Chapter Text
It didn't take long for the two teams to come from out of the kitchen, with some opting for just a light snack from the vending machine and drinks, while others popped something in the microwave for a quick cooked meal to get them by. Since it didn't appear that there was an option to pause the viewing, as it was apparently playing live, they couldn't take the time to properly cook for themselves.
None wanting to miss out on anything important in the case of Jaune.
You would think that with everything being so magical and the Goddess able to manifest whatever she wanted out of thin air, that the same would apply with cooking, that it would be instant. Sadly, If they wanted to cook it had to be done the normal way.
Whether it was because the Goddess felt that they needed at least some normalcy, or simply that she refused or was too lazy to, none knew. And honestly, didn't feel the need to ask as they began retaking their seats and looked to the viewing to see that Jaune, Ruby and Sun, was nearing the city.
"Really Ruby? An entire bowl of cookies? Out of all the food and snacks you could have gotten, that's what you made yourself. That's just as bad as Nora making a stack of pancakes" lectured Weiss, as she also spared a scolding look towards said hammer wielder who was busy stuffing her face with a mountain of pancakes.
How did she even make that many in only a few minutes she would never know?
"What? They were already in a cookie jar, how could I not eat them? They were practically begging for it!!" Said Ruby in justification, while shielding her hoard from her picky partner.
Weiss only shook her head, her disappointment in the young reaper's unhealthy cravings clear as day.
"...I also got milk"
Just before Weiss could irritably respond at the reminder of the possible cause to Ruby's future development, the sudden opening of a door signaled everyone's attention and made them look over to see two people entering through what was once team RWBY's door before turning to a entrance leading outside to a land of dragons.
"Dude I'm telling you, I know what I saw" said one of the new arrivals, a blonde boy with a monkey tail and an open shirt with exposed abs.
"And I'm telling you that you saw wrong. Ghosts aren't real dude" said the other arrival, another boy, with blue hair and a pair of goggles on his forehead.
"Yeah? Well how do you explain my floating box-"
"Neptune?" Gasped Weiss in surprise at seeing her....whatever they currently were.
They never really established the nature of what their relationship was.
Hearing his name called, Neptune paused in his steps and looked towards Weiss and his surroundings, shock visible on his face.
"Weiss?" Said Neptune. "How did- but we were just...Did we just enter the wrong room?"
"No way, we definitely went through the cafeteria doors" Sun was as equally surprised as his teammate, but seemed to perk up at the sight of Blake who was staring at him with just as much confusion.
"How are you guys here?" Asked Blake. "This is supposed to be-"
The kitchen door opened this time, and with it two girls stepped through. One with a beret and sunglasses, and the other with a pair of rabbit ears on the top of her head. Both holding a wide variety of shopping bags in each hand.
"Alright boys, you know the drill" said the girl in shades. "Each piece gets a rate from one to....where are we?"
Velvet stopped just behind Coco and looked over her shoulder at the group of first years and the unfamiliar surroundings in confusion. "This...isn't our room"
"No, it isn't," everyone looked over at Tia, who smiled amusingly at the shock faces of her new guests who gazed at her appearance. "But I'll be happy to explain to everyone the reason for this..."
One quick and short explanation later.
"So let me get this straight," began Coco, with her many shopping bags placed on a nearby table with Velvet standing near. "We've been taken from our world and into this one, to watch the guy my BunBun here has a crush on-"
"Coco!!" Cried a blushing Velvet, who didn't notice the narrowing gaze of Pyrrha.
"Who's trapped and stranded in the multiverse because dragon lady here got hammered and accidentally spirited him away from our world? Did I get all that?" Finished Coco.
"Yeah...that's pretty much it" said Yang.
"...Huh, I honestly wouldn't have believed it if I wasn't already seeing it for myself" frowned Coco, as she spared a glance towards the viewing screen of said blonde kid. "That's sucks"
"That's horrible!!" Cried the usually timid Velvet instead. "How is he supposed to return back to our world?"
"By staying alive if preferable" muttered Tia, to the displeasure of everyone. "But it will all work out, no need to worry your pretty little bunny ears over it"
Those words and the wave of her scaled hand did little to alleviate Velvet's concerns, as it explained nothing in the way of how Jaune was going to be returned home.
If…he could truly be returned.
She really hoped so. It would really suck if the cute boy she recently been crushing on remains stuck in a whole different world.
"I just find it weird that I'm looking at a me from an entirely different world" said Sun, staring strangely at the screen. "I don't look that much different on the screen than I do now"
"I mean, you do look slightly older" said Blake, as she took the chance to examine both Suns side by side. "You're also not a Faunus in this world"
"Really?" Asked Sun, though he didn't really seem all that surprised by the fact. "Sucks for other world me then. Having a tail is awesome!!"
Having said that, Sun wiggled the extra limb around in boast, even moving it in front of Neptune's face who annoyingly shoved it away. "So...we're just going to sit here and watch Jaune? How does that really help him?"
Don't get Neptune wrong. He likes Jaune. The dude did him a solid with the situation with Weiss at the dance. Even though nothing really came of that particular situation, he was still cool to hang around. If there was something he could do to return the favor he would, but he wasn't sure how just watching him would do anything. Though, if he was able to stare at a beautiful goddess while doing it, it couldn't be all bad.
"It doesn't" Pyrrha sadly admitted. "But it's better to be here watching over him. Even if Jaune doesn't know it" Pyrrha took a breath as she looked up at her partner. "We're his friends and we care for his well being. I'd rather be here worrying than back on remnant clueless and wondering where he was"
Nora smiled and Ren nodded his head, both fully in agreement of their red haired teammate as well as the whole of team Rwby.
All were willing to continue watching over Jaune.
Whether through Good...or Bad.
"Well said!!" Praised Tia, as she clapped and extended the large couch further and even materialized some cushioned chairs. "The power of friendship, a beautiful thing. Now sit everyone, the show is starting to pick up once again"
True to her word, when everyone turned back towards the screen they all saw the police cruiser finally making it to the city and immediately noticed upon entering how....desolated everything was.
