RWBY Listens to The Soundtrack

Vol. 3, I'm The One

     Once the break was over, the next text (heh) was booted up. "'I'm The One is, ironically, a duet. Is that ironic? Eh, whatever. Specifically, it's from the perspectives of Emerald Sustrai & Mercury Black. There's some occasional references Coco & Yatsu cause this played during the Doubles Round, but other than that it's about them. You'll be able to tell who's who, Jeff & Casey did a duet. Anyways, I hope you can figure stuff out from this thing.'" Huh, that could be useful.

[Song Start]

[*High Paced Buildup*]

"Well this is going fun so far, huh?" Nora asked.

"Good mood for the Doubles Round." Yang agreed.

"So we're gonna have to hear THOSE jerks brag about themselves." Ruby surmised.

"AND hopefully tell us important things about them." Blake added.

"Any advantage is useful, in this situation." Ozpin agreed.

"Let's hope it actually DOES tell us something..." Weiss muttered, thinking of Sacrifice and it's uncertainties.

[Welcome to the bloodbath
Jump into the tub]

"Ah, fast already!" Nora shouted as is her custom.

"I suppose this is Mercury's perspective, then?" Ren theorized based on the singer.

[Fist-fight, death-match
Come and join the club]

"And this would be Emerald, then." Pyrrha continued.

"Well, that's...something, I guess." Jaune muttered. Far more clear than Sacrifice was.

[Kick-start your face
With a metal-clad boot]

"Yeah, we've seen how you fight, ya jerk." Yang stated.

"It does seem to kind of mirror your fighting style, doesn't it?" Blake pointed out.

[You should give up now
Your retaliation's moot]

"Yeah, no, absolutely not." Weiss firmly declared. "We've seen what you can do."

"I mean, did we?" Ruby pointed out. "We don't even know what their Semblances are." Huh, that was a...good point.

[(Oh yeah!
Uh huh!)]

"Well, at least they're having fun." Glynda sarcastically remarked.

"Well, they have to find it somewhere, I suppose..." Ozpin muttered.

[I'll run circles round ya
I can touch the sky]

"Again, Ruby." Yang pointed to her sister. "Can't beat that speed."

"I'm not certain it's technically a speed Semblance, though." Weiss added.

"She has time to figure that out." Blake offered.

"Guys, the song." Ruby reminded them.

[I'm gonna make ya hurt
And I'm gonna make you cry]

"Oh, fighting you is gonna be FUN..." Nora declared.

"I don't believe they'll be able to participate in the Festival in this universe." Ren pointed out.

"Yeah, but...we're probably gonna help take them down, right?" Jaune added. "Well, most of us..."

"I suppose we DO have the advantage of surprise over them..." Pyrrha muttered. "And it would be ALL of us."

[You want to mess around?
Well come on let's go]

"Alright then, if you're offering." Yang cocked Ember Celica.

"Yang, not in the office!" Ruby chastised.

"Hehe, right, sorry." Yang replied. "Got kinda in the mood there."

"Can't blame ya." Nora offered.

"Just be careful." Glynda admonished at the same time.

[I got no time to waste
Let's start the show]

"So, are you saying we can go beat you up NOW, or...?" Ruby impishly asked.

"You're...enthusiastic about that, aren't you?" Pyrrha noticed.

"They DID lie to us. Got close to us for reasons I don't understand." Weiss added.

"It's kinda personal." Blake agreed.

"Plus they're, like, Cinder's minions or something? Is that how that works?" Jaune asked.

[I'm the one that your mama said
'Don't mess with them
Or you'll end up dead]

"Yeah, that would have been nice..." Yang muttered at the first line. Ruby, Weiss & Nora just nodded while Blake looked to the side.

"Also, we outnumber you, so nyeh!" Nora jeered.

"ARE they actually going to help us subdue them?" Glynda asked. Normally she wouldn't, but given how Team RWBY was, essentially, the next STRQ, & also the events of today, she knew it was pertinent to ask.

