HoloRWBY-Alternate

An: So, I've decided on how this first Arc of this story will end. To do this, I will end Ruby's and Jaune's current activities with two chapters a piece. That means the next two chapters will focus on Ruby, then the next two will focus on Jaune. This is mainly because I don't want to try and force all the groundwork for them later in the story into one chapter for Ruby, and two chapters for Jaune was the bare minimum I felt I could get away with and not undermine the Bigfoot as a threat; and Ruby's chapter just fit better as two chapters (also I didn't want a ridiculously long chapter either).

So, this is part 1 of Ruby's two chapters, I hope it's good. Enjoy.

Also, note that this symbol: (…): means that the major language of the characters has swapped. So, in this case, it's gone from Japanese to English. As other languages, mainly Indonesian, come more prominent, I'll start putting the name of said language.

Chapter 6: The Heavy Badge's bittersweet Burden, Part 1

Ochiba Park, Seiso City, Japan

(…)

The mood was somber.

The refugees shuffled down the now designated paths as officers directed them to hastily set up medical tents. The people's faces were a mix of solemness, trepidation, and slight awe as they walked out of the dark forest behind them. Further beyond a perimeter of yellow tape, curious onlookers, bystanders, and television reporters stood and observed.

"Everyone, single file, please!" ordered a young, youthful looking girl with bright blue eyes with a slash of green at the bottom of the irises and short dark hair under a light purple beanie. She wore a purple, sleeveless, stripped button-down blouse that showed her midriff under a long-sleeved blue police jacket, shorts with suspenders, and tennis shoes. This was none other than Oozara Subaru, Idol of Hololive and chief of the Oozara Police. "Please remain calm! No shoving, please! There's no need for violence!"

"Hey! Cut that shit out!" a heavy-set officer snaped at two men further down the line. "You'll agitate the Beasts in the forest! We ain't equipped to constantly save your asses!"

Ruby took all this in without seeing it. Her focus was only on the body in front of her. Penny looked so peaceful. So carefree. Yet the stab to her chest stood out uglily against her otherwise pristine form. Ruby couldn't take it. The sight of her dearest friend…dead.

She failed. Completely and utterly failed. And Penny's deceased form was all the proof she needed to know everything she did was worthless. She sniffled loudly as she tried to force down the urge to sob uncontrollably. Yet, it wasn't enough to stop her legs from giving up the strength to hold her up, as she landed on her knees before Penny, spluttering periodically as she fought against the natural impulse to weep.

Fubuki and Korone stood at her side and quickly knelt and placed comforting arms around Ruby's shaking shoulders, whispering words of comfort in her ears. However, they felt frigid and cold to Ruby. She didn't deserve them. Okayu and Mio stood a few feet away, standing vigil while IRyS stared down at Ruby in sadness.

"Hey, isn't that…?"

"I-It is! Oh my gosh! She fell too?!"

"I don't believe it!"

"H-How powerful was that woman that a Huntress like her couldn't stop her?"

"Is she ok? She looks like she's about to lose it…"

"Wait! Is that orange haired girl…the Protector of Mantle?!"

"Oh my god! It is!"

The refugees noticed Ruby from afar and started talking amongst themselves, which Ruby noticed. Her mood dampened. Of course, they would talk about her. She failed them, after all. She could only imagine the words they were saying about her that she couldn't hear…

Sooner than she wished, the authorities came over and sealed Penny into a body bag. Ruby stood vigil over her best friend, her gaze never leaving the black bag until it was laid in an area just off the main path. The silver eyed girl felt her tears try and return, but she quickly forced them back down.

"We'll take good care of her." Ruby was startled out of her trance by a voice. She turned to see the girl that was introduced to her as Subaru, with something wrapped in a blanket in her hands. Ruby just gazed at her; desolation evident on her face.

"We have Rushia coming to examine the dead," she explained. "It's a small chance, but perhaps the souls of the deceased are wandering around the area, allowing her to revive them before any serious damage befalls the bodies or souls themselves. It's…doubtful that the souls are even on Earth, given how most likely died in the Void, but it's something we are going try."

That made Ruby's heart leap a tiny bit. "T-Thank you…" she said.

