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secret-engima · 4 years ago

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Snippet of Saving the World for Fun and Profit

(In which Torchdad is Not Pleased™ and Neo gets busted)

...

Roman Torchwick wasn’t certain if it was possible to be more upset and anxious and angry all at the same time as he watched the bullhead finish settling on the ground with a grumbling wheeze of machinery. Chasing rumors of Neo’s movements for days, watching the Underworld itself reel in shock over Marcus Black’s death —that Neo had likely had a hand in—, then the world reel over the murder of Haven’s headmaster —which he was also pretty sure Neo had had a hand in, thank’s a lot, tip from an old work buddy in Mistral—. And now, after all that, favors spent and night of sleep lost and lien lost from canceled operations and Neo just- came back to Vale like she expected not to be noticed.

Like he hadn’t had every member of his network watching the skies and ports for a bullhead of that make and model, like he hadn’t been theorizing about and preparing for and raging internally over whatever —whoever— had dragged Neo into this insanity. He could feel his hand going white-knuckled on the handle of Melodic Cudgel. There were top quality rounds loaded in it, ready for a fight, and he had several vials raw Dust tucked into his pockets to use as makeshift --and more powerful-- grenades. The moment Neo was back at his side, he was finding the person who had blackmailed her into this —made her cry and run and steal and kill without daring to stop and tell him why— and making an example of them. He wasn’t a king of the underworld by a long shot, but he was still Roman Torchwick and he was hardly some small fry who could be jerked around on a leash or have his partner stolen from under his nose without consequences.

The door hissed open, but no ramp lowered, this model was too old to still have a working one probably. Neo jumped down, turning to face the interior so quickly that he knew she hadn’t seen him yet. Roman took the opportunity to examine her. Physically she looked … surprisingly alright. No major injuries or signs of bandages, no bruises or flickers of Aura trying to heal wounds he couldn’t see. Hush was clean and folded on her back as she raised her hands as if to accept something from inside. So she wasn’t alone. The person jerking her strings —or someone also working for that person— was in the bullhead with her. Good. He was going to have a talk with the next person he saw come out of that ship-.

Tiny hands took Neo’s and Roman felt his world pause when a little girl hopped down with Neo’s help. The street rat couldn’t have been older than nine, probably closer to seven or eight. Bright green hair, dark skin, an eye color he couldn’t quite make out from this far away but definitely on the darker end of the spectrum. The girl smiled up at Neo, all sunshine and mischief and trust, like Neo could do anything, then the child waved to someone else inside and another brat hopped out, this one a scraggly boy with silver hair and a lean frame that moved like he had training. The boy didn’t bother taking Neo’s hands, and the moment he touched dirt he seemed to pick a verbal fight with Greenie.

Neo was still facing the interior of the bullhead, arms out, and Roman wondered if now he would get to see the puppet master —who collected street rats apparently, and that was sending up red flags in his head, because Neo was his and not up for claiming—. Instead, even tinier hands emerged, these ones wearing gloves, and a moment later Neo was catching a four year old and lowering him gently to the ground with a smile.

What. In the name of the Brothers Grimm. Was going on.

Neo set the child down and fiddled with her scroll. The bullhead door closed and it didn’t power on for another flight, which meant that … seemingly … no one else was inside. The two older street rats had clustered around the littlest of their number, talking to him and coaxing him up onto the silver haired brat’s back for a piggyback ride. Roman caught part of Neo’s words as she signed, something about being on their best behavior when she introduced them to-. To him. She was planning to bring them to him. Planning to come back.

“This is going to be hard enough to explain without you making Roman mad, Merc, Em. Got that? Don’t make him mad.”

Roman let his shoes clack audibly against the pavement of the port, swinging his cane to rest against one shoulder as Neo stiffened and whirled to face him. The two street rats exchanged looks while the toddler just blinked at him in surprise. The dark skinned girl chuckled nervously, “Uh. It kinda looks like he already is?”

“Greenie over there is right.” Roman called across the distance in a deceptively light tone, the one he used right before blowing someone’s brains out for making a crude comment at Neo or ruining one job too many, “Points to her for observational skills. So, Neopolitan,” Neo cringed at the use of her full name and the three kids shot her wide-eyed, worried looks, “care to explain what has been happening the last week and a half? Hmm? Like, I don’t know, where you’ve been and what you think you’ve been doing?”

#Secret Engima Rambles #Melodies and Manuscripts #Team Gremlin verse #roman torchwick #dadwick is maddddd #also oscar is 6 #but he be teeny #so roman thinks he's younger

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wu-sisyphus-gang · 4 years ago

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Motion Sickness Chapter 54

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Things somehow weren't exactly awkward between Ruby and I now that she knew how I felt and I knew she felt something back. Somehow we were still able to work closely together. I suppose that was what she meant by just needing more time. She was just worried and confused about Jaune. Which I understood.

I was still laying awake at night confused about my feelings for Jaune myself. So I wasn't exactly casting stones at her about it. Plus she promised she'd be ready to return my feelings eventually. So it was not like she'd rejected my emotions. She just needed a moment to breath.

I could deliver her that. I would deliver her that. She deserved that from me. I could be as patient as she needed me to be. I also just needed her to know. I wasn't going to be able to hide it from her forever.

Maybe things would be different if what had happened with Jaune was different. If whatever happened at Haven hadn't happened. It hurt that Ruby and I still didn't know for sure what I felt about it. My upbringing wasn’t one that led me to be in touch with my emotions.

I knew where Blake and Yang and Qrow still stood on the issue. They saw him as a traitor who turned on us. Blake in particular likened him to Adam, her own ex who eventually turned on her ideals of what the White Fang should be.

