Well, here is chapter two of my Star Wars/RWBY fic.
Not much to say but I can answer some reviews and messages I received to any of you reading this. Chapter five for my first story is still being edited and completed, not to mention my muse is a fickle bitch and won't settle on one thing at a time, as I am now also currently working on a Star Wars fic using Ben Skywalker in the Old Republic time period.
And where he follows the Path of the Je'Daii, who used both the light and dark side of the Force, and he has a harem. God me and my stupid male brain. Well that and I want to break ground here people! So I'm justified in doing those things, I swear!
Ben walked ever onward through the dense undergrowth of the bright forest, with the blonde woman held safely tucked against his chest. Her locks of golden blonde hair falling like a shimmersilk curtain to cover the gentle curves of her face, as Ben felt his eyes rivet themselves upon her. It was an action he just couldn't control, his cobalt blue eyes tracing every curve of her with the greatest precision, engraving them to the most hidden and clear parts of his mind as the smell of lavender and lilac filled his nose.
"What the hell am I gonna do with you?" he asked the woman's still form quietly with an amused grin, the gentle rise of her stomach and chest the only indication he wasn't carrying a still warm corpse. A few moments passed and still the blonde remained apparently dead to the world, a gentle smile tugging the corners of her mouth as she slept against the young Jedi.
Ben soon contented himself to the gentle sounds of the forest and the world around him, until a hot swash of air upon his neck made the hairs on the back of his neck stand upright as the blonde snuggled closer to him.
"I never got your name," a gentle and husky voice asked sleepily, as Ben spared a single glance towards his precious cargo. Where he was greeted by the sight of a single lilac eye, staring at him with a warmth burning deep within its dark depths. In that single moment, Ben felt a sudden vertigo as he sensed the Force reaching out between them with the sheer might of a torrential rain on Mon Cal. He struggled against it for the fleetest of moments until the first words Jacen ever spoke to him as a Master and Padawan echoed in his mind.
"Remember, concentrate on the moment. Feel, don't think. Use your instincts. The Force will guide you if you open yourself to its whispers and feelings."
Ben closed his eyes as he relented his hold on the restrained energy, releasing a deep breath in order to calm himself as the Force continued its work. Tendrils of potent Force energy latched upon himself and the girl like a lifeline, as a surge of warmth and raw power passed between them. Ben had not the faintest clue as to what was going on or why... only that it needed to.
While up above and hidden within the trees, the students currently locked within the meld watched with bated breath and eager eyes, all apparently forgetting that what they were seeing was a mere memory, and not a rather well acted romance movie. None were more captivated however than a younger red-and-black haired young girl, whose silver eyes were filled with joy and near to tears as she watched the rather romantic moment unfold before her eyes. And unbeknownst to all of them, two watched with thinly veiled jealousy, as eyes of amber and of winter ice glared lightly at the blonde and the way the red haired boy held her in his arms.
Back down with Ben and his charge, the young Jedi seemed to mull over the blondes words for a few moments as the Force stilled between them once again, until he gave her a light and kind smile, as he murmured gently into the open air.
"I'm Ben… Ben Skywalker."
Looking down at her as his smile grew wider, Ben's eyes flashed to a brilliant white as he subconsciously reached out to connect their minds and thoughts together with the Force.
"And who are you I wonder?" a voice that was a perfect replica of the boys shot through her mind, the tone able to convey the curiosity the question contained.
Yang felt her eyes widen in shock as the voice echoed clear as a bell through her mind, briefly being unable to comprehend what she had just apparently experienced. Yet as she noticed the light grin on the boy's face and the flash of mischief in his cobalt eyes, Yang felt herself begin to calm down as she slumped and felt her muscles begun to loosen. While also trying to desperately not blush at the feeling of his muscular frame pressed rather tightly against her own. Coupled along with the fact she was currently being held in his arms rather easily, while her saviour looked rather well rested after apparently killing two Ursa.
"Mama like," she thought absently with an appreciative eye as she raked across his form more clearly; the warmth he exuded like a shroud beginning to seep into her very bones, almost mingling and intertwining with her aura. Yet as the thought took shape in her mind, Yang felt the boy begin to chuckle lightly in mirth as he cracked a wry smirk. Looking at him curiously and gently tilting her head to the side Yang felt a gentle tingle at the back of her mind, the sensation akin to a finger trailing down the back of her neck.
"Mama still hasn't answered my question," the voice said with a laugh, Yang blushing deeply as she now realised the source of the boy's sudden laughter. Her embarrassment however didn't last long as she then glared heatedly at the red haired man, eyes flashing a brilliant ruby as sparks emanated from her golden hair as her aura spike. She continued glaring as the now named Ben Skywalker raised only a single brow at the action rather unashamedly. He remained completely at ease, and seemed to actually find her reaction to finding out he was reading her mind with nothing but amusement. Yet Yang soon felt her anger fade as she saw an apologetic smile grow upon his face, feeling her heart flutter lightly at the boyish charm and mischievous light in his eyes.
"Sorry about that," Ben said softly as a gentle breeze swept down the well-trodden path the pair found themselves upon. "I forget most people probably aren't used to someone else's voice bouncing around in their head," he said with a chuckle. Yang in response began giggle lightly as she looked up at him, crossing her legs and absently noting how he adjusted to her constantly moving in his arms rather easily as she spoke.
"Thank you for pointing out a rather obvious fact there big guy, and the name's Yang, Yang Xiao Long," she said with a cocky and flirtatious smirk, crossing her arms under her breasts as the thin and rather tight shirt she wore clung to her like a second skin. A mere second after she had done so, Yang felt a sudden sense of embarrassment flash through her and the body she was currently pressed against suddenly became a lot warmer.
Blinking in confusion Yang looked at Ben, and to her surprise noted the rather light and slowly darkening blush on the boys cheeks, as he is eyes looked everywhere but at her. It was such an innocent gesture Yang couldn't help but giggle and begin to laugh deeply as Ben looked at her with a light glare. Yet he also felt his lips twitch into a grin as he shook his head.
