Hello everyone, and thank you for taking the time to read this story!
I decided to write a RWBY x Genshin Crossover story since I'm obsessed with Genshin's lore, and also because there aren't a lot of other crossover stories despite some really good ones out there. So why not write my own?
As a heads-up, the story as of this chapter may contain spoilers up to Version 3.6 of the game, so be careful! Also, since Genshin's lore is so ambiguous and more details are likely to appear later down the line as more patches arrive, I hope you'll forgive me if some things might contradict with whatever lore is added later on. If there is anything I'm not particularly sure on lore-wise, or if I'm adding my own personal headcanon, then I'll let you know.
As always, I'm still a fairly new writer so feel free to let me know if there's anything I should improve on!
"Your homeland has already been destroyed, the city walls collapsed in their multitudes and turned to dust and sand. You were originally supposed to own the world. You, who embraces Heaven and Earth. But oh, last descendant of that perished world, please do not lament the time that has passed away…
For as long as the virtuousness and kindness you possess does not change, even in a new world there will always be the best companions to walk with you. From what you are facing, to the future that is now, everything is your world, and all will be your Heaven and Earth.
Welcome, to the world."
-K.K.
A lone star shone brightly in the darkness of space, suddenly brought forth into existence as the fabric of reality tore apart around it.
It sailed across the abyssal cosmos, leaving behind only a long trail of light in its wake. Passing by countless galaxies, nebulae, stars, and nascent planets, it followed no set path, no trail, and paid no mind to their existence.
Until it suddenly changed direction, and began sailing towards the small arm of a small, spiral-shaped galaxy. Flying through clouds of ice and dust, it blazed a brilliant trail of light behind it, and it soon found itself within a local solar system inhabited by various planets of all shapes and sizes. From massive gas giants harboring planet-sized storms, to rocky worlds with dozens of rings surrounding it, the star sailed past them all, and as its speed began to slow, it found a target to follow.
A small, rocky planet orbiting lazily around a yellow star. A tiny blue dot hidden in the vacuum of space, with no company save for the shattered remnants of its orbiting moon.
The star honed in on the planet teeming with life. As it moved closer, it shone with a brightness that began to eclipse that of even the yellow Sun.
And deep within this falling star, a small figure began to wake from its slumber….
In a military base on the floating city of Atlas, Bill found himself humming a pleasant tune as he walked to his station across the hall, with a steaming mug of hot chocolate in his hand.
Today was going to be great, he thought, with a smile adorning his face. He got a great night's sleep last night after days of working overtime, woke up with enough time to get his favorite drink and snack, and to top it all off, he was also 10 minutes early to his shift! Finally, he'd no longer be the butt of everyone's jokes, and he'd no longer get chewed out by his commander!
Maybe this is the day! Maybe things would finally start to turn around for him!
His excitement died a second later, as he tripped on one of his loose shoelaces, stumbling and sending his hot chocolate soaring through the air. He fell flat on his face right as he entered the command deck, and his cup of chocolate landed right on several sensitive computers. And on an unfortunate coworker.
"Oh, for Brothers' sake, Bill! Read the sign! Read. The. Sign!" an extremely irate man said, pointing straight at a poster plastered on the wall, showing a Grimm shark eating food floating on the sea. A poster that was erected specifically after he brought food and spilled it for the 3rd time in a row.
Right on cue, his commander's voice echoed across the room, drawing all attention onto him. Damn it, why did his commander have to sit right next to where his chocolate spilled!?
"Why don't you just ever pay attention!? You're in here late all the time, your coworkers are always cleaning up after you, and for once in your damn life can you please just follow directions? Just look! You're fucking drink just short-circuited all the computers in this area! Do yourself a favor and cover for Mike while he cleans himself up!"
Brothers, why!? Why did today have to turn out like this!? All he could do was just stare at the floor in shame while Mike ran straight to the restroom. He could feel everyone's eyes fall on him, and as he made his way to Mike's station, he noticed several other staff members quietly chew him out or roll their eyes.
He came to work 10 minutes early, and already he wanted to go home.
Shaking his head at his absolute misfortune, he grabbed a nearby towel and cleaned up as much chocolate off the keyboard and monitor as he could. But when he finally finished removing the chocolate stains, he noticed an odd signal showing up on the monitor.
The station he was deployed at was primarily responsible for aerial defense, with several radar monitors dotting the area and continuously monitoring for any large aerial raids by Grimm. There are a few raids that occur each month, and all it usually took was some well-aimed anti-air fire or a sortie of Bullheads to take care of them.
But on the radar monitor in front of him, a small but noticeably growing dot was present. Each dot typically represented an unknown object coursing through the sky, and whatever was showing up on the radar was traveling incredibly fast. Fast enough to far surpass the speeds of any of Atlas's best aircraft.
"Uh, commander? I'm picking up something on the radar that I think you might want to take a look at." Bill said, eyes never leaving the monitor.
"What on Remnant is it now, Bill? I swear, I have half a mind to discharge you from the military for all your stupid shenanigans this month alone…." Whatever the commander meant to say died in his throat as he moved towards Bill's station, only to freeze at the lone blip appearing on the radar.
"What the hell is it?"
"I-I don't know sir! Whatever it is, it's traveling fast! Best guess is it'll leave Atlas airspace in a few minutes, and soon it'll soar right past us!"
"Pull up all of the cameras! I want to know what it is, stat!" the commander said, barking out orders to one of the crew members. A few clicks later, the large monitor at the front of the room came to life, and what was shown made many drop their jaws to the floor.
A large, glowing white object flew across the sky, moving at speeds that would put their best aircraft to shame. It zoomed over Atlas, leaving a trail of light and fire behind it, and in no time, it flew over their base.
A loud boom echoed across the sky, able to be heard even from within the room itself, startling several of the crew members at the sheer intensity of the sound emitted.
"Where is it heading!?"
"Uh, radar estimates it's heading to Vale! ETA of impact, 5 minutes!"
"FIVE!? Shit, someone contact General Ironwood!"
While the object didn't look too large, anything traveling at those speeds would cause a massive amount of damage if it impacted, and Brothers forbid it lands in a populated area. At least he could say he was somewhat thankful that it wasn't a Grimm, but the possibility of an asteroid impact never once crossed his mind when he was first stationed and trained at this facility. Asteroid collisions almost never happen on Remnant, and the things that did fall from the sky usually came from the Moon, not from space itself.
The monitor flared to life once again, as the image of the incoming object was replaced by a video call with Atlas's top military figure staring at him in confusion.
"Commander? What seems to be the problem? You're calling on a secure channel."
"We've detected an unidentified object heading towards Vale, General Ironwood, sir! Estimated time of impact is 5 minutes!"
