Whenever I make a mistake or some sort of discrepancy in the story, I'm like: 'Hey, this could be a really good plot point.' And it all works out.
I went ahead and made 1 lien = 1 USD cause then its ez pz.
I don't own RWBY.
Black.
No… I don't want to wake up…
Too... tired…
"Hey, wake up."
I don't want to.
…
Eventually, I was able to scrape together the will to lift my head and open my eyes.
I was… in the bar?
Why am I here?
Sykes was wiping. He looked up, "Finally awake?" When I nodded, he continued.
"Well, I really can't predict you. You managed to fry your eyes out by watching too much TV. You died."
HACK
COUGH COUGH
"H-how is that possible?"
"No clue. Maybe next time you should try blinking." He continued.
"You used up your second chance. Now you have to stay with me…"
"Forever."
Forever.
Forever.
Forever.
…
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-
-Break-
I shot up from my lying position.
"-OOOOOOOOOOOOooooooo… huh?"
Aghh. My eyes sting like hell.
This... doesn't smell like the bar… WOAHHLEE SHIT
Sykes was up close and personal, staring into my soul. Out noses were less than two inches apart.
"Dreaming of me?"
After breathing to un-fluster myself, I said the first thing that came to mind in this situation.
"Yes. It was a nightmare."
Sykes frowned, but seemed satisfied and backed up.
Now that his face was no longer blocking my vision, I saw that we were in fact still in the motel room.
Something was missing however, but I couldn't put my finger on what exactly it was.
Sykes seemed to catch on and answered. "I packed up the TV and everything else. We finished watching, then you got knocked out because you couldn't handle the smell."
The smell?
Ohhhh, I remember.
6 Hours Earlier
"Owwww… my eyes..."
"Good job, you survived. I overestimated the length, it was only 18 hours in total."
I'm too tired to speak or care anymore.
"By the way, do you still have the whiskey I gave you earlier?"
Yeah. I think I still got it.
"Good. Hand it to me."
Yawn… mmkay.
I reached into my pants and pulled out the bottle. I held it out to offer it to him.
He took it and popped the cap off.
Sniff
Ohhhhhh…
That's pretty strong.
…
Thud
…
Sykes paused from drinking straight from the bottle to look down at my half unconscious body.
"Weakling."
Bas… tard…
I was taken by darkness.
Present
Bastard.
I thought that was supposed to be a gift.
"You're the one who gave it to me. Also, I am your father. I can take back anything I do or say"
That's a stupid rule.
"By the way, I did some work during the night again." He raised a finger into the air. "I created a backstory for both of us on this world." He put his other finger in the air as well. "I took a bit of… artistic liberty when I wrote it. All you need to know is that if someone ever tries to dig into our backgrounds, they will be in for quite the story."
Humm…
"Does that mean you took a last name? What even is your last name?"
"I… don't have a last name." Maybe it was just me, but I feel like I heard a tinge of sadness in those words. "But on this world, I did some research on a last name that someone mistook me for, and took that. I also incorporated it into my backstory."
"What is it?"
"I'm not telling."
"Bastard." Sykes might of flinched at the mention of that word. Maybe it was my imagination.
"Oh yes, I forget to mention this." He aimed a finger at me. "You took your mother's last name, Quinn. In case someone asks."
"...Why did you create backstories for us, exactly?"
"Well, I get bored when my dear son is-"
I cut him off. "Okay, okay, I get it."
"Well then, let's go." He held his arms out, "There's no reason to stay in this dump anymore. The plot is beginning soon." He held his fist in front of him and clenched it. "The plot will not wait for us to interfere, we must do it now! Ah, I also need to get information on Roman before he dies. I wasn't expecting him to die."
"I think your priorities are twisted. Messing with the plot is supposed to be the reincarnated's job." I pointed my thumb at myself. "And that's me."
I think Sykes just cursed under his breath. "...Be that as it may, you are weak as shit. You could not affect the plot in any way even if you tried."
Damn. He's got a point.
"Therefore, I must be a superstar father and watch you 24/7, to protect and defend, at all times." He seemed to take great pride in this.
