//------------------------------// // Roses are Red, RWBYS are, too // Story: The Multiverse in a Nutshell // by Pennington Inkwell //------------------------------// "Russel Thrush, Cardin Winchester, Dove Bronzewing, Sky Lark: The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as... Team Cardinal, led by Cardin Winchester." Sunset wasn't sure how, but she was more nervous NOW than she had been in the forest facing those monsters. All around her, students were applauding and cheering as the four-person teams were assembled and named by the headmaster. Just like Isis had told her, the partnered pairs were being matched by which chess piece they had collected, but there was a major problem: Sunset didn't have a partner. Or a chess piece. She'd been so worried about the monsters, she'd completely forgotten to grab one for herself after she'd given one to Ruby and Weiss. "Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie: The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work together a... Team Juniper, led by Jaune Arc." Sunset smiled and clapped a little harder, happy to see her new friends succeed. It didn't stop her from laughing when Pyrrha's friendly punch on the arm completely knocked Jaune over, though. This was it. Nearly every student had been assigned to a team, but Sunset knew at least four who hadn't. If she was going to be put on a team, this was the moment. "And finally, Blake Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, and Yang Xiao Long..." Sunset felt her heart break a little as what was left of the familiar faces marched up to the stage without her. "The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as... Team Ruby, led by... Ruby Rose." Yang immediately pounced on her sister, and Sunset worked up the enthusiasm to add a cheer of her own to the crowd's applause. I guess failing initiation means... I didn't make it? Just as the reality of going back to Penn with her tail between her legs began to set in, she felt a firm hand grasp her shoulder. Looking up, she found herself staring straight into the bespectacled eyes of the headmaster's assistant. "Miss Shimmer, the headmaster would like to have a word with you once the assembly has wrapped up. Would you come with me, please?" Sunset swallowed loudly as she realized that there was another reason she might not have been assigned to a team: what if she'd been found out? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Professor Ozpin's office was at the top of a long elevator ride, and Professor Goodwitch (which Sunset had remembered was her name after Isis had whispered it in her ear) had been nerve-rackingly silent the entire time. Her worry was washed away for several minutes when the doors of the elevator opened, washed away by awe. Ozpin's "office" was huge, large enough to be living quarters on its own if it were divided into sections. Huge windows gave an easy view of the entire campus and the area beyond, and the "ceiling" was an array of turning cogs and gears that made it look as if they were sitting in the center of a giant clock. Sitting beside a wide desk as the Headmaster, himself, staring at her above a pair of small black sunglasses. Didn't we leave the assembly BEFORE him? He was still dressed in the same formal attire she had always seen him in, an open suit and vest over a button-down shirt, all in shades of green and black. He motioned to a seat in front of his desk, which Sunset dutifully took. Sunset noticed that he looked like a man who was constantly deep in thought, as though that was his default state of being. "Good afternoon, Miss Shimmer." Penn's warning came back to the forefront of her mind. "The last thing we want is Oz-pinhead involved with our interdimensional time-bending antics!" "Good afternoon, Headmaster." It was a response as stiff and nervous as she was, trying to make certain she gave away nothing she shouldn't. Somehow, her response got a chuckle out of the man, who shook his head. "Please, to my students I am merely another professor, someone whom I hope they can learn from, given time. 