RWBY X FF14 Story: One shop Two worlds

The first thing Ruby had thought to do was defend herself, but that had proven difficult when she realized that Crescent Rose was no longer strapped to her back. Her next instinct was to look for her beloved scythe but she couldn't exactly ignore the spears that were being pointed at her and directing her to march towards the large looming city before her.

She had considered running but given she didn't know where she was that was likely a bad idea as she'd only get more lost, and given the thick snow and the cold temperatures she couldn't afford to get lost somewhere where she'd freeze to death.

Her best course of action was to go along quietly and willingly and prove her innocence the first instance she got. After all she had no idea what they were talking about when they called her a 'heretic' so proving her innocence should be easy!

Right?

As she was marching through the streets she looked around and noticed that… A lot of people were noticeably starving.

Hungry, cold, lonely people curled up between foundation pieces, some looking for food, others just trying to get some rest, but even as other people continued on with their daily lives or worked on the foundational supports around them no one seemed to pay attention to these people who needed help.

What kind of a city was this?

Not only that, she started noticing something else. 

Every single person had long, pointy ears.

She'd never seen faunus with long ears before yet here they were in droves. Were these people hiding away from the rest of Remnant? It was hard to say but maybe that was why she was currently being arrested?

"Go on," the guards behind her gruffly said as they pushed her towards a building. Ruby sighed at the treatment but entered the stone building they had brought her to, grateful that the inside was warmer than the outside at least.

Not by much but the stone seemed to do a good job of insulating the building from the cold.

They pushed her down a long narrow corridor before making a turn and presenting her to a large number of cell doors. One of the guards walked around her and opened the cell while the other pushed her inside.

"Wait here until you're called to see the judge," the guard explained as the cell was locked back up with her inside it now, "they'll decide what to do with you then."

"Hey!" Ruby called out, grabbing hold of the bars and sticking her head out as best she could, "I haven't done anything wrong here! Don't I at least get to talk to someone!?"

The guards paid her no mind however, turning and walking off in the direction they had come from. Ruby let out a groan and rattled her cage in frustration.

"Seriously! I don't even know where I am! I've literally done nothing wrong!!" She called out, hoping someone would hear her out. When it was obvious that no one was coming back from a while she slunk to the floor defeated.

"Great… As if this day couldn't get any worse… Or anymore confusing…" Ruby grumbled to herself, curling up on the floor of the cell. 

No family, no weapon, no idea where she even was or how she got here…

She was starting to feel miserable.

"Uhm… Excuse me? Miss?" A voice perked up from nearby, causing Ruby to perk up. She turned and looked through her cell bars to the cell across from hers and-

-Standing in the opposite cell was a young… girl? Child? She couldn't have been taller than three feet tall, wearing a short pink dress and gray pants, a large red cap on her head, and ears as pointy as everyone else she'd seen.

"Pardon my asking, but what are you being charged with?" The small girl asked. Her proportions seemed off the more Ruby looked at her, almost as if someone had brought a sack of potatoes to life… Though she was far cuter than a sack of potatoes.

"Oh, uh… I'm not really sure," Ruby said, rubbing the back of her head. "I think they called me a heretic or something? I don't really know what that means though…"

"A heretic, you say?" A male voice spoke up this time and she turned her head to see a young boy with white hair and pointy ears dressed in a blue shirt and white pants step up next to the girl. "They do seem to be throwing that accusation around quite freely if they're accusing someone like you of being a heretic."

Ruby blinked at the two of them, quite confused at the state of things. At the very least it seemed like the two of them might know more about what was going on around there.

"Uhm, you two wouldn't happen to know where I am, would you?" Ruby asked, hope in her voice. "I kind of got really…. Uh… REALLY lost and before I could figure out where I was, those guys arrested me."

"A refugee?" The young girl spoke up. "Oh you poor thing. Ishgard isn't exactly known for its hospitable treatment of refugees."

"Ishgard?" Ruby asked, blinking in confusion. She'd at least heard of Menagerie before but she'd never heard of Ishgard. 

