Hey all! Once again sorry for taking so long to get this chapter out, but with the virus going around my campus was shut down and I had to take online classes at home.
Needless to say, they were far more stressful then my regular classes were, so I didn't have the time to write or really do anything else aside from schoolwork for a while. Thankfully my semester has ended, and things have been lightening up, so I now have time write!
With that said, I wanna make a quick disclaimer when it comes to this chapter.
This is episode 26.5, it is basically a chapter sized Omake starring a lot of the characters who aren't Chris. The events you are about to read take place during the time of Chris's 'death,' aka when he was in a coma for a good two-three months, and few days after his revival.
Everything you are about to read is canon to this story and will relate to future episodes!
Also, lots of angst so get your My Chemical Romance playlists ready.
With that said I won't keep you waiting any longer, let's get things rolling!
Let the angst begin!
}Episode 26.5: Rippling Waves{
Oh? You're back, and quite unexpectedly at that.
Was your curiosity not subdued with the peek into the Yellow Dragon's grief? Surely seeing how one so full of jokes and whimsical happiness brought down to anger and regret should have been enough to satisfy your hunger for knowledge?
…
No, I suppose not. You're the type that won't be satisfied till you've seen it all. You want to see the tears, hear the heartbreak, and to taste the sadness in the air of those smaller than you.
Very well then, scratch your curiosity and have at it, though be warned, you might not get the true anguish you seek. After all, whenever there is despair, so too will there always be hope.
Let's start simple, a small taste of things to come, with the Lotus and his Lighting Queen.
}To See That Smile{
Ever since the disaster that destroyed his hometown, Lie Ren had tried his hardest to be there for his best friend. To be the shoulder she could lean on, to be the rock that kept her grounded when she flew too far, and to keep her the happy, hyperactive sloth-loving girl she is for as long as possible.
If it meant developing a level of patience for her antics that even a mother of seven would be jealous of, he'd do it. If it meant having to rely on his semblance more often than not to stay level-headed when things got tough, then he'd do it.
If it meant burying some rather warm and uncomfortable feelings deep within his psyche to not risk ruining what they already had…well he'd do it.
Not only would he do all these things and more but has been for many years. It's a rather thankless job, but he's taken pride in it and wouldn't entrust the duty to anyone else.
So despite her obsession with pancakes, and her constant need to destroy things that annoy her, he's taken it all in stride, because he has never failed in his duty…until now at least.
She hides it well behind that cheerful mask of forced positivity. She smiles and laughs and carries on keeping the good mood of the group going, even though many of them feel down in the dumps as of late. She still tries to keep their spirits up, giving them the impression that her cheer is impeccable as well as unbreakable.
She hides it well…but he can see it as clear as day. You don't spend most of your life growing up with someone without catching on to their true self.
Ren has seen her hands clench when things in combat class got intense, he has felt her flinch at the flames in the forge room, and he has noticed her eyes lingering on maintenance closets in the hallways.
Jaune, Pyrrha and RWBY might not have noticed, but he knew Nora was hurting. What no one other than him knew though, was that seeing her like that hurt him even more.
When it had all gone down at the docks, he hadn't been there by her side. She'd wanted to go exploring with that Penny girl, and he'd let her. He hadn't seen the harm in her making a new friend, and he knew she could take care of herself…but now he regretted it. Sure he couldn't have possibly predicted how things would transpire in searching for RWBY's missing B, and the whacky custodian, but that didn't help ease the guilt.
A friend had died right in front of her, and he hadn't been there for her. When he, Ruby, Jaune and Pyrrha had gotten the news, he hadn't registered it fully, because he was too horrified by the pale, shocked expression of the closest person in his life. Her eyes had seemed empty and lost and full of pain. He had seen that look only once before, and he had vowed to never have it cross her visage ever again.
And yet he failed.
He hated it.
He hated that look on her face, he hated that he'd left her to experience something so horrible, and he hated the bastard that had caused all this pain. A part of him even hated the janitor, even though he knew that wasn't fair. It wasn't Mr. Sullivan's fault that Nora had inducted him into the 'Royal Sloth Army' and Ren couldn't fault someone who would sacrifice themselves for another…but still, that ill will was still there for putting that look in Nora's eyes.
But as usual, he shoved all of those emotions down so that he could be her rock once more and help her heal since the damage was already done. Yet this time, his stoic nature was more of hindrance than a boon, because it was her keeping her emotions bottled up inside.
She had taken a page out of his book, and he didn't know how to handle that development. He couldn't get her to vent her frustrations and open up if both of them were trying to be the rock. So for three weeks, he watched her wear that optimistic mask, hoping that it would crack, but it never did. So he decided to crack first and change up his approach by doing what he did best. Cooking.
Food was one of the few things that could always make her happy in the past, and so he bet it all on that winning streak. So on this day, with a large plate in his hand, he walked through the nearly empty team dorms and opened the JNPR door.
"Nora, I'm back," his voice rang out into the room. His only response was an almost imperceptible grunt from the girl as she snoozed with her head on her desk, with a nearly restored pink shirt under her hands. With a small sigh, he closed the door behind him and walked towards her through the nearly empty room.
The Headmaster had allowed for students who either didn't or couldn't go home to stay during the semester break, and right now he couldn't be more thankful for that. With Jaune back with his family in Domremy and Pyrrha dealing with obligations in Mistral, his task would be easier to accomplish.
"You know, I don't think drool is good for the fabric," he said softly as he reached her side, pointedly ignoring her bandage covered fingers. She wasn't as nuanced in sewing as she liked to pretend. Nora just grumbled something unintelligently while swinging one of her arms towards Ren in a lazy manner, clearly still asleep.
Despite himself, he couldn't help but chuckle at the rather…cute display before he shook his head to clear it of unneeded thoughts.
"Come on Nora, time to get up. I got something for you," he whispered while fanning the steam from the food towards her nose.
At first nothing happened, and it looked like the tired hammer user would stay asleep, but after a few moments she started to stir. Almost as if her nose was attached to a string, Nora's head slowly started to lift off the pink shirt, glitter evident on her forehead as she followed the tasty sent.
Once close enough Nora's eyes began to slowly open…before immediately widening in shock once she registered the site before her.
"Ren…are those…?"
"Sloth shaped chocolate-chip pancakes with extra chocolate," he said with a small smile at her awed tone. The drowsiness seemed to melt off of her as her mouth began to water in earnest.
"Is that Forever Fall sap!?" she asked excitedly.
"Indeed it is, with extra sugar mixed in. Just how you like it," Ren responded plainly.
"Oh wow, I thought I ate all our stores of it!" she chirped, now fully awake. Indeed she had, and also RWBY's as well, but Ren didn't think it bore mentioning that he'd stolen from the school's supply.
"Not all of it apparently," he encouraged, holding the plate out to her. Incentivized, she began to reach out for the fluffy treats, but stopped midway there as a look of realization came over her.
"Thanks for the thought Renny, but I'm…not really that hungry," Nora said dejectedly before turning back to her project. A stab of pain shot through his heart at that, and it took all of his willpower to keep his cool and unfazed façade.
"Are you sure?" he asked hesitantly as she let out a yawn and wiped glitter off her forehead.
"Yeah, I don't really got time to eat. Already fell behind on the sewing with that nap," she responded with that false smile he'd come to regret seeing. "Thanks though."
His hand clenched on the plate as she went back to her needlework, and once again, he felt helpless.
This is worse than I thought, he thought apprehensively as he placed the dish of her favorite food next to her.
For a moment, just for a moment during the transition of sleep into wakefulness, he'd gotten his Nora, the true Nora to show herself again. It had been fleeting, but it was genuine. He watched her for a few silent moments, noticing her eyes darting to the pancakes every now and then, but never giving in.