And it wasn't like Jaune wasn't a killer. He was. But had he crossed the line into being addicted to murder to solve his problems was the key question. Because Yang was a killer too and nobody doubted her. Blake, too, had killed during her stint in the White Fang and she was above suspicion. It was then just a question of whether he killed when the situation called for it or if he killed because he felt like it.

It was a scary thought and the image of him kicking one of Don Corneo's men in the head replayed in my mind over and over again.

It depended on what had happened to him at Haven, didn't it? Ruby, I knew, was still holding out for the best, whatever that may be. And in my heart I coveted the same thing. I wanted Jaune to be innocent. Even if it meant something horrible had happened to him. Perhaps that was cruel of me. Perhaps it was hopeful of me. Perhaps it was a lot of things of me.

"You mentioned you were attacked in Argus, right Ruby?" I asked her as she reclined on her bed and read from her comics.

Her hair looked good in the early morning light of Atlas as she kicked her feet up like a schoolgirl. She was adorable to watch.

"These blonde, blue eyed girls," she nodded. She looked over at me, her eyes were little silver mirrors. The light of dawn rebounded around and off of them.

"Did you catch any of their semblances?" I asked.

"The one I fought had this blue and red being that fought with her. It made her attacks stronger. Oscar and Qrow fought one which had a violet lightning semblance that made her faster, I think."

"That sounds a lot like Jaune's Limit Breaker. Doesn't it?"

"Maybe…"

"Is it possible that they are his sisters."

"Maybe. They might be the right age for it. But…"

"But then they should have known we didn't have the relic, if they were working for Salem, that is."

Who were those girls that attacked my friends in Argus? We'd talked about it a little before now and their powers were not dissimilar to Jaune's but they were after the relic. Something they should have known we didn't have. We'd talked about it as a group a little. I was curious about it a little more.

And they were young, young enough to fit into that category of how old he'd told Ruby his sisters were. If they were in league with Salem and looking for the relic didn't that mean Jaune had to be too?

But then they should have known that we didn't have it. It made no sense unless Jaune wasn't in league with Salem.

"How could Jaune simultaneously be working with her and not?" Ruby asked. She was reaching a similar conclusion as I was. She was always a little clever.

She also understood people preternaturally. She had a sixth sense about it. I wouldn't be surprised if she was able to pick people out of a line up based on their semblances. She was a powerful empath. Not as strong as Ren had been who's semblance had been tied to emotions, but she was good.

The power of aura gave her a supernatural sense of the emotions of those around her. It was why I'd abandoned trying to hide what I felt for her. She'd have been able to feel it eventually.

Something was afoot when it came to Jaune, something worrying. I knew she was thinking it too.

"You're thinking about Jaune, aren't you Weiss."

"A little," I confessed. "I don't understand what happened."

"You and me both." She put her comics down. She walked over and traced her hands through my hair. It felt nice so I leaned into her touch and let out a contented hum. "Blake doesn't believe us about him."

"She never got to meet him in Mistral," I defended. "She may know Adam but she never saw the new Jaune."

"Their semblances are concerning to me. If they're similar then they are similar," Ruby murmured. "They have to be, that scares me."

"That doesn't have to be a bad thing like she thinks. There were things about Adam that she herself used to like and souls are complicated business," I tried to refute. "Semblances are confusing and Jaune's is hardly the only one I've seen where the user has to stand still. I stand nearly still while I’m doing summonings."

She rubbed her face in my hair and laid on top of me in the bed. I turned around and put an arm around her and squeezed her close to me. She sighed as I did and we laid together on my bed.

I stroked her pretty red and black hair and she burrowed into the crook of my arm. Her little hourglass shape fit snuggly next to mine and I kissed her forehead. I just lay there stroking her and staring at her. It was a comforting moment, unbroken by interruptions and I had the pleasure of just staring at her as she rested with her eyes closed.

In that moment it didn't much feel like she was leading me on. It felt like that promise that she would be ready to return my feelings. One day, soon, she would be ready to give back to me what I wanted from her. She gave me a light blush and returned me a sigh.

I would miss this. If anything happened, losing moments like this would break my cold lonely heart.

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We met up in the briefing room and I saw Winter again. She was working on a data pad with a rough sketch of Atlas's newest hostile person of interest. Cloud Strife. I thought the sketch looked roughly familiar. Around the eyes and the bridge of the nose, maybe. The spiky hair and diamond piercings looked like no one I had ever met, however. He had a Mistrali look to him in the sketch as well.

"Still working on Cloud Strife, I see."

"Indeed. He burned down a building recently and killed thirty people. They were all gang members but still, murder is murder." Winter sighed. "He's working with Neapolitan and getting involved with the local gangs. It breathes of Roman Torchwick which is more than a touch concerning. The last thing Atlas needs is someone stirring the gangs up and mixing the pot."

"We've killed gang members too, " I muttered. "We got involved in the local mafia infighting in Mistral."

"Yeah, ever heard of Don Corneo. We killed some of his men," Yang followed me up.

"Killing in the line of duty isn't the same as murder." Winter shot us down. "What you went through is a tragedy in the course of securing the maidens and the relics. It isn't the same as gang warfare over drugs and prostitution."

Yang just shrugged like she couldn't really bring herself to believe it. I hadn't killed anyone and couldn't really speak to it.

"Perhaps you require counseling. You are young," Winter murmured softly.

"I don't need to see a shrink," Yang said.

"It's hardly anything to be ashamed of. I had to attend counseling when I was younger and killed for the first time," Winter confessed. "It's part of what we do. We all go through it. There are trained professionals to help us handle it. It's part of military life, at least in the Atlas military. Though perhaps you are handling it better than most. This is the first I'm hearing about it." She gave me an interested look.

"I've never killed. It was my job to torture the Don for information," I told her. "It was Jaune's operation."