"What happened to the city?" Asked a curious Coco, who took a seat on the end of the couch with a horrified Velvet sitting next to her. "It looks like one of the many towns we get missions to after a large Grimm attack"
"Yeah, no kidding" said Sun, who sat in one of the chairs with Neptune taking the one next to him. "Seen a few of those myself back home"
Ruby seemed to shift uncomfortably at the sight on the screen. She wondered if they had failed to stop the breach from the Grimm would Vale be in a similar state. Abandoned, destroyed, and full of unknown numbers of Grimm.
The thought sent a shiver down her spine.
"So the city really wasn't safe" said Blake, who wished she had been wrong in her assumption.
"Yeah..." frowned Yang. "I guess that was too much to hope for huh"
Sun looked towards the two, a curious tint in his eyes. "You guys know what happened?"
"Well..." started Yang, wondering how best to explain the situation. "It's probably best that you see for yourselves. Trust me, seeing it is more believable than telling you"
Sun raised his brow and seemed even more curious. Looking over to Blake, who gave him a confirming nod, he decided to hold any further questions and see for himself on what's so unbelievable that he had to see it to believe.
Wow....the city's a mess.
"A-are we seeing his thoughts?" Velvet hesitantly asked.
"Yep" casually answered Nora, before stuffing her mouth with pancakes.
"That's..."
"It adds context!!" Tia quickly said once again in defense.
After a few minutes of driving, they finally made it to the city and found it....well, isolated. There was no one. Not a single soul. The deeper they drove, the more desolated they found everything to be. Cars were piled up, buildings destroyed, barricades, fires, electric malfunctions, and among many other things.
The city truly has fallen.
And if that wasn't clear enough, the citywide announcement that he was sure has been going on for a while made it so.
*Attention all citizens: Due to the citywide outbreak, you are advised to take shelter at the Raccoon City police station. Free food and medical supplies will be provided to everyone in need.*
"Woah an outbreak?" Said Neptune. "Like a disease outbreak? What kind of disease is it that caused all of this?"
"A deadly one" vaguely answered Weiss.
"You know, this kind of reminds me of the beginning of one of those zombie apocalypse movies" said Coco offhandedly, to which she immediately noticed made all her underclassmen tense up.
She blinked behind her shades at the strange reaction, but wasn't able to really hazard a reasonable guess as to what caused it. Surely, it didn't have anything to do with what she said, right?
"Oh my god, this is so unreal" Ruby was in disbelief as she stared out at the desolate streets, unable to believe the craziness that's happening.
"The police station's not much further. They'll know something" said Sun, in an attempt to reassure her and Jaune in the back seat.
"I don't know Sun, this looks like it's been going on for a while" said Jaune, looking out into the abandoned streets before turning back towards the former money Faunus with some hesitation. "If...that's the case then maybe everyone's already-"
"No. There's survivors" insisted Sun. "It's a big city...there has to be"
"And they probably already evacuated," Jaune reasoned. "Like you said, this is a big city, and it's most likely filled with those monsters out there. This..." he sighed, running his hand through his hair stressfully. "This is dangerous guys"
"It really is" said Ren. "The city could be overwhelm with them"
"Oh no there's no doubt that they are. It would be better to just turn the car around and drive in the opposite direction" said Yang. "I like a good fight as the next gal, but I'm not stupid"
"But other me has to find you!!" Cried Ruby. "Her Yang could be somewhere in the city still alive. And I know you wouldn't leave without finding me first"
Ruby stared her sister down in challenge, waiting for her to dare refute her words. Yang of course didn't, with her turning away grumbling under her breath as Ruby shot a victory smile for all to see.
"It still doesn't change how dangerous it is though" interjected Weiss.
"Still waiting on that danger" muttered Sun.
"Especially now that there's clearly monsters involved" added Neptune. "And I'm going on a limb to guess it's not Grimm"
"Ding Ding Ding~" sang Nora.
Ruby turned back in her seat to face Jaune, giving the boy a sympathetic smile while also placing her hand on his bouncing knee to calm him down. "I understand how frightening and dangerous this is Jaune, but my sister could still be here somewhere. I need to know if she's ok"
Jaune stared into the pair of silver eyes he was so familiar with, seeing the conviction and strength within and knowing all too well what it meant.
Ruby's mind was made up and she wasn't going to change it any time soon.
"...Dammit Ruby" he muttered, but smiled fondly all the same. "I guessed some things were just Multiversal"
Ruby smiled just as fondly, knowing that despite being worlds apart that there was a version of her that Jaune could still be just as good of a friend that he was to her. It was a comforting thought, knowing that their friendship could even transcend through different worlds. It was only further proof that they were the bestest of bestest friends!! Of course her bestest of guy friends that is.
"Aww, aren't the two of you just adorable" cooed Coco teasingly, taking pleasure in bursting whatever thoughts the little red reaper was having as she stuttered out and ignited in a blush.
"Aren't they?" Of course Yang joined in, not willing to miss an opportunity to tease her loving sister. "They practically been flirting since they've met"
"N-no!! That not true, t-they haven't- you're lying- we're just friends!!" Stammered a red face Ruby, doing her best to deny such accusations.
Weiss sighed at her partner's stuttering, while Blake seemed to smile faintly in amusem*nt. Even Pyrrha giggled at the young girl's flustered behavior, but then again she wasn't all that concerned with Ruby being interested in Jaune. She knew he sees her more like a little sister anyway. The Ruby on the screen on the other hand....
Ruby seems to give him another strange and curious look, but it was quickly wiped away with a genuine smile as she interpreted his words as confirmation of him willing to work together to help them. When the car finally made it to a stop, it was due to a barricade with piles of cars stacked behind it.
"Looks like we're walking from here" grimaced Sun, as he turned off the engine.
"That should be fun" Jaune said dryly, to an amused huff from Sun as both boys leaned back in their seats.
Ruby looks out from her window and notices off to the side two people crouched over a single body lying between them. Their actions being made quite clear, as even with the light rain coming down she was still able to hear the feasting of what they were doing.
"Are they..." Neptune leaned forward to get a better look, but before he could even register what he was seeing and voicing it, someone unhappily did it for him.
