A/N
What's this? A chapter pre New Year's? What's the occasion?
It's Evans's bday! Let's wish him a great one!
"Uncle Qrow! Let... me... GO!"
That's...
"Shit! Don't do this to us now Lou, not when we just got you back!"
"Adrian!" A voice roared. "Painkillers! Now!"
"Louis... Lou... is!
A hoarse snarl interupted his thoughts, and drowned out the multitude of voices which mixed in together.
"Hm." A low voice growled in an almost mocking tone. "Weak vessel."
"What the hell happened?!" Someone asked..
"He tore off the only life support he had, to save us." What sounded like Evans hissed through the pain. "That StarDust in his chest was the only thing keeping him alive."
"WHAT?!" The shrill voice of... Ruby? Shrieked, as what I could imagine as bitter tears stung the edge of her eyes. "NO! Lou...is!"
"Foolish."
The last thing I heard was Ruby's panicked screams echoed by Weiss as I felt something tear free from my spine.
...
And the rest...
Was silence.
Shift
"Almost a week has passed since the Terror on Beacon had ensued." The woman with neatly trimmed bright purple shade of hair on screen reported as she looked grimly towards the camera, straightening the papers by tapping them on the table. "Although the larger part of the campus is damaged, it's safe to say that the majority of the threat, that is to say, Grimm, has been in fact, neutralized."
"In the midst of the destruction from an unforetold amount of Grimm, the students of Beacon and other schools had bravely stood their grounds in an attempt to reclaim their academy. To our surprise, they actually managed to weather the storm for strenuous hours of fighting without end, and managed to push the Grimm back despite the odds being against them despite being mere students of adolescent age.
Just as they were on the verge of purging the Grimm and victory seemed likely, the fate of Beacon was sealed once more as a more ancient and prehistoric Grimm swooped in, seemingly originating from the point of Mount Glenn according to our statistics of tremors occurring just minutes before."
"All Pro Hunstman had denied the fact that they've even seen a Grimm of this size, let alone face it in battle. Each and every student was then immediately evacuated with their safety in mind, with some already having lost their lives among the horde of Grimm at that point, emitting more negativity to attract an ungodly amount. Let us have a brief moment of silence, to appreciate the fallen who had fought valiantly for Beacon Academy."
...
...
"However... Right as all hope was lost," She gestured towards the rectangular box towards her left. It flickered to show unnatural dust clouds rolling into the walls of the city, but in it's epicenter, was a figure as black as night. "An anonymous being seemed to make it's presence known. An ally to the prehistoric Grimm perhaps? It's form seems to be lupine, but is a far cry away from an Alpha Beowolf which speed is lackluster compared to this... thing..."
"This video footage was taken just an hour or so prior to the mass detonation that eradicated the Grimm in the area. It shows us where," The recording paused to zoom at a blur of black and red. "In fact, someone or something, came charging in in the midst of the melee, right as the students were just about done being evacuated. Did it wait for the students to get out on purpose?"
The edge of her lips tugged up into a small smirk. "Who is this figure? Is he man or is he Grimm? Authorities have this to say..."
"I don't know ma'am." A fully suited Atlesian officer said in a flat tone as a mic was shoved in his face. "Whoever or whatever it is, it looked like it almost razed Beacon to the ground."
"I don't know. Black and red looks like one of those monsters to me." A man with a mowhawk and a ring around his nose spat as he shoved himself into frame. "And you know how they are when they're hungry. Seems to me like he just saved our asses so that we could come close enough to trusting it, to worship it and eventually, praise it. When the time comes... BAM!" He slammed a fist against his palm. "We're toast."
"Whatever it is out there, he saved my Li'l Cardin..." A worn looking woman with oaken hair said with tear stained cheeks as she dragged her son in frame. "The rest of his team are still missing till this day, fighting in honor of protecting their school, and one even turned against the side of good at the Amity Arena from all the pressure the teachers had given. Misguided, perhaps. But not my boy. My Cardin is strong enough to handle oncoming Grimm twice his size. But to wish upon him ever encountering that thing?" She shook her head. "I would rather he retire permanently."
"Moooom!" Cardin groaned.
"Grimm or no Grimm it still doesn't change the fact that it had almost destroyed Beacon in the process achieving it's means, whatever it may be." The unmistakable chiseled face of Ironwood said flatly. "I've had my fair share of experience to say that it isn't a Grimm, but with the quality the shot is taken one can never be so sure." He looked straight into the camera. "If that is in fact, a new species of Grimm, and is capable of such destructive capabilities, then we, that is to say, Atlas, will act upon it immediately to counter this new threat."
