Disclaimer: Digimon doest not belong to me, and I do not know to whom attribute RWBY at this point.
A/N: Ummmm… Hi?
*An axe is thrown at me* WHERE ARE THE COMMISIONS YOU BASTARD!?
I—
*A gunshot is heard, I dodge a bullet.* AND ANOTHER PART OF FALLEN KNIGHT!
Y-You see—
*A truck almost rolls me over.* AND HUNTER X ZERO X TWO!
LET ME EXPLAIN!
As you know I have prepared various chapters of Fallen Knight ready to upload at any moment. As for Hunter X Zero X Two, the chapter is almost ready, I promise (Not that a lot of people read that one…)
But I've had this one in my desk for so long, and so to not run out of Fallen Knight chapters and give you guys something, I decided: Why not?
Depending on the support I will get to work on more chapters, or not. So in the meantime, enjoy this sort-of-not-sure-if-to-call-it pilot!
Ruby Rose was falling. Above her, the battle on the paths created by Ambrosius raged on. Cinder still continued with her desire to obtain all of the Maiden's powers, and her friends and allies all tried their best to stop her. While she… she failed…
She was not doing anything. She was just falling while Atlas' citizens which she and her team brought there in the first place were getting caught in the crossfire. Weiss was still up there, but she and Blake and… Yang… They all fell and left her alone!
As those frantic thoughts ran through her head, her eyes caught a shine from the corner of their vision. She turned her head to see beautiful mots of light floating around them. She reached out to one of them only for her hand to pass through them, as if they were made of air.
She looked around to see more and more of them, beautiful lights rising up. Yet she felt disheartened when she didn't see the paths, how far had she fallen? She turned her head to the side and—
Her breath hitched and barely had time to react when Neopolitan landed a blow straight to her nose. Her barely recovered aura protecting her from the damage.
Neo tried to reach out to her throat. Her eyes ablaze with anger and murderous intent. Ruby was barely able to grip her wrists to keep her at bay, and even then, Neo's strength was almost enough for her to graze Ruby's throat with the tip of her fingers.
Seeing no result, Neo pulled back. Shards of glass seemed to form around her body and her appearance change. Ruby sucked in a deep breath when she took on the battered and bruised form of Oscar, exactly as he looked after he was rescued from Salem. The sight of her friend made her hesitate which Neo took advantage of to shake her grip off her.
Now free, Neo glared at her and shifted her form again. Ruby whimpered when in front of her now stood her sister, Yang. She charged at her and Ruby hastily put her fists up in an attempt of defense, but she was never one for hand-to-hand combat and was easily overpowered by this copy of her sister. The roles were swapped as now Neo in her guise gripped Ruby's wrist and kept her in place.
With a savage grin, Neo's form changed again. Now taking the form of Penny, she sneaked behind Ruby, releasing her wrists but grabbing her in a chokehold.
She struggled, trying to get the savage girl away from her but her attempts were futile. Her vision darkened, her breath was getting cut off and… and she started hallucinating.
How else would you explain numbers and symbols floating around her?
Yet when these hallucinations started, Neo's grip slackened and this gave Ruby the change to breath and drive her elbow into her opponent's gut. Neo released her and Ruby gave her a mule kick in the chest to sent her flying backwards and away from her.
Breathing heavily, she felt her short-timed relief leaving her as she saw the symbols and numbers around her becoming more and more dense until finally, she saw a white light and then…
She felt her body hit solid ground. She didn't know how or why, but she felt cool solid ground beneath her, her vision swayed and darkness claimed her. But not before listening to a worried voice.
"Hey! Are you okay? … What are you?"
Her head felt like it was going to split, when she opened her eyes with a groan, she was surprised to see a ceiling above her head. She closed her eyes again, feeling her headache get worse just by opening her eyes.
What happened…? She fell, fought Neo while they were falling, and then… those numbers and symbols…
"Pssst! Hey, are you awake?"
A high-pitched voice made that question, and Ruby now feels a weight in her abdomen that wasn't there before. She opens her eyes with great effort to see what this was about… and then they widen without her needing to push herself due to the sight in front of her.
Blue eyes looked at her with curiosity, belonging to a… creature. Its skin seemed to be made out of some metal, and resembled a reptile of some sort. "Oh! You are awake!"
"… AAAAAAAAAH!" Ruby shrieked as she sat up and pointed at the creature with panic.
