Extra: Cutting Room Floor

This is a collection of unfinished/reworked segments from the main story that I didn't throw out.

Enjoy!

"I've seen the world under siege by blight."

A hospital filled to the brim with the ill, some showed little signs of illness, forced to quarantine. others lay dead or dying on their hospital beds. Graves were dug, some marked, others were simple ditches.

"Both literal and metaphorical."

Menand women wearing all black swarmed the streets, their faces veiled by hoods and masks, the only identifying marks were red armbands. the armbands bore different symbols based on the person. A hammer and sickle, a red star, the first letter of the alphabet, a crooked cross, an eagle holding a bundle of sticks. All hid behind masks, but it was clear what they wanted.

"I've seen those who meant well-being turned into scapegoats."

Menand women, who wore normal clothes, bore peace signs and crying for justice and for their misery to end were trampled by the boots of the black-clad mob.

"I've seen people who didn't deserve to suffer being victimized by the worst that humanity had to offer."

A scared mother held her child closely in an alley amid the chaotic streets, men and women wearing hoods and red armbands rampaged in the streets as other men and women in riot gear held them back. Atop the buildings, the powerful and the untouchable stared emptily at the mass of ant-sized people trying to destroy everything they see. They shake their heads at the futility.

"I've seen parts of the city I lived in being burned to the ground."

An inferno where once stood a store, a family cried as they lost everything.

"I've seen the past being used as an excuse to destroy the present."

Old statues were being pelted with bottles and pulled down with ropes as a building was being vandalized, its masonry defaced and its windows destroyed. The statue crashed down, falling on top of someone.

"I've seen... God." he opened his eyes.

The light turned a blinding white and all sounds stopped, replaced by a booming voice.

"I've heard him. and he said-"

You are all Unworthy. You were all Mistakes. You have all betrayed my Vision. You have failed my Design, my plan for your Greatness. I wash My hands of Thee, I wash My hands of Humanity.

He closed his mouth, his eyes staring into the void.

"Things that were... Less than good."

. A quick drop and a sudden stop. Baleful screams. The mad and the repentant fighting and dying amongst themselves and the innocent.

"I've seen the darkness in humanity... and it was repugnant."

(A/N: This was the original dialogue meant to come at the end of V2E1 between Hope and Blake. Cut because I don't want Hope to come across as too negative towards Mankind. That and it was a bit awkward to write in due to a mix of length and position at the end of the chapter.)

The sound of rushing wind, a shout and a yell. Those are the things that Hope was used to hearing. He knew better than to judge those who shouted at him, after all, he was the one who pushed them out of his way. But seeing as they were fat and robust dockworkers, really, it was their fault for not standing their ground. He smirked like a prick as he eyed a chain-linked fence. The sound of running shoes was getting closer by the second and he dared a look. Three boys around his age were chasing him, looking furious. The leading one had a bad bruise on his forehead.

"What's wrong?" Hope called out. "Still mad about lunch hour?"

"I'm going to fucking flatten your face, ****!" The bruised boy shouted.

Hope'ssmirk turned into a full smile.

"Hey! Not my fault you were hitting on my girl! You fuckin' deserved it, sleaze bag!"

He quickened his pace as he came closer to the fence. Hope noticed a closed dumpster near the alleyway.

Oh, they are just making this easy!

With a mighty leap, Hope climbed over the dumpster and jumped over the fence with a dinky skip. The bruised boy crashed against the dumpster in an attempt to follow him, the other two climbed the fence but they took too long.

"Betterluck next time!" He yelled as he left everyone in the dust.

Hope heard a raging cry in the distance that made his grin even wider. He kept speeding up as he dashed through the alleyway. Another chain-linked fence appeared in his way.

"Whatever."

Just before he reached the fence, something crashed against his body. Hope let out a strangled cry as he landed on the floor. he felt a heavy weight land on top of him. he managed to turn around and see what it was. A gaping maw baring rows upon rows of jagged teeth. Anon's pupils rescinded and with a panicked kick, shoved off the beast. The beast hissed wetly, its sharp whip-like tongue waving around.

(A/N: Original intro to V2E5. Reworked into the official version through a mix of iterations and me still working out Hope's backstory and homeworld of Eden. Also, I wasn't sure what his real name was going to be, so I blurbed it.)

Anon collapsed against the wall in the alleyway, sighing heavily.

"Fuck. Fuck!" He cursed progressively louder. "HOLY FUCKING SHIT!"

He shook uncontrollably, so much so that he had to hold himself to ease the shaking.

"How the hell did I not get shot?! Are they idiots?! Jesus fucking Christ!"

Yang looked down at him, baffled.

"One minute you're going full gangster movie protagonist and the other you're having a panic attack?! What's going on here?!"

Anon looked up at her indignantly.

"I was fucking winging it!"

"How was that winging it?!"

"I just took cues from gangster flicks and applied it, I didn't know it was gonna work!"

