Cuts of RWBY
A RWBY Fic Collection by AndrewJTalon
DISCLAIMER: This is a fan based work of prose. RWBY is the property of Rooster Teeth and WB Animation. Please support the official release.
Just a collection of plot bunnies and ideas for RWBY fics. Free for you to take and make use of.
For instance... What if Jaune got his friends to his hometown Radian up in North Sanus after Vytal?
The man in black with red hair stood over her. She screamed in pain, the stump where her right arm was bleeding and burning with agony. She scooted back away from the man as he advanced, his red katana gleaming ominously.
"Time to finish what I started," he hissed. He held the sword up, brought it down upon her-
"AAAHHH! AAHHH! AAAAHHH!"
Strong arms held her shoulders against a bed as she thrashed. She opened her eyes, frantically looking around as a woman spoke to her.
"Calm down! Calm down! It's all right, it's all right, you're safe, you're safe..."
Yang Xiao-Long looked into blue eyes. They were kindly and compassionate, outlined by black framed glasses. She took deep breaths, her chest heaving as her heart threatened to beat right out.
"That's right, that's right, calm, calm," the woman said softly, "You're safe, you're safe."
The panic slowly subsided. She managed to focus her eyes as her heartrate slowed.
She was in a warm room, covered in red wood paneling. A large window, covered in blinds, was to her left. She was in a hospital bed, with several beeping machines on either side of her. The woman was older, curvy, but beautiful. Her light golden hair was tied in a bun. She wore green scrubs underneath a white labcoat. Her chin was pointed, her lips red, and her cheeks rather round with light freckles from the sun scattered across them.
She looked a few inches shorter than Yang, but her grip was so strong Yang couldn't even think of breaking free.
Then again, she thought, the ghostly feeling of nothing under her right shoulder, I... I'm not exactly in good shape myself...
The thought made something inside her break. Tears began to pour from her eyes. She clutched at her stump with her remaining hand, as sobs began to tear their way out of her throat.
The woman wrapped her strong arms around her, and hugged her tightly. She stroked her back, then rubbed circles into her shoulders.
"It's all right, it's all right," the woman murmured, "It's all right, I'm right here. You're safe..."
"... R-Ruby?" Yang gasped between sobs.
"She's safe, she's all right," the woman said, "Jaune got you, her, and a few others here. You're all going to be all right, I promise."
"Where... Where's here...?" Yang whispered.
The woman smiled against Yang's forehead.
"Radian, Gallia Province. North Sanus."
She held Yang as she cried, comforting her. It might have been drugs, it might have been the emotional exhaustion, but Yang slipped back into unconsciousness.
At the very least, she didn't have any bad dreams this time around.
She woke up some time later. The blinds had been opened, and sunlight streamed in. She blinked back against the glare, and her eyes slowly adjusted. Again, her hand went to her stump. Her heartrate skyrocketed again but she forced herself to calm. She breathed again and again, as deep as she could. She grit her teeth huffing and puffing through her nostrils.
C-Calm... Calm... Calm... Calm...
"Yang?!"
Yang opened her eyes. She looked at the open door. A small form in a blue sundress and ill matching black boots stood there with wide silver eyes and short black hair with red tips.
"Ruby!"
Ruby sobbed, and practically tackled Yang in her hug. Yang wrapped her arm around her, tears pouring down her cheeks. Ruby was ugly crying, loudly sobbing into her hospital gown.
"Y-You were so pale-I-I couldn't hear your heartbeat and-!"
She broke down into incoherent sobs, but all were very thankful and relieved. Yang hugged her little sister tighter, resting her chin on the top of her head as she cried too.
"It's okay, it's okay... It's okay... A-Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
Ruby looked up and shook her head. She glanced over at Yang's stump, and winced. She buried her face in Yang's chest and sobbed again. Yang sniffled, but held her tightly.
"It's okay... I-It's okay," she managed, her voice choked with emotion.
The two sisters cried for a time. Yang didn't really know how long, but Ruby finally pulled herself together long enough to look up into Yang's eyes.
"I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry, I... I should have-"
As painful as it was... Old instincts came to Yang. She shook her head.
"This isn't your fault, Ruby," Yang said firmly, "O-Okay? This-This isn't your fault..."
"I... I could have... I should have..." Ruby whimpered.
"It isn't. Your. Fault," Yang said firmly, even as her voice wavered, "It isn't... It isn't, okay?"
Ruby still whimpered and hid her face in Yang's chest again. Yang found her fingers going through her short hair, just as she'd comforted her little sister when she was much younger.
