Author's Note:
Rejoice ! another chapter has been finished
As always PMs are open and etc and hopefully next chapter is to your enjoyment as we all write all of this
Questions for you the reader/Upcoming stuff:
1. Yang and Blake Vs Akira
2. Shall we continue with our version of Volume 9 or use some of the original story
3. Kaito vs Ruby or Akira ?
4. Your idea
5. Decade Rematch with Akira
Legend Ride form: We have narrowed it down to either Decade or Zi-O
To expand on something: We are currently thinking about the whole Ascension part and wear thinking of simply flipping a coin on this or let you the reader decide
Have just Ruby and Akira ascend or simply ley Ruby ascend and Have Akira gain Realizing Hopper
Till next chapter, Apzeta, Bishop, and Knight
[ Market Place Ruins ]
Akira stands before Peridot, his cold, calculating gaze fixed on her. The dim lighting of their surroundings only highlights the eerie red glow of his Ark-Driver.
Akira: "Peridot, I have a task for you."
Peridot, perched on a crate, kicks her legs back and forth, grinning like a child about to receive a new toy.
Peridot: "Ooooh! Are we finally gonna play? Who's the lucky contestant?"
Akira doesn't react to her enthusiasm, merely raising his hand. The Ark-Driver hums ominously as its systems activate, glowing a deep crimson.
From its center it shoots a lesser and prints out a brand-new Forceriser, fresh and pristine.
As the printing process finalizes, Akira catches the device effortlessly before turning back to Peridot.
Akira: "You will track and test Ruby Rose. She has my Forceriser and the Fighting Jackal Progrisekey. Consider this a field test—observe how she handles it… and push her to her limits."
Peridot's grin widens, her green eyes flickering with excitement.
Peridot: "Oh-hoho! So you want me to see how well Little Red plays with your gear, huh?!"
Akira reaches into his coat and pulls out the Dodo Zetsumerisekey, flipping it in his hand before holding both the Forceriser and the key out toward her.
Akira: "Go all out."
Peridot snatches the Forceriser and Zetsumerisekey from his hand, practically bouncing on her feet.
Peridot: "You're the best, boss! This is gonna be so much fun!"
She clips the Forceriser to her chain, running her fingers over its surface before pressing the Rise Starter of the Dodo Zetsumerisekey.
Dodo Zetsumerisekey: [ Dodo ! ]
Peridot giggles, putting on her pocket.
Peridot: "Let's see if Red can keep up, or if she'll break like a defective program~."
Akira turns away, beginning to walk in the direction of Team RWBY's last known location.
Akira: "We move now. I want to see this for myself."
Peridot eagerly follows, cracking her knuckles as they set off.
[ Garden Acre ]
Jaune Arc—now the Rusted Knight—slowly sheathes his half-broken, rusted sword. He takes a weary breath before stepping past Team RWBY, heading toward his Jackalope mount, Juniper.
Blake: (excited) "I can't believe it. The Rusted Knight, in person!"
The Jackalope coos as Jaune gently pets her head.
Jaune: (softly) "You did good, Juniper."
After a moment, he removes his helmet and turns back to face Team RWBY.
A stunned silence follows.
His blonde hair is longer, tied back in a low ponytail, streaked with white strands. He sports a full beard, and age lines now rest under his weary yet relieved eyes.
Jaune: (smiles weakly) "Team RWBY…"
The four girls gasp, eyes wide in disbelief.
Jaune: (hesitantly, looking down) "It… It's really you, right? When I saw you in the market…"
There's a brief pause before Ruby, Blake, Yang, and Weiss exchange glances. Then, without hesitation—
Ruby: (softly, reassuringly) "Jaune. It's us."
All at once, Team RWBY rushes in, embracing him in a tight hug.
Jaune stiffens at first, caught off guard, but then he melts into it, closing his eyes as he returns the hug. His breath trembles as he tries to suppress the wave of emotion washing over him.
Little, the tiny mouse who had been traveling with Ruby, perches on Jaune's head and hugs his hair.
Jaune: (chuckles weakly, voice breaking) "I—"
He doesn't finish. He doesn't need to. The sheer relief and joy radiating from them all says enough.
After a moment, they pull back slightly, still processing what they're seeing.
Ruby: (concerned but happy) "How did you find us?"
Blake: (curious) "How are you the Rusted Knight?"
