The base is unusually empty, devoid of personnel. Just with a skeleton crew keeping watch and diligently attending to their routine tasks. So they were probably working somewhere inside the building.

This leaves 9S and me practically alone as we take a stroll through the Headquarters. The emptiness doesn't bother me; in fact, it is intentional. My orders had prompted this lack of personnel, aligning with ongoing projects that require immediate attention.

Also, it is nice to have a small break from all the paperwork that has been taking most of my time lately.

I can't overlook my new companion, who exudes eagerness to explore and meticulously document every detail, no matter how trivial it might be. Her enthusiasm is impossible to hide as she practically jumps from one point to another, capturing images and jotting down quick notes. And the way she analyzes some of our equipment seems to point to her potentially being a spy, only to those who don't know, but her motives are clear, a genuine curiosity about the world around us.

Which I can perfectly understand, since her Earth was a mess with almost everything barren, only pictures being proof that something once existed.

Observing her, I can't help but be impressed by her speed. Nines moved like a blur, almost as if teleporting from one place to another. It crosses my mind that she might be subconsciously using her own supernatural abilities, further enhanced by her recently unlocked aura.

Her current fascination with ants catches my attention, a seemingly mundane subject that has captured her interest and even tries to pick one.

While watching her have her own fun, I start to contemplate the extent of her abilities and the potential need to test them, but I need a proper facility for that. Besides, our current options are limited, with only a sparring arena at our disposal in Kuo Kuana, and the other option being my home, which I had yet to fully explore beyond the essential rooms.

Interrupting my musings, she runs up to me with her tablet clutched between her hands.

"Did you find something?" I ask, slightly curious about what she might have learned so far.

"Of course!" she exclaims, her enthusiasm evident as she focuses on her device. "With all the data gathered, I can pinpoint that the current technology era, according to my records, would be at least 2200 DC. But it was also interesting to discover that none of it works on commonly known fuel sources; instead, it relies on an entirely new fuel source called dust."

She is pretty good.

So I decided to contribute a bit more with her personal investigation. From my pocket space, I retrieve some dust. A lighting crystal materializes, and I hand it to her, and hear what she has to say.

"Dust comes in various elements. Most commonly used are lightning, fire and ice dust." I explain, and if my memory serves me right, there should be other less common elements, such as gravity dust.

The android studies the crystal intently, likely conducting a deeper analysis in her head. "Pod, do a full analysis," she suddenly orders, extending her hand carrying the crystal toward her support unit.

"AFFIRMATIVE." The small robot responds, taking the crystal from her hands and seemingly swallowing it within its blocky body. A small yellow light starts flashing, turning off and on repeatedly.

I remain silent, my interest piqued as I await the results of Pod's analysis. The small yellow light eventually stops its flickering, and a ding sound signals the completion of the process before the light turns green.

"ANALYSIS COMPLETE. SENDING REPORT TO UNIT 9S." Pod announces, projecting a window and scrolling down the report.

The android's initial excitement wanes, replaced by a full shift into logic and scientific mode. She leans closer, grabbing her chin, deep in thought. "That's... interesting," she remarks, her mind trying to process everything about dust.

"Don't try to put much thought into it. We have been using dust for probably thousands of years."

She shakes her head, her scanner mind at work. "Still, this dust, while a very powerful energy source, has a glaring flaw. As it is deeply connected to the planet's core, meaning the farther away it is, the weaker it becomes."

That catches my attention. She already discovered by herself the limitation of dust.

"Yes, that has always been a problem. Atlas has been trying to develop a space program but failed for decades. As soon as anything powered by dust leaves the atmosphere, it dies." I explain, which is also a good thing because if there were satellites in orbit, then Atlas would have claimed victory a long, long time ago and probably subjugated the rest of the kingdoms instead of only having political and cultural influence.

One simply cannot underestimate the power of satellites.

9S tilts her head. "Solar-powered energy is always the best option for spacecraft, and if this dust is the only source of fuel, then any spacefaring machine should be a hybrid of multiple fuel sources."