"It's okay, it's okay," she whispered. "It's okay..."
"Hello? Can I come in?"
Yang and Ruby looked back at the entrance. The blonde woman from before stood there, smiling gently.
"S-Sure," Yang managed. Ruby smiled and looked up at Yang.
"Th-This is Isabel Arc. Um, Doctor Isabel Arc," she said, "Jaune's mom."
Yang's eyes bugged out as the older woman walked in and began to check on the various machines plugged into her hospital bed.
"Y-You're Vomit Boy-Um, I-I mean, Jaune's mom?"
"Guilty as charged," Isabel said wryly, taking Yang's remaining wrist and checking her pulse. She then shined a penlight in her eyes. "Good, good... May I check your injury?"
Yang winced, but managed a nod. Isabel kept her eyes locked on hers, a kind, gentle smile on her face.
"It's all right, I'm just going to examine it," she said softly. She pulled up the sleeve, and ran her hands over the bandages that wrapped the base up. She sighed softly as she pulled some up, and checked the stump itself.
"Good, good... No infection," she said, "It's healing properly. We'll be able to attach the prosthetic properly."
"Prosthetic?" Yang asked, shocked. Isabel nodded with a small smile.
"Yes. We're relatively close to Atlas, so we get good rates on Hunter and Military-rated prosthetics. The neural interfaces take some getting used to... But you'll adjust, and be back to 100 percent."
Isabel nodded and squeezed Yang's other hand.
"I know this is probably the last thing you want to hear right now. And it will take time to heal in... Other ways..."
Yang winced. Isabel reached up and squeezed Yang's shoulder.
"But I promise... You're going to be okay again," Isabel said softly. "Okay?"
Yang looked down at Ruby. She managed a nod.
"O-Okay," Yang whispered.
"You-You mean it?" Ruby asked. Isabel again smiled warmly, and reached down to rub Ruby's head. For a moment, Yang saw another woman in her place. A redhead with silver eyes and different features, but the same kind, maternal warmth radiating from her.
"I mean it," Isabel said quietly. "Now... Do you feel up to another visitor? He's been very anxious since he brought you all in."
Ruby gave Yang a pleading look. Yang managed a slow nod.
"I... Sure," she murmured.
"Come on in, Jaune!" Isabel called. A moment later, a tall blond young man walked in.
For a moment, Yang was confused.
"Jaune?" She asked quietly.
The young man looked... Different. He wore a long brown coat over his armor and jeans, but his sneakers were replaced with muddy boots. His face was covered in thin stubble. There were bags under his eyes... Eyes that looked so hard for a moment.
Then, relief flooded his features.
"Yang? Y-You okay?"
He walked over to stand at her side. Yang managed a slow nod.
"I... As much as... Yeah," she finally decided on. "Mmph!"
Isabel shoved a straw into her mouth, a straw attached to a water bottle.
"Sip, sip, sip," Isabel ordered, and Yang obeyed. Ruby scooted out from under her arms to stand by Jaune. "Good, good... You're being hydrated by the saline but the old-fashioned way is best. You'll be getting meals from now on and you're going to eat everything you get, understood?"
"Mmph... Y-Yeah," Yang agreed, after sipping the entire bottle down, "How long was I out?"
"A week," Jaune said grimly. Ruby sniffled, and Jaune wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Ruby barely left your side when she woke up."
Ruby flushed. Yang managed the tiniest of smiles at her little sister.
"The nurses will be bringing your food," Isabel said, sighing as she checked her watch, "We've got a lot more patients to look after."
She turned and hugged Jaune and Ruby tightly.
"Take it easy for a while you two," she ordered, "Or I'll find out and make you."
"B-But, Mom-" Jaune tried, but Isabel's steely glare shut him up.
"No excuses. For either of you," she stated. Ruby winced, but nodded.
"Y-Yes ma'am," she said weakly.
Isabel smiled, and strode out of the room. Jaune slowly walked to some chairs near the far wall, and dragged them to the side of Yang's bed. Ruby sat down in one, and Jaune took the other. Yang stared intently at Jaune, this feeling of disbelief still strong inside her.
"I... What happened, Jaune?" She asked. "How the hell did you get us all here?"
Jaune sucked in a breath, and rubbed his face. Ruby squeezed his other hand.
"Well... Pyrrha..." He paused for a moment. He gritted his teeth and didn't look her way.
"What... What happened to Pyrrha?" Yang asked. "What happened to everyone? What happened to Vale?!"