"I suppose it's fortunate that you met us then, as we can at least help you seek asylum somewhere safe." The boy said with a warm smile. "My name is Alphinaud and this is my friend Tataru."

"I'm… Ruby," she said slowly, noting that they seemed to have fairly odd sounding names to her. "I still don't really know where I am but if you're willing to help I don't really have any reason to turn you down. Really, I just want to go home."

"And where is home for you Ruby?" Alphinaud asked curiously.

"Oh, I live with my family on the island of Patch just off the coast of Vale!" Ruby explained happily, much to the confused faces of Alphinaud and Tataru.

"Patch? Vale?" Tataru tilted her head as she tried to recall if she'd heard those names before. "I'm not familiar with those lands. Are you from across the ocean by chance?"

"Maybe? I honestly don't know." Ruby sighed, sulking against her bars. "I've had the weirdest day so far. I was home one moment, then I somehow got teleported to Menagerie, and then after that I got teleported here! I wouldn't be surprised if I end up being teleported somewhere else again…"

"Random teleportation? And at such long distances?" Alphinaud spoke curiously, putting a hand to his chin as he listened to Ruby's tale. "Fascinating, I've never heard of such a phenomenon before. I'd be most curious to investigate it-"

He paused as he noticed Tataru was giving him a rather stern look, which caused him to let out a small cough before continuing.

"-Though we obviously have our own predicament to deal with at the moment." Alphinaud shook his head as he spoke, remembering their own situation. "If you'd be willing to assist us we may be willing to assist you in return."

"That sounds great!" Rub perked up with a smile, before it faltered and her brow furrowed. "But uh… How were you planning to help me? You guys are locked up, the same as me."

In her excitement to find someone who was willing to help Ruby had almost forgotten they were having this conversation in the middle of a literal dungeon. Thankfully Alphinaud didn't seem all that phased.

"Fortunately for you we've recently been well versed in Ishgardian law. Though the heretic charges may be false, the ramifications of the accusation are very real. Fortunately we do have a very clear and direct course of action to prove our innocence." Alphinaud smiled proudly. "Trial by combat."

"Trial by combat?" Ruby asked with a tilt of her head. "How does that prove our innocence?"

"It's part of the old 'might makes right' way of Ishgardian thinking," Tataru said with a sigh, "though I'm not much of a fighter myself. It's a law meant to help nobles stay out of trouble more than it is to help the common folk."

"Now now Tataru, we have a plan for that as well." Alphinaud said with a smile to reassure his smaller friend. He turned back to Ruby with a sympathetic look. "Though that does beg the question… Are you studied in the art of combat at all?"

"I can fight if that's what you're asking." Ruby confirmed with a nod of her head, though her mouth fell into a frown. "...But I lost my weapon somewhere and I don't know where it is. I'm not much good in a fight without it…"

"A scythe?" Alphinaud said curiously, tilting his head once more. "Quite the unorthodox weapon, though I've heard tell that there are some Garlean's who took up the scythe to defend their homelands. Are you perhaps from around Garlemald?"

"Not likely," Ruby sighed again, "I've never heard of a place called Garlemald."

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the dungeon doors being loudly opened, followed by the stomps of several armor clad feet. A group of three guards approached Alphinaud and Tataru's cells, one of them dressed in robes and looking very official.

"Alphinaud Leveilleur and Tataru Taru, you are to be brought before the tribunal before the court of Halone," the robed man spoke with a serious demeanor. "You are to come with us now and face trial."

"Very well," Alphinaud spoke seriously while Tataru seemed to shrink in on herself, hiding behind the taller boy, "though I request that you bring our companion there with us so that we may face trial together."

The guard seemed surprised at his words, turning to look at Ruby who was glowering at him with all her anger, as if doing so would make the man topple on the spot. It didn't, of course, but Ruby could dream.

"This one?" The guard spoke with a raised eyebrow. "We found her wandering outside the city limits near where the heretics are known to take refuge. You're saying she is with you?"

