Chapter 9

Foes Anew

To be called back into battle over and over again…

That is the curse of the warrior.

The training robot swung its sword heavily.

But it was all too easily blocked.

Currently practicing in the training room on a slow Sunday afternoon, Weiss Schnee was striking away at the multiple training bots that had been set on the highest combat level. Ruby sat on some bleachers watching, she had been practicing with Weiss earlier but decided to take a short break.

Weiss slashed the sword of a combat in half with her trusty Myrtenaster with relative ease, she back flipped to dodge a punch from another and countered with a sword sweep and knocked it down. Ruby was always impressed with Weiss's style of fighting; it was so fluid and focused. Weiss was always so precise and coordinated; no strike was random or uncontrolled. She smiled as Weiss swept the remaining robots off their feet with a spinning strike that sent them backward. The robots' energies died out and they lay on the ground, defeated.

"Whew." Weiss said tiredly as she sheathed her rapier and walked over to Ruby.

"That was great Weiss! You took on those level A training bots like it was nothing!" Ruby said with amazement.

"I don't need compliments. It was just training." Weiss responded as she took a seat.

"Still though! It's no wonder you're the best sword user at Beacon!"

Weiss merely crossed her arms, but she grew a small smile from Ruby's genuine compliments.

"Second best now that Sora is here!" yelled a voice from across the room.

The two girls looked over to see Yang beating the stuffing out of a punching bag. She had a sly grin on her face as she looked at Weiss. Weiss however, simply frowned at the girls comment and turned her head.

Two more weeks had passed since Sora's first week in Remnant, and in those two weeks, Weiss had come to dislike Sora even more than she already did. The Heartless attacks were relatively low nowadays; Sora had taken care of a great number of them on his own. Single handedly he cleared Vale of nearly all the dark monsters and even in other local cities as well.

Sora was becoming even more known around Beacon because of it. Some people would ask him to join their team, only to be disappointed when they found out he wasn't a student. Love-struck girls were not ashamed to ask him out on multiple occasions, with a few trying to get more out of him than just a date.

The teachers liked him as well; Sora SOMEHOW was able to listen to all of Professor Port's ridiculous stories with a vibrant fascination. Weiss even saw them one day walking through the hallways laughing and chatting away about their adventures and various monsters they slew.

Needless to say, all things Sora related got on her nerves.

"That fool." Weiss scoffed. "Where is he anyway?"

"He went into town with Jaune to get ice cream! I hope he gets strawberry!" Ruby answered.

"Hmph. I don't see how you guys are in awe of him."

"What do you mean Weiss?" Ruby questioned. "Sora is fantastic!"

"Yeah, Yang agreed as she walked toward the girls, he came here to help get rid of the Heartless remember?"

"That's exactly the issue! You two don't feel the least bit bothered that he is fighting our enemies for us?" Weiss said with irritation.

"Not really." Ruby said with a shrug. "Besides, technically the Heartless are a Keyblade wielder's enemy, they protect everyone from them since Keyblades are the only weapons that can completely destroy them."

"I don't care. They are attacking our city, our world. We should be defending it! Not him."

Yang chuckled as she wiped her forehead with a towel. "You need to take a chill pill, Weissy. Sora is a lot stronger than us, and the Heartless are a major threat, let's just let him handle it. IF he ever wants help, he knows where to find us."

"He is not stronger." Weiss snapped angrily.

Ruby and Yang looked at Weiss like she was stupid.

"You're joking Weiss. Really?" Yang asked with a suppressed laugh.

"I don't joke! You all talk about him like he's a legend or something! He's the same age as us! He doesn't even behave like a real warrior! I don't know what makes you think he surpasses us!"

"Well he did beat that Dark Thorn…" Ruby tried to say.

"Hmph. Whatever! Believe what you want!" Weiss spoke angrily, standing up and walking away. Her face reddening with superb anger.

Yang shook her head. "What is wrong with her?"

