Original upload date: 6/27/2020
Revised upload: 7/15/2022
While this chapter didn't have as many rewrites as the last one, I feel that I changed more important details (so much so that it went from six pages to 8). I originally didn't write much in having Vin learn about Remnant and just had her comment that she 'learned about them at Beacon'. I hope I rectified this.
Also, I am updating this on the road and cannot use my normal spell and grammar checker. So if there are any, I'll fix them when I get back home.
Please, feel free to follow and comment on predictions, thoughts, etc. I am always looking for new ways to improve my craft. Tell your friends!
Metal like Roses
By ReaderWarrior
I do not own Mistborn or RWBY.
Acceptance
"Metals."
It always came down to that word. Metal controlled her, in a way. It kept Vin alive as a child when she would unconsciously use pewter to keep herself warm or even breathing after a beating by her brother. And she would later use it consciously as 'Luck' in Camon's crew to help influence those they were scamming. It wasn't until Kelsier found her, taught and trained her, what metals were and how they were related by the art of Allomancy that she realized they were just as important to breathing to her.
In a way, without metals, Vin wouldn't be who she is now.
Ozpin looked confused as he repeated the word. "Metals? Might I ask why?"
"It's a hobby," she answered.
He didn't believe her, though. Ozpin gave a small chuckle and leaned forward in his chair. "A hobby is something I don't you would worry much about currently. Especially with the events of the last few days. Perhaps, instead, it has to do with your semblance?"
Vin cocked her head. Semblance? "What is that?"
The two headmasters shared a look like she had just asked why things fell or what was breathing. "A semblance," Ironwood explained, "is the manifestation of someone's soul. It grants us abilities that normal citizens have often deemed… fantastical."
"Fantastical?"
"Some of my students use the term 'super powers'," Ozpin sighed, though his smile was still evident.
"…"
"Semblances," Ozpin continued, "are viewed as a mirror to what a person's inner self is like - their true self. Some believe your personality influences it, while others claim your personality forms from it. For instance, one of the women who found you, Ms. Xiao-long, has a semblance which allows her to take any hit and 'dish it back at them'. And most of her professors describe her as the hit-first, ask-questions-later type."
Half of the words coming out of this man's mouth made very little sense to Vin. But she understood the basics of it. "You think I have a… semblance?" she asked.
"You broke that medical equipment for a reason," Ironwood pointed out. "And Nikos claimed you had powers similar to her own. I doubt that even with how strange our worlds are in comparison, it is normal for someone to be able to fly."
Vin frowned and mentally kicked herself for being so blatant with Allomancy. "I… have something similar, but it's not what you'd consider a 'semblance'."
"And how would you consider it?" Ironwood asked.
These men obviously wanted her to trust them. And, if she was a few years younger, she might have even been willing to do so.
But she couldn't risk it anymore. Or, at least, not now.
Ozpin must have noticed her panic, and held up a hand. "If you do not wish to tell us, you are not being forced to do so," he explained. "Some huntresses and huntsmen prefer to keep their semblances secret. If you would rather keep it a secret then that is fine with us."
'Those who want you to trust them most are the ones you should trust least.' Reen's voice, her brother, echoed in her mind. Ever since he left her, Vin could feel his hand on her shoulder and lips on her ear. It stopped for a while but became increasingly loud in recent years.
Vin shook her head. No. He is being honest and open with me. I can give a little in return.
"Where I am from," she whispered, "there are those sometimes born as Allomancers. We have the ability to swallow, ingest, and 'burn' certain metals that can give us powers."
Still standing, Ironwood began to pace around the room. "Interesting. Which metals?"
"Eleven. Steel, iron, tin, and pewter. Bronze, copper, zinc, and brass. And duralumin, atrium, and gold."
He pulled out his scroll and started typing on it. "And what exactly are the powers gifted by these metals?"
Vin didn't respond. Telling someone about Allomancy was one thing. Explaining how it worked, the strengths (and more importantly: the weaknesses) that came with each metal, was not a boundary she was ready to cross at this point.
Ironwood gave a slight sigh but accepted her reluctance. After a moment of silence, his device beeped again and he inspected it. "It appears that most of the metals you described are alloys of each other and can be easily procured," he said. "Gold is difficult though."
"Gold is useless," Vin added. Allomanticaly, at least.
Another glance is shared between the two men.
"As for 'atium'… There's no record of such a metal, natural or amalgamation, ever existing."
That was more than distressing. Atium was, arguably, the most powerful of all the metals available. "Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Why? What does it do?" Ozpin asked.
Vin sighed. There wasn't any use in keeping it secret now. "It allows - allowed - me to see a few seconds into the future."
