Hey guys. Author here. I'm sorry about suddenly disappearing 2 years ago, and I'm here to apologise further for this news: I'm unfortunately no longer continuing this series. The main reason was that while passion allowed me to turn my eyes away from a lot of shortcomings of this story, after 2 years and seeing the google doc that had this story allowed me to read back and... well, kinda see a lot of concepts I no longer think fits what I wanted to write for a RWBY fanfic.
A lot of them had just been swear words as well.
But to those that still liked this story- the atmosphere, the core ideas and the character dynamics and their dialogues, and still have been waiting for an update of this story - I would like to recommend my new RWBY series:
RWBY: NERO
Minus the Reincarnation plot and gamer ability, majority of the left-over concepts were taken in, refined (and mixed with Personas, Stands, and Final Fantasy) and made to fit the RWBY universe better.
It's already 7 chapters in, and I'd like to say that most of it is an improvement over this.
In the meantime, I'd like to upload the chapter I had already written (that I had managed to finish off and polish a bit).
Once again, I would like to apologise.
Vacuo- Pyrite Desert
Two figures stood in the vast empty desert.
The sun scorched the ground with its fury.
"Hey, Coffin."
"... Yeah?"
"Do you ever wonder why we're here?"
"... Why we're stuck in the desert?"
"No, why we're here."
"... You mean, why do we exist?"
"Yeah."
"... I don't know. That's some mystery the smarter gods have been trying to answer for aeons. You know how that turned up."
"How did it turn up?"
"... They gave up. Either went mad for few good millennia or just went on edge. You should've seen Thoth and Athena, they managed to devolve into pulling each other's hair."
"... Hm, for some gods, they act an awful lot like humans."
"... Humans were made in the images of god, or so they like to believe."
"... But are we so mentally weak like them?"
"... I don't know, maybe."
"..."
"..."
"... So, When is Caramella arriving?"
"... I don't know, Feelgood."
"Hey, hey~ Sorry I was late~!"
"... Now."
"You're late, jack-ass."
"Hey, hey~ I said I was sorry."
"... Let's just get on with it."
"Right. Coffin, you sure this is where it is?"
"... Fairly sure, 「Jackal's」 ass is on the line, and you know how truthful he gets when his ass is on the line."
"Hehe, yeah."
"Hey, hey~, let's go!"
The desert grew vast and empty.
No one in sight.
"Oooh, I can't believe my baby sister's going to Beacon with me. This is the best day ever!"
"Please stop…"
"But I'm so proud of you~!"
"Really, sis, it was nothing."
"What do you mean? It was incredible! Everyone at Beacon is going to think you're the bee's knees!"
"But I don't want to be the 'bee's knees', I don't want to be any kind of knees! I just want normal knees! Besides…. Magenta….. Magenta and Vegas got hurt trying to keep me safe….. I don't want to be remembered for something like that…."
"Oh please, I'm fine. You little ruffian."
"Magenta!"
"Magent- wha- hey, hey hey! Don't ruffle my hair!" Ruby pushed my hands off her head and took a few steps back.
"So, you skipped 2 years ahead of school. How do you feel?"
"Horrible."
"Elaborate."
"... I don't want people thinking that I'm special or anything."
"... Hey, remember when people started to make way for me in the corridors back in our school?"
"... Yeah?"
"Back then, I felt pretty annoyed about the sudden treatment. You know, people pointing at me, Vegas and Heat. People whispering whenever we went passed them."
"Ha! Jeez, I remember that. didn't know whether you were the champion or the loser."
"Shut it, Yang. Anyhow, I became really conscious of it. But do you know how I fixed it?"
"... How?"
"Easy: I just stopped giving a shit about what other people thought of me."
"... That's….. That's not very helpful, Magenta."
"... Well, then you are lost."
"Hey!"
"Hekekekeke!"
I let out a few chuckles before looking back at Ruby.
