-Chapter 37 Fatherly and Brotherly-

Ruby and the three girls were sleeping in their sleeping bag. Ruby moved to one side as the sunlight hit on her face. She slowly opened her eyes, seeing someone in front of her. It was man with a light blond hair. His eye color was lilac.

"Good morning, my Little Rose." He said, smiling.

"Kyaaah!" Ruby screamed, jumping out of the sleeping bag. "Da...DAD!"

The other girls woke up by her sheer scream.

"Ruby, what happened?" Yang asked, still yawning until she saw him, too. "Ah! Dad!"

The two girls jumped out of their sleeping bag and hugged their father.

"What's going on!?" Weiss exclaimed. She and Blake woke up when they saw an unfamiliar man hugged by their leader and their blond brawler.

"Dad! You're here! Why?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah! I thought you were on your mission!" Yang said.

"Well I was, but it appeared that someone else is covering for me, so I got a free break and I decided to see how you girls were doing. So here I am!" Their father smiled widely.

"Dad! I am so happy that you're here!" Ruby exclaimed, hugging him even tighter.

"Me too!" Yang agreed, hugging him tighter at the other side.

"I miss you two both, too!" Her father said, hugging them even tighter. They stopped hugging after a minute or so after they felt pain in their backbone.

"So, you guys together are Team RWBYE, huh? Weiss and Blake, nice to meet you. I am Taiyang Xia Long." He introduced.

"It is pleasure to meet you, sir. We all heard about you from your lovely daughters." Weiss curtsied to him.

"Heh! You are very polite, but what do you expect from Schnee?" Taiyang chuckled a little. "So, where is your fifth member?"

The question changed the mood to quiet, sad one.

"Well…he's over there." Yang pointed to the hallway, guarded by the Atlas android soldiers.

"Oh I see…" Taiyang said calmly. "Wait…he…he's a boy!?"

"Yeah, Dad. Didn't I tell you the last time?" Ruby asked.

Taiyang pondered as he memorized a past moment.

-Flashback-

Ruby was sitting at a chair while her father was cooking in the kitchen.

"So like I was saying Yang and I are doing fine. We are in a team of five called Team RWBYE."

"I see." Taiyang said, staring a blender. "Who are your teammates?"

"Well, there is me and Yang of course. And there is Weiss, Blake, and Ellix. Ellix is a boy by the way!" Ruby said loudly over the blender.

"OK, so there are you, your sis, Weiss, Blake, and Alexis. Got it!" Taiyang said.

"What!?" Ruby asked.

"What!?"

-Flashback End-

"So wait…his name is Alexis?" Taiyang asked.

"What? No, Dad. I said Ellix, not Alexis!" Ruby exclaimed.

"And he is a boy. I thought you said he is a she!" Taiyang looked surprised.

"But, I didn't say that! Weren't you paying attention when I last visited you!?" Ruby argued, waving her arms around before she crossed her arms and pouted.

Yang just stared at them, sweat dropping while Weiss and Blake face-pawned in disbelief.

"OK, so I get his name, but he is a guy. Is that mean!?" Taiyang said outburst.

"NO, sir! There is nothing funny going on. We…made sure that we have our privacy secured." Weiss said.

"Oh, really? Well…I will be the judge of that when I visit your dorm room." Taiyang said, with his arms crossed. "But, enough of that…why are you four sleeping here? I heard from Qrow you four stayed here for the night."

The girls explained to everything to Taiyang. "Oh I see…"

"Yeah, Dad. Is there really anything we can do to help Ellix?" Ruby asked.

"Well…all I can say is cheer up and don't feel sad all the time. Besides, you four have the tournament and still in the final round. Focus on that for now until your teammate, Ellix, wakes up." Taiyang said. "Speaking of tournament, I heard the first round today will begin in like 20 minutes. How about let's go and watch it together? It will be like family time with two of your friends here."

"Well, that does feel nice, Dad. Ok." Ruby agreed, although looked little bit unsure.

"I'm happy to join you and your family, sir." Weiss said.

"As much as we are worried about Ellix, I guess watching the round will be good way to calm our stress down. I will join, too." Blake nodded.

Yang looked to her side, watching to the hallway where my room is. "I…I'm not sure."

Taiyang noticed her worry expression. He padded his hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry, my little Sunshine. He will be just fine. Just come with me, and I will buy you girls some foods and maybe a present on our way to the Colosseum."

"Uh! Uh! There is actually one thing I really wanted, Dad! I really want it!" Ruby said childishly.

"Sure, sure my Little Rose." Taiyang grinned. "Let's go!"

They packed up the sleeping bag first and then head off with Taiyang. Yang turned back, and checked again before she went back following her dad and her sister, and friends.

