Rozen Maiden: Scattered

Prologue

*A/N: This is an idea I wanted to let you know. If enough people are interested in this story, I will start writing the proper story. As for now, I just want to write the Prologue. I hope you like it, and if you do want me to continue writing it, please let me know in the comments.

*I do not own RWBY or Rozen Maiden; their respective owners are Viz Media and Peach-Pit.

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Once upon a time in the world of Remnant, where kingdoms stood tall and Huntsmen defended against the Grimm, there existed a hidden story, one of a brilliant, yet cold man named Rozen and his disciple, Pietro Polendina.

Rozen was an enigmatic man, living in the shadows of his former self. Once full of joy, his life had been consumed by sorrow when he lost his daughter at a tender age. Though the world marveled at his intellect, Rozen's genius had been twisted by grief. He sought to recreate the perfect daughter, a living, breathing doll to fill the void left by the loss of his child. Day and night, Rozen toiled, crafting porcelain dolls with intricate joints and delicate features.

Pietro Polendina, a bright and hopeful young man, became Rozen's disciple. He admired the older man's brilliance but was disturbed by his coldness. Yet Pietro stayed, eager to learn, and curious about Rozen's methods. As years passed, Pietro grew skilled in Rozen's techniques, learning the intricate ways to craft the joints of dolls.

Despite Rozen's coldness, there was something about Rozen's work that fascinated him, the intricate design of the dolls, the almost magical quality they seemed to possess.

Years passed, and as time does, it claimed Rozen. Pietro was left with his mentor's plans, a mix of unfulfilled ambitions and unspoken grief.

Among the old man's possessions, Pietro found notes, fragments of Rozen's final work, detailing how he planned to split his own soul to give life to his creations. And so, with Rozen gone, Pietro felt a deep responsibility to carry on his master's dream. But life had a way of changing priorities.

After Rozen's death, Pietro left for Atlas, the city of progress and innovation, where technology ruled and hearts were often colder than the metal the city so admired.

Pietro, unlike many in Atlas, did not seek fame or fortune. Instead, he offered his skills to help others. He worked tirelessly to ensure no father would experience the heartbreak that had consumed Rozen. His expertise in anatomy and mechanics, honed through his work with porcelain dolls, allowed him to excel in creating cybernetic prosthetics. But instead of porcelain, Pietro used metal, infusing life into the lives of those who had lost limbs or hope. His reputation as a healer and inventor grew, and soon the Atlas military took notice.

The Atlas military, always hungry for the next big weapon or technological leap, scouted Pietro for his knowledge. There was a grand competition, a gathering of the greatest minds in the kingdom, each presenting their next revolutionary idea for Atlas' future. Engineers, scientists, and scholars all proposed innovations for weapons, war machines, and defenses. But Pietro, with memories of Rozen's dream still vivid in his heart, presented something different.

Unlike his peers who proposed weapons and machines for war, Pietro proposed the creation of a cybernetic being, a person with both mechanical and human qualities, capable of possessing a soul and even a semblance. He named this project Penny, a vision of life and kindness in a world shaking on the edge of war.

The judges, intrigued by Pietro's concept, declared his idea the winner. Armed with resources and technology, Pietro began to work on what would become his most cherished creation. Penny was born not from porcelain, but from the same metal that Pietro had used to help so many. She was built to fight, her design shaped by the needs of Atlas' military, but Pietro's heart was still guided by the same love that had fueled Rozen's quest for the perfect daughter.

Pietro envisioned Penny as a beacon of hope, someone who could be kind, curious, and full of life. But for that to happen, Penny needed more than just programming; she needed a soul.

Recalling Rozen's old experiments, Pietro decided to take the same path his master had taken. However, where Rozen had divided his soul out of grief, Pietro made his choice out of love. He used Rozen's techniques to split a part of his own soul and imbued it into Penny, giving her not just life, but the capacity for semblance, a human-like ability that made her truly unique. Penny was unlike anything the world had ever seen. She was strong, capable of defending herself and others, yet she had a warmth and kindness that reflected Pietro's heart. To him, she was more than a weapon or a tool for war, she was a daughter.

And after many years of hard work Penny was born. She was excitable and sweet, her bright green eyes always full of wonder. Penny was Pietro's daughter in every way that mattered. She embodied all that was good and pure in the world, a reflection of the perfect girl Rozen had once envisioned.

But unbeknownst to Pietro, Rozen's story did not end with his death. Before Pietro had ever arrived, Rozen had created seven dolls in secret. These dolls were hidden from the world inside Rozen's semblance, a semblance no-one knew, called "The N-Field", waiting.

Waiting for someone to wake them.

Waiting for the Alice Game to began.