10/14/17..it all begins again
Disclaimer: Rooster Teeth owns RWBY
Bálor would sigh as he looked at himself in the still-shattered mirror that resided in his dorm room, the academy uniform still a very foreign sight to him by one he was slowly growing accustomed to with each passing day.
"Things are bad. Maybe they've always been bad, but there's always a light at the end of the tunnel..there's always a chance to start over and be better than who you were before." The wolf Faunus would insert the violet-colored eye contacts that he had bought to help distance himself from the Bullet Club flunky that everyone at Beacon had come to know him as, in those days he thought himself untouchable: Ozpin had given him free rein in terms of his actions and had exercised it in the most immature of ways, annoying the student body with gaudy and extravagant entrances, lashing out violently at anyone who had even remotely offended him, but perhaps the worst mess he had caused was upsetting the friendship between the members of Team RWBY. "But as the saying often goes: The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." He would see the eight metal cases which housed his weapons sitting out in the open, waiting for their master to call upon them once again to continue the same path of destruction that he had spent most of his life on, as well as the very thing that had caused some of the discord between him and most of Beacon's residents.
A knock upon his door would interrupt his thoughts before a resounding thud that signaled the fall of his still ruined door would send the barely held together shards of his mirror tumbling to the ground.
"It's open." Bálor would say this sarcastically as he began combing back his now black hair, looking out of the corner of his eye to see a less-than-pleased Goodwitch glowering at him with her arms crossed. "Hello Professor Goodwit-" He would stop speaking as she pointed her riding crop at him, going completely quiet as he knew he was in for another stern lecture from his third-least favorite individual.
"I don't even want to begin hearing what terrible logic went into you destroying Academy property, just know that not even Ozpin is going to be able to protect you from retribution this time." She would continue to rant about finally getting him to take some responsibility for his actions before snapping her fingers, two underclassmen would march into the room as the bespectacled Huntress simply looked at the wolf Faunus quietly as she took in the sudden change in the young man's appearance. "I'd heard rumors of your look changing recently, and while in the past I would've gladly accepted such changes as a welcome trend in the positive, I can't help but think there's some ulterior motive behind it all."
She would snap her fingers once again as the two underclassmen would leave the room as quickly as they had arrived, somehow leaving behind a trash can and a broom behind in their place.
"How did they-" The wolf would sigh as he received only a steely-eyed glare from the woman in response, in the past he would've probably made a zinger about how it was her "special time of the month" and how she should just put in another Maxie Pad, but that would only worsen the situation he was currently in. "Alright, question rescinded..guessing you want me to clean up the mess?"
She would nod bluntly as she handed him the broom without saying much else, barely hiding her disdain as he took the broom and began sweeping away whatever bits of debris he could without saying much else.
"I honestly don't understand what Ozpin sees in keeping you here, considering that almost every action you've ever taken was to isolate yourself from people however possible." Glynda would rub her temples tiredly as he continued to clean without replying to her words, leaving the older woman to examine the tattered remains of his dorm room with an inquisitive eye even as bits of debris were telekinetically moved to reveal taped together remains of photos involving himself and either Ruby or Yang. "So, there were times where you behaved like a normal teenager, I daresay you actually look happy in these photos."
The amber-eyed Huntsman in training would give a small chuckle as he continued to clear away the debris into the nearby waste bin while Goodwitch watched on in silent vigil.
Ruby would be busy inside of the team dorm room as she held up a pair of scissors while staring down at a pair of thigh high stockings with a curious look on her face as she contemplated what she was about to do.
"Okay Ruby, just remember..you're doing this for science!" With a gleam of enthusiasm in her silver eyes she would rip open the packaging and pull out a pair of stockings and begin making cuts, snippings and various other rips with gusto. "For science!"
"WHERE IS HE!?" Weiss had spent the last hour and a half searching the halls of Beacon looking for her silver-haired tormentor, eventually running afoul of the Sterling Twins, Johanna and Oscura, who bluntly proceeded to inform her that the wolf Faunus was under Goodwitch's direct supervision and there was zero chance that he would be leaving it. "I know that twit well enough that he would never let Professor Goodwitch keep him trapped in a room with her." She was about to start knocking when the heiress noticed what her partner was up to. "Ruby..what are you doing?"
The crimsonette would smile as she marveled at her handiwork with a satisfied smile before turning to face her friend and teammate with a stern look, not even blinking as she set the scissors down and crossed her arms. "Just thought I'd try out a new look, definitely a lot of that going around lately." She would sigh as Weiss simply gave the younger girl a dumbfounded look before deciding to settle down on the edge of Blake's bunk and gesture for Ruby to continue, even though a small but very vocal part of her wanted to know just what she planned to pair with those stockings.
"I understand that things have been tense between us all ever since..that thing with the amphitheater, and my temporary relocation to Bálor's room for a little while, but I think we can finally start putting everything behind us and concentrate on the Vytal Festival." Ruby's eyes would start to glisten with hope at the prospect of Team RWBY standing tall at the end of the madness that was the current Vytal Festival, even though it would either be her sister Yang (who had become surprisingly laser focused on winning following her closing the book on her first and so far, ONLY relationship.) who had the chance to represent Team RWBY in the winner's circle.