Ironwood's face morphed into a worried frown. "Is it Grimm?"
"Negative, sir!"
"Can it be shot down?"
"Also negative! Radar estimates that the object is flying at more than 30,000 miles per hour! We have nothing in our arsenal that can shoot it down in time!"
"Where is it heading?"
"The computer is calculating possible sites of impact!"
Various computers were performing the necessary calculations, and in a few seconds, several dots appeared on a screen showcasing a map of Vale. As the calculations continued these dots started to disappear, and finally a singular red dot was identified.
"Sir! We've identified the site of impact: Emerald Forest!"
'Emerald Forest? If I remember correctly, today is…,' Ironwood's eyes widened. Pulling out his Scroll, he prayed that he would be able to reach a certain Headmaster in time.
"Sir! We've got bad news!" Another transmission came from the screen.
"What is it now!?"
"There's another one! Following behind at similar speed, and it's also heading to Emerald Forest!"
Jaune's day had officially gone from bad to overwhelmingly awful.
His arrival at Beacon was too embarrassing to even recall without turning red in the face. He expected to arrive at Beacon Academy with his head held high and with confidence smeared all over his face, just like his Dad recommended. Instead, he spent the majority of the time closing his eyes and rocking back and forth on his seat in the Bullhead while holding onto his stomach. He barely made it to the bathroom before he started puking his guts out for the remainder of the trip, soiling the boots of an attractive blonde who looked ready to murder him. His nausea didn't stop even when he landed, and he could feel the uncomfortable and pitiful gazes of the other students as they saw him empty his stomach into the nearest trash can.
At least he managed to make a new friend in the form of a young girl named Ruby Rose, but that small victory was marred by the christening of his new name: Vomit Boy. A name that was quickly taken up by Ruby's sister, conveniently the same girl whose shoes he ruined, and in no time at all it spread throughout the student body like wildfire. He then had to strut about the hall in his embarrassing onesie pajamas after he discovered that his sisters had pranked him at the last moment by replacing the rest of his pajamas with that abomination. It didn't matter that he ate nearly a hundred boxes worth of Pumpkin Pete's cereal to get it, no girl would ever dare to go out with a guy who wore something that childish!
And today? He became hopelessly attracted to Weiss Schnee, the cold and distant heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, and none of the tactics his father recommended worked at thawing her frozen heart. He then met Pyrrha Nikos, and thoroughly embarrassed himself in front of her by only recognizing her from the cereal cover. She was drop-dead gorgeous, just as much if not more than Weiss, but she was so out of his league that the idea of even asking her out seemed impossible. The fact that she threw a spear at him to get him away from Weiss made the situation even more embarrassing.
And now he found himself scared shitless as he gazed out into the vast expanse of Emerald Forest. At his sides were the other incoming freshmen, all of whom were either incredibly excited or incredibly bored. Apparently, the idea of being launched head-first into a forest without any kind of gear like a parachute didn't phase them one bit.
What on Remnant was he expecting when he decided to fake his way into Beacon? Did everyone know what would happen at Initiation save for him?
This is what he gets for having a Huntsman father who was home-taught rather than at an Academy. And one who never bothered to train him or get him enrolled in a combat school in the first place….
And what was up with the weather? The past few days it had been nothing but sunshine and rainbows, and all of a sudden large clouds crackling with lightning and the roaring sounds of thunder completely covered the sky, the wind started picking up speed, and a growing sense of dread began building up from inside him. Almost like a warning for what's to come.
Surprisingly, the Headmaster and Deputy Headmistress seemed unperturbed by the freaky weather. Guess Initiation wasn't going to get cancelled due to the rain.
"For your Initiation, you will be launched into Emerald Forest. You will make your way to the temple at the north of the forest, and you will collect a relic that was hidden there. On the way, should you make eye-contact with someone, that person will be your partner for the next 4 years." Professor Ozpin said, speaking loudly so that the others could hear him over the loud howling of the wind.
To his left, Ruby visibly deflated in horror. As someone who was just as socially awkward as she was, Jaune held nothing but sympathy for her. But just as he was about to give her a comforting pat on her shoulder, Ozpin's voice rang out.
"We will grade you on your progress through the forest, but we will not interfere. There will be Grimm in the forest, and I encourage you to defend yourself accordingly. But do remember that your life will be at stake here. Be calm and prepared, or you will face certain death."
Jaune's heart dropped to his stomach. His father's refusal to train him came to bite him in the ass once again, as fear gripped him.
He didn't think they'd have him hunt Grimm right away! He thought that maybe they'd introduce some beginner combat lessons on the first day, or maybe some pop quiz or something!
Soon, each of the students were launched into the air one by one. Ruby gave him a wink before she too was launched, and before Jaune could even mentally prepare himself he felt gravity lose its hold on him, followed by the roaring sound of the wind on his face as he was catapulted through the air with no clue how to land. Screaming like a little girl, he mentally cursed himself for not preparing even more than he should, and prayed that he'd be able to survive the day.
Ignoring the girly screams of one of his prospective students, Ozpin calmly took a lengthy sip from his cup of coffee as he watched the remaining students fly into the forest. Especially on one red-colored reaper, who hooked herself onto a tree and lowered herself to the floor before running off.
Good. She was showing initiative, and if she learned to be less passive, then she'd have the makings of a leader. Her skill, and her eyes, were needed for the battles to come.
To his left, Glynda Goodwitch was busy looking through the various cameras on her Scroll while documenting which students got paired up.
"What seems to be the matter, Glynda?" Ozpin said, noticing the furrowed brows on her face.
"I'm starting to have some serious doubts about Mr. Arc. I don't care what his transcripts say, his behavior and lack of any decent combat style shows that he isn't ready for this Initiation. I pity the student who ends up partnering with him." Glynda said, eyes locked on her Scroll. "And what's with the weather today? It was projected to be sunny all day, and yet it feels like a massive storm is underway. Just look at the clouds up in the sky!"
Indeed, Ozpin was pleasantly surprised to see how fast the weather had changed in the short amount of time prior to Initiation. Part of him briefly wondered if a Maiden was involved, but the sheer scale of the changes to the weather made him cast doubt on this little theory. Though, the thought of Maidens made his calm demeanor change for a second, remembering the fate of a certain Maiden kept isolated deep underground in Beacon.
One of these students, fighting for their lives in Emerald Forest, will have to replace the Fall Maiden should she fail to recover. A scenario that is becoming increasingly more likely as the technology Atlas sent only managed to keep her alive, but failed to make her recover. He hoped that he wouldn't have to make a student take this terrible burden, but the fact that part of the Fall Maiden's power was stolen greatly worried him. His enemy never attempted such a tactic before, and somehow she had figured out that the key to her plans rested with the Maidens.