"What are you suggesting?"

She taps her head a couple of times, deep in thought. "Well, dust has a very powerful output, so the launch and cruise phase should be dust-powered. Fossil fuel should power the encounter phase to cross the world's atmosphere, and the extended phase, meaning the satellites, would be solar-powered."

Her proposal sounds like a logical solution to these limitations.

"I never thought that way..." I murmur, grasping my chin as I think more about the problem. "The issue here is that Remnant is too dependent on dust, so other energy methods have not been tried or are extremely undeveloped."

Why would anyone use turbines or fossil fuels when a small crystal can power up cars or even entire buildings? Although, Remnant, by logical deduction, must have some sort of oil because plastics are a thing and other daily use stuff that comes from oil. So that means this world only considers oil as raw material, not an energy source.

But developing oil as an alternative would be too expensive and inefficient because, as stated before, the energy output would be laughable compared to dust.

However….

Nier world uses those energy sources, and must have been improved and developed further for the machinery and weapons they possess. Even if they use Maso particles to help, my point still stands. Their technology could be used for my purposes.

I look directly at the floating robot. "Pod, do you have schematics and manuals in your database for wind turbines, Power plants, dams, solar panels and other energy producers?"

"AFFIRMATIVE."

That's certainly good news and provides a foundation for potential solutions. However, a critical problem surfaces, one beyond the scarcity of resources.

The Grimm, whose nature is to destroy anything man-made, poses a significant threat. This realization means I would have to establish more watch-posts and patrols to protect future facilities and the personnel, ensuring their safety against the monsters. And I'm not even taking the Behemoths into consideration.

While the initial cost seems high, it is a great investment for the future as we would have a different power source to break away from dust dependency, at least on the civilian level. Because all the spare dust would go straight to the war effort and other military projects.

Something that everyone would agree as well.

It could work. I want it to work.

"Pod, can you act as an engineer supervisor and guide unskilled workers to build said facilities?" I hold my breath, hoping for a positive answer.

"AFFIRMATIVE. THIS UNIT IS CAPABLE TO GIVE PRECISE INSTRUCTIONS TO UNSKILLED WORKERS TO BUILD ANY ENERGY FACILITY."

Pod's capability to function as a temporary project manager, foreman, and supervisor, along with utilizing the database to train workers, offers a feasible solution. However, with only one Pod available, prioritizing the construction of more units becomes crucial for the next step.

And I believe it could be doable with Pod's guidance to build another and eventually set up a production line. Or just buy Pod units in the Trade center. I should go there for a quick check the next time I visit.

And after training or recruiting skilled manpower, we can replace the Pods and return them to the battle/support programming. I could definitely use a Pod unit, and Ilia would appreciate the help.

What else can these robot companions do, I wonder…

"Commander Taurus?" she calls, bringing me back to the present.

I blink and shake my head, dispelling the thoughts that had momentarily consumed me. "Don't worry, I was just thinking."

There's already a task at hand, and I need to focus on that before trying to explore other possibilities.

She continues to stare for a moment but eventually nods, bringing up her tablet again to resume documenting her surroundings. The subsequent trek is silent until we reach our destination, the training grounds, though it's more like a bare minimum setup for such purposes.

I stop and turn around, locking eyes with her despite the fact that she wears her blindfold. She quickly catches on, standing at full attention.

"I don't doubt your fighting capabilities, but it is necessary to gauge your strength," I assert, pointing towards the practice dummies behind me. "Defeat your targets however you see fit."

She nods in acknowledgment, and I step away from the area.

"BATTLE MODE ACTIVATED" Pod announces.

The YoRHa model immediately seizes the activation signal, sharply pointing at one of the dummies. Her support unit responds promptly, unleashing a barrage of bullets that pulverizes the target. Without hesitation, she summons a short sword, hurls it at another dummy, breaking it upon impact. To my surprise, she then swings her right arm, effortlessly recalling the sword, which demolishes yet another dummy on its way back.