"Are they eating him!?" Velvet cried out in horror at what she was seeing. She was witnessing actual cannibalism right before her eyes. Right before Jaune!! What is happening!?
But it was so much worse than mere cannibalism.
When the two men looked up from their meal and at the still car, everyone got a clear shot of their pale, bloodstained, and rotting face and knew, for those seeing it for the first time, that these were no cannibals. They were-
"A Zombie!!?" Shouted both Sun and Coco, who stared in fascinated horror at a creature straight out of a movie. They couldn't believe it, but there was no mistaking the appearance of a walking corpse.
It really was surreal.
"Jaune's in a world with literal zombies?" Whispered a wide eyed Neptune, who looked over at the others who’ve been here the longest.
"Yes" answered Weiss. "I didn't want to believe it either, but Jaune is living through a real zombie apocalypse"
"That's so horrible..." mourned Velvet as she trembled slightly at the sight of a moving corpse. She really, really didn't like zombies. It was like a scary movie had come to life right before her eyes.
"More like running boys" said Ruby, getting the two attention as they both gazed out her side window to spot the threatening issue.
"Yeah, good call" said Sun, before a zombie suddenly slammed against his window in an attempt to break in.
"KYAA!!" Screamed Ruby, Velvet and...Neptune.
"Lady Salem!!" Gasped Ruby, before jumping in fright at another zombie slamming its hand against her window.
More zombies started flooding in, crawling out of whatever crevice they were hiding in as they appeared out of nowhere, surrounding the vehicle and trying to make their way in. It was terrifying.
"They need to leave!!" Shouted a worried Pyrrha.
"Where are they even coming from!? How are they always appearing out of nowhere!?" Raged Nora.
"We need to get out of here!!" Yelled Jaune, as he leaned away from the zombies banging on the back seats windows.
"Sun!! Back it up!!" Quickly urged Ruby, to which Sun tried starting the vehicle.
"Working on it!!" Sun said to the both of them.
Just then a bright flash of light shined behind them, making Jaune being the first to look back to see with widened eyes, a large speeding truck heading straight for them. "Oh no..."
"They can't back up anymore" gasped Blake in realization.
"Who's driving that thing!? Stop the dang truck!!" Yelled Sun.
"They need to get out now!!" Shouted Yang.
Ruby seemed to have heard his distressing words, for when she also looked back her silver eyes were just as wide as his as she grasped out in shock. "What the..."
The truck continued its course with no sign of slowing as it ran down any zombies in its path. With bright headlights flashing in their eyes, none were able to get a good look at the driver, but that was the least of their concerns as they were more worried about the truck being on a straight collision course right towards them.
"Holy sh*t!!" Breathed out Sun, who was also looking back at the approaching vehicle.
They needed to leave. They needed to flee the vehicle quickly!! "Get out!!" he tried to push open his door despite the zombies blocking his way. "We need to get out now!!"
Jaune and Ruby also urgently attempted to push open their own doors, but the zombies were persistent, piling on top of one another in an effort to get to them which proved difficult for all three occupants to escape.
They were trapped, and the truck was closing in.
"Oh no!!" Cried Velvet.
"The zombies are keeping them locked in" worried Ren.
"I can't get out!!" Alarmed Ruby, trying her hardest to shoulder bash the door open to no avail.
"Me neither!!" echoed Jaune, who despite having the advantage of his aura there were just too many zombies resisting his strength.
He wasn't really all that skilled in properly utilizing his aura to its fullest potential to begin with, so there was no kicking the door off its hinges with a single try. "We're stuck!!"
Seeing the truck began swirling around and losing control, Sun knew they couldn't get out in time to save themselves from the inevitable crash. So he braced himself, and shouted for the two to do the same. "Hold on!!"
Jaune and Ruby did just that, bracing against their seats just as the truck finally lost control and crashed into a set of vehicles before viciously colliding with the horde of zombies and the three of them, forcing the police cruiser to spin from the impact.
Everyone tensed up at the escalation that was happening on the screen, with a few even gasping. While they knew Jaune was most likely going to be okay with his aura protecting him, the same could not be said for the Ruby and Sun of that world. What's worse, a crash like that may attract even more zombies to the area.
Jaune felt everything around him spinning as he desperately tried to keep himself steady, but with the car spiraling out of control the way it was and making him jerk all around, it was doing familiar things to his otherwise sensitive stomach.
"Oh boy..." groaned Yang.
Thankfully, any further crisis were averted as the police vehicle crashed to a stop and had Jaune groaning as he found himself laying down on his back, his eyes staring up at the roof of the car. "Worst. Ride. Ever"
"Are Sun and other me okay?" Ruby asked worryingly.
He heard a low groan from the front seats, then the opening of a door with Jaune spotting Ruby getting out of the car with staggering steps, swaying a little. She didn't look too injured, more dazed than anything but he couldn't be too sure.
"You alright back there?" Jaune heard Sun groan out, and when he eventually sat up he noticed the former monkey Faunus slowly making his way out the vehicle looking no worse for wear.
"Yeah," breathed Jaune in relief. "I'm okay" he was just glad that everyone was at least alive and well for the moment.
A sentiment that was shared with everyone who was concerned for the wellbeing of the two other worlders.
"Man...for a second there I thought I was already killed off" joked Sun.
"This isn't a movie Sun, that's a real version of you in another world somewhere" scolded Blake, to which Sun gave her a sheepish smile.
"Hey, it's already strange watching a different version of me. Just trying to lighten the mood a bit" said Sun placatingly.
Blake's scolding expression lessened somewhat at the monkey Faunus's reasoning, figuring that all of this was affecting him more than it was some, as he was watching a version of himself on the screen. Unlike with Ruby, whose counterpart looks completely and physically different, Sun's looks more or less the same. Just slightly older.
...Perhaps she should talk to him about it later.
Opening his door and stepping out himself, Jaune was immediately hit with the strong smell of fuel leaking from under the vehicle, and with the small pockets of flames nearby he knew they needed to get some distance and fast.
