I don't own RWBY.
Somewhere
Sykes stepped into the bar. He was immediately tackled.
"YOU BASTARD! YOU HURT PENNY!"
...
Sykes looked at the man pinning him down. "Wipe your face, idiot son. And stop crying."
The man seemed to realize what he was doing. He stood up, but crossed his arms. He didn't wipe his face. Or stop crying.
Sykes stood up and looked around. "What the hell did you do here?" There was broken glass and alcoholic liquids all over the floor and counter.
"Your recent actions are decidedly against my morals." Markus so angry on the inside he used words beyond his range of comprehension. "Therefore, I have elected to enact my personal justice on your bar." Markus pointed his nose away with a 'hmph'.
Sykes went into a back room and came back with a mop and bucket. "I wasn't listening." He threw the mop at Markus. "Mop the mess you made. Now."
Sykes himself grabbed a dustpan and got on his knees to pick up glass shards.
…
"Okay, listen, Sykes." Markus was mopping the best that he could. "I know you had to beat all of them for the purpose of plot progression, but was it really necessary to traumatically stomp on all of them? Penny should only have to die once."
Sykes brought his shards to the trash can. "Yes."
Markus paused, then sighed and continued. "Would you be so kind as to elaborate on that?"
Sykes got back on his knees. "Well, they need to understand that your father (me) is pretty much godlike in strength, and that they will need to be smart when they eventually attempt to deal with me." Sykes looked up at Markus. "There is a way to beat me, they just need to figure it out. I can't wait."
...
Markus washed his mop in the bucket. His eyes drifted to the TV. "Did you really kill Penny?."
"Yes. It's hard to incapacitate a robot."
"She's not a robot, Sykes."
Sykes looked at his son. "...Shut up, son. You've been watching too much RWBY. Either way, I fixed her. She will be fine."
Markus was still looking at the TV, which was showing a crow fly towards a line of bodies before the screen faded to black and credits rolled.
Markus looked at Sykes, dumbfounded. "Did you actually make it into episodes? Really?"
"Of course I did. You should see the chibi episodes." Sykes threw the last piece of glass away.
Markus was even more perplexed at that statement.
...
Sykes looked at the cleaned floor and nodded. He stood up and wiped his hands on his legs. "Well then, I think it's time for me to return. Interesting things are happening, shame you can't be-" Sykes suddenly stopped and tackled Markus behind a table.
"Wha-"
"Shhhhhhhhhhhh." Sykes held a finger to his lips. He turned to the entrance of the bar.
...
After a moment. the door opened. A familiar blonde walked in. She looked slightly dazed, like if she wasn't sure if anything was real. Maybe she was high.
Yang?! Here!?
Markus shot his head towards Sykes. "Why the hell is she here?!"
He whispered back after staring at her for a minute. "I have no idea. Just… stay still and she won't notice us. She's not high."
...
Yang spoke up, despite looking lost. "What is this place, anyways?" No one replied. "And why do I keep coming here?" The lack of reply didn't seem to get any reaction from her. She must have been expecting it.
She walked on the freshly mopped floors towards the bar, and sat on one of the stools.
"Hellooooo? Can anyone get me a drink?" She said to no one. Markus noted that her eyes were half lidded perhaps the entire time.
…
Markus was nudged by Sykes. When he turned, he saw a massive smile forming on Sykes's face. Sykes looked at Markus. "She thinks that this is a dream. Want to have some fun?"
"Fun?" Markus didn't like the sound of that. "...Normal fun or terrorizing girls fun?"
Sykes nudged him harder and took out a dry erase board. "Just follow what's on the board." He smiled further. "Ready? Good!"
Sykes snapped his fingers and suddenly Markus was behind the counter, easily viewed by all. Yang happened to be looking away, for the moment.
Before Markus could panic, he saw Sykes shaking the board with words written on it behind Yang. He couldn't be sure how many miracles from heaven it took for Yang to not notice his movements.