However, three dummies remain, and she acknowledges this by pointing again. This time, instead of bullets, energy begins to gather at a single point under Pod's control. I observe patiently, curious to see what strategy she'll employ. 9S grabs the support unit, aiming it towards the trio, and unleashes a powerful energy beam.

The beam doesn't simply pulverize the middle target; instead, it causes a small explosion, catching and destroying the remaining targets and leaving a small crater behind.

"Impressive." I praise her display with full honesty. "I expected nothing less from you."

9S puffs her chest with pride, hands resting on her waist, flashing a triumphant grin.

She has been fighting killing machines for who knows how long, she can easily fight off hordes of Grimm. However, can the same be said against humans and hunters?

I can't really remember if she has the same experience as 2B who has been fighting other androids. Or maybe she is capable of standing her ground against them. Although I am planning to send her to Beacon, she will learn how to fight hunters either way.

But it doesn't hurt to have some visual confirmation.

I quickly browse through my contacts and place a call.

"Adam?" Ilia's voice responds after a brief pause.

"Hey, do you have time?"

"Yeah, I do."

"Good, come to the base, the training grounds. I need your help with something."

"Sure. See you there," she replies before hanging up.

With the call made, I turn my attention back to my companion, who's engrossed once more in capturing images and details of her new surroundings. There's some time to kill before Ilia arrives, so I decide to begin debriefing her first mission.

"I've called someone to help you," I announce, walking closer to her. "For now, the current mission will be research. It shouldn't take you more than a week."

She quickly composes herself, standing at full attention, and nods. "Understood. What do I need to investigate?"

"History. This world's history and the kingdoms." I pause after I realize I need to be more specific. "Vacuo, Vale, Atlas, Mistral, and Menagerie."

Menagerie is a kingdom, even if not officially recognized.

9S nods, accepting her new mission. However, I don't want her to go on this mission blindly. Opening my mini-map of Kuo Kuana in my vision, I create a save of the map before sending it to Pod.

"REPORT: NEW MESSAGE RECEIVED," the support unit announces, projecting the map in front of the android, who is quickly absorbed into it.

"We are currently on the outskirts of Kuo Kuana. You can learn as much as possible from the Belladonna household," I suggest, considering my home as the only viable source of information on this island. The White Fang headquarters primarily cater to military purposes, and Menagerie lacks a public library, making my home the best suited place to start her mission.

She quickly zooms into the mansion on the map.

"Kali Belladonna can help you with your research. Don't hesitate to ask her," I add, knowing Kali would appreciate the company.

The scanner model, true to her nature, immediately delves into the map, setting up points of interest and exploring all the information given. Probably already setting out a plan to complete her mission.

While she does her thing, I attempt to connect to the net for additional pictures. Instead, I'm redirected to a file filled with images, surprising me since I don't recall taking these pictures. Apart from the guide in the Trade Center, I don't have memories of capturing these images. It's possible I subconsciously created them, or there might be another explanation that eludes me. Regardless, the image collection includes not only familiar Grimm species but also completely new ones that my new memories have never seen before.

Among the images, there's a depiction of a monkey-like Grimm with ridiculous long limbs, scorpion tails, and elongated claws, a peculiar but unsettling combination of features. They can be extremely dangerous inside a jungle.

However, I just select the pictures of the most commonly known Grimm such as the beowolf and send them to Pod.

"REPORT: NEW MESSAGE RECEIVED," Pod announces, projecting the pictures beside the map. The android's attention shifts from the map to the images, her expression growing even more intrigued.

"What you are currently looking at is what we call Grimm, mankind's enemies, since the very beginning of our existence."

No need to talk about Salem, not yet at least.

With her interest now focused on the Grimm images, 9S closes the city map and expands the pictures, causing them to display in an orderly grid.

"They are not alive, beings of pure malice that only want to destroy us and anything we create, and most importantly, they are attracted by our negative emotions," I elaborate.

"Attracted by negative emotions?" 9S turns to look at me skeptically.