'Professor' is fine." He reached under his desk, retrieving a large thermos and pouring a portion of the contents into his coffee cup. After a sip, he gestured towards her with the thermos. "I'm sorry, would you like some?" Sunset shook her head. "No thank you, Professor." He nodded before placing the lid back on and sending it back where it had come from. "Well, in the future, if you get the opportunity to try Professor Oobleck's hot chocolate, I highly recommend it. The man may seem to be driven by coffee, but his hot chocolate is some of the best I've ever had." He took a long sip, a small smile of contentment gracing his lips after he swallowed. He's been drinking hot chocolate this whole time? "Sunset, do you know why I asked you here?" Sunset nodded. She refused to bow her head in shame, she would take her failure on the chin like an adult. "Because I failed initiation." Professor Ozpin took another long sip. "Well, you failed the objective of initiation. You were asked to partner up and retrieve a chess piece from the other side of the forest. However, in the years to come, you'll find that one of the most important lessons a huntress can learn is that, in the field, objectives can change, while priorities must not." He motioned to Professor Goodwitch, who placed a tablet on his desk. A moment later, the screen was projected up into the air above his desk as a hologram. Sunset's eyes widened as she watched footage of herself from the day's events. She saw herself sprinting into the fight to save Ruby from the jellyfish Grimm, only to hard cut to footage of herself standing at the altar, tossing a piece to Ruby and Weiss. A moment later, it was her running headfirst towards the deathstalker alongside her new friends, lightsaber at the ready. I.. I still can't quite believe I did all that... "While you failed to find a partner, you displayed the most important aspect any huntress can have: putting others before yourself. Rather than search for a partner, you made certain the people around you were safe and supported. When your objective was in your hands, you didn't think twice before giving it up to make sure as many people around you succeeded as possible." He tapped his finger against the tabletop, advancing the highlight reel to the finishing blow she and Ruby had made to the Nevermore. "Quite frankly, you and Miss Rose have quite a lot in common, and I considered annulling her partnership with Miss Schnee in favor of placing you beside her." Sunset swallowed her reaction to that news as best she could. Apparently, Penn had been right: her mere presence had nearly split apart the main characters! "However, I set the rules of initiation, and I must be held to them. Additionally, another problem presented itself related to you, one that may remove some of the blame for your failure from your shoulders." With a wave of his hand, a new item appeared in the air: a list. Specifically, a list of names, highlighted in different colors by groups of four. The list began to scroll, rolling down all of the students in the incoming class, each neatly organized into their teams... until it reached the bottom. Sunset Shimmer There was no color highlighting her name, leaving it on its own in drab black and white. "It would appear that there was some kind of... glitch... in our systems. Typically, like any combat school, we accept students in multiples of four, accounting for the team-forming process in advance. However, I had the privilege to meet Miss Rose before the start of the semester, and I fast-tracked her two years beyond her current level so that she could attend Beacon this year. Apparently... I miscounted, and we now have an odd number of students." He shook his head with a smile. "I do apologize, this entire misunderstanding is due to my own short-sightedness. As such, I would like to take the time to correct it by offering you something very few students ever receive." He bent down out of sight again, and for a moment Sunset wondered if he was getting the hot chocolate again. Instead, when he returned, he was holding two oversized chess pieces in his hands: a white knight and a white rook. "I know that you showed exceptional combat potential in the field alongside team RWBY. However..." he motioned to the window behind him. "I'm sure you can tell that I don't miss much around here, and I noticed your budding friendships with Mister Arc and Miss Nikos. As such, I am offering you a choice as to which team you wish to join: RWBY or JNPR?" Sunset blinked, shocked at the offer. Her reaction seemed to entertain Ozpin, who chuckled. "Hardly the reason one usually gets called to the principal's office, I know." Now more than ever, Sunset wished she was alone so she could talk to Penn. She had NO IDEA what the best choice would be. On one hand, Ozpin was right: she had really fit right in with Ruby and her team on the battlefield. On the other, Pyrrha was her friend, and the farther she was from her side, the more difficult it would be to prevent her death (however that was going to happen). "That's... a tough choice." "A choice most students did not have, as the team-forming process was a double blind." Sunset sighed. From the expectant looks both Ozpin and Goodwitch were giving her, she knew she wasn't going to be allowed out of the chair until she made the choice, and the clock was ticking until it would be made for her. "If I may make a recommendation, an analysis of the events leading up to almost all forecoming tragedies places Team RWBY at the epicenter. If you truly wish to-" "Sunset? Is something wrong?" Ozpin asked, leaning forward and narrowing his eyes before turning to look to her right. "Your expression changed." Sunset's eyes widened. She hadn't even realized that her eyes had moved when Isis had spoken up, but he was looking in the same direction her eyes had flickered. She made a mental note to start repressing that reflex. "S-sorry. I'm just... of two minds about everything. Guess I'm just... 