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faunusrights · 5 years

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‘AFTER THE FALL’ - LIVEREAD III

The more I hear about the latter half of this book, the more depresso espresso I’m drinking. Let’s see how it goes, huh?

(Since there’s more chapters in the latter half than the first half, short chapters will probably get combined together for the sake of. I’m lazy.)

CHAPTERS EIGHT AND NINE

I love that Velvet’s the one who enlisted Weiss and Yang, expecting shit to go sideways. She saw these two gays on main and went ‘they look like they can party’. Was she wrong? No. Did she invite Cinder for the express purpose of drama? Yes. Can you make me stop shipping Sinnamon Bun? Also no.

Okay, this book has read my mine though!!! Ruby pitches a Beacon Battle Club where they play music as they fight, and no word of a fucking lie, that happens in Great Weiss Shark AU! I am not kidding! I had this whole story planned out! This is theft of the HIGHEST order.

“Doilies are absurd and elitist,” Yang said.

This is simultaneously the least Yang-like line and also the most Yang-like line I’ve ever heard. The duality of idiot, I suppose.

I like Fox! I really do, actually! He’s my son now. Although, the bad news is I dunno if I can replicate him in The Frapp Logs, so he’ll just have to keep dragging Coco to the ends of the earth. Same thing, right? R-right?

“Leaders can’t be the comic relief.” Fox raised his eyebrows. “Jaune.”

Is this the second time Jaune’s been dragged? I’m living for it. Also, sleepy Blake! And CFVY knowing she’s (they’re) a Faunus! And the second book behind a book! I love you, Blake.

Velvet correcting Yatsu’s ‘catnap’ joke! I wrote a ficlet about this exact thing once, so I TOLD you my Velvet’s NEARLY CANON. SHE JUST NEEDS TO EAT MORE PROTEIN IS ALL.

Onto chapter nine. God, these chapters get thinner by the second, huh?

BACK TO THE DESERT WE GO, and there’s... fog? Which is now gone! Wow! Is this a plot device? Foreshadowing? I sure hope so, because why on earth it would warrant a mention we’re just not too sure!

A sandstorm is incoming and hidden tracks are gonna get blasted away. I’m trying to figure out if this is all pathetic fallacy or if I’m reading too much into handy-dandy plot devices. Why not both?

Heart-to-heart with Coco and Yatsu... and we’re back to Yatsu giving Velvet all the hugs. Now that I’m sensing the Velv/Yats vibes, I’m extra suspicious. You stop that. Let Velvet have a fashionable GF at least if you won’t let her kiss Weiss!!!

‘[...] even the women were down to halter tops. Focus, Coco, she thought.’

Ah, lesbian as always. I’m soothed. Carmine enters the tent and Coco gets even gayer. I’m very soothed.

‘What was Jaune doing after losing a member of his team, a friend... someone he clearly cared about.’

I don’t care about what Jaune feels. Why the heck would Coco even care? There’s literally so many more people that impacts than just Jaune, lawd.

CHAPTER TEN AND ELEVEN

Back to Fox, who is honestly the shining star of this book by now. I love you, my blind and sassy son.

I love Ada and the battle mechanic she has! I’m really enjoying how Fox interacts with the world around him and using his Scroll and AI as an accessibility device. It’s neat! I didn’t expect them to go as ham on him as they did, but they did.

“Update,” Ada said. “Weapon has projectile capabilities.” “You mean it’s also a gun.”

Obligatory gun meme.

Combat stuff happens, Fox wins a fight against a confused Edward, and it turns out Gus is the one summoning Grimm and Fox just got jumped, so we slide into another flashback for chapter eleven. Lemme tell ya, this book ain’t afraid of moving fast.

“I guess you slightly oversold your ability to track the survivors,” Coco said.

Again, this is one of those lines that reads as very... callous? Kinda mean? I’ve always had Coco in my head as someone who very broadly puts her team (and their feelings) first, even if it’s rough, so lines like this make me go 🤔

Velvet falls, Yatsu panics, Coco gets up in everyone’s grill. There’s a lot to this dynamic I am not enjoying right now, and even then this seems inconsistent with the CFVY we’ve seen in the book itself. I know the author’s trying to communicate that Coco is tired and frustrated, that I get, but I’m pretty sure this isn’t how... it would really happen given her character? I dunno. ‘S weird.

