get close, and a shaggy haired man in black pulled it away, whilst pulling himself toward it, stabbing it in the eye with a knife. Ruby took advantage of the distraction to disembowel it, finishing it off.
"Thanks," Ruby said, turning just enough to look at the stranger without losing sight of the Grimm in front of her. The man turned to face her, yellow goggles over his eyes. She couldn't help but think he looked a little like a few homeless people she'd spotted around Vale, but felt that would be rude to say.
"Don't advance." She blinked, even as she spun her weapon to take a guard stance. "See those purple balls out there," he nodded forwards even as he pulled his scarf back ready to hurl out again. Ruby took a quick scan, and then noticed that there were indeed a number of purple balls, both on the ice, and stuck on the Grimm in some cases. "That's one of my students' Quirks. Outside of himself and specially treated clothes, anything that touches those will stick, and they don't disappear for hours unless burnt or melted." Ruby briefly wondered at the mention of 'Quirks,' before refocusing.
"So trying to push forward would risk us getting stuck…"
"Exactly." The stranger, lassoed another Beowolf, and with effort managed to direct it into an Ursa, momentarily distracting it before Yang's incendiary shells made short work of the pair. "If you can keep them back for a few seconds, we can move back with the injured, and give you some breathing room to fight these things."
"Fight these... wait... have you never fought Grimm before?" Weiss had a look of incredibility on her face, even as she dodged and counter attacked with her rapier.
"Save the questions for later, people!" Yang called out, as she shoulder checked a Beringel, before it could bring it's fists down upon her. She delivered a half-dozen gut punches before finishing with a kick that knocked the beast back, and stalling more of it's brethren.
"Yang's right!" Ruby agreed, reassessing the situation. "Yang, move over to my position, I'm closer to the wounded, and I've got some big Grimm incoming!" She nodded over to the stranger, who grunted in acknowledgement before shouting instructions to the others in... was that Mistralin? "Weiss! Blake! Checkmate!"
The two didn't reply, for they had no need to. Weiss formed platform accelerators that Blake leapt between, confusing the Grimm who clawed at her uselessly. Keeping on the platforms, kept Blake away from the ground, and thus avoiding the sticky balls that they had been warned about. With dual blades in hand, she slashed at necks and at exposed chests. Meanwhile Yang ran from her position over to Ruby, reloading her Gauntlets as she moved.
…
Momo felt relief sweep through herself and her classmates as the four young women, put themselves between the tide of Grimm advancing, and quickly showcasing their skills in armed combat. 'Their weapons seem to be made specifically to fight these things,' she thought as she held onto her staff and shield. 'That would indicate that they have fought these Grimm before. I don't know why we haven't heard of them if they're common enough to warrant Pros, or even Heroes-in-Training, to carry firearms. Either Japan has become very insular; which is a possibility, since I rarely hear about foreign heroes that much, unless I specifically look for such news... (or ask Midoriya for that matter)...or...'
"Yaoyorozu!" Her sensei's shout pulled her out of her thoughts, she looked over to see him helping move the injured away from the bus. "We're pulling back, the feathers blocking the way are disintegrating. Fall back away from the bus!" She nodded and began to pull back with the others around her. Kaminari, Ojiro, Tokoyami, Jiro, and Todoroki, all falling back with her. As she did, she looked back, marvelling at how effective the newcomers were; how they combined combat skills, teamwork, and Quirks with their support gear, to such a point it was fluid and seamless. And the youngest amongst them couldn't be much older than herself and her classmates.
She was distracted to the point she almost missed Shoji's shout. "Flankers from the west!" She turned to see more of the giant wolves coming towards her and the others, having skirted the main skirmish entirely before pounding out of the trees. Kaminari and Jiro were already aiming their gear to fight back, Ojiro and Tokoyami behind them, but Momo noticed with a gasp, that Todoroki was faltering.
Even as he was moving, flames licked his left side in an effort to restore his body temperature to normal, the ice coating his right side beginning to crack, melt and evaporate. But he had used so many big ice attacks, he was approaching Quirk exhaustion, and he was slow to turn to face a wolf bearing down on him. That was until Momo's metal staff struck it in the eye.
"Todoroki, get clear and recover! We'll cover for you!" Momo yelled, as she used her weapon to jab at the creature's eyes repeatedly in order to get it to back off, even if only a little.
Todoroki, looked at her with wide eyes, stunned. "Yaoyorozu…"
"GO!" Todoroki still hesitated, but then Ojiro grabbed him and pulled him away. Meanwhile Momo kept her eyes on the beast in front of her, and mentally chided herself for making a staff, when a spear would've been more suitable. 'I'm so used to making such a weapon it came to me without too much thought. I should have taken more time to make it into a more suitable weapon against these Grimm. No matter, all I need is to just keep it back until one of the others can...' Her thoughts cut off when the Grimm latched onto the staff with it's jaws, and snapped it in twain.
The beast then swiped at her with a clawed hand, and Momo brought up her shield, only to find it torn away easily. She fell back, dimly aware of her friends calling out her name, and the raging battle continuing behind her. The Grimm reared up over her, preparing to strike... only for a shining blade of steel to cut into it's throat from the side. Momo released a breath she hadn't realised she had been holding, and looked to where the sword came from.
There he was, his arm still extended from the throw he'd just pulled off. A knight in a brown hoodie, blue jeans and white armour, with messy blonde hair. Momo felt her heart skip a beat.
…
"Pyrrha! Aid Weiss and Blake!" Jaune called out to his partner and team-mate, as she ran alongside him. He and the rest of team JNPR had been running as fast as they could to catch up to their sister team, and it seemed they'd arrived in the nick of time. They'd only just cleared the trees when Jaune saw the pony tailed girl get knocked down by a Beowolf, even as her companions were doing what they could to hold back the others of it's ilk. He hadn't really thought too much, his body simply drew his ancestral sword, and then threw it as hard as he could. He was actually surprised (and thankful) that his aim had been spot on, and while it hadn't slain the creature, it was now easier to kill.
[Prof. Port: "Leader of team JNPR: Jaune Arc."
"Weapon; Crocea Mors. This sword and shield may be lacking in fancy features as other huntsman weapons, but it's been carried through his family line since the Great War."
"Semblance; Not yet discovered."]
Jaune rushed forwards to finish off the creature even as he continued to give orders to his team. "Nora, get front and centre and just go nuts!"
"Aye-aye Captain!"
"Ren, looks like they have injured, see what you can do to help whilst covering them."
"Got it." Jaune nodded at his stoic team-mate as the group spread out, Nora doing so by using her exploding hammer to project her through the air with a joyful 'Wheee!' Ren simply split to the left keeping his weapons for the moment sheathed.