A loud beeping from Glynda's Scroll caught his attention, and with a nod from him, she answered, revealing the worried face of James Ironwood, top General and Headmaster of Atlas Military Academy.
"James, this is a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe you the pleasure?" Ozpin answered.
"Oz, you need to stop the Initiation and evacuate everyone at Beacon, now!"
"Evacuate!?" Glynda exclaimed. "James, we're in the middle of Initiation right now! We can't just stop right now-?"
"Glynda, you don't understand! Something really fast is soaring across the sky, and soon it'll crash-land right into Emerald Forest! A lot of students could get killed! Get everyone out, I'm on my way with my personal ship!"
Just as Ozpin was about to ask for further details, a massive sonic boom resonated through the air, drawing his and Glynda's attention to the sky. To their horror, a section of the clouds parted as a small but noticeably fast object tore through the air before landing right in the middle of the forest….
'Welp, this is just great…' Jaune thought as he dangled from the side of a tree, hoodie torn thanks to an orange-red spear that nearly impaled him.
Just as he was about to regret all his life's decisions, a lone spear flew through the air and tore a hole into his hood, knocking him out of the sky and impaling him on a nearby tree. Where he now struggled to free himself without tearing into his precious hoodie. He spent a lot of box-tops to get this thing, and he wasn't going to let it get damaged even more than it already was thanks to Pyrrha earlier.
Speaking of Pyrrha, looking back at the spear, it was identical to the one that she threw to separate him from Weiss in the locker room. He had no doubt in his mind that she had thrown her spear at him as he fell from the sky, saving him from a grisly death. But why did she save him? Was it out of pity? Or… did she want to be his partner?
No way. There's no way someone as famous and strong as her would want to partner up with him, especially if she ever found out that he faked his way to Beacon.
But just as he nearly freed himself from the tree, a loud noise reverberated across the forest, stealing his attention. Suddenly, a bright light illuminated the sky and separated the clouds above him, and before he knew it, his entire vision went white and he lost consciousness as his body was thrown away at high speeds…
The Heavens roared, the skies trembled, and the clouds were torn apart as the white star finally ended its long journey through the cosmos.
After soaring through the atmosphere of this planet long abandoned by the gods, it finally made its descent, moving ever closer to Emerald Forest.
As it continued to descend, the heat and energy emitted by this star was strong enough to set the very trees on fire. Many students panicked and ran for their lives, seeing the lush green trees all around them simultaneously combust. A young blonde girl and a cat Faunus with her ears hidden under a black bow panicked at the sight and looked for a place to hide. A red reaper and a snow-white heiress stopped arguing and briefly wondered if they had accidentally set the forest on fire during their botched attempt at fighting the Grimm, only for a loud, crackling boom to shake them out of their reverie.
The massive spike in fear sent the Grimm in the forest into a frenzy, and they all rushed out to claim their next victims. But as the star made its descent, they all cowered in fear at the powerful rays of light and energy that bore down on them all from above.
A raven-haired fighter and his hammer-wielding partner ran to find shelter as fast as they could, and an emerald-eyed Spartan rushed through the forest desperately looking for a blonde noodle before something bad could happen. But her efforts were in vain.
Time slowed down to a crawl as the blazing orb of light inches its way to the ground.
3…
2…
1…
All of Vale felt the sheer force of the impact as it finally touched down, crashing into the melted floor of what was once Emerald Forest. The moment it landed, the entire forest was upheaved, trees either burnt to cinders or torn off their roots and sent flying in random directions, and large sections of the earth thrown into the sky, temporarily blocking out the rays of the Sun.
A massive wave of light emanated from the impact site, blinding all who would have seen it. This light wave continued to expand, reaching far beyond the forest and making its way to Beacon, destroying windows and frying all electronics in the facility.
Students were lifted into the air by the blast and thrown back with such force that, had they not been protected by their Aura, would have flattened them into a gory paste. All thoughts of the Grimm, Initiation, and their first day as Huntsmen and Huntresses were lost as the sheer awe of the impact flooded their minds. Their vision grew white, completely blinded by the bright wave of light that burst forth from the star as it landed. Many had lost consciousness as they flew through the air, crashing into the burning ground or slamming head-first into trees, their Auras the only thing keeping them alive but shattering soon after, leaving them completely defenseless.
But one student in the forest was unlucky, for he never had his Aura unlocked, and he was still stuck to a large tree thanks to the spear embedded in his hoodie. The tree he found himself impaled upon burst into flames, and as the wave of light expanding throughout the forest made its way to him, this student looked on not with horror at his impending death, but in wonder.
For in his final moments, his life flashed before his very eyes. Long snippets of memories, from the time he first came into this world, to being embraced by his parents, and soon his entire group of 7 elder sisters. Memories of being hopelessly teased by his sisters, forced to dress up, learn how to dance, how to braid, clean, and essentially be a house-husband. Eyes widening in awe as his father and grandfather told him stories of his bygone ancestors, who cemented themselves in history as heroes and legends. Dreams filled with longing as he too sought to make a name for himself. And the bitter taste of disappointment and humiliation as his dreams never panned out.
But for the first time, he found himself at peace, for he was about to reunite with the Universe once more. And as he felt his body be torn away from the tree by the sheer force of the blast, he casted his eyes at the source of the light, and saw the cosmos in all its divine glory. It brought a tear to his eyes when they finally closed, his body crashing through many burning trees, and his consciousness leaving him as he found himself content with the beautiful death that awaited him.
Ozpin quickly smashed his cane to the ground, creating a green, magic force-field to protect himself and Glynda as the shockwave spread out far beyond the impact site. Shielding their eyes, the two could only hold on tightly as they weathered the immense blast and the sheer force of the collision that sent thousands of tons of dust and rock in their direction. Raising her riding crop, Glynda froze much of the debris in the air, but the shockwave continued to travel past them.
Inside the Academy, 2nd-year and above students quickly covered their heads and ears as the massive boom from the meteor impact and the incoming shockwave shattered the windows and shook the foundations of the building to its core. Various professors tried to weather the damage and to direct the students back to their dorms or in the classrooms for shelter.
As the final wave of light flew past them, Ozpin gasped as he felt the sheer cosmic power from within pass through him, completely ignoring his magical shield. An overwhelming power matching that of the stars above grazed his skin, and he couldn't help but gasp at the eerie familiarity.
This power… it radiated pure cosmic energy, like light given form. He had only felt a similar power once before in his long life.
Back in a time when the Gods roamed the Earth amongst their fellow creations.
With the worst of the effects of the impact dying down, he lowered his shield and Glynda gently lowered the debris to the ground. His Deputy Headmistress then gasped in horror as she took in the sight in front of them, while he furrowed his eyes in disbelief.
