[A/N: You choose either the original Vol.4-5 outfits for the characters or the outfits from Celtic Phoenix's Fixing RWBY.]
[It can be either one that can work. It's your choice.]
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(One Month since The Fall of Beacon)
At the base of Beacon Tower where the frozen Wyvern remain attached to the top, still leaking black ooze all the way down to the bottom. These Grimm that come out of the black ooze are unarmored and are just younglings.
Like a Beowolf youngling, coming out of the black ooze along with the rest of its kin. In the background, a newly eye-patched Cardin is watching this happen, hiding behind a pillar, remaining still and hidden.
Cardin: ("Okay... take it slow and steady...")
Bags form in his one eye and his armor has clearly seen better days with all the scratches and dents on them. Quietly, Cardin slips back towards the entrance of the tower. As he passes the corner of a wall, a pair of hands shoot out and pull him in just in time avoid a pack of regular Beowolves scrambling past the tower. Panicked, Cardin pulls the hands off of him and turn to see none other than Velvet, who is sporting her slightly shorter ear and an equally tired look.
Cardin: "Velvet...?"
They stare at each other but, remain silent as Grimm pass by them. Once they moved on and with no Grimm nearby, Cardin finally asks her in a whispering tone.
Cardin: "Velvet, what are you doing here?"
Velvet: "I follow you out of camp once I found out what you've been doing off the clockwork. You've been pushing yourself, aren't you?"
Cardin shift his gaze away from her as Velvet resumes speaking.
Velvet: "I thought you were being a workaholic but, I didn't realize you were borderline suicidal."
Cardin: "I'm not."
Velvet: "Then, what the hell are you doing so close to the tower? Sure, the Grimm are distracted by all the negative emotions on the front lines but, that doesn't mean they're blind. One wrong move and you be eaten alive."
Cardin eventually responds back to her.
Cardin: "But we're getting nowhere with how slow the perimeter is moving. We retake one building only to lose it the next day. That Wyvern keeps spawning whole hordes after whole hordes. If someone were to take it out, the recovery team can make more progress, especially since most of the exchange students (like Sage and Scarlet) have headed home."
Velvet slaps him in the arm, growling at him.
Velvet: "Full-fledged huntsmen have tried to take that thing down and they're the ones that are on the front lines, making actual progress. Students, let alone freshmen have barely been able to hold the defensive perimeter. So, what do you think you're going to do that they can't?"
In response, Cardin show her a brown bag he's been carrying, opening it to reveal what looks to be a cross between red glass and shaped C4 charges.
Velvet: "What the?"
Cardin: "Look, I pull some strings from my family to get my hands on enough fire dusts to level the whole tower if I need to."
His remark makes Velvet look unease as she replies.
Velvet: "Oh my gods, you really are going for a suicide mission, aren't you?"
This makes Cardin roll his eyes as he pulls out a detonator.
Cardin: "I have a detonator and it works at a pretty decent range."
The bunny Faunus shake her head at this.
Velvet: "Cardin, what happens if all this does is set that thing free? For all we know, keeping that Wyvern up there is the best option they have. Hell, we don't even know what turned it into stone in the first place."
The former bully just looks at her, clearly exhausted both physically and mentally.
Cardin: "I have to try something... anything..."
Velvet gives him a solid stare before responding.
Velvet: "No, we have to try something. Because you're not doing this alone."
They share a look with one another before Cardin nods to her.
Cardin: "Okay, thanks."
After that, the two start sneaking into the tower while keeping their presence hidden from the Grimm surrounding the area. They then arrive at the destroyed elevator shaft. There, they find a few of the loose cables still dangling.
Velvet: "Well, time to start climbing."
Cardin: "Okay, I'll go first."
