Hey, so it's really been a while since I updated but I'm inspired and we're in the final stretch of Season 2, just 1 more chapter and then the epilogue and then I'm taking a big hiatus. I hate to say it, and I know you hate to hear it but a lot of big events in my life are coming up. Finals, my 21st Birthday, my first multi-camera media project *squeals* and of course Spring Break...where I'll be working almost non-stop to gain money for my own apartment. Anyway, this chapter is all about the aftermath on the Teams that were present for the attack on Vale and their interactions with Knives and Co. Enjoy!

RWBY: The Darkness Within

Season 2-Chapter 24

Homecoming

As we Return Victorious, we find Tragedy in our wake.

"Oh man, my whole body is killing me." Knives said as he walked gingerly off the platform onto the pathway leading to Beacon as they walked towards the school sporting new scars and marks from their fights in Würfel. While Beatrice stayed on as the ship ferried her up to Ironwood's ship so she could submit a report on recent events with her prisoners in tow.

"Hey, you put yourself out there man. And aren't you worried, we didn't find Cyan outside the city like you said but there was a lot of blood." Caradin reminded him.

"If he wasn't in the tent or the dunes that means he was victorious, so I'm not gonna worry about it because I'll probably see him soon. But first we gotta catch up with Rory and Luna's teams; they're bound to be doing some resting after Vale's attack. I'm just hoping nothing bad happened, I mean I heard the death toll here was really low for an attack of that size so I'm hoping they weren't among them." Knives commented as he saw Runa walking alone down the pathway before them.

"Why don't we just ask her?" Luxus said as he approached her and she saw them and smiled as tears welled up in her eyes.

"God what happened to you guys?" She choked out.

"White Fang plot on Würfel, Four Assassins, and the Grimm brought on by the resulting negative emotion." Caradin sped through, "Knives, Luxus, and I got the worst of it since we bit off more than we could chew, Deverou here managed out with a few scrapes and bruises." He said pointing to his partner as her eyes went wide upon seeing him with the glasses on.

"So that's what your other eye looks like, it's so beautiful." She muttered as she got close.

"So where's your team? I was hoping to talk to Luna and Xich, see how they're doing and ask Luna a few questions about one of the assassins." He mentioned briefly as he looked around.

"Xich has left," Runa replied despondently, "A lot has happened since you left, Brandon was apprehended by Xich for conspiring against the kingdom, while Ryzia has been missing and is wanted for Bertilak's murder." She managed to choke out as tears welled up thinking about Rory.

Knives and the others stood speechless as Caradin clenched his fist, Deverou looked blank as he had expected this was the case, Luxus shook his head, but Knives was the first to speak. "Come on; don't joke like that he can't be dead. I mean he was training so hard to protect Rory, he can't die." He stammered as Runa began to cry.

"He's dead! We buried him yesterday; I'm telling you he died!" She sobbed.

"No, I need to talk to Ryzia, she'll have an answer." He said as he turned to go before a dense weight slammed into his body and pushed him against a lamp pole. He looked down and saw Rory's eyes full of wrath.

"Where is she!?" He roared, "Where is that bitch who killed my brother!?" He roared as Caradin and Runa put themselves between Rory and Knives while Luxus and Deverou stood ready for a fight. Rory shook Caradin off himself angrily and glared at Knives, "She deserves to die! It's her fault she's dead and she should repay him with her life!"

"That's not for you to decide!" Caradin roared, making it apparent he wouldn't hesitate to go all out against Rory, "Now go calm yourself and spend time with those who are still here!" He said focusing on Runa who nodded and lead Rory away, while Knives and the rest were left to re-evaluate what was happening around them.

"A lot seems to have happened." Luxus said as he thought about how hard it would be when the others returned from their missions.

"I say we investigate around and find out as much as we can from those still here. Luxus, you're our best spokesman, talk to Rory and the others and see what you can find out. I'm gonna talk to mom and General Ironwood and see what I can find out. As for you Deverou, you know Xich so see if you can find him. We'll let Knives do his own thing because he seems to be able to land on his feet when he falls." Caradin said as he mapped out the plan, "God I'm going to miss being leader."