The once lush and green Emerald Forest now resembled an apocalyptic wasteland. The hundreds of thousands of trees that once decorated the landscape were now reduced to smoldering cinders. The entire region was covered in a growing pile of ash, and the sky was nearly blotted out by the plume of dust that rose into the sky.
"Oz! The students!"
"I know! Call the council and James if need be! I'll call the other Professors and some of the other Teams and have them help out in search-and-rescue!" Ozpin roared. He had to find as many possible survivors as he could. If he lost candidates like Pyrrha Nikos, or Brothers forbid, Ruby Rose….
"Oz! My Scroll isn't working!"
"What!?" He pulled out his own device, and to his horror saw that it didn't even turn on, instead leaving a pitch black screen filled with static.
"Damn it! The shockwave must have disrupted all electronics! Change of plans, then! You and I will comb through the forest and look for as many survivors as we can!"
"But what about the other Professors and the students back at the Academy!?"
"They should be fine. The buildings were built to withstand another Great War, and Peter, Bart, and Peach should be already making their way here to help or to protect the other students. For now, our first priority is to find any surviving Initiates!"
"On it!" Glynda nodded and began to jump down with the Headmaster towards the forest, but a flash across the sky quickly caught her attention.
"Sir! There's another one incoming!"
Ozpin cursed, and looked up as another meteor, this one strangely covered in bluish-black flames, soared across the sky in their line of sight for a few moments, before quickly vanishing. Another earthquake, thankfully far less powerful than the first, rocketed the forest.
Realizing the threat of future impacts, the two quickly split up and moved further inside the now destroyed Emerald Forest.
Pyrrha violently coughed up ash from her lungs, her entire body feeling worse than any intensive cardio exercise she had ever done in the past.
It felt like a lifetime ago she had landed on one of the trees and scanned the landscape for her new favorite blonde noodle, before quickly impaling him on a tree when it became clear that he had no landing strategy in mind. It was certainly not so that he would end up with herself as his partner! Nope! She had only rescued him so that he wouldn't embarrass himself like earlier in the locker room, and definitely not because she thought he was really cute and that she was glad he had no idea who she was!
But whatever nefarious plans she had in mind for her hopeful partner quickly vanished the moment she heard that sonic boom in the sky. Her training kicked in, and she quickly found the source of the sound, only for her to stare wide-eyed at the white star that set the forest ablaze within seconds of its descent to the ground. The tree she stood on, along with several others, quickly self-combusted, and with a jolt she remembered that she had impaled someone onto one of those trees!
Not even worrying about the impending impact, she ran as fast as she could to find Jaune, only for the impending shockwave to smack her through several trees and knock her out cold, her Aura shattering into pieces but saving her life in the process.
And now, as she finally roused herself from unconsciousness, she struggled to regain her balance as a loud ringing assaulted her ears and blurry spots appeared in her vision.
'Looks like I've got a concussion.' Pyrrha thought as she knelt on the ground and took slow, deep breaths to keep her stomach from tying itself into a knot. 'Just hold still for a few seconds and let your Aura regenerate itself.'
It took a good few minutes, but she finally felt her Aura start to regenerate slowly, and soon the nausea lessened and she was able to regain her balance.
Good! Now she had to try and retrace her steps to find her hopeful partner. Sadly, with the trees completely burnt to cinders, finding the original path to him was now impossible.
With everything looking exactly the same, and with time not on her side, she resorted to one last trick. She raised her hand up in the air and concentrated her Semblance, getting a feel for where her javelin could be thanks to her ability to sense and manipulate metals. Her own weapon was uniquely designed with many different alloys, making it far easier for her to sense her weapon even if out-of-range and out-of-sight.
Concentrating, she sensed the nearby area with her Semblance, and with a jolt instantly recognized the characteristic magnetic pull from her weapon. She raced after that aura, jumping over overturned trees and large pits in the ground.
She could only pray that Jaune's Aura was able to protect him from the worst of the blast, and the burns.
After a few minutes of running through the ruined forest, and finding no signs of any other students in her path or curiously, any Grimm, she moved closer and closer to her weapon until she found herself in a decently sized clearing. Most of the trees remained standing but were horribly scorched and still burning.
And at the bottom of one of those trees, skin slowly burning and several bones broken, was Jaune Arc.
"Oh Gods, Jaune!" Pyrrha recalled her javelin and raced to his side, horribly shaken by what she had seen.
Jaune's bones were severely fractured at his arms, legs, and possibly even his spine. His skin was severely burnt all over his body, his cute hoodie offering no protection from the blast, and nearly burnt away completely, leaving massive 3rd-degree burns all over his chest, face, and arms.
The only saving grace was that he was still breathing, to her relief, but panic returned once more as Jaune's Aura failed to recharge and start passively healing him.
"What's going on!? He should have already started to heal himself by now! Why isn't he healing!?"
Though Pyrrha wanted to inquire further, instinct kicked in and she quickly scanned his body. Grabbing several charred branches, she used some parts of her sash to form rudimentary splints as she offered hasty apologies and set his bones back into place. His arms and legs were pushed back into place, but she couldn't do anything for his back and neck without possibly damaging them further, and there was nothing she could do for his burns. Throughout this quick first-aid session, his Aura once again failed to restart.
'Why isn't it working!? There should be no reason his Aura hasn't started up again! Unless… he never had it unlocked in the first place?'
The thought made her freeze. The idea seemed so ludicrous. How could a Beacon student NOT have their Aura unlocked? It was pretty much the first thing any aspiring Huntsman or Huntress would have done the moment they started training!
But she couldn't come up with another possible answer, and regardless, now was not the time to ask these things while he still had the possibility of dying. Gently placing her hand on his chest, she started to chant.
"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul and by my shoulder protect thee." Pyrrha chanted and pressed a part of her newly regenerated Aura into his body, forcing his to come up to the surface, and when it did she felt a tidal wave of pure golden Aura assault her senses.
By the Brothers, he had a LOT of Aura! She had never seen such a large Aura pool in her life, and had she fought him in a tournament, she would have had a really difficult time whittling him down. Hell, if he was a good fighter, then it would have ended up a match of attrition.
And thankfully for him, a large Aura pool meant a much faster regeneration rate compared to most other Huntsmen, and to her delight, she saw his Aura coat his body and already begin the process of healing him. His arms and legs started to realign themselves, and she could hear the characteristic clicks and pops from his neck and back. He still looked to be in a horrible state, and his burns haven't fully healed yet, but his Aura was enough to pull him from Death's door, and with a ping of joy she saw his beautiful blue eyes begin to open.