Was that a fat joke I spotted there? From Coco? I need a nap. Also COCO LET VELVET DO THINGS JESUS CHRIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FUCK ME SIDEWAYS!!!!!!!!!!

Coco has claustrophobia! I wrote her as having agoraphobia, so this is a hilarious turn of events. Also Coco has two brothers, not one: Mate and Toma.

Coco is fighting Grimm in a cave with CFVY, but still finds time to criticise Velvet in combat. Hey, maybe if you let her do things, she’d prove you wrong, dingus. And then she does! See!

Aaaaaaaand the six survivors are all dead. This was a pretty traumatic event, all told, which makes it weird that they look... less affected in the show? Still, this chapter was VERY weird for the characterisations because Coco seems especially inconsistent, alas. Anyway, onto:

CHAPTERS TWELVE AND THIRTEEN

The sandstorm is approaching and catching the wagons, which I have just realised are actually vehicles that use fuel. Mostly because that’s the First I Heard Of It.

‘Velvet noticed a pistol tucked in the back before she closed the door.’

Hi, can Chekhov please pick up his gun from aisle twelve? Thanks.

GIANT SAND TURTLE. AVATAR AANG C’MERE Y’ALL GOTTA LEARN HOW TO DEFEAT THE FIRELORD.

“You said it’s big enough to ride on?” Velvet asked.

Maybe this is why Coco dismisses Velvet so often. She only pitches the craziest ideas, which is why I love her. That said, Coco finally lets Velvet do something! It’s a miracle of man! Climb that turtle, bihh!

Yatsu calls Velvet V. I’m so used to Velv that V sounds entirely too cool for this idiot.

Everyone’s pissed again, but-- IS THAT THE SAND WORM THING FROM ARRAKIS?! What A Tweest!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nobody coulda seen THAT coming!!!!!

So let’s go to chapter thirteen, where Fox has had the shit beaten out of him behind a Denny’s. Sound about right.

So what’s-his-name-- Bertilak, whomst from now on shall be called Bert because what sorta water tribe name even is that (wow the ATLA references are on fire today). Anyway, Bert is being paid by someone else to deliver people with Stronk Semblances like summoning Grimm! Gee I Wonder Who That Might Be (I don’t actually know but I’m honestly not going to be surprised either way).

“Yeah, [Bert]’s a real bastard.” “Even I can see that,” Fox sent.

I love it. Fox really has been the highlight of this book for me.

Fox is on the ground and the referee is counting him to ten, so it’s mid-chapter-flashback time! We learn how Fox’s parents died (sinkhole) and how that became his motivation for... going to Beacon? Okay, tenuous link at best, but I’m going with it.

Carmine is full of trouble and Fox is determined to take Bert with ‘em. Let him DIE.

I’m gonna keep going since we’re not four chapters from the end, so:

CHAPTERS FOURTEEN AND FIFTEEN

Flashback time! Again! Only it’s CFVY’s POV of their return to Beacon. I wouldn’t mind this if like. We hadn’t already seen this from RWBY’s perspective in the show? People know this from my tastes in fanfic, but I’m not a huge fan of retellings of canon events, it’s soooooo boooooring. So I’m just gonna grind through this asap.

(I do like that RWBY and CFVY have all these parallels being called to. As they should.)

Okay we’re past the recap and OH LAWD I HEARD OF THIS BIT. Goodwitch is here (I love u Glynda no matter what) but yeah, I’ve heard this part is Big Oof so uh, let’s see this happen go down. Velvet is being requested to see Ozpin so /buckles down.

Velvet’s being questioned alone for the Whole Thing, and team CFVY have burst into the office demanding to know why, and Velvet’s a crying wreck! I’m still very >:I for everyone being overprotective of Velvet, c’mon, but also: Oz, can you please have tact? Just once in your life? Tact? Do you has it?

