Hello readers!
Here's the chapter! Sorry for it being late! As I wrote in a now-deleted post, University and getting sick made me finish it at a later time than usual.
Also, just in case anybody missed the rest of what that post said: THIS WILL BE MY LAST REACTION CHAPTER FOR A FEW MONTHS. I'M GOING BACK ON THE HIATUS (sorry again).
This is mostly because of University (again), so after this chapter will be one last one - an Interlude chapter where characters talk about what they've seen. Then - a break!
I'll be back to posting in November/December though, so see you guys then!
As for this chapter, the RWBY cast are going to see the future! Specifically Volume 3, Episode 9 - PvP. If you haven't gotten up to this episode, it's the part where the Battle of Beacon truly begins - which in my opinion, is perhaps the peak of RWBY. Seriously, I was so hyped for the show! Then Volume 4 and 5 happened…(although Volumes 6-8 are okay IMO).
NOTE: If the transcript looks familiar, just know that I got it from the official RWBY wiki. So any other fics that may have covered this episode might've done the same in an earlier time if mine looks the same.
Now, on with the chapter!
I DO NOT OWN RWBY OR ANY OF THE SOURCES THAT I WILL HAVE THE CHARACTERS REACT TO. That being said, all of that is implied since it's fanfiction.
PvP (RWBY CANON)
"The future?" Salem asked.
"Yes!" Chrono answered. "And the near future at that!"
"The near future? Like the Vytal Festival?" Ruby questioned.
Upon seeing their host nod his head, Cinder and her team got a bit nervous.
He must be showing our plan…what if it failed? What if it worked? If it worked, then that just means everybody here will know it…Cinder thought with a frown.
Ozpin and his group were tense as well. Ironwood was on edge, and Qrow was apprehensive.
What if this viewing reveals too much? The maidens? The true history? After all, I was just thinking of asking Miss Nikos to take on the mantle…Ozpin thought.
Pyrrha also had a question to ask. "Why are you so excited, though? Especially compared to other viewings?" Pyrrha questioned.
"Well that's just because seeing a group of people react to their future selves is more interesting than seeing them react to other shows!" Chrono replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Meanwhile, the rest of the people from Remnant were also voicing their thoughts.
"The Vytal Festival? I hope I win!"
"Yeah right, we're clearly gonna beat everyone!"
"I just hope I don't get out in the first round…"
"Still don't get why the tournament's a thing…more useful stuff could be getting done instead…"
After about a minute, the thoughts of both Ozpin and Cinder, as well as any murmurs from the audience, were silenced as Chrono spoke once again.
"Anyways! Time for the show to start!"
The screen sprang to life.
The scene opens with the clanks of turning gears found over the headmaster's office, with Professor Ozpin himself walking back to his desk and pouring himself a drink from his teapot as he watches the Vytal Festival Tournament's roulette system deciding the next match.
"Alright, it's now time to begin the randomization process for our next fight!" Oobleck broadcasts through an announcement.
"It looks like our first contender is... Penny Polendina, from Atlas! And her opponent will be... Pyrrha Nikos, from Beacon!" Port says.
"Woah, we're watching the 1v1 rounds already?" Jaune asked.
"And Pyrrha's there! That means we made it all the way!" Nora exclaimed happily.
Ruby congratulated Team JNPR, and Penny too. "I can't believe you made it too, Penny! That's so cool!"
Penny was confused. "Why would you not believe it?" [1]
Ruby's eyes widened as she realized Penny's problem with picking up social cues. "Oh! I meant that-I uh-...it's just a figure of speech!"
"How?"
While Ruby was sputtering for an answer, Weiss explained what she meant to Penny.
"It's used to emphasize a statement."
"Oooh…" Penny said. Now that I searched it up in my database, that makes sense!
Ozpin seats himself behind his desk and takes a sip from his cup as he stares at the 'randomized' fight to be.
Down in the arena of Amity Colosseum, Pyrrha is still looking hesitant and distracted while Penny politely salutes her opponent.
"Salutations, Pyrrha Nikos!" Penny holds her hands on her hips in excitement "It's an honor to finally meet you!"