"Ugh… Saph, can you please turn off the lights? Just 5 more minutes…" Jaune sleepily groaned, feeling like he had been pushed through a meat grinder. Today just couldn't get any worse for him! Why did his sisters have to wake him up so early all the time!?
"Jaune!" A voice that did NOT belong to his sisters quickly brought him out of his reverie, and to his shock, his vision slowly returned and he stared not into the eyes of his elder sister, but in the emerald eyes of Pyrrha Nikos herself.
"P-Pyrrha!? What are you, argh!" Jaune winced as he started to feel a searing pain radiate all across his body. He curled into a fetal position, wrapping his tender arms around his chest and legs. "What the hell happened!?"
"I-I don't know." Pyrrha kneeled down on the ground next to him. "I-I think there was some kind of… meteor collision that happened a short while ago. You were really badly hurt, so I unlocked your Aura. Try not to move too much, you're still badly wounded! We should really try to find shelter or a safe spot to hunker down until the Professors find a way to get us out of the forest."
Meteor collision? Was that the cause of that blinding light he saw earlier before he passed out? Come to think of it, opening his eyes Jaune saw that the entire forest had turned into a barren wasteland. A complete opposite from the lush forest he was in prior.
But why was there a meteor collision in the first place? And why did nobody get warned about it beforehand? In terms of Initiations, this had to be the worst one Beacon had ever done before.
For the first time, he started to regret thinking of heading to Beacon in the first place. Maybe he'd have better luck going for Atlas or Haven Academy instead?
Shaking his head, he groggily stood up with Pyrrha's help and leaned on her shoulder as she hobbled them both towards the center of the forest.
"Shouldn't we be trying to, you know, leave the forest instead of heading further inside?" Jaune asked her.
"Normally I'd agree, but there were other students here in the forest as well. I just want to make sure everyone's okay."
He immediately thought of Ruby and felt an immense sense of shame for even thinking of leaving his new best friend alone in this destroyed forest. While she was easily miles better than him as a Huntress and a fighter, he couldn't just leave the forest without guaranteeing that she was okay.
Not to mention that that beautiful Snow Angel, Weiss Schnee, was in here as well, and who knows? Maybe he'd be able to score some points with her if he rescued her! All he needed was some confidence after all! Better yet, he could show off how cool he looked if he took down some Grimm while protecting them!
Speaking of….
"Hey, Pyrrha? Is it just me, or have we not encountered a single Grimm this entire time?"
The two of them have been walking for a good 15-20 minutes, and not even a single whiff of that darkness that the Grimm emitted made itself known. Just where were they all?
"Maybe the blast killed them all, or drove them away? I mean, it was only thanks to Aura that you and I survived the impact. Without that kind of protection, I doubt any other being could have survived the blast."
"I-I guess so…."
Looking up, Jaune noticed a large plume of dust and smoke reaching up to the sky. Without even realizing it, the sky had turned dark, and the entire area was blanketed by the shadows cast by the clouds of dust in the sky. How long had he been passed out for, and what time was it?
"Are our Scrolls working by any chance?"
"Sadly, no. I think all the electronics got fried in the blast."
"Do you think we should head to where the crater is?" Jaune asked, looking towards the pillar of ash that was far closer to their location than he realized.
"Why do you think so?"
"It's just a guess, but I'm guessing that anyone looking around for us would probably go investigate that meteor and whatever crater it left behind, right? If we hang around the crater, someone will find us in no time, and it's not like it's hard to miss up in the air."
"That's… a good idea, actually. Good thinking, Jaune!" Pyrrha beamed at him, making him scratch the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Aw shucks, it's nothing! Anyways, let's head over there before any Grimm do show up, partner."
Pyrrha gave him a teasing grin as he said that. "So I'm guessing there's still a spot left open for 'Team Jaune' after all?"
"Oh, haha."
Together, the two hobbled their way over to the site of impact, guided by the blazing trail of flames and the slow fall of ash from the sky. Climbing slowly over a newly formed hill from when the ground was forcefully pushed up from the power of the impact, they eventually reached the top of the cliff, and felt their jaws drop to the floor.
The crater they found was massive, easily covering a large section of the forest by itself, and burrowed very deep into the ground. Small fires still smoldered around the edges, and the ground was completely barren of all life. All the trees were completely disintegrated, leaving only piles of ash scattered around the edges of the crater.
But that wasn't what caused their silhouettes to freeze solid. What attracted their attention was what was found at the very center of the crater.
For there was no meteor at the very center. No heavy metal, no mysterious rock from the moon or beyond. No, what lay at the center was something neither of the two could wrap their heads around.
A young woman, curled up in a fetal position, lay on the ground in the deepest part of the crater, completely untouched by the destruction around her. Dressed in a strangely fashioned but pure white battle dress, with a matching white scarf lined with gold curled around her neck, and a small pair of white flowers adorned the top of her blonde hair.
The girl looked like someone around their age, and compared to their disheveled and dirty state, she bore no markings, injuries, or even a smudge of dirt on her dress or skin. She simply slept, uncaring for the carnage around her. It was like she was an ethereal angel from their fairy tale stories come to life in front of them.
For some reason, neither Jaune nor Pyrrha could look away from her. Her entire situation, her clothes, and even this strange heavenly aura around her kept them rooted to the spot, constantly looking at her from afar.
It was only the sudden twitch of her arms and fingers, her once serene expression now twisted in pain, that made the two of them react.
Disregarding his injuries, Jaune left Pyrrha's embrace and carefully slid down the sides of the crater, using his shield to protect him from the heat and friction. Ignoring his partner's cry, he made his way towards the young woman, and pressed his hand against her temple.
So far, the girl wasn't having a fever, and he didn't see any obvious red bloodstains on her white dress. What on Remnant happened to her!? Did she get caught in the blast and slid down into the crater? Did she get sent flying into the air when the meteor landed, and fell back down?
Did she… come from the meteor!?
No… no. Keep it together, Jaune! Don't think of stupid stuff like this now! This isn't X-ray and Vav! This is a real person, and based on how much she was shivering and wincing in pain, she likely got some kind of internal injury!
"Pyrrha! Why is she like this!? You think she's hurt?"
"I-I'm not sure! I don't see any obvious injuries. You think she's another student like us?"
"Regardless, we need to do something! Shouldn't her Aura be turning on or something by now, like it did for me?"
"It should, but if she's still wincing in pain like that, then there might be something going on, or maybe she's like you and didn't get her Aura unlocked yet?"
Jaune gulped. "Do… you think you can do what you did to me to her too? Unlock her Aura?"
She shook her head. "Sorry, my Aura reserves are nearly empty, and I already used most of it trying to unlock yours. I… think you might have to be the one to unlock hers."