Pyrrha out paced him, but that wasn't surprising. The red headed champion he could trust to deal with pretty much anything on the right flank.
He did have a brief double take as he got close though as he scanned the people he and the others were aiding ('Multiple arms...? Does that guy have a… crows head? ...How big is that tail?!') but shook his head and returned to charging the Grimm he'd thrown his sword at. It looked at him, even injured as it was, and gave a pained growl, before the pony tailed girl thrust a broken staff into it's eye.
With the Grimm distracted, Jaune cleared the distance in a second, grabbing his sword, pulling it out, and then making an upward slash that decapitated the Grimm. He stole a glance over his shoulder, and smiled. Pyrrha was finishing off the other Grimm without even breaking a sweat. He turned his attention back to the girl on the ground.
"Hey there," he said, sheathing his sword into his collapsible shield, before offering a hand to help her up. "Thanks for the assist, blinding it like you did. Are you hurt at all?" She stared at him with a slightly open mouth before collecting herself, and accepted his hand.
"N-no! I m-mean, no, I'm unharmed. Thanks to you. That was quite the throw you made... you saved me…"
"I'm just glad it worked out and you weren't hurt," Jaune pulled her up, and then realised just how pretty the raven haired girl was. And how...exposed she was in what she was wearing. A blush forwent creeping and just straight up erupted across his face. He awkwardly scratched behind his head, whilst doing anything but look at her, his eyes scanning the ground and open sky. "W-w-well, I-I must be going! To fight! Can't leave my team unsupported, heh hah!" He spotted a metal shield, on the ground and seized upon it before thrusting it into her hands. "Here! Never forget your shield! Comes in handy!" He then stepped back, and tapped on his own shield even as it opened up, and he drew his sword. He bowed and then rushed off after Pyrrha.
He never noticed how the girl he left behind watched him go with a sizeable blush herself.
…
"Friends of yours?" Aizawa asked Ruby as she and Yang beat back any Grimm that tried to get close to the injured. He'd been grateful that Yaoyorozu and the others were okay, but he wanted to be sure.
"Yep!" Yang said even as she punched an Ursa so hard it's jaw broke. Ruby realised that she would probably have to do the explaining, as Yang was so focused on fighting, she wasn't even making puns. One word answers were probably all she could manage right now.
"That's JNPR, our sister team from Beacon." Aizawa looked at her sharply at that.
"Beacon? Is that the castle like building I saw to the west?"
"HOW... have you...NEVER... heard of Beacon?!" Yang couldn't help questioning, even as she finished off the Ursa, and then jumped up high, before using a shot from her gauntlets to rocket her back down hard enough to create a small ground tremor, knocking the other Grimm off their feet, and making them easy prey for Ruby. The younger of the sisters, speed blitzing around, whilst twirling her Scythe, leaving dead Grimm and rose petals in her wake.
"Up until today, none of us had ever heard or encountered Grimm, let alone an Academy named Beacon." Aizawa took a moment to check on the injured as they were settled back on the ground. Bakugo's leg, was getting bandaged (a nasty gash there he noted) and the blonde was still conscious enough to weakly complain about not needing help. All Might's right arm was also wrapped up, but he was also sporting some nasty scratches across his torso. "All I know is that we are clearly not in Japan anymore."
The sisters took advantage of a small window in which they had no opponents to fight immediately, and gave him a confused look, each raising an eyebrow as they responded to his statement.
"Where on Remnant is Japan?!"
…
"Where did all these Grimm come from?" Weiss rhetorically asked even as she slew another Creep. "I thought there were regular sweeps through these Forests to cut down on the number of Grimm."
"I don't know," Pyrrha replied even as she skilfully dispatched three Beowolves in as many seconds, Jaune holding off a fourth as it tried to catch her off guard. As he blocked with his shield, Pyrrha shifted Milo into a rifle, and shot it through the head, before taking three more controlled shots at three other targets.
[Prof. Port: "Pyrrha Nikos."
"Weapons; Akouo & Milo. Milo is a sword/javelin and a bolt-action rifle, that compliments her shield's (Akouo) design."
"Semblance; Polarity. She can affect the magnetic polarity of metals around her, and especially those she has made physical contact with. Curiously, she's one to be subtle with this power, with only those closest to her knowing about it."]
"It could be a migration... but I've never heard of a Grimm like that Alpha before." She indicated the Megatherium, which was ponderously moving towards them, with sinister intent.
"EVERYONE GET BACK!" The Huntsman and Huntresses all instinctively did so, while also looking back to see the familiar stern face of the Deputy Headmistress. Glynda Goodwitch strode forward amongst the group, her eyes locked on the Elder Grimm. Her crop, 'Disciplinarian' held tightly in her right hand. She briefly turned her head towards Aizawa, instinct and experience allowing her to know, and acknowledge him, as the caretaker of the...unusual group she was now surrounded by. "My apologies, but I'll be taking your mode of transportation."
Behind the goggles, Aizawa's eyes widened, as with almost casual indifference, she aimed her crop at the now wrecked bus, a purple glow suffusing the whole vehicle, and it lifted off the ground. With a swift motion she brought her crop back and flicked it in the direction of the Elder. The Grimm paused and actively looked between her and the bus as if putting together what was happening... just as the ruined vehicle was telekinetically thrown right into it's face and pushing it back almost back into the trees from where it had emerged.
[Prof. Port: "Deputy Headmistress of Beacon Academy; Glynda Goodwitch."
"Weapon; The Disciplinarian."
"Semblance; Telekinesis."]
To the shocked amazement of the onlookers, as amazing as hurling a bus into the Elder had been, the Alpha somehow was fighting back, pushing with all it's might, and actually clawing a few steps forwards.
Goodwitch frowned and pushed up her glasses. "...Miss Valkyrie, if you would be so kind?"
"With pleasure!" Came the energetic reply, as the Ginger haired girl took a break from playing whack-a-mole with the Grimm (and were now all summarily, broken), and shifted her hammer to it's grenade launcher configuration.
[Prof. Port: "One of my personal favourite students. Nora Valkyrie."
"Weapon; Magnihild. This beauty is both an explosive War-hammer, and a mecha-shifting grenade launcher."
"Semblance; High Voltage. By absorbing electricity, she can use it to make herself stronger and faster."]
She fired a trio of grenades, that trailed pink smoke as they sailed towards the bus. They struck close enough to the fuel tank to ignite it, and in an instant, the whole thing exploded.