"Don't worry, there's probably other people that did way crazier things before they came into this school. You won't be any different from them, and they'll know sooner or later."
"... I hope so….."
"No need to hope for something that's going to happen. Anyway, I'm off. I'll see you two soon."
"See yah later, Pinky!"
"See you later, Magenta!"
I started to walk across the airship, over to Heat and Vegas.
"... So, had a couple of chats with the girls, did you?" Vegas asked.
"Ruby got worried over being treated like she was special."
"... Is that really something to be worried about?"
"She wants friends, Heat. Of course, she's going to worry."
"... And she isn't worried about dragging you into the mess?"
"... She is."
"... Speaking of which. I feel like it's about time you tell us about what's going on."
"... About what?"
"Don't play dumb. Who were the bad bunches? Why are they after you?"
"..."
[The robbery was led by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick. Who continues to evade authorities. Recent information revealed that he is being assisted by an assailant, who was recorded by the authorities as a class A serial offender, known for targetting hunters. The authorities have named him, 'The plague', and are advising hunters and civilians to be cautious of anyone suspicious. Magenta Valentine and Vegas Dandelion had been recent targets of the serial offender but managed to survive his assault. If anyone knows the whereabouts of either of the two, to contact-]
"Hey, that's the guy, isn't it?"
"... Yeah, it's him."
Cioccolata.
"... So, he just targets hunters, huh?"
"... Guess that's why he was targetting you."
"Guess so."
Vegas continued to look at me.
His eyes told me that he was still suspicious about all of this, but decided to take this new information as his answer for now.
[-Back to you, Lisa.]
[Thank you, Cyril. In other news, this Saturday's Faunus civil rights protest turned dark, when members of the White Fang disrupted the ceremony, and assaulting both sides of the party. The group was led by an unknown assailant that only recently started to app-]
The holocaster disappeared in thin-air, only for a transparent figure of Professor Goodwitch to appear instead.
"Hello, and welcome to Beacon."
"Who is she?" I heard Vegas ask. I heard Yang asked the same thing in the distance.
"I am Glynda Goodwitch."
"Oh."
You are among a privileged few who have received the honour of being selected to attend this prestigious academy! Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world.
"Extravagant words. Too bad we stop caring about that."
"Heheh."
"So, Beacon. Huh. Can't believe we're 18 already."
"Time flies when you're having fun."
"Well, then I don't want to have fun anymore. When I die old I actually want to feel like I died old."
"Heh. Don't worry, we still got plenty of time and chances to feel like we did something out of our lives to just say 'that's it, I did it. I got nothing left out of me to go accomplish something much greater than that.'"
"Probably. But right now, all I want to focus on is Beacon, making friends, and getting my Hunter's Lice-"
"Uurgh, s-sorry! Coming through! Urgh- Uuuuaaawrgh!"
Ruby and Yang's panicked screaming could be heard in the distance, and pretty soon the source of their panic passed our way.
"... Jesus fuck, Heat's got barf on his shirt!"
"What?! ….. oh that mother fucker."
"Yo, Heat….. you'll understand if we…. Kinda, stay away from you…. Right?"
"H-hey, you guys have like…. A towel, or tissue, or anything? G-guys?"
"You back the fuck up, Heat." "Please back away from us slowly, Heat."
"Asshats! Help a friend out, will you?! This shirt was a premium limited edition prize that I won from the Vac-East competition!"
"So what." "Sorry mate. I'm not carrying anything to clean that off of you…. So…. Yeah, you're on your own for now…"
"... You guys are actual bastards sometimes."
"Look, Yang! That kid's got a collapsible staff! Ooh, And she's got a fire sword! "
"Easy there sis. They're just weapons."
"Just weapons?!"
Ruby and Yang could be heard in the background, having a one-to-one sister moment.
Boy, do I wish I was talking to them.
…. Because right now,
"Hey, you're the one that fucking barfed all over my shirt! How the fuck are you going to make up for it?!"
