RWBY: Crossroads of Light and Dark
Side story I: Licht Reunion
A/N: So after finishing the first arc I've been playing around with a few ideas dealing with the Light and Dark series. For now I'll do the prequel arc as well as side stories which had been planned for the first arc but never made it due to various factors. I hope you'll support both stories with the same enthusiasm that you gave the main series, enjoy.
A/N: This particular story takes place between chapters seventeen and eighteen of Path of Light and Dark, it wasn't uploaded because it basically served as nothing but filler with no plot substance at the time.
Valethornia Academy
As Team MTAL left the infirmary together Malyganya Oregenera, the teams leader felt the hair on the back of her neck rise. Her finely tuned senses alerted her to a dangerous presence as she scanned the area. Seconds later she saw Roanos exit a room further down the hall and for a second her blood froze.
She knew he had been at the first trial but thought he would've already taken out his target by now. Unless he was on a recruitment mission his presence here didn't make any sense. Roanos was followed by a young-looking boy and female with dusty-red colored hair.
That's his team no doubt. Malyganya thought to herself as she allowed her muscles to relax. She knew that Roanos could be wild in combat but beneath his feral exterior he was quite intelligent and cunning. What surprised her though were the injuries on Roanos. She knew how strong he was and there weren't many who could best him in combat.
Her unasked question was answered once the fourth person of the team exited the room. Malyganya finally understood why she was sensing danger. Down the hall bringing up the rear of the team was a young woman with long voluminous dusky auburn colored hair. She stood a little above average height for her age and gender.
The girl saw Malyganya and her team before motioning for Roanos and the two unknown people to follow her. Malyganya felt her heartbeat quicken but knew that she couldn't back down from this so with steeled determination she led her team to meet with the blast from her past. The distance between them wasn't much but to Malyganya time and space may have well been warped as she stepped with one foot in front of the other.
Soon the two young women stood face to face, Malyganya looking up at the olive skinned beauty while the girl stared down with a soft smile at her.
"Hello, I'm Sable Agrotera and I lead Team SLVR." The girl introduced herself extending her hand to Malyganya.
"Malyganya Oregenera, pleasure to meet you." Malyganya returned the greeting with a smile.
"TAZ!" Malyganya heard the redhead cry out before the girl in question jumped Taz and hugged him.
"Hey Lavi, glad to see you guys passed your second trial." Taz said to the girl.
The girl, Lavi laughed and scratched her head sheepishly.
"Yea, about that…" Lavi started trailing off.
"We haven't taken it yet." Sable told them.
Amber looked at Roanos and shrank back when the large man caught sight of her. The last member of Team SLVR came to her rescue at that point and began moving his hands quickly.
"This is Viridian O'Neill. He doesn't speak." Lavi introduced her teammate.
"He's using sign language to communicate." Sable explained.
Amber looked from Viridian and his hands to the large man who had intimidated her.
"So Roanos isn't going to introduce himself to the others?" Layla asked with look of displeasure on her face.
Malyganya instantly shot Layla a fierce glare as her eyes shifted from normal to black before going to normal again.
Sable tilted her head to the side in slight confusion.
"You've met Roanos already?" she asked although Malyganya could tell she was lying.
"Yes, during the first trial…it wasn't pleasant." Layla answered.
Malyganya sighed and shook her head.
"Roanos Stormcloud, that's all you need to know about me." Roanos introduced himself before leaning against a nearby wall.
"We've introduced ourselves and it seems we know about some of the members from each other's team. How about I learn who you two are though?" Sable asked pointing to Layla and Amber.
"Layla Yuki, official huntress-in-training." Layla said crossing her arms as she and Roanos never broke their gaze on one another.
"I a-a-am Am-amb-Amber, Amber Is-iso-Isolon." The timid young girl managed to squeak out her name. Taz cast Amber a hidden quizzical glance. It was strange to him that this girl had a badass side to her.
"It's a pleasure to meet you all." Sable told the members of Team MTAL.
"I don't remember seeing you at the entrance assembly, or with the rest of the first years when we were loaded on to the trains." Taz said as the two teams began walking down the hallway.
Viridian walked with Amber while Layla and Roanos both stayed near the back. Lavi walked next to Taz while the team leaders walked at the front. Sable laughed softly at Taz's statement before turning slightly to face him.
"I'm not surprised that you didn't. I'm a second year student." Sable explained.
Her response caused the members of Team MTAL to almost stop and stare. They looked from her to the rest of Team SLVR with confusion.
"What do you mean? You're leading a team of first year students?" Layla asked, for clarification.