Ozpin, who had been taking a sip from his mug, spat out its contents. Thick, brown liquid splashed across his desk as he coughed. Ironwood was also just as shocked, frozen mid-pace.
"The future ?" they asked.
"Only by a few seconds," she clarified. "Just long enough to see where an attack will land and how to avoid or block it."
"That is still impressive." Ironwood's eyes had gone wide.
Ozpin nodded in agreement. "Truly. A second can mean a world of difference in a battle."
"Not anymore," Vin frowned.
"Just because there is no current information on atium does not mean there will not be. And it could be simply under another name." Ozpin gave the Mistborn a smile. "I will ask my huntsmen and huntresses to look into this. They'll let me know if they find anything."
Vin nodded appreciatively. Once again, Ironwood's scroll beeped and Vin had to consciously keep herself from flinching at the sound.
He checked it and smiled. "I have good news. Ozpin, please allow our guest up."
"Of course." Ozpin pressed a small button on his desk and a soft metallic whirring began to echo from the room's entrance. Seconds later, the doors opened, and a strange man stepped out.
Unlike everyone else in the room, this man looked like a real soldier. He wore body armor that covered his upper body and a helmet was fitted around his face. While most of it was white, streaks of purple were painted in highlights of the armor along the shoulders and collar (as well as where the eyes should have been).
But Vin's eyes were more so attracted to the cloth in his arms.
"Private First Class DuFresne reporting sir!" he saluted, turning to Ironwood first.
The general did so in kind. "At ease," he ordered. Vin slowly walked over to DuFresne who held out the bundle to her. She took it from his hands and gave a soft sigh.
My mistcloak. Vin quickly tossed it around her shoulders, welcoming the warmth and weight of its protection once again. "Thank you," she whispered.
DuFresne smiled. "Of course, ma'am." He then saluted again to Ironwood before returning to the elevator and disappearing behind its doors.
"I did promise to return it," Ironwood nodded. "My apologies for not returning it sooner."
"It… means a lot to me."
Ozpin gave a small smile. "Now that you're property has been returned, let's discuss what team you will be staying with while at my school."
"Do you think that there is enough time to form an entirely new team with the Vytal Festival so close?"
Another term she didn't know. "What's the Vital Festival?"
"Vytal," Ozpin corrected. "It's a tournament between the four kingdom and their huntsmen academies to remind us about the peace that can come when we are not at war with each other. After the Great War, the Vytal Festival became a time to remind everyone that the only fighting the kingdoms should do is for sport - and against our common enemies. Every two years, the festival is held in a different kingdom and teams from every huntsman academy are allowed to take part and display their abilities to all of Remnant."
It's a false face, Vin realized. To distract from how bad the real world is. A show.
Ironwood continued Ozpin's explanation. "This year the Festival is being held here, at Beacon Academy. Atlas is here to both take part and provide security. However, with the festival so soon, I don't think we have enough time to form a brand new team."
"Yes, that would be difficult," agreed Ozpin. "However, I have a better solution. Instead of forming a new team, we simply add her to one."
"A five-person team? Is that even allowed?"
"There are no rules that explicitly state that a team has to be constituted of four people. That number is just how schools create them. If we look at the different events, the Festival only has a 'team vs team' battle before the doubles match. This loophole was originally made to allow teams who…" Ozpin sighed. "For teams who have lost members." [1]
The general's face darkened for a moment. "Yes… of course."
Vin remembered what they had said about the Grimm and how the schools were formed with the explicit goal of eradicating them. She figured that against such monsters it was likely to lose a few untrained students. But for a rule to be in place for that eventuality…Are deaths that common in this world?
After taking another sip from his mug, likely to regain composure, Ozpin turned back to Vin. "How would you feel about joining team RWBY (Ruby). They were the four women you found and brought you here and, unlike some of my other students, you have no history with."
It was a perfectly reasonable option. After all, Vin didn't know anyone in Remnant except for the two men in this room, those four women, the soldier that returned her mistcloak, and the students from last night.
But… Something rubbed her metals the wrong way about that group.
"What about that girl from last night? With the red hair?" Vin asked. "What about her team?"
Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "JNPR (Juniper)? I'm afraid that their situation is… unique and I would rather not draw more unwanted attention to them than I have to already."
Attention for what? "Fine," Vin sighed. "RWBY it is."
"Fantastic. I'll let them know immediately." He nodded to the elevator, where Ironwood had moved to press one of the buttons next to it. The doors opened with a soft 'ding'. "If you do not mind leaving us for a moment, James and I need to discuss something in private."
"I'll have the metal bars sent to your new room," Ironwood added as Vin walked past.
She frowned but nodded. Everyone has their own secrets, she thought as the doors shut in front of her.
