Dust vs Ruby Rose

Dust vs Ruby Rose is ZackAttackX's third Death Battle.

Description[]

Dust: An Elysian Tail vs RWBY! Try and keep your eyes on these two as speedy leaders collide!

Intro[]

Wiz: A good leader has to possess many qualities. They have to be brave, fearless, willing to do the right thing...

Boomstick: And they also have to be really good when it comes to speed and athleticism. Like these two - Dust, the legend of Falana and leader of the Moonblood army.

Wiz: And Ruby Rose, the silver-eyed Huntress and leader of Team RWBY.

Boomstick: He's Wiz and I'm Boomstick.

Wiz: And it's our job to analyse their weapons, armor and skills to find out who would win... a Death Battle.

Dust[]

(Cues Dust: An Elysian Tail OST - The Land of Remembrance)

Boomstick: In the world of Falana, two races exist: the Warmbloods and the Moonbloods. And let's just say that their relationship is... undesirable.

Wiz: Undesirable indeed. The tyrannical leader of the Warmblood army known as General Gaius would command attacks on the Moonblood race, believing they were nothing more than a nuisance and needed to be eliminated.

Boomstick: And the one responsible for the slaughtering of all the innocents was the Royal Assassin, Cassius. Fair to say he was pretty good at his job, too. The Warmblood population sunk faster than my ex in a swimming pool, and nothing could be done about it. Until their attacks reached a certain Zeplich Village, that is.

Wiz: Zeplich Village was the home of a boy named Jin, who lived with his parents and his sister in peace before Gaius' forces, led by Cassius, attacked.

Boomstick: There's an Avatar meme somewhere here, but I'll leave it be.

Wiz: The poor Jin could only watch as his parents were killed right in front of him, which lit a fire inside of him. He was going to do what nobody else could do - he was going to kill Cassius.

Boomstick: And believe it or not, it actually worked out! Kinda. Somehow, Jin and Cassius killed each other at the same time, causing their souls to become entwined.

Wiz: The rebelling Moonbloods saw this event as their last chance at stopping Gaius' campaign. They needed a warrior who possessed the ruthlessness, power and skill to combat an entire army, but had to be pure of heart at the same time. The Moonbloods fused the souls of both Cassius and Jin to create the one known as Sen-Mithrarin - "he who is born of the dust".

(Cues Dust: An Elysian Tail OST - 05 - The Cirelian Trials)

Wiz: Dust wields the Blade of Ahrah into battle, one of the five blades of Elysium that Dust supposedly 'summoned' in order to find his true potential.

Boomstick: Yeah, turns out he had a lot of it too!

Wiz: The Blade of Ahrah grants Dust all the skills he possesses, effectively making him the most experienced warrior you could imagine. He gives advice to Dust in combat scenarios, giving him guidance on when and how to use his abilities.

Boomstick: Abilities such as his signature Dust Storm, a vacuum that sends his foes spiraling. It also has these teeth things that can trap an enemy in its grip, allowing for a killer follow-up. And there's his combos like the From Whence It Came, a swift 4 strikes from all angles. The Rising Phoenix is a slash that sends his foes into the air, and The Fallen is when he drags Ahrah down onto his opponents.

Wiz: He is strong enough to pull gunships out of the sky and can parry attacks from Trolks, monsters that carry around stone clubs that are roughly twice his height. He is durable enough to survive the pyrokinetic assault of Fuse, who effortlessly burned down an entire village in one go, and is fast enough to dodge lightning from Lady Tethys. He can also double jump to help him reach higher places.

Boomstick: There was also that time he took down the spiritual embodiment of hatred itself.

Wiz: But he couldn't have done it alone. Introducing Dust's sidekick and guardian of the Blade of Ahrah, Fidget.

Boomstick: Aww, look at that flying cat! It's so cute!

Fidget: I'm not a cat, you dolt! I'm a nimbat!

Boomstick: Like I was saying, I hate this thing.

Wiz: Fidget has the ability to create energy projectiles at will, ranging from standard energy to fireballs and thunderbolts. Combining these techniques with the Dust Storm can lead to devastating effects. The standard energy projectile pursues enemies as long as the Dust Storm is active, the fireballs can split off and create large columns of fire, and the thunderbolts can latch onto foes and shock them continuously.