Well, I guess I just gotta crack even more then. I really hope this works, he thought as he got behind her, summoned up his courage, leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her.
She stiffened at the sudden contact, not expecting this from Ren, since normally it was her that initiated hugs.
"Ren…?" she asked unsurely.
"I'm…not the best with words Nora, so I don't know what I can say to make you feel better," he admitted as he tightened his hold, "But I know this much, it's going to be okay. Mr. Sullivan is in good hands, and he'll be back before you know it."
For a quiet few seconds, she remained still in his arms before he began to feel her shudder, and a sniffle escaped.
"I…I know that Renny," she stuttered. "H-he's gonna be back as good as new. That's why I'm fixing his stuff you know? So he can get back into the swing of things as soon as he gets back."
"I know Nora, I know. I'm sure he'll appreciate it," he soothed as he slowly pats her head in response to the increased sniffling.
"It's just that, he was in so much pain Ren! He kept screaming and screaming and there was nothing I could do! The shooter's still out there and they might come back for him or Yang or-"
"That won't happen Nora!" he interrupted firmly as he rested his forehead on the back of her head. "The government itself is watching over Mr. Sullivan and Yang will have us and the school protecting her. That assassin won't get anywhere near them, I promise."
She did not respond to this, not verbally anyway. She took a hold of Ren's hands wrapped around her middle and held them tightly as her body continued to shudder. They stayed like this for a long time, and yet no time at all until she finally caught her breath.
"I don't want to lose any more friends Ren," she admitted quietly.
"You won't Nora. We'll make sure all our friends stay safe, I'm sure of it," he placated, because it was the only thing he could do.
Squeezing his hands once more, she turned her head around to finally look him in the eye and his breath nearly stopped. Her eyes were still a bit red, and there was a dampness on her cheeks, but that was overshadowed by the smile on her lips. A cute adorable smile that should always be on her face. A smile that reached all the way to her eyes.
"Thanks Renny…" she said in absolute, genuine relief and joy.
"N-no problem," he stammered as he yet again pushed some thoughts down.
"…Can I still eat those pancakes?" she asked, her eyes wandering to the plate.
"Of course," he said plainly as he let her go from his embrace. With another smile of gratitude, she pulled the breakfast food towards her and began eating in earnest. "MMMM So sweet! I could just drink this syrup!"
"You really shouldn't, remember what happened last time?" he reminded her with a smirk.
"Last time was a fluke!" she said stubbornly as she began to spoon nothing but the sap into her mouth.
He feigned a look of disappointment, but inside he was jumping with glee.
I'll do everything I can for you to keep that smile Nora, no matter what.
}Line Break{
Two best friends against the world, sticking together and fighting the darkness that threatens to consume their very beings every day. A truly inspiring story, and one not seen often in this world of bloody evolution.
But while two friends comfort one another and strengthen their bonds, two others face a far more dangerous dilemma of fragile connections. A bond will be tested as the Caged Beauty reaches out to the Frightened Shadow, and only they can decide if their friendship can survive the struggle…
A fate of connected with chains or broken bonds lies ahead, and one can't help but wonder which path the two shall take…
}Reconciliation & Regret{
Blake was a mess, and had been for the first week after the incident.
She couldn't, wouldn't sleep.
If she fell asleep, she would dream. If she dreamed, she'd see it all over again. The pool of blood leaking out of Sun as his grip on her hand weakened, the screams of pain of her fellow Faunus as the night erupted into flames, and the encroaching chill of the air as her former organization closed in, weapons drawn. But worst of all, she'd see his eyes. Dull, lifeless eyes as the paramedics electrified his chest again and again.
If she slept, she would experience it all again, and so she forced herself to stay awake. But this was a futile gesture, for she still saw it all as the guilt persisted.
And so she sat in an endless loop, her insomnia feeding into her trauma and vice versa as her thoughts berated her.
How could I have been such an idiot!? I was so desperate to deny the truth that I rushed off and put innocent people in danger! If I had never gotten so obsessed with proving the Fang innocent, then none of this would have happened! She thought for nearly the hundredth time. Sun wouldn't have almost been paralyzed, those lives in the warehouse wouldn't have been lost and Mr. Sullivan wouldn't have died!
Running her fingers over the bags under her eyes, she just held her face in shame over what she'd broken.
I know they hate me. Ruby isn't as cheerful, Yang is just angry all the time, and Weiss…
Her heart sank as she thought about the girl she'd argued so much with, the girl that had gotten under her skin like no other…the girl who had come to rescue her and fought by her side despite their differences. She wondered, as she'd done for the last few nights, if it hadn't all gone to hell, would they still be talking to one another?
Blake knew that it was her own idiotic plan that had led to so many travesties and that at the end of the day, no matter how snobby or callous she'd been, Weiss had been right. The Fang were ruthless monsters, and she had been one of them once upon a time. She was surprised she was still even allowed to stay at Beacon despite her past associations, but even though she wasn't expelled, it still felt like she'd ruined the team.
She knew that she didn't deserve them after all she'd done, and that's why she'd kept her distance from them in and out of classes…but she still missed the banter. She missed Yang's lame puns and trollish behavior, she missed Ruby's naïve innocence, and the friendly rivalry between them and JNPR. And even though they hadn't always been pleasant, she missed the debates she'd had with Weiss.
But it was all soured now because she had been stupid.
Why do I have to be such a coward? She thought in the midst of depression, hiding away in the same place she had been for the last few nights, staring blankly at a page that she couldn't quite seem to get past.
Sighing in sorrow, with her guilt chipping away at her psyche, she closed her book, knowing it would just be a waste of time trying to read with her current, and recently constant, mood.
Maybe I should try one of those Scroll games Jaune liked to go on about? She contemplated without enthusiasm.
"I should have known you would be here" a dainty voice broke the silence, causing her ears to stand up on end in surprise as she looked upon the white clad form of Weiss Schnee. "You're hard to track down, though I guess that should have been obvious given the last time you avoided us."
"W-Weiss!?" Black stuttered out as she quickly got up from the beanbag chair she was using, her eyes darting all over the place for a way to escape. Weiss noticed this and simply rolled her eyes in annoyance as she folded her arms across her chest and said,
"Please tell me you're not thinking of climbing over the bookshelves just so you won't have to talk to me?" Blake winced at her last-second plan being found out so quickly before she stuttered out,
"L-listen Wiess! I-I know you're upset with me, and I des-"
"I mean seriously, that kind of plan I'd suspect from Yang, Nora or Mr. Sullivan, but not you Blake. I'd think you would be able to think of something better than that," she continued in a disappointed tone, which only served to make the faunus girl feel worse.
I knew I wouldn't be able to put this off forever. Now comes the final nail in my coffin…
"W-Weiss…I'm so sor-"
"Ah-bah-bah-bah-bah-bah-bah! I've been putting off this conversation long enough and I think we both have had plenty of time to reflect after everything that's happened. So, you are going to stay right there and listen to what I have to say, understand?"
Blake, either too guilt ridden or scared to speak, merely nodded her head meekly at Weiss's demand. The determined glint in her eye seemed to sparkle even more at that as Weiss took a deep breath before she spoke again.
"That day at the docks was arguably one of the worst days of my life," she started with a calm, yet heated tone. "I was knocked unconscious by uncivilized ruffians, held hostage by a terrorist organization, was dragged into the middle of two hectic battles, and on top of that, had one of my favorite outfits practically slashed to pieces!"
With each misfortunate listed out, Blake wilted more and more, but every time she tried to speak up Weiss would silence her with one of her usual glares.