"I believe so." Ozpin confirmed. "Though, I think we'll be the ones, no pun intended, to deal with Ms. Fall. THESE two look to be the same age as Team CFVY, at most."

[That type they don't
Follow any rules']

"Wow. So edgy. Much delinquents." Yang deadpanned.

"This coming from YOU?" Weiss added.

"They're not doing it right, Weiss, they're just jerks!" Yang explained.

"And I believe your perspective on such things may be...somewhat skewed." Ren replied.

"Yeah, not really sure Yang counts." Ruby cheekily agreed. Blake just chuckled as Yang silently declared another revenge.

[You're looking tall
You're looking tough]

"Why thank you, we've been working on that." Yang mockingly stated.

"Actually, if this has references to who they were fighting in the Doubles Round, it's probably talking about Yatsuhashi." Weiss added.

"Guy IS pretty tall..." Jaune agreed.

[I'm sorry dude
It's not enough]

"Maybe not before, but with this..." Pyrrha declared.

"...Huh, didn't expect that from you, Pyrr." Nora admitted.

"Given that Mercury CHOSE to fight me for...what I can only assume was to "size me up", I believe it's called for."

"Heh, good look on ya." Nora replied.

[Your girlfriend's purse
Won't help you win this duel]

"They, uh, DO know Coco's gay, right?" Yang asked.

"She's not exactly subtle about it, no." Glynda agreed.

"And ALSO, her "purse?" It's so much more than that. It's really impressive. Don't insult it like that!" Ruby demanded.

"It is also a purse." Ren pointed out.

"Well YEAH, this is Coco we're talking about." Ruby confirmed. "But it's not JUST that, you get it?"

"I believe we do, yes." Ozpin stated, looking over his cane.

[The bigger they are then
The more that they bleed]

"Technically true." Ren granted. "But size can be irrelevant."

"Yeah I mean, NORA'S the shortest out of all of you, and look at her." Ruby declared, to which Nora beamed.

"I think you count too, Rubes." Yang pointed out.

"Hey, I haven't hit my growth spurt yet, you don't know!" Ruby defended.

"Oh you are ON, Ruby Rose..." Nora muttered, to which the others laughed.

[The deeper the scars
That won't heal]

"Oh right, the jerk song." Nora refocused.

"Heh, like I said, we kinda get distracted a lot, huh?" Ruby sheepishly agreed.

[Buckets of pain as
They lie there in shame
Knowing how true defeat feels]

"Good luck, guys, but there's...a lot of us and three of you." Yang pointed out.

"Four." Blake corrected.

"Close enough." Yang replied.

"That...may not be enough, however." Weiss noted. "They're probably...VERY skilled."

"Well, you wouldn't be doing it alone." Ozpin offered. "I believe that counts for something."

"We won't be taking chances on this." Glynda confirmed.

"...Kinda feels like we're not getting a lot on them like the note said..." Ruby muttered. And in an instant...

[I'm The One
That was born in a nightmare
A murderer's son!]

"Oh, THAT'S something!" Ruby exclaimed. "...I don't like it."

"So...his dad's a murderer and it sucked and...what? Cause like...he's doing the same thing, right?" Yang asked. "That just sounds dumb."

"Perhaps he believes that it's what he has to do." Ozpin offered. Weiss & Blake just nodded. That was familiar enough.

"Either way, I thought his name sounded...somewhat familiar." Glynda added before pulling out her Scroll. "I'd have dismissed it as coincidence, but...I'm going to need to access James's more...encrypted files for this, though..." she muttered.

"Wouldn't he know you're doing that?" Blake asked.

"He'd probably just be impressed by my initiative." Glynda responded before cueing them up. Huh, was that a...bit of interference. For a second it looked like some kind of black symbol, but the next it was blue giving a thumbs up. If they weren't right next to each other she wouldn't have noticed, but...

And the blue looked...somewhat familiar. Glynda glanced over to the projector, and she could swear that it seemed to be glowing just a bit brighter. But perhaps that was just an optical illusion. Besides, Scrolls these days had so many annoying pop-ups. ...Still, if it WAS important...

