TRP is a post-Great War AU RWBY RP set in Mistral City and Haven Academy with no canons, no rank claims, no maidens, and no god interference. We offer a progression system and site-wide events that change the setting based on player actions.
Post by Bianca Sabbato on May 9, 2021 5:39:01 GMT -5
After a good night of rest and a hearty breakfast, I ventured outside of the lodging house I had spent the night in. Yawning as the sun slowly began to warm the streets of the small lumber town of Sucre. The place wasn’t far away from Kuchinashi, which coincidentally was my final destination for this mission.
Spices, as stereotypical as it sounds, were my cargo for the day. It may not seem like much, but they were the livelihood of a lot of people. And this particular caravan had to be escorted all the way from the furthest reaches of the kingdom.
Certainly not the kind of work you do in a day. Or even a week. Sucre was just one of many checkpoints on the travel map. Luckily, our next stop at Kuchinashi was the last one. So if nothing happened, it would be a successful job. Organizing things along my studies was a pain in the ass, but luckily the Academy was understanding.
They were not about to punish a trainee for doing her job. And going out on long missions was kinda expected for third-year students, especially nowadays. So they gave me some extra time to prepare for tests and the like...
But leaving classes and the like behind. The problem I faced was a much more immediate one.
The route between the two settlements was a particularly nasty one. Plenty of bandits and Grimm roaming around since Kuchinashi itself attracted plenty of the monsters merely due to its population. For this reason, I had been assigned some help for this last leg of the road.
Looking in the distance, I believed my partner had arrived. Huntsmen, especially the ones in training, are easy to recognize in a crowd. He was tall as hell, had bright red hair with green tips, and sported what appeared to be a monkey tail.
The guy wasn’t someone I knew at all. Likely someone who joined after I started taking these missions... It had been pretty hard to keep up with everything happening at Haven lately... So I might as well take this chance to get to know the faunus boy. Hopefully, he would be some good help for this mission.
-You are Apollo, right?- I called out to him, waving a hand to catch his attention. I was probably not very hard to miss either despite being unarmed for the moment. I was wearing a short, white chiton tunic with a black belt around my waist. And sported a plain white chlamys cape to protect me from the springtime sun during riding time.
-Nice to meet you, dude. My name is Bianca Sabbato. We will be working together in caravan security. I’ve been told you will be joining us for the last leg of this trip, from this pretty village of Sucre all the way to Kuchinashi-
I said, with my best attempt at a smile. I was pretty tired from the mission, and it showed a little under my eyes. But still, no reason to be an asshole to someone I didn’t know.
I went for a handshake as I watched the boy’s reaction with veiled curiosity. Despite not being very glamourous, this was a mission with a fair degree of danger associated. And as a second year, I expected a certain degree of competence from Apollo.
Basically, a little nervousness was alright. But if Apollo was shaking like a leaf or seemed otherwise unstable, I would tell him to stay in town and return to Haven once all was said and done. I would be reporting it to the professors, of course. But it was better than to risk jeopardizing this whole operation just to be nice to him.
On the bright side. If Apollo performed well. I would be giving him my seal of approval. Not only as his senior but as a member of Kishka’s team as well. So he could begin to draw some attention to himself if he played his cards right.
-We depart in about one hour. And this particular trip should be over in about three to four hours. I will get you up to speed on the particularities of this path in the meantime... But first things first... You know how to ride, right?-
And if he didn’t... Welp, I guess I would have to share a horse with him or something... And get the poor creature some apples as a reward later. We were going to go at a pretty quick pace for this one. The only reason we didn’t venture into finishing the route yesterday was that the horses were tired, and the town didn't have enough to switch with us...
But whatever, if he could pull his weight, it would be worth it.
Post by Reed Apollo on May 10, 2021 10:30:34 GMT -5
Sucre was a decent little town, one that reminded Reed of a number of little villages he had visited in his youth while travelling with the circus. Reed had travelled here after getting notice of an escort mission between the small town and Kuchinashi. The larger city had a rather solid population, and Reed had been wanting to visit it for a long time, so if he could perform his duties and get some time away from school why not?