'Somehow I know Uncle Han is smirking wherever he is in the galaxy,' Ben thought as he began to laugh with Yang, unaware of the figure hidden within the shadows of the trees, watching with a bright smile as he looked at the blonde woman held in the young man's arms. Tilting his head, the man soon smirked before vanishing into the trees, the flash of light upon the curved and wicked blade of his scythe the only sign he had ever been there.
Up above, the other students soon felt the world around them begin to flicker in and out, as Ben slowly released the mind meld, allowing them to fall into a dreamless and trance like sleep.
The next morning Ben awoke to the sounds of students hustling about in a panic, opening his eyes and pushing himself upright as he saw the others gather their things and rush about like bantha in mating season.
'What the kriff?' he thought with a scowl as a yawn tore itself from his lips, soon accompanied with Ben running a hand through his bedraggled red hair as he noticed the odd way their group had fallen to sleep after he released the Force meld. In a great group as it were, with him, Jaune and Ren on the perimeters with the girls all clustered in the middle.
Yang was in fact still sleeping soundly, lain on her side and reaching out to deftly wrap her arms around Ben's pillow and hug it close to her body with a contented smile on her lips. Ruby was mumbling something about chocolate chip cookies, whatever the force those were, and thrashing about lightly. Weiss was lain flat on her back, a light blush on her cheeks as she seemed really enraptured with whatever she was dreaming about.
If only he knew.
Blake was now slowly waking up, the bow on her head moving about with the influx of sudden and rather loud noise as her Faunus attributes moved about. Ben felt a small inkling of guilt well in his gut as he watched the raven haired young woman go about getting her things. He hated that he had pried into her past, but it was a subconscious action when in the Force meld. It wasn't just a one way street as many might have assumed.
It was a technique that opened the individual to another so completely that if one wasn't cautious, they could lose all sense of self while within the meld. Ben only knew that little fact because Jacen, early on in their time as Master and Padawan had warned Ben about the possibility of that happening should Ben ever encounter a situation requiring the meld to be used.
For as the people he had accidentally included in the meld had learned about his encounter with Yang months ago, Ben had the time to sift through their lives as well... And learned some interesting things. But he would stay quiet for now. It wasn't his place to try and bring up things that they wished to keep buried unless it became an issue that affected the other students as well. After all, he had his fair share of skeletons hidden in the closet.
Ben soon sighed as he stood up, stretching his arms and leaning back; the gentle hum of the servos and ligaments loosening themselves in his arm echoing in his ear. Stifling another yawn as he lowered his arms, Ben leaned down and began to gather his things along with his bag. Seeing a chrono off to the side, Ben felt his eyes widen a little as he realized that the vast majority of the students had overslept, as their initiation test began in less than ten minutes.
"Stang!" he cursed loudly as he quickly knelt down and began shaking Yang's shoulder. He knew Yang was easily irritated when she was woken up before she began the process herself, yet he supposed in a situation like this he was more than justified in doing so.
"Yang," he called out gently, the action accompanied by the jostling of her left shoulder. "Yang come on get up, initiation starts in less than ten minutes."
Those seemed to be the magic words as Yang shot upright immediately, nearly colliding with Ben who was only saved by a timely warning from the Force. All traces of sleep left her as the busty blonde swiftly grabbed her things before racing for the showers, not even giving Ben a second look as she passed. Ben meanwhile sat still and blinked owlishly, looking at where the blonde had been mere seconds ago and then towards the door leading to the showers as the others of their little group the night before seemed to have heard his declaration as well.
Ben then sighed, pushing himself upright and making his way towards the locker room. Sometimes he hated being the responsible one.
Ben gently closed the locker door as he clipped his lightsaber to his belt, glancing around as the other students grabbed their gear as quick as they could and some even falling over each other in their haste to get ready. Ben kept careful watch over his friends in the madness, noting how Ruby was shifting from foot to foot nervously; glancing around shyly as Yang attempted to calm her down. With Ember Celica gleaming in the light as Yang propped a hand on her hip.
Ben felt his lips pull into a gentle smile as he saw Ruby begin to visibly relax, glancing around more confidently as Yang put her hand on the younger girls shoulder. However the sound of a voice behind him brought Ben from his musing. And after the meld last night, it was someone Ben wanted nothing to do with.
"Hey, Skywalker!" the voice called out, a deep and condescending lilt within it as Ben turned his head and saw Cardin Winchester staring at him with a sneer. The boy was tall for his age, and possessed a broad build designed purely for offensive strength and superiority.
A styled head of combed back burnt-orange hair rested over indigo eyes as the boy held a large, pointed black mace in his hand. Ben sensed nothing but darkness within him, and this troubled the young Jedi. Coupled with the subtle whispers from the Force that only spoke of nothing but danger while in Cardin's presence, Ben knew from then on that he had to keep a careful watch on the Winchester scion.
Cardin seemed to take Ben's prolonged silence as some form of acceptance, as the broad shouldered teen soon made his way towards the now wary Jedi. And what happened as a result of this action, Ben swiftly filed away as reference in regards to what to expect with Cardin in future.
The sudden silence that emanated from the other occupants soon reached Ben's ears, as he noted out the corner of his eyes how every person was staring at him and the now smiling Cardin. Fear and disgust rippled through the Force like a bone rattling chill as Cardin drew near, many glancing away if he appeared to glance their way. Ben, in light of that soon dipped his hand down to his waist, gently unclipping the lightsaber as he stood up and turned to face Cardin.
The boy seemed surprised by the gesture, hesitating the barest of steps but quickly shrugged it off. He was smiling widely as he came to lean against Ben's locker, crossing his arms as he looked at the young Jedi. Yet as Cardin opened his mouth to speak, Ben cut him off; as the taller boy's words soon left the young Winchester scion burning with poorly disguised hatred and malice.
"Your thoughts betray you Cardin," Ben said ominously as he gently shifted his grip on the lightsaber to press his thumb against the activation switch. "Because you're the biggest damn fool in this whole kriffing school if you honestly think I would become friends with some schutta like you," Ben said harshly, his eyes flashing as his aura spiked; the sight of those two angered cobalt eyes burning into Cardin's mind like the mark from a branding iron as a feeling of darkness and hate seemed to surround the red haired teen.