"I know it sounds far-fetched, but that's how it has always been. The world practically belongs to them. Their numbers are infinite."

And despite that threat, here we are, fighting ourselves out of pettiness, among other reasons, which causes even more negativity, and drawing a lot more of them towards us. How stupidly poetic.

"Swarm enemy type. They should have a place where they are produced or breed, in this case," she comments as she expands on a picture of an alpha Beowolf.

I think for a moment. "Those would be the Grimm pools, but we don't know where they could be or how to destroy one if we ever find one." They are still a mystery to the rest of us.

"I see." 9S accepts my explanation, passing to another picture that showcases a fully grown Deathstalker. "All of them have a resemblance to a particular animal, so is it correct to assume they show said animal characteristics and instincts?"

I nod in agreement.

"Adam!"

A loud voice interrupts our conversation, and I turn to find my friend Ilia, walking toward us, fully dressed in her military suit. So I smile and wave back in response.

She soon enough reaches us. "I came as fast as I could. What do you need me for?"

I subtly gestured with my head, prompting her to follow the direction and discover our third member, and now taking a better look, they are almost the same height. My friend is barely taller than Nines.

"9S reporting for duty, ma'am! It's a pleasure to meet you, errr…"

"Ilia Amitola, and... 9S?" She tilts her head to the side, visibly puzzled by the name.

"She comes from an isolated Mistralian village." I interject, aiming to prevent any confusion and, more importantly, hoping to steer her away from connecting the same dots that Sienna did, avoiding any speculations that I have a Schnee bastard with us.

"Ah… that explains it."

"Anyway, I've called you here to help her become familiar with Kuo Kuana." I quickly explain, getting a nod from the gynoid.

I could have taken on that responsibility myself, but my workload is piling up as we speak, and I'm certain Trifa, along with Sienna, are adding more paperwork to my desk. I silently prayed that my new administrative talent would expedite the process and help me deal with it more efficiently.

My friend nods, extending a warm smile to the scanner model. "Sure, I'd be happy to show you around our home. I know it might not look grandiose at the moment, but things will undoubtedly improve." She subtly gives me a sidelong glance with the same reassuring smile. "I know they will."

I quickly clear my throat, trying to change the topic. "That's great to hear, but that is not the only reason Ilia. I need you to spar with her."

"Uh?"

"What?"

Both girls sharply turn their attention to me, registering surprise on their faces.

"Just a quick sparring match, Ilia. You're the best fighter I know."

She looks away modestly; the smile returning. "You don't mean that."

I do.

"The rules are simple: only melee weapons, and do not try to hurt each other seriously. You win if your opponent cannot continue or leaves the arena." I declare, laying out the guidelines for the fight. I am fairly sure that 9S would utilize Pod, making victory seem effortless. Hence I made it clear she cannot use her familiar.

They both nod in acknowledgment, walking to the opposite sides of the arena. Each fighter assumes their respective stances, brandishing their weapons with full intention of winning.

Positioning myself in the center of the arena, I raise my cybernetic hand. "Ready. Set. FIGHT!"

Ilia springs into action, soaring high into the air as her weapon shoots forward with lightning speed. However, 9S remains composed in her position, summoning another sword that materializes in front of her, absorbing the full force of the attack and effectively shielding her from the fast strike.

Retracting her whip, Ilia lands gracefully but shoots me a quick, shocked glance, half-expecting me to intervene or voice a protest. Instead, I merely shake my head, signaling for her to refocus on the fight.

A wise decision, as 9S took advantage of the momentary distraction to close the distance and take a free swing at the distracted fighter. However, Ilia demonstrates her experience by instinctively twisting her body back, evading the blade. However, the sudden movement seemed to throw off her balance for a moment, providing another opening that the android exploits to its full extent. The YoRHa fighter delivers a swift kick to Ilia's stomach, sending her flying towards the left, dangerously close to the arena's limits.

Yet, my childhood friend reacts fast, striking the ground to propel herself back into the air and avoiding being thrown out of the arena.