"Can you tell us your thoughts on whether the people should cower in fear at the sight of these things appearing more frequently or in more numbers than one?"
"I am certain Atlas's technological advances are capable of surpassing this so called 'Savior' as people are calling it, to belong in the junkyard." He growled as he clenched his fist. "The people of Vale have nothing to worry about. Our enemies will feel our strength."
"And should the people of Vale fear that instead?" Lisa raised her brow. "Just as how Atlas's 'technological advances' had turned against us in the heat of the battle, what's to say an army of these wouldn't?"
Ironwood's frown was telling as he stormed away and climbed the steps to his ship.
"Hey wai- General Ironwood-!"
"That's all the time the General has for today ma'am." Two Atlesian guards stepped between her and the cameraman, closing like gates as the hatch to the airship hissed closed.
"So it would seem." She said with a heavy sigh, shaking her head in disappointment. "This is Lisa Lavender, signing out."
Shift
Winter held a hand to Weiss's shoulder and squeezed it lightly, with Weiss wrapping her fingers around it and leaning her head in return.
She couldn't help but just stare at the edge of the sun barely touching the horizon, not really wanting to speak but taking in any comfort in what her peers could provide her with.
After a few minutes of continuous silence, she croaked weakly.
"Is he..."
"Still unconscious." Winter sighed. "His heart rate is stable and his vitals are somewhat... intact, so take pride in that."
"Tell me."
"Tell you what?"
"Did I really make the correct choice Winter?" Weiss's eyes somehow found the courage to meet Winter's once more. "Did I actually save him...?" Weiss shuddered through the fear that was visible in her eyes. "Or did I just delay the inevitable?"
Winter scowled at that. This was exactly why she didn't want Weiss to be the one to subdue him, despite owing her- their, lives.
But as Evans had pointed out at the time, they weren't really in the position to bargain.
Ruby was, at the time, in shambles and on the verge or already is, in a mental breakdown. Yang was unconscious and lightly wounded, and so was Blake, having passed out from the loud noise.
Qrow had to cover the small reaper's eyes when the iron coffin opened up, even having Winter do the same to Weiss in trying to shield her eyes with her own body.
It was... gruesome to say the least, and the sounds made when extracting the spikes didn't exactly mitigate the mental image it was conjuring up in everybody's minds.
Yang and Blake were spared that, for all the good it did, for they saw the aftermath after they regained consciousness.
...
"Another world." Winter dwelled on instead as a desperate attempt to change the topic. "Who would have ever guessed?"
"I know right." Weiss scoffed as her lips tugged into a small smile.
"Had they ever told you of it?" Winter asked with a genuinely curious brow raised. "Of how it was like?"
"They just told me it was mundane and dull compared to this one."
"A world filled with the creatures of darkness doesn't really sound enticing for a billboard sign or a tagline on a brochure."
"I don't get what they saw in Remenant either as to come here of all places." Weiss giggled, closing her eyes as she leaned on her sister's palm. "But I'm glad they did. I must be grateful to them for helping us get so far." She sighed as her fingers curled up into fists, nails digging into her palms. "This isn't their war to fight, after all."
"I wouldn't put it past them to say something like that as well, but you're gonna have to wait for the full explanation." Winter smirked. "They did mention that they wouldn't reveal anything without their leader waking up."
"Leader?" Weiss raised a brow. "You're getting a little bureaucratic don't you think? They're friends. They don't seem to have the connotation that someone should be in charge, and even then, that's just a title, nothing more. They just do whatever they must."
"Hm? Perhaps." Winter admitted with a sigh. "Life in the Atlas Military hasn't been kind, after all."
"Precisely the reason why I left."
"Precisely the reason why I supported you."
Both sisters took one look at each other, then roared elegantly with laughter, stifling their giggles as tears flowed out of their eyes, with Winter, so usually in posture, having bent over a little to clutch her stomach.
Winter's lips tugged into a grin at the fact that she had made Weiss smile, if only for a brief moment.
That didn't last long.
"It's time..."
"Already?' Weiss's smile died and a stern and spiteful frown replaced it, pale blue eyes locking to the ground. "So soon...?"
"I don't agree with it either, but father's orders were clear, and he would like to see you as soon as possible in the Schnee manor, where it's safe and sound."
"But I'm safe and sound here!" She retailated.
"I know." Winter smiled bitterly as she stared at her sister. "I tried to inform him of your... pristine condition, but he wouldn't have any of it. He wants to see it with his own eyes that you are... untouched."