ACT LIKE A BARTENDER
SAY 'WHAT CAN I GET YOU, BEAUTIFUL?'
ALSO ACT DREAMY
I INCREASED YOUR HANDSOMENESS AND GENERAL CHARM
BY A LOT
Sykes was snickering. Markus sighed inwardly, before leaning on the counter and putting on a calm smile.
"What can I get you, beautiful?" It took a little bit of time for Markus to realize that the incredibly charming voice coming from his mouth was actually his.
Yang definitely wasn't expecting someone to answer. She froze, then after a couple seconds of regaining her senses, she shot around with a jolt. "I-it's you! W-what are you doing here?!"
The board shook.
SAY 'I DON'T KNOW. WHY ARE YOU HERE, SUNSHINE?'
Markus sighed internally again but used his best smile, outwardly. "I don't know. why are you here, sunshine?"
Yang stared dumbly at him, but glared a moment later. "Don't call me that."
The board shook.
DONT REPLY, WIPE A GLASS INSTEAD
A glass appeared in Markus's hand, under the counter. Markus lifted up his arm and grabbed the rag that was placed under his hand somehow. Yang noticed the sudden existence of the rag, but was apathetic. He wiped.
...
The board shook.
ASK IF SHE WANTS A DRINK
AND BE HANDSOME
Sykes snickered even more.
Markus let out the biggest of all non-existent sighs. He looked up from his glass at Yang, who seemed to be entranced. "Would you like anything to drink, beautiful?"
Yang didn't react, and kept staring.
...
Jesus, how handsome did he make me?
Markus glanced at his reflection in the glass. He could only get a general idea, as he could not see perfectly.
...
It was enough.
...Oh my god.
Yang and Markus both stared at Markus for a while.
…
The glass in Markus's hand disappeared. Markus's mood was noticeably dampened.
He glared at Sykes. Markus was still smiling, though.
The board shook.
DON'T GET DISTRACTED, IDIOT SON
NOW JUST GRAB THE DRINK BEHIND YOU AND PUT IT IN FRONT OF HER
Markus scowled at him for a millisecond, before reverting to his calm smile. Markus turned around. On the counter behind him, there was a small and stout glass with a milky liquid in it.
He grabbed it and turned around, careful not to spill any.
Before he could place it down, the board shook.
SYKES'S BARTENDER RULE #1
NAME THE DRINK WHEN YOU PLACE IT DOWN
SO, MAKE UP A NAME
Markus frowned as his mind went to work thinking of applicable adjectives. He was never good at naming things, as evident by his chants.
…
Markus placed the milky liquid in front of Yang. "This one is called 'Udder Delight'"
The board shook. This time, though, it was not a message.
It was Sykes trying his absolute best to not collapse. He had to clap his hand over his mouth.
The absurd name of the drink was able to get Yang out of her daze. "W-why should I drink something from you?"
The board shook.
HANDSOMENESS IS A VERY POTENT WEAPON
Loud and clear, Sykes. Loud and clear.
...
Markus smiled and leaned towards Yang. "For me?"
…
…
…
Yang slammed down her 16th glass. "...Why's the dream gotta be about you!? Why not the blond guy or even the girly guy?!"
Markus shrugged while wiping the counter like Sykes (which is Sykes's Bartender Rule #2). "Who knows."
Yang was slurring. "And what the hell is up with your father?! He's completely nuts!"
The board shook for the first time in a while.
SAY 'WHY WOULD I KNOW?'
Markus kept his calm smile. "Why would I know?"
Yang stood up and yelled at him. "Because you're his son!"
The board shook.
SAY 'NO I'M NOT, I'M…'
Markus glanced at Sykes. Sykes nodded. Markus decided to trust him.
"No I'm not, I'm…"
The board shook.
SAY 'YOUR SISTER'
Markus held in the need to scream at Sykes.