The troubled Pyrrha doesn't respond, looking at her hands as she clenches them in attempted determination.
"This is going to be so much fun!" Penny doesn't notice Pyrrha's reluctance.
"Um…why do you look so worried, Pyrrha?" Jaune asked in concern.
"I don't know…"
"Nothing happened after the Breach?"
"Not at all."
Jaune sighed. "So something must've happened before your match…"
"Oh no…" Nora said.
"This might be bad," Ren stated.
Team RWBY heard them and were concerned as well.
I must've told her about the maidens…Ozpin deduced. He and Glynda shared a look. [2]
Now we know…piling this on her may put too much pressure on the poor girl, Glynda thought.
In the same structure behind closed doors, Ruby is still facing down an up-and-standing Mercury Black, who's smugly smiling at the younger girl's confusion.
"Mercury, what are you doing? You were hurt! Why..." Ruby narrows her eyes in suspicion. "What's going on?"
"Aw shit. They immediately show it, huh?" Mercury said.
"Mercury…are you a bad guy?" Ruby asked.
"...Pfft! No….why would you ask?" Mercury said.
"..."
"..."
"Oh! Okay then!"
"Dolt! He was clearly lying!"
"What! Mercury, you fiend!"
"I don't get it though. Why would YOU be hurt, and why would you be fighting Ruby?" Yang said, with a glare. She didn't like Mercury's face on screen.
Mercury, already accepting that he was outed, just shrugged. "I guess we'll see."
"Mercury!" Emerald said. "Be serious!"
"Oh, come off it! The screen's already going to show it anyways! What's the point!"
"Cinder! Can you believ-"
"Yes. We really have no choice here…"
Emerald dropped it, deciding that Cinder was right.
Mercury doesn't answer, still grinning with malice. "Fine." Ruby says. "If you're not going to tell me..." She attempts to move around him, but he blocks her path, then does it again when she sidesteps.
"Fighters, are you ready?" Oobleck announces over the system, drawing Ruby's attention away.
Mercury smirks.
Mercury had a similar smile. "Sorry, Red," the assassin said, stealing Roman's line, "you won't beat me without a scythe!"
"I don't need to beat you! I just need to get past you!"
"...You don't think I'd have planned for that?"
Ruby had no answer.
Penny beams widely in anticipation, but Pyrrha is still looking around as if in a daze, though she manages a small scowl at her opponent, her weapons already in hand.
"3, 2, 1..." Oobleck counts down as General Ironwood calmly sits to observe the fight, Nora and Ren cheer for their teammate while Jaune simply watches anxiously, and Emerald leans forward with a glare. "BEGIN!"
Emerald grimaced. This viewing really is going to show our entire plan…
Qrow had an epiphany. Oh my God! She was one of the people who attacked Amber! I remember seeing a girl who looked like her as I was running to help her!
He promptly whispered his revelation to Ozpin, who's eyes widened. "I see…"
Suddenly, Penny is surrounded by her swords, gesturing them around to her command before launching a volley of them at Pyrrha, who runs towards them and leaps though or deflects each aimed blade. The swords fly into the air until they turn around and come back to the fight.
"Very interesting techniques. I can see why you made it all the way to the finals, Ms Polendina." Oobleck complimented.
"Thank you, doctor."
Mercury looks back at Ruby. "Showtime." He goes forward, blocking Ruby's path with his arms outstretched, restraining her movements no matter where she moves. Panicked, she grimaces and spins forward, becoming a blur of red and petals rocketing toward Mercury, only for the villain to kick her mid-dash and knock her to the ground.
Mercury advances on her just as Ruby gets out her Scroll, about to push the button to call for help when a bullet shatters the device into several shards.
Mercury lowers his leg from its kick. "Let's just keep this between us friends." He moves towards her.
Ruby growled at the scene.
"Always wanted to use that line!" Mercury grinned.
Emerald, now accepting the nature of the viewing, just rolled her eyes in response.
Pyrrha, now having returned the shield to her back, twirls the javelin to block each sword swipe of Penny's, dropping her weapon when she needs to somersault away after being hit by a slash, only to magnetically return it to her hand as Penny readies another wave of blades.