Quick as he could Jaune rushed towards the staggered Ruby, surprising her as he pulled her just far enough away from the car before it erupted in a small explosion that jerked them back and sent shrapnels flying past them.
"Woah" said Ruby after righting herself, sparing a quick look at the flaming vehicle before turning to look up a Jaune's concerning blue eyes with a grateful smile. "Thanks"
Jaune nodded with a small smile of his own, his mouth opening to respond but paused and Ruby saw how he immediately took notice of something that made him go pale. Turning to see what had her companion worried, Ruby spotted the problem almost instantly when her eyes noticed the small trail of fire leading towards the crashed truck that carried a large...tank...er.
"Oh shi-" Ruby's shock words turned into a muffled squeal as Jaune shoved her into his chest, his back towards the tanker and shielding Ruby from the massive explosion that immediately followed and sent the both of them flying straight into the side of a car.
Ruby's expression tightened slightly at seeing Jaune protect her counterpart the way he did. Of course, she knew that with Jaune's aura reserves that such a blow was tankable for him, but it didn't mean that she liked that he risked his own body to be used as a shield. There was only so much one's aura can handle, and she hopes he realizes that.
It was also a sentiment a certain red haired shared.
Grunting from the forceful collision to his back, his aura shimmering slightly but otherwise held together, Jaune rolled to the ground with a groan and a thankfully unharmed Ruby in his chest who was quick to rise up and stared down at him worryingly.
"Are you okay!?" She urgently asked him, looking him over for any signs of injuries.
But when Jaune sat up without so much as a wince to his movements, it took Ruby aback. She was already in disbelief by what he'd done, protecting her the way he did. She wasn't sure what he was thinking risking his life shielding someone he just met like that, but to sit up like nothing happened...it was insane to her. An impact like that would be enough to break anyone's spine.
"Big Ruby should be more grateful that fearless leader even protected her from getting hurt" Nora grumbled with a displeasing frown.
"I'm sure she is!!" Ruby quickly defended her counterpart. "She's just...surprised is all"
But Nora only huff and grumbled more, still dissatisfied. It was only after Ren laid his hands over hers that she calmed somewhat.
"I suppose to anyone in this world who doesn't know anything about aura, Jaune shrugging off what could otherwise be seen as a serious injury would be shocking" noted Weiss.
"Looks that way," said Coco. "I sometimes forget how fragile those without aura are"
"Let's just hope Ruby doesn't question it too much" said Pyrrha.
"You're..."
"Okay" assured Jaune, slowly standing to his feet along with a puzzled Ruby. "I'm okay Ruby, but..."
Jaune looks over towards the flaming scenery, taking in the amount of destruction the explosion had caused with almost every vehicle on fire. The police cruiser especially.
It was intense.
The heat, those raging flames.
The stench of burnt corpses...
And no sign of Sun.
"Is he..." Blake seems to want to ask, yet felt unsure if she should voice it.
"I mean...he also got out of the car" said Yang slowly. "Maybe he made it out too?"
"Maybe..."
Meanwhile, Neptune leans over towards Sun, remembering his words from earlier. "I think you spoke too soon dude"
Sun said nothing in response.
"Sun, he's..."
Ruby's eyes widened in realization, and she quickly turned to face the flaming police cruiser. "Oh no" She had briefly forgotten about Sun due to everything happening so fast and now...now he's-
"Ruby!! Jaune!! Are you two okay!?" Shouted Sun from the other side.
"I'm alive!!" Sun jumped from his seat in relief. "You can't get rid of me that easily, no matter what world I'm in"
Blake rolled her eyes at Sun's enthusiasm, but felt just as relieved that his counterpart was ok. "Settle down Sun, the danger hasn't passed yet"
"Blake's right" chimed in Weiss. "It's still too early for any form of celebration. Only when everyone is safe can we breathe a little easier"
Sun blinked, and sat back down in his seat. But not without a small smile on his face.
Jaune and Ruby breathed a sigh of relief at hearing Sun's voice. "We're okay!!" Ruby shouted back in response. "What about you!?"
"I'm fine, but this place isn't safe!!" As if summoned by his words alone, more zombies began swarming in on their location in far greater numbers than they had previously encountered.
They were everywhere.
"Ruby, we should really get moving" quickly urged Jaune.
Ruby nodded, stepping a little closer to the blonde as she pulled her gun free from its holster. "Go on ahead Sun!! We'll meet up with you at the station!!"
A shot echoed out, then Sun's voice over the roaring flames. "Got it!! The two of you be careful alright!!"
"We will!! You do the same!!" Said Jaune.
"They're separating?" Velvet worryingly asked.
Getting separated in a zombie apocalypse was one of the worst things that can happen and should be avoided. Especially if you were on your own.
"They’ve got no choice Vel" said Coco. "We're just going to have to hope that they really do meet back up with each other"
More shots echoed out in answer and faded quickly with the knowledge of Sun escaping and moving further away, leaving the other two to confront their own horde of zombies.
"Stay close Jaune" said Ruby to the blonde at her back, as she stared warily at the looming, groaning, undead creatures approaching them. She was the only one of them with a weapon, the only one with the means to keep any zombies who get too close at bay.
She wasn't sure how good Jaune was at hand to hand combat in the case of one of them getting by her to get to him, but she wasn't willing to take any risk with the numbers they were up against. Better to run fast and run hard to avoid getting overwhelmed.
"Yes, That would be best" Pyrrha was quick to agree with the older Ruby's assessment. If it would lower the chances of anything happening to Jaune she would happily support it.
"Right" nodded Jaune with a small gulp while nervously sweeping his gaze through the surrounding undead. "I don't plan on being zombie chow anytime soon"
"That makes both of us. Now Run!!"
At her signal the two immediately took off down the street with Ruby taking point and Jaune being close behind. Both doing their absolute best to avoid the nearest zombies that reached for them but always ended up short "Thank goodness they all were too slow" thought Jaune as he and Ruby passed another reaching zombie.
He would have hated to deal with any that could run or brothers forbid, jump long distances. Hopefully it stays that way.
Velvet shuddered at the thought of there being different variants of zombie types. It's one thing to deal with your run of the mill zombie, but another if they're "special" in any dangerous way. She hated that about zombies. It was like dealing with Grimm, each one needed to be killed a different way.