The sun rose slowly and Reed pulled up on the corner of his bedroll, fighting against wakefulness. He had found a spot on a flat roof of a shop in the village, and had unrolled his sleeping bag there the night before. His years of traveling had gotten him used to camping outside, and while he had attended Sanctum, and now Haven, actual beds seemed almost to soft and fluffy for him. He was usually more comfortable under the stars.
Realizing his struggle to stay asleep was only delaying the inevitable he rose, stretching his arms as he sat up. He hadn't slept much the night before. Missions always brought with them a nagging sense of tension. He called it his backstage jitters. Much like before he would go on stage, the feeling was something that just happened. Nervousness, fear, anxiety, they all swelled together in an attempt to cripple you. For Reed, it was a feeling that was to be experienced, processed, and then purposely channeled into doing the best you could.
He packed up his sleeping bag, strapped it to his backpack and rose. His vest, made of gold fabric with white trim and worn open, flapped in the early morning breeze. The air tickled at his exposed chest and the hair on his heavily tattooed arms. He had slept in his boxer briefs so he quickly threw on his black pants and combat boots and scrambled down the building to head towards where he was supposed to meet his teammate for the mission.
On his way he slipped into a small bakery, lured in by the smell, and picked up a muffin and two coffees. The stuff was about the only thing that got him through early mornings. He carried his muffin in his left hand, taking bites as he walked. His right held his coffee, and his tailed was securely wrapped around the second cup as he followed the path.
He heard his name called as he crested a small hill and saw a woman waving. She appeared about his age, dark haired and wearing a white tunic and hat. He tossed the last of the muffin in his mouth, chewing hurriedly and walked up to her briskly, offering a smile.
"Reed Apollo, at your service." He said, offering a small bow.
She introduced her self as Bianca and shook her hand, offering a grin. they separated and his tail rose up, depositing the extra coffee into his open hand.
"Coffee? I find mornings to be a real pain." he said extending the cup towards the girl.
She gave him a brief overview of what the day held, and while another pang of his pre stage jitters surged through him he kept his face smiling and his form casual. They would be riding horses. The circus caravan had been pulled by plenty and he knew his way around the creatures, if he was not particularly skilled.
"Sounds good to me. I can ride well enough to keep my saddle." He replied.
Post by Bianca Sabbato on May 13, 2021 2:48:55 GMT -5
I had already eaten when Apollo offered the small cup. Nevertheless, some coffee sounded like glory right then. So I accepted nonetheless. I was already starting to like this dude. That he knew how to ride well enough was a bonus as well.
-Sure, it can’t hurt- I said with a shrug, reaching for the cup and wrapping my own scally tail around it before bringing the rim close to my lips.
-Cheers. And we will meet with the caravan on the main road in a while. We should probably go to the stable now, so we can pick up some mounts- I called as I motioned for him to follow me there. It was a short walk, as the town wasn’t a large one, to begin with. We didn’t find any opposition as we made our way inside the buildings where the horses were waiting for us.
-...The most expensive cargo is actually in a truck. But the rest is carried in good old shitty horse wagons. Is worse in every imaginable way, but it's cheaper. In the end, that can be the answer to a lot of your questions...- I was telling Apollo when I was interrupted by a coughing noise coming from nearby.
-Huh... Seems like they called in another tailed bastard. By this point, I would assume they are only doing it to spite us- A tall and lanky person said from the shadows, he was a purple-haired man with a white vest. He carried a rifle slung over his shoulder and talked as he puffed from a rolled cigarette hanging limply from his lip.
-And here’s Grav’l. One of our spotters for the day. Don't pay him any mind. Faunus kids probably bullied him when he was little or something- I expressed nonchalantly. As much as I would have liked to have nothing to do with him, he was a damn good rider and a vital part of this small operation. So we had to put up with his crap.
Sadly the caravan leader was not around. He was a good person who kept his men from getting into too much trouble... But when he wasn’t around? Oh, his men took the fucking cake sometimes. So Apollo would need to learn to bear with pricks like that and still do his job.
In actuality, I was curious to see how he reacted or if he loses his composure and such. They paid us to protect people. Sometimes that same people will be racist idiots that hate you. But you still need to be prepared to put your neck in the line for them. As shitty as that was.
