Joanna The Wondrous Huntress (A RWBY OC Fanfic)

Chapter 1

Mistral is where Joanna Athens was born and lives with her mother, Asteria. Joanna's father abandoned Asteria the moment she told him she was pregnant, so she had to raise her daughter on her own. Though, it was easy since Joanna was a very kind and well behaved child who strived to help those in need. But despite her kind heart, Joanna found herself friendless; others were either jealous, weirded out, or intimidated by her seemingly god-like height and strength. 

"Don't worry, Joanna, one day you'll be surrounded by those who will appreciate your kind heart and joyous soul." Asteria said to her eleven-year-old daughter.

"But, Mom, I'm eleven years old and I'm already 5' 8"! That's...that's not normal...I'm not normal!" Joanna cried.

"Joanna, my baby girl, listen to me, normal is a relative term. What's normal for one isn't for another and vise versa. This height you have doesn't harm your health in any way so that means that it is normal for you, so don't compare yourself to others. Being tall and strong does not mean you are not beautiful." Asteria told Joanna.

Asteria hugs her daughter, making her feel better. Days later, Joanna is strolling through the market place when she comes across some kids picking on a faunus girl. The poor cheetah faunus was outnumbered, something Joanna did not like. 

"Hold her still while I pull on her ears!" one boy said.

This boy Joanna recognized as the boy who lived a couple houses down from her and who would torment her about her height. Another boy and a girl grab at the cheetah faunus's arms and hold her still.

"Let go of me, you jerks!" the cheetah faunus demanded.

"Ah, shut up. If you're gonna be born a freak, expect to be treated like one." said the first boy.

"Last time I checked, I don't think anyone chooses to be born a faunus." Joanna said coming up behind the boy.

"Buzz off, Joanna the Giantess!" the boy snapped at her.

Before the boy could grab the cheetah faunus's ears, Joanna grabs the back collar of his shirt and lifts him clear off the ground.

"Gahh! PUT ME DOWN, FREAK!" the boy shrieked.

"No! You have tormented me for years because I was different...but I refuse to let you do that to someone else! So, you will leave this girl alone or I will use the strength the gods gave me to beat you senseless...do I make myself clear?" Joanna threatened.

The other two kids ran off scared the moment Joanna lifted the boy off the ground, so he had no one to back him up. 

"Okay, okay! I'll leave the faunus freak alone, just don't hurt me!" the boy said, voice trembling with fear.

Joanna drops the boy on the ground where he falls with a thump. Then he picks himself up and runs away. 

"Thank you." the cheetah faunus said meekly.

"You're welcome. I'm Joanna Athens." Joanna replied.

"Sophia Gatopardos." Sophia said.

From there, Joanna and Sophia became best friends. They played and hung out with each other all the time. The two of them were having a camp out in the back yard of Joanna's home when Sophia came up with an ambitious idea.

"We should enroll into Sanctum Academy when we're thirteen." Sophia suggested.

"Are you sure about this, Soph? Isn't becoming a huntress a big commitment?" Joanna asked.

"Come on, Jo! If we become huntresses, no one would ever disrespect us ever again." Sophia said excitedly.

"But...becoming a huntress is about more than just gaining respect, being a huntress is about protecting others from the evil creatures that roam this world, it's about standing up for those who can't." Joanna told her friend.

"I know that, but wouldn't it be nice to prove those who doubt us wrong?" Sophia replied.

Joanna thought long and hard about what Sophia had said. Could she have been granted her incredible height and strength for a reason? And could that reason be to become a huntress? After all, becoming a huntress does fit into the criteria of Joanna's goal in life, the goal to help everyone who needs it.

"Alright, Soph, I'll talk to my mom about it, but you have to promise me that you are completely sure about this. Becoming a huntress shouldn't be something you just decide on a whim, and you also have to promise me that you're doing this for the right reasons." Joanna said her tone and facial expression serious.

"Of course, Jo, I promise." Sophia said holding her friend's hands.

"You won't regret this, Jo, I know we'll be great. We'll be the greatest team anyone has ever seen." she promised.

After Joanna convinced her mother to agree to let her start training to become a huntress, her and Sophia get a local huntsmen and huntress who were a married couple to teach them to fight and how to use a weapon. Joanna was a natural born fighter, it did not take her long to excel in hand-to-hand combat, and soon she became very skilled with the weapons of her choosing, a simple sword and lasso she named Hippolyta and Hestia. Sophia, though, had to work a little harder to gain her skills, and it was difficult at first to use her spear, Minerva. The first time they fought a Grimm, Joanna discovered her semblance. The Ursa lunged at Sophia so Joanna jumped in front of her and pounded her forearms together creating a powerful pulse that knocked the Grimm back several feet and knocked down several surrounding trees.

"Woah, Jo, that was amazing!" Sophia said in awe.

"Was that...my semblance?" Joanna whispered staring at her arms.

"Yeah! And it was so cool!" Sophia replied ecstatically.

"Ooooh, I can't wait to get mine, hopefully it will be as cool as yours." she said, smiling widely.

When they reached the age thirteen, Joanna and Sophia was accepted into Sanctum academy. Asteria was so proud of her daughter and the hard work she put into getting into the junior huntsmen academy. 

"I can't wait until the school year starts, this is gonna be so exciting! And the best part is that we'll do this together...right? You'll always be by my side?" Sophia said, her ears folding back a bit.

"Of course, I'll always be by your side...you're my best friend." Joanna said hugging Sophia, gently, she was aware that her hugs could sometimes be...crushing.

On the day of initiation, the two friends walked into the academy hand-in-hand. Soon, Joanna became a class favorite among many of the teachers, they were amazed by her skills and strength, they would constantly remind her that she had the potential to become a very famous and successful huntress one day.