"...Your sister." Immediately when he finished that sentence, he noticed that his eye's height seemed to lower substantially.
He looked at his arm on the counter.
A dress?
Yang was shocked. So much, in fact, the alcohol was seemingly deleted from her system. "Ruby?!"
...
Markus figured out what happened.
You've got to be kidding me.
...
The board shook.
ACT CREEPILY AND SPOOK YANG
...
Okay, now this could be a little fun.
"Of course I am Ruby, Yang!" Markus had trouble getting used to his new voice, but he tried to smile in a spooky way. "How many cute little sisters do you have?"
...
Yang looked successfully spooked. "R-Rubes? You feeling okay?" She backed up a little.
"Of course I am, Yang! Never better!" Ruby (Markus) walked around the counter. Markus noted that the voice that came out was slightly twisted; demonic, even.
The board shook.
RUN TOWARDS HER!
Markus had to hold in his chuckle.
"Yang!" 'Ruby' ran towards Yang, arms out. The voice was definitely demonic sounding now. And, did the surroundings darken a little?
Yang shrieked and fell on her bottom. "W-who are you!?"
The board shook.
SAY 'I'M JUST A FIGMENT OF YOUR IMAGINATION'
Markus frowned.
I was having fun...
Oh well.
"Me?" 'Ruby' stopped and pointed at herself. "I'm just a figment of your imagination!"
The moment Markus finished his sentence, everything disappeared and was replaced by pure blackness. Yang seemed to think this place was familiar. She shuddered.
Now, there was only 'Ruby', Yang, and Sykes stupidly standing behind Yang while holding a board.
The board shook.
Markus nodded inwardly. This will work well.
...
"Do you want to know what I noticed, Yang?" The demonic voice rang out.
Yang was snapped from looking around by her sisters voice. "Huh?"
The board shook.
"I noticed that you've never even thanked me for saving you."
Markus didn't know if that was true, but if Sykes says so, it must be true. Sykes nodded behind Yang.
The board shook.
"Or Markus. It's like you only know how to hate him."
Yang got angry at the mention of his name. "Why should I thank him?"
The board shook.
"If it wasn't for him, you would have been raped."
Yang seemed startled by that word coming from her sweet sister's mouth. "But… he was one of the ones who started it!"
Markus thought it sounded like she was having trouble thinking of things to hate him for.
The board shook.
"And he stopped it. And he apologized. That was almost four months ago."
Yang turned silent at that. It was true. He had apologized. It was in his own odd way, but he at least tried.
Why was Yang so mad at him?
The board shook.
"If I can remember it, you can too, Yang." The figment of Yang's imagination in the shape of Ruby said.
After all, I am you. He wanted to say. That is what a dream apparition would say, right?
It was false, but it could be considered almost true.
Markus knows Yang's past, present, and future. He knows how her personality works. He knows how her abilities work.
He may even know more about her than she could ever know herself, through Sykes.
Being her is not that far off. And Markus was sure Sykes could do it if he wanted to.
The board shook.
"Yang. It's time to forgive." The demonic voice was no more. It was Ruby's.
...
Yang stuttered. She was probably thinking a lot. "B-but…"
The board shook.
"But this is just a dream." 'Ruby' shrugged. "Do whatever you want, Yang."
The board shook.
"Oh! He's coming, Yang. It's time for me to leave. Bye!" 'Ruby' ran off somewhere in the opposite direction and disappeared after a few steps.
"...W-who? Who's coming?" Yang noticed that 'Ruby' had left after a moment.
She was answered by a claw gripping her head. Yang shuddered at the familiarity of the hand.
"It's good to see you again, Goldilocks." Someone behind her said.
Thousands of emotions ran through Yang's head at that moment, but one stood out the most.
Fear.
Not just from him almost raping her, but from his pure strength as well.
Could she have resisted if he tried a more direct approach?
Yang shuddered again. She didn't want to think about it.
She remembered how easily he was able to beat her. It took just one movement.