Ruby shot twice at the heads of two zombies in front of them, staggering their movements and giving them the opportunity to quickly pass the two monsters by unmolested. But as the duo kept moving, they were presented with the immediate problem of there being very few pathways. Many of them blocked by piled vehicles or barricades. Some even zombies.
"How are they going to get to the station?" Ruby asked curiously, if a bit worryingly. "Jaune doesn't know where it is, and I don't know if other me does either. They could end up running blind in a city full of zombies at this rate!!"
"Calm down Ruby" said Weiss, though she had similar concerns. "Us freaking out and thinking the worst isn't going to solve anything. We just need to be patient and see what happens"
Jaune desperately looked around as he ran behind Ruby who was reloading her revolver, trying to determine the safest and less zombie infested route in a city gone mad. "There!!" He called out, grabbing Ruby by the arm and having them turn left of one of the only free pathways available that led into a narrow alleyway.
Running quickly the duo went and scale down a flight of stairs, through a small narrow passage, and up another staircase that would have led them to another part of the city if they weren't forced to stop by a single zombie standing at the top of the stairs.
"RAAUGHH!!" It roared, spittle flying from where its lips used to be.
"Eww!! Kill it!!"
"Shoot it already!!"
"Quickly!!"
Many shouted in disgust and fear.
Ruby took aim at the undead creature, ready to shoot it in the head a few times if necessary in order to kill it, but just before she could take the shot it lunged towards them from its elevated position, jaws wide open.
The unexpected move caused Ruby to panic slightly in fright, firing her gun and hitting its shoulder but did little in stopping it plummet straight for her. Just before she could think to pull the trigger again during the small window the zombie was falling towards her, Jaune pulled Ruby to the side of the very narrow staircase to hug the wall while the zombie landed face first on the steps where she once stood.
"Go!! Go!! Go!!" Urgently shouted Jaune as he gently pushed a startled Ruby up the stairs while the undead zombie tried to pick itself up.
"Nice Jaune!!" Cheered Yang, the spike of fear she had seeing her sister in that moment being replaced with relief. Other world or not, that was still her little sister, and she did not want to witness her being hurt in any capacity.
When the duo reached the top of the stairs they were greeted with the view of more abandoned cars littering the streets, and one large building with initials that immediately caught their attention.
*RPD* Raccoon City Police Department.
"There it is!!" Shouted a relieved Pyrrha.
"Heck yeah, They made it!!" Cheered Nora.
"Go Jaune and other me!!" Said Ruby, joining in on the encouragement.
"There's the police station!!" Pointed out a relieved Ruby.
"Yeah" smiled Jaune. "We're almost-"
Groans and snarls from the nearby zombies brought them back to their current situation.
They weren't safe just yet.
"Then run!! Don't just stand there!!" Shouted Coco.
"Quickly before too many of them come!!" Urged Sun.
"It really does feel like we're watching a movie" Neptune commented idly.
"Let's go!!" Shouted Jaune as he and Ruby quickly made a beeline for the gated entrance of the police station, running past multiple zombies being alerted by their presence.
"Come on, you're nearly there!!" Yelled Yang.
"Hurry!!" Fearfully cried Velvet.
Oh how Jaune wished he had his weapon on him. It would be perfect to use in close quarters against these zombies. At least then he wouldn't have to feel like he wasn't pulling his own weight, as there was barely anything he could do but watch as Ruby took shots at a few undead that were getting far too close for comfort.
Sadly, all he could really do when they got close enough to the main entrance gate was push it open while Ruby covered their backs, mowing down some of the horde of zombies closing in on them. Once he had it opened, Ruby was quick to follow him inside and both worked to quickly close the large and heavy iron gates, pulling the bar in place and successfully locking the zombie horde out as they banged on the gates to no avail.
They had made it.
They were finally safe.
"YEAH!!" Many jumped up in celebration while others let out a breath of relief for Jaune and Ruby at finally being safe.
No longer would they have to worry about the uncertainty of the duo roaming the dangerous zombie infested streets. Now that they both were going to be behind a fortified building with hopefully other survivors, their odds of surviving this terrible apocalypse have increased significantly.
"I suppose we can all breathe a little easier now that the two of them are someplace safe" said Ren.
"Yes" nodded Pyrrha with a smile. "We won't have to worry as much anymore, and perhaps they can work with the other survivors to escape the city somehow"
"Oh!! And other me can finally reunite with Yang!!" Said Ruby excitedly, before being wrapped in a headlock by said smiling sister.
"Heck yeah she does!! And since it's me we're talking about I'm sure I'm going to be one certified badass"
Blake rolled her eyes at her partner's smugness. "Let's not get too carried away here"
"Quite" agreed Weiss. "There's still hope that your counterpart isn't as much as a brute as you are"
"Come again ice queen?" Smiled Yang, though her current red eyes hinted something different.
Weiss wasn't the least bit fazed as she met the heated stare with a pair of her own icy gaze. Though, with Ruby comically flailing to get out of Yang's hold the moment looked anything but serious.
"Yang!! Let me go!!"
"Fight!! Fight!! Fight!!" Cheered Nora, instigating the two while Sun and Neptune seemed to back away in the case of crossfire.
Coco chuckled next to Velvet from their end of the couch, watching as their underclassmen engage in their silly little antics. "This batch of first years really are an interesting bunch huh"
Velvet nodded in agreement with her team leader, smiling slightly as she watched the younger group.
No one noticed the silent cough Tia had made during their brief celebration.
It was best that they find out for themselves.
Jaune backed up from the zombies banging on the heavy gates, taking the brief moment to catch his breath and calm himself from the entire ordeal.
"That was close" he thought to himself. They were safe for now, but he wasn't sure for just how long. If enough zombies were to come and they were eager enough, they could very well pile on top of one another in an attempt to break or even climb over the gates. He seen enough zombie's stuff to know that it was a possibility but then again, not all zombies were the same...
But that was an issue for later.
Best to worry about one thing at a time, and that was to get inside the building to check for any survivors.