"AAAAAAAAAAAH!" The creature also yelled as it scrambled out from the bed, hiding behind its foot before poking his head. "…Why are we yelling?"
"Y-You what… Who… What are you?!" Ruby struggled to get the words out. Grimm? She knew how to handle themselves around them. This? It could talk and she didn't know what it was!
"What happened I heard screaming!" Another voice came, and for the first time Ruby noticed stairs leading to a lower floor and from there another… person? Came from.
Ruby wasn't sure if they were a human or some sort of Faunus. It was a girl, shorter than her, with a pink hat with long ears on her head. The reason for her confusion was that… her hat changed facial expressions along with her.
"Oh! Blanc, look, she woke up!" The reptile thing said, bouncing towards the girl. "Can we keep her?! Please, please, pleaseeeeeee!"
Ruby was too bewildered to speak. And the girl—Blanc?—shook her head and sighed. "Hackmon, that decision isn't mine…" The girl looked at Ruby. "Besides she must be from somewhere… else?"
"From the forest where I found here?" The reptile—Hackmon?—tilted his head in curiosity before snorting. "That's silly. Only wild ones live in the forest and she doesn't look like a wild one!" He gasped and his eyes widened. "Wait!"
Ruby leaned back as Hackmon zoomed to her and basically pressed his face against her, looking straight into her eyes. "Are you a wild one?!"
"Um… No…?" Ruby asked trying to gain some personal space back.
"She can talk! All good!" Hackmon said, bouncing down the bed.
Another… person, she supposed, came from the stairs. She looked around her age, and was dressed similar to Blanc, except her hat was blue and she had black hair. The look on her face was one of indifference, it sort of remind her of Blake during their first days as a team.
"Oh, she's awake," she said, looking at Ruby.
"Ciel…" Blanc looked at the newcomer worryingly.
"Noir wants to see her," Ciel said plainly before walking down the stairs.
Blanc sighed and shook her head. "If Noir says so…" She followed after the other girl. "Come, Hackmon."
"Right-O!" Hackmon said, bouncing happily towards the stairs. "Nice to meet you, new friend!"
With the room now all for herself, Ruby's thoughts started swirling. Where was she? What were these… people? Did everyone in the roads made it out okay? What about Neo? What about Yang and Blake?!
Her hand trembled as she pushed herself out of bed. She needed information and these people were her best bet for it, to know where she was or if this was some sort of strange dream.
She walked down the stairs and found herself in a… really small living room. There was a table with four chairs and just behind was the kitchen. On the table were the people she met before, Blanc was reading a book, while Ciel had her arms crossed and an annoyed look, Hackmon seemed to be bouncing in place and grinned eagerly at her.
A sweet smell caught her attention and turned to the kitchen were a person dressed in black was preparing something while humming a soft melody. They turned around, revealing a person with an attire similar to Blanc and Ciel's, with a kind smile on her face. "Oh, you've woken up. Nice to meet you, my name is Noir."
"Umm… Hi…" Ruby waved shyly.
Noir set plates for the two girls and the little reptile and from her frying pan she settled slices of meat in them. Ruby's stomach grumble, causing her to blush in embarrassment.
"Sit down dear, there's enough for everyone," Noir said with a kind smile.
"Today…" Ciel muttered, before flinching and wincing. "Ouch!"
"Sorry…" Blanc told her, not looking sorry at all.
While the two glared to each other, and Hackmon snickered, Noir just rolled her eyes and raised a hand which glowed with a purple glow. Ruby's eyes widened when from the wooden floor another chair rose, to which Noir gestured for her to sit. "Come on, before it gets cold."
"I… I…" She did sit down, but just because her mind after seeing what could only be classified as Magic. And her last encounters with Magic hadn't been exactly pleasant. "What is all this?"
Noir tilted her head. "And by this you mean…?"
"… Where am I? And who… or…. What are you?" She asked, looking down at her hands, nervously.
Hackmon chuckled. "I told you she was funny, Noir!"
Noir pet his head and smiled in a motherly way. "Sure, you did, honey." She looked at Ruby again. She tilted her head and cupped her cheek with one hand in a thoughtful way. "Well, being specific we are in the settlement of File Island, not far away from the Server Continent. As for what we are, well, we are Digimon. Everyone here is."
Ruby blinked, but in the end just shook her head. "I don't know what any of those are. I never heard of File Island or Server Continent, or what Digimon are…"
Noir blinked and looked at her with a worried look. "Oh dear… you must be really far away from home, aren't you sweetie?"
