And here it is, the technically last chapter of Season 2. Next comes the epilogue and after that is our Q&A/ Info chapter so ask away your questions! As for me I'm going to take a nice long rest as this has been a long time coming, and I have work in the morning. This will be where Team BRCT, BRCD, CARD, whatever! Say their goodbyes and move on with the next stage in their journey to free themselves from their darkness. I will say this, this chapter is full of much feels and the next chapter will be full of all sorts of twists, turns and surprises. So stay with me till the end on this rollercoaster!
RWBY: The Darkness Within
Season 2- Chapter 25
Last Words
Goodbye my Father
Ozpin looked at the boy in red before him who had been looking into his cup for a long time now, "You said you wished to speak with me?"
"If it wasn't for you so many years ago I would be rotting alive or dead in prison right now. I have to thank you for all you've done for me." Knives said looking up as Ozpin could see the sadness in the boy's eyes, "If it wasn't for you I wouldn't be able to protect anyone, so thank you. You've taught me what it is to be selfless." He choked.
"Those are kind words, but your tone tells me that they are a buffer to something far more unpleasant." He said, sipping his coffee.
"They are." He said as he drank his coffee down with a gulp, "I'm leaving Beacon, this time I swear will be the last."
"May I ask what brought this on?" Ozpin pondered.
"You know what brought this on, the attack. I went to my usual places and heard some Atlas soldiers badmouthing you so I kind of kicked their teeth in." He said with a chuckle, "I'm such the problem child, but I know this attack wasn't planned to be so soon. I mean Atlas was mobilized in full force so it'd be foolish to launch such an attack without hindering your enemy's movements. No I fear something far worse is in the works, and while the threat you see and the threat I see may be two different things, I think we've left Cain alone for too long." He finished off his coffee, "I'm leaving to settle up with my past, I don't feel I can move on as a Huntsman until I do so I'm sorry but I'll be dropping out."
"You realize that doing this violates our agreement and that doing so will put you back on the wanted list, not only that but I told you revenge is a pointless pursuit." Ozpin chimed.
"I know this, but I'm not doing this for me. I don't think he alone presents a serious threat but with the Sins showing their faces a few months ago, the attack at the docks, and now this? Cain's not behind it all but he's definitely striking when your enemies do, and I think he's planning on turning the chaos to his advantage. I want to stop him before he can hurt anyone. I'm doing this as a Huntsman in training." He stopped himself, "Well I guess now it would be ex-Huntsman in training."
"So you're going to leave like that? What about your teammates?" Ozpin asked trying to dissuade the young man.
"I'm going to talk with them and we'll figure out a plan. I need eyes and ears, and who else to trust but my peers?" Knives said confidently.
"You've definitely done some growing this year alone, you've gone so far as to make friends and learn about what it takes to lead and to protect the citizens. You're on your way to becoming a fine Huntsman, I look forward to your return."
"Why do you assume I'm coming back?" Knives asked.
"You're free to make your own choices, but I feel that your devotion to serving the people will lead you back to Beacon. I hope you'll say goodbye to everyone?" He asked.
"Goodbyes are for dead people, I'm not saying goodbye; I just won't be here." The young man said as he stood and walked away, "Thanks, you're the closest thing I've had to a father."
"Watching you learn and grow has been an experience for me as well, and I'm proud of your growth." He said with a smile.
"I just have one final favor to ask." Knives said with a tone that caused Ozpin a great deal of concern.
Farewell my Brothers.
Caradin looked at all the items in their room that were strewn across and he smiled, he'd missed the old room. Knives' stack of CDs and collection of various shot glasses next to Luxus' romance novels. Deverou's murder mystery books next to Caradin's movies. In each trunk a collection of various items, Knives just had liquor in it, but Luxus had his little pistol machine shop for making ammunition and mixing Dust, Deverou contained a tea set and a few romance books he kept very well hidden, and in Caradin's a mess of video games. The door opened and Deverou walked in followed by Luxus as they settled in on their beds, "This place is full of memories huh?" Caradin chuckled.
"Remember the first night we were here we threw that party with booze?" Deverou laughed, "Thinking back on it I'm surprised we weren't thrown off campus." He said with a smirk.
"That's nothing; remember when we first came in to find Knives doing karaoke? We stood there for a full five minutes before he noticed us." Luxus said as they all laughed, "I hope we can make plenty more here."
"Well that's just whimsical fantasy." Knives said as he entered the room, "I'm kidding, I'm sure we'll all be back to make plenty more."
"Back, what do you mean?" Luxus said as the group all locked eyes with Knives.