Anyway, CFVY have reconciled and we turn to chapter fifteen, in which: Yatsu.

Carmine has Gus, everyone’s on the Turtmobile, and shit’s hitting the fan. Yatsu’s going after Gus and Carmine alone, and I’m still waiting on Chekov’s Gun to Chekov its way right into someone’s butt. Unless it’s Chekov’s Red Herring.

Here comes a fight scene! I never have much to say during fight scenes, so, uh, yeah. There’s some real last-minute exposition in places, though, where it really shouldn’t be.

Eey, Carmine is telekinetic! Very powerful and also OP, gotta nerf that shit right down, Edward.

Yatsu’s very nearly defeated, Bert is back, baby, and shit’s getting real. Time for chaaaaaaaaaper sixteeeeeeeeeen.

CHAPTERS SIXTEEN AND SEVENTEEN

Today’s livereading soundtrack is Simple Things by Zero 7. The whole album, I mean. This is a fun little fact to make sure you’re still awake and aware, ‘cause I sure ain’t!

Roy Stallion of BRNZ is presumed dead, along with the whole team, so big RIP to May, who was cute and deserved better. Swear to God if ABRN are dead too I will kill a man. Two men, to be specific.

Velvet admits she never wanted to come to Vacuo, Coco promises they’ll return to reclaim Beacon in future. This reads like a protagonist’s last speech on hope and strength in friendship... and it should, as Coco gets swallowed by a worm! Straight up just down the hatch! This should be a tragic beat, but this is honestly so funny. Coco, pick better ways to die.

Anyway, we’re onto chapter seventeen. I was very kindly given this message:

And I-- OH HELL YES! HELL YES IT’S A SCHOOL DAY TIMETABLE!!!!!!!!!! THE LORE! THE CLASSES! THE NAMES! THE FACTS! THIS IS THE BEST THING IN THE ENTIRE BOOK SO FAR WHICH REALLY GOES TO SHOW I HAVE NO HOBBIES!

Is this a... flashback? Flash... forward? I’m not sure, actually. Either way, CFVY are in Beacon clearing the place of Grimm. Actually, this must be a flashback to before they went to Vacuo, I suppose, which would make sense to follow Velvet’s little admittance last chapter before Coco got swallowed like a paracetamol tablet.

Velvet waited for someone to ask her what she thought, what she wanted, by no one did.

Now I’m SAD why won’t people be NICE to VELVET just ONCE!!! God, this book really just gives her the short end of the stick every time.

Off go CFVY to Vacuo. Bye.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN AND EPILOGUE

Heremst we go.

Coco’s alive! I mean, no surprise. And full of the Joques as ever:

Coco figured sacrificing your life for a teammate was one way to be remembered as a good leader, but maybe that was just cheating.

RIP Coco and her claustrophobia! Hey, now that was good foreshadowing! That gets a whole Murphy Cookie of Approval. 🍪

Coco loses her Scroll and her hat, but Velvet swoops in to save the day! Meanwhile, Bert has been convinced that Carmine double-crossed him, so they’re battling it out! Basically, Gus cast frenzy. Finally, it works in everyone’s favour.

“I can’t believe I thought you were cute,” Coco spat.

Some lines in this book haven’t been very good. This one, on the other hand, very much is.

So Carmine goes underground and starts creating sinkholes everywhere like a weird desert gremlin, and Edward manages to block her Semblance and like. Carmine flat-out nearly suffocates herself to death. Another death I would have found both gruesome and hilarious for its irony. But Velvet uses Flynt’s trumpet to quite literally doot the sand away, and-- I’m so sorry, this line has me literally laughing to myself. She fuckin’-- doots the sand. Oh my god.

Anyway they win, catch up with Slate and the Nomad Fam, and meet team SSSN! The boys are back in town!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Things are looking good.

Epilogue time. I’m still laughing about the sand-dooting.

So, we don’t know who paid Bert and Carmine, I guess? I do believe there’s maybe a sequel or something in the works, apparently, so maybe this is part of an overarching plot type thingie. Still.