Ozpin couldn't help but smile as his friend whirled around immediately after the elevator doors closed. "Oz-"
"James," he interrupted, "if you plan to tell me how this is a potential risk to the security of Beacon, I assure you that Glynda and I have already begun taking precautions. I may be old, but I am no fool."
Extremely old, some small part of him whispered.
James sighed and stopped at his desk. Even when he didn't need to act like an Atlesian general, he still kept himself looking like one. Ozpin can't remember the last time he saw James relax. Or give the slightest slouch.
"Are you sure about this?" his Atlesian counterpart asked.
Am I? Ozpin sighed and leaned back into his chair. "I specifically chose team RWBY so it will be easy to keep an eye on all five of them. Both Ms. Vin and RWBY, I expect, will be crucial players in our war."
Nodding, James moved over to the glass windows overlooking Beacon academy. "We could always take her to Atlas," he whispered. "Study her. Figure out this… Allomancy."
"And weaponize it? Torture the poor girl?" Ozpin clutched Long Memory, his cane. "She may not be of Remnant or the four kingdoms, be she is as human as any of us.
James shook his head. "Sometimes bad choices must be made for the greater choices."
"Not this choice."
"You don't know that! She said she had over ten different abilities. Ten! Just think of what an army of soldiers with abilities like hers could do! Even just flight alone-"
His grip tightened. "I will not lose my morals just for the sake of an advantage, James. I know you wish to win this shadow war, Brothers know I do too. But if we burn away our humanity in an attempt to char our enemies, what do you expect to gain?"
"… Victory."
Ozpin sighed and stood up. His cane clicked on the floor as he stepped into the elevator, not even bothering Ironwood with a glance. "There is no point to victory," he added as he pressed the elevator controls, "if we lose our reason for fighting."
As he stepped inside, he watched a shimmer pass over his friend. Then the doors closed and the Atlesian general was left alone in his office to watch but not intervene.
Once again, Vin cursed the fact she wasn't able to burn any metals. If she had tin, she could listen in to what the two headmasters were talking about. Or she could have Steel-Pushed up the spire and listened directly.
Instead, she was on the ground. Waiting. And as much as she hated to think so, Vin was used to waiting. She had spent many hours waiting for Camon or Reen to return from a deal or a scam when she was younger. Even Kelsier had her sit out on certain conversations during their overthrow of the Final Empire.
The door dinged again and Ozpin, alone, stepped out. Vin, who had been sitting on the ground cross-legged, stood up and pulled down her hood.
"I apologize," he said. "James had an idea about a security update he thought would be necessary for the tournament."
Liar.
"Now, if you follow me, I can show you to your new quarters."
Vin nodded, letting Ozpin lead her once again across the campus and to the dormitory. As they walked, Vin took
Vin nods, letting Ozpin lead her into the dormitory. As they walked, Vin took a few moments as his back was turned to stare at the beauty of this world. It was spectacular. Blue skies and green grass.
But it also made it angry. Why was it that my home so cursed? Is this the Push to our Pull? The beauty to our disaster? It's… it's unfair.
Before long, after entering a large building and climbing up a fleet of stairs, they arrived at a door. Ozpin knocked on it with his cane and was quickly followed by the sound of something hitting the floor.
"One sec!" a voice groaned. Ruby, the leader of the team, opened the door as she rubbed her nose. Her eyes opened at the sight of Ozpin and flung the door open completely. "Professor Ozpin! I'm sorry!"
"No need to apologize, Ms. Rose," Ozpin smiled. "I only came to help Ms. Venture to her new room."
Ruby smiled. "Oh, is Vin taking PTNM's (Platinum) old room?"
"No, she is not. With the Vytal Festival so close, I thought it would be best to try something unconventional. From now on, team RWBY will be known as team RWVBY. That is if you can handle the extra team member and you agree."
"Oh. My. Gods !" Gasping, Ruby lunged forward to hug Vin, who had tried to sink into her mistcloak. "Another team member? I can't wait to tell everyone! They're all out training and getting ready for the Festival." She broke the hug but stood close to Vin.
Ozpin, Vin noticed, was trying not to laugh. "Yes, well, ahem, Ms. Venture will need some help these coming months. Her amnesia has made it difficult for her to recall things that we might think of as common knowledge."
Like she was trying to see a bump on her head, Ruby's eyes gazed across her head. To Vin's infuriation, this girl was the exact same height as she was.
"I'll take care of her, sir! She'll be like the younger sister is always wanted!"
Vin's fingers twitched. She remembered that she had, according to Reen, a sister once. But their mother had killed her and also did so to Vin as well.
But it's not like that would repeat here, would it? Instead, Vin gave a small curtsy to Rose, curtesy of Sazed's teachings, and said, "thank you."