"It was a horrible, terrible, no good day for me. And all of it happened just because Mr. Sullivan had to run off like a crazy person to find you."
Despite there being no venom in her words, Blake could still feel that last sentence as it stabbed through her. Her shame seemed to be almost crushing her at that point, and she wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and hope Weiss would hurry up and finish this lecture so she could wallow in self-pity.
Not that I deserve any kind of pity for what I did Blake thought angrily to herself as Weiss seemed to wrap up her lecture.
"With all that said, and after having a few days to collect myself while you avoided us, I could only come to one simple decision regarding all of this. You want to know what that decision is?"
No, no she did not. She did not want to her the scathing words that would no doubt fly out of the white-haired girl's lips, no matter how much she deserved to hear them. She didn't want to hear the truth, but she knew she had to all the same.
"I don't care."
I knew it, I knew she hates me no-what!?
"What?" she responded, surprise clearly evident in her voice.
"Someone who I had a rather negative opinion of recently told me that the past isn't what matters right now, and that it's how you handle the present that truly counts."
Blake's eyes widened slightly at the familiar words, recalling similar ones told to her by a certain janitor. So shocked was she by this turn in direction, Blake was finally able to see what had been obvious from the start. The younger girl looked like she was just as tense and nervous and guilty as Blake felt. Yet despite her look of apprehension, she continued on with a voice filled with grim determination.
"I should have told you this sooner, but I can't just assume everything about you just because you used to be a part of the White Fang, just like you can't assume everything about me for being a Schnee."
Blake couldn't help but flinch slightly at that, but before she could throw in any of her own input Weiss continued to speak,
"Your past is yours and mine is my own, we can't change that. What we can change is how we act from now on. And let me be the first to admit, for a former terrorist you are a pretty decent person to converse with."
Despite herself Blake couldn't help but chuckle at that, and Weiss smiled at the small improvement in the faunus's mood as she continued,
"So with that in mind, I just want to make something very clear. The next time you want to go off and confront your past, make sure to bring me and the others along with you."
The words felt too good to be true for the sleep deprived girl. More than that, she felt she didn't deserve to hear them.
"Why?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "After everything that happened, after what happened at the docks to Sun, Mr. Sullivan and you, why are you so willing to put that behind you?"
The question seemed to surprise Weiss, but apparently not for the reasons Blake thought it would. As no sooner did she process the question did she let out a small chuckle and gain a look that seemed to scream 'the answer is so obvious, why don't you know?' to Blake.
"It's simple, we're a team," she declared as she pointed directly at Blake. "A team is supposed to have each other's backs no matter what, and to always support one another when their past becomes too much for them. So believe me when I say this, I'm so willing because a part of me wants to believe that you'd be just as willing if our roles were reversed!"
Blake could only blink in awe at how determined and sure sounding the Schnee sounded. A few seconds ticked by as she stared at the heiress, but eventually a small chuckle escaped from her.
"Why do I get the feeling Mr. Sullivan is the one who told you that?" The rich girl blushed slightly in embarrassment at that, before she broke out into a good-natured chuckle.
"For all the chaos that man causes, he does have some nuggets of wisdom here and there."
Both girls couldn't help but smile fondly at how the absent-minded janitor's words stuck with them, not knowing that by taking his advice they would only be causing him some more problems in the future.
A few pleasant seconds of silence went by as a pressure that had been on Blake's heart for the better part of a week began to lift. And in the midst of that easement, Weiss stuck her hand out towards her.
"What's this?" Blake asked a bit unsure.
"I want to shake on it and make this official. You and I are teammates, actual teammates from now on," she said in determination. "No more secrets, no more holding back from each other, and no more doing things alone. Do you think you can live with that?"
Blake, for the first time in a week, gained a genuine smile full of warmth and relief as she firmly gripped Weiss's hand and shook.
"Yeah…yeah I can live with that," she said, her voice hitching a bit as her worst fears were not realized this day. "No more secrets, I promise."
"Very well then," the heiress smiled in victory as they let go of each other's hands. "I look forward to working with you Blake Belladonna."
"And I look forward to working with you Weiss Schnee," Blake responded, happiness flooding the dark corners of her heart which caused her to laugh.
"Oh? What's got you all giggly?" Weiss asked with a raised brow.
"It's just that, heh heh, a Schnee and a former White Fang finally seeing eye to eye? I don't think that's ever happened before," Blake giggled as her stress melted. Weiss puffed her cheeks a bit at that, before a smirk appeared.
"I suppose so, and I can't say the idea of this happening would have made me laugh weeks ago if anyone else had told me," she giggled. "But again, the past is the past. Moving forward, we have a clear objective in mind."
"And that is?" Blake asked curiously.
"We make sure that the Assassin who targeted Yang doesn't strike again," she said with surety. "Mr. Sullivan was already pulled into the crossfire, and we don't need anyone else suffering like he did."
The strength in her voice encouraged the cat girl to no end, despite the unpleasant memories it dredged up.
"You'll hear no objections from me." she nodded in agreement. "I won't let anyone else get hurt by them."
"You mean 'We' won't," Weiss pointed out with a grin.
"Yeah, right, teamwork thing," Blake corrected with a small chuckle, before letting out an immense yawn.
"But first thing first Ms. Belladonna, you really need some rest," Weiss ordered. For a second, Blake became apprehensive again, until a slightly chilled hand rested on her shoulder. "You don't have to be afraid, there's four of us in one room. You won't be alone…"
And just like that, the insomnia seemed to flee as exhaustion rushed in, and she leaned on her teammate for support.
"…Thank you Weiss. Really, thank you," she said as they began to walk out of the library.
"No problem Blake," she answered in kind.
And as the two reconciled friends shuffled towards some much needed rest, neither of them noticed the familiar blonde- and red-haired sisters peeking at the scene from behind some bookshelves. Nor did they notice the content looks of relief on both of their faces at seeing this heartwarming moment in the midst of those dark days.
}Line Break{
And thus a friendship is rekindled and a bond is reformed in the flames of hardship. How long will this new bond last however? The bleakness of time can only tell…
Speaking of time, many believe that it can heal all wounds though they often ignore another factor of it. A simple factor that goes unrecognized by most thanks to its simplicity, though its importance should never be ignored.
Time may heal all wounds, but it can never remove the scars they leave behind. And sometimes, these scars will open up again when you least suspect it, especially the mental ones.
}Every Rose Has Its Thorns{
The second semester at Beacon did not start off with a high note. It started just as bleak and bitter as when the first semester ended, at least it felt that way for one Ruby Rose.
Sure it had been good to spend time with her father and sister over the break as they had been nothing but supportive, but it still didn't quite make up for the fact that her friend was still lying comatose in some unknown hospital. A fact that didn't do any favors for her mood when she returned to school and her dust tutor was still MIA.
What was worse though was that life seemed to go on, as if it wasn't leaving someone behind. She didn't want to admit it aloud, but seeing her friends and fellow students carrying on and actually seeming happy and carefree frustrated her. Nora was the biggest instigator of her ire during these times. Smiling was one thing, but acting like nothing happened was another, and it just rubbed her the wrong way.
Ruby hated feeling like this. She hated getting angry at the other students for reasons they had no control over or involvement in. She hated how those tiny thoughts about acting out at her team and friends whenever they were just trying to make her feel better. She hated how she kept thinking she was the only one who was still upset over everything.
And, not for the first time, she also had to concede that while she'd been running around with Jaune, Ren and Pyrrha, Nora had been there at ground zero.
If she can still smile…why can't I? she thought sadly as her mind wandered. Deep down, she knew exactly why. Chris being in the hospital reminded her too much of that day all those years ago. Even if they knew where he was being held, she wouldn't be able to set foot in that supposed house of healing. Not after last time.