Those watching were completely enraptured at seeing the infamous scourge of Signal become cowed by a man who had never attended any of their combat schools. Tension crackled like lightning between the two powerful Huntsmen, with Ben not backing down even as he saw Cardin reach for his mace.
The two were however broken from their impromptu staring contest, as a fingerless gloved hand landed on Ben's shoulder. Ben stilled immediately, yet was surprised once Cardin let the barest amounts of fear slip through his enraged mask; as the orange haired boy stared into the hardened lilac eyes of Yang Xiao Long. The one person in Signal that Cardin had avoided at all costs, because he knew Yang would kick his ass from here to Atlas and back if he pulled some of his usual stunts against her or her friends.
Monty forbid if he did something to her little sister.
Yet Yang soon tugged at Ben's shoulder, urging him away. "Come on Flyboy," she said softly as Ben turned to look back at her. "He ain't worth it, and I doubt he ever will be anyway," she continued with a hardened glare at the armored teen. Cardin turned to sneer menacingly at her, and in his rage forgot his earlier reasoning as to why he avoided her all through Signal.
"If I wanted your opinion whore I would have asked for it!" he growled darkly, flaring his aura as Yang looked up at Cardin with murder in her eyes, the once cool lilac flaring to a brilliant ruby as her anger rose in an instant. Everyone else watched on in shock at the words that slipped from Cardin's teeth, disgust showing on many of their faces as they glared at him and moved towards him.
Yet it was what happened next that shocked everyone into a stunned stupor. A flash of black was all that was seen, until Cardin found himself pressed up high on the lockers, with Ben Skywalker glaring up at him with murder in his eyes, the once lustrous cobalt darkening into a vibrant emerald green. Ben despite all of this said nothing, only tightening his grip as the squeal and wrenching of refined and strengthened metal filled Cardin's ears.
Cardin remained still, petrified in horror and fear as he watched through his peripherals as Ben's cybernetic hand crushed a section of the solid steel door of the locker beside his head. Ben felt the dark side grow in strength as his anger and fury raged, yet he had tasted its power and influence before...and he'd be damned if he let it control him now.
Glaring darkly at the now visibly trembling first year hunter, Ben let the dark side bleed a little out of his body as a red haze surrounded him, and his eyes began to glow with a sense of malevolence and hatred as they bore deep into the cowardly boy's soul.
"Watch your tongue in future Winchester," Ben growled out, his voice damn near a dark hiss as Yang looked at the scene in shock. Yet Ben wasn't done.
"Because if you ever...insult her, or any of my friends again you son of a schutta I'm gonna remove the pathetic excuse of a thing that makes you a man with a rusty fucking knife!" Ben vowed darkly while glaring menacingly at the trembling teenager, the trickle of liquid falling to the floor signifying that the taller boy had in fact soiled himself from fear. Slowly Ben released Cardin from his grip, the larger boy collapsing onto the floor as Ben snorted in disgust as the petrified boy sat in a puddle of his own urine; before he turned and walked away.
Ben gently moved past Yang without a word spoken, clipping his lightsaber back onto his belt as he made for the exit. The silence he left in his wake all to telling of what the others thought of him now.
Slowly Ben began releasing his hold on the dark side, bleeding its violent energy from his body as he felt his emotions get back into line. It was risky using the dark side, but he had seen and used it enough to know when he reached his limit. It was in his blood after all, to use both sides of the Force and not limit himself to only the darkness or the light.
It made him dangerous, and all together someone many would not want to cross.
Ben stood silently as the first years followed Professor Ozpin out towards the cliffs overlooking the forest surrounding the campus. The shadows cast by the trees apparently did nothing to settle the students either, as the scene back in the locker room played back in Ben's head. Yet it was nothing compared to the verbal lashing the target of their words was giving himself mentally as he walked. He had let himself lose control for but a single moment, and he had very nearly drawn his lightsaber against a child!
And children is all that Ben saw when he looked around at the numerous faces of his peers. Despite being the same age, the young Jedi saw most of these people not as warriors or defenders. They had killed mindless beasts with superior armament and abilities, nothing more and nothing less. Something even a Jedi Imitate could achieve at a prepubescent age.
Not one of them had seen the light leave another intelligent creatures eyes as they fought against something smarter than them, against something that could think like they did and could outmuscle even their advanced gear. Ben had been doing that from the time he was a boy less than ten years old. He had fought across hundreds of worlds, right on the front lines and up above deep in the dark void of the stars... Now he couldn't count how many had fallen to his blade, or perished because of his choices. War is no mere game, and Ben had come to terms with that long ago.
He was brought from his dark reverie as a hand, that should be warm to the touch and the exposed skin he knew to feel as smooth as shimmersilk laced with his own. Ben started as he looked down and saw a familiar golden bracelet, following up the arm to see lightly toned arms with skin lightly tanned and then a puffy cap sleeve and the lower black cuff. Lifting his eyes he saw Yang giving him a small grin as she tightened her grip and Ben felt her fingers impress atop the leather glove he wore over the cybernetic hand as he smirked gratefully at her.
"Come on Skyguy, don't quit on me yet," she whispered with a smile as Ben shook his head and began to laugh, looking at her with his eyes no longer downcast as he answered her.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
Ben stood silently as they overlooked the Emerald Forest, the odd metal platform beneath his feet examined with a critical eye, as Ben noted the mechanism hidden beneath the sides to release it. Now more than ever was he more thankful for inheriting his grandfather's fascination and mastery of electronics and machinery. And he could only guess, and was most likely right on the purpose of that release mechanism.
"Launch pads?" he murmured to himself quietly with furrowed brows as Ozpin, and Professor Goodwitch with a clipboard in hand, turned to face the group of twenty odd students gathered together.
"Before you rests the Emerald Forest," Ozpin exclaimed, Ben seeing the ever present cup of cafe in his hand, with his cane at his side. "It is within this place, that your future at Beacon will be decided," Ozpin continued with an air of indifference, slowly pacing back and forth in front of the students. "For years you have trained as warriors to defend the people from the creatures of the Grimm," he paused as he appeared to look each one of them in the eyes, pausing ever so slightly on Ben as he continued his pacing. "Now your skills are to be put to the test."
