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Amplify (A RWBY Story)

Chương 1: Where am I?

If you were to ask anyone how they thought about the world, they'd probably answer all the same way. The world is full of problems and doesn't care about you. This is the harsh reality that had been accepted by many people. Some didn't want to accept it, but they ended up being let down and heartbroken. Ryder Falcone was among those who accepted this fact. He didn't like how the world was but couldn't do much to change it. Compared to most people, he was just a nobody. Someone who is just among the crowds. Though, to cope with a cruel world, he began to write stories that let his mind wander elsewhere. His mind was focused on other things besides the wrong of the world and it made him happy for the most part. But over time, it became dull and void as more and more problems in the world emerged. Ryder was fearful about just about everything and dreaded the fateful WORLD WAR 3. He saw the writing on the wall and knew it was coming, he just hoped hard that it wasn't true.

But he went along with life and created many stories, characters and powers. Though, he dreamed he was something more, or well had a chance to become something more than just a nobody. But he knew that dream was farfetched. Today, he was currently in his room writing a story. He then leans back and brushes his hand across his chin. His hair was still wet from the shower he had taken a few minutes ago. He then clicked into a new tab on his computer and typed YouTube. Once he got onto the sight, he saw that some people had theory videos about the recent edition to Five Nights at Freddy's. The memory of Matpat leaving YouTube is still fresh in his mind. He went into the search bar and typed 'Dragon Ball' before many video suggestions of Dragon Ball content popped up. He had been a fan of the Dragon Ball Series for a while now and cannot wait for Dragon Ball Super's Manga to continue

But as he searched through the videos, he saw one with an odd thumbnail. It looked like a static screen that you would see on old TVs from the early 2000's. It was titled, ERROR. Filled in curiosity, he clicked on the video. All that was played was static before a loud ear-piercing sound erupted from the computer. He covered his ears at the loud noise before rushing to click off from the video. Once he clicked off, the sound stopped.

"What the hell?" he asked, confused and still in shock at the incident.

He hadn't experienced something like that before. Maybe it was some sick joke or some analog horror thing. He's never watched analog horror as he never really thought about it. He only hears about them from Film Theory. Some are interesting and most are just, meh. His opinion. He decides to shut off his computer for now and watch something on his TV. However, as he turned off his PC, he failed to notice a white crack appear above him out of thin air. As it grows, Ryder feels a breeze and it confuses him. He looked at his fan wondering if it just suddenly picked up speed. He then looks around before noticing a white glow. He looked up and his eyes widened when he saw a giant rift above him. He was honestly scared as he didn't know what it was. He then felt like he was being lifted up. He figured out that the rift was pulling him in. He hurried and tried to grab something but couldn't. He's pulled into the rift and all he sees is white. While in this white void, he felt an odd sensation going through his body. It then turned into an odd pain before he quickly blacked out.

By the time he awoke from his sudden slumber, his vision was blurry for a moment. He blinked his eyes a few times to help them adjust but when they did, he saw a roof. He looked around and saw a humble home. He was on the couch. But he quickly noticed something. His body, it didn't look realistic. It looked like the art style of a 3d animation. It looked familiar to him, but he couldn't figure out why. It was almost like a sense of deja vu. He looked at his hands for a moment before he looked around to try and figure out where he was.

"Oh, your awake!" a voice said, one that sounded familiar.

He heard footsteps and looked in the direction of the voice and he froze in place. Walking towards him was a man with blonde hair and something about him seemed familiar. But he couldn't put his finger on it. Again, it was a feeling of deja vu. The man seemed to have an aura of kindness yet experience. Almost like a soldier. Almost.

"Where am I?" Ryder asks.

"My house. One of my girls found you in the forest on the ground unconscious and brought you here." he explains. "Do you know what happened to you before my girls found you?" the man asks.

"Can't say I do." Ryder said, sounding confused.

His memory was a bit fuzzy. He remembers being in his room just doing what he normally does. He remembers his name, his family and everything else he's done. But not what brought him here.

"Well, I'll at least tell you this. I couldn't find any injuries, so you seem 100%. But what were you doing in the forest?" the man asks.

"No clue. My memory is a bit, hazy." Ryder answers.

"Ah I see." the man acknowledged.

The man had an idea as to what happened to him but can't pin it down.

"Well, until you can start remembering things. You can stay here for the meantime." the man said.

"Wait, you're letting me stay? How do you trust me?" Ryder asks, sounding confused.

"I can tell when someone's lying to me. Raising two kids tends to train you for that. I can tell your being truthful." the man explained.

Ryder moves his legs and sits properly on the couch before attempting to stand up. He stumbles a little and the man catches him.