But unlike that last time, she knew without a shadow of a doubt that the person inside would walk out of their own accord. She knew that Chris would get better, get back to work, and pick right back up where he'd been, making many of the student's lives better. She knew this because friends stuck together, no matter what, and that they always come back, even if the traitorous voice in the back of her head doubted it.
But despite knowing all of this, and despite hating her mood swings, she still felt down. So suffice to say, there were quite a few pages of frustrations written down in her secret secret diary. The importance of having backups was a lesson she'd learned from Chris, especially when she had a nosey, snooping sister. Her secret diary was just a decoy for the one she wrote her true thoughts into, and Yang would be none the wiser. Only her diary and her knew the depths of her frustrations, but today was turning out to be a little bit trickier keeping a lid on things.
It was the first combat training session of the semester, and things were going to their traditional pattern. Yang went first and utterly decimated the poor fool who had to fight her, and the same with Pyrrha when her turn was up. Jaune had managed to score another win, this time his Aura meter only falling just before the red mark and Nora 'accidently' created another crater in the wall from one of her hammer swings.
Everything was going as per usual, but then her turn came up. She had been paired up with Cardin of all people, and the jerk was smiling smugly like he always did.
Said smirk had been progressively been getting more and more annoying to look at for the young Rose ever since Chris's near death. The boy had been slowly going back to his bullying habits now that the janitor wasn't lurking around the corner with detention referrals or smoke pellets. He still didn't target Jaune or Velvet though, but he had been progressively testing the waters with others.
But to Ruby, the biggest crime he committed was that stupid smile. It wasn't like Nora's who would try to brighten your day, but a smug nasty one. When word got around about what had happened at the docks, despite the gag order by the headmaster, she had seen Cardin give that same smile when he'd learned of Chris's fate. She hadn't called him out for that malicious grin that day as emotionally drained as she'd been, but facing him now, she couldn't help but feel steamed. This was both a blessing and a curse though as her fighting form wasn't as fluid as normal.
Where in the past, hardly anyone could go toe to toe with her, the square jawed jerk was holding his own and even taking the offensive now and again, halving her meter. Gritting her teeth, Ruby tried to get her mind and body to connect so that she could end this, but her inner turmoil was too much of a mess.
"Ya know Rose, your form is pretty sloppy today. You not all there or something?" her opponent taunted arrogantly as he struck her in the thigh as she tried to flip away from him. Wincing at the blow, she planted her feet and gave her weapon a defensive flourish. "Going on the defensive? Really?" he boasted. "You really are a wreck huh? If only your creepy mop guy was here to clean up after your mess. Oh wait…"
His taunt had the desired effect on the reaper as she was taken aback by the nastiness of his words and her flourish faltered. Taking advantage, he struck at her, and was rewarded with a blow to her shoulder which slid her back five feet.
Wincing once more, Ruby glared at the boy and all noise around her seemed to muffle. She couldn't hear her friends shouting encouragements from the sidelines, she couldn't hear the critiques about her form, and she couldn't hear the boos in response to the cheap shot. No, the only thing she could hear was his chuckling.
"What did you just say?" she seethed through clenched teeth.
"I said you're so sloppy that you need a cleanup crew, but yours is kind of dead, so that won't help," he taunted as he rushed at her.
If the coursing blood rushing past her ears hadn't deafened her, Ruby would have heard some cat calls, reprimanding Cardin's callousness, but even if she had heard them, it wouldn't have made much a difference.
"Shut. Up." She demanded as she parried his attack with Crescent Rose.
"Maybe now you'll learn to pick up after yourself since there's no more trash serv-"
"Shut up!" she hissed as her grip on her weapon tightened and she parried his next attack with more force.
Cardin, either oblivious or purposely ignoring his now shaking opponent, continued on his little tirade.
"Always cleaning up your garbage, you got complacent. No wonder you weren't able to clean up his," he pressed as he deflected Crescent Rose's blade out of her grip and into the air above her, leaving her open.
Time seemed to slow down as the weapon spun in the air and Cardin went in for the final blow. Goodwitch and the rest of the students watched in awe and surprise as Cardin was about to defeat the leader of Team RWBY. Blake, Weiss, Yang and all of JNPR shouted their dismay and shock as Winchester's Mace headed for her center.
But Ruby saw and heard none of that.
"I SAID SHUT UP!" she roared as she ducked and her fist struck out at a speed that no one could quite track.
The next thing she and anyone else could register, was the loudmouth braggart being embedded four inches into the wall 30 ft from where he'd originated. The boy then fell out of the hole and onto the ground, his aura meter depleted.
Silence fell over the room as Ruby huffed and puffed rapidly, her fist still outstretched. The hush was broken though when Crescent Rose landed beside her with a clank and the whole room began to applaud and cheer for her.
"Way to go Ruby!" Jaune shouted.
"You go girl!" Pyrrha added.
"Nice shot!" Weiss cheered as many others congratulated.
Ruby though, heard none of it. Now that that burst of anger had subsided, she couldn't help but stare down her outstretched fist towards Cardin in surprise and worry.
"Wh-What did I just do?" she stammered as she unclenched her fist with a bit of effort and looked at her palm where her nails had dug into it.
"You went and pulled a Yang!" Nora laughed as she clapped her on the shoulder.
"I don't know if I like it said like that, but good job lil sis!" Yang said as she clapped her other shoulder.
"Guess that proves without a doubt you two are siblings," Blake added with a smirk.
"And here I was beginning to wonder," Yang teased before ruffling Ruby's hair. "But maybe stick to the scythe kiddo, fisticuffs are my thing."
"R-Right," the young girl nodded shaking away the numbness from her hand and picking up her blade.
"That did shut him up real good though. Too bad you didn't get him in that fat mouth of his," Jaune chuckled.
"Yeah…too bad…" Ruby said absently as she watched the nursing staff pick up the unconscious boy. A bit of guilt hit her as she saw a trickle of blood leak out of his mouth.
Sure he was being a jerk, but what the heck did I do to him? How did I do that to him? She wondered in slight fear as everyone congratulated her.
Her thoughts would go unanswered that day, for only her spectacled teacher had caught a glimpse of the source. Glynda Goodwitch would make note of the brief flash of silver that emanated from the young girl's eyes before her blow struck home, and she would discuss it with the headmaster far from the other student's ears. So, oblivious to this factor, the students learned a different lesson instead.
You do not fuck with Ruby Rose when it comes to her friends.
}Line Break{
All roses have thorns, and the smallest of them tend to have the most sting. If only the Stained Shield could have learned that earlier…
Though, it could be said that not all lessons truly stick even after they've been taught. Sometimes new knowledge just muddies existing lessons, and wading through that tangled mess of confusion can leave one feeling trapped. These constraints can take their toll on someone, as one Conflicted Flower no doubt knows. The teachings of the past or the truths of the present, which one should she follow?
}Darkly Dreaming Doubts{
"I'm not a bad person, I swear!"
"I'll blow her head off!"
"Please, I don't want to go to the White Fang…"
"Yeah, well you don't have to be scary to put a bullet through one of your people's heads!"
"You shielded me so there must be some good in you…"
"I'll kill all of you too if you don't back down!"
"I'm so sorry about this…"
*BLAM* *BLAM* *BLAM*
"Hyah!" Lilly Razma awoke with a startled gasp in her dorm room, once again forced awake by the memories of that day. She slowly sat up in her bed, careful not to wake up her other teammates as she took deep, desperate breaths in an attempt to calm down.
It's not an easy process for her, as she could still feel the phantom pressure of the gun barrel pressed to her head. The memories of that night flashed in her mind even in the waking world, trying to find some sort of answer to a question she didn't know, or some way to remove all the doubts clouding her mind.
