rosetotheoccasion | First Petal [Video/action for New Bark Town]

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First Petal [Video/action for New Bark Town]

[There's a bit of a clatter when the video turns on, and the view is a bit skewed; a sideways shot of the very same house all non-Rockets wake up in. A pair of black and red boots can be seen pacing back and forth, their owner reaching down and grabbing a few other things that had spilled from their bag, along with the 'gear.]

Miss, I don't-- [The owner of the fear - a young girl it seems - halts as "Mom" continues to drone on with her usual spiel, a slight whine in her voice as she impatiently bounces on the balls of her feet.]

Miss, I really don't think you-- I mean, I really appreciate this, I guess!! But you're not really... [Sigh. She's not really listening is she? Guess she has no choice...]

I'msorryIreallyamthankfulbutIgottagobye!

[The words rush out all in one breath, and with a flurry of footsteps, the girl is gone.

... Without her Pokegear.

Luckily, a moment later a Houndour appears, grabbing the device in its mouth and running off. The camera jostles around a bit but stops soon enough, with the girl - dressed all in red and black, wrapped in a hooded red cape, and black hair cut short - finally in full view.]

What- yikes!

[She jumps back, shock on her face and a small bit of fear in her eyes. After a moment, though, she leans a little closer.]

You... you're not a Grimm, are you?

[A muffled bark comes from the Houndour holding the gear, and it's only then that the girl notices the device and quickly grabs it. After giving it a quick once-over to determine what exactly it is, she turns it in what she hopes is the right direction...!]

Uh... mayday, mayday! SOS! Some other distress call! .... Help? Geez, I don't know what I should be saying here...

[FOCUS. Okay. Breathe in, breathe out.]

T-This is Ruby Rose, leader of Team RWBY, and I have no idea where I am! This, uh... this isn't Vale, is it?

[As her adrenaline starts to fade, Ruby's shoulders slump.]

I... I gotta get back. Like, right now! There are a whole lot of people that need help...

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[SHE'S CALM OKAY. Just. Jittery. Which means she's not exactly calm, but it's better than outright panic, right?]

Everyone wakes up here? [...] If everyone wakes up here, then shouldn't that mean that there's a way out here somewhere?

That, I'm not so sure about. Everyone's circumstances showing up here are a little different.

[Sometimes people come from canonpoints that they can't exactly go back to.]

Hold on, one second.

[He disconnects for a second, and comes back a second later.]

You said your name was Ruby? You can call me North. I switched to a private channel, is that okay with you?

[Well that... was weird.]

Huh? Yeah, sure, why?

[Because you're speaking language that's hitting all the "soldier" pings
Because you're scared]

I just want to make sure you're okay.
I know my team leader is terrible about wanting to look unstoppable if anyone is around to see her.

[North you are looking awfully pot-like to be throwing shade at Agent Kettleina]

You said there were people in trouble, back home? Is it your team, or other people?

[That actually... gets her to perk up a little.]

Are you a Hunter too??? Or someone from the Atlas army? There are Grimm all over Vale, the whole city's in trouble...!

[OH NO he wants to help her so bad now he feels so bad that he has to be a disappointment]

I'm sorry, I am in the army, but I've never heard of a place called Atlas...

[Aaand then she slumps over again.]

Oh, you're like that other guy, aren't you.... you've never heard of Remnant?

No, I haven't. I wish I could help.

But even if there's no way to get you home from here, I have heard that things don't change without you. At least the situation won't get any worse, if that's a comfort.

... I don't know if it does.

[Like her slumped shoulders, everything about the poor girl just seems to sag now.]

Everything's going wrong back home, and I dunno what's going on with some of my friends, or my sister. They could be in a lot of danger and I have no way of finding out...!

[He's quiet for a moment.]

...I do know what that's like. Back home, my sister and I lost contact with the rest of our unit when the ship we were assigned to crashed.

When I woke up here, we'd just been attacked, and I didn't know whether she was okay either.

[Wow. Ruby's not sure if that's better or worse than her situation. He was with his sister, but he knew what was attacking them... Ruby didn't even know what Yang might be running into back home.]

I was at an arena watching a tournament, and my sister was back at our dorm. [Not gunna get into why, nope.] Things... went wrong and my Scroll was destroyed. Grimm started invading the school and the city... I have no idea what's going on with Yang or the rest of my team

... I mean, they're all super awesome and can kick all kinds of Grimm butt!! I'm just... still really worried.

It's alright to be worried. It sounds like you're a good leader.

[He goes quiet again, but his voice stays calm and reassuring.]

It's hard to be cut off from people who need you. And it doesn't mean much when people keep saying 'everything's going to be fine.'

But sometimes, you have to just have faith that they'll be okay. Whether nothing changes back home or not.

You think so?

[Ruby turns a little pink at the compliment. Sure, she's heard it before; from teachers and friends mostly. But hearing it from a complete stranger... it feels different. Good.]

And I totally get that. It's comforting, really! But... nobody here saw the stuff that I saw, y'know?

[Her best friend, torn apart. A Giant Nevermore crashing into a stadium with panicking civilians still inside. Gryphon Grimm swarming the skies....]

It... you can't say "it'll all be fine" to that kinda thing.

I do. The mark of a good leader is how much they care, and it sounds like you care a lot about your team.

[Speaking as someone who proudly took commands from the woman who later became Agent "I can't lose another family" Carolina.]

No, you're right. Whatever was happening before you came here, no one has the same perspective that you do, and it can be hard to accept all these total strangers telling you it's going to be okay.

I think the people who have been here for a while - and probably especially people who don't have a reason to go back -

[like me]

well, we forget what it was like to be new here. ...It's actually a little scary how easy it is to adapt here, now that I think about it.

... Don't have a reason to go back?

[That... yikes. That sends a chill down Ruby's spine pretty darn quick.]

Everyone has something they want to go back to, don't they?

...Ah.

Maybe "a reason" was a bad choice of words. For some people, this place gives them a second chance after the life that they left is over.

[Died. After they died, North, pussyfooting doesn't do anyone any good.]

... Oh.

[So he... oh.]

Is.. is it a good second chance?

[After all, Penny's memories may not be up to where Ruby's are, but things happened to her regardless... so in a way, this is her second chance too.]

[At that question, North smiles. It's both fond and reassuring.]

I have a boyfriend who sends me terrible pick up lines, and a girlfriend who laughs at them. I have a loyal team who take care of me as much as I take care of them, a roof over my head, fresh, genuine air, and plenty of sunshine.

Sure, there's a few people I can think of who would make it even better. [South, Theta]

But as far as I'm concerned, I'm the luckiest man alive. I haven't spoken to everyone with a similar situation back home, but I think this place does a lot of good for a lot of people.

[Boy... how can you not smile at the way he talks?]

Wow... it really does sound like you're the luckiest guy here. And you totally deserve it!! You seem like a really good person, Mister North.

... Who are your important people here? Can I meet them sometime?

[He has so much gross schmoop about his partners, gracious.]

Thank you, Ruby.

[He's done so many bad things, toed the line so hard, it's... it feels good to be able to help people. To be told that it's worth it.]

You're a good person, too. It takes a good person to care the way you do.

[BUT HE'S BEING ASKED ABOUT HIS BOOS right time to be gross again]

I'm sure you'll meet them at some point. They'll probably introduce themselves as York and Carolina, or Agent York and Agent Carolina. We all live in Goldenrod, so if you ever head that way we'd love for you to stop by and say hi.

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First Petal [Video/action for New Bark Town]

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