My Idea Box

FANFICTION IDEA: Examinations (from a planned RWBY AU fanfic)

Disclaimer: RWBY belongs to RoosterTeeth and the late Monty Oum. Not me.

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Back upright. Shoulders square. Muscles loose.

"Alright, deep breath in," Pyrrha heard.

She closed her eyes and inhaled the biggest breath she could through her nose. Having done it many times in many training sessions back home, it was second nature. Also second nature was how everything fell away. The constant beep of a monitor, the sticky pads on her limbs, the smell of her own sweat, and more. 

A sharp tap on Pyrrha's shoulder brought her back to them all and the sterile walls of the testing room. The cold air was nothing to the woman examining Pyrrha. "Relax," she said, clipping in her southern Valish accent. "You're not in a tournament. Now, breathe out."

"I'm sorry, Doctor Abigail," left Pyrrha's lips after sputtering out her large breath.

"Stop apologizing. Brothers, you're a champion, not some child."

Pyrrha shivered from the stethoscope piercing her gown. Not that it mattered to the doctor–donning the coat, gloves, and all. After unhooking Pyrrha from the wires of the nearby monitor, the doctor eyed her clipboard. "Hmm, no discernible change from after physical exercise, still no wild Aura fluctuations... Here, clean yourself off with this and get changed."

After taking a towel to the face, Pyrrha gave her thanks and left the treadmill she had been running on for the fifth time today. Doctor Abigail, despite being shorter than Ruby, commanded with an authority rivaling that of Professor Goodwitch. No surprise, since the doctor was in charge of Beacon Academy's entire medical wing. In the same wing, Pyrrha took refuge in a cubicle-sized enclosure, the flowery curtain giving her privacy to change into her armor.

When Pyrrha stepped out, she found warmth in the several frames along the wall which made up for the lack of color or windows. Ruby would always zoom through the pictures and articles of Beacon's medical staff and past teams. A photo of a younger Doctor Abigail had her giggling the first time she saw it.

Pyrrha stifled her own after seeing the locks and pigtails. She walked past it to find more of Huntsmen–students and professionals alike–either being examined or visited by their friends. Not one was not an unhappy moment. 

Pyrrha's steps slowed to the only exception: a long article with a long list of name. Strange, she had never noticed it before. Maybe it was because she had never seen Ruby pay attention to it either. The title gave an obvious hint: 'TO THOSE WE HAVE LOVED AND LOST.' 

The date caught Pyrrha's attention, too. Now, she read the names out of respect of those lost to the tragedy twelve years ago. 'Renald Azure, age: 45. Brolim Bronze, age: 54, Rachel Marsh, age: 47... Gretchen Rainart, age 23. Hazel Rainart, age: 23. Summer Rose, Age: 27...'

"Rose?" Pyrrha said and read the name again to be sure.

"So you've finally noticed," she heard Abigail. Pyrrha barely saw the doctor's grayed head by her hip. "Have a long look at that. Even an idiot can grow wise after seeing it."

"Doctor, what is...?"

"Another reminder," Doctor Abigail said, writing in her pad. "Here's a note for your team. I'll send the results to Ozpin, but in the meantime, manage your Aura levels. Don't use your Semblance too often, and that goes double for–"

A blur of rose petals came in between, and a cloakless Ruby blocked out the yellow note in the doctor's hands. "Pyrrha, you gotta help! He's after me!" she cried.

Pyrrha turned to ask the others joining her and Ruby. "Orion? Blake? What is going on?"

"Bit of a long story," Orion said from behind his scarf.

Blake then said, "Some crazy man wanted to collect samples without explaining who he was or why. He already collected some from Orion."

"'Kay, not that long. And in my defense, he said he's a doctor."

"Dressed like that?"

Pyrrha almost agreed with Blake after seeing who hobbled down the hall in a long black coat. "I just need a few vials, that's all!" the man said, holding up a shiny needle and an empty tube in each hand instead of a sickle and a bag of souls.

Pyrrha winced from Ruby squeezing her waist and saying, "Don't let him take my blood!"

"I assure you the process is quite painless," the man assured, but the smile and the pointy white beard made Pyrrha think otherwise.

"Let me handle this," said Abigail, who stepped in front of the team. "Argent."

"Ah, Abby," said the towering pale man to the short woman. "I come back from my vacation, and I learn the first years are already infected. Why didn't anyone tell me? I would've devised a cure within a day!"

"Brothers, Argent. They are not infected! They are being examined for any side-effects on their Aura. Didn't you read the report?"

"I did, and it's Doctor Argent." Pyrrha barely heard Abigail mutter something about "part-time." Argent went on as if he didn't hear a thing. "You didn't answer my question. Why wasn't I informed of their situation?"

"That's Doctor Abigail. And ask Ozpin," Abigail said with a seething undertone Pyrrha had never heard before in her life. "Personally, I think he did something smart for once. This team needs a real doctor, not some hack!"

Argent's beady eyes widened. "A hack, you say? I hunted for Taijitu's fangs for a antidote when you were in combat school! I treated half of Mantle when you–"

"And that half says you're a hack!"

Pyrrha stepped back with her team, more from Ruby pulling on her. Pyrrha asked, "Should we...?"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Nope." 

"What they said," Blake agreed with Ruby and Orion. Pyrrha silently thanked her for pulling the former off. "Now, let's go."

"Wait, my cloak!" said Ruby.

"We'll get it later. Now, c'mon!" said Orion, helping Blake carrying Ruby in the other direction. 

Pyrrha lingered by the bickering adults before she went after her team again. They all had visited the medical wing enough times to recognize their way around, so Pyrrha could always come back to grab the slip. Watching Ruby kick and scream for her cloak, Pyrrha's mind went back to the name on the obituary.

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AN: A little bit I had in mind for a RWBY AU fanfic. Not sure if I'll publish it as I'd want to write my other stories first, but I hope you still like it. Thanks and take care.

-W.S.