As usual, she found none.
"He seemed so nice…yet he held a gun to my head," Lilly sighed out in a saddened whisper, as she had done countless times over the last few weeks. Saying it aloud though, didn't make the picture clearer. "Did he really mean to kill all those people, or was it just another accident like the last warehouse? Is he truly The Creeper that everyone paints him as?"
Hugging her knees to her chest, she stared off into the darkness of the room as she once more tried to piece together all the many varied conflictions regarding Chris Sullivan.
It had started with the rumors right before she got accepted to Beacon, the tales of a homeless human man who stalked young faunus girls on the streets of Vale. She, like the rest of her brothers and sisters, was horrified and appalled that such a loathsome creature could exist. She had seen firsthand the subject of human injustice, but to know this monster still lived and breathed while the authorities did nothing caused her blood to boil. She would have done anything to destroy such a menace, but as it was, it wasn't her burden to bear.
She was going to Beacon, a predominantly human institution, and she needed to focus on the training that it entailed. She had been lucky enough to be partnered with an all faunus team, and her Semblance was more than helpful through the many obstacles thrown at her.
She had prepared for the discrimination and prejudice as well, and knew to keep her emotions in check, but what she never prepared for was the Crazy Janitor. A human, looking like he needed a shave and a bath had burst into her Dust Studies classroom one day and told her to contain an explosive with her Semblance that he'd made. All the while, a mad, distant look filled his eyes as if this was just a walk in the park.
Quite frankly, he had scared the shit out of her. 'What was a lunatic doing roaming the halls of a school unchecked?' she and countless others had exposited. And it didn't stop there, the videos of his erratic behavior were uploaded almost daily, and they just highlighted more and more eccentricities of this strange, hairy human. He was like the school's very own train wreck that you just couldn't help but stare at. And maybe that's what she and others would have seen him as, had he not suddenly started looking after the faunus students.
He stood up to bullies, tutored them in dust properties, and he even proclaimed things many faunus had been shouting for years, like seeing past the ears and tails and eyes and treating them like people.
And thus her opinion of the man, of this human, steadily increased more and more as she continued her observations of his actions. It was strange that someone of his species who appeared to be the lowest of the low could feel that way and live by example. And as far as she could tell, he had no ulterior motive or benefit for his beliefs, outside of the fact that he felt it was right. Lilly began to believe, that if there was someone like him, who despite his loony bin habits could stand up for what's right, then there were surely others as well. It took seeing such kindness from the worst of humanity to change her view on the species as a whole.
But then the truth came out.
He and the blonde punching girl from Team RWBY had decimated a White Fang stronghold, seemingly on a whim, and she learned who he really was.
Mr. Sullivan and The Creeper were one in the same.
That revelation had shattered her entire image of the kind janitor. The man who was proving to be the prime example that not all humans were bastards, was in reality some child predator who could fight The White Fang, and win.
It just didn't make any logical sense to her, but then again nothing about that man ever did. Still, that's where her confliction began to grow, and she observed him even more discretely to see if any of his true colors ever shone, but they never did. Not at Beacon anyway.
That night at the docks, even after so much death and destruction had been wrought, she witnessed him barrel forth after the gorilla looking mook with crazed bloodlust in his eye. She knew that those in the warehouse were gone, and she knew that he had had something to do with it, but even still, she didn't intervene in their battle as those doubts and misgivings swam through her mind. Only when his life was on the precipice of ending did she help, and because of that, he turned the tables and defeated the hulking brute. And to add more contrary behavior, he hadn't struck him down with the sharp end of the axe.
She'd gone to him then and all she saw was a defeated and broken man full of anguish and fear. And that's why she tried to get him out of there, because she thought it's what he would have done. The right thing to do…
But then came the standoff and the betrayal.
The gun pressed against her head, his desperate sputtering of apologies, the blade stabbing into her shield, the explosion from that hammer girl…
It had all been too much for her. And so she ran. She ran as hard and fast as her feet could take her, away from the carnage and destruction of her brethren, back to the den of Beacon where she'd been stationed, where doubts and questioning of her mission started.
"What do I even believe anymore?" she moaned to herself as her crisis of identity permeated her once again. "There's too many contradictions about everything…"
Turning her misty eyes towards her bedside table, she glanced at the one framed picture she owned. Picking it up, she looked upon a happier memory when things were much simpler to grasp. Her younger self stood smiling amidst other faunus her age as they laughed at some joke long forgotten. The Lilly in the present gazed longingly at the fox eared boy holding her past self's hand, a glow of pride in his red eyes.
"I don't know what to think anymore Koku…"
And since photographs cannot respond, she was simply left to stew in her doubts. Her doubts about the future, the past, humans, Mr. Sullivan, herself…
…and The White Fang.
}Line Break{
A conflicted soul is one easily vulnerable to the harshness of the world, for if one cannot be certain in their ideals, then how can one be expected to face against those who wish to discredit them?
Although a conflicted soul is a small challenge when compared to a soul whose trust has weakened with those around them, or a soul whose age has blinded them to what others see as obvious. Or perhaps even blinded them from accepting the truth in fear of what their actions might lead to.
The Tired Wizard and the Kind Witch are soon to have these ideals clash, leaving no real winner, because nobody is right when everybody's wrong.
}Trouble Stews Among the Court{
"Explain yourself Ozpin, now."
The Headmaster of Beacon could only let out a silent sigh as his second in command stormed out of the elevator into his office, her tone and face clearly indicating she was far from pleased about something.
And today was going so well… he thought dryly.
For as much as he trusted and respected Glynda Goodwitch, the ancient wizard could still admit that she had the habit of lecturing far more often then he'd like. Not that he never deserved some of those lectures, as often times he did go overbroad when it came to prepping his students for the future war against Salem, and maybe missed an important event or two with his scheming.
However, if this was another lecture about his "needless" coffee budget, then by the gods today would be the day he stood his ground and told her off once and for all…or at least that's what he told himself.
"And what seems to be the matter Ms. Goodwitch? Is the new semester already off to a rocky start?" he asked as he took a sip from his mug. Not even batting an eye, she stopped in front of his desk and pointed a finger at him.
"Why is it that I've only just now been informed about Mr. Sullivan's connection to the Queen, and from Ironwood of all people despite you apparently having these suspicions for months?!"
Despite his calm appearance one could notice a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead at her tone.
Ah…I knew I was forgetting something important.
"I assure you Glynda it was not my intention to keep you out of the loop for so long," he began, his tone even and calm as he explained, "I had intended to inform you sooner but a situation with the Council about the dock repairs had come up and it merely slipped my mind. I apolo-"
"Why even keep me in the dark at all?!" she accused, her glare intensifying.
"Well, you see, I was playing this one close to the chest until I had a better read," he excused. "I know that this whole thing might be upsetting-"
"Gee, you think so?!" she huffed causing even more sweat to form on his brow. "Regardless of how close you were keeping it, that's not the only reason I'm upset Ozpin!"
Of course it wouldn't be, he thought with a sigh as he sat his mug down, and a small frown crossed his face. Damn the council for distracting me…
"You're upset about how I'm going about Mr. Sullivan's case, aren't you?" he said plainly, deciding to rip off the band-aid and get straight to the point.
"Of course I am!" she nodded heatedly. "You assigned me specifically to watch over him and his erratic behavior these past months, and yet you didn't think to mention such an important factor like this?!"
"Because I didn't want your assessment tainted by what was then only a suspicion," he countered, but it didn't dissuade her mood.
"I should have known you had some ulterior motive, you always do," she shook her head. "I guess I should have seen it more clearly when you allowed someone as wild as him into our halls, but I suppose I was just hopeful you were being charitable."
