Chapter 1

The Thief and the Butcher

(A/N: This story is dedicated to its creator, Monty Oum. Thank you, Monty, for creating such a wonderful show and so many characters for us fans to fall in love with. Your work has been an incredible inspiration for me that I could never thank you enough for. God bless)

The City of Vale was often called the birthplace of culture, and walking through its busy avenues it was easy to see why. Travelers from all across Remnant migrated to the city heralded as 'The Melting Pot' to begin new lives and to feel immersed in its diverse people and rich culture.

Poets and artists came just for glimpses of Forever Fall, the northern forest that never shed its crimson leaves. Historians visited to see where countless civilizations had fallen before rising again like a phoenix from the ashes. And keeping the city and kingdom safe was Beacon Academy, the oldest and most prestigious school for training the next generation of huntsmen and huntresses to defend the world against Grimm.

To do that however, students would need the proper ammunition, and luckily for them the 'Newly Re-Opened!' banner being hung signaled the return of the From Dust Till Dawn dust shop, which had become a favorite among freshmen.

Hanging the banner was a wrinkled old man standing atop a wooden ladder nearly as ancient as he was. Occasionally a passerby would stop to see if the hunchback needed a hand but he'd simply wave cheerfully and shake his head. Others simply paused to see which antique would fall first, but he'd been the only one not to flinch whenever a fleet of Atlesian airships flew overhead.

'Ironwood is at it again,' he would grumble to himself after every flyby. 'The general always takes his military wherever he goes.'

Although the shopkeeper was annoyed with the northern kingdom's airships in the skies of Vale, he did feel a sense of security being in their shadow. Over the course of three months, nearly every dust shop in the city had been robbed and its supply stolen. Even the Schnee Dust Company's armed bullheads, ships, and locomotive transports hadn't been safe.

It seemed everyone had been made a fool courtesy of public enemy number one, Roman Torchwick. Miraculously there hadn't been any casualties, and unless one counted what one particular girl with a red hood and scythe did to a handful of his henchmen there also hadn't been any major injuries.

The only bright side the old man could see in his darkened vision was that the demand for dust had skyrocketed because of the shortage, meaning he could charge an arm and a leg for even the lowest quality and still be the cheapest store in the city. He did however make sure that the girl with the red hood always received a discount whenever she and her friends came by, along with free copies of 'Weapons of Atlas Monthly' and 'Advanced Mechanics Weekly'.

After finally getting the banner hung and giving the ropes one last healthy tug, the shopkeeper made the slow descent to the ground mindful of his footing. Just as he began to relax something bumped the ladder and his left shoe missed the step completely. Luckily his aura wasn't as weak as his frail body as he landed on the ground with a grimace but not in any pain.

Looking up he saw the most exotic looking young woman with dark skin and green hair peering down at him with worried red eyes.

"I am so sorry, sir," her voice shook. "Are you alright?"

The shopkeeper smiled and nodded his wrinkled head before extending his hand so the girl with a mid-drift could pull him to his feet.

After apologizing profusely for several minutes, the young woman rubbed the back of her neck and grinned sheepishly.

"Um, if it's not too much trouble, could you please help me? I'm not from around here and more than a little lost."

He nodded being able to tell from her appearance she was originally from Vacuo, the arid kingdom to the west of Vale, while her accent was from the eastern wetlands of Mistral.

"Thank you so much," she sighed in relief. "I need to find a bookstore but this city is making my head spin."

The young woman held out a piece of paper with '282-27th' scribbled on it and he instantly felt sympathetic. It was difficult for outsiders to find their way around the City of Vale as every street was one-way and seemed to twist and turn, and her address was no exception. 282 was the address while 27 was the street. Every last digit designated a specific landmark the street led to, and in this case the seven meant the road would eventually lead to the tower of the Cross Continental Transmit.

The shopkeeper once again nodded his bald head and pointed her in the right direction, and since by now he'd noticed the green pistols with blades poking behind her back he also informed her how to reach Beacon.

"Just take any road ending with a two north and you'll find the academy. The roads are paved in yellow bricks so you can't miss it."