Ruby nodded. Not knowing what else to do in this situation. Everything she just said was so confusing…
"Well, how about some introductions?" Noir asked. "We didn't really did it properly. I am Sistermon Noir, and you already met Sistermon Ciel and Sistermon Blanc."
Blanc waved at her while Ciel refused to make eye contact with her . She just poked at her food and eat slowly.
Noir then pointed to Hackmon. "And this little guy is Hackmon. He found you unconscious on the entrance of the village. And brought you here all by himself."
Hackmon puffed out his chest. "Is what a knight would do!"
"Knight…?" Ruby asked, looking at the reptile with a wry smile and a raised eyebrow.
Ciel looked at him with a frown. "Hack… don't start."
Hackmon went back to his seat and rubbed his head. "Hehe, sorry sis…"
Ciel just went back to eating after a sigh. Ruby looked around the four, understanding that out of them Hackmon was the odd one out. Noir called them all Sistermon, was it a tittle or something? They all ended in Mon like Hackmon so where those their names and the rest second or last name? Was the name ending in Mon a tradition like the color naming?
She had a lot of questions, but Noir's voice called her attention. "Ruby?"
Ruby looked up to her. "Yes?"
"I know that after waking up you might be confused," she told her. "I recommend that you eat first and then you'll be able to think with a clearer mind."
She nodded again. Noir's entire motherly demeanor just puts her at ease. Her mind couldn't help but flashback to Summer and Yang. One the mother she admired and missed and the other the sister who basically raised her.
She looked at Hackmon. If these three were anything like Yang then he was a lucky guy… reptile… Digimon, let's settle for the strange word: Digimon.
She looked at her plate and scooped a bit of the stew. The flavor immediately clicking with her taste buds as she realized how hungry she was.
The dinner was eaten in silence. Ruby couldn't help her eyes from eyeing her newfound company. Hackmon scarfed the stew like there was no tomorrow, Blanc eat more calmly but at a fast pace, as if afraid it would go out, Ciel stared at the food for a moment before eating and Noir eat with a posse that reminded Ruby of her partner…
When she was done with her plate, almost immediately Hackmon turned to Noir with an eager look. "Can I show Ruby around the town?! That helps me think and you said she could think after dinner."
"You have my permission to go out," Noir told him. "But if you want to take Ruby, you have to ask her," she gestured at Ruby with her hand.
Hackmon nodded, turning around with excited eyes to Ruby. "Ruby, can I show you around the town? I can show you my favorite places and the folks around!"
Ruby couldn't help her small smile. "Sure… Maybe if I make it here my friends are somewhere around here too…" thinking about her friends quickly killed her smile. Remembering how they fell and how Weiss, Penny and Jaune were left behind defending the people…
She hoped they were okay.
"Great!" He jumped off the table and towards the door. "I'll wait for you outside!" He walked out, an ever-present smile on his face.
Noir giggled and motioned to the door. "Don't keep him waiting, he might get restless."
Ruby sat up and walked towards the door. But as she reached for the handle, she looked back at the Sistermon. "Umm… I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but... why did you helped me?"
Blanc gave her a confused look. "What do you mean?"
"I mean… I'm a stranger and…" Ruby rubbed her left arm uncomfortable. "It could be dangerous."
Ciel scoffed and muttered something under her breath that Ruby didn't quite catch, before she winced in pain. "Ow!"
"Sorry," Again, Blanc didn't look sorry.
Noir ignored them and gave Ruby an understanding look. "I get what you're saying. Partially because Hackmon gave me those puppy eyes to which I just can't say no, but even if that wasn't the case I just couldn't stand leaving someone in need on their own."
Now Ruby felt shame. Of course, the answer would be something like that. She would have done the same. She was a Huntress after all… It's what they do…
"Right," she said, giving a nod. "Thank you. I own you one." She was about to leave, but gave a pause before opening her mouth. "Have any of you heard of… Vale, Vacuo, Atlas or Mistral… Maybe about the Grimm?"
The three exchanged looks. Or to be exact, Noir and Blanc did, Ciel continued to look down with a sour expression—maybe she didn't like what Noir had prepared, or was angry at Blanc after kicking her—before the two shook their heads and Blanc responded. "It doesn't ring any bells, sorry…"
Ruby's head dipped and she let out a sigh. "Okay, thank you again, for your hospitality," she said, truly meaning it and trying to make her gratefulness fill her gnawing worry and low spirits.