Yang: (grinning, arms crossed) "And when did you get so…"
She gestures vaguely at his more rugged look.
Weiss: (grinning smugly, hand on chin) "Mature?"
The three other girls turn to stare at Weiss.
Ruby raises a brow, while Blake and Yang smirk at her.
Weiss: (blushes, coughing into her hand as she quickly corrects herself) "I mean—! Uh… I mean— You look… seasoned?"
Ruby: (softer, but serious) "Jaune… what happened in Atlas? After the rest of us fell?"
Jaune's smile falters.
A long silence follows.
His fingers tighten around the rusted scabbard at his hip.
Jaune: (sighs, looking down) "I… guess we've all got a lot of catching up to do."
He shifts slightly—only to stumble forward slightly, limping.
Ruby instinctively reaches out to steady him, alarmed.
Ruby: (worried) "Jaune, are you okay?"
Jaune shakes his head dismissively.
Jaune: (gritting his teeth) "I'm fine. Just… still feeling the aftermath of my last fight."
Yang frowns.
Yang: (narrowing her eyes) "You fought someone?"
Jaune: (grimly) "Not just someone…"
His expression darkens.
He exhales slowly, standing up straighter.
Jaune: (serious) "Akira."
Silence.
Team RWBY tenses immediately at the mention of the name.
Blake: (whispering, eyes widening) "So he's here in the Ever After?"
Jaune nods, his jaw tightening.
Jaune: (low voice) "Yeah… and if I had to guess, he isn't done yet."
As the weight of those words settles, an uneasy chill runs through them all.
And somewhere, not far behind them, a pair of glowing green shutter-like eyes flicker in the shadows.
Peridot: (grinning, whispering to herself) "Found you~."
[ Time Skip - Ever After – The Punderstorm ]
As the Punderstorm raged, lightning flashed across the bizarre, shifting pathways of the Ever After.
The group found themselves scattered within a metaphysical labyrinth of floating stone bridges, each one leading to different glowing blue doors.
Ruby, Weiss, and Jaune stood together, catching their breath.
Ruby: "Great. Just what we needed—more nonsense!"
Weiss: "I don't know what's worse—the literal storm or the sheer ridiculousness of this place."
Jaune sighed, gripping his rusted sword tightly. His expression was tense, already exhausted from everything they'd been through.
Jaune: "We just need to get moving and find the others—"
A voice suddenly rang out, high-pitched and erratic, with a playful yet sinister lilt.
???: "Hehehe~ Wow! This place is wacky! But I kinda love it! Feels like a game world!"
The trio turned abruptly toward the sound, their expressions shifting from confusion to shock.
A girl stood before them, a few feet away, hands tucked into the oversized sleeves of her black hoodie. Her dark, almost mechanical green eyes glowed faintly, scanning them with a mixture of amusement and curiosity.
Her black hair, streaked with yellow highlights, hung just beneath a tilted newsboy cap.
Her face—her very presence—felt eerily familiar.
Jaune's heart nearly stopped. His breath hitched in his throat as his grip on Crocea Mors faltered. His mind screamed at him to reject what he was seeing.
Jaune: "P... Pyrrha?"
Ruby and Weiss stiffened at his words, glancing between Jaune and the strange girl.
Now that they looked closer, they saw it too—there was something disturbingly reminiscent of their fallen friend in her face, blended with another, more sinister familiarity.
The girl tilted her head, grinning wide.
Peridot: "Pyyyyrrhaaa? Hehehe~ Nope! That ain't me! Buuuut if you wanna call me that, I might just play along! Sounds fun!"
She giggled, rocking on her heels as she clasped her hands together in front of her chest. Her eerie excitement sent a chill down Weiss' spine.
Weiss: "Who are you?!"
Peridot tapped her chin, pretending to think.
Peridot: "Hmmm… How to put it? I'm Peridot! The perfect player two!"
She threw out her arms theatrically.
Peridot: "And you guys? Well... you're today's game, so let's have fun!"
Jaune's breathing grew ragged. His hand shook as his mind reeled, trying to process what he was seeing.
Jaune: "No... This isn't real. You can't be real."
His memories of Pyrrha flashed through his mind—the way she smiled, the warmth in her eyes.
And now, standing in front of him, was a mockery of that.
Peridot watched his expression closely, her grin widening as she leaned forward.