…
"... I. Want. That. Hammer." Katsuki stated watching the bus go up in fire and smoke right in the big Grimm's face. He bit down on his lip then to prevent a wince, though those around him still noticed. They'd all ascertained he had broken ribs. Sero had offered some his tape to wrap around his torso to help, which he had begrudgingly accepted.
He continued to watch the newcomers, even as the other extras did what they could to treat his injuries. 'I don't know where these new extras came from, but they've been well trained... except maybe Dumb Knight, his balance is all wrong. And their support gear...' he clenched a fist, even as he sneered, '...first chance I get when we get back to UA, I'm getting that crazy girl with the pink dreadlocks to make me something like what they have!'
He picked up on one of the newcomers coming over, a boy in green qiapo, but with a pink stripe in his hair. "Is there anything I can do to help here?" Uraraka looked up from where she was comforting Gale.
"The Grimm seem to want to go after our group the most, why is that?" Pink-stripe had a stoic deadpan look that made Katsuki think of Icy-Hot, even as he knelt down and inspected the brat in Pink Cheeks arms.
"All Grimm are attracted to negative emotion, like anger and fear. Plus the Alpha probably knows that going after the wounded will further frighten and demoralise you."
"I'M NOT SCARED! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! HOW THE HELL ARE YOU GOING TO HELP, PINK-STRIPE?! WHAT Did you..." The new extra had moved over during Katsuki's tirade, and had rested a hand on his shoulder. Katsuki had almost shook him off, only to suddenly feel...calm. All the anxiety and emotions that had built up over the course of the fight felt dumbed down. He blinked as he stared at Pink-stripe noticing that a veneer of grey had covered both of their bodies, bleeding the colour from them and their clothes.
"Anger won't help right now. You should rest and prevent any further injuries." Katsuki, wasn't sure what this was, but he still felt in control so it wasn't some kind of brain washing. He simply quieted and looked away with a scowl.
Uraraka, All Might and the other extras, looked over, with wide-open mouths. "What... did you just do?"
[Prof. Port: "From Team JNPR; Lie Ren."
"Weapons; Stormflower. A pair of collapsible automatic pistols with bayonets."
"Semblance; Tranquillity. He can make himself, and anyone he is in contact with, invisible to the Grimm by masking their emotions and invoking a sense of calm."]
…
Blake was hunting Boarbatusks. The speedy Grimm were still a menace on the field, and needed to be cleared. As she leapt over one individual that charged her, using a shadow clone to escape, she managed to tag it with Gambol Shroud in it's kusarigama mode, and then with a sharp tug, pulled it up high into the air, the Grimm squealing in impotent rage. She landed, and yanked the ribbon attached to her weapon. As the Grimm fell, she tracked how it was falling. Seeing the opportunity she was looking for, she rushed underneath, slicing the underbelly with the sheath cleaver. As the Grimm hit the ground, Blake pulled her weapon back to her hand, and re-orientated herself.
'Two more' she thought as she saw the pair already charging at her, only for something she did not expect, to intervene. A black... shadow...crow-like monster grabbing one of the pigs, and started wrestling it. "What in the...?"
"Do not be concerned," She turned, following the voice, and as it happened, the body of the shadow creature to... a Faunus with a giant crow's head. Blake blinked. "Dark Shadow is an ally," the Faunus continued, and Blake then realised that the shadow creature was literally coming from the dark cloaked boy himself. "After coming to our aid, it is only right that we assist."
"We noticed that you went for the underbelly...!" Came a grunt from beside her, and Blake tuned to find that besides the 'Dark Shadow', was a tall masked man with multiple arms. Blake once again blinked as she tried to process what she was seeing. The man was using those arms to grapple the other Boarbatusk by grabbing it's tusks. "...We figured, we could make your job a little easier!"
"YEAH!, We'll hold them up," Dark shadow crowed "and you cut them down!"
"R-right! Thanks!" Blake refocused as she switched her weapon mode, to sword. 'I can ask about them later... if they're okay with that. Right now...' She nodded at the pair holding the Grimm, and with effort, they forced the creatures up onto their hind legs. In an instant she ran past and cut them both down, allowing her allies to break off.
…
Something with bright red hair crashed into an Ursa trying to gang up on Yang, as she wailed on one of it's kin. She delivered a final punch, then turned to look, seeing a boy, largely bare chested, but with torn sleeves barely holding together over his arms, repeatedly punch the Grimm while yelling. She raised an eyebrow; the kid was doing pretty well, and his body looked like it was hard as rock. After delivering a "RED...GUT-WRENCH!", he finally slew the beast. He turned to her, panting, but with a big smile, showing off rows of sharp teeth.
"I don't know who you, or your friends are," he said "but I do know, that leaping in to help us the way that you did was manly! Name's Kirishima," he punched his fists together, a brief spark flying as rock hard knuckles collided. "Let's go into battle together and finish these Grimm off!"
Yang grinned. She could already tell that she was going to get along with this kid. "You're rock solid huh?" She gave a little laugh "Well Kirishima, I'm Yang. Stay on my left and I'll stay on your right. Sound good?"
"You bet!"
…
It's kin were being wiped out. Young Hunters had arrived, and with that reinforcement, the tide was turning rapidly.
It could retreat, but it was still confident. They had hit it hard, but the bone armour held firm. It growled a command, for the others to withdraw.
The Elder would be enough…
…
Ruby frowned. The battle was going well, so well in fact, that the few Grimm left on the field were now turning tail to flee. But something didn't feel right…
"D-did anyone else hear that just now?" A nervous looking boy in green asked. Ruby looked over.
"Huh? Hear what?"
"I thought... it sounded like the sloth's...growl." He replied in halting Valean. Ruby wondered what he meant (as far she knew, sloth don't really make noise) only to remember the Alpha that they just threw a bus at, and then exploded.
"...Uh-oh…"
She turned to look at the flaming wreckage, to see it heave, the twisted, burnt metal screeching as giant bone claws tore their way through.
Somewhere on the other side of the clearing, she could make out Jaune crying out "Are you kidding me?! COME ON!?" It was an understandable reaction, as she gripped Crescent Rose tighter.
"Fall back!" The man she had come to know as Aizawa called out, with Professor Goodwitch now beside him, seemingly agreeing with his assessment of the situation. Most of her friends and the other people were doing as they were told, but Ruby noticed that the plain faced boy with freckles still stood by her side, staring, and mumbling.
"Hey!" She put a hand on his shoulder to break him out of it, "we've got to move. C'mon!"