However, another mistake becomes evident as 9S summons yet another of her swords, setting it into a rapid spin before hurling it straight at Ilia.

That attack would have made me jump straight into action and block it, but upon closer inspection I am able to predict the trajectory and see that it won't really hit her, just appeared to do so and she was given more than ample space to dodge it.

Which is exactly what she does and safely lands on the ground.

Meanwhile, 9S calls back her weapon and brings forth all her blades, presenting a total of three swords, one of which resembles a great-sword. And by the way they are positioned, she intends to throw them like javelins.

"Time out! TIME OUT!" Ilia suddenly shouts, forming the T sign with her hands while anxiously looking at me, urging me to intervene and stop the fight. And I jump between them and just to be sure, I raise a hand in the direction of the gynoid.

My intervention is enough to have her recall all her weapons as her stance shifts to a more relaxed tone. And soon enough, the entire area goes silent.

Only then I turn my attention to Ilia, who is on her knees, panting and looking at 9S with wide eyes as her skin and eyes take on a white shade.

"What's the problem?" I ask.

"You didn't say anything about semblances!" She shouts, pointing an accusing finger at the android, who also seems surprised by the accusation.

"Semblance?" 9S asks, checking her hands before examining her body.

"You have a telekinesis semblance. How can you even carry weapons like that, then?" Ilia continues, her skin slowly returning to its natural color.

"Oh, that's…"

I raise my hand again, stopping her from actually explaining her own abilities. "Yes, that is her semblance."

My responses elicit a long, tired sigh from her. "How can we fight if she is going to use her semblance while I haven't unlocked mine yet?"

My expression hardened at those words. "Ilia Amitola." I speak her full name with a stern tone, which she picks up on, causing her to go still and avert her gaze. "You know our enemies will never give such information. You must be prepared for anything they could throw at us—new tactics, new weaponry, new semblances."

"Y-you are right, my deepest apologies, High-leader!" She stammers, and the use of my title doesn't go unnoticed.

I walk towards her and look down at her, with the same intensity only making her lower her head even more. But I drop that attitude the second her skin takes a yellowish color, with a sigh, and kneel in front of her because I have taken it too far.

"Ilia, I understand your problem, but you also know we need to be ready for anything, because we can't afford to doubt." I say in a soothing tone, prompting her to slowly raise her head. "Without your help, I wouldn't have escaped Vale, much less taken an entire ship and rescued our people in the process."

Opting for a more supportive approach, I go for a decisive move, placing my hand on top of her head and offering a reassuring smile.

Ilia's tense shoulders start to relax as she meets my gaze, her skin gradually recovering to its natural color. I wish I could take off my blindfold, but I cannot, not yet.

Standing up, I extended a helping hand toward her, maintaining my smile.

"I want a rematch," she finally speaks with renewed confidence, taking my hand. I chuckle as I pull her up to her feet.

"You won't have complaints from your opponent, right?" I look over my shoulder, watching the android approaching us with her support unit.

"I will gladly have another sparring match with you, Ilia Amitola." She replies.

"Eh, Ilia is fine," my childhood friend says, brushing off the formality as she cleans her knees. She then turns her attention to 9S with curiosity. "By the way, what is that?" she points at the floating machine.

"Stolen Atlas tech." I interjected before any of them could speak up. "Mistral families got their hands on some fancy tech. Nines was able to steal one for herself before leaving."

"I see."

"Pod is really useful!" 9S exclaims, grabbing her machine companion and giving it a headpat.

"GRATITUDE CONFIRMED. YOUR AFFINITY WITH THIS POD HAS RISEN."

Huh, that's cute.


It was a shame that Kali wasn't home; I'm sure she would have loved to meet 9S. Although, Pod is taking his role as a supporter quite well, serving as a waiter for both girls who are enjoying some tea and biscuits in the living room.

It was a sight I never expected, such a powerful robot carrying a plate with food.

Sadly, I can't be with them since I've put off my duties for too long.