'talking through it?'" Ozpin's eyebrows raised, but he kept his thoughts to himself. Sunset knew that face, she'd seen Princess Celestia make it countless times over the years. The "I don't believe you, but that was plausible" face. Well, pretending to be Penn pays off again... "I think you're right, professor. Team RWBY really brought out the best of my abilities." She reached out and took the white knight. "And that's what we're here to do, right?" The headmaster nodded and tapped several places on his desk. Sunset's name jumped up the list to just below Yang's before glowing the same red as the rest of the team members. "As for your punishment for failing the objectives..." he tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Because, regardless of fault, YOU were the odd student who failed the objectives given to you... Most of our systems and data entry are built around these four-person teams. As such, it would ease our burden as your teachers by a wider margin than you might know to keep the team initials four letters. I believe that, on the record, the team name will have to remain without an 'S.'" "That... seems fair, Professor." "Good. In that case, this is your dorm room." He reached into his pocket and retrieved a small slip of paper, which he handed to her. "Welcome to Beacon, Sunset." Sunset blinked, a fact of the situation sinking in rather quickly. "You... already had it written down. You knew which team I was going to choose." This was enough to make Ozpin chuckle again, erasing the last of the tension of her near-discovery. "Now Sunset, how would an old man like me EVER be able to predict the mind of a teenage girl? Call it a lucky guess and nothing more." Sunset looked down at the room number in her hands, then up at the professor again, no longer feeling like she quite knew truth from fiction. "Well, thank you, sir... I promise I won't let you down!" "I'm certain you won't. Now, why don't you go inform your teammates of the good news?" Sunset nodded, giving a slight bow before rushing to the elevator and slipping inside. Once she was finally certain she wasn't being watched, she let out a sigh and slumped against the wall. "Today is just... TOO MUCH." "If it is of any aid, you are not the only one experiencing high-stress difficulties." Sunset rolled her eyes. "Yeah, RIGHT. What kind of trouble could Penn be having right now? Lost his precious socket wrench?" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Isis enjoyed driving the oldsmobile. It was a level of control over his car Elijah was very picky about giving to others, and it was indicative of a high level of trust in her that he allowed her to install a remote control device. The car's PCM was a simple computer, but in the same way a hammer was a simple tool: useful and pleasing to wield. She filed the feeling of satisfaction later for further study, perhaps as a side note in a study of the psychological phenomenon known as "zen." "I SWEAR IF SHE PUTS ANOTHER BULLET HOLE IN MY TRUNK I'M TURNING THIS CAR AROUND AND- LEFT!" Isis made a sharp turn to the left, taking advantage of the low friction of the grass to "drift" in a smaller arc than traditionally turning could have. Behind them, audio sensors picked up the high-pitched whistling sound of one of Cinder's explosive projectiles, followed by the sound of an accompanying explosion tearing apart the landscape. "Drifting" was an interesting phenomenon in and of itself. By all empirical accounts and tests, it was usually considered one of the slower methods of rounding a corner, yet in every form of fiction it seemed to indicate pure speed and power. As such, integrating it into her driving style had somehow enabled her to keep ahead of their opponents, even while being forced to dodge around trees, natural obstacles, projectiles, and illusions. Illusions which, thankfully, she was immune to. Which was why Elijah had designated her the driver for this particular chase. Meanwhile, he had stationed himself in the backseat, firing