"My word! What a tremendous display by Miss Polendina!" Port says.
Fully glowering, Pyrrha rushes forward and jumps on an incoming sword, swinging down on Penny, only to have the assault halted by a collection of blades, though she leaps away from the retaliatory slice as Penny backs away as well. She tries to defend against the multitude of swords with the length of her weapon, but is forced back regardless, prompting Pyrrha to roll the shield from her back onto her arm with her polarity.
"Whoo, yeah! Goooo Pyrrha!" Nora cheers with her arms wide alongside a fist-pumping Ren and a worried Jaune.
Despite the cheers, Pyrrha isn't doing well, looking down to see her Semblance's black energy bend the weapons in her hands unnaturally for a split second. Emerald narrows her gaze further, continuing to concentrate on Pyrrha.
"So THAT's your semblance! I knew you were hiding something!" Neptune exclaimed.
"Really?" Sun asked.
"Of course, dude! No way was she not using a secret semblance! It's something all the best hunters do!"
However, Pyrrha ignored them. She was focused on Emerald. What's she doing…? Some mind semblance? Is that what's causing me to bend my weapons like that? Is she making me lose focus?
Ruby attempts to block a kick from Mercury with her arms, but gets a face-full of boots. Next he fires a shot but she manages to duck then barely misses his downward kick and leaps over his leg, spiraling past him, this time getting much farther down the corridor. She kicks off of the wall and falls to the ground, pumping her arms as she runs for the exit.
"Yeah! Get past him, Rubes!" Yang exclaimed.
Meanwhile, back at the colosseum grounds, Pyrrha spins wildly as she deflects and dodges each sword, until she gets close enough to Penny to deliver a few slashes with the spear, sending her flying back as Pyrrha bats aside the blades called to their wielder's aid. Penny slides to a stop and makes a new series of motions, the weapons folding up until she's circled by several laser rifles, a few of which open fire on the approaching champion. Pyrrha avoids the blasts and fights off the remaining swords with her blade until she slides into position to charge at Penny and knock her back. Pyrrha straightens with a victorious grin that disappears into dizziness, just as she sees Penny rocketing forward, weapons firing behind her like a jetpack so she can leap into the air, then come down as an energized meteor on her opponent.
Rolling back to her feet, Pyrrha doesn't expect it as a sword to knock her shield off, then another to do the same for her blade. She tries to get the latter back with her magnetism, but has to use the power to send a flying sword back at Penny's side. It disappears behind Penny, only for her to grin and raise her arms as several appear above her, aimed to strike.
"Damn. This is a decent fight. Not gonna lie," Roman said nonchalantly.
Neo agreed, and got up a sign that read '10/10'.
With Emerald still squinting down on the arena, the sharp sound of her Semblance is heard as Penny's eight swords double, then triple, multiplying into an unreal thicket of blades. At the sight of this, Pyrrha unsteadily steps back, both in reality where the eight swords are ready to go forth and in the hallucinated world, where the cloud of weapons thicken to even block the crowds around her.
Penny sends the swords forward, few in reality and hundreds strong in Pyrrha's mind, who is left with no choice but to spread her arms and send out a magnetized shockwave.
As the shockwave passes, the fake swords disappear and the real ones are quickly sent back as the whole world moves in slow motion.
"An illusion semblance?"
"Then that means-!"
Whilst the people fully aware of Penny's condition, such as Ironwood and Ozpin knew instantly and voiced out their concerns - both Ruby and Penny were just silently watching in shock.
"Ruby? Are you okay?" Blake asked, concerned.
"I don't get it though…what would the illusion really do?" Yang questioned, confused by Emerald's actions.
Emerald and Cinder meanwhile, just gave the other a knowing glance.
Watts smirked. That old buffoon's child is going to die. Oh how sweet.
The wires of Penny's swords pull her back, and you can hear her surprise at what's happening.
A wire wraps around Penny's left arm, crumpling it as the loop is completed.
A wire wraps around Penny's waist, making her thinner and thinner, until it will eventually give way.
Ruby's eyes went impossibly wide, and her mouth opened to let out a silent scream.
Penny's wires went frayed.