"We need to break the armour!" His sudden intense statement, put her on the wrong foot for a moment, even as she was dimly aware of her sister calling out her name. "Kacchan made a mistake in using his gauntlet while the Grimm was encased in ice! He should've gone with a A.P Shot. And the bus being thrown at it didn't hit with enough force to put a crack in the armour around it's head." He looked at her in the eye, and Ruby noticed that he had green irises for the first time. "We need to weaken the armour! If we can soften it up somehow…"
"...Then it would be easier to break through and finish it off!" Ruby finished excitedly, understanding what he was thinking now. She could see it, playing out in her head…
"RUBY!" Yang's yell brought her back, and she saw her older sibling was accompanied by another of the green boy's companions, a boy with... sharp looking teeth, and spiky red hair. "Come on sis, we have to go now!"
"We have a plan." Ruby stated, even as she began moving to meet Yang, who turned around and ran alongside her. Yang raised an eyebrow and made a quizzical 'huh?' but Ruby looked towards the boy in green. "What's your name?"
"Me? I'm Izuku Midoriya."
"Well Izuku," Ruby didn't notice the momentary shock of hearing his given name cross the young man's face, "I'm Ruby, and I'm thinking we might be able to end this with a simultaneous strike from two sides. But we'll need to slow and pin the Alpha in place for it to work, and we'll need our strongest people." Izuku looked thoughtful, then turned his head to see the Alpha clear away the remains of the bus, looking directly at them.
"...Who is strongest in your group?" He asked turning back to look at Ruby, even as they reached their fellows. Ruby smiled and indicated with her head towards the blonde.
"If my big sister here has stored up enough damage, then it would be her. And on your side?" Izuku looked thoughtful, but then his eyes settled on the group of injured, being aided by Ren.
"...Arguably me, but there's a problem with that." He looked back at the two girls who had saved him and his classmates. "My power at 100% would be enough on it's own, but my body can't handle that level of power yet. I'll break myself." Ruby felt her eyebrows go up at that, and Yang whistled.
"Damn Greenie…"
"I think I can manage 25%... briefly for one attack. If the armour has been softened up, that should be enough, so long whoever hits from the other side is hitting with equal or greater strength. If I get enough momentum too, that should help, which means... I'll need assistance from my classmates."
"Midoriya!" Ruby and the others jumped as they heard Aizawa speak, now hovering over them Goodwitch beside him. "Are you planning something reckless again?"
"We have an idea, sir." Ruby bravely stood up to the intimidating caretaker. "But it's going to need all of us, working together." Aizawa grimaced.
"While you talk, I'm going to stall and stock up." Yang said whilst reloading (tossing the red shells up before slapping them in place on each gauntlet). Seeing the Alpha stride their way, she called out, "Blake, Pyrrha, Jaune! Help me buy some time!"
"Wait up!" Kirishima called as Yang ran ahead, the others she'd named, running to support. Kirishima was about to run after her only for Aizawa's scarf to wrap around him and haul him back.
"Before I let any of my students participate in this, I want to know what you have in mind." Aizawa stated firmly looking at both Ruby and Izuku. Ruby smiled while Izuku had a determined expression.
"To start off," she said, "we'll need everyone to know what they're doing, so we'll be counting on you and Professor Goodwitch to co-ordinate. As to the plan itself, first we're going to need to pin it in place…"
…
"Watch the claws!" Jaune yelled out as he ducked a swipe from the Grimm's left paw, then quickly rolled away as the jaws snapped at where he had just been. "See if we can blind those eyes if you can!"
"Understood!" Pyrrha called out as she took a knee whilst aiming down the sights of Milo. Jaune was acting as a diversion of sorts, whilst Blake also nimbly evaded the surprisingly quick swipes of the Alpha. A few times she needed to use her Semblance to get clear, though her partner had her back. Yang would charge in if there was a gap and start punching, Ember Celica shooting off with every swing. Pyrrha took a breath and waited for an opportunity.
One presented itself, and with a sharp crack of her rifle, one of the Alpha's left eyes was, at least temporarily, blind. Her next shot however missed, ricocheting off the bone armour above the other eye.
The Grimm was now very angry. And in a single bound it pounced on Yang, knocking Jaune away and ignoring Blake. The creature slammed it's right forelimb down on top of Yang, imprinting her into the earth, once, twice, three times!
"YANG!" Blake yelled using her pistol to fire rounds at the right side of the Grimm's face to dissuade it. But it wasn't done yet. It lunged and seized Yang in it's jaws, biting down hard. Yang's aura flashed visible across her body, before the Grim shook her like a rag doll, and finally tossed her away, back to the people they'd come to rescue.
…
"You want to do what, Deku?!" Bakugo shouted, the others around him looking like they actually agreed with his outburst. All Might put up his left hand and waved it back and forth in disagreement.
"Young Midoriya, that's far too dangerous! And with Young Bakugo's injuries...!"
"We can't pull this off without his help!" Midoriya stated, on one knee before his childhood 'friend'. "Without everyone's help, this won't work. We have a chance. So please, Kacchan, Uraraka, Tsu, lend me your strength!" Uraraka nodded, determined at least to do what she could to minimise the chance of injury with this scheme. Asui still looked a little unsure, as did All Might.
Bakugo looked at Deku, scowling for a few seconds before spitting off to the side, and then looking back with a pained, but savage grin. "It's a dumb idea. But it's a dumb idea I can get behind. Let's murder this Grimm and go home!"
…
Jaune noticed something shinning, reflecting light from underneath the Alpha's bulk as it reared up to roar intimidatingly. 'Are those...?' His eyes went wide, and an idea struck him.
"Pyrrha!" His partner looked his way, as Jaune pointed at the beast. "Go under! We'll cover you!" Pyrrha, wasn't entirely sure what Jaune had in mind, but she trusted his judgement. While Jaune Arc lacked in combat prowess, he made up for in quick thinking and strategy.
Blake didn't know what Jaune was trying for but nodded agreement. Pyrrha had proven time and again her combat skills. If he thought she could do some damage in some way, then she would trust them.
…
"You're putting a lot of trust in people we don't really know here, Ruby." Weiss said as she helped a stunned, dizzy, but thankfully, still conscious Yang to her feet.
Ruby nodded, not arguing the point, but resolved to see things through. "They've held up this long, I think it's worth trying. Everyone will need to be ready, and Blake and the others will need to get clear pretty quickly."
"Leave that to me." Iida proclaimed striding forward, "when it comes to speed based rescues, I'm the most suited for the mission." Weiss gave him a sceptical look, but Ruby was happy that he was on-board.
"Great!" Ruby cheered, "you'll work with me in getting the others clear, Weiss will help Yang get ready for the final phase…"
"And as for the rest," Yaoyorozu strode forth, surrounded by her classmates, Todoroki at her right hand side.
"...you can count on us," He finished her sentence, already making ice in his right hand.