"Glynda…" he sighed.
"You have trusted my judgment in the past in regards to our staff have you not?" she accused.
"Yes I have," he nodded. "And I still do. Your analysis of Sullivan is one of the key reasons why he's recovering in a bed and not being carried off by Qrow to only he knows where." That caused her to stiffen in what he guessed as surprise.
"So you think my deeming of him to be 'reckless, yet not an immediate danger' is sound?"
"It is always good to have a second opinion," he admitted, though this only caused her to frown in confusion. "If you had known my suspicions beforehand, can you honestly say you'd have come to the same conclusion?"
"I…I'm not sure," she said reluctantly before her eyes became steely again. "But whether that would have been the case or not, you're handling it all wrong now."
"In what way?" he asked curiously.
"Giving him leeway at first to observe him may have been a gamble, but laying your cards down the minute he wakes up and putting him into a corner is just plain reckless," she lectured.
"Reckless? Maybe, but it's necessary to see-"
"Necessary? It's necessary to treat the man like some common criminal? To imprison him, in all but name, here in Beacon?" she scoffed. "You have to understand the problems of this method Ozpin! Ironwood said you thought Sullivan was on the fence, not choosing a side, but this…this could push him to hers."
The headmaster frowned, more so at his military ally's loose lips than the accusation.
True, he might very well reach out to her, but he would only do so if he'd considered her an option in the first place. But if he does reach out to her, then we'll know for sure, he thought cold and calculatingly, but dared not say that aloud to her.
"It's all just precaution until we know for certain his intentions Glynda. I am not going to lock him up forever in this school. That would be silly."
Not to mention, we wouldn't be able to see if he'd run or not when given the illusion of freedom.
The blonde woman pinched her eyes closed, took a deep breath, and then let it out as she looked back down at her superior.
"You didn't give this same treatment to Cinder, Opzin," she said plainly and his eyes narrowed. "Despite her past, you let her waltz in here without a second thought."
"Ms. Fall had already proven herself Glynda! But don't think that there weren't second, or third, or thousandths of thoughts when I accepted her!" he said sternly with a bit more force than he'd intended which caused her to flinch. "But when it came down to it, her motives and desires were easy to understand and guide, but Sullivan…he's an anomaly. An anomaly I can't truly plan for, and that's why I need to observe him."
To this, she just crossed her arms and shook her head.
"Anomaly or not, you know this isn't fair. This is a powder keg of a situation, and with his track record, it's more than likely to go up in flames."
Taking his own deep breath, the old wizard let out a sigh and picked his mug back up.
"Just as I trust you with teaching and protecting our students, I hope you can have faith in my direction in these manners. I truly want what's best for us and for Mr. Sullivan, and this is the only way I see it working."
The two then stared each other down for what seemed like hours, but in reality was only a few seconds. Goodwitch was the first to break eye contact, and so she made her way back to the elevator. Ozpin merely stared at her back, sporting an unreadable expression as he did. Once the elevator arrived she got on, but before she made any move to choose a floor she gave Ozpin one last reluctant look.
"I will give you your faith Ozpin, but make no mistake, I will go about this my way," she said in determination. "I became a teacher to help guide lost and broken people like Mr. Sullivan to a better path, just like you did for me years ago. And there's been far too much antagonism directed his way as it is…"
"Act as you will Glynda," he said, seemingly nonplussed. "I trust you enough to know you wouldn't risk anything. But I feel as if I must remind you to not get complacent. You said much the same about Leonardo after all."
He saw as her eyes widened slightly at that low blow, but she said nothing else as she pressed a button and the doors closed on her. With her gone, he finally slumped back into his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. If anyone were to see him now, they would see him looking like his true age. Old, tired, and with an abundance of wisdom that was both useful and distracting.
"One little fly can cause so much turmoil with a flap of its wings," Ozpin said, his tone conveying neither hatred or fondness. "You truly are an interesting man Chris Sullivan. Just what is your goal with these connections you've made? I wonder…"
His question would go unanswered, with nothing responding to him aside from the ticking of the clockwork all around him.
}Line Break{
Even the sturdiest of bonds can be shaken when confronted with doubt. Trust is something hard to earn, and even harder to keep in trying times. Yet while some bonds are tested, others are weighed down by conflict and strife as they struggle to cope with the challenges of the world.
As one drowns their sorrows away, another can't help but find interest in it all. An interest that, for the one who has caught their eye, can only mean more conflict in their future…
}Scotch and Sundaes{
She found herself at a bar in Vale. The name of the establishment was unnecessary, for it served the same function of many others like it. It was a place where folks could drown themselves into blissful forgetfulness with friends or strangers. And personally, she was thankful it was the former and not the latter, even if her idea of 'hanging out' with her 'friends' had a far, far different definition.
She knew she wasn't normal by any stretch of the word, but that was okay because she also didn't care. She lived how she wanted to live, and if anyone pushed her on it…well, she always welcomed the extra 'practice.'
But thankfully she wasn't with one of those pushy practice dummies, she was with one of the few people she legitimately considered a friend, someone who she consistently had fun with and who never looked down upon her abnormalities. She was a good friend, but the taller woman was really grating on her that night.
A gal trip out was supposed to be drinking and dancing and having a good time, not listening to one bemoan and complain about things as they took out a bottle of scotch by themselves. Realizing how the night was going to shape up, she cut herself off after two drinks because she knew it was gonna be her job to haul the drunken wreck home.
Neo was a lot of things, but one thing she wasn't was a bitch that ditched her friends when they were going through a rough time, even if they did sour the mood. Although she did wish she would stop rambling on so much.
"Is it too much to ask that I just want to help him?" Zatanna muttered forlornly, looking at her empty glass, repeating the same conversation they'd had since entering the place.
Just like the last few times, Neo shook her head in response, not because she agreed, but because that's what her friend was expecting.
"I mean, it's like, I know the guy's got a few screws loose here and there, but for the life of me I can't understand why he sometimes looks like he's afraid of me," she mumbled, fiddling with her glass.
Neo just shrugged. Sighing, Zatanna turned from her empty cup and looked at the tricolored haired woman.
"He's a good guy and all, and he makes work suck less…but when Yang and I went to see him, I saw that same apprehensive look in his eyes. I didn't let it show, because I was still happy to see him, but he pissed me off a bit!"
Neo felt that if it pissed her off so much, she should just stop talking about it, but still she patted Zatanna's back comfortingly. Zatanna tried to drink something that wasn't there, and grew frustrated.
"Give me another!" she demanded to the beleaguered bartender. He looked from the inebriated woman to Neo, and she shook her head deciding to cut her off. Pointing at her own glass of water and motioning towards Zatanna, the bartender got the cue and closed out the tab, while filling a glass of sober juice.
"When I was at my lowest…I made a friend who picked me up from the gutters," Zatanna muttered sadly. "Thanks to her, I have a better life than I have any right to deserve."
Neo nodded her head absentmindedly at that, this not being the first time Zatanna brought up her 'savior' when she got drunk, though she suppressed her desire to roll her eyes.
"But why is it so hard to offer the same help to someone else?" she whined like a toddler, and began to drink her water. Neo couldn't answer her for a number of reasons, but the one right behind being mute was that she had no experience herself. Doing deeds for altruistic purposes wasn't exactly something she'd been an expert in. Even now, she was being a good friend for the sole purpose of not losing said friend. Life was a series of give and take, and Neo felt it was stupid to give something away for free.
"I can be a good person too you know?! I'm not a terrible friend…am I?" Zatanna slurred, and before Neo could respond, she placed her head down on her arms and began mumbling something inaudible.