-Don’t test me, you damn lizard... Protect the cargo, and you get your pay. Slack around, and you get nothing. You too, monkey boy- The man said with a scowl before going away to tend to his horse.
Shaking my head from side to side, I was actually reminded of something by the man’s sudden appearance. Taking out a small walkie-talkie from under my cape, I handed it over to the monkey faunus.
-We cannot get too far away from the caravan. So we have people like that asshole to scout ahead of us. These things are great for short-range comms, so always have it close to you- I finished while taking a good look at a mare that caught my attention the previous night. Young, strong, but not too bulky. Probably a good pick. Taking her reins, I started guiding her outside the stable.
In all honestly, probably any horse would do the job, but I wanted to have the best mount I could find just in case... You never know when that tiny bit of preparation will come in handy.
Sooner rather than later, the entire caravan would ensemble on the main road of the town. At the back, there was a decently sized four-wheeler. And in front of it, four horse-drawn wagons. All filled to the brim with sacks and barrels. A couple minutes later, the riders and merchants would be all ready to depart.
-I guess we’ll have to get acquainted along the way....- I called out to him, throwing my now empty cup of coffee into a nearby bin.
-...So, tell me, Apollo. What can you do? Weapons, semblance, skills, that kind of stuff. It may be wise knowing what the other can do in case shit hits the fan- I said, mounting my horse and getting into formation, with me at the back of the caravan. I waved for him to come beside me as I waited for his answer
-I don’t think I ever talked to you in Haven... Have you done escort missions before? Or any mission in the wilderness? You seem to be pretty used to horses, so that kinda got my attention...-
Post by Reed Apollo on May 14, 2021 15:26:15 GMT -5
Bianca accepted the coffee, using her own tail as a means of handling the thing and Reed listened with interest as she explained where they would be meeting the caravan and lead him towards the stables. He walked casually beside her as she gave him the lowdown on the caravan formation and how they operated. When they reached the stables he heard a cough and turned to see the purple haired man, rifle over his shoulder and cigarette in his mouth. The man's words reeked of venom and Reed felt his body tense in response even before hearing the man's name. His simple words had told Reed everything about Grav'l that he needed to know.
Faunus hate wasn't uncommon. In fact Reed had dealt with more than his fair share of it. The kicker was people like Grav'l treated Faunus like they were sub human. Like somehow Reed and Bianca were sub human, feral creatures. Back in his youth Reed had ended up in scraps over this kind of attitude. Over time though he had realized that losing his cool only did two things; it made the racist asshole look the victim, and it reinforced their stereotype.
So Reed simply cracked a smile as Bianca replied and watched the man boil as he spoke.
"Don't worry, I'll pull my weight. It's not like I will be taking any smoke breaks." He said in an oblivious cheerful tone even as his eyes locked on the man's cigarette.
Bigots gone for the moment Reed turned his attention back to Bianca as she handed him the walkie and explained its use. Reed clipped the device to the pocket of his open vest and picked out a horse of his own. He wasn't exceptionally heavy, but he was tall as hell and needed a steed that would be able to accommodate it. Horse chosen, saddle checked, and reins grabbed he followed his new partner.
The caravan was gathering, and while Reed had been raised in one it was the differences that stood out to him. The circus had been like a mobile town, and always had an excited energy about it. This was a business trip, and the spice caravan seemed to hold tension and no nonsense. He finished his coffee and mounted with Bianca, nodding as he followed her.
"Good idea. Combat wise I prefer to be mobile and agile." He said simply.
He raised his right arm, showing the gauntlet he wore and twisted it to display the heavy yo-yo of Solaris Arc.
"My weapon is a combat yo-yo. Good for close range and doubles as a solid grappling weapon. I lack long range though, so I'll be diving in the fray if anything pops off." He explained.
"As for my semblance. Basically i can turn myself into a giant flashbang grenade. It's called Helios and if I call it out to ya look away or shut your eyes if you don't want to be blinded." He chuckled, "What about you?"
He felt a slight pang of unease at her follow up questions concerning his experience.
"I'm new on missions. I haven't done an escort job before, nor a wilderness job. Though to be fair I was raised in a traveling circus so I grew up traveling in the wilderness and I watched the huntmen who guarded us." He said, finding that honesty was usually the best policy.