Ah, yep, Coco confirms that they’re not through with this line of investigation yet, But, Velvet wraps it up with a heart-felt, if not a little bit cheesy, segment about home being wherever CFVY is, and so the book comes to a close.

WRAP-UP

So, I’m definitely gonna have a second read-through of this without having to constantly stop and do a liveblog, but the book was... okay, I guess? I feel like this plotline wasn’t the greatest one for CFVY, and that the author doesn’t have a crazy good handle on the characters -- he’s likely more suited to original content, which is valid. It’s a good romp and we do get new lore, but as expected, I feel like CFVY would be best used in the show that conceived them in the first place. A book is nice, but I’d love to see their return in RWBY itself, especially since this book wasn’t really... long enough, I don’t think? Seriously, y’all’ve met me. I do write hundreds of thousands of words in this world and I still haven’t written everything I wanna yet! I’d also like to see more Velvet as seen in RWBY Chibi, in which was she Cool and Good, and maybe less Yatsu alongside her directly. But! It’s a book! It’s decent! It’s CFVY! For most people, it’s Good Enough. And they’re valid too.

#after the fall #after the fall spoilers #rwby #liveblog #liveread

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razieltwelve · 6 years

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Photography (Final Rose)

"Stop fidgeting,” Professor Goodwitch growled. “This would go a lot more quickly if you two would cooperate. I expected some level of mischief from you, Mr Arc, but I expected better of you, Ms Nikos.”

The two teenagers were dressed in the academy’s uniform while Diana took photos.

“Come on,” Diana said. “You’re supposed to be young and in love. Jaune, stop acting like a potato and put your arm around her waist. Pyrrha, stop blushing so much, you look like a tomato.” The dark-haired girl shook her head and glanced at Glynda. “At this rate, I might as well go back to the lab and get those super vegetables we’re growing.”

“Ms Nikos and Mr Arc, you have five seconds to improve your behaviour.”

Naturally, that only made Jaune more nervous and Pyrrha’s blush only got worse.

“Oh, for crying out loud,” Diana said. “I’m going to get something to eat. We’ll start again in five minutes. Fix it by then, or I’ll turn into a world-ending monster and fix it for you.”

X X X

“Phew.” Jaune wiped some sweat off his brow and very deliberately looked everywhere except at Pyrrha. “That was, uh, pretty intense, right?”

Pyrrha was also doing a very good job of not looking at Jaune. “Diana is usually less ferocious, as is the professor.”

“Why do we even have to do this anyway?”

“It’s for promotional material.” Diana appeared beside them and jabbed a folded-up tripod in their direction. “Look, Beacon Academy is the foremost academy in the world. However, there’s plenty of competition. You can bet that there are dozens of other academies around the world who’re all hoping to steal the number one spot, and one of the ways to do that is to begin taking all of the best students. So we need to sell an image.”

“Being the best academy in the world isn’t enough?” Jaune asked.

“Nope. You see, teenagers often think with their hormones.” Diana sighed. “Such foolish people.”

“Aren’t you a teenager too?” Jaune countered.

“Yeah, except I have absolute control over my own biology,” Diana shot back. “No hormones for me unless I okay them.”

“Then why are you still short?”

“I’ll pretend you didn’t ask that.” Diana struck a thoughtful pose. “Statistical analysis has revealed that powerful huntsmen and huntresses are extremely likely to either marry another huntsman or huntress or someone related to a huntsman or huntress. Moreover, the person they marry is highly likely to either be one of their teammates or someone related to one of their teammates.”

Pyrrha chanced a quick look at Jaune and achieved uber-tomato levels of redness.

“So you see, we’re selling a dream here, Jaune. Come to Beacon Senior Academy… and you won’t just become an awesome huntsman or huntress, you’ll find love.” Diana’s eyes narrowed. “Which is where you two fit in. You two are very photogenic, so Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch have decided to feature you two in this year’s campaign.”

“But we’re not… like that…” Pyrrha stuttered.

“Yet,” Diana muttered before raising her voice. “Not a problem. Everyone understands that this is just a promotional campaign. But it needs to look real. At the moment, you two are an absolute train wreck. So you need to get it together. If I can’t get good pictures, I don’t get paid, and if I don’t get paid, I’ve been wasting my time out here today when I could have been down in the lab doing something.”