"That's called a helicopter dad."
"Very well, I shall be a helicopter father, for your protection of course. After all, you will be associating yourself with superpowered teenagers - the majority of which are girls - so, who knows what could happen." He crossed his arms and pointed his chin up. "I don't expect too much from you in that department, though. Neither will I allow it."
I think that was an insult.
"Come on, my dear son, the world awaits." He held an arm in my direction.
I really hate his bipolarity. Can't he just be a normal god?
"I'm not bipolar. Nor a god."
I took the hand anyway. He lifted me off the bed (Which I was still lying in), and we exited the room.
The sun was just barely above the horizon, letting us know it was a new day.
We started for the stairs.
-Break-
The previous information was inaccurate. It was dusk, not dawn. That shouldn't even be possible, if you do the math.
I blame Sykes.
The street we were walking on was quickly bathed by darkness less than fifteen minutes after we left.
I had no clue where we were going.
"We are going to Junior's Club." Sykes picked up on my thoughts, no big surprise. "Tonight is the night of 'Yellow'. I need to get a job there as bartender - which I should be able to get with no trouble - and I plan on introducing you to the girl, after she busts the joint. That, or we can go with plan B, if I choose to do so. Until then, you can clean a glass and watch, or something." Sykes smiled.
"Reign in those hormones, son, today's the big day."
Bastard.
...
"Ah, here we are."
We walked up to a corner property that had strobe lights barely peeking out through the windows. If you did not know for sure that this was the club, you would have skipped right over it. Probably a conscious choice. From outside, it looked like any old downtown property, with many windows above the first floor, and many floors. From where I was standing, I could barely hear music that is easy to dance to coming from inside.
We approached the entrance.
"Ah, automatic doors, how fancy." The doors really didn't fit in with the outside aesthetic, but that changes once you take a look inside.
Inside was a huge room with an angular style that was mostly made of what seemed to be some sort of smooth black material, with white lights along all the edges and rails. The night was still very young, so there was no people here for entertainment.
Immediately once you enter, you would be greeted with a staircase headed down to the level where everything was. One level lower, and you would reach the dance floor. On the middle level, there was a bar on the left. Peppered throughout the room were men with black suits with red ties, matching black hats and red aviators, all armed with either a sword, a fire ax, or a firearm.
"I believe they are called henchmen." Sykes said once we reached the bar. Then he straightened his coat and checked his smile with a mirror he pulled out of his coat. I'm not sure why though, I've never seen him eat anything.
Once he put the mirror away, he turned to me. "Now, my dear son, just stay quiet and watch your father show you how to talk with people such as these."
The white lights in the room turned red.
He grabbed a henchman that happened to be near him at the time and turned him around so that he faced him.
"Tell your boss that I wish to meet with him."
The henchman looked up and down Sykes's body.
"And who the hell do you thi-" The man was cut off.
Suddenly, my heart skipped a beat and I almost stumbled while standing still. All the hairs on my body stood straight up. One thought kept getting brought to the forefront of my mind.
RUN.
RUN AWAY AS FAR AS YOU CAN.
Adrenaline rushed all throughout my body, my heart beat faster than it probably ever did in my two lives. My eyes dilated, and unconsciously darted around looking for some way, any way, to escape the demon in front of me.
Then, as soon as it came, the feeling left me.
My palms bled a little from clenching my fists too hard; and I was still trembling. I looked up at Sykes, who hasn't moved at all, and the unfortunate soul he grabbed, who slumped forward slightly in his grip. When did he start smiling like that? Just looking at the smile was unnerving.
Sykes opened his mouth.
"Please."
There was something off about his voice, but thinking about it brought that feeling back.
He let go of the man.
The lights turned back to white.
The man probably wanted to scream, but he was too afraid to make any noise; so instead, he furiously nodded and ran to a room somewhere on the side all while stumbling a few times.
Nobody else seemed to have noticed anything off.
I was going to ask, but Sykes beat me to it.
"That, my son, was the legendary killing intent; I'm sure the concept is nothing new to you. And if you are curious, the amount I sent to you was accidental; it was nothing compared to what the henchman felt." Poor guy.