Pointing behind him Ozpin took a slight sip of his cafe before continuing. "Deep within the northern sector of the forest an ancient temple now rests, where each of you will find a relic," Ben nearly groaned as he was able to piece together where this was going. Ozpin, if he noticed the light roll of the red haired man's eyes paid it no mind. "Your task is to seek out the temple, collect a relic and return here. Where, you will then be graded appropriately depending on your performance by Miss Goodwitch."
The spectacle wearing and, Ben swore that he would never admit it aloud near Yang, rather busty teacher moved forward; her green eyes sharp as fine emerald as she looked at each of the students with varying degrees of scrutiny. Her oddly tattered, or Ben supposed patterned cape billowing in a soft breeze behind her.
"We also understand there has been much speculation amongst yourselves in regards to teams," she said and Ben couldn't help but notice the light amount of cool detachment in her voice. Odd to be sure, but then he supposed after seeing potentially hundreds of students pass through your halls and some of them not surviving to the end might do that to any sane being. Shaking his head lightly Ben refocused on the professor, crossing his arms as the hem of his hood danced in the breeze.
"So I will be perfectly honest with you," Goodwitch continued as she glanced at each of them in turn. "You will be receiving your teammates today," she paused in order to let a majority of the students let the information sink in before continuing. "So it is in your best interest to find a partner and others with which you can work well with."
"As well," Ozpin suddenly exclaimed, causing the students to focus their attention upon the headmaster once again. "The first person you make eye contact with within the forest shall be your partner for the next four years."
Ben felt his eyes widen a little, as he heard Ruby's whimpers and disbelieving shout of "What?" Which was a sentiment all too clearly shared by the rest of them, as Jaune to Ben's left began shaking ever so slightly, while Yang propped a hand on her hip, an eager smile in contrast to Ruby's forlorn look firmly in place.
'Like throwing a bantha into the jaws of a gundark,' Ben thought as the other students seemed troubled by this little piece of information. Well...all except Nora, who looked at Ren and said rather smugly, "I told you so." Ben only quirked a brow at that, torn between amusement and sheer confusion as Nora smirked victoriously at the black and magenta haired boy, who seemed resolute in ignoring the rather excitable woman as Ozpin moved to stand beside Ben's platform.
"You will face tremendous opposition within the depths of the forest, so take heed and destroy all that stand in your way," the headmaster said, his tone now far cooler and authoritative then Ben had ever seen. Despite only really knowing the man for less than a full day. "If you do not, you will die," Ozpin finished, while also apparently uncaring at Jaune's audible gulp and chattering teeth.
"Now, good luck."
And with a click of a button, Ben was launched into the air, his dark garbed form flying high into the clear skies overlooking the ground far below as he sighed in exasperation. "Chaos take me!" he muttered grimly in resignation, as the wind whistled in his ears and he began his descent into the trees below. Flipping so as to have his feet in front of his body, Ben called the Force to him in a great wave, drawing it tighter and tighter together at the base of his feet as he felt his mind still and time seem to unwind like a knot before his eyes.
'Wait for it... Wait for it... NOW!'
With a great roar, Ben pushed forward with his feet, the awesome might of the Force crushing and desolating all in its path as the young Jedi felt his body slow down exponentially. Still using the Force to enhance his perception and coupling it with the loss in his momentum and speed, Ben let the Force guide him as his right arm shot out, the built in ascension gun firing the durasteel harpoon as it dug deep into the trunk of a tree. Ben swung down and severed the line in order to land on the branch he guessed to be about thirty feet below him.
"This is gonna hurt," he mumbled as he reinforced his lower body and spine with the Force, the thick limb of the tree cracking and bending under the force of the young Jedi's landing, Ben's knees buckling until his Force-borne strength saved him from permanent damage. Tucking into a roll Ben continued to fall, spinning his body until his cybernetic faced the trunk of the tree and he thrust it out, burying the powerful metallic device deep into the bark as he began to slow down. He felt his body strain against the sudden deceleration, muscles screaming in agony as Ben saw smoke begin to build where his metallic limb made contact with the wood, as his leather glove vanished into smoke and pieces of the fine material.
As the forest floor came into view, Ben lifted his feet and pushed off against the trunk of the tree, flipping his body as he landed with a crash, crouching low as smoke drifted into the air from his right arm. Slowly rising to his feet, Ben lowered his hood, looking around as he reached out with the Force and thankfully couldn't feel the perpetual darkness signifying a Grimm being nearby.
"Better find the others," he said, grabbing his lightsaber and trying to find Yang with his Semblance as he began running through the forest, glancing at his arm as the built in holo projector broadcast the overhead view Artoo was sending him with the Fire. He smirked as he brought up the northern half of the region and saw a great stone ruin, their design actually reminiscent in his mind of the temples on Yavin, built upon the edge of a cliff.
"Gotcha!" he said with a victorious smirk as he picked up the pace, releasing the holo map and using the Force to increase his speed as he darted through the trees. "Better hurry, who knows what will happen once Yang gets blaster happy," he lamented as he leapt over fallen trees and other debris in his path, as the image of a grinning Yang on top of a pile of fallen trees and Grimm popped into his mind. Ben felt his eyes narrow and his face become slack, shaking his head as he ran. "Ah Sithspit!"
Ben felt his lungs begin to burn as he drew closer to the temple, yet a feeling of unease settled in his gut at the lack of Grimm. He had expected quite a lot of resistance, but instead he hadn't come across a single one. 'Like trying to find a Sand Demon on Tatooine,' he thought ruefully with a roll of his eyes as he leapt into the trees to cover more ground, the padding of his leather boots absorbing most of the impact as he continued to use his Force enhanced speed and strength. Ben however stopped short as a feeling of sudden dread and darkness echoed on the fringes of his sensing abilities, accompanied by the large group of signatures he knew to be Yang and the others. Yet for some odd reason, Ben sensed that Weiss was actually in the air and falling fast towards the earth below her.