"Perhaps more concerning than I thought. Torture and the turncoat. Perhaps I should prescribe you therapy. Torture is often as traumatic for the torturer as for the victim."

"I'm doing just fine, thank you," I instead insisted. "Don Corneo was a disgusting waste and I have no regrets."

"I see…" I could tell she was still worried in her distant way. I embraced the feeling of my older sibling's worry. It was oddly nice to bask in. I wasn't sure what Ruby was always complaining about. I was just glad she wasn't offering me therapy for Jaune.

I wasn't sure how to handle that odd ball of feelings and I didn't want to talk about them with some stranger. Plus I was sure that almost no matter what the topic was our problem child would probably come up. Even if it was just discussing torturing the Don.

Winter flickered over some other images on her data pad. It was two way so I couldn't help but see.

"Is that… Tyrian?" I asked.

"You know this person?" Winter asked. "He was a known mass murderer."

She reversed the image on the data pad for me.

I nodded. "He was in Mistral. He's the Scorpion faunus I told you about. The agent of Salem."

"I see." Winter scrolled through her report. "I was only just beginning to look at this statement regarding him. It appears he is a prospect for the description you provided. Scorpion faunus, claw like weapons, a metallic prosthesis for a tail. He's a match."

I stared at the photograph of Tyrian with blood at the corner of his lips. He was still smiling with a faint grin on his mouth and in his eyes.

"He's dead?" I asked, I examined the image. I'd fought him in Mistral. He was incredibly fast. And he fought with all of his five limbs in play. It made for a difficult opponent. He was easily the most dangerous enemy I had ever faced in real combat.

"He is. He was killed by Cloud Strife. Or someone with a similar weapon. Most likely him, however. A broadsword, to the chest. A mass murderer like Tyrian Callows would have been bad for Strife's business and that of his allies. He intervened and cut off Salem's influence at the knees."

"Strife is that dangerous?" Yang asked. "Who would have thought?"

"Indeed, Strife is making quite the name for himself and he's proving near impossible to catch with Neapolitan working for him. She's an illusionist and talented at that." Winter replied. "We don't even have a good image of him."

"A broadsword…" I murmured. I tried to connect it with the familiar portrait of Cloud Strife. It was possible, however unlikely, that Jaune did this. Tall, blonde hair, and blue eyes. If nothing else Jaune was similar to Strife. Winter had my description of Jaune, though. I was sure that if it was him, then she'd be closing the noose on him already. For good or for ill.

"What's the mission today?" Ruby asked. Maybe she was thinking the same thing I was and wanted the conversation to move along. Or maybe she was just genuinely asking.

"Grimm in a dust mine near where Amity is being repaired. You're being teamed up with the Ace Ops to clear them out."

"Anything special or just an infestation in general," Blake took the mission dossier from Winter and began to read. I got my own copy and started to leaf through it.

"There's been reports of a rather old giest. It is something to be wary of when you go in," Winter answered. "The classified nature of this mission is what calls for you all. It could be relatively minor and not worth all your skills. Or it could prove necessary."

I read through and looked at the map of the dust mines. It was entirely possible things could get rough in there with no means of supplying one another with quick aid.

"And this is close to where Amity is being worked on," I asked.

"It's nearby. As you can see we'll be dropping you all in. So have a landing strategy prepared."

"This dust mine… it belongs to the Schnee corporation." Blake murmured. She met my eye.

I looked through the dossier and found what she was looking at.

"It used to. It was seized by Atlas under imminent domain," my sister returned. "And it was promptly closed. We couldn't afford leaks about what's going on with Amity and we needed the space."

"And all that untouched dust will be needed for the first phase of the tower's launch," Clover continued for Winter. "Atlas huntsmen are already at work clearing out the surrounding tundra but that Giest evaded destruction and took refuge in the mines; it also took several lives. It's smart. It's old. It's dangerous. The works."

"The mines are an absolute maze from all the excavation they did back in the day. There's all kinds of tunnels it can move between. So, if we're going to kill this thing, we're going to have to split up and corner it. Pin it down, then drop the hammer on it," Clover continued.

I nodded at him while he projected a map of the mines for us. It had one enormous chamber and a series of off-shooting tunnels.

"We need to get this done before any of the other workers or soldiers get hurt. Any questions?" He finished crisply.

I closed the dossier. We had none.

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With the help of Ace Ops destroying the giest was easy enough. They cornered it in the largest chamber and picked away at its body. To tell the truth it didn't seem like Ace Ops needed much of our help. They were all fast and strong and they operated well as a team. It made me a little jealous. Sure we worked well together, but that well? Perhaps not.

We exited the mine all together and soldiers rushed in behind us to start to secure the place and start getting dust unloaded and ready for the launch.

"Ruby, Qrow? May I speak to you both for a moment?" It was Ironwood standing by a bunch of military trucks. He'd been talking to Clover. That just left Yang, Blake, and I on an airstrip. A plane bearing the SDC logo came descending down on the strip we were on.

"So let me get this straight James." My father came striding out of the airship. His face was red with rage. I hated that look. I was it's target more than once. "In addition to this nonsensical embargo of yours crippling my business, you've also decided you have the authority to commandeer private property. When the council hears about this you will never-"

"Actually I've already informed them. As this is now the site of a classified military operation. It didn't even require a vote." Ironwood ran my father over easily.

"Didn't require a vote?!"

"You might want to brush up on council law before you lose this upcoming election, Jacques; now, I've allowed you to land here once as a courtesy. The next time won't be a friendly reception."

"Lately you seem to forget who your friends really are. I'm going to get that council seat, James and maybe then you'll…" he noticed me standing there in my new blue outfit. "You… you roped my missing daughter into these schemes of yours too? How long has she been back in Atlas? Does Winter know about this-"

"It was my decision to leave you. It was my decision to come back. Or have you forgotten all about that?"