Peridot: "Ohhh, I get it now~! You thought I was your dead girlfriend, huh?"
Jaune flinched violently. Weiss and Ruby's eyes widened.
Peridot: "Oof, talk about tragic! But hey, don't feel too bad! I mean, I do have a little bit of her in me. And a little bit of Cinder too! You know, the lady who torched her? Fun combo, huh?"
Jaune's eyes darkened with rage. His knuckles turned white around the hilt of his broken sword.
Jaune: "Shut. Up."
Peridot gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her chest as if wounded.
Peridot: "Oh nooo~! Did I hit a nerve? Hehehe, whoopsie! But c'mon, it's so fascinating! The data, the aura, the way her soul just got wiped out like poof! And now a tiny piece of her gets to live on inside little ol' me!"
Jaune lunged.
With a roar of fury, he swung his sword with all his might, aiming straight for Peridot's smirking face.
Peridot's grin never faded.
In a blink, she moved.
A blur of motion—inhumanly fast. She ducked effortlessly under Jaune's strike, her movements precise, calculated. As if she had already seen it coming.
Jaune barely registered what happened before he felt a sharp impact against his gut.
Peridot had slipped behind him and struck him with a single, powerful palm thrust, sending him staggering backward.
Peridot: "Tsk tsk~! Jaune, Jaune, Jaune. You're so slooow~!"
Jaune gasped for breath, clutching his stomach.
The hoodie's sleeve had moved, revealing Peridot's hand—mechanical fingers that had a Forceriser
Peridot: "Hmm~ Not bad, but lemme show you how it's done but first !"
She suddenly vanished—a blur of speed.
Ruby barely had time to react before Peridot appeared right in front of her, an unhinged grin on her face.
Peridot: "Tag! You're it!"
With a flick of her wrist, Peridot shoved Ruby backward. But it wasn't a normal shove—it carried an unnatural force, sending Ruby tumbling across the ground.
Weiss summoned a glyph beneath Ruby, catching her mid-air.
Weiss: "Okay, I officially hate her more than Amethyst."
Jaune clenched his jaw, regaining his stance.
Jaune: "You're working with Akira, aren't you?"
Peridot twirled in place, hands behind her back.
Peridot: "Ding ding ding! We have a winner~! Of course I am!. So I gotta crush you guys! That's how this game works!"
Jaune's eyes burned with fury.
Ruby wiped her mouth, standing up beside him.
Weiss pulled her rapier.
The three stood together, their gazes locked on Peridot.
Ruby: "Fine. If you want a fight—then let's see if you can keep up."
Ruby takes out the Akira's Forceriser and Fighting Jackal Progrisekey on her other hand
Peridot's grin stretched wider.
Peridot: "Ooohoho, I was hoping you'd say that."
She cracked her knuckles, her mechanical fingers clicking as she shifted into a stance.
Peridot: "Let's rock !"
The air crackled with tension as Jaune and Weiss braced themselves.
The unnatural red lightning danced around Peridot's frame, illuminating her twisted grin as her Forceriser hummed with energy.
Forceriser: [ Forceriser ! ]
Jaune's grip on his sword tightened.
Jaune: "Ruby please don't use it!" he called out desperately, seeing the device in her hands as well.
Weiss, standing beside him, looked equally alarmed.
Wiess: "Jaune's right!" Weiss added. "That thing—it's his gear! Please don't use its a death sentence !"
Ruby took a shaky breath, her silver eyes glinting with determination.
Ruby: "I don't have a choice," she muttered. "This is all I've got."
Before either of them could protest further, Ruby pressed the Rise Starter on the Fighting Jackal Progrisekey.
Fighting Jackal Progrisekey: [ Hunt ! ]
At the same time, Peridot activated her own key.
Dodo Zetsumerisekey: [ Dodo ! ]
Their eyes met—one filled with determination, the other with unhinged excitement.
Ruby and Peridot: "Henshin!"
They slammed the keys into their respective Forcerisers, yanking the Force Executor.
Ruby and Peridot's Forceriser: [ Forcerise ! ]
A surge of liquid metal erupted from both belts, racing across their bodies.
Ruby's breath hitched as the Restraint Cables lashed out, violently snapping armor pieces onto her.
Searing pain jolted through her limbs as the transformation took hold. She grit her teeth, muscles locking from the painfull sensation.