Weiss's earlier frustrations would be forgotten as she digested the boundless enthusiasm of her partner and leader of Team RWBY with a twitchy right eye, forcing herself to take a calm and dignified breath before bothering to remove the note she had found wedged in their dorm's door earlier on in the day.
"Ruby, while I appreciate just how.."excited" you are about our team's chances in the tournament. We've been in the middle of it for a DAY, and our chance at the Doubles may very well be coming up tomorrow but I can't exactly get on board with the idea that one of the biggest assholes that has ever graced the halls of our Academy could possibly change his stripes." The heiress would hand the folded-up paper to her trusted partner, watching as the other girl's silver-colored eyes went from left to right as she read the letter. "I know you have all sorts of questions about what you've just read but, I still have a great deal more to tell you. Especially since it has to do with the truth behind that mess in the amphitheater."
For Blake, the Vytal Festival was just another step away from her old life as a member of the renegade Faunus group known as the White Fang. The last year had proven to be a mixture of catharsis and intrigue, the capture of Roman Torchwick had more than certainly set back the plans of her former compatriots for a time.
But then why was she still feeling an uneasy tension in the air?
"Penny for your thoughts partner?" Yang would stand beside the yellow-eyed feline as she looked over at the setting sun, both women enjoying the warmth that remained despite the long day that had occurred as Team RWBY had managed to make it past the opening round without losing a single member of the group. "Yeah, I know silence is golden and all, but I'm pretty sure that the sunset's got that covered. So, spill the tea already woman!"
Blake couldn't help but feel relieved at the blonde's continued exuberance, at first she couldn't help but wonder what outside forces were responsible for the two of them becoming partners: The raven-haired Faunus preferred to keep to herself whenever possible, even having amassed quite the collection of books to carry her through the more boisterous of their outings, while Yang herself seemingly embraced the roar of a crowd and was more than often the leading force whenever they had a rare night on town.
"I just feel like I've finally awakened from some horrible nightmare, and I don't mean our weird interactions with the mutt." She would chuckle to herself as the brawler's expression temporarily went sour at the mention of her now ex-boyfriend, the breakup having caused something of a rift between Yang and Ruby for a time before the Faunus herself would step in and mediate a reconciliation between the sisters. "We're finally starting to gel as a team again and pretty much steamrolled through our first fight, I want to believe that once we win the tournament..everything's going to change for the better."
The blonde would place a hand upon her partner's shoulder as a confident smile crossed her face, the setting sun bringing out an extra shine to her already golden locks. "Then believe it already, this last year has brought us a hell of a lot of grief and torment. And that's not even counting what that dumbass tried to stir up way back when, if anyone's due for a happy ending after this tournament business it's gotta be us!" Yang would pump a fist at her future triumph, looking forward to further adulation from the boys of Beacon as not only one of the more attractive females there but also from the fact that she and her team would be lauded as one of the strongest in the Four Kingdoms.
Blake however, couldn't help but feel the same tremor of dread from earlier, despite the warmth of the sun now blanketing her skin as well as the reassuring presence of her trusted partner and friend beside her.
There was indeed a change coming their way, but it wasn't the kind that seemed to include a happy ending.
Bálor would wipe the sweat from his brow as he finished sweeping away the remainder of the debris as he looked around his now bare dorm room, the emptiness suggesting the possibility of a new start for him.
A sentiment that was clearly echoed by the satisfied murmurs of one Glynda Goodwitch as she inspected his handiwork. "A job well done Mr. Moonlight, I'll make sure to be put in a call to Maintenance to have the basic furnishings replaced. Of course, anything else of a more personal variety will have to come out of your own pocket of course." The veteran Huntress would notice that the usually antagonistic Faunus had gone uncharacteristically silent during his cleanup, something that would cause the woman some trepidation at his behavior as she cleared her throat to get his attention. "Please understand that it was never my intention to be some horrid taskmistress, I truly believe in the potential of every student who attends Beacon Academy..even if a particular student seemed to believe himself nothing more than scum who deserved to walk alone." She would place a hand on his bicep, surprised to feel him tense up at her touch before pulling away with an exasperated sigh before turning to leave the boy to an empty room with nothing to keep him company but his troubles.
"I don't belong anywhere Professor: As a child, Vacuo was nothing but an endless sandbox full of Grimm and two very unfit parents. Prison molded me into an animal, I'm fit for killing but I doubt that this dog will be winning any Best in Show medals." The wolf would turn to face his teacher with a look of defeat in his currently violet eyes as he telekinetically opened the door behind her, his expression completely crestfallen as he continued to speak. "I've decided to leave Beacon Academy following the conclusion of the Vytal Festival, Ozpin wasn't exactly pleased to hear it..but I was hoping if you put in a good word then maybe he'd finally understand."
Glynda couldn't help but feel a modicum of elation as she heard those magical words, having long been a proponent for him to be returned to the pits of Black Vale. But as a teacher she was supposed to inspire confidence in her pupils.
"I'll see what I can do regarding your request, but in the meantime, I suggest that you indulge in some self-reflection." She would look back at him to see a still very sullen wolf Faunus, half-tempted to slap him silly with her riding crop. "You can't solve your problems by running away, sometimes the only solution is to keep moving forward."
With those final words Goodwitch would leave the young man to contemplate the advice he'd been given, whether or not he would heed it would be the true test of his character.
Happy RTX everyone!