"If you think I'm one to forget anything, girl, then you've misjudged the man your father is."

"Believe me, I know exactly the kind of man you are." I folded my arms over my chest and I stared my father down. He was abusive, emotionally and physically. He was a coward who ran from his own name. He had no right to talk to me that way. I wasn't his doll. Never again.

"How dare you speak to me that way, I have half a mind to-"

"Half a mind to what, Jacques?" Ironwood interrupted my father again.

My father growled and did up his sleeve. "You know, your mother was devastated when you left." I glowered up at him. "Didn't leave her room for days. You know how she gets when she's upset."

My mother… she knew the sort of man she was marrying. On one level I felt pity for her, on the next I couldn't help but feel that she was getting what she deserved. She knew who my father was. She had to have. And she married him anyway. Still… still I couldn't help but feel sorry for her. Which was what I knew my father wanted.

I felt some disgust at myself and at his emotional manipulation. He was always like this. I should have known I could never take the high road with him stooping so low.

He turned away from me and back to Ironwood. "I knew one day you would overextend your reach. I didn't come here to beg for an abandoned mine. I came here to thank you. For personally handing me the noose to hang you. You'll regret this." He turned back to me. Ruby had come up and was holding my hand. Rubbing little circles of comfort into it.

I squeezed her fingers back and she threaded hers between mine. It was small, but it was ours. No one else could take that from me.

"So these are the little friends you threw everything away for." He always reached for the low blow. He was predictable like that. Knowing that didn't make it any easier to deal with, however.

"Not friends. Family." I returned.

He stalked back to his ship past Ironwood with a growl.

I let a sigh escape me as his ship departed.

A military vehicle pulled up in his spot and Winter popped her head out. Glaring up at father's ship.

"Winter, oh now you show up. You just missed father."

"Oh I wouldn't say I missed him," she returned. She felt rather the same about father as I did. That was healthy to know.

I was not alone.

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-WG

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blake-belladonna-defence-force · 5 years ago

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Okay so on that Good Fucking Tropes... 4th one down: Character going absolutely berserk and tearing the enemy apart after someone they care about is killed/injured But yang is the injured one? I want to see a berserker belladonna 😅

Let’s see how well I can write a Beserk Blek.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

“Yang!”

Blake watched in horror as her partner took a hit for her and was struck by the Megalith’s trunk. Yang’s Aura flickered out, breaking just before her body was sent crashing into a building. A nearby pack of Beowolves started to descend upon her, fangs and teeth bared.

‘No, no, no!’ Blake’s thoughts raced as she swung Gambol Shroud and grappled a street lamp. ‘Not again! I am not going to let it happen again!’ Blake ran forward and swung towards the pack, a cold rage starting to take over.

After years of torment under Adam’s thumb, after fighting the White Fang time and time again, her battle against Roman Torchwick, watching Yang get hurt time and time again until she lost her arm for Blake, losing Yang by her own decision to run, reuniting and being terrified that the damage was done and nothing would ever be the same, fighting Adam side by side with Yang and watching in terror as he tried to take from Blake one last time, Ironwood proving that she had been right to be hesitant to trust him, even though she she had gone against every instinct that screamed at her that this man couldn’t be trusted. She still gave him the benefit of the doubt, only for it to be thrown back in her face.

And now this?!

As Blake flew through the air and landed in front of Yang, a low rumble started to sound in her chest, her lips pulled back in a rage filled snarl. When she landed, she placed herself in between Yang and the pack, a furious roar ripping from her lips.

Blake Belladonna was fucking done.

“Alright…” Blake hissed, her eyes narrowed and her ears pinned. “Which of you fuckers are dying first?!”

The pack almost seemed to look at each other in alarm. But then, the alpha roared back at Blake and charged forward and the pack followed. Blake growled, her chest rumbling with rage, and met them halfway. She used her semblance to launch herself into the air. She landed on the alpha’s back and drove her blade into the back of its head and out through its throat. As it gurgled, black tar pouring from its wound, Blake twisted her blade violently, breaking the vertebrate in the alpha’s neck. As the beast fell, she jumped away with a feral snarl when another Beowolf struck her in her left shoulder, sending her to the ground.

But Blake was on her feet quickly, the desperation to keep Yang safe overtaking any sense of self-preservation in her mind. She threw herself back into the fight, rage and terror taking over as she cut the pack down, one by one.

By the time they had all been killed, Blake was breathing heavily. She stood in the aftermath of her rage, body trembling violently from the exertion of her fight. Her eyes were darting around wildly, her adrenaline still high.

“Blake?”

Blake turned around with a gasp, Yang’s voice cutting through the red haze like nothing else could.

Yang was leaning up on an elbow, a pained grimace on her face before an expression of shock slowly took over as she gazed around at the carnage Blake had left.

“Holy shi-“

Yang was cut off by Blake muffling a terrified sob and running over to her, dropping her weapon and throwing herself to her knees and pulling Yang into a tight hug, sobbing into her neck. She felt Yang flinch and freeze before a strong arm wrapped around her waist.

“Oh Gods!” Blake gasped out as she pulled back and pressed her forehead desperately against Yang’s forehead. “I thought that I lost you!”

“So… you went all out on the poor Grimm?” Yang said with a small half smile, wincing as her injuries throbbed. “You know… beserking’s my thing.” Blake choked out a weak laugh as Yang smiled at her softly. “Also… remind me not to get on your bad side because wow. This is almost scary.”

“Shut up.” Blake sniffed, pressing her nose against Yang’s, her hands tightening around Yang’s jacket fearfully. “You know that you only belong on my good side.”

