A/N: Welp, these are the next four episodes. As said during the last chapter, these next chapters will focus on the perspectives of the other three characters of what Billy likes to call, "proto-JNPR", as well as building the world. Hope you enjoy it.
Disclaimer: Anon Noir and Billy Bombastic do not own RWBY. RWBY belongs to RoosterTeeth and Monty Oum (RIP).
Anon and Billy Productions present…
Vytal's Hope
Episode 5: A Brave New World
A few days ago…
Pyrrha Nikos breathed deep as she took in the fresh, warm air of Vale in the late Summer, as she proceeded to walk down from the airship and into the solid ground of Vale's airship docks.
This is a new world for you, Pyrrha. May as well take in everything in order to not feel lost in it all. She told herself, before hearing a commotion from behind her.
"Woah!" She heard Neptune stumble before catching himself with his trident.
The redhead turned to see her old friend's legs wobble as his eyes turned to look at her with a sheepish look.
"Surely I can't be the only one with uh, sea legs? Air legs?" Neptune deliberated by himself, earning a chuckle from Pyrrha.
"Come now, Neptune. Aren't you supposed to guide me through Vale?"
"Right!" Neptune said, slowly walking down.
"So, there are Seven Districts in the City of Vale, eight if you count the Isle of Patch." Neptune said as he and Pyrrha walked down the busy and cramped streets, full of market stalls and filled with the scent of fabric, spices, and the sounds of vendors selling their stock.
"Where we are right now is the Smaragdi Bazaar, basically the marketplace, and it gets inspiration from the fabled "Gold Spice Markets" from Vacuo." Neptune explained but snorted soon after.
"And Vacuo is already a mystery in and of itself." He muttered before cursing as he saw a massive crowd near even more market stalls.
"I have heard of the famed "Smaragdi Summer Rush", but this is just ridiculous compared to what I have heard." Neptune said in exasperation, earning a giggle from Pyrrha before he sighed.
"Come on, follow me. I heard of a much quieter part of this maze."
Pyrrha kept following her blue-haired friend as they tried to traverse through the crowds of both passers-by and some wealthier folk looking for something shiny.
As soon as they came upon a much quieter part of the bazaar, one that Pyrrha saw to have less stalls and more shops made of brick and stone, Neptune unfurled his map and continued from where he left off.
"Anyways, we came from the sky-docks up north. Here, at the Red Tower." Neptune pointed to a spot on the map full of red trees.
"The forest surrounding it is known as the Sanguis Silva Forest, which is its own district and considered to be one of the two "King's Woods", the other being the Emerald Forest which lies due east of it."
"'Sanguis Silva'?" Pyrrha pondered at the name.
"It's Ancient Valic for 'blood forest', morbid I know." Neptune chuckled at the wide-eyed look on the redhead's face.
"But as you can tell, it's known for its red leafed trees, as if it's always Autumn there."
"What did you say about it being one of the two "King's Woods"?"
"Oh, right! Well they're called that since both forests have a cultural significance to Vale's history. It's where two of the seven peoples of Vale, the Smaragdine and the Saguis people, are said to have lived prior to the formation of the High Kingdom of Vale. Thus, it's rare to see any trees cut down there unless you have the King's personal approval."
"Fascinating…" Pyrrha said in awe as they neared the edge of the bazaar.
"Oh! It seems we're in a different district." She said but her guide shook his head.
"Technically we're not in any district, we're here." Neptune pointed at a spot in the center of the city.
"This is Unity Square, it's more or less a neutral space between all the districts and connects all seven of them. It's one of the oldest landmarks and is considered to be a cultural symbol of unity between all the seven peoples of Vale, thus the name "Unity Square."
"And that over there," Neptune pointed to an opulent and gilded obelisk surrounded by a basin of water.
"Is Valean Monument, it's said to be built at the time of Vale's founding. It's also where we're supposed to meet an "old friend" of our fathers."
"What's that on the top?" Pyrrha pointed to a small golden statue of a man, one of Vale's high kings as evident by the crown on its head, with a blindfold covering their eyes, holding a pair of scales on one hand and a sword on the other.
"I'm… actually not sure." Neptune scratched his head before hearing footsteps from behind them.
"That, my young friends, is the statue of Valerian the Great, the first High King to unite all seven peoples of Eastern Sanus, of which this kingdom's name derives from." A voice answered Pyrrha's question as the two turned to see a well dressed and bespectacled man with green hair.
"Um, thank you." Neptune awkwardly spoke up. "But if you don't mind me asking, who are you?"