Ruby appeared puzzled but smiled all the same. "Big sis Ruby will make sure you're safe and happy with us."
Coughing into his hand, Ozpin brought the girl's attention back to him. "Thank you, Ms. Rose. Your compassion continues to surprise me. I hope the rest of your team will be as equally ecstatic as you are. But I have other dealings to attend to." He nodded to Vin. "I hope you find a home here, Ms. Venture."
Giving him a silent 'thank you', Vin nodded at the aging huntsman before being pulled into the room.
"Just wait until you see the bunk beds!"
Thankfully, Vin slept on the ground.
After being given a tour - she was shown the disturbing sight of two sets of beds put atop each other, a bathroom, and a closet, Ruby used her scroll to call the rest of her teammates. Some, upon meeting, chose to be more physical (Yang) while others simply gave an accepting nod (Weiss). By the time Vin had gotten to know everyone, she was exhausted.
These last few years, Vin thought she had greatly opened up. Kelsier had done so with the intent of 'helping her'. But shwas nowhere near prepared for the attention and energy that team RWBY had given her the last few years. Questions of what was her favorite color or song, or even just facts about her past (which Vin couldn't answer) kept getting asked, mostly by Yang, though.
Thankfully, after what felt like years, another Atlesian soldier - this one wearing red, came to their room to drop off a metallurgy set as well as a few bars of the metals he could get quickly. He had even included a large bag of vials and corks, and other items he thought she would need, which Vin was very grateful for. After shaving off some flakes into a few vials, and filling them with water (indoor plumbing was another thing Vin was jealous of about this world), she noticed the sun through the center window.
Vin's eyes went wide and she slowly stepped up to the glass. Through it, the sky had turned a brilliant orange and purple. The sun, which was still a shocking yellow, was slowly dipping beyond the horizon. Colors that Vin had never seen in nature suddenly looked natural and merged in perfect harmony.
"Looks like smooth waters tomorrow," Yang smirked, getting changed into nightwear.
"How can you tell?"
The blonde pointed at the area of the sky that had turned a dark scarlet, almost like blood. "Red skies at night, a sailor's delight."
"Red skies at morning, a sailor's warning," Ruby finished. "Dad used to tell us that when we went fishing."
Vin's frown deepened. And what of red skies all day?
After watching the sunset, Vin moved to the closet where she began to remove the items on the floor. Piles of books, containers of glowing powder, and strange tools that were littered about before were quickly put into stacked piles in the corner of the main room.
"What are you doing?" Weiss asked.
Vin simply grabbed one of the spare pillows and blankets. She layed the blanket down on the floor, tossed down the pillow, and rolled over. However, Blake had told her to get up and brought her to a large area in the corner of the central room. Apparently, when Vin was in the bathroom, they had cleared out the area for Vin to use until a bed was delivered.
The Mistborn didn't know how to respond. Even at Keep Venture, Vin rarely slept in areas larger than a closet. Or, at Elend's pleading, she would sit in a chair across from him.
She had never really had a bed of her own.
And Vin hadn't had such a peaceful night's sleep ever before.
Unknown to many in all of Remnant, evil lurked a few doors down.
Inside a room, very similar to RWVBY's with the exception of the bunk beds, a girl with green hair and dark-tan skin paced back and forth. "What should we do? This wasn't a part of the plan."
A silver-haired boy sitting on one of the beds groaned. "It doesn't even matter. One girl is going to mess this all up. Especially not some random with amnesia."
"Of course it matters!" the girl yelled. "Because now there's an entire platoon on each floor. We can't even breathe without bumping into some Atlas goon."
"Yes, but-"
"But what?" A new voice now. This one belonged to a woman with black hair. Both of the room's occupants jumped as she entered.
The first woman gasped. "Cinder! I thought you weren't supposed to be back until the Festival began. What happened?"
"What happened?" Cinder moved across the room and took off her shoes, a set of glass heels, and tossed them onto a bed. "Atlesian occupation skyrocketed. I had just enough time to finish a deal with Taurus. Thankfully, most of the soldiers are too dumb to look up."
"And the plan?" the boy asked.
"Same as always. We break their spirits, then their kingdom."
The green-haired girl frowned. "How do we do that?"
Cinder smiled. "We use this to our advantage. If Atlas wants to invade, then we shall show Vale how powerless they are to stop them. Then we will use their greatest champion to bring down Amity Colosseum."
"Their champion?"
"Yes… The girl that Ozpin believes to be best suited for Maidenhood. The girl with the power to bend this entire city if she weren't so foolishly righteous.
"Pyrrha Nikos."
I hope you all enjoyed reading this one as it helps connect Vin to the world of Remnant more.
[1] I know, a crappy excuse, but it's a loophole. Listen, do you want Vin to fight or not?