Boomstick: She also has this 'sixth sense' thing that she can use to track down nearby items and treasure chests. So Fidget was a pretty important factor in Dust's insane arsenal.

Wiz: True, but that also contributes to one of Dust's weaknesses. On its own, the Dust Storm is a very weak move, and Fidget's projectiles are relatively weak on their own too. Not to mention Dust is also prone to fatigue if he uses the Dust Storm for too long, which can be harmful to him as well. Plus, Fidget's energy requires a cooldown between uses.

Boomstick: But its not like that stopped him from kicking some Warmblood ass! And though he may be gone, he's always gonna be with us in...

Boomstick: ...okay, never mind, a sequel's coming.

Pause

Boomstick: Eventually.

Dust: I don't care what your name is. You're no different than those monsters I fought before. And like them, you will fall to my blade!

Ruby Rose[]

(Cues Ruby vs the Beringel - RWBy: Volume 4)

Boomstick: I just wanna get this out of the way now, if I was able to go on holiday to any fictional world, I'd probably pick anywhere that isn't Remnant.

Wiz: Smart choice. Remnant is a world where mankind are at war with the vicious creatures of Grimm. Fortunately, there exists the Huntsmen and Huntresses, well-trained warriors who protect humanity from the Grimm.

Boomstick: Yeah, with some pretty kickass weapons! Pretty much all of them are guns by the way.

Wiz: Becoming a Huntress is a dream for many, including one young warrior named Ruby Rose.

Boomstick: Wait, you don't mean...

Wiz: No, not that one.

Boomstick: Thank God.

(Cues 13. SSSN vs NDGO - By Jeff Williams and Alex Abraham)

Wiz: Trained to be a Huntress by her Uncle Qrow Branwen, Ruby became a prominent fighter, being able to compete with the very best. She was later accepted into Beacon Academy, being moved ahead two whole years.

Boomstick: Standard educational affair. You know, how to slay giant, bloodthirsty monsters from parts unknown?

Wiz: In combat, Ruby's weapon of choice is the Crescent Rose, a self-created weapon that she's had since her time at Signal Academy. It serves as both a scythe and a high-impact sniper rifle.

Boomstick: What?

Wiz: It's also a gun.

Boomstick: Huh. Well, in sniper mode, Ruby can fire several rounds of ammo called Dust, which have different effects depending on what kind of Dust is being used. Red Dust can shoot fire, blue Dust shoots water, dark blue fires ice and yellow Dust can manipulate electricity. There's plenty more different types, but these are the most notable.

Wiz: Like many other Huntsmen and Huntresses, Ruby has her own Semblance. Appropriately named "Speed", it allows Ruby to burst into a storm of rose petals and travel at great speed.

Boomstick: And by "great speed", you mean potentially creating a vacuum that completely destroyed a cafeteria. Man, what a waste of good food.

Wiz: Despite her small stature, Ruby is surprisingly strong. She is able to effortlessly wield the Crescent Rose, which is much larger than her, and can slice through trees with ease. She took down a Nevermore on her second day at Beacon, and defeated a Nuckelavee with help.

Boomstick: She's also pretty tough thanks to her Aura, which can protect her temporarily from fatal blows, and to heal minor wounds. It's kinda like a mini forcefield.

Wiz: As capable as Ruby is as a fighter, she has her obvious flaws. Aside from skipping two years worth of formal education and training, she has a relatively poor win/loss record when working alone, dreadful in fact.

Boomstick: She has never once won a 1 on 1 fight with another human foe before, and is often heavily reliant on her teammates to aid her in combat.

Wiz: On top of that, Ruby is helpless without her weapon, and has had extremely minor experience in hand-to-hand combat.

Boomstick: But why would you need to know how to punch someone when you can easily take off their head with a scyth-per rifle?

Wiz: A what?

Boomstick: Scyth-per rifle! A hybrid of scythe and sniper rifle!

Pause

Boomstick: No?

Wiz: You were up all night thinking about that, weren't you?

Ruby: No more awkward small talk or 'getting-to-know-you' stuff. Today, I get to let my sweetheart do the talking.

Intermission[]

Wiz: Alright, the combatants are set. Let's end this debate once and for all.

Boomstick: It's time for a DEATH BATTLE!

Fight[]

Location: Haven Academy courtyard – RWBY.