"Our caravan had horses to pull some of the wagons. Growing up before I started performing we used to be allowed to ride while we were in towns.' He said, fondly remembering the experience.
Pulling himself from his thoughts he looked to Bianca
Post by Bianca Sabbato on May 16, 2021 22:13:06 GMT -5
With a neutral expression, I saw Apollo give Grav’l the metaphorical flip and smiled as the man walked away -The world is full of assholes. We could push for him to be removed. Or avoid works where he’s involved... But honestly, it feels like too much work, so I let it slide-
I muttered to the monkey faunus before realizing that such attitude may seem a little too passive to be imparting on him. I didn’t want him to turn into a doormat like me, after all.
-Still, this was small shit. But that doesn’t mean we have to just shut up and take it if we feel someone is crossing a line, though. You put your conditions just as they put theirs- I began saying as we walked out of the stable. Not realizing I was ranting about something Reed may not even be interested in... But hey, I was the senpai for once, so I would run my mouth a little bit.
-...You negotiate. You are diplomatic, but you keep your limits. You know your value but respect theirs... It’s a tricky balance to maintain. But you know what? It is the same for every worker on Remnant. This is the providing of a service, after all. Everyone has to leave happy-
Little things that they don’t teach you in Haven, but you need to learn nonetheless. You need to eat and get proper nutrition, so you are as sharp as a knife. You need to maintain your weapons, clothes, and ammunition, remain in good health, and well-rested. Undercharging or taking free jobs only hinders your ability to help more people in the long term.
It also makes you prone to dying. Which is something you generally want to avoid. Your body is your working tool, and Mistral has enough of a shortage of huntsman for new sprouts lasting just a couple months due to lack of preparation... And speaking of lessons...
-Only difference is that we are allowed to use force to expedite things if someone is in danger or a crime is being committed... That’s pretty much the golden rule. Or how I see it. Hurt only when necessary, or when not using it would result in more damage-
I would know about that. Right? Maybe if I had internalized that lesson sooner, Holly would be alive. Probably with a couple broken bones, but alive at least, and Kishka wouldn’t have to suffer as much as she did... But I couldn’t change that. I could only try to work in a way that something like that would never happen again.
Realizing I had been speaking an awful lot. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair as I turned towards Apollo. -Also, I’ve been told I speak a lot... So tell me if I’m overwhelming- I said, pointing to my face with the tiniest of smiles as to cut up the sourness a little.
Was I doing the wise mentor skit alright? I wasn’t actually sure. A part of me believed I was just droning endlessly. So I decided to shut up for a few moments as the caravan got ready, and Apollo started explaining his armaments to me.
-Boys and their mecha-shifts... I swear no one has respect for the classics anymore...- I called out, shaking my head in mock bewilderment after hearing about his yo-yo weapon. What's wrong with using a sword? Or a spear? Everyone loves a good spear!
Well, as long as it worked, I couldn’t complain. Especially since the boy seemed to have quite a remarkable semblance judging by his depiction of it. Not the weirdest I had ever seen, but it certainly seemed like something noteworthy. -I will be looking for that. Thanks-
And regarding my weapons. Nereida remained in her perpetual state of disrepair. And would likely continue like that as long as I didn’t get some serious money. Or someone to build a new one for me.
I still kept the pieces. But without the original blueprints, there was only so much a person could do.
-I got this pointy stick. And these grenades- I said, pointing to the featureless grey spear resting on my back. And taking out one of the small earthy explosives from inside my garbs. -And if you are mobile, then we are in luck. Since I am slow as a snail. I can give and take a beating up-close. But don’t ask me to go chasing things because that won’t work-
I said with a chuckle as I gave up a sliver of my concentration to bring a handful of dirt and pebbles floating towards me and around my fingers. -This is State Change. Dirt, rock, soil, whatever you want to call it. I can move it, make it soft, or make it hard. I have a pretty long range, and it hits pretty hard, so feel free to think of me like a tower of sorts-
I hummed happily, pleased to hear that Apollo wasn’t a city boy with zero experience on the road. His extra expertise would come in handy every now and then... Plus, he said he came from a circus? That sounded quite nice, actually. And if they had a hired huntsman, I could see how Apollo would end up choosing that career path.