"Don't mention it!" Subaru smiled. She then held out the object in her hand and explained, "We found this just off the main pathway. The refugees said…said it belonged to your friend…" Ruby's eyes widened as she, hesitantly, reached out and took the blanket wrapped item. She unwrapped the blanket and gasped, and the urge to cry resurfaced in force.

In her hands was one of Penny's Floating Array blades she had made via the Winter Maiden's powers. The green, crystalline blade shone brightly in the sunlight, making Ruby's lips quiver in pain as her eyes watered. She let out a pained sob as she hugged the Floating Array to her chest and fell to the ground again.

Again, Fubuki and Korone were at her side, hugging her tightly as they tried to console her. However, it wasn't enough. Ruby was losing it. She knelt there, clenching the Floating Array tightly against her chest…

She heard some commotion before she felt Fubuki and Korone let go of her and tiny arms wrap around her. "Don't be sad!" a tiny voice cried, making Ruby's snap up to see three young girls looking at her determinately.

"H-Huh…? W-Wha-" she tried to ask but was interrupted.

"No sad!" the youngest of the girls cried, burying her head into Ruby's shoulder. "No sad!"

"Why are you sad?!" the middle one told her. "Can we help, Miss Huntress?!"

"Are you hurt, Miss Huntress?!" the oldest girl asked.

"I-I…"

"Juniper! Mimosa! Rowan!" a woman cried as she rushed forward and pulled the girls from Ruby.

"Momma!" they protested, but the woman's grip was too strong.

"We are supposed to stay in the line!" she reprimanded them. "Come along!"

"But Momma!" the oldest shouted. "She's the Huntress that saved us back home! She's sad! She might be hurt!"

"Yes, she is, girls," the mother sighed. "She's mourning Miss Polendina, who was one of her friends."

The children gasped. "Come on, now," she instructed them as her husband finally made it over and started corralling the girls back to the line. She then turned to Ruby and gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm sorry about them, Miss Rose," she apologized. "They mean well, but they're energetic. And my condolences. Penny was a good Huntress."

"Y-Yeah, she was," Ruby replied. She hung her head and said, "She was much better than me."

The woman shook her head. "You're not giving yourself enough credit," she told the Huntress, making her snap up. "You brought Atlas and Mantle together. And you stood up to the general. You saved us!"

"B-But…" Ruby stammered out. "You all fell here…"

"Into a world that, according to the officers, is far safer than Remnant," the woman told her gently as she knelt and placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "There are no Grimm here, and what would count as this world's equivalent aren't concerned with the death of mankind. It has its problems, of course, but if given a choice between here and Remnant, well…"

The woman smiled at Ruby. "Here, I don't have to worry about my daughters' futures. They can grow up without having to constantly keep their negative emotions contained for fear of Grimm. They can live long, full lives without the ever-present possibility of death every day. I'll admit, this whole situation is…hard to deal with…" She then, to Ruby's surprise, hugged her. "And I can tell, that you're dealing with a lot right now, but please let me say:

"Thank you, Ruby Rose. For everything you've done," the woman told her, making Ruby's eyes widen in shock. The woman then broke off the hug and gave her one last smile before standing up to walk to her family. The oldest daughter smiled and waved at Ruby. The Huntress, stupefied, could only wave back.

She felt arms return to her shoulders and saw Fubuki and Korone smile at her again. "See?" Fubuki said. "You are amazing!"

"Un!" Korone agreed. "Have confidence in yourself!"

Ruby didn't respond. She just stared at them incomprehensively. IRyS, however, was struck with inspiration. "Subaru-senpai!" she called out quietly, getting the officer's attention. "Watashi wa keikaku ga arimasu!"

Ruby was still coming to grips with what the woman had told her, when someone else came up to her. "Hey. Y-You're Ruby Rose, right?" a voice asked. She looked up to see a pre-teen girl looking at her with reverence and awe. "Y-You were awesome back at Mantle! C-Could I have your autograph?!" the girl asked, greatly shocking the Huntress.

Soon enough, more people started making their way to Ruby. And to her continued shock and confusion, they all had something positive to say to her. They thanked her for saving them. They praised her skill as a Huntress. They gave their condolences for Penny. She couldn't understand it. She ruined their lives, tore them from their homes, got them stuck on a foreign world, yet…

Yet they didn't blame her. They…didn't hold her responsible for the Fall of Atlas and Mantle. Some even looked up to her! Why?