She brought her hands together and bowed in thanks, a common practice in Mistral, but especially by the polite students of Haven.

"Thank you so much sir. You've helped me more than you know..." Turning to leave, a smile crept up on her face as if she'd told a humorous joke.

With an extra bounce to her step, she skipped around the corner but felt a headache come upon her as a familiar presence leaned against the brick wall. She tried to continue forward but stopped and turned as a throat was cleared.

"I knew you were lost." A young man chuckled with his hands behind his head.

"Mercury," she sneered, "I will seriously pay you to shut up."

Making good on her offer she shoved a wallet full of lien against his lightly armored chest.

"That isn't your money," he patronized, wagging a finger.

"No, but it could be yours for five minutes of peace and quiet," she hissed between her teeth.

The boy about her age seemed to consider the offer before shaking his head, making silver hair fall around his matching eyes.

"Can't do it." He shrugged. "It wouldn't be right."

Grimacing, she took the money out of the old man's decomposing wallet before tossing it in a nearby garbage can.

"Fine, more for me then." She stormed off muttering to herself while he watched her go.

"Whatever, you know you want me!" he called, catching the attention of onlookers.

Detaching his slender body from the wall, he used his larger frame and longer legs to easily catch up. Now walking side by side, they passed dozens of shops and bouquets with young people drinking their morning coffee and carrying on conversations. Pleasant aromas filled the air attracting crowds to every shop, causing the entire city to feel alive and healthy.

"So..." He clicked his tongue." How much further, Emerald?"

"Just a few more blocks, Mercury," she snapped, having grown tired of the question and repetitive use of her name.

"Uh, this place is so dull," he groaned.

She was also getting tired of his attitude.

"Really? I kinda like it." She eyeballed a Vacuon necklace in a shop window and made a mental note to come back later. "The weather is great, the buildings are beautiful, and the people are-"

"-doughy and easy marks for pick-pocketing."

"That's every city." She gave a cocky grin and put her hands on her hips as if looking for praise.

"Oh, Emerald, master thief please spare me," he cowered. "Please don't take all the money I worked so hard for. I barely have enough to get by as it is, and I have four hungry children to feed."

Mercury mimicked the old man's rasp and hunched back as he covered his face in fear.

Unamused by her companion's antics, Emerald pushed past him to get to their destination as quickly as possible.

"You're no fun today." Mercury shook his head in disappointment before following.

Walking up a series of steps she glanced at the note once more before peaking in through the dirty window, and what little she saw caused her red eyes to light up. Wearing a confident smile on her face, she opened the door and was greeted by the friendly smell of paper. It was rare to find bookstores anymore so she cherished the moment, taking her time walking to the cashier's counter. It wouldn't be around forever after all...

Unsure if the clerk heard her entering, she rang the bell at the desk and waited patiently.

"Be there in a moment," a deep voice called from the back.

True to their word, the storage room door opened and a large man appeared carrying large stacks of books in each of his burly arms. Keeping his back to the customer, he read off the store's greeting he had no doubt memorized by heart.

"Welcome to 'Tukson's Book Trade', home to every book under the sun. I'm Tukson how may I-"

He paused as his sharp eyes noticed the exotic young woman for the first time. He set the books down and cleared his throat.

"How may I help you?" he asked, sounding casual and much more interested than before

"I'm looking for a book," she gushed. "Could you help me?"

A bell rang at the entrance and heavy boots stomped inside.

"That's funny because so am I." Mercury waved at her. "What are the odds?"

The clerk smiled at his new customer but sensed tension between the two, and naturally shifted his tone to something more authoritative or perhaps threatening.

"Can I help you find something, sir?"

"No thanks, I know what I'm looking for." His voice seemed amused, and the clerk's attention was brought back to the small girl as she stood up on her toes.

"I was wondering, do you had any copies of 'Violet's Garden' in paperback?"

"Paperback and hardback." He grinned. "Take your pick."

"Options are always nice," she mused, biting her lower lip.

"Would you like a copy?"

"No thank you, I was just curious. What about 'The Thief and The Butcher'?"

"Got it!" Mercury hollered. "It's even got pictures."