"Yes, I'm one of the academy's best students. I've excelled so much that I was granted permission to construct my own team." Sable explained.
"If you could make your own team, why did you choose a bunch of first year students, surely it would benefit you better to have teammates of your own level with you." Taz stated through his question.
"I want to help the newer students. I figure with my extra year of experience I could make things easier for newcomers." Sable answered with a soft smile.
The group was already out of the infirmary and making their way through the halls of the main building. Since they had nothing but free time Roanos told them he was going to leave for a bit and check out the grounds. Taz, Lavi, and Viridian decided to go off together as well and see if they could find Team ORCJ. This left Sable, Malyganya, Amber, and Layla alone with one another.
Catching a glance from Sable out the corner of her eye, Malyganya turned to her teammates with a soft smile.
"Why don't you two go hang out and get to know one another better? It'll be like a team building exercise." She told them.
Layla and Amber looked at one another with slightly confused expressions.
"You're not going to come with us?" Layla questioned.
"I'll catch up, I wanted to speak with Sable for a bit and probably get some advice on leading a team." Malyganya told her friend.
Layla nodded and wrapped her arm around Amber's shoulder before half-dragging the young girl with her. Now that the two leaders were alone,
Malyganya could once again feel the creeping fingers of fear coiling around her.
"Sister of darkness, who was lost her way on the path of light, welcome the embrace of your elder with an open heart." Sable spoke.
"I'm no longer a sister of the light or the dark Sable. I left the organization remember." Malyganya said turning to face the older female.
The hallways were empty which left them alone in their staring contest.
"Roanos said I'm not his target. So since Dax and Kyle are dead, and failed to capture me, I'm guessing you are the alternate hunter." Malyganya spoke.
Sable tilted her head slightly looking at Malyganya.
"I've received no kill or capture order for you Malyganya." Sable stated causing Malyganya to relax slightly.
"So it just so happens that four, scratch that, two members of the Lucidiores Umbras are here at the same time as me?" Malyganya questioned wishing she had her sword with her right now.
"As far as I know, no one has been assigned to you. My mission is recruitment and as long as you stay out of my way we won't have any issues. Out of respect to you once being my fellow sister of light I give you this one warning. There won't be a second one." Sable told Malyganya with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
"Roanos gave me roughly the same warning, what is it you guys are planning?" Malyganya asked as she and Sable began to walk.
The only response she got in return was Sable smiling and silence.
"You say you didn't know anyone was assigned to me but you didn't seem surprised to learn that Dax and Kyle are dead." Malyganya spoke with a slightly accusing tone.
"We were all part of the Licht but that doesn't mean I knew their mission or they mine. You telling me they are dead merely answered question I hadn't thought to ask." Sable replied
"We don't have to be friends but don't make me your enemy." Sable said as her voice became cool and even.
"You can't blow your cover here, especially if you're doing recruitment." Malyganya shot with a small smirk.
"I won't blow my cover but I have resources at my disposal that could make life extremely unpleasant for you and your team." Sable threatened as the duo found their way outside.
Malyganya's eyes flashed before turning black as she glared in Sable's direction
"Leave them out of this, or I will break you." The psychic growled causing small vibrations nearby.
Sable stood unaffected.
"Like I said, stay out of my way and we won't have an issue." Sable spoke her voice as even and cool as before.
Malyganya knew she couldn't intimidate the older student but she had to try for her team's sake. Deactivating her semblance the young woman's eyes returned to normal as she looked off into the distance. Sable smiled and turned to walk away.
"Clever girl, you make sure to stay in your place now and I will stay in mine which is well above you." Sable said as she left Malyganya alone at the academy's entrance.
As she stood alone, Malyganya felt tears roll down her face. Her fists were clenched so tight in anger that her nails had dug into her palms and caused them to bleed. Sable had once been one of her closest friends but even then she had made it clear the power difference between them.
If I'm going to protect my team then I'll have to get stronger, much stronger than I am now. Malyganya thought to herself before wiping away her tears. The faces of her teammates flashed in her mind causing Malyganya to smile slightly. I don't have to get strong alone anymore. I'll get stronger together with them. She silently vowed.
Filled with a renewed sense of purpose Malyganya pulled out her scroll and contacted Layla. After getting the location of her teammates the young woman immediately headed off to them knowing that whatever Sable, Roanos, or the rest of Lucidiores Umbras had in store that she would find a way to stop them.
A/N: The length and tone never matched what I was going for which is why the chapter was originally scrapped. Drop a review let me know what you think. Prequel story is going to premier soon.