out the blown-out rear windshield with the portal gun. Isis had reminded him that the gun could serve no functional combat purpose, but he had countered with the fact that their opponents were not aware of that, and was disrupting their movements by showering them with projectiles to dodge. Isis knew that it was approximately five miles to the nearest public road, but taking into account their inability to travel at top speed and need to constantly dodge projectiles, explosions, and natural hazards, it could be estimated that it would take nearly an hour to reach it. Once they had reached a paved road, their movements would be more predictable, but they could almost certainly outpace their pursuers. "Elijah, the odds of successfully reaching civilization intact are approximately-" "Never tell me the odds!" he fired back, unleashing another barrage from the portal gun. Isis added a new subroutine to never mention statistical odds to Elijah. Her head tilted as she observed a large creature approaching from ahead of them: a massive snake evenly split between black and white scales at the midsection with a head at either end. It perfectly matched the animated depiction of the Grimm species known as a "King Taijitu." "OH, FOR THE LOVE OF OBELISK, WHY ME?" However, Isis saw an opportunity to solve one problem with another. She directed the car straight at the double-headed snake, drawing its attention. The two heads each rose into a striking position, and she watched carefully. Just as the first head made its first move to strike, she swerved the car drastically, placing them in a full spinout that drifted them around the side of the monster while its fangs were embedded in the ground. The second head moved to attack while they were still mildly out of control, but the tires caught their traction again just in time to race ahead of the strike, allowing them to pass unscathed. Behind them the sounds of gunfire and explosions alongside fearsome roars indicated that the monster had found easier prey upon which to express its frustration. However, Isis was well aware that they would quickly either join forces or one side would be shortly dispatched. However, the momentary distraction had raised their chances of escape by two percent. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "You may be surprised..." Sunset sighed and shook her head as she emerged from the elevator. "Well, at least I'm not on my way back to camp. I did it, I made it into Beacon!" The walk to the dorms was a short one with the extra spring of success in her step, and she was soon standing outside her assigned room. She took a deep breath and turned the knob, not giving herself time to overthink it before she was already standing in the room. There were the four girls of Team RWBY. Blake was laying in a bed, looking up over the top of her book with a curious expression. Yang was spread out over two beds, already looking half-asleep as she tilted her head up to look at their intruder. Ruby and Weiss were standing in the middle of the room, having apparently been mid-conversation when she arrived. "Sunset? What are you doing here?" Ruby asked. "We were worried when you weren't put on a team and we didn't see you after the assembly!" Sunset rubbed the back of her head and smiled. "Well, about that... It turns out they miscounted the number of students this year, and I was the one left over when everyone had partnered up. Professor Ozpin said I could pick which team I wanted to be on and... well..." She gave a small wave. "Hope this isn't a problem?" There was a blur of movement, a flash of rose petals, and the next thing Sunset knew she was on the ground being gripped in a choke-hold of a hug. "AAAAAAH THIS IS AMAZING!" Ruby screeched, kicking her feet up and down with excitement. "I suppose that explains the extra bed we found when we got here." Weiss turned back to the other side of the room. "Yang! Get up, you're messing up Sunset's bed!" "Ugh, man... Just when I was getting comfy..." Yang mumbled, rolling over until she was only laying on one bed. "Welcome to the team, Sunset..." Sunset snickered. It looked like she and Yang acted about the same when they were sleepy, that was going to make things VERY difficult for whoever was in charge of wake-up calls. A few footsteps later, she looked up to see Blake standing over her and Ruby, a smile on her face. "Want some help unpacking?" Sunset felt a moment of regret settle in. "Um... about that..." She pushed herself up off the ground, taking Ruby along with her. She reached down to her belt and unclipped the lightsaber, placing it on a nearby desk. "Heh, all done..." There was a long pause as Weiss, Blake and Ruby