"Eek! I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"
"Why the fuck did you even barf on me in the first place?! Do I look that easy to pick on?! You think it was going to be a good prank if you did that?! Make friends, get laid, et cetera et cetera?!"
"Heat, calm down, poor kid didn't mean it!"
"Yeah Heat! Guy just got motion sickness! Look, he's been spewing into the trash can ever since we landed!"
"Eat shit, Asshole! Do I look like a fucking trash can to you?! Did I look like a steel cylindrical disposal unit for you to enjoy emptying your stomach out on?! I'll give another reason to start spewing everywhere, you cheeky little shit!"
"Heat for the love of God! Calm down!"
"I ain't got any love for God ever since he made this piece of shit! God's going to be shedding tears once I'm done with this fucker's blonde-ass! COME HERE!"
"EEK!"
Me and Vegas had to use all of our might to restrain Heat from killing this poor kid.
Oh boy,
We are off to such a great start in our school life.
"Well, actually my friends are here now, gonna catch up, 'Kay, c'ya, bye!"
"Wait! Where are you going?! Aren't supposed to go to our dorms?! Where are our dorms?! Do we have dorms?!"
Ruby, falling confused and dizzy by the small betrayal of her sister, starts to lose balance.
"I don't know what I'm doing…."
Bam!
"Ow! Oh, s-sorry."
"..."
But she quickly gets a grip on herself when she bumps into another student.
A giant student.
A giant student with sky-blue hair.
A giant student with sky-blue hair that spikes out everywhere like a mane of a lion, or like a dorsal fin of a giant fish monster.
A giant student with sky-blue hair that spikes out everywhere like a mane of a lion, or like a dorsal fin of a giant fish monster. Looking down at the nervous and scared Ruby with a stone-hard glare.
"... HAHAHAHA! Sorry if I scared you there!"
"... Oh, hehe…. It's fine, I wasn't sca-"
"I thought you were trying to pick a fight with me."
"..."
"First impressions are important."
"... Eh, hehe…. He."
"... You're not trying to pick fights with me. Are you?"
"What?! Pfff, N-No! I just… got dizzy, and… didn't… look at my… surroundings…."
"..."
"..."
"... Hahaha!"
The giant student lifts his hand up as an invitation for Ruby to shake on it.
"Name's Duke. Duke Abyss."
"... Oh! Nice to meet you, Duke! I'm Ruby!"
"Quite the grip you got there, Ruby. Firm, and Soft. You'll make lots of friends. I can tell."
"Oh…. thank…. You?"
That's when Ruby noticed something weird about Duke's jaw.
It looked like it was plated with hard white bones.
Duke, noticing Ruby's gaze, rubs his chin and chuckles.
"You like it? It's a feature of what I am. Doesn't let me grow a beard though, so that's a downside."
"Oh! Sorry, I just… sort of, noticed it…. Sorry for staring at it…"
"It's all good. I show this with pride. Like a crown of a king."
"...What is it? The, uuuuh…. Jaw, thingy."
"...Pfff…. Jaw Thingy, you say?"
"Don't laugh! I don't know what to call it!"
"You call it, the feature of a Faunus."
"Oooooh, so that's what it is."
"Yeah. It's essentially what I am."
Bam!
"Hey! What are you doing?!"
"... Sorry."
Both students turn to find a girl in white argue with a kid in black.
Kid in black with long black hair.
A kid in black with long black hair and large dark irises
By the looks of it, the kid tripped and knocked the poor girl's luggages off onto the floor.
"Sorry? Do you have any idea of the damage you could've caused? This is Dust! Mined and purified from the Shnee Quarry!"
"... Okay."
"Are you even listening to me? Is any of this sinking in? What do you have to say for yourself?!"
"... Nothing really, no. I stopped paying attention after you started to play up the danger of the scenario to show off your wealth and position."