[Got no gun
But I gleam like a blade
And I'm harder than iron]

"Aren't his shoes also guns, though?" Ruby asked.

"You were the one (heh) who showed me that basically everything's also a gun, so..." Jaune added.

"Heh, good times." Ruby reminisced.

"If that's the case then it may be more...symbolic." Blake theorized. "Related to the last verse, and..."

"...relating to how he sees his father." Weiss finished. "I doubt, if it was positive, he'd call it a "nightmare", personally."

"So then why is he doing the same thing?" Nora asked, echoing Yang.

"That's...likely complicated." Weiss answered. "And as we don't have anything more than that, we probably won't know unless the song gets more in depth."

"Fair enough." Nora granted.

[I'm the one
Who rose out of filth and
Was loved by no-one!]

"And Emerald is..." Ruby began. "...Uh, I guess she's upset, but..."

"...even in Vale, poverty's an issue. The "less fortunate" fall through the cracks." Blake added. "Assuming that's literal, anyways."

"Kinda came to that quick." Jaune pointed out.

"Yeah well...I knew people." Blake explained.

"It is sadly very plausible." Ozpin agreed. "And there are those who would prey on that for their own ends..."

"I..." Weiss began, before thinking better of it. Blake had pointed out how Yang & Mercury seemed to mirror each other in a way, which was probably why the intros had them fighting, but for her and Emerald...was THAT why?

Emerald might be an enemy, but...that didn't seem fair to her. Maybe she was overthinking it, but...

[Delusion
I'll steal til your blind and
Defeat you from inside your mind]

"So, she likes to play mindgames?" Jaune asked. "Hate those kind of villains."

"I think they're fun." Nora countered. "Well not in real life, but..."

"I...think it might be more literal." Blake theorized. "The note said that it hoped we could figure things out from this, and we don't know what her Semblance is..."

"...It would make a certain amount of sense." Ozpin declared. "At the very least, it would answer why Ms. Fall recruited her. Such a powerful Semblance would be...most useful, I think."

"Oh yay, now we have to worry about whether or not something's real or not." Yang muttered. "Greeeeaaat..."

"Given her age, and...possible living situation, I don't believe Ms. Sustrai has had the time to truly refine and evolve it." Ozpin assured them. "At this stage it likely works in...small doses, as it were."

"But depending on how you use that..." Blake trailed off.

"It can be quite effective regardless." Ren finished.

[*More High Paced Interlude*]

This one was quick, so there wasn't much to say...except for Glynda having found something. "Searching under "M. Black"...it came up with Marcus Black, a professional assassin from Mistral, who went missing well over a year ago. He was highly skilled...and definitely old enough to be Mercury Black's father."

"So that's why Cinder wanted HIM, then." Weiss concluded. "But...what happen to Marcus Black?"

"No one knows, but then the records don't mention that he had a son, either." Glynda replied. "The man was, it seems, nothing if not secretive of his...personal life."

"And of living with him was a "nightmare, then..." Blake began. "Maybe Mercury had enough of it."

"And having inherited his father's skill, was recruited by Ms. Fall." Ozpin finished. "It WOULD seem to fit..."

"...So, uh, do we feel bad for them?" Ruby asked. "I mean, if we're right, it kinda sounds like things sucked for them..."

"It doesn't excuse them working with Cinder to do...all of that." Blake answered. "If they can't see that, then that's their problem."

"It's not our job to "fix" them." Weiss agreed. "They'd need to realize it on their own." Like she did.

"Still, if our assumptions are correct, then they may ultimately just be children being manipulated into something far bigger than they imagine." Ozpin offered. It was often like that. "Perhaps we can do something for them after we've taken them in."

"...Well, we can only hope, I guess..." Blake muttered. And then the lyrics started up again.

[You're still standing up?
Well let's go another round]

"Ah, right, the bragging." Nora noted.