Deverou patted him on the shoulder, "Well it's not about who leads, it's about how we function. And I think after all the strain we've undergone our bonds have been forged stronger than ever. Let's have faith in Knives and ourselves; I'm gonna find Xich." He walked away and Luxus and Caradin smiled at each other.

"We really have come a long way haven't we?" Luxus asked.

"Yeah, Deverou's brighter, Knives is still shakable but he rebounds faster than before, you've definitely gotten braver too." Caradin remarked.

"And you've gotten wiser." Luxus smiled, "Now it's time to bring the cheer if I'm gonna raise the spirits of the others."

"Good luck finding them."

"Good luck with your mom, I think you'll need it." Luxus remarked as they parted ways.

In the Darkness, the Light is found.

How many hours had he been in the dark Brandon wondered as he felt the cracks and stings across his body and beneath his skin? Say what you want, but Xich was through in his interrogation. Brandon's throat stung with each breath as his lips were chapped from the hours he'd been without water, he assumed it was a day but he couldn't be sure. The light came with the opening of the door as he'd come to dread it, as the light revealed all there was in the room. He was belted to the chair, and it was bolted to the floor, while next to him laid the tools of Xich's trade. A vial of truth serum, a set of plyers, knives of varying size and edge, a drill, and a hammer. However this time there was another figure with him, the light switch came on in the room and it was all illuminated. Before him in Black Rose garb, a black uniform coat that reached his ankles, a pair of black pants and boots, and a white armband with a black rose on it, was Xich and next to him was Deverou. The boy looked like he'd been through the ringer as he had rings under his eyes, with his strange new appearance with glasses. "I can't believe you're taking over here." Xich grumbled as Deverou walked towards him and Brandon began to shake but he kept a straight and serious face.

"I'm sorry, but I was paid for my silence and I intend to keep it." Brandon said trying to remain stoic. The boy before him in a white button down and black vest with a red tie and black pants looked so sophisticated, but Brandon knew the Tenebrous and he knew how they operated. He would resist as much as he could no matter how much they cut and broke he wouldn't give the pompous bastards anything, however he didn't expect what happened next.

Deverou reached towards him and undid his restraints calmly, keeping an eye on Brandon to make sure he wouldn't attack. "You said they paid you yes? I won't try to buy your information, but I would like to buy your trust." He said, "Consider what I did as a down payment, you are free to move around the facility but know that if you try to escape Xich will hunt you down." He added.

"Are you insane!?" Xich screamed, "He's a criminal, and a murderer! We need to get the truth out of him, who hired him, what they're up to, and why!?"

"You seem to forget I left the Black Rose to go to Beacon," Deverou added, "I'm not in your jurisdiction, so I'm doing it my way. And I choose to give him a leash to operate from." He turned to Brandon, "I realize you've had it hard and you resent the upper class, and you have every right. However I would like your assistance in future endeavors and I realize you must feel some guilt about killing Bertilak, you were together with him for so long."

Brandon kept his silence and rose weakly, following Deverou out into the light. It'd be a long ride from here on out, but if he wanted to keep his head he'd do what they said. And look for his first chance out of there.

Military Might

Caradin waited at the station, seeing as he wasn't allowed on the main ship as he had to wait for his mother to show up. She arrived rather quickly leaping off the ship and running up to hug him, "Oh, you called ME for a change; oh I am just so happy!" She squealed until she saw his face.

"We need to talk." He said.

"I'll say, this whole incident has everyone in an uproar. Ironwood's been appointed Chief of Security for the Vytal Festival by the Vale Councilmen, and the events are under full investigation. I even hear that Ozpin's job is being threatened after this stunt." She said as she looked at her son, "Was that enough for you? I know you wouldn't call me here for fun, so what else do you want to know?"

"Has the man behind it talked yet?" Caradin asked.

"No, not yet. But he will soon." She reassured him.

"I doubt that, but aside from the facts what do you think about the situation?"

She sighed, "Honestly I trust General Ironwood and your father, and they don't think Beacon is safe anymore. At the same time I've seen you deviate from the path we had you on and make your own way through life and I have to say I'm impressed, I want you to be happy so I can't really say what to do about this situation." She said with a shrug, "I can however safely say that your sister is getting called in, all the Cross Hunters are."