“Yeah?” Yang chuckled weakly, closing her eyes and cupping the back of Blake’s neck, her thumb rubbing against Blake’s skin softly. “Good. Because you’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

“I better not.” Blake murmured, closing her eyes and sighing softly. “Let’s get you to safety so we can sort out your injuries. Can you walk?”

“I don’t-ah!” Yang yelled as her leg gave out as she attempted to stand. “Apparently not.” She hissed through gritted teeth.

“It’s okay.” Blake whispered softly as she placed her weapon back in its sheath. She curled her arms around Yang and lifted her into her arms with a soft grunt. “I’ve got you.”

“If you were literally anyone else, this so would not be happening.” Yang huffed tiredly as she rested her head on Blake’s shoulder, a pained noise escaping her. “Shit!”

“I know, Yang.” Blake murmured, walking quickly to where the others stood, trying to figure out their next move. She felt tears prick her eyes as Yang let out a tired hum and curled closer to her.

Nothing was going to seperate them again. Not if either of them had anything to say about it.

#yang xiao long #my writing #blake belladonna #rwby #bumbleby #fanfic

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allisonilluminated · 4 years ago

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THE MAIDEN’S APPRENTICE

A RWBY Fanfiction

Chapter One Title: The Set Up

Words: 3,053

Summary: Framed for the killing of Roman Torchwick, kept out of Beacon and distrusted by her family, Ruby Rose wants nothing to do with mysterious huntress Cinder Fall. It's too late - she's caught her interest and Cinder sees potential in her little Rose greater than Salem or Ozpin could imagine. A darker Ruby is dragged into a game of power, lies, and bloody vengeance. Huntress!Cinder AU

I couldn’t help it - Cinder’s backstory was too good and I love me a plot bunny on a silver platter. Check out the excerpt below and catch the fic on AO3 or FFN:

"What's your name?" the huntress demanded.

Stunned into compliance, Ruby answered. "R-Ruby. Ruby Rose."

"Rose. Rose. How do I know a Rose?" The huntress frowned to herself, utterly unconcerned by her recent murder, then shook it off. "It doesn't matter. I'll be watching you, Ruby Rose. Learn to strike first and talk later and you'll make a decent huntress. Now be a good girl and explain this to the police, won't you? I have somewhere else to be."

As the huntress made for the edge of the roof, Ruby shouted, "Wait!"

She turned, giving Ruby an annoyed look. Her pale skin seemed to glow in the dark; her dress was dust-infused, and golden threads glowed against the red fabric.

Ruby mustered her bravery once more, taking every shred of authority she possessed and forcing it into her voice. "You're not going anywhere," she said. "Show me your license."

"Why should I?" the huntress asked, lips twitching in amusement.

"Because I don't believe you're a huntress," Ruby declared, hefting Crescent Rose and taking a bold step forward. "A real huntress would have taken Torchwick in for questioning and let him be taken to justice. And if you're not a huntress then- then I'm putting you under arrest for murder."

For a second, Ruby was afraid the huntress would attack her. A brief flicker of something dangerous- psychotic- not right- flickered through the huntress' eyes, but then she laughed under her breath and drew a scroll from her pouch, tossing it to Ruby. Ruby caught it and looked at the display: Cinder Fall, 22, Atlesian Huntress. A picture of the huntress – Cinder – smirked back at her. Clenching her fist around the scroll, Ruby grit her teeth and tossed it back.

The evaluative gleam was back in Cinder's eyes. "Naïve, aren't we?" she cooed, approaching Ruby. Ruby flinched back, but Cinder wasn't out to attack her – rather, she reached out and placed an almost affectionate hand on Ruby's head, ruffling her hair. Ruby froze, her mind short-circuiting. What-

Read The Maiden’s Apprentice: FFN | AO3

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im-the-king-of-the-ocean · 5 years ago

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nuts n dolts... ANGST ANGST ANGST ANGST ANGST

Context: this takes place in an au I created where Ruby is found at the top of Beacon Tower by the Atlesian Military (not Qrow) and taken into custody. The military declares her a casualty of the Fall so they can secretly keep her under lock and key and experiment to see if they can weaponize silver eyes without anyone protesting her disappearance.

While being held, Ruby reunites with Penny, the other top secret, confidential military project that’s going on at the experimental facility.

There’ll probably be more to this, but I figure I should probably answer your request already.

Overhead, fluorescent lights flicker and buzz on. Ruby groans. She pulls her thin, stiff pillow over her head. Not that it’s good for much of anything, least of all blocking out noise, but she can pretend it’ll help. Her headache from yesterday lingers. A dull, pulsing throb behind her eyes that reminds her there’ll be more pain today.

The door hisses open. Footsteps enter the room, then stop. Ruby can feel the shadow over her. She doesn’t turn around to look. Not yet.

“It’s time to get up, Ms. Rose,” the same words always greet her in the ‘mornings’.

There are no windows here, so it’s impossible for Ruby to actually know what time of day it is. They turn off the fluorescent lights of her room for ‘night’ and turn them back on roughly eight hours later, so lights on is really the closest to ‘morning’ she has.

Ruby inhales a deep breath. This time. This time it’ll work.

She calls upon her semblance.

Red rose petals burst into being, drowning the stark whiteness of the walls in saturated color. They separate into three clusters, fly around the exasperated scientist, and shoot through the door.

All Ruby has to do it make it down the hallway, turn left, get through the next corridor, arrive at the stairs, and race down them until she’s at the door that’ll take her outside. Then, then she’ll finally be free.

When Ruby reaches the left turn, the shot catches her. An electrified energy blast—they won’t risk using actual bullets on her, they don’t want her injured—hits Ruby square between the shoulders. She yelps, falls forward, hits the floor hard, and groans. Her aura flickers, but doesn’t break.