Before long, they use them to climb and ascend to the top with Cardin in the lead. Time passes as they ascend slowly, and at one point, they have to jump cables because the one they're on can't support their weight anymore, snapping free. Eventually, they reach the top which is still blocked by the mangled mess of an elevator platform (that Pyrrha used to ascend during her last fight). Seeing a gap between the platform and the elevator shaft, probably left by a previous huntsman who'd come this way, Cardin moves to slide himself and the bag through only to be attacked by one of those adolescent Beowolves.
Cardin: "Ah crap...!"
He kicks back as more begins to scratch the platform and the weight begins to push it free from its jangling anchoring. One corner of the platform breaks free and Cardin swings to cord back as the still-wedged platform tilts to a diagonal position. This allows a small horde of Grimm to start pouring through.
They plummet down to the floor, but they all get passing swipes at Cardin and Velvet as they fall and one of them manages to scratch the bag over Cardin's shoulder, tearing the strap and causing the bag to plummet with them.
Cardin: "No! Damn it...!"
He and Velvet both begin to slide down, dodging this way and that to avoid the rain of Grimm coming after them. They eventually get close to the ground floor but, Cardin is tackled by one of the Beowolves. Thinking quickly, Velvet springs the wire towards the doorway, causing it to scrape the Grimm off Cardin and land them both inside the tower's lobby. When they roll to a stop, they pause for a moment to catch their breaths. Cardin slams his hand down onto the ground.
Cardin: "Damn it, I can't believe this happen!"
Velvet: "Calm down, we could still detonate it and take the whole tower down, right?"
Swiftly, Cardin replies back.
Cardin: "There's a number of reasons that wouldn't work but, the main one is that the detonator fell with the bag."
The two students look back at the shaft to see another Beowolf fall past them, giving them a snarl as it falls by. The former bully let out a brief sigh before turning his attention to Velvet.
Cardin: "I figure the bag might as well be buried in Grimm skeletons at this point. I think we have to just retreat and regroup."
Velvet nod to him in agreement.
Velvet: "Right, let's go."
The two students scamper out of the tower, making a break across the campus. As they make a dash to safety, Cardin can't help but glance back at the tower with the Wyvern still attached to the top of the tower, still frozen place. Unbeknownst to them, a Seer Grimm hovers over the Wyvern, watching them go as well as overlooking the distant rescue workers, huntsmen, and salvage teams that are slowly reclaiming the campus.
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(Seven Months Since the Fall of Beacon)
All Ruby could see is complete darkness as she hears a blurred, echoing voice, Pyrrha's voice.
Pyrrha: "Do you believe in destiny?"
As Pyrrha speaks, small white circles, again blurred, move slightly around Ruby's vision as it remains dark.
Cinder: "Yes."
Ruby then hear Pyrrha's voice once more.
Pyrrha: "Ruby?"
Ruby's voice is heard shouting Pyrrha's name, just as she had when her latent power activated at Pyrrha's death. Soon enough, the darkness she's been looking at slowly fade into a bright white light. With a gasp, Ruby quickly opens her eyes.
Nora: "Ruby?"
Y/N #1: "You okay, Rubes?"
Ruby: "Huh? Oh, yeah... is it time to go?"
As she said this, Ruby looks around at her surrounding to see she, Y/N, and Nora are sitting at a bench in front of a small train station in Himawari, the port town they're currently in. Both Nora and Y/N share a look with one another before looking back at Ruby.
Nora: "You had a nightmare, Ruby."
Ruby: "O-Oh..."
There's a moment of silence between them before Y/N breaks the silence.
Y/N #1: "Are you okay, Rubes? You've been mumbling and moving around a bit."
Ruby offers a small smile to them.
Ruby: "Oh, I'm fine. Don't worry about it."
Though, it's clear that neither of them actually believes her and they know it. Ren and Jaune appear, holding some food since the team missed breakfast trying to make sure they weren't late to the train.
Y/N #1: ("Good thing, we show up early. This is the last train to Mistral for the week.")
After a bit of pondering, Y/N and the others start eating their food, either sitting on the bench or standing up. Nora let out a groan.