A few moments later and the clear sound of snores could be heard coming from the drunken burnet. Neo couldn't help but let out a silent sigh at her friend's recklessness. She knew the janitor could hold her own in a fight, but that didn't help when you made yourself a weak and vulnerable target.
Neo was many things, but she was not someone to leave a friend defenseless. Just to be on the safe side, she made sure to shoot every guy in a thirty-foot radius a death glare. If any of them had held an inkling of sleazy thoughts towards the drunken girl, they were quickly put in their place by her killing intent…although so too were the many innocent bystanders who just wanted to drink and play pool.
The bartender, noticing the sudden hostility between Neo and his other patrons, quickly gave her the check so that she could leave that much sooner. Upon gazing at the bill, she stiffened momentarily before pinching her eyes tight and sighing in disappointment.
With a quick glare at the woman drooling on the bar, she paid the exuberant price, and felt more than a little ticked off that she didn't get to enjoy the benefits of such an expense. And while the bartender ran her card, she moved to prep her taller friend for departure, but paused when she noticed the TV above the bar displaying the news.
As loud as the bar was, she had excellent hearing and could also read lips. The news report was about how a group of White Fang members had been found brutally murdered downtown. The times of death had been confirmed to have taken place nearly two months ago, and investigators now felt they were related to the skirmish at the docks. The news casters then gave a recap of the event, including footage of the blazing warehouse that had claimed so many lives.
Her true smile, the smile only he seemed to notice during their first meeting, appeared 'brightly' when the newscaster finished and the bartender brought her card back.
"You hear the rumors going about that it was actually just one guy that went and blew all those people to kingdom come?" he asked as he noticed the news as well.
She nodded her head purposefully before putting Zatanna's arm around her shoulder and picking her up.
"They say the Fang are afraid of him. If that's true, then he must be one terrifying monster," he muttered with a shake of his head.
Terrifying? That's a funny way to say intriguing, Neo thought with a salacious smile.
And with that she began dragging her friend home, thinking more about the object of Zatanna's sadness; the hairy man who had seen beneath her mask and ran, only to show his own cold blood just as quickly with his axe and gun. He was just like her.
Zatanna was a good friend, but that interesting man…he could very well become a true companion if she could just get him to remove that mask of his.
In such a boring world, she'd take anything interesting that she could get her hands on…
}Line Break{
There are some facts of life that are ironclad and cannot be broken. There are two sides to every coin, just as there is two sides to every story. There can be no good without evil, no light without darkness.
For every good guy there's a bad guy, and for every villain there is a hero.
One can't help but wonder if those on the side of light suffer at one event, does that mean those hidden by the dark celebrate the same thing?
Then again, one evil's accomplishment can be another evil's tragedy…
}Love Can Drive One Mad{
It came out of nowhere.
No one on site even knew it was there until it was too late.
It grabbed Ray and Iris while they were patrolling the south exit. They hadn't even heard their screams.
Jazz, Rose, and Mell went out to investigate when they didn't come back for their rounds. That was the last time anyone saw them.
Then Carnel and Catlyn went to check on them, and that's when it started. Catlyn always left her radio on, a bad habit from training. It started suddenly, with no warning.
The screaming, the begging for life, the tearing of flesh…and the laughter. The sadistic, sickening, hi-pitched laughter that made their ears and tails stand on end. A laughter that they all soon began to hear outside of the radio.
Berk had never signed up for this. He'd joined the White Fang to bring down the arrogant humans like the Schnees, not to guard a storage container after the main operation at the docks had gone up in flames. And he certainly never signed up to be hunted down like prey.
There had been ten of them at the start of the night, but in mere minutes, all but him had been torn to shreds. And because he hadn't signed up for this, he ran. He ran and ran, never looking back at the blood curdling screams and the merry laughter.
He ran towards the exit of the storage facility, looking for someone, anyone that could help. He didn't even care if they were cops who would throw him in the slammer without a second thought, getting arrested by humans was better than getting slaughtered.
He just had to make it out of the facility. He saw the red exit sign glowing in the dark only 15 ft away…
"AGH!" the poor faunus cried out as something like barbed wire ensnared his legs and lifted him into the air by his feet, pushing past his aura and drawing blood. His screams were heard by no one, other than by the predator stalking him.
"Hee hee hee hee HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!"* the bone chilling laughter rang out in the darkness all around the dangling man.
"W-who are you!? W-why are you doing this!?" he stammered fearfully to the void, tears leaking out his eyes and to the floor above his head.
And just like that, the laughter ceased. All around him became dead quiet, the only noise heard being his labored gasps. And then suddenly a hand caressed his cheek.
"Why? Why he asks? Hee hee hee," the dark feminine voice whispered directly into his ear. His blood ran cold, and he couldn't even muster the energy to cry out as the bloodied hand continued to smear his friend's gore on him. "I think you know exactly why little puppy."
The hooded figure turned Berk by his ear till he was face to face with eyes of pure madness. His life flashed before his eyes, short though it had been, and he knew that this was the end.
"Who killed my beloved? Please tell me, I'm dying to know. Or rather, you will be…" she said as perfectly white teeth snarled a smile in the darkness, and a blade slowly pressed into him.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
A pained filled shriek echoed through the night and then…silence.
}Line Break{
Truly one cannot help but fear those whose minds have broken. One cannot predict or control a mind whose sanity has long since left them. And if that mind was also suffering through grief, well…a deadly combination for sure.
A combination that is just a drop of water in the bucket brought about by these rippling waves. But waves don't just appear from nowhere, they always have a source.
A flap of a butterfly's wings will lead to hurricanes across the sea, just as a missed shot can lead to the ending of the world.
}Puppets on Strings{
"The entire dock dust heist operation was a complete failure!"
"We've lost a quarter of the Vale Fang from this debacle alone, not to mention morale is at an all-time low with how many operations have been busted thanks to those captured ratting us out."
"Ooooh! The Mistress will surely be disappointed in all of you! I do hope she sends me to fix your mistakes…and you."
They all speak, but they say nothing, just complaint after complaint. If they were actually in the same room as the cloaked figure and not just on the screen in front of them, then their voices might be silenced forever.
"You lost all of that dust, a good chunk of your forces, and contact with Torchwick! And then to top things off, you decided to make things worse!"
Especially when the rabble turns the blame towards them.
"Not only did you act outside your orders, again, but you almost got caught with that little stunt you pulled!"
"Yes yes! The Mistress would be most displeased if you were to get caught and ruin her perfect plan! Though feel free to keep doing that so I can take care of you for her…"
"I act only according to that plan you filth," the figure speaks with authority. "A mistake was made, but it was made in pursuit of our goals."
This causes the others to balk and argue even more.
"How does killing a random homeless person further our goals? Sure the White Fang wanted his insides strung out, but he was nothing to us!"
"I wasn't aiming for the hobo you imbeciles; I was aiming for Xiao Long!" they snap.
"Well you cocked that up didn't you?"
"We thought your aim was impeccable. Perhaps the mistress shouldn't put so much faith in you."
"It was a fluke," they say with gritted teeth. "Xiao Long's meat-shield is dead and gone, and no one else is going to take the next shot but her."
"And why are you so obsessed with killing this huntress in training?"
"Yes. The mistress has given no order against this girl."
"Because her death will be a useful tool to further all of our goals."
"How? What is her significance outside of that irksome mother of hers?"
"You will see. All you need to know now is that things are still under control. That is all."
"Now listen here you litt-"
Whatever the man was about to say was cut off as the figure cut the feed of their 'team members.' Much as they hated to admit it, Xiao Long's extreme luck with having that rando take the hit HAD set things back.