…
Great furrows of earth were torn up as the Alpha tried to get to grips with Blake, but she simply used Shroud's ribbon to help swing up and over. Jaune meanwhile, daringly, rushed forward and put as much strength as he had in holding back one paw, leaving an opening for his partner. "GO! NOW!" Pyrrha sprinted hard, then set her shield underneath her as she slid past and under, just as Jaune was overcome and thrown away.
In the few seconds she was there, Pyrrha realised what Jaune had seen, and what he wanted from her. Broken blades poked out from the hide, tokens of battles from long ago, from Huntsmen who had failed to bring this beast down. She didn't need Milo for this. Reaching out a hand, she tapped four or so blades, before sliding past and behind the Alpha. Then with a moment of concentration, she activated her Semblance.
Black aura, almost imperceptible, gathered around the metal she had touched, and suddenly they vanished, sank deeper into the Grimm's flesh than their previous owners had been able to do in life. The Alpha howled in unexpected pain, and was temporarily stunned.
Jaune smiled, knowing the Pyrrha had pulled off what he wanted her to. He picked himself up and called back to the friendly lines. "NORA, WE NEED HEAVY FIREPOWER!"
"YOU GOT IT!" Nora shouted back with mad glee, already aiming her grenade launcher when a voice interrupted her.
"Stop. Save your ammo." Nora pouted, annoyed at the shaggy haired stranger, until she saw what one of the teens in his group was doing. The man smiled with pride. "If it's firepower you want... then our one and only Yaoyorozu has you covered."
Yaoyorozu was gasping, but she also bore a proud smile, as she dropped a massive cannon from her body. Ruby Rose and the other Beacon residents stared open mouthed.
"I wouldn't normally approve of a plan like this, for a number of reasons, but right now this is our best shot." Aizawa told everyone in listening distance, never taking his eyes off the Grimm. "Iida. Rose. Get those three clear. Aoyama, be ready to fire at the same time as Yaoyorozu."
"Hang on... how on Remnant did they just...?" Blake was once again struggling to understand what had just happened, when a silver blue blur grabbed her, and then Pyrrha was next to her, each slung over a shoulder of a man in armour as the world whizzed by.
"Apologies for the rough handling, but it is time to clear the area!"
"I'm sorry... what?" Jaune expressed as Blake vanished before his eyes, only for a familiar blur of rose petals to collide with him, and whisk him off his feet.
"Sorry Jaune, but you're in the way right now!"
Aizawa waited until it was just the Grimm in sight, his right hand up, before bringing it down. A thunder crack pulsed through the area, as the cannon fired, everyone moving a safe distance away, and covering their ears as best they could. At the same time as the cannon firing, Yuga Aoyama, hands over his ears, and mouth open, screamed as he fired off the most powerful blast he could muster, even as his stomach and guts rebelled from the pressure being repeated put on them.
The Megatherium was struck hard in the face, and staggered. When the dust cleared, there was a noticeable crack in the skull. Yaoyorozu and Aoyama couldn't do much celebrate this accomplishment, as she was exhausted from using so much of her body's lipids, and Aoyama was curled up into a ball, as his guts screamed in silent agony.
"Way to go Yaoyorozu! Nice Job Aoyama!" Kaminari called out as he readied himself to go in, electricity crackling in his palm. Suddenly a finger-less glove grabbed his hand, with a strong grip. "Huh?" He turned his head to see a smirking Nora Valkyrie in his face.
"Sooo... your Semblance makes electricity, eh?" She asked with a saccharine voice, before squeezing his hand. "Shock me!"
"OW! What are you...?"
"NO TIME! NOW SHOCK ME!" She yelled, and in a panic, terrified of the very strong ginger girl, Kaminari generated over 2 million volts and sent it right into her. She jolted for a moment, before settling, and then released him. "Thanks Battery-Boy!" She slapped him on the back, hard enough to knock him onto his face, before taking up her weapon, shifting it into Hammer form, and charging forward at a speed that Iida would've been impressed by.
"NORA VALKYRIE!" She yelled as she went up to the Grimm's left flank, and swung her hammer with all of her might. There was a crack of bone breaking, and the Grimm roared in pain and stunned confusion, sinking down as the left hind leg could no longer support it.
Meanwhile both Iida and Ruby had returned with very surprised and confused team-mates. "Everything is so far going as you planned," Iida commented, Ruby nodded.
"Now we have to lock down it's forelegs. GO GET 'EM YOU GUYS!" She shouted the last part.
"Commence attack! Class 1-A, immobilise this foul beast!" Iida added, his right arm chopping rapidly, even as his friends started racing forward, supported by Ren, now with his pistols out, and laying down covering fire as a distraction.
…
"What are they all doing Buff-Buff?" Yagi somehow managed not to cough up blood in surprise at the nickname. He was left looking after both Gale and Koda, though both had calmed down significantly since help had arrived. He looked at the young, dog eared girl, sitting by his left side who was watching the battle in awe. He patted her shoulder reassuringly.
"Everything they can, Young Gale." He looked back up at future greatest heroes as they worked together. "Everything they can to save us all. Because that's what heroes do."
…
"Warp Refraction! Say Cheese!" Hagakure further blinded the Sloth with her special move, before moving away and clear. Allowing everybody else to seize the opportunity presented.
"G-g-gRAPE RUSH!" Mineta threw as many sticky balls out as he could even as his scalp bled. The purple orbs got caught on the palms and on the claws on both limbs. As soon as they touched ground, ice erupted over both limbs.
"Keep it pinned!" Todoroki called out, as his classmates rushed into do just that. Sero shot forth tape from his arms to wrap around each individual limb, making sure to leave some tape out for his friends to grab onto. Sato, having chomped down on some sugar cubes, yelled a wordless battle cry, even as his muscles bulged. He and Kirishima latched onto the tape wrapped around the right leg. Shoji and Ojiro took the left leg, assisted by Nora, still running high off Kaminari's charge.
Ashido and Jiro flanked Ren, who was still firing bursts at the creature's eyes. Jiro plugged her jacks into her amps and aimed them at the head. "Heartbeat Distortion!" She called out as she unleashed her sonic attack.
Ashido grinned while thrusting her hands forward, making a nozzle with her fingers. "Acid Geyser!" A stream of acid shot out directly into the Megatherium's face, with enough precision so as not to hit the tape or ice.
Ren couldn't help but look back and forth between them with confusion. "Is it really necessary to call out your attacks like that?"
"Yeah, duh!" Ashido responded. "That's why they're called ultimate moves!" Ren just looked even more perplexed.