Jaune blanched. "WHAT!? I-I don't know how to do that! My Dad never taught me this!"
For what seemed like the millionth time in a row, Jaune started to curse out his Dad for not teaching him anything about being a Huntsman again. Just what is up with that man and his reluctance to let him follow his dreams!?
"It's actually quite simple, Jaune! Just place your hand on her chest or forehead, repeat the chant I'll tell you, and then try to 'push' your Aura into her body. If done correctly, your Aura will latch onto hers and you can then 'pull' it out, like trying to tug on something with a rope. Trust me, you'll do fine."
Pyrrha gently took one of Jaune's hands and placed it atop the girl's head. "Now, try to focus on your Aura. Let it envelop you, like a suit of armor. And while you repeat the chant, try to push your Aura into her. With any luck, you'll bring it out, and her Aura can now help heal her."
Gulping nervously, Jaune did as he was told, placing his hand on top of the girl's head, parting her beautiful blonde locks, and focused all his tiny brain power into imagining and summoning his Aura. To his shock, he saw his pure golden-white Aura envelop his body, and cover him head to toe.
"You're doing great! Now, repeat after me, and push your Aura into her."
He took several deep breaths, and repeated her words: "For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul and by my shoulder protect thee," before forcefully pushing all his Aura into her body.
When you unlock someone's Aura, you use your own soul to coax theirs out. In that moment when your Aura reaches inside, both your soul and theirs intermingle for a short period of time. It's an incredibly personal and intimate experience for both parties involved, which is why most people have their Aura unlocked by either their parents or very close friends and lovers, as during that period you get a temporary glimpse into the very soul of the person whose Aura you're unlocking. You see their very essence, their very being, their aspirations and dreams in all their entirety, and what Jaune saw inside this girl's soul was an experience he would never forget for the rest of his life, no matter how long or short it may be.
Pyrrha would have said that his own soul shined with a radiance she would describe as like the most precious gold on Remnant, but this girl's Aura and soul outshined the Sun.
Jaune felt as if he was standing in the presence of a hundred billion stars shining all at once. Her soul was as bright as the largest galaxies, quasars, and nebulae in the Universe. It was an all-consuming light that made him feel like an ant compared to the massive balls of gas and energy that made all life possible in the cosmos.
An intense warmth filled his very being, and he stood dumbstruck as the power of billions upon billions of stars washed over his body and soul. Within seconds, all of his wounds had miraculously healed, his bones completely mended and his burns vanished as if they were never there.
When Pyrrha unlocked his Aura, she could feel the intense longing and aspirations of a boy who wanted to be a hero, to be someone his family and ancestors would be proud of.
When Jaune made contact with the girl's soul, he could feel an immense sense of melancholy. A desperate yearning to find a home in an unforgiving, cold, and infinite multiverse. A familial love and devotion that he also felt towards his own sisters. An aged wisdom and practicality born from eons of experience. Intense joy for exploring the unknown and meeting new people. A lamentation for a home, many homes, that have been lost to the sands of time and decay. A love for a people who adored her and made her royalty. A desperate search for someone who meant more to her than life itself.
And an immense fear and hatred for the divine, one that made him recoil at its intensity.
He found himself within her very soul, exploring the cosmos as galaxies, black holes, nebulae, stars, and planets flew past him at speeds impossible for the laws of reality. And soon, he found himself at the very center of the Universe staring at the girl as she lay curled up, floating in the sea of stars with golden wings unfurling from her back. Was she a Faunus?
But what quickly grabbed his attention were the chains binding her and keeping her heavenly light shackled. Wrapped all around her body and wings, these chains were made of large, reddish-black cubes that seemed to absorb all her power and energy and keep her physically and spiritually restrained.
As if she were shackled by the hands of Fate itself.
What on Remnant was responsible for this? How could someone shackle her soul so completely, to leave her so powerless?
It didn't matter. He wouldn't stand by and let this poor girl be bound forever.
Raising his sword in his hands, he started to hack away at the cubes binding her in place. Most of the time it was a futile effort, the power of the cubes too much for a simple boy like him to dent.
But he was nothing if not stubborn, and fueled by the passion within him and his own warm Aura, he continued to hack and slash away. He might not be able to fully remove her chains, but if even one weak link was broken, then at least this girl could take the smallest bit of freedom.
Encouraged, he poured all his strength into one final strike, and fueled by his desire to free her, and the weakening of these shackles from being so far away from its wielder, one chain of cubes finally broke away.
Compared to the hundreds of thousands of chains encircling her body and soul, one single broken chain was nowhere near enough to make a truly notable difference. This girl would still be bound by the shackles of the Heavenly Principles that chained her so many universes away, her war and hatred against the Divine never ending as long as she remained stripped of her powers.
And yet, with this foreign soul breaking loose one of those chains, she found her shackles loosening just a tiny bit. Enough for some of her light to finally find an outlet of escape, at least for a while.
To the side, Pyrrha hastily closed her eyes and covered her face as the light emanating from both of them became too much to bear. And from the forest, everyone across Vale and even as far away as the other Kingdoms quickly covered their faces as Emerald Forest became the brightest place in the entire Solar System.
And yet, no one was harmed by the intense light. Rather, a comforting warmth akin to sitting next to a warm fireplace blanketed all who were enveloped by the girl's heavenly glow.
Eventually, the light finally dissipated, and as the glow and warmth faded away, Pyrrha was able to cautiously open her eyes, seeing a fully healed Jaune staring down and gently holding the girl's head in his hands and lap.
And for the girl's eyes to finally open.
She remembered running. Running towards the kingdom that sheltered and raised her. The blood-red moon hanging in the background, the wave of tremors constantly threatening to knock her to the ground as the heavenly bombardment continued.
Reaching over the cliff's edge, she sank to her knees, her heart giving out as she saw the land she called home be swallowed in flames. Rivers of red cubes pierced the earth, shredding the elaborate castles and homes of this country's inhabitants. Magma rose up from within the bedrock, and even from this far away she could hear the ghastly wails and pained cries of its citizens.
How did things go wrong so quickly? Where was His Majesty? Why were the gods of this world attacking them?
She was powerless to do anything to stop the slaughter. The Archons, whether by choice or by Heavenly decree, spared no mercy. The entire kingdom of Khaenri'ah was leveled to ash. Its people, innocent or not, were turned into hapless monsters of the Abyss. Outsiders not of His Majesty's bloodline were inflicted with the Curse of the Wilderness, while those that shared in his blood were cursed with immortality.
This wasn't divine retribution. This wasn't punishment at all. This was a genocide.
All those people, all her newfound friends, dead or cursed with immortality. Was there even a point in staying in this doomed world?