"Hey, I'm game." Yang agreed. And Ruby & Glynda quickly checked...she did not unfurl Ember Celica this time. She just grinned.

[Singin' king of pain and
You're gonna get crowned]

"Nah, that's already Jaune." Yang grinned.

"We could hear it from halfway across the forest." Blake confirmed.

"Plus, Yatsu's not really the screaming type." Nora added.

"Haha, very funny." Jaune muttered.

[You like the way I dress?
Yeah I know I'm fine]

"Yes, I thought you were pretty, but you kinda ruined that!" Ruby declared.

"Hey, Rubes, can I-?" Yang asked before being cut off with a nod. "Yeah so she's not into most people, so it's kind of a big deal."

"...yeah, yikes." Nora winced.

"...Well, I'm sure you'll find someone eventually." Jaune offered.

"Heh, maybe." Ruby replied. Maybe it was something about the green and...wait, where did THAT come from?

[The blood's gonna stain
But it won't be mine]

"Won't be ours either, ya prick." Yang responded. Clearly she didn't feel THAT bad for them.

"I wasn't expecting a song this fast paced to take so long." Blake admitted.

"Well, it IS important in understanding our enemies." Pyrrha added, looking a little...conflicted.

[(Oh yeah!)
(Oh yeah yeah
Yeah yeah yeah yeah!)]

"Well I'm glad someone's excited." Yang sarcastically remarked.

"I feel like we used up a lot of our talking already, anyone else?" Nora asked. And...they HAD already said a lot, so...

[Just chill here while
I drop into the brush]

"Uh..." Ruby began.

"One of Amity Arena's environments is a forest." Glynda explained.

"Oh yeah right, duh." Ruby slapped herself.

[See you when I land and
You're gonna feel the crush]

"Or, you'll feel ours." Ren declared, looking at his...well, however he and Nora currently classified their relationship.

"Hehehe..." Nora chucked at that. This was nice, even if the song was about their enemies.

[Lay right down
And grab a little rest]

"I mean it IS kinda late, but we're not done yet, so..." Ruby stated.

"Do you think this thing has holographic beds?" Jaune asked.

"...That'd be pretty fun." Ruby agreed.

[I guess you didn't know that
You were dealing with the best]

"Blah blah blah, no you." Nora recited.

"We have me, you, & Pyrrha, so..." Yang agreed.

"And what about the rest of us?" Ruby asked indignantly.

"Uhhhh....Blake, help!" Yang requested.

"No." Blake responded.

"Dangit..."

[You shoulda stayed
At home today]

"Well, technically speaking, this IS our home and YOU are the invaders." Ren declared. Particularly for him and Nora, who had nowhere else.

"Kinda doubt they care." Jaune pointed out.

"Neither do I." Ren responded.

[This fisticuff won't
Go your way]

"That's why we have melee weapons." Ruby lectured. "Which are also guns."

"You really DO need to work on your hand to hand, though." Weiss told her.

"We'll get to that later!" Ruby insisted.

"I believe it may be more prudent to begin as soon as possible, in light of all of this, however." Ozpin suggested.

"Urgh, fiiiiine."

[This confrontation isn't
Just for school]

"Yeah yeah, it's also for Evil Plan of Evilness." Nora recited. "But what you DON'T know is that WE'RE ON TO YOU."

"I shudder to think how it would go if we weren't..." Pyrrha admitted.

"I...suppose we'll find out next time." Glynda granted.

[It might be hard
To hear me say]

"Nah, we can hear just fine. "Blah blah blah look how cool I am while I do stupid things", stuff like that." Ruby summarized.

"We really DO shift between upset and happy a lot with this thing, huh...?" Blake muttered.

[Kicking your ass
Is child's play]

"They ARE undoubtedly more dangerous than the average student, so caution IS warranted." Ozpin lectured.

"Yeah, but I think this also gives us an edge." Yang replied somewhat bitterly. Ah, she still wasn't over the Raven thing. ...Hard to blame her, of course.

[I hope you're not
Crushed by this ridicule]

"No, I think we'll survive somehow." Pyrrha deadpanned.