"Are you an idiot?!"

"I dunno, probably!"

Yang sighed.

(A/N: Original version of V2E6's ending segment. Reworked into the official version through iteration.)

"You really want to see your school burn, don't you." He accused.

Ozpin's eyes narrowed in anger.

"You really want to see this woman and her team die, don't you?" The old man accused back.

Anon didn't blink as he walked to the headmaster's desk. He calmly put his hands on the desk and stared into Ozpin's eyes, his stare cold as a winter's blizzard.

"Yes. I do." He answered honestly, sending a cold shiver down everyone sans Ozpin's back. "I want to see her gone, she'll never hurt anyone else ever again.

(A/N: Originally meant to be part of the intro segment of V2E9 before being reworked. Changed through iteration.)

He bore his teeth.

"Penny?" He called curtly. "Did you do as I asked?"

Penny looked down, perturbed.

"Yes."

"Show this cretin what I just helped partially avert."

She nodded slowly before taking her scroll and streaming something to the large display of Ozpin's computer. The screen showed a ravagedVale, as corrupted machines took to the streets to commit acts of slaughter upon the city's people. The Altan crest was defaced, spattered with gore. The simulation stopped as a woman protecting her child was stamped on by a rogue paladin, her scream of horror and fear cut short. Penny trembled as she held herself, if she could cry, she would have. Ruby held her mouth, her eyes wide in horror. Glyndawasn't much better than her student and Ironwood looked furious at the actions that his war host could have committed. Anon stared down the headmaster.

"This," he held his hand out, presenting the screen. "Is one-third of how bad it can be."

"THERE'S MORE?!" Ruby exclaimed.

"Yes." His tone became colder and colder with every word, his foreboding growing more and more ominous. "Look at the screen, and add a horde of Grimm, then add the White Fang. Imagine the wanton carnage, the rapine pillage and murder of the Fang, the coldly calculated firing squads of the machines and the inhuman slaughter of the queen's beasts."

Ozpin held his stare just as coldly. Anon only broke eye contact to hold the quaking Penny. He petted her hair, hushing her as she buried her nose into his chest.

(A/N: A reworked segment from the intro of V2E13, changed for ease of flow and iteration.)

"I don't know why I even bother with you."

"Because it's the right thing." Glynda retorted.

He laughed. A sad, piteous, joyless laugh. He looked at her, his face angled down to the ground.

"I don't want to be mean, Glyn, but self-righteousness is the most despicable trait someone can have."

He broke off from the professors to call the elevator. As the ding resounded, he turned to add one last thing.

"Never forget that you chose to follow the old fuck who sends kids to die to go against his crazy omnicidal ex-wife, something he responsible for creating. Even if he's the lesser evil, he's still evil."

The air turned cold as Ozpin shot up to his feet, glaring furiously at Hope.

"What would you have me do then?" He demanded to know loudly, almost as if he restrained himself from screaming.

Anon stared back coldly.

"Kill yourself."

He entered the elevator, looking back one last time at the incensed headmaster.

"And while you're at it, take her down with you."

(A/N: Again from V2E13, cut because it was way too aggressive for Hope at this stage in the story)

Hope stopped a moment, his clouded judgement clearing ever so slightly.

"Get your act together, man."

Qrow stopped moving for a moment. This asshole has more to say?!

"And only then, will you get what you want."

Qrow glared, his eyes watery with pain and rage.

"What would you know?!" He yelled hoarsely.

"That you just want to be happy again. Like you were when Summer was still here."

He heard Qrow breathing loudly, his efforts having knackered him.

"Like you were when you heard that your sister married your best friend and that she was pregnant, that your family was getting bigger."

The breathing calmed.

"Like you were when Ruby was born."

The breathing began to hitch, turning into a silent sob.

"Those were your happiest days. And once they were over, you couldn't handle the pain." Hope rolled until his side was visible, his burning disdain cooling into disgusted understanding. Just then, he saw how pathetic Qrow looked. An old man who stunk of garbage and alcohol, his face distorted in anger with tears and snot dribbling down his face. His two nieces stood on opposite sides next to him, having just let go of him.

"Take your life back," Hope continued. "and only then will you get a second shot at those happy days."

"You think I haven't tried?" Qrow asked hoarsely.

"When life knocks you down and you can't get back up anymore for whatever reason, get help."

Hope pointed to Ruby and Yang.

"Ask them, they'll tell you."

Hope turned right around, finally leaving.

"You can't win against your own demons alone. I couldn't, and I'm a stubborn cunt with a vengeful streak. Sometimes, the only poison for hatred is love."

(A/N: Cut segment from V3E3 because it was long, clunky and way too preachy. That and I want Hope and Qrow's relationship to be more antagonistic, rather than two broken men consoling each other.)

A standoff, one not meant to have happened. Two men stood in front of each other, their pasts full of emotional turmoil and their skill at hurting people undeniable.