Mercury and Cinder had satisfied smiles on their faces, Emerald saw Cinder's face and was content - knowing that their plan, that Cinder's plan succeeded, and that she did her part.
There is a moment of darkness, until a wire cuts through metal and cables, electric sparks appearing as Pyrrha is seen through the dissected body parts.
A piece of fabric flutters to the arena floor, only to be pinned by the point of a falling blade, away from the torn pieces of Penny Polendina.
Pyrrha stares in abject horror, eyes wide and mouth agape.
The Invincible Girl in the cinema had the same exact reaction.
At that moment, the theater erupted in a cacophony of noise.
Yang had gotten up from her seat and tried to attack the illusionist of Cinder's group, with Blake and Sun trying to stop her.
Ruby covered her mouth to try and stifle a sob, which failed. Jaune went up to comfort Pyrrha, whilst Weiss did the same for her partner.
Ozpin stared at the scene in silence, with Goodwitch and Qrow talking with Ironwood, lamenting on the possible, yet catastrophic future.
Winter went to Penny and tried her best to console the android, who was still in shock.
However, the villains remained unmoved - simply waiting for the rest of the scene, waiting for their parts to be revealed. Except for one.
"Hahahahahahaha! Yes!" The scorpion faunus cheered.
"No!" Port straightens in shock at the revelation alongside Oobleck, and with Ozpin standing up from his chair back at Beacon.
While the remains of Penny's missing arm spark with electricity from the exposed wiring inside, her big green irises, now looking like camera shutters, slowly expand so her dark, lifeless pupils take up most of her eyes with the sound of a machine shutting down.
In another location, a balding white-bearded man watches Atlas News, a live feed of the events at Amity Colosseum, his hand gripping the armrest of his chair tightly.
Watts' smirk became wider.
Penny's metal heart broke.
The crowds are still terrified by the sight, and miles away in Mountain Glenn, Grimm of all kinds turn toward the Colosseum, and begin to charge.
Finally, Ruby turns a corner and emerges from the service tunnel, only to see with her own eyes that she is far too late.
Ruby falls to her knees. "Penny..." She begins to cry, the tears fall as she sobs miserably.
The levitating arena is lowered back into place under the spotlights, and Mercury appears behind the weeping Ruby, grinning widely at his success in delaying her before stepping back into the Colosseum's maintenance area. Ruby tenses slightly as she hears his footsteps, but slumps forward once again as the door noisily swings shut.
Knowing the glares he was receiving, Mercury spoke up. "It really wasn't personal. I was probably just happy my job was done."
"What job?! Allowing a person to die?!" Ruby exclaimed hysterically.
"I mean…does she really count as a person thou-" Mercury stopped as he felt a person go through him. Looking behind him, he saw the little red huntress stumbling to the ground, but then getting up and glaring at him. Aw shit. She just tried to kill me.
Oobleck puts a hand up to his ear. "Broadcast, what are you doing? Kill the feed!"
"Something's wrong!" The broadcast Op replies over the earpiece. "We don't have control of the cameras! We can't even stop the broadcast!"
"What!? How is that possible!?" Oobleck asks.
Oobleck agreed with himself on the screen, albeit in a less frenzied tone. Now's not the time to overreact, especially with the perpetrators here with us, and with answers most likely being revealed soon…
In answer, the background behind the two teachers changes to the video feed of the sight before them, tinted an ominous bright red with a black queen chess piece hovering over the scene. They turn back to the arena as a familiar voice rings out throughout the Colosseum and the rest of the world watching these events.
"This is not a tragedy. This was not an accident." Cinder says.
"This is what happens when you hand over your trust, your safety, your children, to men who claim to be our guardians, but are, in reality, nothing more than men." Several audience members look uneasy at this, while Jaune is seen mouth agape in shock.
"So it's really you…" Ironwood said, coldly looking at Cinder. [3]
Cinder didn't even attempt to hide it. "Yes. It was me."
Qrow just glared at her group, wishing that he had stopped them sooner.
"I have to say Cinder, good job." Salem commended her minion. "Too bad you'll have to change it once this is done."
Cinder sighed, knowing that this future will most likely not happen anymore.
