An Anon's Journey: Remnant Act 1

Ending 1: Folded

The beast's rancid breath invaded Hope's nostril as it slowly wrapped it's serpentine tongue around his neck. He choked for a short moment before the Jabberwock threw it's head up, sending Hope into the air. His body went limp until a sudden scream entered his ears. Not the scream of a beast, but of a friend.

"ANOOOOOON!"

His time slowed for a moment, long enough to see his friends, to see Team RWBY as they ran towards him.

The last time he will see them, and theirs.

Hope fell into the beast's mouth as it clamped down its maw on him, crushing his entire body in a spectacular spray of blood.

Team RWBY stopped in their track, their eyes wide with shock. The beast opened its mouth, letting them see the crushed, masticated remains of their friend before rapidly and messily chewing, turning Hope into a meat paste before swallowing.

Ruby fell to her knees, her worst fear realized, as her eyes began to water.

"No...no...no..." she repeated.

Her eyes began to glow a fierce silver as the rest of her team stood there, still in shock at Hope's gruesome passing. With tears in their eyes, they watched as the Jaberwock recoiled at the sight of that most feared light. The light began expanding, enveloping the surroundings in a silvery coat. The tears in Ruby's eyes wouldn't stop, the proverbial dam cracking under the weight of her misery until...

The dam broke.

"ANOOOOOOOOON!" she screamed in anguish.

The Silver-Eyed Warrior unleashed a deluge of light, drowning Beacon's courtyard in white, silver light.

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Flashes of consciousness sometimes animated Ruby in her uneasy slumber. She didn't know what happened, but what she did know was that the darkness she was floating in was really uncomfortable. She heard static coming from the side, which one it was she couldn't tell, she was so disoriented. She heard a voice she hadn't heard since the semester break.

"Argh..." she heard the familiar voice complain impotently. "Damned radio doesn't even work."

"Heh, told you it was busted." Another familiar voice added.

"Yeah, yeah... I'll get it fixed."

She felt something brush her hair out of her face. She wanted to wake up but her entire body refused to move. Her consciousness began to fade as she heard one last thing before the inky blackness took her.

"Ruby always liked Sum's old radio... Can't take that away from her. Or you, for that matter."

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A light hit Ruby's eyes unpleasantly, the sun filtering through he window blinds. The Red Reaper groaned as she rubbed her eyes. She let out a sigh before sitting up, still rubbing her tired eyes. The sigh stirred awake the tall blond man snoring in the chair next to her. Taiyang Xiao-Long jumped off the bed and to his knees as he held Summer's child in a tight, fatherly hug.

"Ruby!" he exclaimed gently. "You're awake!"

Ruby dragged her hands off her face with another miserable sigh.

"Dad..."

She looked around, recognizing her childhood home's guest room. As she did, she realized that she was connected to a medical stand, a clear bag full of liquid hanging from a blunt hook. She tried to get up but a sickening sense of vertigo sent her right back into the bed. She groaned in discomfort, her stomach churning.