all stared at her in shock. Weiss was the first one to break the silence. "You didn't even bring a change of CLOTHES?" "W-Well, I DID, but I don't- they're not... with me?" She shook her head. "Ugh, this is going to be kind of hard to explain, but I guess... I've got a friend watching most of my stuff for me? I wasn't sure I'd make it into Beacon, so I packed light..." she motioned to the empty handle sitting on the dresser. "REALLY light." "Well, you're simply going to have to have your friend bring them here!" Weiss said dismissively. "It shouldn't be THAT hard to get your things sent over, right?" "Um, not everyone can afford overnight shipping, Weiss..." Yang mumbled from her bed. "And hooooope shines eternal! And friiiiiieeeeends are all I need!" Sunset's phone began to buzz and ring in her pocket, drawing every gaze in the room to her. At first, she didn't even recognize her own ringtone, it had been so long since anyone had actually CALLED her while the ringer was on. In a few seconds, though, she had retrieved it and tapped the "answer" button. "Hello?" "Greetings, Sunset Shimmer." Sunset didn't even need to see the caller ID to know that voice. "Isis? What's going on?" "Well, it is my unfortunate duty to inform you that several of your possessions were... lost in transit. I'm afraid having them sent will be an exponentially difficult task compared to replacing them." Weiss, Blake, and Ruby all glanced at one another with varying degrees of nervousness. "Um, who's THAT?" Weiss asked. "And why was she listening in on our conversation?" Sunset could feel a headache coming on. "This is-" "I am always collecting data to be of greater aid to my users. Rest assured, such data is non-negotiable in its confidentiality, I promise you the utmost safety and discretion. Greetings, I am the Integrated Superior Intelligence System, Sunset Shimmer's personal assistant artificial intelligence. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." "Personal assistant?" Weiss asked in a tone that Sunset could almost swear was "impressed." "Superior?" Blake asked, looking a touch annoyed. "ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE?" Ruby screeched, snatching Sunset's phone out of her hands and examining it from every angle. "This is AMAZING!" Sunset reached out, plucking the device back from Ruby's hands. "Can we go back to the part where my stuff was 'lost in transit?' HOW? Penn is just camping out in the woods, how could he LOSE it?" "I DID inform you that he was having difficulties of his own. I would like to take this time to remind you that you took the only effective method of defending the campsite with you." "Wait, Penn's in DANGER?" Sunset felt her blood run cold. "Affirmative. We are currently attempting to outrun it using the Oldsmobile, to... mixed results. As such, delivering your possessions to you is impossible at this juncture." "Forget my STUFF! What about Penn?" "If you wish, I can put him on the line." "PUT ONE MORE BULLET HOLE IN MY CAR AND I WILL BEAT YOU TO DEATH WITH THIS PORTAL GUN, I SWEAR ON ZORC NECROPHADES'S GIANT BLACK DRAGON D-" "However, he is preoccupied at the moment. I would advise that you focus on your Beacon curriculum for now, as you can do nothing to help at this juncture. Would you like to place an order for replacements of your clothes?" Sunset felt her spirits drop as worry set in again. "Yeah, sure, I guess? Just... keep me informed about Penn, okay, Isis?" "Affirmative." The phone hung itself up, the screen going dark again a moment later. The girls all glanced at one another. "I'm sure your friend will be fine..." Ruby whispered. "How does someone from Vacuo have a personal assistant?" Blake asked, folding her arms over her chest. "Let alone a fully-fledged artificial intelligence?" Weiss added. To Sunset's surprise, her lifeline came in the form of three pillows flying across the room and striking each of the girls in the head. "Figure it out tomorrow, I'm trying to SLEEP over here!" Sunset sighed. "I'll explain everything in the morning, I PROMISE, but Yang's right. Tomorrow is our first day of classes, right? All I'm asking is for you to have trust in me for ONE night. After everything we went through today, is that so much to ask?" The other members of Team RWBY all glanced at each other, then at Ruby, herself. Ruby took a deep breath, then pointed an accusatory finger at Sunset. "Being a team is based on TRUST, Sunset. Can we trust you?" She was being uncharacteristically solemn, and it stuck Sunset deeply when she realized just how wide the web of lies she was spinning here was becoming, even if it was for the greater good of stopping a disaster. She repeated the deep breath, closing