His eyes widening in realization, Ben leapt forward and broke through the tree line, looking to the sky and seeing a brilliant white dot plummeting to the earth. "Son of a nerf herder!" he cursed loudly, as he drew on the Force and leapt higher into the tree. The young Skywalker coiled his body like a spring, his natural strength augmented further with the Force as, in a powerful burst he launched through the air; the sound echoing like a cannon shot through the forest. The others meanwhile, now all currently gathered around the ruins of the gateway to the main temple turned their gazes at the titanic sound to watch as Ben rocketed towards the still falling Weiss.
They watched in relief as Ben caught Weiss in his arms in a bridal carry, using the momentum of her landing in his arms to take them into a spin; allowing Ben to aim his feet in front of them as he began to draw closer to the ground. Ben briefly looked at Weiss, and the young heiress felt her heart still and her breath catch as she saw the determined yet confident light in the young man's eyes as they fell from the sky.
"Hold on," he said simply, the rough husky timbre of his voice sending a tingle accompanied by a pleasant shiver down the young woman's spine as she wrapped her arms around his neck snugly.
Seeing that Weiss was no longer panicking and calm, Ben called on the Force once more, using it to slow down their descent as he felt his muscles begin to burn like blaster wounds at the sudden loss of the powerful energy reinforcing the fatigued tissues. He grunted deeply in slight discomfort as he drew upon his Aura next, the mystic energy revitalizing his body as the Force bent to his will.
Weiss tightened her grip as the ground drew closer and closer, until in a fit of sudden fright she dug her face into the crook of Ben's neck, not daring to watch as the noble young man died trying to save her, until with a great bang and the sound of thunder, they came to a stop, Weiss being lightly jostled as Ben twisted his body to take the brunt of the impact.
Once a light ring on her ears began to fade away, Weiss shakily pushed herself upright, a curtain of her snow white hair falling to obscure the two from the watchful eyes of the others as Ben still held his arms around her, the two limbs now at her hips as she straddled the young Jedi. Ben meanwhile was thankful his aura was still at maximum, feeling as the light bruising and fatigue in his muscles began to fade away.
However it didn't stop him from grunting in pain as he let his head fall to rest upon the cool earth and the soft grass of the clearing. "Force it feels like a Krayt Dragon was dancing on my ribs," he muttered through clenched teeth, momentarily unaware of where his hands were currently placed, and the rather beautiful woman sat atop of him.
Weiss however did, and stopped dead with her hands propped on the Jedi's muscular chest while releasing a light squeak, eyes wide in a deer in the headlights look. After a few seconds to collect himself, Ben lifted his head and felt a great sense of relief at seeing the unharmed young heiress. Past experience however forced him to make sure.
"You alright," he asked with a small grin, pushing himself upright so that he was resting on his elbows, Weiss because of her situation moved with him, now sitting almost perfectly straight on his lap. Weiss felt a light amount of heat bloom in her cheeks as she saw the honest concern in his question, having actually expecting him to begin flirting with her. Yet before she could formulate an answer, a shrill cry reached their ears as the two looked to the side and saw a large, scorpion like creature approaching the others. Ben felt his eyes narrow as he gently lifted Weiss off of his hips, the young woman shivering at the heat of Ben's hand as it reached her skin through the fabric of her dress, while the metallic chill of his cybernetic caused her to jump in his grip. Setting her off to the side, Ben got to his feet and offered Weiss his hand.
"Come on, we got work to do," he said calmly, Weiss gently placing her hand in his own as Ben effortlessly pulled her to her feet. Smirking at her Ben tilted his head until he began to run towards the group of young Hunters in training.
"What the hell is that thing?" Jaune cried out as he helped Pyrrha to her feet, the rest of their little band of misfits, each with a relic in their possession watching the beast warily once they made sure Ben and Weiss were okay. Blake turned to look at the blonde haired teen with a lightly quirked brow, the bow on her head shifting ever so slightly at the question. Surely, even someone like Jaune must have studied Deathstalkers before or at least heard of them? Yet before she could voice the question, they each watched wide eyed as the Deathstalker was suddenly sent flying far into the forest, turning as one to see Ben with his hand outstretched and a cool determined look upon his face.
Lowering his hand Ben jogged over to the others with Weiss right behind him, the light flashing off of his arm as he came to a halt in front of them. He gave Yang a small smile as the two locked eyes until he looked out above the blonde woman and raised his hand once more. A chess piece, the Black King then flew into his open hand as Ben put it into a small bag attached to his belt and seemingly ignored the surprised looks on the others' faces.
Before any questions could be asked however, a piercing cry echoed through the skies, as the group turned their gazes towards the south, watching as a speck of black upon the horizon drew closer to the temple. Jaune gulped audibly as he pointed a shaking finger at the beast.
"G-guys, that things coming back around," he stammered as the others stepped back while drawing their weapons. However the sound of a deathly wail and the rumble of the ground beneath their feet caused them to stop, as they heard, rather than saw the Deathstalker Ben had tossed like a toy begin the hunt anew. "And I think that things really pissed off," Jaune finished as he looked fearfully between the cluster of broken trees and the very large Nevermore now circling overhead.
Ben only felt his eyes narrow as he tried to think of a way out of this mess. And just as his lips opened to speak, another voice beat him to the punch.
"We can just leave can't we?"
Blinking owlishly, Ben turned to the now slightly sheepish Ruby, who had her weapon in its compact form slung across her lower back and her head lightly bowed. Appearing to gather her courage she took a steadying breath before she looked at each of them in turn. "I mean," she began as she rubbed her left arm nervously, "We have the relics, and it's pointless to fight these things. It's only wasting the time we have left. So, why don't we just go back to the cliff and forget about these things?"
Yang grinned proudly as she darted forward and wrapped an arm around Ruby's shoulders, squeezing the young girl affectionately. "Oh look at my baby sister all grown up!" she cooed as Ruby began to struggle in her sister's grip, as their partners only gave a conjoined sigh and light smirk at the scene. Ben meanwhile gave Ruby a subtle nod and a small proud smile, soon bringing up his holomap as the others gathered around him.