He slammed the book shut startling the clerk.

"Oh I know!" She exclaimed, bouncing up and down. "Do you have 'Third Crusade'?"

The tall man swallowed, and felt his pulse begin to quicken and his chest tighten.

"I, um, uh..." he stammered, glancing between his customers.

Months ago the radical book supporting another faunus uprising had been in ample supply in his store, but things had changed since then, and the copies burned so they didn't delude any more young faunus.

The silver haired boy slammed another book shut, looking worried while the girl still looked optimistic.

"I'm afraid we no longer carry that book, ma'am."

"Wait, what is this place called again?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Tukson's Book Trade," he answered.

"And you are Tukson right?" The clerk gave a curt nod keeping his eyes on the young man in the back. "Then I take it you're the one who came up with the catchphrase?"

"And what was it again?" her partner demanded.

"'Tukson's Book Trade'," the girl answered with a deep voice mocking him. "'Home to every book under the sun'."

"It's just the tagline," the shop's owner replied calmly.

"It's called false advertising!" the young man exclaimed. "And you really shouldn't make promises you can't keep, Tukson!"

He flipped the light switch before turning off the window projections so they were left in almost complete darkness.

'Fine by me,' Tukson thought. 'I can see you two just fine.'

"We heard you planned on leaving," the girl drawled out. "Moving all the way to Vacuo. The White Fang wasn't too happy to hear that, Tukson, and neither are we. You know who we are don't you?"

He nodded. "You're that Witch's followers..."

They glanced at one another sharing smirks.

"You're Emerald, so that'd make him Mercury."

"Wrong!" the boy laughed. "She's the thief, and I'm the butcher."

He held up the novel as if it were an ID but Tukson didn't seem impressed.

"You two do realize that we faunus can see perfectly in the dark right? You may want to rethink your plan."

"And you know we can smell you right?" Emerald answered holding the bridge of her nose. "You smell like a-"

Tukson snarled as his claws extended and he bared his teeth. Leaping over the counter he swiped for the girl's head, but felt his hand pass through as if she were a ghost.

"Now!" her voice called from around the corner.

Tukson's last conscious thought was of a heavy boot striking him in the head, then nothing...

A suppressed gunshot rang out, and his lifeless body fell the tile floor. Mercury stooped down to check on him, and not completely satisfied, he raised his boot again and made sure no amount of aura could save him.

Stepping out of the shadows, Emerald watched with a triumphant smile as her glowing crimson eyes returned to normal. They seemed to mock the fallen faunus whose vision had seen her perfectly, but only seen what she'd wanted him to.

Content with their mission now accomplished, she opened the cash register and pocketed a handful of lien before turning toward the door, holding the epicenter of her migraine. Feeling the warm sun on her skin again, she took a deep breath as using her semblance even for a short time always made her dizzy and her limbs stiff.

Mercury walked out moments later reading the book and essentially ignoring her. Emerald knew it must be entertaining if he was looking at it instead of her stretching. There was a reason he normally walked behind her after all.

"Souvenir?" she asked.

"Nope." Mercury showed her the cover. "It's 'The Thief and The Butcher'. I just really like the pictures."

He slammed the book shut.

(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. "The Petals Scatter Now" is a pseudo-novelization of RWBY Volume 2 with a more serious tone that also expands upon its story and character while at the same time attempting to capture the spirit of the show as closely as possible, which means there is no shipping, gore, cursing, or anything else that would not have been found in the first two volumes. As for a couple of the changes you can expect, there's more emphasis on Ruby and her relationship with her teammates, the "Dance Arc" focuses much on Ruby and less on Jaune/Pyrrha/Weiss/Neptune, and the final story arc with team RWBY going to Mt. Glenn received an overhaul. Volume 1 is canon in this story unless I or the story states otherwise, though ultimately it's entirely up to your own headcanon what is/isn't. I also just want to say that I have the utmost respect for the creators and that all alterations are to simply tell the story I wish to tell. There will be many changes down the road and I hope you enjoy.

RWBY and the cover picture depicting the grave of Summer Rose belong to the late great Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth.

All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ who has made this story possible. God bless)