Cinder is shown standing on a Vale rooftop, speaking into her Scroll. "Our Academies' Headmasters wield more power than most armies, and one was audacious enough to control both."
Ironwood, realizing who she's talking about, grimaces and rises from his seat, marching up the steps.
"They cling to this power in the name of peace, and yet, what do we have here?" Cinder asks. "One nation's attempt at a synthetic army, mercilessly torn apart by another's star pupil. What need would Atlas have for a soldier disguised as an innocent little girl? I don't think the Grimm can tell the difference."
"She's not just a soldier!" Ruby defended Penny. "And if she is, so what? That just means we're soldiers too!"
The other hunters-in-training murmured in agreement.
"Fair enough. You are all soldiers," Cinder acquiesced, before smiling, "in a war you cannot win."
Pyrrha continues to stare at the remains of Penny in dread and guilt. Lips parting as she raises a hand to cover her mouth , eyes watering, a single tear falling.
Back in the fairgrounds, a gaping Weiss and Blake watch the hacked screen of the Shopkeep's stall. As the latter's expression becomes a glare before they look at each other.
"And what, I ask you, is Ozpin teaching his students?" Cinder says. "First a dismemberment, now this? Huntsmen and Huntresses should carry themselves with honor and mercy, yet I have witnessed neither."
Ozpin's head leaned back against his seat. Of course….she's making my students look terrible…
"If this happens, the whole of Remnant will think we're raising a generation of psychopaths…" Oobleck muttered.
The two teammates share a look before the last member of RWBY, Yang, is seen hunching over her windowsill listening to the speech before she straightens and turns as Zwei barks behind her.
"Perhaps Ozpin felt as though defeating Atlas in the Tournament would help people forget his colossal failure to protect Vale when the Grimm invaded its streets." Cinder says. "Or perhaps this was his message to the tyrannical dictator that has occupied an unsuspecting kingdom with armed forces. Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue as to who is right and who is wrong. But I know the existence of peace is fragile, and the leaders of our kingdoms conduct their business with iron gloves."
Ozpin watches the screen intently, The Cane at his side and Atlesian Airships hovering beyond his window. Amid the silence over the Colosseum as they absorb the revolutionary words, no one notices Emerald exit the stadium.
Ironwood and Ozpin both looked at each and grimaced, coming to the same conclusion. We got played.
"As someone who hails from Mistral, I can assure you the situation there is... equally undesirable." Cinder says.
"Our Kingdoms are on the brink of war, yet we, the citizens, are left in the dark." Cinder says.
Two blue Atlas Soldiers patrolling the border watch the message on their Scroll, not noticing the wave of Grimm coming out of the mist shrouded treeline until they hear growling. Both turn and open fire the best they can, shooting down a few. But many more rush past them.
"So I ask you: When the first shots are fired... who do you think you can trust?" Cinder gives her final line with a malevolent smile, and with that, the broadcast shuts down.
"...Is Mistral really that bad?" Blake asked.
"Pfft! Nah…that Cinder chick's just fanning the flames…" Sun said, initially happy and then getting more serious when Cinder was brought up.
Cinder just smiled. I was actually telling that truth there…she thought as she remembered her past as an orphan from Mistral.
"The feeds are all jammed! We can't get a message out!" Oobleck says to Port.
"Will somebody tell me what in the world is happening!?" Port asks the people working behind the scenes.
The question is answered with the sound of a wailing alarm throughout the structure, with people looking up in alarm at the orange flashing screens reading 'CAUTION'.
"Alert. Incoming Grimm attack. Threat level: Nine. Please seek shelter in a calm and orderly manner." The warning system sounds.
Watts smiled, knowing his tech had them baffled. Tyrian laughed, knowing that people were about to die.
The crowds begin to flee, panicked and chaotically, through the exit tunnels.
Sun stands up in alarm along with Coco. "A Nevermore!?"
"How did it get past the Kingdom's defenses!?" Coco lowers her sunglasses.
Ren rises up beside them. "It wasn't alone."
Ruby remembered that she and Oobleck saw back in Mountain Glenn. ….THAT HORDE? "Oh no…"
In the headmaster's office, Ozpin is gripping his cane tight, watching the city come under attack with a horrified expression.