Speaking of survivors...
"We made it," sighed Ruby next to him, being the first to speak of the two before looking at him worryingly. "But what about Sun? How is he going to get in?"
Looks like they were of similar mind.
The continuation of the viewing brought everyone's attention back to the matter at hand and on the holographic screen. The once cheery atmosphere that had spread amongst the young group of students, now tempered by the concerning thoughts of Jaune and the worried words uttered by Ruby.
"Right" Blake looked grimly at the screen. "Sun is still out there, but the main gate is blocked by zombies now. He'll need to find another way in"
"And there's no guarantee that the other entryways are accessible or even safe" added Weiss, a hand on her chin in thought.
"Hey, come on guys" Sun was a little more optimistic in regard to his counterpart's wellbeing. "I'm sure other me will work something out. Just wait and see"
The city was overrun with zombies. Of that there was no doubt, but if this variation of Sun was anything like the one from his world, then Jaune could probably say that he wouldn't worry too much.
Sun wouldn't go down that easily.
Said monkey Faunus sported a giant smile at Jaune's thoughts of him. "See!! Jaune gets it. While he and Ruby stay safe behind thick walls, other me will be out there by his lonesome, going against the zombie tide and coming out on top"
Blake rolled her eyes but otherwise held back from bursting Sun's enthusiastic bubble. While she wants to believe and hope that his counterpart makes it through on his own, she knew realistically that a normal civilian without aura, their level of training, and limited ammo in a city full of monsters....made the chances slim at best.
But as Sun said, they can only wait and see.
"There's probably more entryways he can get in from" Jaune assured her. "And hey, Sun strikes me as a guy who can take care of himself, he'll be fine"
Ruby still looked hesitant and concerned, but otherwise nodded to Jaune's faith in the young police officer. "I hope so..." she whispered, before turning to face the building. "...and hopefully we can find my sister here"
Jaune moved to stand beside the former young reaper, mirroring her stare at the RPD initials above the entrance doors of the police building. If he was being honest, it all looked a bit ominous to him.
"A little bit" agreed Velvet, shifting uncomfortably.
"Only one way to find out" Jaune looked to Ruby, who met his blue eyes with her silver pair.
"...You're right, come on" She gestured towards the building. "Let's get inside"
Jaune smiled "Thought you never asked"
Ruby chuckled faintly and returned a smile of her own, glad that she wasn't alone in this.
She can't imagine what it would be like if she was.
"I guess something good came out of Jaune being there" said Yang with a faint frown. "If he wasn't, Ruby would have been on her own"
"She seems to know how to take care of herself though" mentioned Blake helpfully.
"Yeah, but it's one thing being by yourself, and another having a partner there next to you. You'll feel less tense knowing someone is there watching your back"
"Hear, hear" approved Coco as she nudged Velvet who smiled timidly in response. They may not be partners, but they always had each other back on missions.
As for Blake, she couldn't help but think of her own previous partnership. The one before beacon...the one with Adam and the white fang...
They were...a decent pair. Had worked well together side by side in their effort to fight for the betterment of Faunus rights—and it was great...for a time.
Before he changed.
Before he let the hate and rage turn him into something unrecognizable...
In the end, that partnership didn't end well. She ran away and applied to beacon, getting a new partner in the form of Yang. She had reservations of course at the start given her previous experience but so far, despite the few bumps, it's been...decent.
And she really hopes it stays that way in the near future.
Together, the two began walking towards the front of the entrance and stood before the double doors. Each with a hand on one side and with an encouraging nod from Jaune, both Ruby and he pushed the doors open and was greeted with the grand sight of the large interior of this world's police station.
"Oh wow" said Jaune in awe, as he and Ruby stepped inside.
"Yeah," Ruby looked just as impressed as she let her gaze wander. "My sister told me once that this place use to be a prestigious art museum a long time ago before being converted into a police station"
"That explains why it looks so elegantly designed" praised Weiss, as she stared in interest at the gorgeous and intricate style. "I can only wonder what pieces of art this world had all those years ago"
"Maybe there's still some left over for decoration purposes" mentioned Ruby, even if she didn't really see the appeal of what her partner liked. "Like that statue!! It looks....artistic..ly?"
"Ruby..." sighed Weiss, at Ruby's attempt to sound fancy. "Please stop"
"Boring art work aside," cut in Nora who ignored the scowling look Weiss sent her way. "Where is everybody?"
As Jaune and Ruby roam further into the main hall of the building, neither of the two spotted any sign of people being around.
"This place was supposed to be a shelter for the civilians right?" Jaune stood next to an empty medical bed and gazed down at the first aid spray that was sitting on top. "Where is everyone?"
"I don't know" Ruby was just as confused as she stood before the large reception desk, looking around for any other human being that was supposed to be here. "Is anyone here!?"
....
No answer was given.
Only silence.
"That can't be good" Neptune said nervously.
"There really isn't anyone..." muttered Velvet.
"Maybe they simply relocated to another part of the building" helplessly suggested Ruby, though not even she seems to believe her own words completely.
"It's a possibility" Pyrrha said slowly in support, not wanting to believe the alternative. She just wants Jaune to be safe. Was that so hard to wish for?
Jaune and Ruby shared a look after a while of no response. It appeared no one was here, and that left the two to speculate on where everyone could be. Picking up the first aid spray, Jaune brought it over to Ruby and placed it before her on the top of the spacious desk. "It looks like we're the only ones here"
"Seems like it" Ruby picked the bottle and examined its contents, shaking it and nodding in satisfaction when feeling a full bottle in turn. Afterwards she put it in her pouch for future emergency use and moved around the blonde boy. "We'll have to see if we can find anyone, I'm sure they're around somewhere"
"Yeah..." Jaune didn't seem as optimistic, but held off on voicing any negative thoughts in favor of not worrying Ruby about Yang's safety. "It's a big building, they could be anywhere"
He watched as Ruby stopped on the other side of him, picking up a box of what he noticed to be ammunition if the image of the pistol on the cover was anything to go by. That made him wonder....if he really is in a different world, does dust exist here? And if not, what do they use for power and ammunition?