-18 minutes later-

Team RWBYE with Taiyang minus Ellix were now seating together at the stands in the Colosseum. Taiyang sat in between Ruby and Yang while their respective partner sat next to them.

"It feels kind of good and weird to be back here." Taiyang said.

"You were in the tournament, too, right Dad?" Ruby asked whiling holding a huge plush doll of a Sherrylock Holmes in chibi version. Her hairs were dark brown while her eye color was yellow, wearing a detective uniform and magnify glass on one hand.

"Yeap. Me and…my teammates, including Qrow fought here long time ago. Ah, it brings memories…" He said, memorizing about his past.

Little tear fell off from the side of his eye. Yang looked at him with a worry face.

"Yo, Dad. Are you OK?"

"Huh?" He said wiping his eyes. "Yeah. I will be fine."

"Ladies and gentlemen! Let's resume this grand tournament with a big loud cheer!" Professor Port announced. The crowds cheered loudly as possible.

"Let's continue where we left off and leave the past behind us! Today match will be kind exquisite! First off, let's introduce the fighters! First on the left side, we have the most shocky, electrifying fighter who showed us many surprises and quick feet! Please welcome….Kuro from Gojira Academy!" Dr. Oobleck exclaimed.

The crowds cheered when Kuro popped out like a tiger as he roared like a lion, making poses.

"Neaaaaawwww! Yeah! You outsiders cheer for me! Neaaawwww!"

Blake face-pawned with her hand.

"Huh? Gojira Academy? Man that place also brings back memories. I don't think I've been to that place for while." Taiyang smirked.

"You went there before, Dad?" Ruby asked.

"Oh yeah! I remember going to the place for a mission assigned by an elderly Fanus, Lady Nene."

"Hey! We also went to the place for our mission with Nene, too." Yang said.

"Really? Wow, that sounds cool! Yeah, I bet you girls met the old man Gojira. To be honest…" Taiyang leaned as he began whispering and their daughters leaned closer to him. "I still think he is the scariest old guy I ever met in my life."

Ruby giggled to herself. Yang smiled cheekily.

"Well, he does look little bit...intimidating." Ruby giggled.

"Yeah." Yang giggled, too.

"And on the right side, we have one of the strongest fighters and possibly the number 1 student here at Beacon Academy with the most excellent swordsmanship! Give it applaud for Musashi Watanabe!" Professor Port said eccentrically.

Musashi came to the arena, all quiet and making no eye contact to Kuro. He had his arms crossed as many people, especially girls cheered for him.

"Oh yeah! This ought to be good!" Yang said excitedly. "Hey, Blake, who are you cheering? Definitely Kuro right since he is your rival?"

She nudged her partner by her shoulder. Blake shrugged her away from her and raising an eyebrow at her. "Why did you say it like that? Are you implying something?"

"As a request by one of the special VIP guests, let's make this round to fight in a specific environment!"

The roulette appeared again, and this time it chose what it looked like a bamboo and tree. The surrounding area transformed into half bamboo and half forest area.

"Three, two, one…BEGIN!"

Musashi opened his eyes and took out his two swords. Kuro got his claw out already, looking very serious at him.

"Hey, Musashi!" Kuro yelled. "…This is it, huh?"

"It seems like so." Musashi said calmly.

"Unlike in the past, I am a lot stronger and faster now. I will beat you, and get you back for leaving the village, you punk!" Kuro exclaimed, rushing forward.

Musashi blocked his claw with his swords.

"Woah! It looks this match begins more directly! This match starts off very fast!" Professor Port commented over through his mic.

Musashi pulled away from Kuro as he slowly walked backward into the bamboo area. Kuro rushed in, slicing the bamboos in front of him, but never got Musashi. He frantically looked around.

"You're being impatient." Musashi's voice said before he sneak attacked with his sword. Kuro got hit, gasping from the sudden attack.

"Tch!" Kuro spitted out his spit. "You know that attacking in the shadow won't help you! You forgot that I have good sense of hearing and smell."

Kuro sniffed the air around him as ears listened to any sounds. He heard something, and used his Semblance to shoot electricity out of his at some of the bamboos, causing Musashi to come out of his hiding. Kuro rushed it, giving him a multitude of claw attack at him. However, Musashi countered them at the same speed with his swords.

"You are so impatient, Kuro. Here I thought by now you would learn that, but I guess…you are still naive!" Musashi said, pushing him away.

Using friction, Kuro stopped with his feet strongly on the ground. "I…." He breathed in and out to calm himself. "I may be impatient, but…you are too patient!"

Suddenly, Kuro attacked him behind.

"Gah!" Musashi gasped.

"Woah, what!?" Blake gasped.

"Wait! When did he learn to create a clone!?" Weiss surprised.