Word had reached Dust’s ears of Lionheart’s treachery, and he was on his way to meet with the professor to find out what was going on. Dust, followed by Fidget approached the door to the building and as he reached out to open the door, a slamming sound followed by a voice came from behind them.

“Hey, who are you and what are you doing here?”

Dust and Fidget turned around to see Ruby Rose, armed with Crescent Rose. “We’re doing something called ‘minding our own business’. Sorry if that’s too advanced for you.” Fidget snapped. “Calm down, Fidget.” Dust told his nimbat friend. He then turned his attention to Ruby. “Tell me, are you associated with Professor Lionheart?”

Ruby eyed Dust cautiously. “I am, why?” Dust shook his head. “So you are aware of his betrayal and that he has aligned himself with Salem?” Ruby was taken aback. “Wh… what do you mean?” she stammered. Dust sighed. “It seems old Lionheart has had a change of heart. He’s been selling out your fellow Huntsmen and Huntresses to Salem and having them killed. He’s been feeding her intel for a long time. He needs to be stopped.”

Ruby’s eyes widened. “You’re… going to kill him?” Dust nodded. “He is a liability, you need to understand.” Ruby clutched Crescent Rose tightly, not out of fear, but out of anger. Dust turned away and went for the door once more, only to be interrupted by Ruby shooting a blast of Ice Dust on the handle, preventing him entry. Dust turned on the spot. “Would you care to explain that?” he snapped. Ruby cocked her weapon. “If he is a traitor like you say, that doesn’t mean that killing him is the right thing to do. But it seems like I won’t be able to convince you with words.”

(Cues xi-on - Higan Retour ~ Riverside View)

Dust felt uneasy, and Ahrah could tell. “Dust, she is unwilling to listen to reason. This is a battle you must partake in.” Dust nodded in understanding. “Alright, let’s make this quick.” He said, raising his blade towards Ruby. “If you are going to stand in my way, I will defeat you as well.” Ruby flew at Dust, twirling Crescent Rose as she approached, and Dust met her head on with an Aerial Dust Storm. Both attacks collided, and the fight was on.

FIGHT!

Both attacks ricocheted off one another, knocking each combatant back. Ruby quickly planted her scythe into the ground and began firing at Dust with rounds of fire, which Dust effortlessly flipped away from. Fidget took to the air and rained down energy blasts at Ruby, which Dust manipulated using the Dust Storm, creating a torrent of energy that blasted the huntress back. Ruby quickly recovered and took aim at Fidget, attempting to shoot her out of the air. The nimbat shrieked in terror as she quickly swooped away from the incoming blasts, which gave Dust enough time to close the distance. He struck Ruby in the chest with a From Whence It Came combo, knocking her down the courtyard. Ruby bounced off the ground, but anchored her scythe into the ground, breaking her fall. Fidget summoned more energy balls, which Dust manipulated again, but this time, Ruby dodged using her Semblance, closing the distance and slashing Dust multiple times with her scythe. Mithrarin staggered back, shocked but unfazed. Ruby then swung her scythe at Dust’s legs, tripping him before slashing him into the air. The huntress pursued him with her Semblance, aiming for Dust’s torso with a vertical slash.

Mithrarin had other ideas however. He quickly flipped away from the attack, then slashed Ruby several times in the air before using The Fallen to bring his opponent down to the courtyard floor again. Dust jumped away from his grounded foe and Fidget summoned fire from her hands, tossing them in front of Dust, who manipulated them to create large fire pillars, which engulfed the young huntress. Or so he thought! Ruby emerged from the fire using her Semblance, quickly rushing at Dust, bringing the fire back towards him. The vacuum surrounded Mithrarin, sending him into the air, where Ruby met him with a flurry of rapid cuts and slashes. She then kicked Dust down to the ground, sending him through a lamp in the process. Mithrarin crashed in a heap and Ruby landed back down, loading her rifle with dark blue Dust rounds.

"Dust, get up! She's about ready to finish this!" Fidget squealed desperately. Dust staggered to a vertical base and glanced up at Ruby, who quickly fired a Dust round at Fidget, freezing her solid. The frozen nimbat dropped to the ground. "Fidget!" Dust cried out, seeing to his ally. A confident smirk fell over Ruby. "Yes! He can't use elements now!" she thought to herself as she began firing at Dust again. Mithrarin swiftly dodged the incoming rounds again, even striking through some of them. He quickly flew at Ruby with an Aerial Dust Storm, which Ruby countered with a similar maneuver. Both combatants continued to trade blows in the air until Ruby began throwing in shots from her rifle into her attacks, throwing Mithrarin off. She then struck him across the courtyard with a vertical slash. Dust skidded across the floor as Ruby landed comfortably opposite him, switching her weapon into gun mode.