"I knew we'd make a snarker out of you, Pyrr!" Yang piped up.

"As long as it's not Dad Jokes..." Ruby muttered.

[A slap on the wrist
And a kick to the chin]

"Hey, isn't that what Glynda wanted to give you after that Dust shop?" Yang asked.

"Only the first one." Glynda quickly clarified.

"But Ozpin had other ideas!" Ruby happily declared. Oh yeah. What WERE those ideas, Blake wondered? It worked out, but...

[A hint of the flavor of steel]

"What, are your boots made of metal?" Yang asked.

"I...did feel something around his lower legs when we fought..." Pyrrha added.

"Something to look into." Weiss declared.

"Probably." Ruby agreed, just to be part of the conversation.

[No one to blame it's
The end of the game]

"Nooooooo, I'm pretty sure it's Cinder's fault." Ruby replied. "And we have a LOT of show left, so..."

"Yeah seriously, it all kinda links back to her, it's weird." Jaune agreed.

That wasn't QUITE true of course. And how Glynda wanted to get it over with and tell them.

[The humiliation
Is reeeeeeeeaaaal]

"Do you think we could play this to them after we catch them?" Yang asked. "You know, turn the tables or something."

"Not sure that would help with the rehabilitation, but it WOULD be kinda funny." Blake admitted.

"Well I suppose a...little gloating wouldn't hurt." Weiss offered.

[*Calmer Interlude*]

"Ah, different!" Nora shouted.

"Quite." Ren agreed.

"So...what do we make of this?" Jaune asked.

"I...suppose I understand them a little better." Pyrrha admitted.

"Their stories aren't the most uncommon, assassin father aside, no." Ozpin agreed.

"Hopefully we can work with this afterwords." Glynda muttered.

"First we have to stop them, of course." Weiss added unnecessarily.

"I propose plan: Punch And Shoot Them A Lot." Yang offered.

"A sneak attack and then..." Blake mumbled. "That's going to be difficult."

"I think we got it. Show you to mess with us..." Ruby muttered. And then the lyrics continued.

[I'm the one
That was ripped from the earth
And exposed to the sun]

Different lyrics, but the same sentiment. Still, "So...does that imply anything about his dad, or...?" Jaune asked.

"I...think so." Weiss answered. "It's..."

[Overrun
By the hate and the beatings
Defiled by a father]

Weiss was immediately glomped by Ruby before anything else. "We gotcha." She assured her bestie.

"I...suppose I do feel a little sorry." Pyrrha admitted. That was some...pretty evocative imagery.

"Only just." Glynda added.

[I'm the one
I'll race with your eyes
And you'll never outrun]

"Eh, just give me some coffee and we'll see!" Nora declared.

"I thought Ren said no coffee." Blake pointed out.

"He WOULD know the effects." Ozpin agreed. Nora pouted, partially cause of what was said...and partially because Ozpin said it. He was 100% hiding things, things she didn't see the point in hiding what with...all this, and she didn't like that.

[Illusions!
Will conquer your mind and
Will make you fulfill my design]

"So...yeah, illusion Semblance." Yang agreed.

"Though what form it takes remains to be seen." Ren pointed out.

"Right, yeah." Ruby agreed. "...So I...guess we know more about how Emerald & Mercury got here. Maybe. Not a lot, though..."

"I suspect that will have to wait until we've captured them, and that's only if they're willing to talk." Ozpin pointed out.

"...So, we're trying to CAPTURE them." Blake surmised.

"If at all possible." Ozpin elaborated. "I'm...not certain that will be an option with Ms. Fall. There's nothing inherently wrong with self-defense."

"...No, there isn't." Blake agreed. She didn't get much out of HIM this time, did she? In any event, "We've...kind of covered all we can, I think. Ruby?"

"On it!" Ruby declared. "And this one's caaaalllled...It's My Turn. Um, that's what the song is called, to be clear."

~~~~

And Lets see if it worked!
Note: It Did!