Back at the fighting, Musashi faltered a little, but kept standing firmly. Kuro's clone jumped to his side, but disappeared shortly. "Heh, I see…even though you don't own or use a sword, you learned the Arts of Shadow."

"Heh! Yeah! Surprise are you?" Kuro smirked.

Musashi gave a little smirk in response. "Hmph. Not bad, Kuro. Arts of Shadow is a type of Sword Play, but usually the owner creates clone of their sword and once used, it disappeared shortly after the owner performed the attack, but you seem to use it to create a clone of yourself. It must take a lot of concentration and…patient to master it the way you just did."

"Heh!" Kuro crossed his arm. "I hold a lot of surprises." He showed off with his fighting pose, with his left claw up forward while his right arm behind him as he kneel down a little.

Musashi posed in his fighting stance with kneel bend a little and holding firmly with his two swords down. They rushed against each other, begin slashing at each other. In the process, their slashes have cut down the surrounding bamboos and trees. After couple more slashing, the entire area had no tree or bamboo.

"Woah! Their constant attack has cut down all the bamboos and trees! Now it is more like a traditional arena!" Professor Port exclaimed.

"Perhaps, we didn't have to initiate the environment change in the first place, but what's done in the past is done." Dr. Oobleck said.

"Perhaps, but on the important matter at hand now, looking at their aura meter, it seems to be a tie! Even though neither fighter don't look like they got hit, their constant strive to fight is also having a negative effect on their aura! It will eventually backfire themselves if they don't keep their aura in check!" Prof. Port explained.

"Hmph." Musashi smirked to Dr. Oobleck's statement. "That may be true. A Huntsman or Huntress who pushed his or her own limit may even break them or worse…kill them. However…"

Kuro silently listened to his opponent as everyone else did, including the very curious Team RWBYE. Musashi closed his eyes while he speaks.

"After going through that turmoil journey since I left our village, my limit was always on the edge. I fought through treacherous environment, hordes of monstrous Grimm, and even some brawling with foes on my way. Until I reached Vale, I was exhausted. I felt like I will just rather rest and die until…I met Headmaster Ozpin-sensei. He took me in to his academy, and that is when I met my Captain and my teammates. At first, I didn't want to cooperate with them, but eventually I began to open up to them, reminding me the lost good time I had at the village."

Kuro sighed at this. Aki and Kojiro, who were sitting at the stand, watched this emotionally, with Aki began tearing.

"However, the reason I left my life, my village, and…my friends and brothers, I wanted to get stronger. And to prove my resolve, I argued against Gojira-sensei and left the dojo, leaving behind everything I care to get stronger. It is not that I was selfish, but perhaps I was, but I did it with looking forward in the future with my pride, ambition, and my two swords. My year staying at Beacon taught me all that, and also taught me…that my journey does not end there. It only has begun, and now…I will show you, Kuro my former young brother, and to my elder brother Kojiro, sister Aki, Gojira-sensei, and everyone here my resolve."

His aura glowed strongly until several materials formed around him. Each material transformed into a sword. His eyes glowed in blue.

"My resolve is…to break my limit, and limits...ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN!"

Kuro charged up himself, transforming into his Lightning Kuro form.

"You know, I am still mad that you left us, your home, and everything, but…I would agree with you one thing. I want to get stronger, too and my resolve is defeating you, and…just like you, I want to break my limit, too!"

"Then, come at me, Kuro! Show me your resolve through your action!"

They charged forward in slow motion as if everything, including time itself slowed down for this very moment.

"Yaaaaaaarrhhhh!"

"Neaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwhhh!"

They slashed at each other, causing a huge boom sound when their weapon collided. Kuro was behind Musashi as he was behind him. They didn't looked at each other. Kuro knelt down to his knee when he realized he got hit.

Musashi turned to his side and said, "Well done…brother. Well done…"

Musashi turned back to the front, closing his eyes, and fainted in defeat.

The crowds were silent for some moments. Kuro walked up to Musashi, putting his arms around his shoulder. One guy got up, started clapping his hand. Then another person and that person after him until everyone in the Colosseum applauded to them.

"Folks, that was the most wonderful, and heartwarming match I ever seen. A true fight that demonstrates true brotherhood between huntsmen." Professor Port said, trying to hold his tear of joy, but continued to fall like waterfalls.

"Indeed, my friend, Peter. Kuro and Musashi truly demonstrate brotherhood of huntsmen, even when they are odd at each other. This is truly was a great match."

Even Blake found the moment to be touching. She wiped the tears from her eyes.

"That was some good fighting. I am impressed. Gojira really taught his students." Taiyang commented.

"Musashi and Kuro are really strong! Their fight was the best." Ruby said.

"I'm second to that." Weiss nodded.

"Yeah!" Yang cheered.

"I agree, too." Blake grinned.