"I am Sir Bartholomew Oobleck, an archivist of the royal archives and a professor at Beacon Academy. Though please, call me Sir Oobleck." Sir Oobleck introduced himself with a bow.
"I am that "old friend" your father told me to wait for, Miss Nikos." Pyrrha's eyes widened.
"Oh! Well, it's a pleasure to meet an old friend of my father's." Pyrrha bowed in respect, as did Neptune.
"Please excuse my rudeness, Sir Oobleck." Neptune apologized but the green haired man waved it off.
"No worries, young Vasilias, it was understandable if a strange man were to walk up to you all of a sudden." Oobleck chuckled.
"But I digress. We must make haste for Beacon." The man then whistled, as if calling someone or rather, something.
That something came swooping in to land on the polished stone ground with a brief shrill. It was a bird, similar to a falcon but twice if not, ten times its size, large enough for one to ride on.
"Woah!" Neptune yelped, nearly falling on his butt.
"I've never seen a bird this large." Pyrrha said in awe.
"This is Gryford, he's a Valean Great Falcon." Oobleck explained as he got on Gryford.
"Come, my friends. We shall fly to Beacon." Oobleck lent his hand out as Pyrrha took it and hopped on.
"Uh, I'm not so sure about thi- wahh!" Neptune started to walk backwards before a faint black glow surrounded his armor and suddenly he was dragged forwards towards the bird before being dragged upwards then placed gently sitting behind Pyrrha.
"Was that really necessary?" Neptune glared at Pyrrha, who simply giggled mischievously.
"Scared?" She teased.
"What?! No, I just-"
"Is everyone ready?" Oobleck asked as Pyrrha nodded, Neptune tried to protest but to no avail.
"Let's fly!" Gryford shrilled in response as he took to the air, a screaming Neptune could be heard as he held on for dear life, earning the attention of some onlookers.
"And we have arrived!" Oobleck said as he and Pyrrha got off from Gryford, Neptune coming in last as he sluggishly got off.
"Ugh…" Neptune leaned on his trident for support, feeling lightheaded and airsick from the trip as he clutched on his stomach.
"I did tell you not to look down." Pyrrha warned.
"Sh-shut it." Neptune hissed before gagging and running to a nearby bush to relieve himself.
"Ah, you must be Pyrrha Nikos." Another voice called out as a gray haired man with a cane approached her.
"I am."
"Good, good. And where is your companion?" The man asked, just in time as Neptune returned with a relieved sigh, wiping his mouth of any gunk.
"Ah, there he is." Neptune's eyes widened before bowing in respect.
"Grand Magister Ozpin! It's an honor to meet you." He greeted.
"The honor is mine, Neptune Vasilias, son of Saturn." Ozpin simply nodded.
"You know my father?" Neptune asked in shock.
"I knew through your brother, Jupiter, of whom I tutored when it was discovered that he had magic."
"So you were the old wizard Jove talked about." He said but realized he just called his brother's former tutor old and was about to apologize but Ozpin simply chuckled and raised a hand.
"It's quite alright, I am getting a little gray lately." Ozpin then gestured for the two to follow.
"Come, we shall talk of your stay in Vale, as well as your accommodations."
As the sun started to set, Pyrrha could not help but feel equal parts excited and nervous; Excited, because of the reason she and Neptune had come to Vale, and nervous, because of how everything seemed to, if not felt, different from Argus.
And yet as she and Neptune sat in Ozpin's Magister Quarters, she had a feeling that her destiny may lie here in Vale. That she could find an opponent that can match her blow for blow.
But alas, the sound of Ozpin getting himself seated across from them ended her line of thought, as the gray haired man spoke.
"As I'm sure both your fathers had told you two, you are sent here because you have volunteered to participate in the upcoming Vytalic Games later this year. Though it is unfortunate that you cannot represent the entirety of the Mistrali Empire at this time due to…"
Ozpin cleared his throat and pushed his spectacles.
"Circumstances, beyond control." Neptune and Pyrrha looked at each other with sad frowns at the choice of words before Ozpin spoke again in a hopeful tone.
"Though fortunately enough, both of you can and will represent the City-State of Argus. And it is because of the aforementioned circumstances that you have been sent here ahead of schedule, though until we can get confirmation from Mistral, we are unsure at this time if there will be a Mistrali contingent that will participate."
"But what about Sun Wukong? Isn't he from Mistral?" Pyrrha smiled at Neptune's concern for his faunus friend.
"Yes, but as far as I know, he was born in Vacuo. So until the aforementioned issues in Mistral are resolved, Mr. Wukong shall represent Vacuo."
"I, I see." Neptune slumped in his seat a bit but Pyrrha laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"So, what of our accommodations here in Vale, Sir Ozpin?" The redhead asked.