He moved to take a seat at the bar. He patted the seat beside his. "Sit here, son."
I did. "You scared the hell out of me, you know? And stop calling me son. It sounds weird and unnatural."
I'm still sweating.
He chuckled. "Well, that's the point. And no. I will call you whatever I want."
He pulled out a bottle and two glasses, placed them on the counter, and poured some for both of us.
Serving yourself kinda defeats the point of going to a bar, but whatever.
Alcohol?
"It's not alcoholic. It's only root beer."
I drank some.
It wasn't bad.
…
After I finished a glass, I spotted a very tall man wearing a dress shirt and vest moving towards us.
Sykes turned around in his seat to lean back on the counter, resting his elbows on it.
Now that the man was closer I noticed that he was flanked on both sides by two teenage girls, one wearing a red dress, and the other wearing a white one.
The Malachite twins.
They are actually pretty cute.
Sykes looked at me strangely.
"No romance. It will ruin the plot."
That's cruel.
"I will be crueler."
Damn.
…
Finally, the man came close enough to begin talking.
"One of my boys said you asked for me?"
Sykes looked up at him.
"You are Junior?"
"Yeah." The man narrowed his eyes. "And how can I help you?" He was clearly suspicious. Maybe the henchman told him what happened.
"I want to tend your bar." Sykes jabbed a thumb behind him. "For the night."
Junior widened his eyes and seemed surprised by the request, but he narrowed then in suspicion a moment later. He opened his mouth to talk, but Sykes beat him to it.
"Of course, I will be paying." He pulled out and held a card between his index and middle fingers. "Five thousand lien. You'll need it."
This only seemed to make Junior all the more suspicious. "And what exactly are you plann-" Sykes cut him off.
"My dear son," he directed at me, "look away, would you?"
Immediately after he said that, a thought was forced into my head.
Act like you are used to it.
He can use telepathy?!
Yes. Now do it.
The girls were looking at me curiously, while I could see Junior taking glances at me from the corner of his eye.
This could be fun.
I smiled.
"Oh dear." I focused back into the counter and poured myself more root beer.
Then, I could feel some sort of heat run across my back.
"Please."
Thud
I think I heard knees hitting the ground.
The heat disappeared. I turned back around, my smile still on.
Junior was kneeling in front of him, with a very pale face and clenched fists. The twins seemed better off, but they were pale as well.
Sykes hopped of his seat and placed his hand on Junior's shoulder. Junior shuddered and tried to flinch away, but he failed to escape the claw.
With his hand on Junior's shoulder, he slipped the lien card into his front pocket on the vest.
"I'm thankful for your hospitality." Sykes smiled like a demon.
He then turned back around and vaulted over the bar counter. He took the blue rag from way back out of his pants and started wiping.
"Son, come and wipe the glasses."
I spared one last glance at Junior and his bodyguards before similarly vaulting over the counter.
It didn't go too well. My hip hit the edge on the other side and my leg knocked over the root beer bottle, along with smashing the glasses.
Sykes stared at me.
"Those were my favorite glasses."
"Just… get wiping." I was limping. "I think broke my hip."
He snapped his fingers to heal me before he shrugged and continued his wiping.
…
The breaking glass seemed to be enough to get Junior out of his trance.
He stood up and walked away. I noticed him trembling the entire time. The twins followed soon after, also trembling.
Sykes spoke up so Junior could hear.
"Boss, I'll call you if I need you!" He waved his scroll at him. "You better come!"
Junior walked faster.
…
"What a nice man." Sykes tossed an empty glass and a green rag to me.
I started wiping.
-Break-
Business was really picking up. The dance floor was now filled with people and Sykes was currently telling stories to a customer.
Sykes told me to keep an eye on the entrance and to let him know when she arrives. He never told me about his plan.
Ah, what a coincidence, it's Yang.
"She's arrived." I was leaning on the wall behind the counter, a glass and a rag in my hands.
Sykes stopped his casual conversation, wiping the sweet smile off his face.
I didn't even know Sykes could manage a normal conversation.