Nora: "Man, it sucks we didn't get the chance to try out the hotel's waffle iron."
Jaune: "Eh? I thought you hate waffles, Nora."
Nora: "Oh, I don't hate waffles, I just love pancakes more than waffles."
As they continue their conversation over waffles and pancakes, Ren gives a couple of sandwiches to both Y/N and Ruby.
Y/N #1: "Thanks."
Ruby: "Thanks, Ren."
Once he hands them the food, Ren comments.
Ren: "Ruby, the rest of us have noticed that you haven't gotten much sleep since we've arrived here in Himawari."
Y/N #1: "You sure aren't overexerting yourself, Rubes?"
In response, Ruby shook her head and cheekily replies back.
Ruby: "Come on guys, I've been in a coma for like what? A couple of months? I've already rested plenty."
She then gives them a reassuring smile, which Ren and Y/N glance at one another, frowning but, willing allows her to change the subject.
Ruby: "Besides, you and Nora used to live in Mistral. And Y/N have travel around Mistral too. What's it like?
Her question makes Ren flinch a bit but, answers anyway.
Ren: "Hmm... it's been a while since either of us have been out this way."
Y/N: "Still, I'm disappointed that Headmaster Lionheart couldn't send any airships to pick us up."
Ren adds on.
Ren: "Well, the Mistralian countryside is particularly beautiful in this time of year and trains aren't nearly as scenic."
Y/N #1: "Heh, that may be true but, it's convenient for our travel."
Nora, catching onto the tail end of the conversation, especially Ren's part from her own with Jaune as she goes to say.
Nora: "What do you mean? It's plenty scenic from the trains! Heck, we've never even been on an airship out here."
Y/N #1: "Really?"
Nora: "Yeah!"
Before Jaune or Ruby can ask a follow up question to that, they're cut off by screaming coming from down the platform. They soon spot a pack of Beringels, leaping over the defensive wall around the town and are now rampaging their way down the train track.
Jaune: "What the...?"
While the other three have just barely started reacting to the sudden Grimm attack, Ruby and Y/N has already jumped out of their seats with Ruby using her semblance to start closing the distance between herself and the pack of Beringels. Snapping back to awareness, Team JNR start charging towards the Beringels as Y/N is busy fighting the Alpha Beringel with a red mohawk.
Y/N: ("You're fighting me, you filthy beast.")
The Alpha Beringel beat its chest before roaring and charging forward and towards him. It goes for a ground slam at him only for Y/N to flip over its head and land behind it. He sinks the blade of Grimm Slayer into its hip but doesn't get any further through its body. The Alpha turns to look at him as Y/N try to plunge his blade deeper only to be grab and lift him off the ground, his head fitting in its fist and his legs dangling in the air. It then uses its free hand to ready to punch him only for Ruby to cut off its arm, giving Y/N enough time to take out one of his pistols to shoot its head multiple times. Screaming in pain, the Alpha Grimm let him go as Y/N back flip away from it.
Y/N #1: "Thanks, Rubes."
Ruby: "No problem."
Upon saying this, Ruby goes back to dealing with the normal Beringels while Y/N goes on a fighting stance as two other Beringels assist their mohawk leader.
Y/N #1: ("Kill the leader first, kill the rest later.")
The Alpha Beringel turns to its normal counterpart as it grabs one of them and with all its strength, throw it at Y/N. Seeing this, Y/N charge forward before sliding down to dodge thee thrown Grimm only to see the Alpha Berignel lunging towards him with a fist ready. Luckily, the fist land right next to his face as Y/N quickly kick it off from him. One of the Berignel does land a blow on Y/N only for Y/N to swiftly activate his gauntlets to punch the Grimm's head so hard that it blows up. He then turns to the recovering Alpha Berignel as it beat its chest and roar at him.