"Got me." Ruby shrugged.

KHXRWBY

"Would you…like to…go out…with me?"

Sora was in quite a pickle. If anyone knew the spiky haired wonder well, it was that he didn't like to hurt people or let them down. But he also didn't like to lie; he was a very truthful and honest person.

But that only made this situation a bit harder.

"Uh I um…I'm sorry I just…" Sora stammered with embarrassment as he stared at the cute girl who was asking him for a date. "I…uh…"

"Please?"

Sora couldn't take it! The girl was so nice! How could he say no!? But he shouldn't say yes either! Sora saw only one true solution, the only way to save himself from such a horrid situation! It's a dangerous technique, one that should never be used carelessly. But now, it was the only thing that would work!

"Look over there!"

The girl turned to see what the Keyblade wielder was pointing at, Sora took his half a second to sprint down the hallway away from her as fast as he could. HE turned a corner and kept going, not stopping until arrived at the dorm room of Team RWBY. He opened it up swiftly, ran inside and closed the door behind him all in one fluid movement.

Sora breathed out heavily. "That was a close one…"

"Girl problems Sora?"

Sora looked up to see Blake lying on her bed and reading a book. When did this girl never read?

"Yeah unfortunately." Sora sighed as he went to sit in a chair.

"Well that's one side effect of being a skilled warrior Sora; you've got to break a lot of hearts." Blake said with slight amusement.

"It's not funny Blake! Every time someone comes and asks me out I have to figure out a way to escape with giving an answer! And I just used my secret technique 'Look over there!' for the most recent one!"

Blake giggled. "Secret technique? You're full of originality Sora. Where's Jaune? Didn't you guys go get ice cream or something?"

"Yeah, I asked him to hold onto ours and I'd come get it later." Sora answered. "By the way, we saw something pretty odd down in Vale today."

"What?"

"A group of people getting arrested."

Blake's bow twitched, slightly interested. "Arrested? Do you have any idea about what?"

"I'm not sure, although I heard a police officer say something about…a White Fang?"

Blake stopped. Sora noticed her eyes widen and a look of dread on her face.

"Blake what's—

"How long ago was this?" Blake asked, well more like demanded.

"Um…maybe an hour?"

"Dammit." Blake cursed, closing her book. "I've got go. See you later."

Sora was bit surprised as Blake left immediately. What was that all about? Why did she seem surprised when she heard about people being arrested? And those wide eyes she had…it was like she was afraid…

But afraid of what?

The door opened again.

"Blake?" Sora asked. But it was just Yang and Ruby; he saw that they were a bit sweaty, probably back from the training room.

"Nope! Yang and Ruby!" Ruby said cheerfully.

"Sup Sora!" Yang greeted.

"Oh hey guys…" Sora settled back into his seat.

"What's wrong?" Yang asked. "Did you have to shoot down another girl again?"

"No!" Sora responded. "Well yes but that's not what's bothering me."

"Then what is?" asked Ruby curiously, taking off her red hood and folding it up.

"Earlier, shortly before you came in. I was telling Blake about some people getting arrested in downtown Vale, and then I said something about 'White Fang' and she just took off!"

Ruby and Yang stared at the boy, hidden shock on their faces. Sora had clearly noticed this. "Uh, do you guys know—?

"No sorry." Yang answered, almost too quickly. "I think we should get ready for bed. We have class tomorrow. Right Ruby?"

"Yeah!" Ruby agreed with her sister, again, a bit too quickly.

"It's the middle of the afternoon." Sora pointed out.

"Early bird gets the worm Sora!" Ruby said to him with a smile that seemed forced before she leapt onto her bunk.

Sora didn't know what to think. We're they hiding something? Well whatever, he doubted it was anything important. Blake liked to read stuff so she probably just found the story interesting enough to find out more. He wasn't going to worry about it at the moment. At least tomorrow was Monday; he wouldn't have to reject anyone for a whole five days! Yes!