That's why I find myself outside in the garden, answering the call from Sienna.

"Adam."

"You called, Sienna."

"Yes, I'm forwarding you the report."

True to her word, I received the file containing the report on the newly approved projects, confirming my concerns, as it reveals a deficit in our budget to complete them.
In other words, we are on the brink of bankruptcy.

"Half a million lien?"

"Our budget is already stretched thin; this was the best deal we could secure. Please, tell me you have a plan."

It isn't THAT much money. And I remember we have a way to extract some lien fast.

"The hostages, Sienna. I'm entrusting you with the negotiations and the exchange."

"I was starting to think you forgot about them."

"They weren't that important. But now, they will be our cash injection."

"The heiress. I'm confident I can cover our deficit with her alone."

"See to it."

Having concluded the call, I reenter my home and notice Pod efficiently clearing away used plates and cups. It sparks a thought about their potential in aiding with common daily tasks. This house is more of a mansion, and extra hands would surely be appreciated. I know Kali would.

But I'm getting distracted. I have one more thing to do before returning to my office.

Moving back to the living room, where both girls are engrossed in conversation over their small meal, I address Nines. "Come with me; it'll be quick."

The android places her plate on the table, wiping her mouth with her sleeve before standing up. Ilia merely nods, contentedly enjoying her biscuits and taking a sip of her drink.

As we walk around the corner and exit the building once more, I need to share a few words. "I'll be leaving for work soon, but first, there's something important. And for that, we'll need Pod."

I scan my surroundings, searching for the small flying robot, presumably still in the kitchen washing dishes or preparing the next batch.

"One moment," she says, and I hear a subtle click around her ear.

Pod promptly arrives at her side.

Now, with everyone in place, my focus turns to the metallic companion. "Pod, open a portal."

My companion jerks her head, shooting me a quizzical look through her blindfold.

"UNDERSTOOD." It turns around and glides closer to a wall, leaving 9S visibly puzzled.

Floating right in front of a wall, a small red light activates, and a red vortex materializes on that wall.

"Uh? Since when can Pod do that?!" she exclaims, hastily grabbing her familiar for a thorough examination, while the robot remains stoic.

"Don't overthink it. It's a recent upgrade. Follow me," I suggest, beckoning toward the portal.

A sense of satisfaction washes over me; it is good to know that we can open portals with it.

9S quickly releases Pod and approaches the portal, immediately engrossed in deciphering its mechanics. She pulls out her tablet, capturing images and jotting down notes, a display that prompts an involuntary eye roll from me. She glances at me with uncertainty, and my simple nod serves as enough motivation for her to take the leap.

In tandem, I follow suit.

Whether it's instant travel, world-hopping, or a mere transition, it fulfills its purpose, delivering us to the front of my Sweet Home, the safest place on Remnant.

"What is this place?" 9S steps forward, visibly taken aback by the new but illogical, physics-defying surroundings. How can you apply logic to a floating island in the middle of nowhere, the infinite void?

"Home Sweet Home."

Her nod is absentminded, still processing what she is seeing for the first time.

A hint of amusement creeps into me, though bringing her here wasn't solely for the purpose of watching her reaction. "Pod come with me." I address the bot as I walk towards the entrance.

"UNDERSTOOD." It promptly moves to my side.

As I approach the door, I pause and turn around to find the petite girl still gazing at the sky.

"9S, you are free to explore everywhere you want. Just avoid touching things or falling off the edge." I warn her, because I don't know what will happen if something or someone falls off the edge and I don't feel like finding out anytime soon.

She nods again and starts walking in the opposite direction.

With that taken care of, I step into my home and head straight for my office, frozen in the same state as when I first entered. Shifting the chair a bit, I take a seat and power up the computer, patiently waiting for it to boot up.

Once it's fully operational, I lean back against my chair and shoot a glance at the bot. "Pod, transfer all your databases to the main computer and organize them accordingly."

"UNDERSTOOD. DATA TRANSFER IN PROCESS."