"Yes sir. She was separated from our group a little while ago and we weren't sure where she was but it seems you've found her for us. If you're going to put her on trial she should be on trial with us." Alphinaud explained clearly. The guard didn't seem to fully believe him from the look on his face as he turned to face Ruby. "You. State your name."

"...Ruby Rose."

"And are you affiliated with these two?" He beckoned towards Alphinaud and Tataru.

"...Yeah, they're my friends." Ruby said a bit more genuinely than she expected to. A smile was on her face as she looked at the two companions in the cell across from her, feeling like with their help everything was actually gonna manage to be okay.

"Very well, then you will join them for the trial. Guards." The robed man nodded his head towards her cell as well and they moved quickly to unlock the cages. 

It hadn't been for very long but Ruby was more than happy to be out of that cell, though obviously the next problem loomed over their heads.

Being charged with heresy… Whatever that meant in this place.

The court room was surprisingly large and incredibly imposing, the stone and marble chiseled from the walls creating a looming atmosphere. There was a gallery for the audience, filled with plenty of long-eared people murmuring amongst themselves as the defendants were brought in from the judgment.

Ruby's eyes couldn't help but look towards the large statue of a female warrior standing behind the judge's podium, wielding a large spear and a shield, adorned in regal regalia. Though she had never seen the woman before she couldn't help but get the feeling she was so incredibly important to these people.

To one side she stood next to Alphinaud and Tataru who looked far more nervous now than they had moments ago in the jail cell. It was certainly one thing to have a plan of action, another to face the actual trouble itself. 

The other side of the courtroom were two tall men dressed in white armor who looked far too smug for their own good, as if they were assured of their victory in this moment. 

And standing before all was the man who would decide their fate. The judge, or as the guards were calling him, the High Adjudicator. Regardless of who he was he clearly held himself in high regard and dressed for the occasion as well.

It was he who broke the murmurs of the room as he began to speak.

"We are gathered here today, under the watchful gaze of the Fury, to ascertain the guild of three souls in a trial by combat! Petitioners, step forward!"

Well, this was it. It was all or nothing now. Ruby just had to pray that their plan would work, for as little time as she had to prepare for it…

The two men in white armor stepped forward, looking up at the High Adjudicator with smug grins on their faces. Though she had never met these men before she knew that look and she wanted nothing more than to wipe the smug grins off of their faces.

"Ser Grinnaux-" The High Adjudicator's voice boomed loudly through the room as he spoke, "for the benefit of all here present, I would ask you to repeat the charges which you have leveled against this man and these women."

"I, Ser Grinnaux de Dzemail," spoke the darker skinned of the two men in white armor, "brother of the Heavens' Ward, did bear witness to two of these foreigners consorting with heretics!" He then turned his head towards the defendants, "the one in red I am not familiar with, however she claims to be an ally of theirs and was found near Heretic territory. We believe she was seeking refuge amongst the Heretics located in the Western Highlands."

The gallery was a buzz at this information, as if this testimony alone was damning evidence. Ruby glanced around wandering how it was possible they were all fooled by such a simple statement. It was clear there were no connections between her and any 'Heretics', but it seemed his word was as good as gold to them.

"Let the accused step forward!" The High Adjudicator spoke up, nearly knocking Ruby from her senses. 

Alphinaud stepped forward first, followed by a timid Tataru, and then herself.

"Alphinaud Leveilleur, Tataru Taru, Ruby Rose- you have heard the charges leveled against you." The High Adjudicator spoke plainly. "Will you take up arms to refute Ser Grinnaux's claim and thereby prove your innocence in the eyes of gods and men?"

"I, Alphinaud Leveilleur, am innocent of this charge, and claim my right to trial by combat!" Alphinaud spoke loudly and plainly, making sure his statement was heard by all. Ruby didn't hesitate to follow him up.

"I, Ruby Rose, am innocent of this charge, and claim my right to trial by combat!" Her voice was far more combative than Alphinaud's but it was hard for her to hold back her anger at the moment. She just had to keep her head as cool as possible and get through this whole farce of a trial.