The huntress loaded electrical Dust rounds into her weapon and fired at her opponent. Dust ducked away from the first blast, allowing it to strike a nearby lamppost, destroying it. Having an idea of the element Ruby was using now, Dust used an Aerial Dust Storm again, carrying the electric rounds with him, forming a barrier of electricity around himself. Ruby's eyes widened - she hadn't thought of that. Dust launched himself into Ruby, slashing her across the chest with a heavy vertical slash, completely draining her Aura. The electricity followed up, sending a powerful current through the huntress' body, which brought her down to her knees and forced her to drop her weapon. Mithrarin wasted little time, striking her from behind with a Rising Phoenix, then followed up with an Aerial Dust Storm, striking the huntress from all angles before dragging her down with The Undoing, dragging Ruby to the ground at high speed. Dust again flipped away from her, and as the battered huntress slowly began to pick herself up, Dust finished her off with an Aerial Dust Storm, taking her head clean off.

(Music stops)

Ruby's lifeless body dropped to the ground, her head following shortly after. Just as it did, Fidget managed to thaw herself out of her icy prison. "Gah!" she screeched. "I. Hate. The. Cold." Dust made his way over to her. "Fidget, are you okay? Do you need anything?" he asked. The nimbat frowned. "Well, some toasted marshmallows would be nice. I think I deserve it after what I've just been through." Now it was Dust's turn to frown. "Excuse me, but what about what I've just been through?" he snapped. It was down to Ahrah to step in. "Dust, Fidget, can you please stop your pretentious bickering? We have a job to do." The two let out a heavy sigh before making their way to the entrance of the school again.

K.O!

Dust and Fidget enter Leo's office to find it empty.
Ruby's body is devoured by a horde of Grimm.

Conclusion[]

(Cues Dust: An Elysian Tail OST - Cirromon Caverns)

Boomstick: Oh snap, I blinked! What happened?

Wiz: Well, while Ruby had the advantage in travel speed and durability, Dust took everything else. Though Ruby’s Semblance certainly puts her several steps ahead of Dust, she rarely uses it in a confrontation, preferring to use it as a means of getting from point A to point B at a quicker pace. When she does use it in a combat-based scenario, it more often than not backfires, such as when she tried to use it against Roman and Neo, or when she tried to escape from Roman and Mercury.

Boomstick: Ruby’s Aura gave her the nod in terms of durability as well, but it didn’t really offer much against a combatant of Dust’s calibre. During her fight with Tyrian, it took only seven hits for him to completely drain her Aura. And this is a guy who effortlessly throws himself through buildings. Against someone who can slice through stone walls, gunships and turrets in just a couple of slashes, that certainly wasn’t going to last.

Wiz: Plus, Ruby has a poor win/loss record on her own. She often has help from her teammates or classmates for tough situations, and while Dust is never without Fidget and Ahrah, he has shown to be able to hold his own and think for himself more times than Ruby.

Boomstick: As far as long-ranged combat goes, while Ruby had more options available to her thanks to the many different adaptations of Dust there are, the problem was being able to score a decent shot. Dust could counter most of the elemental-based Dust with the Dust Storm, or simply avoid them thanks to his ridiculous athletic ability.

Wiz: Dust being able to dodge lightning means he has a reaction speed of at most 220,000 mph, or roughly Mach 287. The speed of the fastest bullet known to man was fired from the .220 Swift rifle, with a speed clocking in at roughly 2684 mph, or just under Mach 3.5. This means that, rounded to the nearest whole number, Dust’s reactions are about 82 times faster than the fastest bullet on Earth.

Boomstick: And Dust’s experience and superior swordplay meant that Ruby would also be fighting against the clock in a straight-up clash.

Wiz: In the end, while Ruby could compete with Dust, Mithrarin’s superior strength, skill and overwhelming athleticism earned him the W.

Boomstick: Looks like Ruby was the one to bite the dust.

Wiz: The winner is Dust.