She remembered how she heard Ruby get cut off and thrown against a container when she cried out her name. Yang doesn't remember anything after that. She hoped the rest were okay.
A shadow creeped over her shoulder and a breath tickled her ear. "Your friends are dead. And you can't do a thing about it." Sykes softly spoke to her. "And, the only man that can… was abandoned."
"N-No…" She barely whispered back.
SMASH
Sykes drove her head into the black ground. After a second, Yang disappeared.
The seed of doubt has been planted.
…
Then, the bar and everything appeared again. 'Ruby' was swinging her legs off a bar stool.
"Sykes! This is incredible! It's been so long since I could act cute!" 'Ruby' told Sykes.
Sykes hunched over and laughed. Maybe from Markus, maybe from the pleasure he takes in terrorizing Yang. Maybe no one will ever know.
…
He stood up straight again after a minute of laughter. "Well, Yang will probably wake up down there soon. I need to go back now."
Sykes walked towards the door. "See you, 'Ruby'" Sykes smirked and opened the door. He walked through.
The door closed. He didn't bother bringing Markus back to normal.
…
…
...
Markus looked down at his new body.
...
The door opened again and Sykes walked in.
"Don't even think about it."
Sykes walked back out.
The door closed.
…
…
...
"Make me, old man."
-Break-
Penny started up and opened her eyes. She sat up before starting to remember what happened.
She grabbed her chest. It seemed to be fixed, and everything inside was working fine. She tested her weapons, and her systems told her she was all clear.
What happened?
Her surroundings then registered around her. She was in a medical room, empty of any medical machinery, and empty of people. There was, however, a large black box with a cable attached to her back. A charger.
She was laying on the bed.
...
Not a moment later, a man wearing a green suit walked in.
He spoke after staring at her for a moment. "Miss Polendina, the general wishes for your presence. If you would follow me, please."
Penny tiled her head. "Who are you?"
The man leaned on his cane. "I am Professor Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy, and friend of the general's. You are currently in my school."
Penny recognized the name and became respectful. "Yes, sir." She unplugged, got off the bed and walked to him.
...
They started walking down the hallway towards the main building.
"You were the first of your friends to wake up." He said as he passed the other rooms. "It's been a couple of hours since we found you."
He sent a sorrowful glance at one of the rooms as he passed.
Penny noticed, but her curiosity was overshadowed by her worry. "Are they okay, sir?"
Ozpin nodded. "They are all fine. However, none of us knows what happened." He turned to Penny. "The general says you we could trust you. While I do trust my students quite a bit, the general was adamant on you reporting."
Penny nodded
...
They kept walking, eventually reaching an elevator and stepping in.
Once they reached the top, Penny got to see an office with gears of all sizes spinning and working all around the room. Standing beside the desk in the room were three people.
General Ironwood, who Penny recognized, a blonde woman with glasses, and a pale black haired man who was crossing his arms. Penny did not recognize those two.
Ozpin walked past them and sat behind the desk. Penny walked towards the general and saluted.
Ironwood started talking. "You're here, Penny. Good." Penny waited for an order. "Report. Make it quick.
"Yes sir." Penny relaxed her salute. "Me, and nine other huntsmen-in-training were almost able to apprehend criminal Roman Torchwick in the docks. Before we could, one of his underlings came to help him escape."
Penny took in a breath. "The underling beat us all, easily."
Ironwood thought on this and Ozpin talked in the silence. "Do you have anything on this man? Pictures, videos, records?"
Penny looked to the general, who nodded.
"...There are no criminal records on him, or anyone that looks like him. There are no citizenship records either, at least in Atlas. As for media, I have no…" Penny blinked.
She had found an emergency video recording.
Emergency video recordings save everything that happened ten minutes before she entered an emergency state, and continue recording until they can no longer.
"Actually, there is a video of what happened earlier. It shows the entire thing from my point of view, and after I was put into an emergency state."