Noir smiled in that motherly way that reminded Ruby of her own mother with her and Yang mixed together. "It was no problem. Now go with our Hackmon, make sure he doesn't get into any trouble."
She nodded and left, closing the door behind her.
She wasn't sure what she expected on the other side. But the sight certainly left her feeling a bit overwhelmed and underwhelmed at the same time. Not with indifference, but just confused at how she should process the information.
The town, or settlement as Noir had called it, was as rural as it gets. The houses, including the one where Ruby and Hackmon came from where made out of wood and clay. The roads were not pavemented at all, and there was no sign of technology or anything remotely modern around.
And then there was the inhabitants. Bizarre came out short for Ruby. From all forms and shapes, most of them with a size under her own height, there were some pink… bouncing heads with ears, some… plants? Walking around. And some other creatures that she found hard to describe.
"Welcome to File Village!" Hackmon said, stepping in front of her and standing on his rear paws, extending his fore paws as if he was presenting a show. "The biggest settlement in all of File Island! And, well, maybe the only one since a lot of others have come joined us. Come on! I'll show you around!"
Hackmon bounced happily, catching the eye of some of the… Digimon, many of which gave him animated greetings that he responded in kind. Ruby walked behind him, trying to keep up with his pace, but that's when the stares began.
Digimon looked at her with wide eyes and curious looks. She saw some green and brown birds whispering to one another, some of the heads she saw earlier pilling a top one another to get a better look at her. She felt self-conscious and pulled her hood over her head to avoid the stares.
"Where to start… Oh! The Kudamon's fields! Everyone loves Kudamon's fields!" Hackmon said, ignorant to Ruby's discomfort.
"Umm, Hackmon?" Ruby said, walking to stand next to the tiny reptile. "Everyone keeps staring at me…"
Hackmon looked up at her, his blue eyes blinking before looking around at the Digimon. Some noticed his stare and went back to their thing. He turned to her again and smiled. "Maybe they just want to talk to you! Nothing ever happens here, really, so they might be excited to meet you."
Ruby looked around. The looks ceased a bit, but that was after Hackmon caught their eyes. "So, I'm like… a celebrity…?" She asked.
"Is that what you are?" Hackmon asked, stopping to look at her. "I didn't want to ask because it sounded rude but… what are you, Ruby?"
"What… do you mean?" She was confused by his statement.
"I mean I've never seen a Digimon like you before!" Hackmon said. "Much less one that names themselves Ruby." Then he blinked and waved his front paws agitatedly. "Not that there's anything wrong with your name! It's just that… well it doesn't end in Mon, which is really weird… sorry."
Ruby blinked. Why would Hackmon think she was a Digimon? Heck, she wasn't even sure yet what a Digimon was! Someone like Hackmon? His sisters?
"Hackmon I'm not a Digimon, I'm a human," She explained, thinking that with that it would be enough.
"… What's a human?" Hackmon asked with the outmost innocence, leaving Ruby baffled.
"I…" How could she explain that? It was as if a she asked a Faunus what a Faunus was. "People like me…? Have you really not seen a human before?"
Then again, she didn't really meet any Digimon before and there were lots on this island.
"Oh! So nice people!" Hackmon exclaimed, and Ruby couldn't help feeling flattered. "Got it!"
"Not all humans are good, Hackmon," she told him, her fists curling as she thought of the battle in the roads.
"You should have never been born."
She shook her head, not wanting Cinder Fall to invade her thoughts at the moment.
"Hmmm I don't really get it," Hackmon said, crossing his paws and humming. "What about you explain me after seeing the fields. We're basically right around the corner?"
"…" Ruby sighed, but nodded at him. "Sure, why not?"
"Great!" He resumed his skipping as they walked, it was an endearing sight to be honest. Like he said, they turned around a corner and Ruby was met by yet another baffling sight.
There was a large group of fences surrounding a cropping field with a white, ferret-like creature in a stand in front of it. It had a farming hat and a straw on its mouth, the Digimon's eyes landing on Hackmon and tipping his hat forward slightly. "Morning Hacky, how you doing lad?"
"Morning Kudamon!" Hackmon greeted in return. "I just wanted to check the fields. How's the harvest?"
"Same old," Kudamon said with a sigh. "Luckily the explorers will come back with new seeds. Would hate to ask for things from Server…"
"Trailmon would bring it if we ask…" Hackmon said, and Ruby noticed how meek his voice had turned and how he rubbed one of his front claws in the other.