…
Unnoticed by most, a tree fell. "Think this will be enough?" Izuku asked, lowering his arm after using Air force, as Uraraka stepped past him and touched the tree he'd brought down. A soft chime sounded and the trunk began to hover off the ground.
"That...will actually make my job a little easier." Glynda remarked as she considered her role in the strategy the young students had come up with. She glanced at Izuku, and then behind her where Bakugo allowed himself to be supported by Asui. "Timing is going to be everything."
"Then I'm not worried." Uraraka said, grabbing everyone's attention, "because I know Deku and Bakugo can pull this off. They don't know how to give up. Only to go beyond."
"Enough chatter..." Bakugo growled. "The others are almost ready, so let's do this!"
…
"This is going to be a modified version of 'Bumblebee'," Ruby stated as she and her team-mates got into position. "Izuku and 'Kacchan' will be attacking from the Alpha's right, and us the left. To maximise Yang's speed, I'll be assisting with the spin, while Weiss sets up the accelerators on the way to the Grimm itself.
"You alright with this Blake?" Yang questioned as she did some quick stretches in preparation. Blake gave her a small smile.
"I should be asking you that. You took a beating back there." Yang grinned and put a hand on Blake's shoulder.
"That was kind of the plan. My semblance allows me to take damage I've absorbed through my Aura, and turn that into power."
"Still pretty risky, if you ask me." Weiss spoke up, her voice only slightly betraying how nervous she was. "But, I do agree, this might be our best shot." Ruby looked up, and past Weiss at that moment.
"I see Miss Goodwitch," she said. "It's time; lets do this team!"
…
Aizawa saw 'Professor Goodwitch' approach whilst dragging a tree behind her, the trunk hovering in the air. It was time. He raised his left hand, and two groups, one Hero students, one Huntresses in training, began to spin.
Izuku's group, had Bakugo and himself floated into the air by Uraraka. Asui was nearby, ready to catch one, or both, when Uraraka released her Quirk's effects. Bakugo held onto Izuku's arm, and gritted through the pain in his ribs, as he used his other hand to make explosions to spin them.
On the other side, Blake tossed Yang her pistol, and then, with Ruby's assistance, Yang used her gauntlets to build up speed as they ran. With Ruby pushing behind her, a trail of rose petals began to encircle Blake. While they did that, Weiss, kept her eyes forward to where the path would need to be laid with her glyphs.
Both groups created whirling blurs of colour; one flashing amber and lightning green, and the other, bright golden yellow along with rich red.
Goodwitch caught Aizawa's eye and nodded. With a controlled flick, she used her crop to direct the floating tree above embattled Grimm. "On the count of five..." Aizawa said, and dropped one of the fingers on his raised hand. "...Four…"
"Here...it comes... you damn nerd! Make it count... X-CATAPULT!"
"...Three…"
"Get ready Yang... WHITE ROSE BUMBLEBEE!"
"...Two…"
'One for All... 25%! Manchester...!'
"...One…"
'...I...Burn!'
"...RELEASE!" Goodwitch called out. As she did, Bakugo released his hold on Izuku, hurling him directly at the head of the Alpha, green lightning sparking across Midoriya's body as he flew feet first. On the other side, Ruby released her hold on Yang, her hair now aglow, as she released her hold on Blake's pistol. Weiss had the accelerators down ready and the second her foot touched one, she was a golden blur. Her hair looked like it was a golden flame, leaving a light trail to mark her passage.
Uraraka released her quirk, and Goodwitch released her telekinesis, dropping the tree right on top of the Megatherium's neck, and forcing it's head down, while Asui used her tongue to securely grab Bakugo before he fell.
In it's last moment, the Elder Grimm looked through what eyes still worked, and saw a green lightning bolt foot on one side, and a golden blazing fist on the other.
"...SMASH!" The two fighters, hit the weakened skull at the same time, and such was the force of their combined strike, the head exploded. The main body broke away from it's trapped arms, a pressure wave of air knocked everybody within 20ft off their feet.
And Izuku Midoriya, and Yang Xiao Long went flying. As they did, the power that surrounded their bodies flickered, and in Xiao Long's case, shattered with sound of breaking glass, and then faded completely.
Thankfully, they had people on hand to catch them. "Ribbit!" Asui once again shot out her tongue and caught Izuku before he touched the ground. "Gwt yu, Midwriya!"
"Woah!," Izuku breathed out sigh of relief, as he looked back. "Thanks As... I mean Tsu!"
Yang meanwhile, was caught by hands not known to her. Hands that were big and dark, like shadow mist. "Don't worry Blondie, Fumi and I got you covered." Yang wondered if the last hit had messed with her head, as she stared at the shadowy crow that now held her bridal style.
"Uh...thanks, I guess... whoever you are." She chuckled nervously. A voice from below called up, and stole her attention.
"Mr Aizawa had me hold back with Dark Shadow just in case. It turned out most wise, in the end." Yang blinked.
"...Would you be... Fumi, by any chance?"
"Indeed. Fumikage Tokoyami." The bird headed student bowed as Dark Shadow put Yang on her feet. Yang didn't get a chance to say anything more, as at that moment she was tackled to the floor by her sister, demanding to know if she was all right. Tokoyami couldn't help a small smile of amusement at that display.
All the students, took that moment to cheer tiredly or just collapse. They may not know where they were, or how they got here, but they had survived, and that was something to enjoy.
Aizawa watched his charges with a mixture of pride and concern, until he noticed a sudden change in the wind. He turned and looked up as he heard what could only be aircraft jet turbines. Goodwitch turned and looked up into the sky as well.
"Better late then never I suppose." She simply said, staring at the now landing pair of Bullheads and a Vale Airship. She recognised her colleague in one of them, preparing to leap out. Peter Port held the hatch open, showing behind him the presence of Team CRDL.
[Prof. Oz: "Peter Port, Professor and Professional Huntsman. Teacher at Beacon Academy, specialising in Grimm Studies, and Military Strategy."
"Team CRDL. Like RWBY & JNPR, they are a group of 1st year students from Beacon. Their members are; Cardin Winchester, Russel Thrush, Sky Lark, and Dove Bronzewing."]
Port jumped down, followed by the boys, and he jogged over. "Ho there Glynda! It seems we missed quite the epic battle!" Goodwitch simply nodded, very patient with her fellow colleague.
"There's still some Grimm that escaped. Perhaps if you and team CRDL are fast enough you can pick off the stragglers." Cardin Winchester and his team, groaned quietly. They really didn't want to be chasing Grimm through the woods with Port.
"Well then," Port said stroking his finely combed moustache "there's no time to waste then! Come on lads! The hunt is on!" Another groan from the group, but they still reluctantly followed Port as he made his way towards the other side of the clearing.