He relocated himself to in front of a couple empty seats - probably the place she would sit - and made himself busy by wiping the counter.
She walked over to one of the empty seats and sat there, as predicted.
Sykes stopped wiping and looked up.
Sykes made a show of scrutinizing her before saying, "Aren't you a little young to be drinking here?"
She looked back at him. "Aren't you a little young to have white hair?"
"Eh." He shrugged. "So, what can I get you, Goldilocks?"
She raised a brow at the foreign name before replying. "One strawberry sunrise, no ice."
Sykes raised an metaphorical eyebrow. "That doesn't have any alcohol in it."
She seemed confused. "So?"
"So, he can get it for you." He jabbed a thumb at me. "I only know alcohol."
Huh?
"What are you talking about?! I don't know how to make a strawberry sunrise!" What is he trying to do?
"Well, I don't know either." He looked at me and kept his thumb up. "And you are the one who needs to learn."
Say no and leave.
He telepathically told me. What is he planning?
Might as well go along with him.
"No." I shook my head. "I'm on break anyways." I grabbed a beer and exited through a back door. Before I left, I snuck a glance at the girl. She seemed to have only been watching our antics with a smile and nothing else.
I hung out behind the door, leaving it cracked so I could hear what Sykes was up to.
"Well there you go, sweetheart, I'm sorry about that." A pause. "How about a strawberry sunset? It has a little alcohol, but kids like you drink it all the time. On the house."
It was a moment before she replied. "Sure."
"Great."
A couple seconds of the sound of pouring a stirring later…
Clink
"There you go, sweetheart."
It sounds like she took a sip. "Not bad."
After a moment, I heard the sound of hair flying about and slapping on a jacket. I'm guessing she shook her head, hard.
She started talking again.
"I need to see your… boss."
Something was off.
Sykes spoke back. "Him? He's busy right now. What do you need him for?"
"I… uh… need him to… uh…"
I heard the sound of something slumping on a hard surface.
No no no no no.
He can't be this insane, right?
My train of thought was interrupted by Sykes kicking open the door I was listening into. He had an unconscious Yang over his shoulder.
Y-you didn't, right?!
"I spiked her drink. Now, we will have some fun with her."
HURK!
COUGH COUGH COUGH
A-are you s-serious?!
"No. I am not." Sykes wiped my spit off from his coat and began walking towards the door leading to an alleyway. "She was still conscious enough to listen when I said that. Now she is completely under, and should stay under for the next day or so."
Well, that's a relief in some odd way.
But still, "A-and why, exactly?"
Sykes glanced at me. "Are you a moron? The easiest way to interfere in a plot is to be the antagonist." He opened the door leading to the alleyway. "That, and, because then your future interactions with this girl in Beacon will be very interesting"
Not if she flays me alive the moment she sees me.
"Ah, well, good luck."
Bastard.
"So this is the plan B?"
"Yes. You see, it will create an interesting subplot of keeping the secret that she was almost raped from her teammates, before eventually admitting it to get help with her problems. As well as creating the gag of her trying to kill us when she sees us." He laid her body so that she was leaning on the front of a dumpster, with her legs parallel to the road. "All in all, this shouldn't detract from the original plot, while creating further plot complexity and multiple subplots."
That's an… interesting way to put it.
He got to work removing a couple articles of clothing and messed with her hair so it looked frazzled. "Truthfully, even if she successfully kills you, the consequences of this event would still be completely worth it."
"Bastard."
"Yeah, well, I do what I can." His head shot towards the entrance to the alleyway. "Ruby is coming. We need to go."
He grabbed onto my arm and my surroundings changed. What was once brick walls and concrete floor was now the open sky and… well, I guess it still was a concrete floor.
We were on a roof overlooking the alleyway that we were just in.
"Well then, let's watch the show." Sykes pulled out two lawn chairs and two beers.
What is this? Football?
"I set up an illusion." He fell onto his chair. "Ruby will see us suspiciously walk into the alley with her sister on 'my' shoulder. Also, I prevented anyone from seeing or hearing us here, in case of prying eyes."