The question about my background caught me by surprise. And one I absolutely brought on myself since it was born from me asking Apollo about his riding skills... I wasn’t about to give him my entire life story for obvious reasons. But I also didn’t want to lie to his face... Besides, I had grown a little more accepting of my past lately. Maybe it had something to do with being at Haven for so long.
Nevertheless, I still felt wary about opening up to someone so quickly. That’s the thing about secrets. The longer you hold them, the more used you get to it.
-Born and grown in the capital. I would lie if I said I had any idea of what the wilderness was before I started doing these missions-
I responded, deciding to stick to what was most important to the matter at hand.
-Haven was the best opportunity someone like me could get, so I took it. The rest is history, I started, and it seemed like I did alright since I managed to pass the first two years-
And with that, the caravan departed. Scouts were sent out ahead, and the merchant’s leader controlled the pace and direction we took. From our position in the back. Apollo and I could see the entirety of the caravan. While also having a line of sight on both sides. And being able to peek behind us every now and then as well.
The first stretch was nice and calm. We remained watchful for any funky shit happening. But the first stroke of bad news didn’t come from immediately around us but from the walkies... -Reporting in, center...-
-Center here. Report- I answered, curious to see what was the matter. -A couple Beowolves. Getting closer to the perimeter of the caravan from the southeast. They should spot you in around 4 minutes-
-Understood, will take care of them- I replied, holstering the receiver and turning towards Apollo.
-Well, you heard the man. Beowolves. Do you wanna go get the jump on them, or we wait till they are close?- I asked the monkey faunus. Usually, I didn’t have much choice than to fight within line of sight of the caravan. But now that I had someone else with me, we could find ways of doing this without altering the civilians so much.
They were used to travel and encounters with Grimm. But the sight of them was enough to get anyone nervous nevertheless.
Post by Reed Apollo on May 17, 2021 15:07:21 GMT -5
Reed had never been particularly fond of lectures. He found most of the time when an instructor at Haven began what was sure to be a long winded explanation of something his ears seemed to tune out immediately and his eyes would gloss over faster than he even realized was possible. With Bianca it was very different. While she was indeed giving him the real world equivalent of school lesson, her tone was what mattered. She wasn't talking down to Reed like he was a kid or like she knew better than him. In fact, her words came across as sincerely friendly advice. Simple take it or leave it this is what I think. Reed could respect that, and he found himself listening intently as they went. At her comment at speaking a lot he let out a genuine laugh.
"Not overwhelming at all," He answered, "Nice to see the shoe on the other foot, usually I'm the one trying to pry conversation out of people."
He let out another chuckle as she shook her head and spoke concerning his weapon. He knew it was an unorthodox choice to say the least. In all honesty yo-yos had been his favorite plaything as a child. His weapon had been more a creation of nostalgia than him making a practical choice of weapon. Solaris Arc reminded him of home.
Reed nodded as she gestured at her spear and grenades.
"Spear huh? Classy, I dig it." He replied.
Her continued explanation of her strength made him smile. So she would be good to handle direct assault while Reed's mobility would allow him to flank and finish off any opposition. Not a bad game plan overall. Seeing the earth rise to Bianca's command brought an impressed whistle from Reed. Handy little move, versatile too.
"I'll be sure to stay out of the path of any flying boulders." He grinned.
She explained that she had been born in the city, and had taken the job of huntress as the best career goal available.
"I'm working on year two, though admittedly I'm more scraping by than anything else." He said as they departed.
The first part of the journey was actually quite nice. The weather was pleasant, the road clear, and the trees offered a decent bit of shade as they moved at a slow but steady pace. The radio squawked and Bianca replied. a small scowl set on Reed's lips as he listened. Beowolves. He hated Bewowolves. Not in a fearful way, but more as he simply enjoyed destroying them more than any other Grimm he had ever encountered. They were the reason he was a huntsman really. The attack on the caravan had been the start of it all.
Bianca's question pulled him from those thoughts and he considered for a moment.
"Best to keep them as far away from the caravan as we can. Besides, I don't mind hunting down the big bad wolf." He smirked.