"I don't doubt it, but it doesn't depend on him. He's already sticking his neck out by going there and bringing some souvenirs," Kudamon said, taking the straw off his mouth. "Better to continue using resources of the island, as few as they are..."
His eyes finally landed on Ruby; he raised a questioning eyebrow at Hackmon. "Is she a new Sistermon or somethin'?"
Hackmon's mood changed again. He straightened up and looked up at Ruby. "Nope! She is Ruby! A humon!"
"Human."
"Human!"
Kudamon looked at her with confusion. "What in the blazes is a human?"
"Dunno," Hackmon said, shrugging. "Someone like Ruby. It's what she said." He explained, gesturing to her.
Kudamon looked at her before shaking his head. "Nope. Doesn't ring a bell." He looked at her and like with Hackmon he tipped his hat in greeting. "How you doin' miss?"
"Um, good, thank you…" Her eyes trailed towards the fields and back to Kudamon. "Umm… by any casualties are those… pieces of… meat?"
"The best ones on this island miss!" Kudamon said proudly. "But to be fair, it's also the only one."
Meat growing out of the earth. It would be so cool if it wasn't so confusing, like how? She once tried the same with cookies and Yang with a piece of turkey and all they got was a scolding from their father.
The more she learned about this place the more confused she got. "O…kay…"
Though, the more she sees it. The more she noticed how… empty it looked. She didn't know if it was supposed to look like that, but with how much terrain the fences covered she would have thought there would be more… meat.
"I told you it was cool!" Hackmon said, snapping her out of her thoughts, with his little tail waving. "Sis already got her ration from today so… I don't suppose we can have more…?" He looked at Kudamon with bright eyes.
The Digimon behind the stall shook his head with a look with a mix of sorrow and sadness. "Sorry pal. You know the rules. Until its growing season again we have to keep with what we got." He gave him a hopeful smile. "Though, the scouts left to check in the surrounding areas to see if they can find more. So, fingers crossed."
"Sure!" Hackmon crossed two of his claws. He turned to Ruby with a grin. "Okie-doke. Let's go, Ruby! There's more to see!"
With the same upbeat aptitude, Hackmon left the stand. Ruby noticed the fond look Kudamon was giving at his retreating form. "He's a good kid. The only one capable of keeping the spirits up during these seasons…"
"Is it really that bad?" Ruby asked, feeling apprehensive to ask.
Kudamon nodded. "The settlement thrives during growing season. But it doesn't last as long as we'd would like, and the rest of the time harvesting's hard…" he shook his head and smirked at Ruby. "Get out before I damper your mood further, young lady. I'm sure Hackmon can give you a less depressing explanation."
Still concerned and confused, Ruby nodded and followed after Hackmon. Who waited for her at right around the corner.
Despite his claims of there being more to see in the settlement. The truth was that after the fields, there wasn't that much that caught her attention. Just houses and more Digimon around who smiled and greet him with the same kindness and politeness he gave them, although that didn't stop the Digimon from giving her weird looks that continued to make her feel in the spot.
Eventually, Hackmon did brought her to an interesting place: A cliff, one with a railroad that extended to the horizon as far as Ruby can see, and one that overlooked a vast ocean. Bizarre. Like almost everything Ruby has encountered in this island. The ocean in front of them also confirmed to Ruby that the name File Island wasn't just for show, it was well and truly an island.
'Just what exactly is this place…?' She knows she has been told many times already, but why did she never hear of such place? And the Sistermon didn't knew about the Kingdoms or even the Grimm.
The possibility has been roaming her head. Considering the magic of the roads, as well as Ambrosius warning, the conclusion was as logical as she was crazy.
'This is… another worl —"
"And this is the railroad towards the Server Continent!" Hackmon's voice forced her to put her attention in her.
Ruby shook her head. Deciding, for the sake of her sanity, to ignore the conclusion for now and just indulge Hackmon. "Your sisters mentioned it before. What's that place like?"
"I dunno. Never been there," Hackmon said. His head lowered and his voice sounded solemn. "Although, I don't think it's such a nice place."
Ruby crouched down to his level. "What do you mean?"