"Oz!" Qrow runs in with Professor Goodwitch.
Ozpin turns to them. "Get to the city!"
"But..." Qrow complains.
"NOW!" Ozpin yells resolutely.
Qrow and Goodwitch exchange a look before going back the way they came.
"Protect the citizens…I get it," Qrow muttered.
"And the Colosseum still has hunters there," Glynda added.
Meanwhile, Mountain Glenn is almost silent, as every monster lurking there from Beowolves to Boarbatusks, Ursai and Nevermores, and even lumbering Goliaths with wide red eyes rush forward.
Back at the Colosseum, Ironwood watches the Nevermore attack the shields until he answers his Scroll, stammering. "Ozpin, the girl... I-I can explain!"
"You brought your army to my Kingdom, James." Ozpin says, gravely. "Use it."
Ironwood's worry turns to determination.
The General saw his face on the screen and groaned. He was being played for a fool.
"Yes! Please do, James!" Watts exclaimed in triumph.
Ironwood's fleet of ships are being attacked by even more giant Nevermores though to minimal effect, Soldiers scrambling to enter commands inside the bridge around their commanding officer.
"Dammit!" An Atlas ship captain speaks into his Scroll as he turns to the screen of data. "This is Blue Four! Blues Two and Three, fall into a defensive position!"
"Roger! Blue Three, in position!" Someone replies.
"Blue Two, what's your status?" The Atlas ship captain asks. "Blue Two, come in!" He doesn't know that the bridge of the last ship is wrecked, computers sparking and men down as a pair of high boots walk through the destruction. "Someone answer me, dammit!"
Dressed in an Atlas uniform and holding her umbrella, Neo opens the door of a familiar-looking cell with a devious grin.
"Well... it's about time..." Torchwick leans out of the shadows and into the light.
Blake had a look of despair on her face. Even the one win we had…wasn't even really a win?
Cut to outside the Airships, where the furthest craft suddenly turns towards its allies and fires several bright red lasers at the engine of the one closest to it. The aircraft is barely able to send out "We're hit! What's going-" before the flaming ship crashes into another in a series of explosions and sends both of them tumbling toward the waters below.
Torchwick laughs manically at the controls as Neo watches from the side. "Woo-hoohahahaha! Oohh, it is good to be back!"
Winter grit her teeth seeing her fellow men and soldiers get killed at the hands of the crook.
Meanwhile, Roman had a sigh of relief. "Oh thank goodness. I got out afterwards!"
He hugged Neo. "We did it, pal! We got out!"
Finally, at Beacon's cliffside landing platforms, three Bullheads arrive, the middle one opening its hatch to reveal four members of the White Fang, and their leader.
"Bring them to their knees!" Adam orders.
Adam looked at the screen and felt that he should've seen himself leading the faunus into a better tomorrow, but instead - he felt empty inside.
Ilia looked conflicted.
Kali and Ghira looked stricken.
Blake was horrified at her ex's orders.
Another Bullhead opens its door, this time with several creatures of Grimm inside. A growling Ursa jumps from it and lands on Academy grounds. The foreboding scene darkens as the Ursa's roar echoes, leaving only the burning red eyes of the monster, until they too disappear.
The screen turned to black.
"That's it." Chrono announced, once the viewing ended.
Upon hearing his words, the audience continued to be silent. Some were still processing what they saw, some were just happy at the turn of events, but most were just stricken by what they just watched.
"Why…" Ruby said, breaking the silence. "Out of everything …why would you show us that?"
Chrono pondered the question - seeing the truly anguished face on the huntress, before finally saying something.
"Don't worry too much. It's really just a potential future. What I'm showing you all is not set in stone." The host reassured her. [4]
Especially since some of you guys seem to be having a potential change of heart…Chrono thought as he was aware of the changing mindsets of a few people in the audience.
Of course, this didn't comfort her. Not. One. Bit.
"You didn't answer my question!" She exclaimed. "Why?"
"No comment."
Before Ruby could respond, Chrono continued speaking.
"Look. I understand that for a lot of you folks, the shit you just watched is going to take some time for you all to process. So - I'm giving you guys a break! An intermission if you will."