Meanwhile, Jaune is managing to fend off a couple of Beringels, but the moment his sword land on one of their chests, it ends up being broken. One of the Grimm was about to punch him only for Jaune to block with his shield but, the force sends him flying and heavily damaging his shield. Not only that, but his backpack is torn open, letting Pyrrha's spear and shield clatter to the ground.
Jaune: ("No...")
Before one of the Grimm slam its fist into him, Ruby uses her speed semblance to kick it away from Jaune, followed by slashing some away from him. After gathering Pyrrha's stuff and his weapons, Jaune turn to Ruby.
Jaune: "T-Thanks!"
Ruby nod to him before speeding away to take down as many Grimm as possible as Jaune goes to assist in the fight.
After killing a few Beringels, Nora soon realizes that she's cornered by other Beringels. She reaches into her pouch for something only to decide against it. Nora then turns to the approaching Grimm.
Nora: "Come on! Face me!"
Before long, Ren swings around, taking down some of the Beringel via beheading them before landing and standing in front of her.
Nora: "Thanks, Ren."
The two soon charge forward and take down the Grimm together.
Ruby overexerts herself in trying to protect all her friends and Y/N simultaneously, exhausting herself quickly by overusing her semblance to attack the Grimm while dodging their attack. During this, she come up with a hair brain scheme involving a tanker truck heavily loaded with gravity dusts as she also spots Y/N fighting off the Alpha Beringel as it swipes him away.
Ruby: ("Let's hope this work.")
Aiming Cresent Rose at the tanker truck and shooting it, it ends with the Alpha Berignel, its remaining pack members, the train's engine, and the tracks going up in a giant anti-gravity fireball. As this is happening, Team JNR goes to hold on to something as not be suck in by the anti-gravity fireball. Ruby spots Y/N being closer to it than she thought as she quickly uses the last bit of her semblance to grab him and pull him away from it. Turning Cresent Rose into its scythe form, Ruby stab it into the ground while she and Y/N hold each other for dear life. As for the pack of Grimm, they begin to disintegrate upon impact of the ball of anti-gravity and fire, especially the Alpha Beringel as it attempts to escape and hold itself in place to not be suck in. Seeing this, Y/N goes to take out one of his pistols, Crimson, and aiming it at the Alpha Grimm.
Y/N #1: ("Not on my watch.")
He then fires a shot at the Alpha's eye, making it scream in pain and stumbling it towards the anti-gravity fireball as it kills it along with the rest of its pack. The train tracks are being torn and damage as feedback from the gravity dusts overloaded, going out a mile out of the town, causing the rails to explode from over pressure. Soon enough, the ball of anti-gravity and fire begin to shrink before disappearing entirely. It then leaves a heavy collection of Grimm bone, dropping them and some debris onto the ground. Y/N and the others took this time to catch their breaths after that fight. Y/N sigh in relief before turning to Ruby, who is still holding him via wrapping her arm around his waist and gripping her scythe.
Y/N #1: "Thanks for the save, Rubes."
Finally, Ruby realizes that fight has concluded as she folds Crescent Rose back to its sniper form and putting it away. Despite that, Ruby continues holding on to Y/N, much to his confusion.
Y/N: "Rubes?"
Before she can respond, Ruby holds him tightly as if she doesn't want to let go of him as she turns to Y/N.
Ruby: "I thought... I thought you were gonna..."
Y/N just smiles at this before gently patting her on the head.
Y/N: "I'm fine, Rubes but, if it weren't for you, I would have end up in a worse state so, thanks."
Ruby gives him a smile before hugging him tightly for a moment and finally letting go. They soon regroup with the others to check if any of them are hurt. Y/N, meanwhile, gaze upon the large pile of Grimm bones on top of the destroyed tracks along with Ren.
Ren: "The one Grimm with the mohawk... that was the Alpha."
Y/N: "Yep, sure was."
Ren: "Must've been biting it's time to gather a pack of that size and attack the town."