That in mind, Sora went over to Team JNPR's room to retrieve his ice cream.

KHXRWBY

Later that night, Glynda Goodwitch was walking through the hallways of Beacon with a few slips of paper in her hand. She arrived to her destination, the teacher and faculty meeting room and opened the door up. The inside looked like any other faculty room, but the room itself wasn't important. Instead it was the people inside, Headmaster Ozpin and Professors Oobleck and Port.

"Ah Glynda. Radiant as always." Ozpin complimented with a calm smile as he sipped his coffee.

"Cut the crap Ozpin. I have the results from the blood we examined at the abandoned mansion."

"Finally. Why did it take so long?" Port asked.

"It was mixed with various drugs and agents that made it difficult to determine who it belongs to. But we manage to figure it out."

"Who does it belong to then?" implored Oobleck, unusually calm and steady.

"Roman Torchwick."

That clearly wasn't the answer the three expected.

"Seriously? Roman Torchwick's blood?" Oobleck seemed genuinely shocked.

"There is no doubt. And there is more…" Glynda continued. "You should already know about earlier today when a few members of the White Fang were caught and arrested during an attempt to raid a Dust cargo."

The three nodded.

"As we have seen in previous events, there is usually someone to lead the organization members, someone higher up. During that attempt at the Schnee dust cargo at the docks, the one leading them was Roman Torchwick."

"That's right. He was the one leading them." Port nodded his head. "But then, why was he not with the White Fang members for the cargo?"

"That is the question isn't it?" Goodwitch stated, laying out the papers she had on the table. "What's stranger is that White Fang members would try to steal Dust in broad daylight? They have been night operators for the most part. To steal during the day is foolish, it not a move someone like Roman Torchwick would make."

"What are you insinuating?" Oobleck asked.

Glynda looked at Ozpin, who remained quiet. He was sipping his coffee, his eyes were on her attentively though. Then she looked at Oobleck and Port.

"I'm under the assumption that Torchwick may be dead."

"I figured so." Ozpin sighed.

Oobleck put a hand to his chin. "It makes sense. The misguided attempts of the White fang members, the blood at the mansion and him not appearing with the White fang members themselves. Not to mention he hasn't made any particular moves for a while."

"But do you really think he could be dead?" Port questioned calmly. "He is a very skilled warrior, certainly not one to die so easily. He has dodged the police and the Hunter son a regular basis, and he just ends up dead…that doesn't make sense."

"I agree Glynda, Ozpin said, though his serious expression didn't waver. "It is hard to believe that a notorious criminal such as Roman would die so unexpectedly."

Glynda's passiveness was potent as always. "I should have explained more. About the arrested White Fang members…I talked to them each individually. And they all confirmed it, Roman Torchwick is dead."

"And are you sure they aren't lying?"

"They were under the effect of Verity Dust, the truth revealing energy, they were not lying. And I even asked them how they knew he was dead…"

"And?" Port wanted to know.

"They said someone told them."

"Who?"

"Roman's superior, Cinder Fall."

Yes I'm back, with Chapter 9! Otherwise labelled as the Prologue of the Second Arc. This chapter is meant to be short because it highlights this arcs major problems and such. Weiss's dislike of Sora, Blake's connection with the White Fang and the sudden death of Roman Torchwick! But let's not forget the sudden appearance of Young Xehanort! That is also just as important!

Things are about to get crazy.

So as it was pointed out, it was Roman's blood on the carpet. Duh.

About RWBY characters getting Keyblades, I don't think so. A lot of them seemed like the could wield one, especially Jaune. But I prefer the characters to use their own weapons and grow strong with them, to show that you don't need a Keyblade to be a real warrior.

Will other Keyblade Wielders appear?

Is the rest of Organization 13 with Young Xehanort on Remnant?

What else happened that night in the mansion?

The questions have answers and you must read on to find out.

Next Chapter: Friend Problems

Later taters!

-IMSOAWESOME