July 23, 2016. My last day on Earth. One day I'm wondering what to do with my life, the next I'm fighting monsters and world-ending schemes. Beacon definitely looked a lot better on paper
Perspective
(SpaceBattles.com discussion thread) by Chris7221/XCVG is a RWBY Self Insert fic. Following on from his work on his acclaimed Emergence trilogy, the author began writing a more traditional self insert story of the same quality.
The story begins apparently post the Battle of Beacon, with our SI reflecting on his inability to alter the events leading up to Volume Three's conclusion. The story then winds backwards to the author character boarding an airplane some months prior on Earth, only for it to quickly crash land on Patch, with the SI himself stumbling from the crash site. Quickly found by Qrow and Ruby, he is forced to face the dark chain of events he has unwittingly found himself in.
Perspective contains examples of:
- Deconstruction Fic: To a degree. Though the formula of the story follows a typical self insert, the character in question immediately suffers an appropriate amount of emotional trauma in response to the events he goes through in the first few chapters, and is quick to drop his pretence of being native.
- Evil-Detecting Dog: Averted with Zwei by virtue of him not being present right now, Ruby reveals he has been borrowed by Qrow. How he will react to an individual with no aura natively is unknown.
- I Just Want to Be Normal: The unnamed SI has no desire to be involved in the combative nature of Remnant.
- Nice Girl: Ruby, as per canon. Upon meeting Cyan, she is readily friendly with him, and upon sitting down to talk with him some days later is eager to design him a weapon after seeing him use Crescent Rose's gun form.
- Non-Action Guy: Cyan, obviously. Being from Earth and not being a member of law enforcement or even trained in martial arts he is utterly unprepared for the Grimm. Not that he intends to fight them either.
- Paper-Thin Disguise: The SI initially poses to Qrow as 'Cyan', a student from Vale University. He is quick to drop the pretence a week later when he himself points out all of the holes in the story, including the plane wreck (which would match nothing on Remnant) and the technology in his bag.
- Screw This, I'm Out of Here!: Upon awakening from the plane crash, the character deserts the crash site rather than check for other survivors. Justified due to the inability to think clearly after such a crash. The author discusses that though there were indeed other survivors of the crash, they remained in groups as they went into the forests of Patch, with their numbers and misery attracting Grimm, with ironically the SI's own cowardice saving him.
- Spider-Sense: Not so much a dedicated ability as others, but Ruby mentions that the SI's aura feels 'off' to her.