And why weren't any of them blaming her? Absently, she noticed IRyS directing some people towards Ruby. Was…was she doing what Ruby thought she was doing…?

Not like it mattered. Despite all her negative feelings, all the upbeat and kind words were starting to influence Ruby. She felt as if a weight was slowly being lifted from her shoulders. Like a flame that was consuming her heart was quickly being extinguished.

Currently, Ruby, Fubuki, and Korone were dealing with a group of young children from an orphanage in Mantle. The girls were in awe of Ruby and her friends, especially with their accents. The boys, however, looked as if they were gaining crushes on them, to Fubuki's and Ruby's embarrassment. Korone laughed at this.

"You've got fans!" the dog girl chortled.

"Ah! No!" Fubuki cried and shook her head frantically. "Friends! We are friends!" The children giggled at her.

"U, kore o dō uketomereba ī no ka wakarimasen..." Ruby mumbled in Japanese unconsciously. Unfortunately, this caused the children to gasp and excitedly ask her to teach them how to speak a different language, making Korone laugh harder.

Ruby tried to dissuade the children when a harsh voice suddenly broke through the noise: "Destroyer of Atlas!" Ruby's eyes widened in shock as her head bolted up towards the speaker.

Subaru, who was directing the crowd of refugees, heard this and turned abruptly. 'What?!'

IRyS had a similar reaction as she turned to the commotion. 'Someone slipped by-?! How?!' Suddenly, IRyS felt something try and attack her mind…

With superior speed, she appeared before a man and grabbed his face tightly. He cried out and struggled, but he was helpless to stop IRyS quickly knock him unconscious, bypassing his Aura easily. 'He somehow affected our minds…Is this a Semblance like Ruby mentioned?' "Dammit!" she cursed.

While IRyS was busy, the man in front of Ruby continued, "I don't know what all these people are telling you, but I can tell you it's nothing but lies! You? A hero? Ha! That's a laugh! You're hardly a Huntress!"

"Take that back!" a child roared and tried to rush the man, only for Korone to grab his arm. "Miss Rose is an amazing Huntress! She saved us from Grimm!"

"Destroying Mantle, going against the general, and abandoning our Kingdom, you call all that the work of an 'amazing' Huntress, kid?!" the man snarled. "Don't stick your nose in this! You don't know shit!"

Ruby found herself trembling. However, before she could delve back down into dark thoughts, an older orphan jumped up and glared at the man.

"And you can't talk, either!" she snarled. "I know you. You're a Huntsman, too! But when the Grimm invaded Mantle, you ran like a coward, and abandoned your post! I heard you were the first one in the shelters!"

"I wouldn't have had to do that if that silver-eyed bitch hadn't have screwed up!" the Huntsman fired back.

"She didn't screw up! You did by running away!"

"Why should I have to die for those Atleasian dogs?! Besides, they were too many to handle! I didn't become a Huntsman to die like an animal!"

"So, you chose your life over others! Some Huntsman you are!" the girl responded.

"Bit-!" The man was enraged and tried to attack the girl; however, his arm was stopped brusquely. He looked back in anger, only to see Subaru glaring at him.

"Attacking children is a shitty move!" she growled and tossed him aside, making him fly backwards. He hit the ground and rolled a few feet. Subaru turned back to the others when suddenly a someone shot up from behind her from the ground.

"Surprise bi-!" the man shouted, only to be hit with something upside the head. The impact shattered his Aura in one go, and he was sent flying back into the woods, the wind dispersing from the point of impact.

Subaru tapped the ground with the tip of her bat and proceeded to use it as a cane. "Bakas," she grumbled.

Ruby was left flabbergasted. First, a man waltzes up to her to tell her off for what happened at Atlas, then the children defend her, then Subaru just casually one shots a guy's Aura! What the hell was going on?!

"That was soo cooool!" one of the boys cried and run up to Subaru. "You sent 'em flyin'!"

"Ha! It wasn't hard! Felt like he was a lightweight!" Surbaru chuckled, tapping the bat on the ground.

"Grr!" the lead man from before stood and pulled a gun, making the children gasp in terror. Ruby's eyes widened as he took aim at her. "It's all your fault! Hundreds died because you thought you were better than us!" he screamed and fired. The bullet barreled towards the Huntress, and normally, it would have been easy for her to deflect it or simply dodge it. However, his biting words caused her reaction speed to suffer, so she couldn't dodge in time.