"Well guys, as of five minutes ago I became a fugitive of the Vale Police as well as the Atlas Military." He said with a laugh, "Kicked the crap out of some soldiers and resigned from school for a more permanent hiatus." He said as he started stuffing his clothes into the trunk, along with his CDs and other memorabilia.
"Leaving, what are you talking about?" Caradin said as he stood to his feet, "I thought we were over this petty teen drama crap! I thought we were finally gonna stand as a team and take on Grimm laughing our asses off!"
"There'll be plenty of time for that, but for now I need to talk to all of you about what happens next." Knives said as he planted himself firmly on his bed to face them, "I'm about to drop from the grid and start working to bring down Cain. I think he's a bigger threat than we previously realized, and I'm gonna start working to bring him to his knees with the help of some outside sources." He said with a strained expression, "That's what presents the problems I'll be facing; I won't be able to work in direct conjuncture with you all. I will still need your assistance though, and I won't take no for an answer."
They looked at each other and started laughing to Knives dismay, "Seriously!? Dude we've been through enough, we've got your back." Caradin said patting Knives on the shoulder.
"Um, well then. Deverou I'm going to need you to work with Xich and his contacts to gather information on Cain's project, Caradin I need you to work with your mother to keep me a step ahead of Atlas as well as keep me updated on current happenings," He said before looking to Luxus and gritting his teeth, "Luxus I have to say yours will be the hardest, I'm going to need you to go back to Würfel and pick your father's books apart, Cain had to get funding from somewhere and no offense but your dad is sketchy as fuck."
Luxus held up his hand, "Say no more, I agree with you and I'll get to work kissing ass to get back in dear daddy's good graces. But just so you know, you owe me for getting me away from Newt and putting me in the lion's den."
"I know, but you have to trust me. A lot of things don't add up about recent events over the past few months and something tells me your dad has a hand in that Romeo guy who was sent after me. And if he has sleazy contacts like that who knows who else he's connected to." Knives said, "I just urge caution, we don't want your dad to know you're picking the skeletons in his closet."
"Oh please, if there's one thing I can do it's being subtle." Luxus said as the others burst into a roar of laughter, "Hey, what's so funny!?"
"You dress like a peacock for a straight year and now you're subtle!?" Caradin laughed, "I swear the things you say sometimes."
"You make a very nice peacock though." Deverou chuckled.
"You guys are dicks." Luxus said as he pouted, "So what's the plan fearless leader?"
"Don't contact me, if I need to get in touch with you I will. Lay low, and try not to arouse suspicion when you're going after these secrets with a machete. We're going after a real life underground mad scientist so I can safely say we've crossed over from weird to straight up insane." Knives said with a smile, "I'm going to head out and hole up somewhere safe, back in the day I had a few squatting locations for deals and dead drops. I'll keep out of sight and try to stay in touch." He finished as he extended his fist, "It's been a hell of a trip."
"Yeah, yeah don't make us emotional you lout." Caradin said with a sniffle adding his fist to Knives'.
"Goodbyes are too weird, let's just say catch you later." Deverou said adding his fist.
"We're brothers till the end." Luxus added as they split to go their separate ways.
Into Darkness
Deverou walked slowly through the upper class district of Vale towards the manor owned by the Tenebrous family. He entered and looked around the foyer, the obsidian floor with gold furnish and the marble stairs were beautiful and around the house banners of the black rose were everywhere. He went towards Xich's room in the basement, descending the black and white checkered stairs and walked down the velvet carpeted hallway to the single red door on the right. He knocked and heard Brandon from the other side, "Enter." He walked in and saw the thief had changed his attire and cleaned up since their last meeting, donning a Black Rose uniform with his signature black coat with white angel wings on the back. "Oh, it's you, what's up?"
"I think I will be joining you both on a more permanent basis, as a consultant for the Black Rose." He said as Xich entered from the back upon hearing these words.
"You're re-joining!?" Xich exclaimed.
"Yes," Deverou said as Xich went to hug him, "However, do not assume for a minute we are on the same side. Your objective is to find what Brandon knows but my motives here are my own. So don't expect me to answer when the dogs bark." He said firmly.
Brandon smirked and went over to him, "I used to think you were a bit of a tight ass, but sticking it to those pompous nobles and over-entitled bureaucrats? I gotta say Tenebrous you've impressed me a bit, I think we'll get along fine since you're 'buying my loyalty' but I'm still not talking about those who paid me."
"That's not what I want to know, however starting now," He said as he fixed them with an intense stare, "Give me everything you have on Amadeus Cain."