With a pull of the reins he diverted his horse to the back of the nearest cart and hitched it. The steed moving along with the cart at pace. With that he leapt from the saddle onto a nearby tree branch and began making his way southeast. From tree to tree he jumped, much like the animal he bore his features from. He found a small clearing just as he heard a growl and snarl rise up from below.
In a flash the Beowolf was leaping from the brush and Reed vaulted overhead to dodge. Claws slashed against his aura and red sparks rang out as the defensive energy absorbed the hit. His eyes caught movement to his left and he spun, twisting out of the way as a larger beowolf soared through the air. Its jaws snapped shut on the air where he had been a moment before.
Solaris Arc was in his hand in an instant. He swung his arm, launching the yo-yo at the larger Beowolf in the air with him. The metal wire of the weapon wrapping around the wolves torso as Reed activated the winch and swung his arm. The wolf was tugged in a rapid arc, its momentum being diverted sideways as it was slammed into a tree trunk. Reed flicked his wrist and his weapon unwound, reeling it back into his hand.
Post by Bianca Sabbato on May 23, 2021 22:59:01 GMT -5
-Year two, huh? Yeah. That is when things start getting serious. The first one is a breeze compared to that one...- I said, recalling my first year, they had been merciful with us back then. Likely due to the lack of general education from a lot of the trainees.
In our second year, however? We could not use that excuse anymore.
-Hey! I could give you a hand with some assignments. I’m not brilliant, but I managed to pass. So if we got some overlapping classes, I wouldn’t mind the practice- I offered to the monkey faunus. It certainly would hurt to get a little refreshed for some topics after all.
Later. I wasn’t surprised when Apollo decided to go and take care of the Grimm menace himself. A couple Beowolves shouldn’t be able to take down a second-year student so easily. And it was likely that Apollo was eager to prove himself useful. Or something.
Too much eagerness would likely be something to chastize as well, but I wouldn’t break his balls for every little thing. Better to focus on the positive, in this case, his drive to do the job. So I merely nodded as I watched him go.
I found it weird that he ditched the horse. As I was expecting him to use the beast to at least conserve energy or something. But it seemed like Apollo trusted himself to be faster and more mobile by foot. And when I saw him jumping into a tree and start swinging from branch to branch, I was left much more assured that he knew what he was doing.
And I couldn’t help but smirk, to be honest, at the fact that he was jumping from tree to tree much like a monkey would. It probably meant he had a lot of experience using his tail for extra balance, much like I did with mine. But where my lizard tail kept me grounded and low in my stance, it seemed like Apollo’s did the exact opposite for him.
Which was always good. Seeing faunus embracing their features, proud of them. It was a part of ourselves, after all. So I never liked hiding it, even where it could have given me trouble.
In a lazy canter, approached the caravan leader and informed him of the situation. The rest of the people didn’t need to know. Their negative emotions would only attract more Grimm. But our leader was an experienced old man who had seen more than his fair share of Grimm and bandits during his life. So he simply nodded and assured me he would keep that in mind.
With that done, I returned to the back of the caravan and opened the line back to Apollo. I didn’t say anything, but now I could listen a little to what was happening on his end. From what I could gather, he was doing fine...
…
Howling in pain, the biggest of the two wolves struggled to get on his feet as the three collapsed under its weight. Covering the Grimm creature with broken branches and leaves shook off before growling at Apollo with disdain.
At this moment, the smaller of the Grimm should have known better than to try and hunt down Apollo as if he was any other prey. But smaller, less evolved Grimm often lack the necessary survival instincts to retreat when it was clear they have been outmatched. So he recklessly charged in. But barely managed to get a glancing blow on the faunus.
Nonetheless, this seemed to be the handy distraction the older, more experienced Beowulf was waiting for, launching himself towards Apollo. Who nevertheless managed to dodge most of the assault but was still lightly damaged by the Grimm.
Although, this begged the question of for how long would the dark creatures manage to continue their assault.
But just as he was immersed in the battle. Apollo’s radio sent in a worrying message.
-Someone shot me! I’m pulling back, but someone almost got me with a rifle, three kilometers ahead of the route!-