"I want to know that too!!" Shouted Ruby, her eyes zoned in on the bullets in her older self hand. "If dust doesn't exist there, what kind of ammo do they use as an alternative? How are they compared to standard dust rounds? What are the different types that are made for a specific gun? How are they made? I must know!!"
"Woah there sis, heel!! Heel!!"
As Yang tried to rein in her weapon loving sister, Weiss, who had scooted away from her wayward partner, felt just as curious. Though more so on their energy source than their weapon aspect.
"Dust is fundamentally the sole source of energy we use in our world today. To say that it's used in nearly everything is an understatement" Weiss looked on at the screen in thought, taking in all that she had seen of the world so far and what she's been informed about it from Tia. "If this world truly does share similarities to our own...does this mean it's possible to replicate their methods?"
To be able to have alternate resources of energy other than dust would be a massive benefit to their way of life. It can give way to greater opportunities, lessen their total dependence on dust, and can even be....it can even be the start of how she can reform her family's company and name.
"I suppose if you're really that curious," started Tia, immediately getting the attention of the white haired heiress and some of the others. "I can make a knowledge chamber of sorts with information pertaining to this world. History, culture, religion, government, and even fairytales if you're interested. I'll even throw in information pertaining to the Multiverse and the Veil"
Seeing the more than interested looks from nearly everyone, especially Weiss, Blake, and even Ruby, gave Tia all the answer she needed as she motioned her hand out towards an empty nearby wall that glowed and manifested a large golden intricate style double door in its place.
Once finished, the Dragoness smiled a small toothy smile as her young guest stared in wonder at the newly installed room housing knowledge of an entire foreign world. "For the moment, only knowledge from this world is available. Whenever you wish to view it is entirely up to you though"
Weiss and Blake nearly leaped from their seats in order to browse through the variety of books behind those closed doors. The things they can learn. It was akin to a treasure trove to them, but both held themselves back, neither wishing to miss anything of importance during the viewing.
"We'll check it out later" Blake told Weiss who nodded.
"Agreed"
After reloading any empty bullet chambers in her revolver, Ruby stashed the remaining ammunition in her pouch and turned to what Jaune noticed to be an older version of what appeared to be a laptop with the RPD initials displayed on the screen. "It kind of looks like the one grandpa had in his study" he idly thought to himself.
"It does look pretty ancient" muttered Sun, with Neptune humming in agreement.
"I think we can use this" Ruby went towards the computer, typing a few keys while Jaune came over to look over her shoulder. What appeared was the desktop, then quickly two screens popped up with one being a map of the building and the other a four way live feed of the surveillance cameras. "Come on Yang, where are you?"
The clear concern the older Ruby had for her missing sister moved both siblings who felt a connection with what's happening on the screen.
Ruby loved her sister, and doesn't know what she would do without her. The thought that something could happen to her....Ruby really wished for her older self to find her Yang.
Yang felt just the same. She was the older sister. It was her job to protect Ruby and care for her. She would be just as worried as the Ruby on the screen, maybe even worse if the roles were reversed.
Nothing, would stop her from finding her little sister. No Grimm, nor undead zombies. Absolutely Nothing.
"Big Ruby sure is really worried huh" said Nora.
"Yes Nora, she really is.." said Ren, patting her hand.
Jaune places a comforting hand on Ruby's shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze. "We'll find her Ruby, just have a little faith"
Ruby continued looking at the computer screen without saying a word, only giving a slight nod that she heard him. When Jaune thought about saying something more, a shadow of a person appeared on the feed. It was an officer, and he appeared to be running as he rounded the corner. Once he quickly turned to face behind him and took a few shots, Jaune knew immediately the horrifying realization of what that meant.
"They're inside the building" he whispered, dread filling his being.
"Then the survivors..." trailed off Velvet hesitantly.
"Could be somewhere else in the building!!" Ruby repeated her earlier suggestion, unwilling to let the worst case scenario be voiced. "Some zombies got inside, so that forced them to probably relocate the other survivors to somewhere safer. That's makes sense"
"I suppose..." said Weiss.
The camera zoomed in with a click from Ruby, getting a close up and clear view of one of the undead creatures taking a lunge at the officer who dodged and continued running down the hall.
The zombie hot on his tail.
"Dammit..." muttered Ruby in frustration.
Just when she thought they had caught a break.
*David!! Marrow!! You there!?* another camera feed was brought up, showing the officer stopping in front of it. *I found a way out!! It's in here!!* he pulled out a small notebook, showing it to the camera before quickly having to pocket it as the zombie closed in on him.
Using his gun the officer shot point blank in the creature's chest, doing little in the way of slowing it down as it reached out and grabbed at the man, nearly biting him if he hadn't been strong enough to shove it away. *Send reinforcements!! East hallway!!*
"See! I knew there would be more survivors elsewhere. Reinforcements mean more people" Ruby had looked quite happy with herself, even relieved to have been correct in believing that there were survivors.
"But there's no reinforcements to send" reminded Coco. "No one is there other than Arc and your older self"
"And that's all the reinforcements he needs!!" Nora proudly declared, getting a strange look from the brunette stylist.
"East hallway. Where is that?" Asked Jaune, as he watched the officer run off camera with the zombie following close behind.
They needed to get to him, and quick.
Brothers knows no one else was here to do it.
Ruby pressed a single key to bring back up the building schematics and highlighted the section of the east hallway where the officer was located from their position. Looking at where they were and the path they needed to take, Jaune spared a glance behind him to the right to spot the steel shutters of where they needed to go.
"We should hurry and get to him" said Jaune, as he began walking towards the sealed entrance but was stopped by Ruby grabbing his wrist.
"Wait," she said, staring at the blonde's confused expression when he turned to face her. "Jaune, we don't know how many of those monsters are in here. And...only one of us has a weapon..."
It took a moment for Jaune to realize the meaning of what she was trying to say to him, but when he did, his eyes widened.
Was she...suggesting that he stay behind?
"What!? Ruby!! How could you!?" Shouted Nora to the younger reaper who yelped at the accusation.
"I didn't do anything!!"
