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 and Cinder met before Beacon...?

The exchange students were settling in. So far, Cinder's plan was working perfectly. No one suspected her of being anything but an ordinary Huntress-in-training from Haven. She kept a cocky smile on as she walked, Emerald and Mercury flanking her as Neo trailed behind. She surveyed her kingdom like a queen, imperious, invincible.

Soon, you worms, she thought to herself, soon you will all burn...

"Cinder?"

Cinder froze.

No. That... That's not possible... It can't be...!

She slowly turned her eyes to her left. A blond young man, tall, with striking blue eyes, walked up to her with a broad smile.

"Cinder Fall!" He repeated happily. "Remember me? From Radian?"

Oh no...

"J-Jaune," Cinder gasped. Her eyes widened as he hugged her tightly.

"Hahaha! It's been years!" He cheered.

Against her will, she felt her body relax. The warm, familiar hug triggered something in her. Something she thought she'd buried under all her hatred and resentment...!

Mercury looked amused, while Emerald looked jealous. She was going to punish them both for this...

"Look at you!" He beamed. "You're absolutely beautiful! Even more than last time!"

"Ah... Uh... Er..." Cinder tried. Her usually sharp tongue felt very clumsy all of a sudden.

"Eh?" Ruby Rose, of course. The little brat zipped up, curious. "Jaune? You know her?"

"Sure do!" Jaune grinned. "Cinder stayed with my family for a few years while she was recovering from... Uh, long story." He narrowed his eyes, his face darkened.

Yes, she remembered. She'd escaped her abusive family, after killing them, into the wilderness around Mantle. It had been cold, very cold. Isabel Arc and her husband, a doctor and a Hunter, had been operating nearby. They'd found her in the tundra, and had healed her. Because she was afraid of being arrested for the murders, she had pleaded to be taken to Vale, and they had complied. She had stayed with them at their home... Receiving so much kindness and charity it made her sick to think about it!

"She was like another big sister!" Jaune went on, hugging her again. He flushed.

"Er... Except for... Uh..."

"That time you tried to propose to me?" Cinder asked dryly. The memory was... Amusing, in hindsight. Ruby giggled as Jaune blushed.

"I was ten," Jaune protested, "And she was super pretty!" He beamed at her. "It's great to see you. Are you doing okay? You left so abruptly!"

"I... Yes, well," Cinder said quietly, "I received... An apprenticeship from a powerful Huntress. She knew my family. She took me in."

"Oh," Jaune nodded, smiling guileless, "Great to hear! So, you'd in your final year?"

"I... May have taken longer than I would have liked to graduate," Cinder admitted quietly. Jaune shook his head.

"No shame in that," He said, "You're here. So much has happened! Come on in, you should meet my team!"

"How... How about after we get settled?" Cinder asked. She smiled as warmly as she could at him. "It was a long flight."

Jaune winced.

"Sorry, I didn't think," he admitted. Cinder nodded, a bit indulgent. Apparently, he hadn't changed that much on the inside.

"How about breakfast? There's a lot to unpack," she said. Jaune beamed.

"Sure thing. I'm just... I missed you. We were all so worried about you. I'm so glad you're all right."

He hugged her again. His Aura was so strong, the Grimm inside her squirmed in fear. Yet the warmth of it seemed to flow right through her.

"I... I missed you too," she said, and she hated how it didn't feel like a lie.

He let her go (and it felt so cold for a moment), beaming happily.

"Can't wait to catch up," he said, "We all missed you."

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

Her accomplices followed her to their assigned room. She opened the door, and looked back. Jaune waved with a bright smile. She managed a short wave back, before Emerald practically escorted her inside. Mercury and Neo followed. The door was shut, and their various anti-eavesdropping devices were activated before Mercury spoke.

"So. Who's the golden retriever on legs?" He snarked.

"Why-How do you know him?" Emerald demanded, her jealousy showing. Cinder let out a sigh.

"His family took me in for a little over a year after my family died and I escaped," she stated flatly. "When I was well enough, I left. I found Mother," their codename for Salem, "And that was that. I never gave them a second thought. They're nothing to me."

"Didn't seem like nothing," Mercury snickered. He stopped when she glared. She sniffed.

"It is of no concern. Indeed, it will help solidify our cover," she stated. "To be associated with the Arcs will make me seem less threatening. They are... They are kind, generous, caring..."

She felt Emerald's look.

"Weak and pathetic," she sneered, "And their son is the worst of them all."

"We could eliminate him," Emerald pointed out, "Him knowing you might be a liability-"

"No!" Cinder said, a bit too quickly. She shook her head. "That would look suspicious. Leave him to me. He'll be easy to twist into our patsy."

"That may involve getting close to him," Mercury observed. Cinder smiled in a deadly fashion at him, and he gulped.

"Just do your jobs and let me do mine," she stated, "Or I'll have to tell them you suffered an unfortunate accident."

She flared flames in her hand for emphasis, and Mercury nodded quickly.

Neo, as per her usual, just played on her Scroll and ignored everything going on. Cinder turned and glared out at the windows as her minions unpacked.

It was perfectly fine. So Jaune Arc was here, so what?

A year didn't change the years of hell she went through with her stepfamily. A year of kindness, large meals, laughter, hugs, and generosity didn't make up for how cruel the world was. They just... They were fools who could afford to waste their time, money, and energy on her. It was just to make themselves feel better. To look better!

She didn't have any conflicting feelings about what she was going to do. She didn't.

Not now. Not after everything she'd gone through. Not after all the power she had secured.

He'd hate me anyway, she thought, the moment he found out what I had done, my true nature... He'd hate me. Just like they all would have, if they knew the truth...

Again, another random idea. Jaune's childhood just randomly intersecting with other character's is just kind of a fun idea.

Who else might be fun to be childhood friends?