"I, Tataru Taru, am innocent of this charge…" Tataru spoke up next, though clearly intimidated and afraid of what may come next. "But I am no warrior, and cannot fight, so I claim my right to name a champion!"

This seemed to set the crowd into a series of murmurs once more, as if it wasn't obvious that someone as small as Tataru wasn't going to fight on her own. At least, that seemed obvious to Ruby, wasn't it obvious to everyone else?

"To the old and the infirm, the young and the weak, this right we allow. Very well. Who will stand for this woman?" The High Adjudicator spoke once more, his eyes glancing around the gallery for the person she would name as champion.

Just then the sound of heavy wooden doors opened, causing everyone in the room to turn in its direction. Ruby turned and looked as well-

-And the moment her eyes laid upon the man they widened in surprise.

It didn't take a scholar or a warrior to recognize someone as important or as strong as the man stepping towards them.

Clad in darkened armor with white fur trimming the edges, a leather belt wrapped around his waist and a short battle skirt that did little to hide his armored boots, and a large heavy axe strapped to his back to complete the look of a powerful warrior. His hair was short and brown, brushed forward to hang on his forehead, with piercing green eyes and a pale complexion that made his goatee stand out.

The moment he stepped into the room the entire atmosphere changed, Alphinaud and Tataru's spirits rising immediately. Even Ruby couldn't help but stare in awe of the man.

Whoever he was, he was clearly the crux of their plans.

As he stopped short of the stand he turned and looked up to face the High Adjudicator, wordlessly and clearly declaring his intention to stand as Tataru's champion. The small girl immediately threw her hands up in the air, beginning to jump and spin in place in a celebratory dance. Alphinaud himself couldn't help but let out a short chuckle.

"Just as I was beginning to doubt the efficacy of the Ishgardian justice system!" He said with a proud smile on his face. "Come, my friend- let us put an end to this mummer's farce!"

Ruby had no idea what a mummer's farce was, but given the context he was probably saying the whole court was a joke, which she agreed with.

For a moment the High Adjudicator turned to look at his colleagues who all gave him approving nods before he raised his hand and the room itself began to shake. The large hole that had been before them began to rumble and from one side of the room a floor began to quickly extend, creating a battlefield then and there in the courtroom.

Alphinaud turned to Ruby and then to the man and gave a nod of his head, which the man returned in kind. They began to walk towards the arena and Ruby was quick to follow. Tataru trailed behind, just far enough so that she wouldn't engage in the fighting herself.

As the three of them stepped into the arena the iron gates rose from the floor, looking at them and the two men in white armor within the field.

Ruby glanced up at the imposing man beside her, who turned and gave her a smile. She couldn't help but give an awkward smile back, rubbing the back of her head.

"Uh, hey, I'm Ruby," she said awkwardly, "we can uh- get more proper greetings out of the way once the fight is over."

The man didn't respond, simply giving a quiet and stoic nod before turning to face their opponent. It was then that the High Adjudicator's voice filled the room once more.

"O Halone, render unto us Your judgment! Raise up the righteous, and cast down the wicked!"

In that moment Alphinaud drew his book, the man drew his axe-

-And the two men in white armor, in turn, drew a heavy axe and spear alike.

Ruby instinctively went to reach for her scythe, only to remember when her hands grasped air that she had lost it. Her heart jumped in her chest in realization that she didn't have a weapon!

"H-Hey! What should I do!?" Ruby asked, taking a step back, "I don't have a weapon!"

"We can take the lead," Alphinaud spoke quickly, only glancing at Ruby from the side of his eye, not wanting to take his eyes off of the two men in white. "Our friend here will take the lead and I'll support him, you just do what you can and we'll do the rest."

"O-Okay!" Ruby stammered, getting into a fighting position. 

"Well, well, who do we have here?" The man in white that was not Ser Grinnaux, wielding his spear, chuckled darkly, "This one is mine, Ser Grinnaux. Go and play with the boy."