Parents a Bluster
"Well I'm going to go kiss my dad's ass over the phone to get back into Wurfel, you gonna be okay?" Luxus asked.
"Asking my mom for a position in the Atlas military, what could go wrong?" Caradin joked as he hoped aboard the ship towards the Atlas flagship. Arriving on board he was greeted by a hug from his mother.
"Oh, I'm so glad you're here! What's up?" She bounced.
"Mom, Knives has left." He said, "And so I kind of need a job."
"Oh," She said, "Oh! I have just the thing for you dear! Candace!"
"Oh god no! Please just torture me first!" He screamed as his sister trudged up in her stark white spec ops uniform and armor. Her golden hair tied back in a ponytail as her emerald eyes cut him like a razor.
"Reporting mom." She said before looking at Caradin with a sigh, "Why is the welp here?"
"Starting today he'll be assigned to you squad as a private!" She bounced, "Isn't that great! An old Cross reunion!"
Caradin and his sister looked at one another, this would be one long assignment.
From the Grave
Cyan gasped to life as he looked around frantically to see the fluorescent lights around him and the cold steel beneath him. "Whoa, easy big dog. We just saved your life." Called a voice to his left, he turned to see the one Cain called Jet, "Hi there sleeping beauty. You've been out for a few days and quite honestly I was hoping you'd kick it but Cain ordered us to ship you back."
"Why am I here?" He wheezed.
"Um, because we saved your ass." Jet snorted, "Besides," He added with a sinister tone, "There is so much more we need from you."
A Farewell to the Rose
Ruby was asleep when she heard Zwei barking, "Zwei, quiet! Sleepy time now." She mumbled as she tried to go back to sleep before she heard a knock at the door.
"Not it!" Yang cried.
"Not it!" Weiss yelled.
"Not it," Ruby started before she saw Blake just staring at her, "Oh fine, I'll get it." She trudged over to the door in her pajamas with Zwei in tow as she opened the door to see Alex standing there.
"And you're in your pajamas, awesome." He said in a flustered tone.
"Is there something you need? Maybe at a later time?" She said as Zwei squeezed himself through the door to bark at the newcomer and jump around him. Alex simply picked up the dog as he started licking Alex.
"Aw, who's a good boy. Down you go though, I need to talk to Ruby." He said as he set the dog down. "Um, so listen a lot has happened these past few days."
"You're telling me."
"And uh, suffice to say I kind of have to leave."
"Okay?" She asked confused.
"Beacon, I have to leave Beacon. Probably for a very long time." He blurted out.
"You're dropping out? Why?"
"Well I've got something that requires my immediate attention and it's going to take me away from here. And unfortunately that brings up my criminal record I told you about, the minute I leave Beacon I will be back on Vale's most wanted basically. So before I left, I was hoping to talk." He said shyly.
"Um, okay about what?" She said as he suddenly pushed towards her and locked lips with her giving her a kiss. She was startled by his behavior and quickly pushed against him as he backed away.
"I'm sorry, that was," He paused, "Really dumb um, I just I've really liked you since day one but you've seemed uninterested in relationships in general so I've been a little panicked about asking you on a date so I figured why not air it all out as I say my goodbyes? Cliché I know, but it's just how I thought about it. Again, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable and, just sorry." He said as he turned and she grabbed his hand quickly. He turned to look at her and she looked into his crimson slit eyes.
"The last person who told me they had to leave on important business never came back, and that hurt. I don't want this to be goodbye so promise you'll come back." She said.
"I, uh, yeah." He said stunned.
"Now go on!" She said giving him a shove, "You terrible scoundrel, you're against the law now so I'll just add that kiss to your list of crimes."
Alex smiled before turning around, "I'll see you soon, Ruby."
He ran off wheeling his trunk down the hall and she sighed, "I hope so."
"So!" She heard from behind her as she almost jumped out of her skin to see her sister and her teammates in the doorway, "What's this about a kiss?" Yang teased.
"Zwei licked me on the face, shut up!" She fussed as she chased them inside the room with Zwei in tow.
THERE WE GO! Two years in the making and finally a kissu! Stay strong my friends, because although we're going on a break come April I will be back this summer with more than you can imagine! I'm talking action, romance, suspense, Monty level fight scenes (May your flame never die), and of course tragedy. But I swear to you this series will have a happy ending, in a sense, but the path there will be paved in blood over this next Season. You will meet new characters, you will grow to love them, and then they will wither die or they won't so don't love anyone too much because everyone is fair game. Till next time!