"Yang, I..." Ruby bowed her head and looked at the floor. Jaune forced himself to sit up straight and looked into her eyes.
"Beacon... Beacon was overrun by Grimm," Jaune continued, "Vale is... Vale is in bad shape. The CCTNet was hit pretty bad. We're getting reports from it sometimes, and the radio networks still work, but... It looks like at least half the city's been wiped out. The police, local militias and Hunters are being organized by the surviving members of the government and Professor Goodwitch. We're doing what we can, so are other provinces, but it's ugly."
Yang stared intently at him. Jaune shook his head.
"Pyrrha... Pyrrha went to fight Cinder on her own," Jaune continued slowly, as though he was trying to force the words out, "Shot me away in a rocket locker. I landed near the library. Some... Some of my friends from Radian had brought their own airship here to watch the Festival, and managed to get to me to lead us to where they'd landed. Nora and Ren met me, they'd fought their way with a few of the other students. We... We found you in the wreckage of the library with Blake. She'd bandaged your wounds as best she could, then handed you over to me before she ran off. I uh... I carried you to the Bullhead."
"I... I see," Yang murmured.
Jaune sucked in another breath. Ruby pressed her face into his shoulders and bit back a weak sob.
"Pyrrha... Pyrrha fought Cinder on the top of Beacon tower," Jaune said quietly, "But then a Grimm dragon broke out of Mount Axis, attacked the tower and..."
He bowed his head, before looking back up and staring right into Yang's soul.
"Pyrrha's dead. Cinder killed her," he muttered, his voice dead and empty of anything.
"Gods, Jaune," Yang breathed.
Jaune fell silent. Ruby hugged onto his arm, and he held her close, trying to comfort her.
"I... I saw her kill Pyrrha," Ruby whimpered. "I... S-Something happened, and... I-I blacked out..."
"The dragon turned to stone after that," Jaune took over quietly, "We managed to get to my friends' Bullhead. We crammed as many people as we could into it... Then your Uncle Qrow showed up and handed over Ruby. She was unconscious. He told us to take care of her, and he'd meet back up with us later."
"He-He has," Ruby said quietly, "He's helping us out. Dad's gonna come and visit soon."
"G-Good," Yang managed. Jaune nodded.
"Yeah..." Jaune took a deep, slow breath. "A-Anyway... Ren and Nora made it with us, along with Velvet, Cardin, and a few others from the other schools. Weiss got taken by her dad's people to Atlas. Blake... No idea where she is. I'm sorry."
Yang shut her eyes tightly and slowly shook her head.
"I... I'm sure she's all right," Yang muttered, but her heart wasn't in it. She was a little grateful to Blake but... Where did she go?
"Anyway... Um..." Jaune tried, "We've been working with the militia. My dad runs it here in Radian. We've been rebuilding the outer walls, taking in refugees, fighting Grimm... Ruby was sleeping at my family house."
"They uh, they loaned me this dress," Ruby mumbled.
"The outer walls?" Yang asked. Jaune nodded.
"Yeah. Uh, Radian... Radian used to be a lot bigger when it was the capital of Gallia. We've got the current walls but outside of those are the old walls which we stopped using. But there's a lot of ruined houses and fields for people to stay in, so we've been rebuilding the old walls and clearing out any Grimm. We've been getting a lot of refugees. The CCNet sabotage and the panic caused by Vytal caused a lot of Grimm attacks. We have't been the hardest hit but... It's rough."
"I see," Yang whispered. Jaune managed a small smile.
"It's going to be all right. I promise," he said.
She knew the look in his eyes. It was a look she was familiar with. One she'd seen on her face in the mirror, dozens, hundreds of times, when Mom died and Dad just... Checked out.
He was holding it together. He was hiding his pain, and his fatigue, all for the sake of everyone else.
"I..." Yang shakily reached out her hand to Jaune. He stared at it for a moment, as though not sure what to do. He then reached out and squeezed her hand.
"Thank you," Yang whispered. Jaune shook his head.
"Don't," he said quietly, "You-You don't have to-"
"I do," Yang insisted, her eyes flashing red for a moment, "I do."
Jaune met her gaze, then slowly nodded.
He squeezed her hand back, tightly.
"We're going to make it through this, I promise," he said.
He said it with such conviction. The same conviction that was in his mother's voice.
Despite how empty and wrung out she felt right now, it was like a little candle lit up inside her.
"I know," she murmured. "I know..."
Bit random, but... How would this work out? What would happen? How would these characters manage in this situation?