“Why are you even doing it?” Jaune asked. “Aren’t there other people?”

“Meh, I’m good enough to do it, and the academy doesn’t have to worry about me trying to sell extra photos on the black-market or anything.”

“People do that?” Jaune asked.

“Are you serious? Of course, they do that. Heck, do you know how much a picture of Pyrrha in yoga pants and a tank top is worth on the black-market?”

Pyrrha cringed. “Please tell me that the price hasn’t gone up again.”

“It’s double what it was last month. People are getting desperate.” Diana snickered. “But don’t worry, they’re not getting anything. We’ve got this place so heavily defended from photographers and unauthorised surveillance that even I would have a hard time breaking in.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Jaune cried. “People would pay money to see Pyrrha in yoga pants and a tank top?” Diana raised one eyebrow at him, and he hastily waved his hands around. “Not that she wouldn’t look great, I mean. Like, she totally would, but isn’t that kind of, you know, weird?”

“Jaune,” Pyrrha said quietly. “Huntsmen and huntresses are some of the biggest celebrities in the world, and we’re students attending the most famous and prestigious academy in the world. We’re all celebrities too, to some extent, and I’ve won tournaments in the past. It’s actually nice being here for me since I don’t have to worry about the press sneaking in.”

“Oh.”

“You get used to it,” Diana said. “And most of them behave around me because of all the times their computers and files have mysteriously died due to unexplained reasons after they made me mad. You know, because coincidences happen, and nobody has any proof that it was me.” Diana whistled happily. “So, yeah, I need you two to step up your game. You need to act like you’re in love, get it?”

Pyrrha and Jaune looked shyly at each other.

“I guess we could try that,” Jaune said. “Right, Pyrrha?”

“Yes, Jaune.”

X X X

If Elsa could have turned Yang to ice and exploded her, she would have. Oh, wait, she could do that. The only reason she didn’t was because this whole thing wasn’t exactly Yang’s fault. Oh, if only her parents hadn’t insisted on that no photography clause!

“You two are much easier to work with than Jaune and Pyrrha,” Diana said as she walked in a slow circle round Averia and Yang. “That was so awkward although I get the feeling I’ll be doing the photos at their wedding in a few years.”

“Why did it have to be those two?” Elsa muttered to Jahne.

The other blonde chuckled as Diana put her camera aside to manoeuvre Averia and Yang into another position. This time, Averia had her arms around Yang’s waist while Yang leaned back against her. “Elsa, Averia is basically huntress royalty. Her parents are probably the two most powerful huntresses in the world. Yang is in a similar position. Team STRQ is one of the most famous and popular teams in history. It only makes sense they’d use these two to promote the academy.”

“But I’m actual royalty,” Elsa whined.

“Whose parents were very firm on not allowing your image to be used for promotional materials.”

“I should have thought ahead,” Elsa grumbled.

“Great,” Diana said. “Now, stare lovingly into each other’s eyes…” She paused. “Did anyone else feel the temperature just drop?”

Elsa twitched. “Sorry. I must have lost control for a moment.”

X X X

Author’s Notes

Beacon takes its number one position very seriously, and so it is always vigilant for attempts to displace it from the number one spot. Campaigns to recruit the finest students centre around not only the facilities, instructors, and field experiences available but also extracurricular factors too. For instance, there are numerous references to the excellent cultural activities within easy reach of the academy (e.g., theatres, restaurants, cinemas, etc.).

Back in the day, they did try using Lightning and Fang for the photography campaign since they are both extremely photogenic. Alas, the photo shoot was aborted after they tried to murder each other. That was in their student days, though, they get on a lot better now.

Incidentally, Diana is also the main photographer for the lab. Apart from getting photos of all the staff, there are also photos of all the hamsters too. Professor Cuddles can be a bit demanding to work with though. He likes to snack in between shots.

#final rose #fanfiction #diana yun-farron #jaune arc #pyrrha nikos #glynda goodwitch #averia yun-farron #yang xiao long #elsa #jahne nabaat

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