As they passed the students of Class 1-A, Cardin couldn't help a sneer. "Where the hell did these freaks come from?" He spoke quietly, sure only his team mates heard him, but both Shoji and Jiro heard, and they shot the departing team hard looks.
"Who was that jerk?" Jiro asked Jaune who was doing what he could to check on them all, along with the rest of his fellow Huntsmen/Huntresses. Jaune looked in the direction of the disappearing Cardin. He frowned and shook his head.
"That... was Cardin Winchester. And, yeah... he's a jerk." He looked Jiro in the eye. "Right before Ruby spotted your flare, I'd just... settled an ongoing issue between me, my team and Cardin. Saved him from an Ursa, actually. While I hope he'll actually back off me and my team, I guess it was a little too much to hope he'd change completely." Jiro grimaced. From what Jaune was describing, it sounded like Cardin and his team were a bunch of bullies.
"Anyway, is your friend over there okay?" Jaune pointed behind the rocker, and Jiro followed it to…
"Pfffft! Ha hahaha Ha HA!" She couldn't help it. She clamped a hand over her mouth, but she couldn't stop laughing at the sight of Denki Kaminari, rolling on the ground, giving two thumbs up, whilst chortling like an idiot. Nora was looking over him with a completely bewildered (and possibly guilty) expression, while Ren patted her on the shoulder. Jaune meanwhile had his eyebrows raised, and just felt more confused.
Goodwitch meanwhile was directing men from the second Bullhead in providing stretchers for those injured and exhausted. After sending them off to look at the most seriously injured, she turned to Aizawa, and was surprised to see him staring up still.
"What is it?" She asked. Aizawa slowly looked down, removing his goggles, and Goodwitch felt a chill go through her from the look in his eye; He looked like he'd seen a ghost.
"Where...are we exactly?" Goodwitch raised an eyebrow at that.
"...You're in the Forever Fall Forest, in the Kingdom of Vale."
"...We're not on Earth... are we?"
"I'm not sure what you mean..." Aizawa pointed up, and Goodwitch looked. Though the day hadn't yet turned to evening, the moon was clear in the sky. As well as it's broken shards.
"Back home," Aizawa said lowly, keeping the conversation between the two of them, "our moon isn't broken." Her eyes widened, and she found herself unable to say anything as she turned back to face the man. "The girls, Ruby Rose and... Yang? They'd never heard of our home country, Japan. We've never heard of Grimm before, but you all treat them as if they're common." He took a deep breath.
"I don't... want to really consider this, but at this point I'd be a fool not to. ...We're in another reality." Glynda, wanted to refute that, because that just was unrealistic, impossible really! But she didn't. She already knew that there were other impossible things, that were true.
Two voices stole her attention, and she turned to find Belladonna and Schnee running up to her, their faces revealing panic.
"Miss Schnee? Miss Belladonna,... What...?"
"Professor," Weiss spoke first. "None of these people have Aura!"
"And we don't mean, that their Aura broke after or during the fight," Blake clarified as her Professor gaped. "They... they've never had it. Never even heard of it, or Semblances." Glynda Goodwitch felt like the world she thought she knew, was falling out beneath her feet.
Beacon Academy – 25mins later
In an office, that sat at the highest tower at Beacon, a man stared out the window, his gaze taking in the sprawling City of Vale, and the distant horizon. His left hand rested on an extendible walking cane, and his right, held a white mug with the Beacon coat of arms stamped on it; two axes crossed. He took a sip of the hot liquid inside, just as a chime sounded from his desk.
He had an incoming call. He turned, a look of curiosity in his eye as he moved to sit down and answered the call, setting down the mug, and adjusting the spectacles on his face. Glynda Goodwitch's face appeared on his screen, the background noise behind her suggesting she was riding on a Bullhead.
The Deputy Headmistress looked troubled, which made the man frown. "Glynda? I take it you found the source of the flare you mentioned in your request for support?"
"We did, Ozpin... and..." Glynda looked away a moment as she collected her thoughts. Ozpin hadn't seen her this rattled in a very long time. "...we have a unique situation on our hands. Right now, we're transporting 23 individuals to Vale General Hospital, along with teams RWBY, JNPR, and CRDL. Some have pretty serious injuries including broken bones, bite wounds and lacerations."
"Grimm." It wasn't a question, but Glynda nodded in affirmation. "Are the students all right?"
"No injuries amongst the students, though they are exhausted." She fixed her gaze on him, looking into his eyes, through the scroll's video feed. "However... of the individuals we picked up, one is a Faunus girl, and a survivor of her village. From what she has told us, the Grimm have overrun her home. The nearest village, that I know of would be Oakwood."
"I'll contact the Council," Ozpin sighed, saddened at the idea of yet another settlement outside of the city, lost to the Creatures of Grimm. "We'll get a team together to investigate immediately. Maybe we can get a lead on the Grimm that did it."
"We may have already taken care of that." He cocked an eyebrow. "The girl ran into the other individuals we are carrying. They were lost in the woods, and their transportation... damaged. They ended up facing a horde of Grimm, well over a hundred strong." Ozpin stood up suddenly at that statement.
"Over a hundred you say?" Grimm migrations weren't unheard of, but with the regular sweeps, professional Huntsmen made outside the city limits, this was an unnerving surprise. Glynda nodded, and then continued with her report.
"They were led by an Alpha... an Elder Grimm I haven't seen before. Some of the strangers are calling it a... Megatherium? It resembled an ancient giant sloth…"
"A Mega-Carrion." Ozpin's frown could not truly convey the concern he had at that news. "They haven't been seen, in any kingdom, for over 200 years last I knew."
"This one had certainly lived through some battles, if I had to guess based on the broken blades we recovered after it's body dissipated."
"You defeated it then?"
"WE did, though it took a lot out of us" She looked down and shook her head. "However a few Grimm managed to get away, despite Peter and team CRDL's best efforts." Ozpin quickly sorted through what she had already said, and what she hadn't.
"You said 'we'. Am I to understand that these strangers aided you and the students in bringing it down. You haven't really told me who they are…"
Glynda Goodwitch took a deep breath, and then moved her scroll so that the camera would show the interior of the Bullhead. Ozpin saw some of the strangers. His eyes widened, and his mouth opened slightly, involuntarily. 'Those features... I've never seen or heard of any Faunus with such extensive... mutations…'
"They're... students from, what they call... a 'Hero Academy'. They have two teachers with them, and one, believes that they have somehow been transported from their world, to ours." The screen turned back to Glynda. "We have confirmed, they have no Aura or Semblances. They had never heard of them, or Grimm before. But they have powers…"
"Say no more Glynda." Ozpin stated standing straight, and grabbing his cane. "I'll meet you at the hospital. Do what you can to aid them, I'll be there shortly." Glynda gave a short nod, before ending the call. Ozpin, started striding toward the elevator, him mind already a whirl with questions.
