RWBY: A Different Soul

Going Green

"246.."

"247.."

"248.."

"249.."

"250..."

"Am... I... done... yet?" Oscar struggled to ask, his voice strained as he pushed through an insurmountable number of handstand pushups. Sweat dripped from his face to the ground, each drop a testament to his effort.

"Nope, 50 more, and you're done," I ordered firmly. Oscar reluctantly accepted and continued, his breaths ragged. I hated pushing him so hard, but I needed him in peak physical condition, especially for the inevitable confrontation with Salem. "Oscar, if it makes you feel any better, I'm also feeling the soreness. So I'm right there with you," I said, hoping to offer some support.

Oscar managed a small smile but quickly stopped, too exhausted to maintain it. We continued our grueling workout regimen, alternating between different exercises. The intense training was paying off as we gained significant stat points in Dexterity (DEX) and Strength (STR).

Curious about our progress, I decided to check the accumulated stat points from the past few days of training. I was pleased to see a solid increase: 26 points in STR and 23 in DEX.

"A solid increase," I thought. "If we keep this up, we might be strong enough to take on Yang in a fistfight... maybe. Just maybe."

Oscar finished his last set of pushups and collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. "Alright, that's it for today," I said, allowing him to rest. "You've done great, Oscar. Keep this up, and we'll be ready for whatever comes our way."

Oscar nodded, still catching his breath, but a determined glint in his eyes showed his resolve. We were making progress, and every bit of training brought us one step closer to our goal.

Later, Oscar washed up, changed into fresh clothes, and settled on the couch with a book.

"So, a girl fell through the world, ended up in magic land, met talking cats, an old knight, and a caterpillar that was high on Za?" I asked, 'raising an eyebrow'.

"Yeah, that's about right," Oscar answered, chuckling. I wondered how many other fairy tale rip-offs existed in Remnant. I always liked the story of the Honest Woodcutter and wondered what version they had here.

Thinking back on the story, it was amazing how the Ever After existed. I wanted to visit the Candy Land area—giant candy sounded delicious. I also wondered how many artifacts or weapons might be hidden there. And what if I burned down the Great Tree, Lord of Frenzied Flame style? What would happen?

My musings were interrupted when the book fell onto Oscar's face, waking him up from his slumber.

"Wakey wakey," I teased. Oscar groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Let's go out and stretch our legs. I'm bored," I urged him.

Oscar blinked a few times, then nodded. "Alright, let's go," he said, standing up and stretching. We headed out into the streets of Mistral. The cool evening air was refreshing, and the sounds of laughter, children playing, and shop owners yelling to buy something from their shops, filled the air.

As we walked, I kept my senses alert, scanning the crowd for any signs of trouble just in case. Despite some looming threats, it was nice to see people enjoying themselves.

"Where to now?" Oscar asked, looking around at the various stalls and activities.

"Let's just wander for a bit. You never know what we might stumble upon," I suggested. We made our way through the bustling streets, taking in the sights and sounds.