"You, okay?" he asks.

"Yeah, just a bit dizzy." Ryder said, holding his head with one hand. "Must've gotten up too fast."

"Oh man, I've had that happen to me once. That'll make you tumble." the man chuckled.

The man then realized something. He forgot to introduce himself.

"oh, where are my manners." the man said before holding out his hand. "I'm Taiyang."

Ryder grabs his hands and shakes it before introducing himself.

"Ryder." he said.

"Ryder huh? Most people are named after colors." Taiyang mentions.

"Guess I'm a special case." he said.

Most people are named after colors? Where the hell is he? He is immediately taken out of his train of thought when he hears a door opening followed by a voice.

"Dad, we're home!" a girl's voice called out.

Taiyang smiled a little and walked away from Ryder and towards the source of the voice. Ryder turned to the opening leading into the kitchen he presumed. From it, two girls walked through. One with long blonde hair and another with black hair with red highlights and silver eyes.

"Hey you two, welcome home." Tai welcomes.

"How's are guest?" the blonde one asks.

"Ask him yourself." Tai said, using his thumb to point over his shoulder towards Ryder who is standing in front of the couch.

Taiyang steps aside as both the newcomers walk past him and towards Ryder who stands there, a bit nervous. He isn't good at meeting new people. The two girls stop walking once they've reached him. The two girls have different heights with the blonde girl being taller and the silver eyed girl being shorter. Not really a vital piece of information, just something he noticed.

"How are you doing?" the blonde one asks.

"Good, I guess?" Ryder replied.

"Good you guess?" she asks.

"My memory is a bit hazy. I don't know what happened to me to end up here." he answers.

"do you have Amnesia?" the silver-eyed girl asks.

"Ruby!" Taiyang and the Blonde girl scold.

"Sorry! I'm just curious if that's why his memory is hazy!" the girl, now named Ruby, apologized in a panic. "I'm sorry if I offended you."

"No, it's fine. It's an actual genuine question. One that I hope is wrong." Ryder said, down playing any thoughts Ruby had.

Taiyang looked at him for a second before going into thought. He then gets an idea on what to say so he comes forward with it.

"do you know what a Huntsmen is?" Tai asks.

The blonde girl and Ruby look at their father confused. Of course he knows what they are, everyone knows.

"Can't say I do. Doesn't sound familiar. Why?" Ryder asks.

Ruby immediately looked at him with her jaw dropping, almost cartoonishly. The blonde hair girl just looked at him with wide eyes.

"How can you not know what Huntsmen are!?" Ruby asks, absolutely stunned by this answer.

Taiyang sighs somberly.

"That confirms it. You have amnesia." he said, sadly, looking at Ryder sympathetically.

"Well, not necessarily." the blonde girl said. "What about Dust? A crystal we use to power our technology?" she asks.

Ryder shakes his head. This stuns the two girls even more. Taiyang just looked at him sympathetically. Tai can't imagine what could be going through Ryder's head right now. Said boy was stuck in his thoughts. He has amnesia? That can't be, he remembers his name, his family and other Earthly things. Is he even on Earth? These people are talking about Dust and Huntsmen so maybe he isn't. But now he's questioning his own memories, are they true? Has he been dreaming his entire life? So many questions and doubts infect his mind. So much so that he stumbles a little before dropping down onto the couch. The three people before him show concern. He couldn't have Amnesia, that's impossible. He must be in another world, he must be. There's no way he's somehow lost all his memories, or the life he lived was fake.

"Are you going to be, okay?" Taiyang asks, concern lacing his tone.

"I.... I don't know. There's just no possible way I have Amnesia. I remember living a life, just none of this Huntsmen or dust stuff." Ryder explains, sounding confused and a little broken.

The Blonde-haired girl and Ruby look at each other while Taiyang walks past them. He kneels down in front of Ryder.

"Look, until you figure things out, you can stay here with us. Like I said before. At least until you can get your bearings and jog your memory." he said.

"That... seems like a plan." Ryder said, sounding stunned still, that is before he gets an idea. "What's this planet called?"

"Remnant. Why?" Ruby asks.

"Well, I remember living my life, but the world wasn't called Remnant. It was called Earth."

"isn't that dirt?" the blondie asks, rubbing the back of her head confusedly.

Ruby smacks her with her elbow with a glare.

"Yang, don't say it like that." Ruby scolds.

"oh, sorry!" she said, apologizing.

Ryder sighs and tells them it's alright. Taiyang stood up and looked around in thought. Based on what Ryder says, he knows the boy isn't lying. But there's no shot that he's from a different world. Is he?