Footsteps echo down the hallway until they reach Ruby. Their owner sighs in dramatic fashion. “You know, you’re just making things harder on yourself.” He squats down next to Ruby, takes hold of her hair, and pulls her head up so she’s forced to look at him. “I thought you wanted to improve the world? That was your reason for attending an huntsman academy, was it not?”

Ruby glares, but doesn’t reply.

“Very well.” Dr. Watts stands up, pulling Ruby along with him. He keeps one hand pressed firmly to her shoulder and guides her back down the hall. “Come along. The General has scheduled quite a number of new tests for today.”

They stop back at Ruby’s room, where she’s allowed to change out of her night clothes into a standard issue, Atlas cadet training uniform. Sometime before she woke up here for the first time, they’d taken Ruby’s own combat gear from her and hadn’t given it back since. Ruby asked for it, and Crescent Rose too, in the beginning, but after enough times of being told she’d be provided with everything she would need, she gave up. They were, annoyingly, too smart to give her anything that may help her get out of the facility.

Ruby rolls her shoulders, trying to ease away the remaining ache from where she was shot, and doesn’t quite manage it. She drags her feet on the short walk to the private training room. She doesn’t want to do this. She wishes she didn’t have to do this.

The first few times, training wasn’t too difficult. The hardest part had been adjusting to using the standard bladed rifle she was allowed access to only under careful supervision. Ruby’s opponents had been automated turrets and robots. Even with as little previous training as she had, they weren’t hard to take down. Something that would have been fine, Ruby realized too late, only if Dr. Watts and the General were interested in seeing her combat skills improve.

No, what they want from her is much different.

She sighs upon seeing the room full of Grimm.

“Let’s see if you can use that superpower of yours today, hmm?” Dr. Watts smirks at Ruby. Sometimes, she wonders if he genuinely believes her silver eyes give her a special power against the Grimm, or if he’s just going along with the General because he enjoys messing with her. Ruby doesn’t know. She’s never asked. She’s not sure she believes her eyes are all that special herself.

At least not until she remembers what happened at the top of Beacon Tower.

Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it.

Ruby charges at the first Grimm, an ursa, in the training room. It’s easier to fight than to let her mind go there. The last night she was free before this place.

Beacon.

The White Fang and Grimm in the school. Roman Torchwick. Yang, with one arm gone. The call from Jaune. Racing to the tower. Then…

Pyrrha.

Ruby trips and stumbles. The ursa roars. It slashes out with a paw twice the size of Ruby’s head. She braces for a blow that doesn’t come. Ruby looks up.

Standing between her and the ursa, holding it off, is someone who’s supposed to be dead. Ruby stares. She doesn’t understand. How can…?

Penny turns, glances at the person she’s defending. Her eyes go wide too, as if she can’t believe what she’s seeing as well.

The ursa senses its opening. It breaks free of Penny’s hold and slams its paws into the floor, shattering the surface. It rears up.

Ruby watches, in slow motion, as the ursa’s claws close in on Penny’s head. She hears herself scream and only realizes that the sound is her a moment afterwards.

Blinding light floods out from Ruby. The Grimm disintegrates. Ruby’s ears ring. Her head pounds. Everything hurts. She falls to her knees. She feels cool, gentle hands grip her shoulders.

“Ruby? You—you can’t be—you’re dead. You died at Beacon. I don’t understand…Ruby?”

Ruby wants to respond, to say something, but the world is spinning. The last thing Ruby hears, before falling unconscious and collapsing into Penny’s arms, is Dr. Watt’s approaching voice.

“Experiment 201 is a success. Confirmed silver eye activation. Begin preparations for the next phase.”

#rwby #nuts and dolts #ruby rose #penny polendina #whirls writing #firefly roses #Anonymous

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miki-13 · 6 years ago

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The Simple Soul’s Nightmare(?) II

Ruby stares up at the ceiling; the cake in her stomach felt like a rock now. Why did she feel like this? The day went so well, barring Weiss’ awful dad showing up.

She’s a huntress now. Official with license and everything. So why...?

Her eyes flicker to the plant in the room, specifically the bright green leaves and golden petals that stole her attention.

...

She needs sleep. She forces her mind to empty, eyes flickering shut...

“PFFFF HAHAHAHAHA!”

Ruby eyes shoot open, cold with shock.

“Oh Red, you are just too much, you know that?!”

In a blur of rose petals, Ruby is on her feet, Crescent Rose in hand as she twirls it’s blade right against Roman Torchwick’s neck. She’s not going to get caught off guard again!

Torchwick doesn’t bat an eye, continuing to laugh. His cheeks were flushed and tears of mirth were batting the corners of his eyes, nearly bent over backwards.

“What’s so funny?!” Ruby snaps, deeply disturbed by this behavior.

Torchwick struggles to rein in his giggles, one of the tears falling down his face before he brushes it away. “You are, Red!”

Ruby stares, confused and with growing dread.

“Y’know, it’s... man, this is just the literal best?” Roman sighed as he wiped away a tear of mirth. “Seeing you desperately trying to rationalize being a giant liar just like Ozzy and mommy?”

Ruby bristles at his words.

“‘If you can keep up with us kids, we’d be happy to have you!’ ‘No more lies, no more half truths!’“ the man makes his voice high-pitched as he flails his hands about.

His smile becomes sharp as he leans over her. “And literally the first thing you do when back with old Ironface is lie and tell half truths.”

Ruby’s fists tighten, remembering her uncle’s words-

“Oh Red, don’t kid yourself.” Torchwick’s hand grasped her face, forcing her to look up at him. “You and I both know that doesn’t make you any less of a giant-ass hypocrite.”

His hand morphs into a puppet of Uncle Qrow. “’Boo-hoo! I’m sad ‘cause my boss didn’t tell me his life’s story and now I hate him~’”

Ruby shakes, teeth grinding together.