"Well…" He fidgeted a bit, before raising his head. "Before, when we waited for the growing season to start again, we could ask for food to Server and they in exchanged asked us for some of our meat and a material found on the forest that the scout bring from time to time." He looked up at her. "They really cared about the material found in caves. I think it was called… C-Chrome… Digi… Ch-ro-me, Di-Gi-Zoid!" He cheered and pumped his fists. "Chrome Digizoid! That's it!"
Awww, Ruby giggled seeing him so pumped. It was adorable.
The adorableness died and he lowered his head. "But then, the people Trailmon brought started asking more and more… and give less and less. The Di-gi-zoid didn't grow on trees, so we couldn't get as many as they wanted and they just gave us scraps… Eventually we decided to just look after ourselves, but, that also meant just getting food during growing season."
Ruby frowned. "That sounds unfair. If they are a Continent and this is an Island, why couldn't they just bring people to work to get that Digi-thing?" She wasn't into business like Weiss, but that just sounded stupid and unnecessarily cruel to deprive them of food. This must be what Kudamon was talking about
"I dunno," Hackmon responded, laying his head down on the floor. "But Trailmon is always good! He brings food every time he can! And when the growing season comes, we are all gonna get all times of meats! Giant meat, sirloin. And maybe some Supercarrots!" A low growl came from his stomach. "I… shouldn't talk so much about food. Else we won't make it to tomorrow's lunch."
Now Ruby saw what Kudamon meant, Hackmon kept his spirits high even when facing hunger and such a gloom situation.
However.
'It's gonna be like that forever?' She thought, looking down. 'How long until the entire town starts feeling hunger or more Digimon are born and there's not enough food?' She looked across the ocean. 'Maybe if they all go to Server and try to get more food? But it's only this people against a continent… what good will it do in the end…?'
What good did she do when she fell down the roads in the end? Unable to help her friends and the innocents of the road? And trying to stop Ironwood from abandoning Mantle, only to cause him to bomb it?
"Ruby?" She gasped as a voice called her, and looked down to see Hackmon looking at her worriedly. "Are you okay?"
"I… Yes, why?" She asked, forcing a smile.
"… You're crying…"
She brought a hand to her face and touched her cheeks, noticing how two trails of tears ran down from there. She dried them with the back of her hand and looked away from Hackmon. "Sorry. I just… didn't have some great times before coming here…"
She didn't look back at Hackmon. She saw the look on his face and didn't like it; it made her feel like she needed to be looked after like a kid, and that was the last thing she deserved after failing miserably.
An uncomfortable silence fell between the two, until a bell started ringing across the town. She looked back with curiosity, while Hackmon's eyes basically glowed.
"Scouts!" He said, jumping back to his four paws and skipping away. "Oh man! Oh man! I hope they brought some more food with them!"
Ruby sat up and decided to just ignore her distress for now. She needed to know how to get off the island first, so maybe this Trailmon Hackmon kept talking about could help her. Even if the light the so-called Server Continent wasn't a pleasant one.
She caught up to Hackmon and all around the Digimon she saw across the town had gathered at the entrance of the town. She used her hood to hide from the stares, though luckily everyone was focused on the entrance. And from across another group of Digimon lead by a creature with a black pelt over his body, who had a solemn look on his face.
"I'm sorry guys," As he spoke, he gestured back to a large cart behind them with four sacks. Two open and half empty, while the other two were close and seemed full. "With what we got it'll last a few weeks."
Disappointed moans erupted from all the Digimon, even Hackmon seemed down. "Darn, I hoped BlackGabumon's nose could find something."
BlackGabumon —according to Hackmon —waved his arms to gather the attention of the Digimon. "However! We did find something… strange. And while not food, it is worrisome considering our current isolation from Server. We have trespassers!"
Gasps rang out and panicked looks were exchanged. Ruby looked down at Hackmon who seemed nervous about the news.
"However, we've never seen Digimon like these… behold!" He took hold of the ropes holding the sacks and tugged, opening them.
Ruby gasped at what she saw and her eyes watered.
"Hmmrgh!" Weiss and Blake struggled. Their hands bound by vines and gagged with the same plants.
"Good job on the binds, Alraumon," BlackGabumon complimented a plant-like Digimon, who gave him a military salute.
Not that Ruby paid them any attention as her eyes were focused on her friends. "GUYS!" She made her way through the crowd and charged to the cart.
Their eyes widened when they saw her, wiggling their way out of the sacks and almost falling from the cart had Ruby not caught them in her arms. "Hang on. Let me…" She said, tugging at their bindings until they broke and removing their gags. And once free, Ruby engulfed them in a hug.