A massive battered sausage pocked out of their mouths as each held a bucket of deep-fried/refried junk underarm.

Both men slurped their sausages like pasta, as they awkwardly stared at each other.

"What are you doing here?" Mercury questioned.

"I could ask you the same thing." Hope retorted.

"I'm here to eat junk and skip work while Cinder isn't up my ass about me skipping work!"

"So you're skipping work to avoid your boss's bitching about you skipping work?"

"Yes."

"You know you could avoid this by just, doing your job and not skip work."

"Yes, but that would require me to do things."

Hope sighed.

"I knew you were a fucking layabout but why the fuck does she pay you?"

"Because I'm the fucking best?"

Hope glared, unimpressed.

"That's my line, douche canoe."

(A/N: Cut intro to Apocrypha 2 of volume 3. Cut because it was honestly kind of shit as an intro but I liked the banter enough to not sack it and delete it.)

Mercury scoffed.

"You killed in self-defence, I waited years to get even. We're not the same."

Hope shook his head as he took hold of his chopstick.

"Nah, moron dropped to his knees when I kicked him in the balls."

He dunked a mouthful of noodles in some sauce.

"He begged me not to kill him." He ate the sauced noodles. "Then I kicked him in the neck. I later learned that he died in the hospital of a crushed windpipe."

Mercury blinked.

"Wow," he exclaimed quietly.

"I could have let him live," Hope commented. "But I decided that he deserved it for trying to kill me."

"And here I thought you were supposed to be a hero." Mercury quipped.

Hope's eyelid twitched.

That fucking term...

"I'm no hero, just another asshole trying to do the right thing."

(A/N: Also from Dark Dog Days. Cut because it would undermine Hope's character and his future arc. He's not an outright murderer, yet.)

Hope dragged his hand from top to bottom, creating a rubber squeaky noise.

"Long story made slightly less long: I got a gig from my fixer-"

"Fixer?" she asked.

"A myriad of assholes who set up my jobs. Most were bastards but they paid well at least." He explained. "Anyways, I got the gig and it was to steal a small ornate box belonging to some old crone who used to be a socialite back in the day. Mansion she nabbed from her third husband was a fucking fortress covered with security."

Old memories flooded back like a wave on the beach as he recounted his sorted tale. He remembered the tall iron fences that surrounded the place and those mangy mutts with sharp teeth that bared their fangs at him before he put them to sleep with spiked dog food. All that was left were cameras and guards. Cameras were easy, since they were old models that craned left and right, with blind spots underneath them. The guards were another matter entirely, since they were of the... Less than natural variety. As it turned out, the old crone had made deals with Fae beings. A terrible error, as the fickle fucks were as likely to fuck you over as they were to help. In any case, Hope did as he was counselled to do by a fellow Runner and completely avoided any guards he came across. He even went as far as to get a special gaudy cloak that was purposefully made to trick Faes into thinking that there was nothing there. But even if he had the cloak, the cameras were still an issue as the flashy cloak made him stand out quite a bit.

(A/N: yet again from DDD, this was changed because I was flying off the handles and going way off the plot for a story that dragged on for too long.)

"This is bullshit!" Hope slammed his hands on the table. "That's entrapment!"

"True... However..."

Ozpin took out his scroll and showed him his personal ID.

"A non-person like you doesn't exactly have any options. After all, if you don't exist on paper, you don't exactly have access to many services or even employment."

Ozpin turned to face him.

"So let me give you this choice. Either come to Beacon and aid me with your... Foresight... Or, you can enjoy living on the streets, unable to get a job because you don't have a legally recognized identity."

"That's not a choice, that's an ultimatum!" Hope yelled in outrage.

"Such is our predicament, mister Op."

Hope glared at Ozpin, who kept a calculating expression all throughout.

"Fuck you," Hope said, channelling the Dungeon Master.

Ozpin shot up.

"No, fuck you!"

"No, fuck you!"

"No, fuck you!"

Hope pulled out a Glock from his ass, slamming it on the desk.

"Kill yourself!" Hope demanded.

"Not until you do it first!"

"Deal, British cigarette!"

Hope took the Glock, deepthroating it before pulling the trigger and splattering his spine and brain all over the wall. Hope's corpse sloughed off the chair unto the floor, the pistol falling on the table. Ozpin blinked before shrugging, taking the Glock and following suit in ending his life unceremoniously.

Glynda, who was there the whole time, took a flask from her massive cleavage and put a double shot of vodka in her coffee. She took a long gulp before gracing the silent room, and the two dead fuckwits on the floor, with her response to whatever the fuck just happened.

"watch?v=2ZIpFytCSVc"

(A/N: A joke I made on request of a user. Shout out to AsynchronousTextureStreaming for the favourite and the review. He/she has a massive cock and/or tits. Chad lad/lass.

Also no, I'm probably not going to do something like this again unless the premise is really funny.)