She had tried, tried for billions and billions of years, to find a home for herself and her brother. While he never wanted to stay in one place for too long, she yearned for a chance to find a genuine home. One that can last them several lifetimes.
After she saw the ashes of Khaenri'ah settle, she sought out her twin, her other half. Rousing him from his sleep, she showed him the state of the world, overrun by Abyssal monsters, the fields of corpses scattered across the 7 nations, and the lack of empathy by the gods as they continued the slaughter.
Aether decided that this world was beyond saving, and for once Lumine agreed with him. The last living reminder of this kingdom and world she once called home was a small Inteyvat flower he placed on her hair, and with a somber glance back, they spread their wings and tore through the fake sky.
It should have been the end, just another escape from another broken world, but something happened that neither of them could predict.
A gate through space opened up, and an Unknown God came out, looking eerily like the god-like threats that destroyed their original home.
She called herself the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, called them outsiders, sinners, and arrogant fools. Without even a second to explain themselves, she attacked, and once again the twins were forced to fight another god.
They had encountered many gods and god-like beings across the many worlds and universes they traveled. Some benevolent and kind, others malevolent, and many apathetic. They ignored them or fought them in self-defense. Their eons of traveling multiverses prepared them enough to take care of themselves, and they stood their ground against many a god.
This one was different. And they were careless.
Lumine was the first to be captured, chained to the fate of the world and the Laws that the oppressors from Heaven enforced. Her last glance aimed at her beloved twin, his face twisted in anger and horror as she was captured in the Sustainer's power over space itself.
The last thing she remembered was her brother valiantly charging in and striking while the Sustainer's back was turned. And it would have worked had her mastery over space not diverted his attack, and resulted in his capture too.
She would wake up later in the beaches of Mondstadt, crying and overcome with grief as she not only lost a home, but a people who loved her, and now her one and only family. Robbed of her power, she wandered the world, searching for her twin.
At least she had company in the form of the Twilight Sword, her best friend while she was in Khaenri'ah, and who was also cursed by the gods to wander the world forever.
Together, they began their journey across the 7 nations, searching for her twin, and uncovering the truth of what happened, why Khaenri'ah was so utterly destroyed by the 7, and how she could recover her power.
They explored the recovering city of Mondstadt and left as soon as they came. Lumine, loathe as she was to trust any of the 7 after what they did, had at least bargained on the hope that some of them could be sympathetic. But the Anemo Archon quickly went to sleep after he killed Gold's dragon, and there was no way for the two of them to wake him.
They ventured into the war-torn land of Liyue, where they waited an entire year for Morax to descend. Sadly, their first true interaction with an Archon ended in anger and annoyance. The Geo Archon was stubbornly stuck to his principles, and refused to answer any questions as per his contract with the Heavens.
They set sail for the islands of Inazuma, and once again met with failure. The Electro Archon, Beelzebul, cut herself off from the world in grief over her own twin's death, while working on several experiments to replace her. Lumine would have been sympathetic for her loss, but her twin did nothing to protect the people of Khaenri'ah. She only met her end at one of Gold's strongest creations, and now the Archon spent her days creating a replacement puppet, using technology borrowed from the very people she helped slaughter! Lumine had no patience for an Archon too afraid to reconnect with the world.
Sumeru was where they finally got a clue as to where to look. Though the newly-born Dendro Archon could not help them, trapped as she was in her own city, they did learn an important clue. The Greater Lord had a friend of the Desert, Amun Al-Ahmar or King Deshret, who delved deep into the mysteries of the Abyss and of powers beyond the world. Unlike his fellow gods, he actively set out to understand the powers of Forbidden Knowledge, and worked to usurp the Master of the Heavens.
Dain had warned her of trying to use the power of the Abyss, but what choice did she have? Most of the 7 were either indisposed or unwilling to help, and what HE said to her made perfect sense.
Whoever controls the Abyss, controls everything.
HE was amongst the first to truly research the Abyss, and had gone as far as to hang himself off of the branches of Irminsul itself for knowledge.
When HE found her, alone in a crater and brand new to the world of Teyvat, HE saw the potential in her. HE raised her as one of his own, introduced her to HIS kingdom and subjects, and sang her praises when she showed that she was immune to the effects of the Abyss, and could even bend it to her will as easily as paper. HE had loved her so much that, to the shock of all the nobility, HE made her Princess of all of Khaenri'ah, and promised that HE would search for her brother and offer him a home as a Prince of Khaenri'ah as well.
The people were ecstatic by HIS choice, and the nobles were shocked that their King, a man who lived for thousands of years and who knew more about the Abyss than anyone else, would so willingly make an outsider direct royalty.
Lumine had no idea where HE was now, but the spirit of Khaenri'ah still dwelled within her, and she set out for the desert, searching for anything Amun Al-Ahmar left behind that she could use.
Evading the contempt of the Dendro Dragon and delving into the very sands, she and Dain had found an artifact, one of the last that Amun left behind prior to his death. An artifact that could pierce through the Firmament, using the power of the Abyss to forcefully tear a hole through the fake sky and channel the abyssal cosmos. If she could connect to the stars, the true stars, once more, then she could channel their power and hopefully break through the chains that bound her to Teyvat. She could regain her former strength instead of having to rely on these foreign powers she absorbed from the Statues, find her twin, and convince him to help rebel against the Heavens.
And just like Dain had warned, things hadn't gone according to plan.
Oh, they used the power of the Abyss alright, and they were forcefully pulled from Teyvat like they were falling inside a black hole, and they tumbled through the fabric of space and time.
She had no idea how long they traveled, whether they were stuck in the Abyss or were jettisoned from reality into another universe. And at this point she didn't care anymore.
She didn't want Deshret's power anymore. She didn't care if her body would be torn apart by the cosmos with her powers gone.
She just wanted her brother by her side again.
And after what felt like millennia, she felt something new for the first time. A foreign, golden glow that slashed at the chains binding her.
It didn't resemble anything she could remember from Teyvat, but it felt so familiar to her that she yearned for this warm glow to free her. And though this presence could only sever one small chain, it was enough for a portion of her original power to spill out.
And she opened her eyes.
Jaune's heart leapt into his throat as the girl in his lap finally began to stir awake.
He had been completely bamboozled by the events that happened, and he wasn't sure if this was what normally happens when awakening another person's Aura. One minute, he was pushing his Aura into her, the next he was covering his eyes as the blinding light overwhelmed him. He no longer felt any pain, and for a fleeting moment he felt as if he ventured inside her and broke one of her shackles.
Just what happened? Did he do something wrong?
But his worries were for naught, as the girl no longer writhed in pain. A cute little moan escaped her lips, and her eyes started to flutter open.