"Ah yes, I was getting to that." Ozpin then pulled out a piece of paper before clearing his throat and said.
"You will be staying at a Mistrali Delegation House in Old Vale, just near the Academy. You will not need to pay for your stay and the food provided shall be paid for by His Majesty's Royal Treasury, you are technically representatives of the Mistrali Empire after all."
"I'm sensing a 'but' here." Neptune chimed in.
"However," Ozpin smirked at Neptune's "I'll take a 'however'."
"You will need to pay for any and all food and services purchased outside of the delegation house. As such, 45,000 Valean Verdants have been sent to your chests in your reserved rooms for personal use."
Pyrrha's eyes widened while Neptune's jaw nearly dropped, at the amount of money the royal government was willing to give them.
"Surely that must be too much!" Pyrrha laid a hand on her mouth, humbled.
"Y-yes, it's just the two of us after all." Neptune added but Ozpin shook his head.
"Nonsense, you two must realize you represent not only Argus, but in a way, the entirety of Mistral." Ozpin placed emphasis on "entirety".
"And until we expect more representatives, you two are all the Empire have in the Vytalic Games. If, Gods forbid, something were to befall upon even one of you, it will cause an uproar and His Majesty will have a lot to answer for."
Both Mistrali visibly tensed at the implications before Ozpin continued.
"And besides, it was not I who sent the money, it was His Majesty who gave the mandate."
"We understand..." Neptune said, breathing shakily at the Magister's words.
"Forgive me if I seemed to place an unnecessary burden on both your shoulders." Pyrrha shot up to look at Ozpin.
"It is no burden, Grand Magister. If anything, it must be destiny which entrusts both of us to see this as a challenge." She said determinedly, earning a small, amused but slightly exasperated smile from Neptune.
"And we will try our hardest to make our homeland proud. This I promise, as an Argonaut." Pyrrha pledged.
"Well, if she puts it that way, her promise is mine." Neptune added, pounding his chest with a fist.
"And I know you will see your promises through." Ozpin smiled, though it was one which Pyrrha saw as a knowing one, as if it reminded him of something.
The Mistrali Delegation House was, in a single word, simple.
At least that's what Pyrrha thinks of it, it was certainly a building inspired by architecture found in the Capital and in some parts of Western Mistral.
When they were sent to Old Vale, an old residential district just across the Smaragdi Bazaar, she half expected to either ride on another Great Falcon or simply take one of Beacon's airships.
What she didn't expect was for her and Neptune to be sent through a portal, straight to the delegation house's front door where a portly man with a mustache was waiting.
"Ah! So good to finally meet the Argus contingents for the Vytalic Games!" The man said as he reached a hand out.
"I am Peter Port, Royal Master of the Hunt and a professor at Beacon." The two shook hands with the man.
"I'm curious, professor. Just how many professors are at Beacon?" Neptune inquired, which earned a hearty laugh from Port.
"Too many to count, young man! Although the three you must focus on are myself, who teaches Huntsmen and Huntresses, Miss Glynda Goodwitch, who trains future Knights and knightly decorum, and the good Grand Magister, who deals in magic." The portly man explained.
"Surely there's more if you say there are too many to count." Neptune said, ever the eager learner in Pyrrha's eyes.
"Oh yes, there is more but I'm afraid we've not the time to explain it all." Port beckoned them inside the delegation house.
"This way to your rooms!"
After some further explanation on the layout of the building, Peter Port left without a second to waste, leaving them to change into more comfortable clothing.
"Well, he was certainly enthusiastic, don't you agree?" Neptune commented while taking off his armor.
"He seemed to be a gregarious one." Pyrrha said from behind a wooden dressing screen as she changed.
"Gregarious?" Neptune had a perplexed look as he changed from bright colored undergarments into more cool colored Argus clothing.
"How can you tell?" He asked after he tightened the belt around his waist.
"Call it a hunch." Pyrrha said as she stepped out with a short red dress, fastening the rope belt around her waist. Her hair was let down as she took off the circlet on her head and set it aside.
"Well, we certainly look much more comfortable compared to being in armor, don't we?" Neptune jokingly commented.
The redhead simply rolled her eyes but said nothing as Neptune quickly went to bed, out as a light.
Pyrrha too would follow his example as she blew the candle on her nightstand.
I hope the next few days will be interesting… Pyrrha thought, as she wandered into the land of dreams.
A/N: For map reference, please refer to the Vale map made by the one called adeafblindman on Reddit, his map of Vale was an inspiration for the locations and stuff so, go check it out.