In that instance he charged the man who had come to their aid, jabbing his spear straight to pierce him. The warrior's large axe swung upwards blocking the attack. At the same time Ser Grinnaux jumped through the air and made to slame his axe into Alphinaud, the boy jumping backwards and avoiding the massive blow.

"Hmph. Bloody waste of- Come on then! You wanted this remember!?" He roared at Alphinaud, who was waving his hand over the book as it glowed. Ruby was about to yell something to him, to fight or get out of the way, when a ball of light erupted from the book and exploded on contact with Ser Grinnaux!

"Wha-?!" Ruby stared in shock at the display, having no idea what she had just seen. Just then, the ground itself rumbled as the Warrior slammed his axe into the ground, an eruption of light filling the area around him as the man with the spear jumped backwards.

The air then crackled with electricity, a powerful ring of thunder crashing through the air and sparking against the ground. The men in white began to conjure a glowing aura around them and large orbs of electricity filled the arena. Ruby cried out as she jumped to avoid touching them, scrambling to get out of the way as blade and magic filled the air.

She'd never seen semblances like this before! Ones that shook the ground itself or filled the air with electricity or shot orbs of light from books? She had no idea what was going on and she had no weapon to defend herself! What was she supposed to do!? What would Yang do in this situation!?

"Punch them, of course!"

She could practically hear her sister's voice in her head and it made her want to roll her eyes. Her sister was the puncher! She'd always been, ever since they were kids! The scythe was her weapon, passed down from her mother and uncle, she'd grown an affinity for it the moment she'd laid her hands on it!

"Look out!" Alphinaud's voice cried out, causing Ruby to snap back to attention as a sudden large blast of energy was heading right her way.

"WAH!" Ruby cried out, managing to jump and roll as the slice of energy cut through the air right where she'd been standing moments ago, crashing and dissipating into the wall seconds later. She took a moment to catch her breath before getting back into a fighting position.

This was no time to be hesitating! Sure, her close quarter combat skills were nothing compared to Yang's but she HAD been sparring with Yang since they were kids! If she had no weapon to defend herself then she was going to have to make do with borrowing from Yang's playbook!

Their warrior friend let out a battle cry, swinging his axe down to strike Ser Grinnaux, who blocked the attack with his spear. Alphinaud was still distracting the other man with the axe so this was her chance! 

She raced across the arena getting herself in position behind Ser Grinnaux, cocked her legs, then thrust herself forward, arm back and then thrown forward in time to crash into his armor!

CLANG!!

"Guh-huuuuuhhh-!!" Ruby half whined, half wheezed as her hand slammed against hard metal. To her credit she did make Ser Grinnaux grunt from the impact, but her hand felt like she'd just punched a brick wall without any aura to protect it!

"Ow! Owowowowowow!!!" She whined, jumping back from the fight and waving her sore hand. The punch should have done more than just bounce uselessly off of his armor! Was his aura that strong? Had she done something wrong!

"Ruby! Channel your aether!" Alphinaud cried out.

"My what!?" Ruby asked back.

Alphinaud didn't have time to explain however, his opponent wasn't relenting, even if it did seem like Alphinaud was maintaining the upper hand the fight was far from won.

Ruby stared at her sore hand, thinking about his words. Aether… It had to be like aura, right? 

Another sharp cleave from the warrior's axe kept Ser Grinnaux thoroughly engaged, and now with him assuming Ruby couldn't hurt him he was paying even less attention to her. Good! She could make up for her attack this time!

She let out a slow breath and focused on her aura like her father taught her, channeling it into her fist. She felt… Something that was kind of like aura but it just seemed so different at the same time. It didn't matter in the moment though, perhaps aether was just what they called aura here. If she could use it to fight, then she knew she could win!

She planted her feet, let out on more breath, pulled back her arm-

-And rushed forward, punching Ser Grinnaux right in the back!!

"GRAH!!!" The man cried out in pain, his armor practically cracking from the power of the impact. The energy around Ruby's fist burst into a display of shower and sparks at the impact and she knew she had to press the advantage!

Her first fist was followed up by her other, then a third punch, a fourth, a fifth-!!