"Ruby… You… Huh?!" Blake's words were completely incoherent. She was probably more confused than Ruby when she woke up. She did return the hug however.
"Where are we?!" Weiss' grip on her was really strong despite her shrill questioning… Wait…
Weiss fell too?!
"Another one!" BlackGabumon screamed as the whole group joined the Digimon from the settlement. "Who are you people?!"
"Waiiiiit!" Hackmon jumped in front of them, waving his arms frantically. "Ruby's my friend! And they are her friends! So, they're my friends too! She's not from Server!"
BlackGabumon and the rest of the scouts glared at the girls and looked at Hackmon. "Boy, you sure?" His tone of voice showed nervousness. "They weren't exactly happy after we cut the deal off…"
"I am sure!" Hackmon said, standing proudly on his rear legs and the front paws on his hip. "Knight's word!"
Snorts were heard and some Digimon mumbled. 'He's adorable.' Other were more mocking. 'Again, with the knight thing.'
BlackGabumon stared at them for a moment before shrugging and nodding. "Well, you do you kid. Honestly if they are from Server there would not be much for us to do…"
The town dispersed and Hackmon turned to give Ruby a thumbs up which she returned with a smile.
When the crowd dispersed Ruby was finally able to fully free her friends with the help of Hackmon's claws and once off the cart, the group engulfed into a proper hug. Different emotions invading: Relief, guilt, sorrow, regret, fear.
They collapsed into the floor, with Ruby holding back tears as she tightened the grip on the two.
Eventually they had to break up, Blake wiped the tears of her face with the back of her hand and looked at Ruby. "I'm sorry. Y-You fell because I."
"Don't you dare say it was your fault!" Weiss told her. "It was Neopolitan, and Cinder of course. It's all their fault."
"… Weiss…" Ruby called in a small voice. "How did you fell?"
"…" Ruby immediately noticed how her partner's body tensed. Her eyes becoming glossy and her bit getting bit with too much strength. "… We were trying to leave while Cinder was distracted but… She noticed us and attacked. Jaune tried to protect us using one of his shields but… Cinder caused an explosion that sent me down the paths… I'm sorry."
Blake grabbed her in a one-armed hug and pulled her close. "If I don't get to apologize, then neither do you. You lasted the longest out of all of us."
Weiss took a shuddering breath as she held to Blake. Her eyes shifted to Ruby and looked like she wanted to say something, but another pressing issue invaded Ruby's mind. Cutting off Weiss before she had the chance to speak.
"Where's Yang?" She asked, her eyes wide. "If you two are here then she must be here too!"
She turned around and found Hackmon with his back turned to her. He turned around blinking innocently before speaking with a sheepish tone. "This looked personal to you guys. Didn't wanna intrude."
Blake and Weiss looked at him in confusion. Obviously with the same question she had, but Ruby had new ones that needed to be answered. "Hackmon! Did they mention anything about other human?! One with blonde hair, possibly angry looking? With an arm made of metal?"
Hackmon stared in the direction where the townsfolks dispersed and shook his head. "Nope. And if they did, they would have brought her with them… right?"
He had a point.
She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Blake giving her a reassuring smile. "If we ended up here, then she must be close."
"Wherever 'here' is…" Weiss said, drying off her tears and adjusting her dress.
"File Island!" Hackmon piped up cheerfully.
Weiss looked at him strangely, giving Ruby a look that she responded with a semi-shrug. "Umm… Thank you…?"
"No problem!" Hackmon smiled brightly.
There was a shift in Weiss. Ruby saw how her eyes brightened considerably and how she bit down her lips. "And what's your name little guy?" Her voice grew a few octaves. Usually, it happened with Zwei.
"I am Hackmon! Ruby's, and now yours I suppose, guide over the settlement," Hackmon explained with a dutiful salute.
"Awww he's adorable!" Weiss gushed, causing Blake and Ruby to sweat-drop.
The Faunus turned to Ruby with a questioning look. "So, you've been here for a while. Can you tell us what this place is?" She looked down at Hackmon, who's paws were now being held by a giggling Weiss as they seemed to play a game of sorts. "Or what these… creatures are?"
"Specifically? We're in an island called File," she smiled at Hackmon. "And they call themselves Digimon."
"Never heard of any of that before…"
"And they never heard of any of the Kingdoms before!" She told her. "Or Grimm."
"What?!" Both Blake and Weiss, who's attention got caught by that information, exclaimed.
