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Shulk walked through the restored Colony Six as he walked back to the house, the house that he shared part-time with Reyn and Fiora when they stayed in the colony. It was late at night, and he had spent the day learning from the Machina, humanoid creatures from one of the two titans that used to be half of the world.
The world that Shulk and his friends remade together, a world that had no need for gods. This world wasn’t perfect, but it was now their world, and it came with a bit of a learning curve to adapt to.
This world had a shattered moon high in the sky and strange creatures of all shapes and sizes. Creatures with blackened skin and fur, gleaming red eyes, weird bonelike spots, and protrusions on their bodies.
Ether was nonexistent in this world, instead, the replacement for Ether were strange multi-colored rocks that they called Crystals.
The diminutive and pudgy Nopon, Homs, mechanical and long-lived Machina, and surviving winged High Entia had all had to adapt to their new world together. They had to learn how to face the challenges of this strange, unforgiving world together but they were surviving.
As the blonde-haired boy put his hand on the doorknob, the siren that used to be used for debris cut through the air shrilly. Shulk paused as the door opened to reveal Reyn and Fiora standing there.
“Oye! What’s with the noise? It’s the middle of the night. Wait, are ya just getting home, Shulk?” Reyn asked as he tilted his head.
“Yeah, I was helping some of the Machina check out the Crystals.”
“C’mon you lot! We have to go check the colony walls! In case any of those creatures are around!” Colonel Vangarre’s angry voice cut through the air.
“Guess, we should go with them. Right?” Fiora said as she shot her boyfriend and one of her childhood friends a look.
“Right, we should take our weapons though.” Shulk agreed.
“Way ahead of ya bud.” Reyn handed Shulk his Replica Monado before the three childhood friends and seasoned travelers set off towards the colony’s gates.
They were joined by Melia Antiqua, the Crown Princess of the last few High Entia, and Sharla, a medic who was born in the old Colony Six as well as Reyn’s girlfriend.
Sharla moved her long black hair out of her face as she loaded her rifle, now outloaded for Crystals instead of Ether.
“What do you think it is? Those creatures?” Reyn asked but Melia shook her head.
“Highly unlikely, I have no doubt that if it was them then the guards on the wall would have specified.”
The young woman, who was actually a lot older than she looked, said as she gripped her staff harder. Her blue eyes scanned the colony as the five exited the gates of the colony that led towards the sea.
Colonel Vangarre and his men were there, holding their weapons lazily by their sides as they stared at what was in the sand.
“Wait, what?” The five of them said as their eyes went to the sand.
There, unconscious in the sand, were four girls. “Well, this is an unexpected… surprise?” Sharla asked as she went to go check on their condition.
The medic knelt down to check the red girl’s pulse, her boots sinking into the sand. “She’s alright, pulse is normal. We should take them all to the hospital and make sure that they wake up. This wet sand can’t be good for them, not to mention we don’t know how long they were in the ocean.”
Reyn moved next to her and carefully scooped up the redhead before handing her to Sharla. He then grabbed the blonde-haired girl. “C’mon they ain’t gonna take themselves to the hospital.”
“No, they’re not.” Shulk agreed before he moved to pick up the girl closest to him, one who had black hair and a ribbon in her hair which came undone as he slowly picked her up. “Wait, does she have… cat ears?” Fiora asked inquisitively.
“It seems to be that way, yes. We can inquire about why when they awaken.” Melia replied as she daintily lifted the white-haired girl with some help from Fiora.
“That’s true, we should get them looked at.” Shulk nodded and Melia’s heart ached a bit as he agreed with her but she forced it down and a faint smile to come onto her face.
It only took them a half hour or so to get the four unconscious girls situated in the hospital. “Why don’t you all go get some rest? I’ll head back once I know they’re all okay.” Sharla gave a weary smile as she started to look over her patients.
The next three days passed and Sharla barely left her charges’ sides. Reyn made sure that she ate and kept herself healthy. Sharla was coming back from her small lunch when she heard a soft groan coming from the third bed.
She moved to it and saw that the occupant had indeed woken up. “Oh, where I am? And why do I feel like I’ve been trampled by a Goliath?” The girl said as she sat up slowly, shaking her head and letting her brunette hair fall in front of her silver eyes.
“Hello, I’m Sharla and you’re in Colony Six. Do you remember your name?”
The girl nodded; her silver eyes were stormy. “Colony Six? Where’s that? Not important, I’m Ruby Rose. Are my friends here?”
Sharla’s eyebrow rose as Ruby asked her questions. “Your friends, do they have white, black, and blonde hair?”
Ruby nodded slowly. “Yeah, can I see them? Please?” her voice was full of begging.
Sharla nodded. “Fine, but I’ll be carrying you. So, try not to squirm so much. Do you understand?”
Ruby nodded as Sharla moved to her and slowly lifted her bridal style into her arms. “Can I see Yang first? The blonde, she’s my sister… please?”
Sharla nodded and carried Ruby to the first bed. “I didn’t know you two were sisters you don’t look alike. Are the other two your friends?”
“Friends, and teammates yes. We’re Team RWBY.”
“Team RWBY… and your name is Ruby? Isn’t that a little self-centered?” Sharla asked with a small smile.
“I didn’t come up with the name. it was our Headmaster that did.”
“I see, what are your other teammate’s names?”
“The white-haired girl is named Weiss, and the black-haired girl is Blake.”
“I noticed something when my friends and I brought you all here. Why does Blake have cat ears?” Sharla asked as she set Ruby down next to Yang, her sister.
Ruby looked at her older sister with sadness in her eyes. “That’s uh not really my secret to say.”
Sharla nodded and gave a small, sad smile. “I understand.”