"Alright, now that's taken care of I suggest we get a move on, cause I think that thing's coming back for round two," he said as he deftly brought up their current location and the nearest means of escape. As he darted across the map, Ben suddenly tapped the projection and smirked cockily. "Looks like the only way out without having to retrace our steps through all the Grimm is this temple not too far from here to the east," he said as he zoomed in on the image, subtly keeping an eye out for the Deathstalker and upon the circling Nevermore. "Our other option is to back track and fight our way out, but I think I can safely say that's off the table," he said jokingly as the others grew small smirks or grins of their own.
However the little moment was quickly broken by the now noticeably closer roars off the Deathstalker, as Ben dismissed the map and turned towards the temple. "Time to go!" he called out as he soon started to run, the others nodding hastily as they sprinted after him. And none too soon, as the Deathstalker swiftly burst through the trees as the young warriors vanished back into the safety of the forest.
"Blast this is why I hate Grimm!" Ben roared as he severed the head of another Beowolf, the others facing similar problems as they drew ever closer to the temple ruins. Thankfully no one had been injured as of yet, but they were starting to tire. Ben was still able to continue simply because in comparison to fighting a war, slaying monsters was a far simpler task. They had encountered a few roaming bands of Grimm as they dashed through the trees to freedom, mostly Beowolf packs and a pair of wandering Ursa which had been quickly disposed of by the talented teens.
Yet Ben noticed the signs, as his friends began to slow down, their forms sloppy and movements becoming increasingly sluggish. The others had been fighting all day trying to reach the relics, and the continuous use of their abilities had taken a heavy toll on their bodies. Even now Yang was the only one beside Pyrrha and Ben who was in relatively good fighting shape, but another concern soon arose.
They were running out of ammo and fast. Ren had already used the last clip in his twin sub-machine guns, which Ben learned was named Storm Flower, in order to prevent Nora from using her last grenade charge against an unlucky Ursa. Pyrrha too had stopped using her rifle in order to conserve the last few rounds she had left, as Ruby grabbed the last spare magazine for Crescent Rose and slammed it home, chambering another round as they disposed of the last Beowolf.
'This isn't good,' he thought with a frown as he deactivated his lightsaber, clipping his grandfather's old weapon to his belt once more as he swiftly jogged over and helped Blake to her feet, a light cut along the raven haired woman's exposed midriff causing him to shoot her a concerned look.
"You alright?" he asked as Blake nodded her head mutely, leaning on his taller frame for support as she willed her aura to heal the wound faster. Ben watched as the parted flesh knit itself closed, yet he knew Blake had taken another rather large hit to her aura reserves. Not to mention that their wounds would only reopen once their aura reached a low enough level, and Ben wasn't sure if they would survive out here if that happened. If he had to Ben would have Artoo bring in the Fire and get the others to the medical bay. But he had more important things to worry about at the moment.
"Sithspawn!" he growled as Blake righted herself, giving him an appreciative smile as they took up their escape once again. Lagging behind as the rear guard, Ben cast out his senses, the dark, malicious feeling of hatred from the Deathstalker and the Nevermore still directly behind them, only now they were far closer. "Dammit, at this rate we might have no choice but to fight," he cursed as he leapt over a fallen tree, keeping a careful watch over the others as they saw the light of the sun begin to break through the thick shroud of the trees.
It was soon a great relief to the students as they burst from the trees, running along a small path set between two parallel rows of stone columns, the Nevermore flying ahead of them and landing atop the temple with a great crash. Seeing this, Ben felt his eyes widen before he dashed forward and grabbed Weiss, Blake and Yang as he yelled towards the others.
"Take cover!" he bellowed as he Force dashed behind one of the pillars on the left, Blake and Weiss pressed into his chest as Yang held onto his neck with his hands pressed into the small of her back. All while our young hero was completely unaware that the three girls were now blushing lightly at the feel of his sweat matted and muscular frame pressed against their bodies. Setting the exhausted girls down, Ben moved to the edge of the pillar and glanced out, eyes darting towards the others as Jaune led them to the right and readied their weapons. Ben knew that if they stayed and fought some of them weren't going to make it out alive, unless he did something really crazy.
'Well, so much for keeping a low profile,' he thought lamely as he drew his lightsaber, the brilliant sapphire blade catching the Nevermore's eyes as it cawed angrily at the young Jedi. Ben glanced at the girls and placed a single finger to his lips, before he moved to the center of the walkway, squaring his shoulders as he moved with sure feet to face it head on. Pointedly ignoring the hushed whispers and pleas of his friends as they nearly darted towards him, only to stop dead as Ben fixed them with a cold look.
Ben held his cool gaze until they slinked back into the safety of the shadows, relieved that they were at the moment free from the monsters scrutiny. Ben then turned his gaze towards the Nevermore once more, eyes glowing with power as the Nevermore went quiet. Man and beast stared at one another in silence, both unflinching even as the Deathstalker erupted behind Ben from the trees, growling murderously as it watched the lone human with the odd weapon held angled down in his right hand warily. Ben smirked lightly as he felt the Deathstalker come to a halt, crunching its pincers together as Ben stilled his mind and then slowly closed his eyes.
The others were watching with shocked stares as the Deathstalker seemed to take Ben's unmoving form as a sign of acceptance as it charged, baring its glowing stinger on high as stone rumbled and cracked from the mad beast's charge.
"Ben!" they cried as one, all fearful for their friend until they watched in utter stunned silence as Ben seemed to blur into motion, flipping backwards as he swung his blade and severed the stinger from the Deathstalkers tail. The beast released a deathly and agonized wail, thrashing about as it swung the now stinger-less tail in an attempt to crush Ben, who was now crouched low with the blade held over his head and angled down and away behind the terrible beast.
Yet instead of being crushed as everyone expected, Ben swung the blade down hard as the tail drew close, severing the massive limb in a single strike as the smell of burnt flesh and Grimm blood filled the air. Following through Ben then lunged to the left, and cut off the beast's rear leg, jumping back as it crashed to the earth, pushing off and leaping high until he spun the blade and drove it down and through the beasts head. The young Jedi rode upon the thrashing monsters back as it struggled to kill him, gritting his teeth and holding on for dear life as he pulled his lightsaber free and latched onto the section he had cut into the beast's skull with his metallic limb.