Ruby rubbed her arms nervously. "Guys… Remember what Ambrosius said when he made the paths?" She asked in a soft voice. "To not fall…?" She cringed, remembering the battle. "With all the magical stuff going on I wouldn't be surprise if he was trying to warn us for other reasons…"
She knew it was crazy and absurd. But then again, so was the existence of a magic and a master of all Grimm as well as the Brother Gods. Everything she's ever thought 'real' and 'fictional' started emerging into one. The fairy tales she once thought as mere stories like the Season Maidens and the Girl in the Tower.
Maybe this was like the story of the Girl Who Fell Through the World. Where the protagonist Alice wakes up in another world… This place must be…
A whistling sound cut her thoughts, and everyone turned to the other side of the settlement. Where the railroad was. Hackmon brightened considerably and bounced back to his feet. "Oh boy! Trailmon's back!" He ran up to Ruby and stood on his legs to push her hips forward. "C'mon Ruby! I want you to meet him!"
"Huh?! Umm…" She looked back at her friends, who both shrugged. She looked down at Hackmon. "Okay, we're going."
The tiny reptile didn't need any other confirmation of their intentions. He dashed pass them and towards the other side of the settlement. With no other plans and with Hackmon being their 'guide' across this place, they decided to follow.
Like when the scouts returned, the whole town—except for the Sistermon group, Ruby noticed —was clamored together and watching the railroads with expectation. And in the distance, Ruby could make out a spot from where she recognized came the whistling sound.
But as it grew closer, she realized something was wrong. With the townsfolks gasping in horror. As the figure got closer and closer, she saw that it resembled a train yet like with everything she's seen in this world it wasn't as simple; It was brown in color and with two eyes and a mouth full of sharp teeth… Yet nothing unsettled her more than the different kind of bruises it had.
Dented metal, missing spots of metal and black smoke that for a connoisseur of engines like her meant bad news. The poor thing looked completely beaten to a pulp.
The town took a step back as the Digimon came to a stop. Different worried mutterings could be heard and Ruby felt a razor-sharp pain coursing through her leg. She looked down to see Hackmon, gripping her leg tightly in worry and fear.
"I'-I'm sorry… you guys…" Trailmon spoke, smoke coming out of his mouth. "T-They got me, when I was trying to run with supplies…"
"Filthy criminal scum like you deserve it," A voice said snidely from inside the Digimon. Its doors were busted open, making Trailmon wince in pain, and a large new group of Digimon came out.
They all looked the same. Gray reptiles wearing commando clothes and holding riffles in their arms. All of them aiming at the Digimon from the settlement.
"We had an agreement, years ago," The same voice that insulted Trailmon said. And a new Digimon emerged from inside the train. It looked mechanical, from head to toe, Ruby wondered if it was some kind of robot. "You gave us Chrome Digizoid and we gave you supplies. When you started whining, we decided to cut you some slack. After all, Chrome Digizoid doesn't grow on trees and we didn't want to ran out of such a source."
The Digimon's tail slammed against the floor, leaving a big crack on it. "And yet you had not only the gal to steal from Server, the territory of the great Metal Empire, but to also sent spies to our land?!"
"I'm… Telling you…" Trailmon struggled to say. "T-They didn't know… It was all me…"
The cyborg Digimon turned around, its left eye blazing as it shot a laser to Trailmon's front. The train yelling out in pain as it burned into the metal, while the surrounding Digimon cowered in fear.
Ruby gritted her teeth at the cruelty, and around her she noticed Weiss and Blake going for their weapons. They might be missing a member, but Team RWBY was not going to stand by and let things like this happen.
"Silence!" The bad Digimon—in Ruby's eyes —roared. He turned to the Digimon from the town. "You will see the consequences this two will face, as an example!" He turned to one of the riffle-holding Digimon and barked an order, "Bring her."
"Sir!" It saluted and went back into the train.
A moment later, it emerged with a squirming form that made Team RWBY gasp.
"MMMMMRRGGHHHH!" Yang was thrown into the floor. Her metallic arm missing, and her real arm shackled to her hip by a metallic cuff. Her mouth gagged with a piece of metal.
Ruby's eyes shrank in horror as the Digimon aimed its laser eye at her sister. "I, Sealsdramon, sentence you to die!" He declared. "In the name of the Metal Empire! The greatest power in the entire Digital World!"
A/N: Welp, lets see how this one does.