Pod hovers close to my desk, and a small cable descends from somewhere within its body. Grabbing the cord, I connect it to my computer. The effects are immediate; the screen erupts with multiple windows flashing consecutively, making it difficult to keep track of all of them. Amidst the chaos, a loading bar emerges at the forefront.

The loading bar expands, revealing that Pod harbors three hundred exabytes of information. I pause for a moment, rubbing my eyes and looking again, only to find the same staggering number, and the transfer process has already reached a quarter before completion.

Not only is there an abundance of information, but the speed is downright absurd. I expected hours of waiting, not less than five minutes. Not like I'm complaining about this turn of events.

I lean back, waiting patiently for the process to conclude.

"REPORT: DATA TRANSFER COMPLETE."

I push my chair forward, disconnect Pod from the computer, and get down to business. Having instructed him to organize the data, I quickly locate the main archive where everything should be stored. Clicking on it reveals a vast list of archives, neatly arranged in alphabetical order with corresponding sectors. From mundane details like fashion magazines from the 2000s to comprehensive lists of extinct animals.

Navigating to the Energy Production section, I explore the files.

Soon enough, I locate the Solar Panel section, unveiling histories, research findings, variants, and, most importantly, the schematics. Clicking on the schematic part reveals a cascade of designs, each accompanied by an extensive list of instructions and notes.

Yet I soon find a problem with this. I can barely understand them, just a general idea of how they should work. Showing that my talents are still in their infancy stage, so I need to study more.

Priority lies with completing the road and mining projects; we're already stretched too thin to add more to our plate. The potential, however, is undeniably promising.

For now, I can only hope that the prospector teams discover valuable ore veins. We need every bit of resources we can lay our hands on.

-Bonus Scene—Kingdom of Vale-

Ruby Rose was borrowing some magazines from her favorite store. Because it was the only store that had yet to upgrade their security systems, making it really easy for her to get ahold of the latest volumes of her favorite weapon magazines. With a grin, she took advantage of the free Wi-Fi, immersing herself in unlimited music through her big headphones as she indulged in her magazine.

Just fantastic in every way!

And only sweets could make it even better, which was exactly why she treated herself to a palette of recycled ice-cream!

She saw a lot of advertisements saying it tasted the same as the real thing, so of course she would try one by herself!

As she brought the ice cream close for a bite, anticipation turned into disappointment. Her chewing slowed, and a frown crept across her face. The taste was far from the promised delight of vanilla ice-cream; it was as if she were munching on frozen cardboard.

Ugh, big fat liars.

Despite the terrible taste, she took another bite from the recycled ice-cream. This frozen treat, with its cardboard-like flavor, was all she could afford after draining her entire allowance on an upgrade for her greatest creation. Crescent Rose really, but really needed that upgrade!

It wasn't her fault that all the upgrade parts cost a lot. It was the fault of the greedy companies! Besides, they were a limited edition, so it was really hard to get one, which means that it was very much justified to empty her wallet on them.

And that left her with no money left. And her dad was really mean. He refused to increase her allowance, saying that she needed to learn how to budget. She was now stuck with the emergency funds, those being the bare minimum to survive in Vale, leaving her counting down the days until her next allowance. It was just one more week, she would have to endure until then.

Despite the unpleasant taste, she took another reluctant bite of the recycled food. The bad taste sent a shudder down her spine, and if it were up to her, she would have tossed the frosty treat into the trash. Recycled cookies seemed like a much better option; at least they tasted like cookies but today was hot so the ice-cream won that round. Resigned to her choice, Ruby mentally braced herself and downed the entire ice-cream in a single, swift bite and swallowing.

Ouchie, brain freeze!

Well, that settled it. Recycled ice-cream was officially off her list.

Contemplating other frozen delights, Ruby pondered the idea of sticking to frozen palettes or perhaps trying those savory ice tubes called CHUPS. If her memory served her right, they came in multiple flavors, actual fruity flavor.

Well, no point in sulking!