"Why won't you just die!" he cursed the creature aloud as it bucked and thrashed, yet he could feel the weakness settle in the Grimms limbs as Death slowly took his prize. Ben in a moment of warning from the Force leapt to the side, rolling into a crouch as he stared at the Nevermore. The large predator now circling directly above him, a set of its feathers buried up to the fletching in the Deathstalkers corpse from its attempt to kill him. Ben felt his eyes narrow as the giant bird screamed as it circled him, its demonic red eyes never once straying from the kneeling Jedi.
"I got a bad feeling about this," he murmured to himself, hastily entering the opening for Shien as he got to his feet, moving along with the circling Nevermore. A sudden tingle in the back of his skull flared to life as Ben Force jumped up to the causeway lain atop the pillars, as the Nevermore discharged more of its feather; the projectiles gouging stone and earth as it tried to skewer him. Ben then began to run as the world seemed to come to a crawl as he called on the Force once more.
Looking over his shoulder, he saw as the Nevermore cried angrily as Ben began to get farther away, apparently uncaring that its prey was running straight for the temple. Ben turned back to face in front of him, launching to the side in a flip as more feathers slammed home where he had previously standing. Landing on his feet, Ben ran as fast as he dared towards the temple, his mind running a mile a minute as he thought of a plan to kill this sleemo.
Seeing the crumbling stone of the temple ruins, a plan began to form in the young Jedi's head. It was reckless, insane and altogether idiotic. 'Guess Mom was right' Ben thought with a fond smirk as he continued to weave form the Nevermore, 'I am more like Dad than I thought.' Glancing back over his shoulder, Ben watched as the Nevermore apparently grew fed up with the chase as it rose higher into the air and then entered a steep dive; a malicious cry echoing from the abyss of its gullet.
Ben remained calm as he continued to run, his lightsaber blazing with power as time returned to its normal flow as the scream of the Grimm echoed through Ben's very bones. Ben never faltered in his steps however as the Nevermore drew closer until the young Jedi launched himself into the air, flipping back as he landed upon the Nevermore's upper back and grasped a cluster of feathers in his hand as it took to the skies once more.
Raising his saber on high, Ben drove the weapon deep into the monsters shoulder, as flesh, muscle, and bone parted from the awesome cutting power of the lightsaber; until with a great cry Ben severed the beast's wing from its body. Monster and hunter now finding themselves plummeting in a turbulent spin towards the awning pit below them as the layer of white fog obscured all below it. Ben rose to a crouch as he clutched to the Nevermore's feathers, swiftly deactivating his lightsaber and clipping the weapon to his belt once more as he spun round and began to run atop the beast's back, his eyes wide and a bright wolfish grin on his lips as he called to the Force like an old friend.
Power surged through him in a great surge as he timed his leap as the others began to run towards him. Ben the n jumped as hard as he could form the base of the Nevermore's spine, the subtle boom from the sudden release of the Force against the Grimm's back sending it plummeting even faster towards its doom. Ben arced high in the air with his body loose and his mind calm as he rushed towards the cliff like a rocket. Ben soon landed with a grunt, rolling along the rocky earth as he came to a halt about ten feet from the edge and lain flat on his back, breathing heavily as the clouds passed him overhead.
Closing his eyes, Ben released a sigh of relief as he heard the others approach, beginning to laugh in disbelief at the fact his insane idea actually worked. "Can't believe it actually worked," he murmured to himself breathlessly as Yang slid to kneel beside him, the others gathered around as she grabbed his collar and hoisted him upright. Ben also couldn't help but note that her eyes were a rather angry ruby red. Uh oh.
"Just what in the hell possessed you to do something that freaking stupid!" Yang demanded hotly, wisps of flame flickering forth from the tresses of her golden hair as Ben gulped lightly; his mouth running dry as the others snickered behind them, save for two who were in fact silently glaring into Yang's back. Yang seemed to not appreciate his continued silence as she narrowed her eyes and hauled Ben to look at her, the young man struck silent in an odd moment of realising just how beautiful his blonde friend actually was. The two stared at each other for a few minutes, ruby red slowly shifting back to a light lilac into cobalt blue, until Yang pulled the boy into a hug; Ben a little stupefied by the sudden action as he slowly wrapped his arms around the now visibly relieved blonde.
The two continued the embrace until Ben was able to sense the all-consuming darkness of the Grimm closing in from the forest, causing him to swiftly rise to his feet, puling Yang along with him. Ben gently released himself from Yang's grip as he turned towards the forest and narrowed his eyes, until he turned and began to jog towards the temple and the cliffs beyond.
"Let's get the hell out of here, Grimm are closing fast and I have had enough with this damn forest," he called out over his shoulder as he picked up the pace, smirking as the group of teens blinked once in unison before making a mad dash for the cliffs and coming hot on Ben's heels. While high above them upon the bluffs, Ozpin and Goodwitch watched in disbelief in the case of the latter at the display of Ben's abilities and natural leadership in regards to the group of teens form the surveillance footage.
Goodwitch had her eyes wide and mouth lightly agape while Ozpin possessed a light and wry smirk, glancing at his old friend while he took another sip of his cafe.
"So," the headmaster began with the barest trace of humor in his tone while tapping his cane lightly upon the stone beneath their feet, "has he lain any of your doubts to rest yet Ms. Goodwitch?" he asked as he looked at her fully, a light smirk on his lips at the awestruck look on the woman's face. However Goodwitch only hummed sharply and turned up her nose as she turned on her heel and walked away, not saying a single word as Ozpin shook his head and followed after her.
"I'll take that as a yes then," he said quietly to himself, glancing at his scroll and seeing how Ben remained as the last to exit the forest as he helped the others reach safety. Allowing the barest hints of a smile grow on his lips, Ozpin continued towards the school, his mind now focused on a dilemma brought forth by his newest students' present success.
The group of nine teens was now huddled together in the main auditorium, with the large viewscreen in the center of the room depicted each one of the teams that had formed as a result of the events in the forest and thankfully, much to everyone's relief; no causalities occurred during the initiation this year. Ben idly stood shoulder to shoulder with Yang and Weiss with Blake directly in front of him, watching with lightly narrowed eyes as Cardin and his little gang strode confidently to the main stage, their armor unscathed and pristine in the overhanging dim light of the room.