"! Why, you-"
"I'm going now. I would help you pick your luggages up, but you seem to me more interested in trying to belittle me in this situation, than actually trying to clean up before that sort of damage still occurs."
"... Unbelievable! How dare yo- Hey! Don't you dare just leave like that!"
The kid in black simply leaves, leaving the girl in white to pick up her own luggages that have been knocked to the floor by the kid himself.
Ruby quietly comes up to the girl in white to help her pick up her luggages up.
"Here, I'll help."
"... Oh, no need! I've got my servants for that."
Perhaps hospitality was the first step to the two of them getting off on the right foot.
"... Hey, you're her, aren't you? The girl that was with Magenta and Vegas, trying to stop Roman Torchwick!"
"Y-Yeah…. I'm Ruby, hehe…. Nice to meet you…"
"Well, Ruby. Nice to meet you too. My name's Weiss Shnee.
And…. You are?"
"Duke. Duke Abyss."
"Well, Duke, Nice to meet you as well….
Ummm… Apologies, Duke, but…. What is that on your jaw?"
"Bone plating."
"... Why do you have it?"
"Why do you have white hair?"
"Pardon me?"
"Why do you have white hair?"
"... Because I was born with it? I inherited it from my parents?"
"So did I, for my bone plating."
"... Oh, Sorry…. That must've been a dumb question."
"It's alright. Ruby over here was wondering about it as well."
"Apparently it's a faunus feature."
"...Oh, oh….. So you're a…. Faunus…."
"... You got a problem with that?"
"... Several, actually. But I'm sure you already know that."
"Picking fights?"
"...Excuse me?"
"First impressions are everything."
"... I-I'm sorry, what are you even trying to sa-"
"What are you doing?"
"What am I doing?"
"What are you doing?"
"What are you trying to say?!"
"Picking fights?"
"Picking fights?!"
"Are you?"
"No! I thought you were civil, for a Faunus! Evidently, first impressions can be very misleading!"
The atmosphere starts to turn cold.
And Hostile.
"W-Well! Nice meeting you, Weiss! We'll see you again sometimes soon! C'mon, Duke. Let's go!"
Ruby quickly diffuses the situation and starts to drag Duke away from Weiss, and further into the school grounds.
"Wait, you guys were on the Newest Pumpkin Pete cereals! The Citrus Crush, The Strawberry Blush, The Cranberry Rush!"
"Yep, all us."
"... And I barfed onto the shirt of one of them…"
"Haha! All under the bridge now! You don't have to worry about anything!"
It seems like Heat finally calmed down, and is getting friendly with our poor vomit boy.
"The name's Jaune Arc! Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue, ladies love it!"
"Press X to doubt." "Pretty sus." "Do they really?"
"They will!
…. Well, I hope they will…. I mean…. Mom always says that…. Nevermind."
"Pfff hahaha!"
"Don't worry buddy. Just be true to yourself, and grow as a person. Don't chase success. Chase excellence, and success will chase you."
"Fucking hell, look at Magenta spewing philosphical bullshit again."
"Magenta, you only get to say that because you're a fucking 4-year Vale tournament champion."
"You know what, fuck you guys. 4 year runner ups."
"...Uhhh, guys, you guys do know where we're going, right…?"
"... Um" "Shit."
"Yeah, I'm just looking at the signs as I go."
"... Excuse me, Magenta. I seem to have been blind, because there is no such thing as a map, or signs, for that matter, that show which directions we are supposed to go."
"Sure there is. Look at the trees and the bush, the roads. The other students."
"... What other students."
"... Alright, just the trees, the bush and the roads."
"... We lost it. We followed a madman in pink and we lost it."
"Sorry Jaune, we lost our way."
"Fuck you guys, I'm leaving you all behind. See you next week when you finally reach the bloody dorms thanks to the teachers here. Bloody asshats. Come on Jaune, we're leaving these guys on their own."
"Wait, Magenta!"
"We're just joking! Tis a Jest!"
"Too late, chucklefucks!"