"Great, more for me to mull over." He said as he scratched his head.

"Look Caradin, you're more like me than you want to admit, and your sister is a hardass like your father. But I love you all dearly so I am asking you to reconsider your placement at Beacon and instead think about going to Atlas to be at Ironwood's school. Just think it over and give me your answer by the end of the festival."

"I will mom, thanks for understanding." He said with a smile.

"Go on, your friends are waiting." She said as he turned around and ran off to go back to their room. "I hope you'll still get to see them when this is all over." She said somberly.

A New Team

Luxus called Rory again, this time finally patching through. "What do you want?"

"I was hoping to talk to you, Luna, Runa, and Zero to get an idea of what happened. I also wanna help in any way I can." He added.

"Fine, come up to Luna's room we're all there." He finished as Luxus hung up. He made the trek to the room and noticed the change to the names next to the door and the team name as well FRAM.

"Hello everyone."

"Hey!" Luna said jumping up when she saw him and gave him a hug inviting him to sit on a bed next to her as the new team sat in an impromptu circle to discuss the events that had transpired.

"I know you don't want to hear me say it, but I need to know what happened. I want to help as much as possible and clear up any confusions or pains you may have." Luxus said as he approached this very businesslike.

"What's to know, that bitch killed my brother and deceived us all, and Brandon helped her. He was in league with the attackers with her, and he's going to pay as well." Rory said as he fitted his new holsters on his legs to hold Bertilak's old weapons.

"Well then I'll clear that up as best I can, Ryzia was an agent of the White Fang. She was always under their employ and was in on this attack, from what Deverou has shared about Brandon he was probably just hired to be their man inside Beacon and nothing more." Luxus said, "But with that aside I know this attack has rattled everyone, and I want to know what you all plan to do."

"I'm going to finish out our dream for the both of us and then I'm going to kill Ryzia and Brandon when I find them." Rory said coldly as he stared at the floor.

"I'm going to continue to try and become a Huntress so I can help people." Runa said, "That was my goal before I suffered my accident and once I was granted a second chance with these limbs I made up my mind to see it through, and that's what I'll do." She said definitively.

"Well I want to see this through to the end." Zero said, "I came here to protect me and fighting Grimm first hand and protecting people reminded me of that sense of purpose. This was a tragedy, but I'm trying to take something positive out of it."

"That's a good attitude." Luna said with a smile looking at Luxus, "We're all going to stay here and pursue the dream of becoming Huntsmen and Huntresses, what about you?"

Luxus grinned bleakly, "Unfortunately Dreyer still holds some control on my fate and I know he's going to drag me back to Würfel when all is said and done. I'm hoping I get to come back and stay here with everyone but I can't say what will happen in my future. However I'm sure that with Knives and the others by my side it'll be bright." He said with a smile before standing, "Thanks for your time but I have to go. We're all going to meet up soon to discuss what to do next, so I need to see my friends."

"Stay strong, Luxus Rayfor von Würfel." Luna said with a smile as he walked away.

New Beginnings

Ozpin sat in his chair thinking about the Councilmen's words and the future of his school and students. A knock from his door broke him from his thought as he turned around to face the door, "Come in!" The door opened and it was Knives who entered through the threshold much to his surprise. "Alex, I was not aware that you had returned."

The boy looked heavily troubled and pulled up a chair across from the desk as Ozpin poured the boy a cup of coffee and topped off his own. "We need to talk Professor." Knives said as he took a drink of the beverage as Ozpin's brow furrowed.

Last legs, it's kinda...well it's kinda sad actually to have worked for this for so long and to know you've only really got one more Season you can keep this going for before you gotta nip it in the butt. I will say however that Season 3 will be my biggest production yet with the main story revolving around Knives' Team and making sure that all ends well. We'll see some more of Johann and Knives interactions, definitely some heavy Knives X Ruby, some Deverou being an undercover badass butler, Caradin being spec ops, and Luxus having dope ass swag as usual. I'm also including a Q&A midway through April that will be blended into a informative chapter where I explain certain aspects such as aura specs, weapon specs, and certain aspects of character history. So send in your questions and I'll see you all next chapter!