Chrono clapped his hands, and a few doors appeared to the back of the cinema. Pointing to the doors, he proceeded to explain what they led to.
"The two most left doors lead to bathrooms, the middle four doors lead to exact copies of the dorms of the Teams here - with the team names on the respective doors. The doors on the right all lead to other types of 'entertainment' if you will - punching bags to let out steam, break rooms to just talk, and…well, you'll see. I can't remember it all. So…enjoy!"
And just like that, the cinema slowly emptied, as members of the audience went out to kill time, and try to process not only the most recent viewing, but the others too.
However, Chrono was confronted by a person before the room fully emptied.
"You're a bastard, you know that?" Yang Xiao Long said to her host, before leaving. It was only after she left that he replied.
"I know."
So there you have it - I finally had them react to the future! Sorry if the chapter still seems a bit short. Fortunately, the next chapter is an interlude - so I can add more thoughts of the characters regarding what they saw - and thoughts regarding previous chapters too!
I chose PvP because it was the start of when things truly went to shit for the heroes - and I thought Ruby (and co) seeing Penny die in the future would provide some nice reactions. Will I have them react to another future episode? Maybe. If I had to choose one - I'd probably do "The Enemy of Trust" - that episode was pretty good IMO - and the peak of the Atlas Arc - it gave me hope that RWBY would be good again, especially since Volumes 4 and 5 were horrid. Too bad V8 was kinda disappointing - what were Ruby and her group sitting around the Schnee mansion for like 8 episodes? They're the main characters - they should move the damn plot! Even Volume 7 had some filler episodes which were weird as hell - like "Pomp and Circumstance."
But enough ranting about RWBY - the series still has some pretty good peaks lol
[1] - That fits her personality, right? Penny might not pick up on stuff like that - the wiki does say "She often showed a distinct lack of social awareness, likely due to not having a lot of experience with Human nature," so I hope it's not too OOC.
[2] - I know that Ozpin doesn't decide to have Pyrrha be the Maiden until, like, Episode 6 of Volume 3, but I reckon that he and his group must've discussed her in between Volumes 2 and 3 for at least a bit. I mean, it'd be logical for Pyrrha to have made a shortlist - for that list to have been made over the course of…well, a while.
[3] - The people in the cinema were in their own groups, and could barely hear each other unless they directly were speaking to another group - so that's why Cinder and her group could say incriminating stuff, and not have Ozpin's group hear it - until now of course.
[4] - Chrono said this because, as I've said before, other RWBY fanfics may be shown - but rather than having it be obvious - the audience will see it as a potential future. Now, if I can just find a certain fic that focuses on the Vytal Festival as well, but deviates from canon enough lol.
AND NOW TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS/SUGGESTIONS FROM REVIEWS:
netapel: Thanks for the support, man! I'm glad that you saw that the actor aspect of the story allows me to be more flexible. Too many fics have Jaune only, and it can limit the characters portrayed, or make him too OOC. And having few comments (only 8-10 reviews per chapter) DOES allow me to interact and read all of them. It's kinda nice!
Animan10: Yeah, that's a bit of a plot point I've been trying to add - I mostly began with Adam, and now I'm sprinkling in some regret in Mercury and Raven as well. As for the peanuts fact, I know and that makes a lot of sense - especially since I think it's pointed out in the OP for the series (Mixed Nuts). And because I saw a similar comment in one of the videos that has the OP on Youtube lol. EDIT: I just checked and there is one comment exactly LIKE yours lmao - "As strange as it may seem, peanuts are a VERY good analogy for this story. Taxonomically speaking, peanuts aren't nuts, having more in common with beans than tree nuts. Despite their status as nuts being a lie and misconception, we still love them as nuts."
StormWolf16: I wanted to include that tidbit, but since I felt a tangent about Jaune pointing out the origins of his name would take too much away from the reaction lol. Although, him pointing that out could've made Weiss think Jaune is smarter…oh well!
Steppe14: If they're too long, I probably won't do them, but if you want them to just be read, then no worries! I'll read it eventually!
See you guys next time!
NEXT CHAPTER: INTERLUDE 1