However, Subaru wasn't idle and swung her baseball bat and knocked the bullet up into the air. "Seriously?" she asked. The man only smirked as suddenly, Ruby's ears caught another man appear suddenly, laughing like a madman.

"This is why you fail as a Huntress, brat!" he roared and started bringing his mace down on the children, who screamed in terror.

Ruby's eyes widened, and instinct took over. Dispersing into rose petals, she flew in front of the children and held the Floating Array up to block. However, when she locked eyes with the man, she didn't a man. Suddenly, she was back in the Crossroads, staring up at a smug Cinder, Maiden powers on full display and two swords baring down at her face. Her eyes widened as she flinched back, allowing the man to knock the crystal blade out of her hands and knock her backwards. Her eyes widened as the vision of Cinder shifted to Neo, her sword poised to stab her in the gut.

She raised her arms in a vain attempt to defend herself, but suddenly, a brown blur appeared before her and grabbed the mace. The massive maul was halted immediately, causing the man's momentum to be abruptly stopped as well. He gasped in shock at the sight of Korone glaring at him. She growled menacingly as she casually crushed the maul in her hand and just as swiftly lashed out at his stomach with her other fist.

The man cried out in pain as his Aura shattered instantly, and he was propelled backwards at breakneck speeds. Korone sniffed the air mockingly. "Oh, darn!" she grumbled. "I hit him too hard!"

Ruby had fallen to the ground after Korone appeared and was immediately surrounded by the orphans as they began asking her if she was ok. Ruby, at that time, was trying to steady her breathing after the painful visions she endured as Fubuki came to her side and rubbed her back comfortingly. As she was calming down, she had looked up to see Korone launch the man halfway across the park! The other refugees cheered and applauded as disbelief overtook Ruby's features as she stared at the dog girl.

"W-What was th-How are you guys this strong?!" Ruby shouted incredulously.

"Eh?" Korone looked back at Ruby in confusion for a moment before she shrugged. "I don't know. I just am!" The children all stared up at Korone in awe. She was soon surrounded as the they begged her to train them to be that strong. Korone giggled at them.

Subaru sighed as she turned her attention back to the leader. "It's over," she told him.

He stared at her in shock. "Y-Y-You're all monsters! Freaks!" he shouted.

"And you're a coward," Subaru countered. "And a murderer for abandoning your post and allowing hundreds to perish. And you have the gall to blame Ruby, whose only fault is trying to salvage a bad situation by trying to do what's right."

"That brat broke the law! Why else would Ironwood brand her a traitor?!"

"Perhaps it's because she wouldn't allow him to kill all of Mantle for shortsighted reasons!" IRyS told him as she dragged the man's teammate over to them. "He was going to abandon all of you just to have some tiny victory over this Salem woman, and Ruby's conscience wouldn't let her kill innocents when they had the power, means, and time to save them!"

The noticed his teammate unconscious and started panicking. "Dammit all!" the man hissed. "This shit shouldn't be happening! That bitch destroyed our home, our Kingdom! And everyone's treating her like a hero! So, what if Grimm don't exist here?! So, what if it's peaceful?! I won't let this upstart brat upstage me! I WON'T!" Suddenly, a bright, golden glow flashed around him, startling the Idols.

'He's being Altered?!' Subaru thought frantically.

'Dammit! Why now of all times-!' IRyS thought furiously until she noticed a smaller, less notable glow around the man in her hands. 'Shit!'

Soon, four glows lit up the area, startling the refugees. "Huh?!" Korone exclaimed. "Alteration?!"

IRyS cursed again as threw the man in her hands away. He woke in the air and quickly spun to land on his feet. He chuckled darkly, making the Nephilim of Hope grimace.

"This…is going to be a problem," she grumbled.

An: And that ends part 1. I didn't want to do this initially, but then after going through the plot, this actually worked out well for me. Part 2 will come out within the next few days, then I'll do a full two chapters dedicated to Jaune and Tempus dealing with Bigfoot. Hope y'all are looking forward to it!

Japanese to English translations:

Watashi wa keikaku ga arimasu- Roughly translates to "I have a plan!"

U, kore o dō uketomereba ī no ka wakarimasen...- Roughly translate into "I-I don't know how to take this…"

Bakas- Fools