"Nora please" appeased Ren. "Big Ruby isn't wrong in her concern-"
"Are we really calling her that?" Muttered Neptune.
"-and it's warranted considering Jaune is defenseless at the moment" Ren continued.
"Yeah but fearless leader doesn't need a weapon to beat down some undead zombies!!"
"As much as I don't want Jaune to be put in danger" Pyrrha spoke up. "I also don't want big Ruby-"
"I guess we are"
"-to go off alone. I think it's safer if Jaune goes with her"
"Ruby..." Jaune was frowning as he stared down at the shorter girl, his other hand moving to grip the wrist that was holding on to his. "I'm not staying behind and letting you go alone. I'm coming with you"
"But-"
"I know it's dangerous," he interrupted her
"But us separating would be just as bad. We should stay together, have each other's back, and-" using his hand to gently free his other one, Jaune brought it up to show the only flashlight held between them. "Only one of us has a flashlight, and unless you can see in the dark, well..."
He was smiling now, and a sly one at that, Ruby decided. Turning her own words back on her was cheating, and not something she appreciated.
Yang couldn't help but chuckle at the thoughts of the older Ruby on the screen. Their Ruby was the same way, which was another thing the two shared with one another.
"Alright, you win" she sighed. Something told her he wasn't going to take no for an answer. And they were in a hurry. "Just...stay close and be careful, ok?"
"Yeah, will do"
Now it was the younger Ruby's turn to sigh. "I don't know about this. Will Jaune really be okay without a weapon?" She asked worryingly. "I know he has his aura, but this isn't like earlier. He can't always be defenseless"
"Well, they are in a police station" pointed out Weiss. "Perhaps Arc can acquire himself some form of weapon, or even a gun if they are accessible"
With the situation between them quickly settled, the duo pair (after Ruby stashed a section of the station map she noticed on the nearby crate), moved to where the sealed entryway was located and stood before the steel shutters that had a cardboard sign that read 'Keep out!' taped to the entrance.
"That's reassuring" Jaune said sarcastically.
Ruby only shook her head and reached for the shutters switch, pulling the lever down for the light indicator to change from red to green, to get them to open. Only, the damn thing barely moved an inch with just enough space for a single person to crawl through.
"Great" Ruby muttered irritably. "We'll have to crawl inside"
"Looks like it" Jaune was already down on a knee, flashlight in hand and shining the light underneath to get a better look at what's on the other side.
There was a lot of blood.
"Oh gods.." gasped Velvet in horror.
"It's everywhere..." said Ruby, looking a little squeamish. "What...what could-"
The words felt stuck in her throat as she felt the dread pool into her stomach. What ever happened there looked like a massacre took place.
And had for some time now.
Just how many truly survived?
"I think...the situation within the police station is more complicated than we realize..." said Blake softly, as she spared a sympathetic look to her team leader.
"Jaune..." whispered Pyrrha, worryingly bunching up the sides of her combat skirt. "Please be careful"
"Anything?" Asked Ruby.
"Just blood everywhere" the blonde replied.
"Well, that's a good sign" said Ruby, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "No zombies?"
Jaune lowered himself further, doing his best to ignore the dried up blood as he carefully and cautiously shuffled his head and arm under the shutters to shine the light down the pitch black hallway that the flashlight could barely pierce through.
"I don't see any, but it's so dark in here that the flashlight is barely helping" said Jaune, just as he lowered himself onto his stomach before Ruby could say anything and began crawling under. "I'll go first"
"Jaune wait!- dammit" she cursed, silently berating the blonde for his reckless behavior. She was the one with the gun, it would make sense for her to go first in the case if something bad happens.
"That idiot!!" angrily shouted Weiss. "What is he thinking?"
"That he's the ever fearless leader that I always knew him to be, that's what!!" Cheered Nora, to Weiss's growing dismay.
"...why is she like this?" Weiss turned to her other two teammates, to which Pyrrha simply smiled sheepishly while Ren let out a sigh.
Successfully crawling to the other side, Jaune stood up and focused the flashlight down the short hallway to get a much better look than when he had the first time. Still no zombies thankfully, but the floor of the hall seems to have flooded with water, though it didn't look to be too deep. Surveying the area a bit more, Jaune spotted a fuse box just beside the steel entrance but noticed it was missing a fuse.
"Probably the cause of why the shutters didn't open fully" he thought, before looking down upon hearing Ruby crawling her way over.
Once she stood up, Jaune was surprised to be greeted with a pointed glare from the shorter girl.
"...what is it?" He asked with a confused look.
"Clueless as ever" chuckled Yang with a shake of her head, while Pyrrha, Weiss, and Ruby sighed hopelessly.
Ruby simply stared at the clueless blonde for good measure before rolling her silver eyes.
"Next time Jaune," she says as she steps past the wannabe knight. "Let the girl with the gun go first"
Jaune blinked, pausing in his movements for a moment as he registered her scolding words. "...oh" he realized, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly before following close behind. "Sorry. I figured it was safe enough and since it was totally dark and I'm the one with the flashlight, I thought it wouldn't be much of an issue with me going first"
"Even so Jaune," Ruby walked into the flooded water with her gun at the ready and her sights up front with Jaune lighting their path. "We have to be more careful. Until you have some form of protection to fight off any zombies, you have to let me take point"
A frown tugged on the Arc's lips as he followed in step behind the older silver eyed girl. It wasn't like he didn't understand her reasoning. She was concerned for his safety, that much made clear by how she wanted him to stay behind but...having her be the first in the line of danger didn't sit well with him.
Especially since all it takes was a single bite.
Maybe even a scratch.
He wasn't sure of the chances of his aura protecting him from this world's zombies, but Ruby...she had no such chances.
"I really wish I had Crocea Mors with me"
The back of his right hand burned ever so slightly.
Making the young blonde grimace and look to inspect it only...nothing.
Not even the lingering sensation remained.
Weird.
Unbeknownst to any within the realm of the Goddess, none noticed the pleasing smile that stretched across Tia's beautiful features and the glowing of her crimson eyes.
The first of her many blessed gifts were nearly complete.
It wouldn't be long now...