Glynda thought he might have answers, he mused. Understandable, after all the years they've worked together. But she was wrong, for he had none this time. He hoped his ignorance on this matter would not lead to some disaster.
Vale General Hospital – 45mins later
Class 1-A and their teaches were given their own ward. Some patients had to be moved out and relocated, but the staff agreed with the Deputy Headmistress; The strangers would need extra level of privacy, as well as quarantined, just to be on the safe side.
Team's RWBY, JNPR and CRDL were all given a check up as well, while Goodwitch talked with the doctors. As for Gale, the young Faunus was moved to a separate ward, the young girl exhausted by the days events, amongst everything else she had lived through.
Tsuyu Asui and Ochaco Uraraka made sure that she still had a her doll and drawing, before she was taken away.
[Izuku: "We had been warped, by means and persons unknown to another world. A world much like our own, and yet, so different."]
A doctor called for a colleague to assist, as he tried to do a check up on Hagakure. His colleague, being a snake Faunus, was able to see the girl better with their infra-red sensing.
Meanwhile Aizawa was providing as much information on what 'Quirks' were, as nearby several medical staff examined All Might, and having removed his exercise top, were very shocked by what they saw there.
…
Night had fallen over a ruined city, but Grimm still lurked. A Beowolf sniffed the air, as a small Nevermore perched on the roof of a skyscraper.
[Izuku: "We were attacked by soulless monsters, who seem to exist for no reason but to hunt and kill people. Known to all, as the Creatures of Grimm."]
…
A man in a white coat, and with a fancy bowler hat, consulted a map he had put up on the wall above a desk. He turned away and began to light a cigar, even as he looked up at his 'Business partner' who casually played with a flame in the palm of their hand.
[Izuku: "This world had it's own villains as well, that we had yet to meet, waiting in the shadows for their moment to strike."]
…
Ozpin strode through the doors of the wing where Goodwitch and his students waited. All looking up to him and standing straighter.
[Izuku: "Thankfully, we were saved by this world's version of Heroes-in-training."]
Ozpin asked questions, and the members of teams RWBY and JNPR answered as best they could. Many of them wore their feelings on their sleeves; confused and unsure of what to expect anymore.
[Izuku: "Teams RWBY... and JNPR... Huntresses and Huntsmen 1st years. These eight, and others, would become our class's friends and allies during our stay."]
…
Izuku Midoriya was laid out on a hospital bed, his right leg raised and supported off the bed. With him being in a hospital gown, his bare leg showed a bruise that ran from his foot to his thigh. His friends, Uraraka, Asui, Iida, and Todoroki all stood or sat nearby, talking with him.
…
Bakugo was unconscious, and had an oxygen mask on, as doctors went over his injuries in surgery.
…
Yaoyorozu ate plate after plate of what food the hospital staff could give her, three finished and stacked already beside her bedside table.
…
Ashido and Jiro looked up out a window, along with Sero, Kaminari, and Mineta. All of them looked at the, now, night sky, and what was now clearly revealed for them all to see. And what they saw shocked and terrified them.
[Izuku: "That is how we started, on the world called Remnant. A world without Quirks. A world of bloody evolution…"]
There for everyone to see, was the shattered moon, shining brightly on the night time scene of Vale.
[Izuku: "A world that turned... beneath a broken moon."]
[Cue Outro]
1st Outro for Season 1 – Part 1: Gale
Inspired by MHA's Season 4's first ending (Kokai no Uta by Sayuri) the next few Outros will depict a little of the lives, and 'darkness' of principal characters from the world of Remnant. Starting with the newest character... Gale.
[Scenes of Gale as a baby, and as she gets older, we see her drawing the very crayon scribble she later shows off.]
[Her Mother and Father, do not have their faces shown, though it is obvious that her Father had similar Faunus traits to Gail, and that she inherited her Mother's hair.]
[Quick shots of Gale being carried by her Mother as she flees, from her burning village.]
[Quick flash of a Beowolf, then replaced by the Mega-Carrion, staring menacingly.]
[Gale runs, surrounded by darkness, until she comes across a pair of outstretched hands. The hands belong to Izuku Midoriya and Ruby Rose. The darkness recedes, replaced by a blue sky over a peaceful green field. Behind Midoriya and Rose is everyone from Class 1-A, Aizawa, All-Might, JNPR, and the rest of team RWBY.]
[Gale, hesitates a moment before taking their hands, and then walking forward to her new friends/family.]
Next Time on Paragons of Virtue and Glory:
[All Might (Hero voice): The next episode preview... IS HERE!]
[Ozpin: In the next episode, both students and teachers have to make some decisions about how they want to go from here, now that Class 1-A is on Remnant, with seemingly no way back.]
[All Might (Hero voice): Fear not students! Help is at hand, and your teachers will be with you every step of the way!]
[Ozpin: Since you're all going to be staying for a while, it makes sense we take out some insurance for your protection.]
[All Might (Normal voice): (Coughs hard for a second) ...Which means we'll be learning more about the source of our new friends unique powers.]
[Ozpin: Next Time; "Aura for All"... Hang on... what's this...inside Midoriya's soul is...?!]
[All Might (Normal Voice): Um...eh... GO BEYOND! PLUS ULTRA!]
NOTES:
Paragons, is a story I've had in my head for well over a year.
I have spent countless hours, researching, mapping out the rough plot. Going back and forth on ideas. Many have been discarded, but one thing I always held onto, was this beginning; Class1-A finds itself in Remnant, holds off a Grimm horde long enough for Teams RWBY and JNPR to arrive, and then both groups work together to slay the "Boss Grimm". At times I went and put on the RWBY Volume 1 soundtrack by Jeff Williams, or played "You Say Run" by Yuki Hayashi, to help me get the energy to write. I hope that, now this chapter has been written, you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it.
There is a plan. For the overall story, and it's cast. Some things may get changed as MHA continues towards it's end, and as RWBY Volume 9 plays out. This first Season, will encompass 30 chapters for the main story (and if people like this enough, I may include some bonus deleted scenes, and some Paragon Chibi shorts).
Any questions? Please feel free to leave a review. As always, constructive criticism is welcome, if it helps me be a better writer. Please, no suggestions for partnerships, or what should happen in the main story.
Till next time!
EDIT: This chapter has been edited since release to correct mistakes missed previously, to better improve the story, and reading experience - (Last edit 30th July 2023)