"Brothers, Pyrrha! I-I think it's working!" Jaune exclaimed, looking back at his new partner who continued to stare at the girl in awe.
Gently stroking the girl's hair in a manner he used to do for one of his own sisters, Jaune waited patiently for her to wake up.
In time, the girl's eyes started to open, revealing to him golden irises as bright as the Sun, and aimed themselves at his face.
"Hey there!" Jaune answered with a smile. "You feeling okay?"
The girl struggled to open her eyes fully, squinting at him and adjusting to the change in lighting. Turning around in his lap, her eyes started to open up more, and in a haze she raised her arms to his face, startling him as she stroked his cheeks.
"A… Aether?"
Aether? Who was that?
"Miss, are you feeling okay?" Jaune asked, worried.
The girl's eyes began to water, and to his and Pyrrha's shock, she raised herself from his lap and tackled him to the ground, wrapping her arms around his neck and pushing her face into the crook of his neck.
"A-Aether!" The girl exclaimed, before suddenly crying her heart out, wet sobs and painful moans the only sounds audible in the stillness of the crater.
Jaune lay there on the ground stiff as a board, completely lost on what was going on. He turned towards Pyrrha, who was just as lost as he was and kept staring at the girl in shock and embarrassment. Part of her wanted to separate the two, but the heartfelt cries from the poor girl kept her rooted to the spot.
Seconds and minutes dragged on, the girl in his arms refusing to relax her grip on him while still crying her heart out onto his hoodie. Jaune wanted to gently remove her from his shoulder, and suddenly remembered something he used to do when he was younger with his sisters. He gently placed one hand on the girl's head and another on her back, giving a gentle hum and stroking her blonde hair.
Soon, the girl's cries started to die down, and when her sobs finally ended, he gently removed her from his arms.
"Uh, hey there," he calmly said. "Is, uh, everything alright?"
Raising her head, the girl rubbed away the tears in her eyes, and after taking a good look at him, gasped and shoved herself off of him, crawling a few steps away.
"Whoa, whoa, easy there! Didn't mean to scare you! I was just a bit taken back by your whole… episode."
The girl flushed red in embarrassment and shame, and finally spoke up. "I-I'm so sorry about that! I didn't know what was happening and… you looked like someone I knew."
"It's okay," Pyrrha said, grabbing her attention. "We were just worried about you after we found you in this crater. I'm glad you aren't hurt!"
"Crater?" The girl looked around, and her eyes widened at the rampant destruction around her. "W-What happened? Where am I?"
"You're in Emerald Forest, or at least what was left of it." Pyrrha said, kneeling in front of her. "We found you in the middle of the crater here after a meteor crashed down. Most of the forest got leveled, and we got caught up in the blast. We thought you got hurt too."
"I-I'm not sure. My memory is a little bit hazy, but I'm feeling better now, Miss?"
Pyrrha's eyes widened. "You… don't know who I am?"
"No. Sorry, was there something important I needed to know about you?"
"No, there's no need!" Pyrrha said, waving her arms. "I'm Pyrrha, Pyrrha Nikos!"
"And as for me, the name's Jaune Arc! Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue, and the ladies love it!"
The girl stared at him dumbfounded, before quickly covering her mouth to hide her giggles.
"Was that supposed to be a pick-up line?" She laughed. "Cause that has to be one of the worst ones I've ever heard!"
"Hey, come on! It's not that bad, right Pyrrha?" Jaune turned to his partner, only for her to also turn away to hide her own laughter.
"Oh, come on! Ah, well, at least you were able to calm down. What's your name by the way?"
"Lumine."
"Lumine? That's a really pretty name!" Pyrrha said, causing Lumine to shyly scratch the back of her head. "Are you another one of the students here? I don't remember seeing you around a couple of days ago."
"Yeah," Lumine said slyly. "My friend and I are a couple of travelers, and we decided to come here to look for some information."
"Information?"
Lumine cast her eyes down to the ground. "My brother."
Both Jaune and Pyrrha were surprised by her sudden change in mood, but given her extreme reaction a little earlier, Jaune could hazard a guess as to what was on her mind.
"Ok. Well, in any case, now that you're all healed up, we should probably head out and try to find the others. Hopefully Ruby and the others'll be fine."
"I'm guessing Initiation's pretty much canceled at this point. It's been quite a long while and I still haven't seen a single sign of Grimm anywhere."
Lumine casually nodded along to their words, eagerly digesting any new information about this strange world.
"By the way," Lumine asked, drawing her new allies' attention. "I was wondering if you could also help me look for my friend, too? He can handle himself just fine, but I'm worried for him and I don't know if he's okay after that… collision."
"Yeah, sure, of course we can help!" Jaune said, making her exhale in relief.
"But it could be quite dangerous while we're exploring the forest. Who knows if there are still Grimm around, and it looks like you don't have a weapon to protect yourself." Pyrrha added. "Did you maybe lose it during the impact?"
"Oh, no, I have it right here." Carelessly forgetting her anonymity, Lumine attempted to sneakily pull out her Dull Blade, only for her eyes to widen in shock as her original, golden cosmic blade materialized into existence.
"Whoa! That is so cool!"
"How on Remnant were you able to do that!? Is that your Semblance!?"
"My what?"
"Her what?"
Both Lumine and Jaune looked towards Pyrrha as if she were speaking in a different language.
"Y-You both don't know what a Semblance is? Or Aura?"
"Ahaha…."
"Well… of course I do! Do YOU know what Aura is?"
Pyrrha sighed and placed a palm to her forehead. "This could take a while…."
And I think I'll leave it there for now! Lumine has finally landed in the world of Remnant, and another traveling companion of hers will be making his debut in the next chapter, so if you're excited for what's to come than feel free to stick around!
Don't expect the rest of the chapters to be as long as this one. I actually had planned for this first chapter to be around 20k+ words so I can wrap up Initiation, but writing so much at once can be a chore, and I'm incredibly busy with real-life stuff. Hopefully I'll get the next chapter ready soon!
Feel free to let me know your thoughts on the story so far! I've always wanted to write a RWBY x Genshin story after reading some amazing crossover stories on this sight, and originally I wanted to write a crossover fic where Jaune falls through the void at the end of Volume 8 into Teyvat, while the rest of his friends go through Ever After. From there, he would age normally like he did in Volume 9, meet a certain Tsaritsa, and agree to assist her with her rebellion against the Divine in exchange for her assistance in helping him return to his world, all while helping Aether find his sister and stealthily helping both him and the Harbingers. It was something I seriously considered writing, but it would have taken quite a while for me to write as the wait between story patches is long. Maybe I'll revisit it in the future?
In any case, thank you for taking the time to read this story!
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