Ironwood looked towards Penny. "You were put into an emergency state? When we found you, you were in perfect condition."
Penny seemed surprised. "Really? I had assumed that father had repaired me. I remember being badly damaged by him."
...
Penny seemed to enter a trance for a moment. "I sent the video to you, sir." She told Ironwood.
Ironwood took out the scroll and nodded. He handed to Ozpin. "Play it."
Ozpin took the scroll and put it into a hole that appeared on his desk. A TV that was on a wall turned on and started playing. Everyone looked at it.
-Break-
Sykes appeared in an alley.
He decided to lay low and stay away from Roman for the next week, until when he meets with Cinder and her gang. Then, he will introduce himself again.
Sykes strolled out the alley and walked on the streets of Vale for a bit. Once he found what he was looking for, he crossed the street to head towards a building.
He entered the building, letting a door chime ring. Across the room, a man leaning on the desk reading a book looked up.
"Welcome to Tukson's Book Trade. How can I help you?"
…
Sykes looked around the room. There were many waist-high shelves filled with books. On top of them were stacks of more books.
The shelves were roughly arranged into an aisle organization.
The general lighting was dark, making shadows everywhere from the tall stacks of books.
Sykes stopped looking around. "When's the last time you organized this place?"
Tukson closed his book. "It's organized the way it is, even if it doesn't look like it. I can point you any book you need."
Sykes hummed. "Got any books on myths, legends, gods?"
Tukson thought for a moment. "There's a couple over there." He pointed to a corner. "If that's not enough, I can get some from the back."
Sykes walked over to reach down and grab a book.
Gods of Remnant
This one will work. Sykes found multiple stacks of books that happened to be shaped exactly like a sofa, and sat down to start reading.
Sykes read about two brethren gods, and how the elder would create during the day, and the younger would destroy what his brother created during the night.
...
Sykes was just about to get to the part about the creation of humanity before he decided to speak up.
"You're being hunted, you know." Sykes didn't turn away from the book.
Tukson frowned, but was not surprised. "I know."
Sykes kept reading. "I'd leave soon if I were you. Vacuo isn't a bad choice, this time of year. Hell, why not even Menagerie? They can't do a thing to you there."
"The White Fang is all over Menagerie. I'd just be running to another enemy." Tukson looked at Sykes. "You're one of them, aren't you? I could tell at the first glance."
Sykes hummed. "Very perceptive, Tukson." He yawned. "But, no. I'm on vacation."
Tukson looked back at his book, thoughts unknown.
…
Sykes closed his book. "I'd say you have about a week before someone else comes. You will die when that happens."
"I know." Tukson spoke. Very little emotion was in his voice.
Sykes stood up. "...I see." He walked over to the counter and laid his book down. "How much?"
Tukson didn't look up. "20 lien."
Sykes took a card out of his coat. "Use it well, Tukson. I'm interested in your future." He left the card on the counter before grabbing the book and walking out.
...
Tukson didn't look up.
-Break-
...
"Enjoying the show?"
The man on screen's smile increased in magnitude before firing a devastating punch to the camera. The screen turned black and the video ended soon after.
…
Penny, a robot, managed to tremble.
The room was quiet. Qrow drank from his flask to calm his nerves. Probably from looking at his nieces get stomped.
Many questions were floating around the room's occupants.
Why are the students in perfect health, now?
Why is he so strong?
Who is Markus?
Why does he know so much about classified Atlas technology?
...
Ozpin broke the silence. "...Well, that was quite the experience."
Ironwood shot his head towards Ozpin. "Who is Markus?"
Ozpin looked back. "Markus is one of my most gifted students."
Ironwood narrowed his eyes. Ozpin spoke before he could.
"He is currently in a coma and is quickly approaching death." Ozpin glared at Ironwood. "You will not be doing a thing to him, James."
Ironwood's eyes widened slightly at that. "I want to see him."