I sat on my chair. "You really are cruel, you know."
"It could have been worse." He sipped his beer. "I was debating whether or not to implant memories of us getting to work on her in her mind. Then, I debated giving her an ache on her lower body and legs. But, I did neither. I don't want her to gain a phobia of men. All she needs to do is think that something happened to her." He seemed to think before continuing. "She's a strong girl, but not that strong."
He sipped his beer again. "So, I am like a saint."
Yeah, no.
...
"W-what are you doing with Yang?!" An obviously feminine voice called out.
He spoke up. "Well, here she comes." I leaned over the edge so I could see down.
I was able to catch the tail end of a flurry of what I assumed is rose petals, before I caught sight of a silhouette of a short girl with a frilly skirt, her massive scythe open and at the ready.
"YANG!" She used her speed ability to approach Yang's body. "A-are you okay?!"
She didn't seem to notice how strange it was that the suspicious characters were able to remove a couple of Yang's clothes and mess up her hair in less than two seconds before disappearing into nothingness after they walked around the corner.
She tried various ways to attempt to wake her sister up. None of them worked.
I looked at Sykes. "You know, I don't think Ruby is strong enough to lift up her sister."
Sykes was staring at Yang.
He seemed to be entranced by something.
He blinked back. "...Oh, that's probably right." He looked at me. "She should wake up soon. I'm not sticking around for when she does. I fear for Junior's wellbeing." He packed up the lawn chairs and beers.
He grabbed my arm.
We disappeared.
-Break-
'I spiked her drink. Now, we will have some fun with her.'
Then Yang blacked out.
…
...But, she was still conscious. At least, in this black realm.
She looked around. There was nothing but black and other shades of black, it was like a curtain that separated her from her senses.
She was angry. Very angry. She was scared too; but mostly angry.
She slammed her fists on the darkness.
'LET. ME. OUT!'
SLAM
'LET ME OUT!
SMASH
'OUT!'
...
It didn't do anything.
SMASH
CRASH
SLAM
...
Her strikes were becoming lighter.
This feeling of weakness, vulnerability; she hated it.
It reminded her of that time 13 years ago.
'Let me… out.'
Slam
Smash
...
Her arms were starting to hurt.
'Please…'
Thok
She stopped.
...
All her anger was gone. All that was left was fear.
Her face felt odd.
She touched her face.
She was crying.
She couldn't help but chuckle at her situation.
...
Once again, she couldn't do anything.
She sat down and curled up into a ball. She didn't try to quench her tears.
'Someone… save me…'
…
...
...
CRAK
She looked up.
A bright white crack appeared on the darkness.
She wanted to stand up and look through it, but she couldn't move.
...
Another crack appeared.
The light shining through was able to illuminate the realm a little bit.
She saw seven black tendrils attached to herself. One on each limb, one on her head, and two on her back, leading off far into the realm somewhere.
More cracks appeared.
...
More and more cracks appeared.
There was enough white lines that the room she was in seemed like it was half white half black.
...
SMASH
The realm shattered like glass, the pieces falling under her.
Now everything was white.
All that was left was two wooden doors.
...
She tried to stand up.
It didn't work.
She tried harder.
Nothing happened.
She put her entire being into standing up.
It hurt.
CRIK
She didn't stop, despite the pain.
CRASH
The tendrils on her legs shattered. The pieces retreated into the whiteness with a hiss.
...
She could stand up now.
She tried to move forward.
She didn't.
She tried harder.
She shouldn't.
CRASH
The tendrils on her back shattered like the other ones.
...
She moved in front of one of the doors.
She tried to reach out and grab the doorknob.
She couldn't.
She tried again.
She didn't want to.
She tried one more time.
CRASH
The tendrils on her arms shattered.
...
She opened the door and took a step.
She wanted to turn around.
She took another step.
She should have went through the other door.
She walked through.
CRASH!
...
The last tendril broke.
...
She ran.
Yang didn't look back.
…
...
...
If she did, she would have seen a man with white hair, holding onto 7 black strings.
...
"Fatebreaker…"
The door closed.
Clik.
...