"Bunch of schutta if I've ever seen one," he growled under his breath as Ozpin at last explained the necessity for the relics they collected.
"Cardin Winchester, Russel Thrush, Dove Bronzewing and Sky Lark, together you collected the black bishop pieces," Ozpin exclaimed as he gestured to the now spinning Icon of a black bishop chess piece on the screens below the four images of the four boys. "From this day onward you will work together as Team CRDL. Led by... Cardin Winchester."
A loud round of applause greeted Ben's ears as the other students from second year and up cheered on their new underclassmen. And Cardin it seemed in fact actually had some modicum of responsibility and tact as he remained stone faced through the ceremony, releasing for the barest of moments a smug smirk once the clapping subsided. And then it was his friends turn to step into the spotlight.
Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora approached the stage in single file; faces confident and strong as the other students began to murmur quietly at the disheveled and battle worn forms of the four teens. Ozpin seemed unconcerned by it as the four lined up shoulder to shoulder as fours pictures, one of each team member appeared on the screens above a white colored rook piece. Ben straightened his back and watched in rapt attention as Ozpin began to speak.
"Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, Lie Ren, and Nora Valkyrie, the four of you collected the white rook pieces and showed tremendous companionship and trust in both each other and your new classmates during your escape from the forest," the headmaster began, ignoring the round of whispers and looks the team received at his statement. Ben meanwhile only narrowed his eyes upon the headmaster, eyes flashing as this all but confirmed his suspicions.
'What game are you playing Ozpin?' he thought to himself as the others seemed unconcerned with the headmaster's words. Ozpin only continued unhindered as he looked upon the four new students.
"You from here on are to be Team JNPR. And you are going to be led by, Jaune Arc."
Ben couldn't help but begin to chuckle lightly at the dumbfounded expression on Jaune's face at Ozpin's declaration, while Pyrrha smile proudly at the blonde haired boy; while Nora hugged Ren and cheered loudly. Ozpin only smiled lightly at the dumbstruck blonde. "Congratulations young man, and well done. It is a position well deserved," he said confidently as Jaune looked at his team, releasing a light grunt as Pyrrha punched him lightly on the arm.
And then Ozpin turned to Ben and the girls. Yang lifted her chin proudly as she led the team onto the stage, followed closely by Blake, Weiss, and finally the now lightly fidgeting Ruby. Leaving Ben alone for but a few moments, until Jaune and the others moved to join the young Jedi once more. Ben offered them only a swift nod and a smile as he refocused on his friends on stage. Team JNPR did the same, standing close as the other students noted the rather close and comfortable atmosphere surrounding the nine students in comparison to other first year students from years past.
Ben watched as the screen shifted once again, as the image went in order of Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang while their piece, the white knight appeared beneath them as Ozpin began his speech anew.
"Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long. Together you retrieved the white knight pieces and just as Team JNPR did, despite a rocky beginning you showed a tremendous amount of skill in regards to working as a team, and being able to put aside your differences to achieve a greater goal and understanding between yourselves," here the elder man paused, as the audience waited with bated breath. Ben meanwhile, merely equated the man's performance to that of a showman he had met once on Nar Shadda during the war. "So it is my honor to name you as Team RWBY. Led by, Ruby Rose."
Ben felt a minute amount of shock at Ozpin's last words, yet his training allowed him to reign the emotion in as he watched Yang cheer and wrap her arms around the younger girl in a hug as he managed to make out what she said.
"I'm so proud of you!" Yang exclaimed as the students cheered loudly for the girls, each of them stepping back as Ben realized it was finally his turn. Ben set his face into a cool mask, drawing up his hood as his face was once more shrouded in shadow.
"It has been many years since such an event occurred at Beacon," Ozpin began as Ben at last stood on stage, hands crossed behind his back rigidly as the armor he wore and lightsaber on his belt gleamed sharply in the light of the room. The young man's face soon appeared on screen above the Black King piece, his scarred and rugged visage gaining some wolf whistles from a few of the older female students until they settled down to allow the Headmaster his speech.
"Yet it is not the first that a student here has been forced to work alone within these halls. Each of them beyond exceptional in the crafts and abilities that define a true Huntsman or Huntress."
Loud whispers shattered the silent din of the room as the elder students looked upon Ben with interest and curiosity, as Ben turned his attention to the screen.
"And now before you all stands one such example, who single highhandedly slew both a Deathstalker, and a Nevermore deep within the forest while aiding Teams JNPR and RWBY to safety," Ozpin uttered barely above a whisper, the shocked silence of the room near deafening to Ben's ears. "Now, Ben Skywalker... You who retrieved the Black King piece, so as tradition dictates; I now ask you, what is the moniker with which you will be known as at Beacon and outside our walls?"
Many of the students were struck silent at the question, while Ben stood silent as the last thing Jacen ever said to him came to his mind. And Ben admitted even if only in the privacy of his own mind... that it suited him perfectly in this situation.
Ben slowly reached up and drew down his hood, bangs of fire-red hair falling to shadow his eyes as he looked at the headmaster. And every single individual within that room felt the faintest of shivers crawl down their backs as he spoke.
"Call me Krayt... Darth Krayt."
And done with chapter two ladies and gents. Now I can get to the good stuff beyond the fighting and trust me, while the story will follow RWBY cannon to an extent, we will see some more Star Wars elements later on. And here is a hint. Next chapter will compromise of the first lessons, Teams RWBY and JNPR trying to understand their secretive friend, and a look into Ben's past and hints in regards to his final confrontation between him and Caedus! As well as some bond building between Ben and Weiss.
Edit: May 31st 2015: The other two will get their times as well so don't worry. And also to those who have been sending reviews and PMs, I am deeply appreciative for the attention my fics have received, but sadly my muse is a fickle thing, and at the moment her attention is devoted to other projects. But the next chapters for all of my current fics are being worked on as we speak, the process is just going a lot slower than I would like. Thank you for your patience!
Till then... Read, Review, and if I did my job right, Enjoy!