The Fighting Jackal armor took shape—a sleek black and silver suit with golden highlights, its jackal-like helmet giving her a feral, predatory look.
Forceriser: [ Fighting Jackal ! ]
Peridot, meanwhile, was hit with red lightning as her Dodo armor locked into place.
The segmented, avian-themed suit exuded an aggressive energy, its Discharge Feather sparking ominously.
As the final pulses of energy flared outward, both combatants stood transformed.
Ruby grasped her newly materialized Territory Scythe, rolling her shoulders as the weight settled into her hands.
Peridot let out a sharp exhale, reveling in the residual pain from her transformation before drawing her Buaruku Sabers.
Ruby and Peridot's Forceriser: [ Break down ! ]
Peridot grinned wildly. "Oh-ho! That sting—I love it!" she cackled, flexing her fingers. "Now this is gonna be fun!"
Jaune clenched his fists, stepping forward.
Jaune: "Ruby—"
She held up a hand, stopping him.
Ruby: "I can handle this," she assured him, though her stance betrayed the struggle of acclimating to the armor.
Weiss frowned, eyes darting between the two transformed fighters.
Wiess: "Just be careful," she warned.
Peridot spun her sabers effortlessly, her visor locking onto Ruby's visor.
Peridot: "Let's see if you can keep up, Valkyrie."
Then, with a burst of speed both rush at each other clashing weapons
Ruby gritted her teeth as she swung the Territory Scythe, clashing against Peridot's Buaruku Sabers. Sparks flew as their weapons met in a flurry of rapid strikes.
Despite having the Fighting Jackal Armor, Ruby still struggled to keep up with Peridot's adaptability.
Every time she adjusted her attack, Peridot countered flawlessly, her twin sabers striking with relentless precision.
Peridot: "You're slow," Peridot taunted, grinning as she twisted her blades, forcing Ruby's scythe off balance
Peridot: "Did you think wearing Akira's gear would make you better?"
Ruby scowled, stepping back to regain her footing, only for Peridot to press forward with a rapid cross-slash.
The force sent Ruby sliding backward, boots skidding against the ground
Jaune and Weiss saw their opening.
Jaune: "Now!" Jaune shouted, lunging with his sword, aiming a heavy overhead strike at Peridot.
Weiss dashed to the side, summoning a line of Glyphs, preparing a coordinated assault.
But Peridot was already moving.
She caught Jaune's blade with one saber, stopping it mid-swing, her arm barely flinching from the impact.
With her other hand, she sheathed one of her sabers onto her back before grabbing Weiss by the wrist.
Wiess: "What?!" Weiss gasped as Peridot's grip tightened.
Before she could react, a surge of red lightning erupted from Peridot's palm.
BZZT!
Wiess: "AAAAAHH!"
screamed as electricity coursed through her body, her Aura flickering under the assault.
Jaune: "Weiss!" Jaune shouted, trying to force his sword down, but Peridot effortlessly redirected his strength, twisting his blade off course.
With a smirk, Peridot Spined and shoved Weiss backward—straight into Ruby.
"Ah!" Ruby stumbled as Weiss crashed into her, both of them tumbling to the ground.
Peridot tilted her head, looking down at them like they were nothing more than toys.
Peridot: "Pathetic."
Jaune growled, gripping his sword tighter.
Jaune: "Don't you dare—"
But Peridot was already in motion.
With a rush of speed, she kicked Jaune's sword aside, forcing him off balance before shoving him back with a strike to the chest.
Jaune staggered but remained standing. "Damn it."
Peridot reached down to her Forceriser and pushed the Force Executor in and out
Forceriser: [ Zetsumetsu Dystopia ! ]
Her Buaruku Sabers ignited with energy as she crossed them, charging up a finisher.
The air around her crackled with unstable red lightning, her entire frame glowing with lethal intent.
Ruby and Weiss scrambled to their feet.
Wiess: "She's going for a Finisher!" she warned.
Ruby's grip on her Territory Scythe tightened, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. She had to move—now.
Peridot: "You're all so much fun to play with… but playtime's almost over!"
The energy along her sabers intensified, forming twin crimson arcs that she prepared to launch. Ruby gritted her teeth, forcing herself to stand.
Ruby Rose: "Damn it… I can't lose here!"
Her grip tightened on the Territory Scythe. Even if she wasn't used to the Fighting Jackal form, she had to fight—no, she had to win by any means