Torchwick tosses the puppet away. “And now you’re even hiding from everyone else just like he did after your little trip down his memory lane.”

“Ooh, did I touch a nerve?”

Ruby gasps as Torchwick’s cane trips her feet and she falls flat on her face into the snow. She shoots up and her stomach lurches at the train crash site.

Ruby flinched at seeing Oscar kneeling in the snow, still wearing the worn shirt and suspenders. But as his face tilts up, tear-stricken, Ruby knows this is Ozpin. Her stomach curdles further.

“It felt good, didn’t it, Red?” Torchwick smirks at her as he stands behind Ozpin and that action instills a primal anger and protectiveness in Ruby. “Feeling like you’re the smartest in the room after yanking all of Ozzy’s curtains away.”

“Stop it.”

Torchwick’s hands wandered and cupped Ozpin’s face in a possessive manner. “Feeling like you know what’s best after seeing a blue naked lady’s history lesson.”

“Don’t touch him!”

He leers in delight. “Feeling like everything you do is right because of course it is. Because you’re the hero. And everything you do has to be right.”

“Whether it’s traumatizing the man you respect.”

She sees Ozpin kneeling before the others, tears in his eyes. But no mercy from them as they glare down at him; she can’t hear their words, but she knows what they’re saying.

“Or putting an entire city in danger.”

Argus lay before her, so many grimm around them, the Colossus broken. If anything had gone wrong, then it would’ve been Beacon all over again-

“STOP IT!” Ruby screams. “I’M GOING TO TELL HIM THE TRUTH! I’M GOING TO MAKE THIS RIGHT!”

Torchwick laughs again, other hand clapping tightly on Ozpin’s shoulder as he shakes his head. “Red, Red, Red... I’m not the one you gotta convince.”

Ruby flinches as she feels another presence behind her. She turns and she knows this is Oscar just by seeing his combat gear.

But it’s the disappointment, the anger, the betrayal in his eyes makes Ruby feel smaller than she remembered feeling before.

“I’m going to make this right.” Her voice shakes, her eyes burn. “I just need time. Time to trust him. Time to understand. Please... Oscar...”

But the more she speaks, the hotter her eyes burn and wet warmth stains her cheeks. Her legs lose strength as she collapses on her knees before him. Oscar remains silent, expression unchanging.

Ruby can’t meet his eyes anymore and her head bows as she sobs.

There is no difference.

"Oh man, this is the best!” Torchwick continues to cackle behind her. “You’re almost worth the trouble, Red!”

#rwby #rwby fanfiction #rwby volume 7 #rwby volume 7 spoilers #rwby spoilers #rwby 7 #rwby 7 spoilers #ruby rose #roman torchwick #ozpin #professor ozpin #oscar pine #behold my salt

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justanotherwriter69 · 5 years ago

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So I just found out that Roman Torchwick, original Badguy (arguably) for rwby, never knew what his semblance was.

No seriously, soak that in.

This Character is a fantastic example of villain design. He's campy like the Riddler or some other Saturday morning cartoon villian while at the same time has this gangster menace ala Capone that makes you take him seriously. He maid it seem as though every mistep was furthering the bigger plan.

Was he an idiot? A genius? What he was really though: Roman Torchwick was fun to watch.

Torchwick was an amazing villain to see the hunters go up against and he fought them with his wits ONLY!

Okay he also had an army and a rifle-cane that was just the right amount of extra, but it was that he was always trying to think ahead and outsmart Ruby and company.

Now if you've read this far you're probably wondering what the point of this post is.

He had no Semblance

He never used his Aura (at least I'm pretty sure. Never saw his flicker or anything)

He was still a credible threat that kept the Kingdom of Vale on its toes

And how does he die

Goodbye sweet prince of crime, we mourn your potential...

#RWBY #Roman Torchwick #Shame #Vol 1 #2 #3 #One Thing #villian #semblance

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qrowbranwen-isms · 5 years ago

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Bad Luck and Pumpkin Ice Cream (Part 3)

“Didn't I tell you to wait for the drop off?!" Torchwick shouted. “You were suppose to get the dust after the Grimm arrived here!"

Having come down from a particularly bad situation, the cane wielding thief witnessed the pandamonium among the White Fang members with the feral Grimm.

“That is the last time I leave this in the hands of you!" The criminal exclaims, walking off after things calmed down. “Now are there any others?"

“Only three left," A larger White Fang member answered. “Two Beowolves, and a Ursa."

Torchwick groaned, covering his eyes in the view of the current snafu. “Tell your boss, we need more. And them tell my boss, that we're going to be a little behind schedule."

The Faunus nodded, walking off out the warehouse.

“First the massive Dust stealing amd now this?" The cane weilder spoke out loud to himself as he walked to another room, slamming the door in rage. Pinching his brow, he grabs a cigar after from his coat. Though something was missing.

His lighter.

“...Shit." He looks up, knowing now that he dropped it in the same room as Branwen. Though with Neo there, it didn't seem like he needed to worry to much about him.

A small fire flickered in front of him. Looking at it, he moved his head forward slightly for the cigar to light. “Thanks." He spoke.

Then it hit him just who had the flame.

“Ah...hello, boss." He laughs nervously, looking to a beautiful, but very angry looking raven haired woman in a red minidress. “Before you say your piece, let me start by saying; things were going absolutely smoothly...until that bastard we caught came along. And then those fu-"

He couldn't finish, as the woman put him in an armlock, a fire in her eye, as well as her palm, showed she was not in any sort of mood or his excuses.

“We've been through this, Roman," She said as she moves him in front of a furnace. “No more screw ups, or I'd give your charred corpse to Tyrian to do what he pleases with."