Before responding, Y/N examine the large collection of Grimm bones, especially ones that belong to the Alpha Beringel.
Y/N: "I can definitely see that. Beringels are more prone to ambush hunting rather than frontline assault." ("But to think a Beringel, known to live alone, could gather this many Grimm... Tch... Qrow's right... they are getting cleverer and more dangerous.")
Before long, the train's conductor and a few other workers appear as they examine the damages of the train tracks for a few minutes. After that, the conductor turns to Y/N and the others.
Train Conductor: "Damn. Looks like nothing is getting in or out of the station anytime soon."
They all share a look only for Jaune to chime in.
Jaune: "Uhm, why not try loading the trains from outside the walls? Those tracks are still intact."
The conductor shakes his head at the suggestion.
Train Conductor: "With the amount of people we need to keep track of, it would make it too dangerous to organize and keep safe from the Grimm, especially with what just happened here."
Y/N: "Is it that bad?"
Train Conductor: "Look, we're a port town, but not a very populated one. Even with 5 experienced huntsmen in training and 5 on-duty huntsmen, there'd be a significant risk to civilians that go out far from here."
Ruby steps in front of the conductor.
Ruby: "We're so sorry for the damages, sir."
The conductor just laughs it off, making her and the rest confused.
Train Conductor: "Don't sweat it! This is what insurance is for, kiddo."
Y/N: "O... kay. But we are trying to go to Mistral, sir."
Trian Conductor: "Hmm... if that's the case, it'd probably be best to find a way to Shion."
Jaune: "Shion?"
Train Conductor: "It's the next closest station. It's a little far but, you kids can shelter up in the town of Tsubaki along the way."
Ruby: "Really?"
Y/N #1: "Thank goodness."
Train Conductor: "If you don't get killed by Grimm, you kids could make it in just 2 or 3 days to catch a train coming from Mistral. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to radio Mistral about this situation."
Once the conductor leave, Y/N and the others let out a sigh of relief before turning to each other.
Y/N #1: "Well, what you guys think?"
Ruby: "If what the conductor said is true, then heading to Tsubaki first and then Shion is our best bet."
Nora: "Ah man, going to two different towns is going to drain on our pooled money reserves."
Ren: "Not to mention the cost for camping equipment."
Y/N #1: "Come on guys, our money reserves won't be drain that much and we got enough camping equipment."
As Y/N discuss this with Ren and Nora, Jaune remains quiet, feeling suitably disarmed with the destruction of his sword and shield, which Ruby and Y/N notice.
Ruby: "Don't worry, Jaune. We'll find a way to repair them when we get to Tsubaki or Shion."
Y/N #1: "Yeah. Hell, I'll even pay for it since we can probably find a job while we're out at Tsubaki."
Ruby: "We got a few days to buffer before the trains gets to Shion."
Jaune nods to them, getting a little more pep in his step.
Jaune: "Thanks, guys. Let's go to Tsubaki, and then Shion."
As the blonde boy walk away with his teammates, Ruby looks back towards the carnage of the train yard and frowns at it, taking a deep breath.
Y/N #1: "We did all we can, Rubes. Besides, none of us were expecting this Grimm attack."
Ruby: "Still, I wish we did more."
In response, Y/N glance over to Ruby as he holds her hand, much to her surprise.
Y/N #1: "If it weren't your quick thinking, we probably be in a much worse situation. You did your best as the leader."
Feeling reassured, Ruby goes to lean her head on his shoulder, smiling as she does.
Ruby: "Thanks for the talk, Y/N."
He then goes to kiss Ruby on the lips for a few moments before resume speaking.
Y/N #1: "Come on, let's go. Can't keep the others waiting."
Ruby: "Sure."
They then follow after their friends, walking and holding each other's hands with Ruby's grip tighten, which Y/N notice this. Y/N ponder to himself about something else.
Y/N #1: ("I wonder... how are the other girls are doing with the other three me?")