Ozpin did not reply, instead glaring at the general.
...
Ironwood sighed after a small staring contest. "Fine. I will not do anything to him. For now." He made sure to stress that last remark.
"That's all I ask for, James." Ozpin stood up. "Qrow, Glynda, you come too."
They nodded.
Ironwood looked to Penny. "Retire to your room and charge. Dismissed."
Penny saluted. "Yes sir."
She left first.
...
When the elevator came back up, the four walked in and began their silent journey to the medical wing.
-Break-
Penny was walking back to her medical room. She memorized the number.
On the way, she passed a room with a curious amount of noise coming from it. It was the room Ozpin looked at when he walked past.
The door was cracked, and the sounds of conversation were coming out from inside.
Her curiously got the better of her, and she opened the door. "Hello?"
Inside was a medical bed with a wrapped up figure on it, and nine teens sitting in a circle to the right of it. They all looked at her, before one's face brightened.
Ruby got excited. "Penny, you're okay! We were just talking, come join in!" She scooted a little to make space for one more person.
"Talking? About what?" Penny stayed at the door.
"About Markus's absolutely insane father!" Weiss spoke snappily. "What else?!"
Penny blinked. "And why are you talking in this specific room? It is occupied."
Ruby stood up. "Oh! Penny, this is Markus." She gestured to the figure on the bed. "He's kinda… injured… at the moment. But this is him!"
Penny walked over to the bed. "This is Markus? The son of that man from earlier?" She looked closer. "What does he look like?"
"Well… umm… he looks like his father, I guess? But with blue hair." Ruby probably wasn't good a describing boys.
"I see." Penny ran an edited photo of the man from yesterday through the criminal system.
Nothing. She turned to Ruby. "Okay! Let's talk!"
Penny and Ruby sat down on the circumference of the circle.
Before they could start again, the door opened.
Professor Ozpin stepped in. "...Oh, it seems that Markus already has visitors." He didn't back out and continued walking into the room, revealing the three behind him.
General Ironwood, Professor Goodwitch, and…
"Uncle Qrow!" Ruby charged towards Qrow and made him stumble with a hug.
"H-hey, kiddo. What are you doing here?" Qrow wanted to ask what she was doing in a boy's room, but decided against it.
"We came here to talk about stuff! Wanna join?!"
Qrow was about to speak up, but Ironwood spoke to Ozpin first. "What will it take to get him talking again?" He was standing next to Markus.
Ozpin replied to him. "Doctor says the best chance we have right now is stimulating his brain somehow."
Ironwood thought on that for a moment. "So, give him something that is important to him?"
Ozpin also thought. "I… suppose so."
Qrow heard them, and turned to Ruby. "Does this kid have anything important to him?"
Ruby was deep in thought. "Hmm…"
Pyrrha suddenly yelled. "His frying pan! And coat!"
She ran out, headed for their dorms as quick as possible.
...
Qrow and Ironwood sounded perplexed.
"...Frying pan?"
"Markus uses a frying pan as a weapon." One of the students in the circle clarified.
"Oh."
…
After a little while, Pyrrha arrived back. She looked like she was struggling to carry the coat over her shoulder.
She entered the room and dropped the coat on the ground.
CRASH!
The coat slammed on the ground and made a sound that could be mistaken for a tank falling from the sky.
Pyrrha was panting. "Why… is that… coat… so heavy? I… couldn't find the pan." She collapsed on the floor.
Ironwood attempted to lift the coat with one hand, but ended up having to use two.
He laid it on Markus's legs.
…
Markus didn't react. Nor did the medical machinery.
...
Just when everyone was almost done waiting for a response…
Clink
Something fell on the floor.
It rolled like a coin, and stopped at Ozpin's feet.
He bent over to pick it up.
...
It was a small silver compass with no markings of any kind on it. On the bottom was small tag of masking tape with one word written on it.
Home
Markus is currently living the dream.