She still had good music to vibe with and her cool magazines, so all was well.

And also the most important thing of all things ever. Like super duper amazing thing.

Of course, she was accepted into Beacon and would become a kickass huntress!

Now, the only concern on her mind was passing initiation, a task Uncle Qrow had assured her was super easy. According to his secret advice, all she needed to do was recover some artifact in the forest and take down a bunch of Grimm.

Easy peasy!

Even more easy since Yang would join the academy with her.

She marveled at the fact that her nineteen-year-old sister, Yang, could join Beacon. The director must be as cool as Uncle Qrow and her dad!

However, her positive thoughts were abruptly interrupted as a semi-naked man soared past her vision. Confused, she removed her headphones and turned her attention to the source, only to realize the chaos unfolding around her.

And right at the entrance, there was a hulking mass of a man or woman. She couldn't really tell because that guy was really big, like Ursa-minor big. But the only people who look like that are Beast members, because they like muscles above all else.

So, dumb muscle heads.

The chaotic scene escalated as more of those meat-heads stormed the store with sledge-hammers, shattering glass windows and toppling shelves.

Yep, that's the alarm.

Caught in another gang robbery, Ruby couldn't help but sigh, hoping for a week free of such incidents seemed like an impossible dream. Glancing across the store, she spotted the semi-naked guy struggling to get up.

"Ouch, that arm is very much broken," she observed, eyeing the painful-looking injury. The man was adorned with tattoos, much like the other thugs causing chaos in the store… Ah, she and the store were caught in the crossfire of a gang skirmish.

She merely shrugged, not like it would really matter.

"WHATCHA YOU DOIN' HERE YOU DAM MIDGET?!"

"BOSS CRUSH 'ER LIKE A FUCKIN… THING, YEAH!"

"YEAH YEA, THAT…THING THE BIG CRUSH THING HA!"

Ugh, they had noticed her. The dream of peacefully finishing her magazine now shattered, replaced by the imminent need to kick their collective asses. Because hearing them talk so broken made her brain hurt.

But wait a minute…

They were Beast Gangsters.

Beast gangsters had a bounty placed on them. The VPD would pay for each captured member.

And there were five of them!

Which meant that she would have money to buy REAL ice-cream and other sweets!

Unable to contain her excitement, she closed her magazine as reading could wait five minutes. She just needed to return the magazine back to its original place and…

And they just threw a hammer at her that destroyed the shelf. What a bunch of jerks.

Disregarding the ruined reading material, she tossed her magazine over her shoulder and swiftly retrieved her beautiful Crescent Rose from the floor

Just as designed, it seamlessly transformed into a scythe and aimed it straight to those meaty jerks.

It was time to prove to Yang that she wasn't the only one who could kick gangster's butt!


AN: If it wasn't clear. Ruby is 17 years old while Yang is 19. And why is Yang entering Beacon with Ruby instead of two years ago by herself? That will be the mystery for today. And here some headpats.

(HOW COME THAT THERE IS NO ART OF ILIA GETTING HEADPATS?!)

Anyway, it is pretty much old news by now but RT went under and they went out with a really bad whimper, blaming everyone but themselves. So like that RWBY along with other IPs are pretty much over and archived forever, but some hold some sort of hope that another company will buy it and reboot the series because WB is selling off their properties.

Honestly, I don't hold that kind of hope because it is a fact that not all stories get an ending. I know a lot of series that didn't, series I liked to watch as a kid but they were axed with no ending. Dunno, honestly it felt like RT went all in with the extremely forced crossover movies hoping to hit it big and rake in millions, which in itself was a terrible decision not only cause all problems we already know but why would you make a cape movie when the market is EXTREMELY SATURATED with cape movies thanks to Disney and WB? Jessica x Jaune tho haha.

I didn't wish bad stuff like many others didn't wish bad things, but this was expected, like this was seen coming for a long, long time.

But hey despite all their faults, they did give us the RWBY universe, a fantastic sandbox to play around for us authors.

See you next chapter!