When they'd arrived, the battle had already ended, but the opportunity to take her out once and for all had been too tempting. Failing didn't sit too well with them, and Salem wouldn't be lenient forever.
The girl HAD to die, it was integral in their plans for that Silver Eyed sister of hers. Getting the next shot wasn't going to be an easy task, but with a little patience and some meticulous planning, Xiao Long would be in their sights once again, and this time, they wouldn't miss.
But until that day came, they had to focus on the future and make sure the rest of the plan went off without a hitch. That meant finding Torchwick, gathering more forces, and trying to keep the White Fang on board this partnership.
After all, they had a world to burn…
}Episode End{
*For reference, think Yuno Gasai's full yandere mode laugh or a more crazed version of Genocider Syo's laugh from Danganronpa. Or a deranged mixture of the two if that meets your fancy.
Also, lot's of interesting information has been dropped throughout this episode sized Omake. I wonder if you'll be able to spot them all? Oh I just can't wait to see!
Oh man, I can't wait to see all your guy's reactions to this! I bet those last two perspectives really surprised you all huh? I'm sure some of you are boggling your minds over who our two mystery villains are. I'm looking at you TM Calypso!
But seriously, I hope you all enjoyed this side adventure into the lives of the other characters who were effected by Chris's sorta death! I gotta say I had a lot of fun writing from all these different perspectives and characters, though for some of them it was easier to do then others so apologies in advance for any OOC moments.
I really can't wait to see how you guys feel about all the scenes here, especially which ones were your favorite! Who knows, maybe in the future I might decide to do this again if you all like it enough and a situation in the story occurs so that it works timeline wise!
Though as much as I want to gush on about how much fun this chap was and what your guys reactions will be, I think its about time for everyone's (or just mine) favorite section! Let's call you guys out shall we?
Oh wait! First a quick shoutout to Thomas Knightshade! He's got his own neat RWBY fic going on called Adrift in Remnant. Some poor sod is reincarnated into Remnant and has to become Weiss's cake butler, which means dealing with the entire Schnee family since birth! *Shivers* Not a fun past time if ya ask me, but the story is really interesting and if any of ya are interested you should check it out!
Okay, now onto calling you guys out!
Kevin Bakeland: Thanks! I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as you did the last one!
Thomas Knightshade: It may seem like having Winter around would be a good idea, but keep in mind Chris's…unique quirks. Those two spending time together would only be a powder keg ready to blow with their personality differences!
impactor: Soon all of Remnant will bow before the might of Sun's abs, just as Foxy did! As for Weiss's reaction to Chris's reaction well…its bound to be a chilling experience for the poor janitor.
Oblivious IJ: I'm afraid I must permanently side with the adorable robot faction, for nothing can stop the adorkableness that is Penny! Usually I'll be super vague about the ages of the characters, but in this I'll be blunt and say she's thirteen. I may love anime and its tropes, but even I wouldn't stoop so low as to use the 'small person is really a adult' gag just for a future laugh! I have my (loose) standards for humor after all! And all hail the mighty Telenovela, through its cheesiness we shall gain unlimited power!
TM Calypso: What would their ship name be? RoboBunny? RoboBunny. RoboBunny! Yeah, yeah that sounds good! Rolls right off the tongue doesn't it? Also, hope these scenes met up with your expectations and I can't wait to hear your thoughts on them!
GEStorm: Good to be back man, and I hope this lengthy chapter can help push your boredom once again! Stay safe and all that!
GuestA: Glad you were able to pick up that reference, or at least review that ya did! Sadly my writing abilities aren't exactly up there to handle that chaos of a series, so no fic like that coming from me anytime soon.
DarkFox17: A wild Foxy appeared! It used Sub sandwich, its super effective! But seriously, glad I caught ya by surprise there. Like I always say, why go for the obvious when you can go for the random? And knowing Chris, well I'm sure he'll think of something. Now if it works or not…well…*evil grin*
J0K3R4014: Honestly? Chris was just the first normal name to pop in my head, 'Joker' came form playing too much Persona, and Sullivan came from the watching a playthrough of the Nathan Drake series who had a character named that in it and it sounded like a awesome last name. Hope you enjoyed this chap as well!
Ubivashka-kun: Given my publishing track record I don't blame ya. Same can't be said for this chapter but hey lets just ignore that! Like I said before Winter's and Chris's personality's mixing is just a big explosion waiting to happen, and not the fun kind either…probably.
SteadfastWhiplash: That would be our esteemed main character, who is still in a desperate need of a good shaving and haircut. Though we all probably need the latter now considering what's going on and all that…ah well hope you enjoyed the chap!
Gojira: Who knows? Perhaps an opportunity still awaits for such a joke to take place….*evil grin*
GuestB: What is real and what is fake, is there really such a difference between the two? I mean there's such a fine line between reality and fiction. Perhaps a mix of the two is what your witnessing, or maybe what you deem fake is real and what is real is fake? Who knows…
GuestC: God the 4th anniversary of the fic has already passed and we just now got into Volume II. I swear if this fic isn't finished by 2022 then…well I'll probably wonder how the hell its still popular to be read for that long. Also who knows what theories will come true or be disproven, only time will tell…hopefully,
Gibbeh: Ah, the return of the why boner. With a vengeance! And yeah I figured Remnant would have something like Twitch and what better way to introduce then via the side character I turned into a semi-stalker! …Ya know saying that aloud sounds a lot worse than it did in my head…
Magnus the Red: God I'd pay a fortune to see Ozpin's face if something like that were to actually happen. I bet it would be hilarious…or immensely disappointing if he kept his poker face going. One of the two really.
Stryker: No problems man, I'm still questioning how I managed to last that long and keep a steady viewer base going. As well as questioning just how long this fic will take to finish and whimpering at the dreaded future of 2022 being the end date with my luck. So ya know, the usual!
Shadowstorm-Vash: I think I implied somewhere that it was nickname given to him by his friends back on Earth, but I can be completely wrong. Don't exactly have the time to re-read everything to check hehehehe… Either way I'm glad you enjoyed, or at least interested enough, the fic so much to binge through it and I hope you enjoyed this episode as well!
F.R from Germany: Oh I'm sure the police aren't that bad in Remnant…well at least not all of them. Kinda hard to give them a good rap considering how Chris got manhandled by that detective jerk back in episode 25 hehehehehe…
VirusChris: I'd say this chap gave you some insight into some of your wonderings wouldn't you say? I'd talk more but this AN has gone on long enough, so lets just say I love how intrigued you are and look forward to all the theories you pop up with this chap. Also read your pm, and I can only give a torllish grin in response. Ahem, *smiles trollishly*
Trsmuted: Thanks!
SouthernGentleman11: Glad your enjoying the story, and I hope this appetizer of a huge ass omake is enough to satisfy your hunger till the main course arrives!
Ah, nothing feels better then responding to your guy's reactions to what happens in the fic!
Now again I hope you all enjoyed this .5 episode! I said this already, but I just want to say again how much fun it was to take a break from Chris's character and write out all these scenes for the characters! After this its back to poor old Chris though, and oh man am I going to have a hell of a time messin-I mean writing out his interaction with Ironwood *evil laughter*!
Ahem, anyway! As per usual feel free to leave future jokes or omakes in the reviews! You all know how much I love to read and actually use your guys ideas, so don't be shy to drop a sentence or two!
All logic used in this fic is completely head-canon, especially in relation to dust and the physics behind it. If you don't agree then that's okay, its just how I see things.
Our follows have reached 885 and our favorites have jumped to 674! I can't thank you all enough for the continued support of this story and I can't wait to continue giving you guys a good time with Chris's misadventures! I hope I can continue to make you all laugh as we go on!
This has been LightDusk16, signing off!