Each blow burst with light and power, concaving Ser Grinnaux's armor with each punch! She let instinct take over, focusing only on finishing the fight as quickly as possible! Her energy channeled into her legs and she quickly swung it up, slamming it into his side before pulling back and slamming her foot into his back.

The attack caused him to stumble forward, losing his balance, and stumbling right into the blade of the warrior's axe. He let out a roar, swinging it up from the ground and slamming it into his body, causing Ser Grinnaux to fly up into the air. His body flipped around several times before slamming straight into the ground, a loud groan escaping his body.

Ruby smiled at the warrior, happy that she was able to pull that off. He smiled and nodded at her, one opponent down, one to go.

"GRAH!!" Alphinaud cried out, drawing their attention instantly. The other knight had somehow wrapped Alphinaud in chains, holding his body tight. He was pulling axe back, it glowing brightly and fully intent on bringing it down on the boy.

"Hey!! You leave him alone!!" Ruby cried out, rushing straight at him. She tried to rush with her semblance, but no matter how she channeled her power her speed refused to summon forth. Without her semblance she just focused on running fast, channeling her energy into her legs.

Fortunately the warrior managed to rush past her, getting between Alphinaud and the axe that was bearing down on him. The knight tried to slam his axe down and the warrior managed to block it, the ground beneath him cracking from the power of the strike.

"HIIIIIIIYYAAAAA!!!" Ruby cried out, jumping into the air and slamming her foot into the side of the knight. He roared in pain from the strike as she backflipped off of her kick and landing back on the ground. The warrior took this chance to swing his axe around several times before slamming it into him as well.

He stumbled back several feet, releasing the chains on Alphinaud. He panted heavily, looking up at the three people before him, growling angrily. Alphinaud charged the light of his book, the warrior prepared his axe, and Ruby raised her arms and cocked her feet.

The knight's pride would not be tested that day as he readied his axe and charged at the trio roaring for battle.

Moments later he was on the ground beaten, panting alongside his fellow knight.

"Th-THey… I mean, WE WON!" Tataru began cheering from her spot behind the bar, spinning and dancing with prideful jubilation. 

Before anyone else could move or say anything, the High Adjudicator's voice filled the room once more.

"The Fury has spoken! Alphinaud Leveilleur, Tataru Tary, and Ruby Rose - you are hereby acquitted of all charges."

"Oh thank God." Ruby said with a relieved sigh, feeling the energy draining from her body.

"Blessed are we who receive of Her wisdom and see justice wrought by Her divine hand!" The High Adjudicator continued. "Petitioners, accused- go forth in peace!"

"Delivered from an untimely demise yet again. My thanks… as always." Alphinaud said with warmth in his heart to his warrior friend. 

To which the warrior simply smiled and nodded his head.

"Please don't tell me this is a regular occurrence for you guys." Ruby groaned, rubbing the back of her neck. She had enough to worry about as it was without!

"I assure you this is but one instance of many dangers we have faced," Alphinaud almost chuckled as he spoke, relief still evident in his voice. He paused as he turned to look at his warrior friend who cocked his head in confusion when realization struck Alphinaud.

"Oh, do forgive my rudeness." Alphinaud said, raising his arm towards the warrior that had just fought beside them. "Ruby, this is our friend Ardbert, though most simply know him as the Warrior of Light."

Ardbert smiled and raised his hand in a wave towards her. 

"Uh, hi," she returned the wave, "thanks for saving us back there. Not sure what would have happened if you hadn't shown up."

Ardbert smiled and nodded his head. Ruby stared at him for several seconds before turning to Alphinaud.

"Not much of a talker is he?" Ruby pointed out.

"You get used to it." Alphinaud chuckled. "Come now, let us make our way to House Fortemps, we can explain everything in safety from there."

Ruby nodded her head and then began following the group out of the courtroom. She had little choice in the matter but to follow after them, especially after they had risked their lives to help save hers, but she was clearly a stranger in an even stranger land now and she had many, many questions she needed answered before the day was over.