“Cinder, I told you; it was going smoothly!" Roman yelled out terrified. “And why that psycho? I'd rather be Taurus's slave tha-"

“Shut the hell up!" Cinder shouted. “You had your chance." A flame grew bigger in her hand.

“W-wait! There is something that went right! As I said before, we got someone! Caught them sneaking around, and is one of Ozpin's lackeys!"

This was enough for Cinder to let him go and power down a bit. “...Who?"

Roman turned, sighing in relief. “Does the name ‘Qrow Branwen' ring a bell?"

Cinder's turned from confused to smug, then back to confused. “Interesting..." She paces back and forth while Roman watches nervously, his cigar shrinking into ashes in a few puffs.

“You've gained a second chance." Cinder spoke, finally facing Roman again after a few seconds of silence.

Roman leaned back against the furnace, relaxing from hearing those words. “Thank you."

“But don't mess this up again. Find out what he knows. Then I want him for myself." She leaves without another word out a different door.

Roman wipes sweat off his forehead, breathing out in relief from his near death expreriance...well, the worst if the week so far anyway.

“This is going to be a long night..." He walks out the room, heading back upstairs.

“Neo, how is it going up...Neo!"

He rushes to an uncountious Neo sitting beside some boxes, their prisoner clearly gone and the room a mess.

“Neo! Neo wake up. Please wake up!" He shakes her lightly, nervous about what happened to her.

A small gasp of air later, Neo wakes up, her eyes fluttering open slowly, her first sight being Roman. He hugs her, sighing out once again.

“Thank the gods...Are you alright?" He asked, which she could only nod in response, but grabs her head, feeling a splitting headache forming.

“Rest up. I'll find that bastard." Neo ablighed. Kissing her forehead, he leaves her to heal up, going to find wherever the Huntsman went.

#rwby #rwby fan fic #fan fic #roman #neo #cinder

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liketorchwork · 6 years ago

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A Change in Plans

At long last, all of the Saints have gathered in the main hideout... Or rather, all the available ones. There’s a noticeable absence for this meeting, too caught up in his training to be able to deliver this crucial news himself. But that’s alright-- this is what second-in-commands are for, right? Picking up the slack, cleaning up small messes, keeping things orderly... Honestly, being “number two” isn’t so bad in Roman’s book. Most of the focus (especially bad focus) remains directly at the head, while the right hand gets a lot more wiggle room in terms of what it can get away with. So if he has to give the occasional speech every now and then in the Boss’s place, it’s nothing to fret over.

At the moment, the stage remained empty... Of course, the people aren’t sure if that means Jack-o would be late, or if they should be expecting some sort of surprise. Honestly, there’s no “good reason” for the delay-- Roman was simply finishing up a cigar, out of sight and able to savor the strong taste. The show will run when Roman Torchwick allows it. And now that the cigar was all but finished, the metaphorical curtain can rise at long last.

The discarded cigar was quickly snuffed out by the bottom end of Melodic Cudgel, the mastermind then turning to step out for his adoring audience. All chatter began to die down as a gloved hand was raised-- the grunts give respect when respect is due, and Roman Torchwick’s mere presence demands nothing short of the upmost attention... in his own humble opinion, at least. With all the voices brought down to silence, a few more moments passed as the second-in-command took center stage, the show ready to roll on.

“Welcome back, you saintly sinners of Isola. This meeting is a bit overdue, I must admit... I’m sure a few of you have been a little disappointed by the lack of fun group activities these past few months... After all, how can you not want more fun after that casino job? I’ve been a little antsy myself, hoping for a new job to come rolling around.” A sigh of disappointment soon followed, a little exaggerated for all to hear. “But, we’ve all gotta come to terms with a simple truth... We acted out a bit too soon. Turns out we’re not the only show in town-- and boy, do these other guys have some tricks up their sleeves. Here we thought we were the only worthwhile bunch to talk about... but that’s just because these other hooligans are pretty good at laying low. And even now that we know there are other players in this little game, they’ve got their cards pretty close to the chest.”

”So, until we can get better cards and learn a few more tricks to put the odds in our favor... we’re gonna have to change up our game plan for a while. That means holding off our big raids and takeovers.” A pause was given, allowing the crowd to mutter and chatter over the news. Some were indeed disappointed by this bit of news-- a few, on the other hand, relieved at the idea of avoiding risky situations for a while. The noise went on for a short while before the cane was given a firm tap against the metal ground, getting the crowd’s attention once more.

”Believe me folks, this hurts me just as much as it hurts some of you-- maybe a bit more. Being told that we’ve gotta cut back on the fun is never an easy pill to swallow... But, we’ve gotta think of the long run, people!” Torchwick began to slowly pace himself along the stage, his free hand shifting around to add more expression and emotion in his upcoming words. “For now, we’ll need to focus on the other stuff we can do in this city, stuff that can be kept on the down low. I’m talking about protection rackets, arms dealing, mugging the fancy clothes off some rich guy you see walking down the streets-- Someone that isn’t me, mind you. And we can still rob the small time stores around here, fill up on pocket change here and there.”

“Basically what I’m saying is this-- if what you do won’t cause a mass panic or piss off the wrong people... then keep doing what you love to do. And once we’ve got more resources under our banner, we can get back to being so loud and proud of who we are.“ A pause was given to pull out a fresh cigar, his cane hooked over one wrist in order for him to retrieve his cigar from his coat pocket. A quick flicker of the flame bought light to the fresh stick, a quick exhale sending out smoke... and a wicked smile forming on the man’s lips.

“The best is yet to come, people. And when that time comes... I’ll certainly be ready. I hope you will be too, or else I’ll just have to hog all the fun for myself.”

#[Drabble]#[there we go; another devious speech under roman's belt]

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