her eyes. She had committed herself to this, completely, but... How honest CAN I be with them? "With your lives, Ruby. I'd never betray that trust. In the morning, I'll tell you everything that I can." "Everything you CAN? That DOESN'T sound very trustworthy..." Blake muttered. Sunset sighed, fingering at her geode. "You're not the ONLY ones who trust me, Blake, and I can't betray them, either! I swear, if holding back could put you in any kind of harm's way, I won't. And, if it helps you trust me... I'll tell you one of my secrets right now." Sunset took a deep breath as the rest of the girls looked at her expectantly. Even Yang had sat up, interested in where the conversation was going. "I have this... power. I think you would call it a 'semblance' here? As long as I have this geode, I can look into someone's memories just by touching them." She held up her hands, deflecting their suspicious looks. "I swear, I've never used it on any of you, I only use it when I absolutely HAVE to! It's part of a set that I and..." she stopped for a moment, not expecting the rush of emotion looking at the geode brought back to her. It only made what she was about to do harder. "... a set I and my closest friends shared. But they're gone now, and I'm the only one left. I'd rather lose EVERYTHING before I lost this, maybe even my life, because of the memories it holds. It's the only physical token I have left of them. I want you all to trust me, so, until you're content..." she reached up, unclasping the necklace that held it in place. When it dropped, she caught the necklace in her other hand and placed it in Ruby's hand, closing her fist around it. She held back the tears that threatened to burst out when she stepped back and away, finally releasing her hold on the geode completely. She felt naked without it. "Until you're all content that I truly AM your friend and you can trust me, I want you to hold on to it." The other girls glanced at one another again, unsure. This time, Weiss and Blake's expressions were unreadable, but Ruby appeared to be on the verge of tears, looking at the geode as if it were a crown jewel. "Are you sure? You don't need to-" Sunset shook her head. "I DO. If you're all going to trust me, I can trust you for just as long." Ruby nodded, tightening her grip on the geode before wrapping it around her own neck and tucking it under her shirt. "I promise I'll keep it safe, Sunset." Sunset nodded before kicking off her boots and walking to the recently-vacated bed beside Yang. The sooner she went to sleep, the sooner it would be morning and she could explain things to them and get her geode back. "Hey, that was... pretty intense. You okay?" Yang whispered. "I... will be. I hope." "What about your friend?" Sunset took a deep breath. "Knowing him... he'll think of something clever to get out of it. Guess I'm just going to have to trust HIM, too." ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Isis... do you ever wonder why we're here?" "Because hiding in this location was the only way to escape?" "No, we're here because Sunset Shimmer is a stupid shisno who can't leave well enough alone." Isis decided that it would be pointless to relay that particular information to Sunset. Still, it had been a stroke of genius on Elijah's part to direct her to drive them into a junkyard. Between the thorough damage to the rear end of his car and a small avalanche of parts she had dropped on them using a nearby electromagnet, they had blended in perfectly just as Cinder Fall and her subordinates caught up to them. He was angry, and the situation was less than ideal, but they had a safe place to spend the night, and that was something she could report happily to Sunset when she woke up in the morning. "Oh, speaking of Sunset, I have an update: she has been adopted as a fifth member of Team RWBY due to there being an odd number of students. She is now in prime position to change the timeline for the better." There was a long pause as he processed the new data. Admittedly, it was a highly unlikely course of events, and likely required substantial processing power to comprehend without seeing it first-hand. Finally, he seemed to reach a conclusion, sinking down further into the driver's seat. "Great, now we're REALLY in the thick of it... This has been the worst day ever. Of all time." "Also, it would appear Emerald shot a hole in our gas tank." He didn't move, his face showed no outward signs of change, as much as the news should have enraged him according to prior patterns. "I swear, if I ever see her again..." he declared calmly. "I am going to rip out her skull... and beat her to death with it." "That doesn't seem physically possible."