"You out of all people know that's a bunch of nonsense."
"I do." Winter admitted as she closed her eyes, forlorn and disdain visible in her expression with a tinge of regret. "But father's words are absolute. You know how it is."
...
...
...
"Can I at least wait until he's woken up?" Weiss pleaded as she stared into Winter's eyes. "It would at least enable me to sleep at night with ease, knowing my efforts are not all for naught."
Despite knowing that he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon,
Or, at all for that matter...
Winter looked out the window longingly, and after a moment of thought, nodded slowly. "Your flight tonight is at 8 p.m sharp. Don't be late."
"Thank you, Winter..." Weiss sighed as her heels clicked away.
Shift
"-still can't believe that he didn't tell us anything."
"Yang... He'll tell us why once he wakes up, I'm sure of it."
"And what if he doesn't Rubes?"
"You don't know that! Don't say that!"
"Will you be able to look at the other guys straight in the eye knowing he died saving us? Hah." The blonde brawler scoffed. "They've been ignoring us ever since the Emerald Forest got destroyed. And don't tell me that's because they're just waiting for him to wake up and trying to avoid the responsibility of keeping watch. Deep inside they despise us because we were the ones that caused this. Because we weren't strong enough to defend for ourselves despite already knowing Beacon was gonna fall!"
"That's..."
"If they left us for dead, Beacon would fall. They'd chose the better of the two alternatives and warned us, and yet we still failed!"
The door clicked shut.
"Weiss." Yang said flatly without turning around, tone devoid from all emotion but rage that kept bubbling from under her skin, causing her eyes to flicker spasmodically between lilac and crimson that was sure to give someone epilepsy. "I didn't see you there."
"Your eyes are placed in front of your head, not behind it. Of course you wouldn't see me." Weiss scoffed back as the heiress took a seat beside the brawler. "How is he?" She asked for what had to be the tenth time today.
"Same old." Yang gnarled as her eyes roved on Louis's punctured body. "Being bona fide lazy and not waking up."
"Is it really my fault...?"
It was but a soft and muffled whisper with Ruby trying to drown her tears into the sheets on the end of the bed, yet they all heard it.
"Our fault Rubes, not yours." Yang whispered an apology towards her sister as she put a hand on top of a sobbing Ruby, who nodded and placed her own on Louis's chest.
The monitor beeped away.
...
...
"Do you really think that's what he would've wanted?" Weiss asked.
Yang turned to face the white haired girl while Ruby looked up with red rimmed eyes that had bags under them, having not much sleep since the assault on Beacon.
"What do you mean?" Yang questioned with a raised brow.
"They saved us. He saved us. Despite the fact that we despised him, hated him for keeping a secret from us at his final moments, we never really heard him out as to why he did it, did we?" Weiss scowled at herself. "We never sorted our problems out before he decided to pull off this whole... fiasco of a plan."
"Yet he still saved us. Made sure we made it out alive and in one piece. Did he know he was about to die? Will he ever rest peacefully, or will he be regretting in the afterlife, never having made up with us? Or did he trust us to swallow it down and push it past us, leaving it behind?"
"Weiss..." Yang drew her in for a warm embrace as the heiress made her way to the other side of the bed. "Louis is... He wouldn't want us to part like this. He wouldn't want us to part at all. If I'd knew he was saying goodbye, I would've let you encase him in a block of ice."
"Yeah." Weiss scoffed with a smirk. "As if that's gonna stop him..."
"Probably have Nora break his legs too."
"That didn't stop him from fighting a whole army of Grimm alone. An impressive feat, might I add."
"It's the stupid armour..." Yang hissed. "We could've done this together yet because he tried to do this alone he went into that suicidal armour..."
"...shouldn't have let him join..."
"Hm?" Both Yang and Weiss asked in unison as both turned their heads to face Ruby. "What was that?"
"I shouldn't have ever let him join the Vytal Tournament. It's because of me he's in this state..."
"Rubes..." Yang sighed as she stood up to settle beside her sister, drawing her in for a warm hug. "We've been through you already, this isn't your fault."
"Then whose was it Yang?" Ruby's voice came out shrilled, raspy and wet from the phlegm accumulating in her throat "I was the decision maker. I was the final nail in the coffin. I was the leader! And I let him walk into his death, just like that."
...
"You know what, that's enough."
"Weiss?" Yang asked with a raised brow as Weiss got up to wrap her arms on Ruby's shoulder, pulling her up.
"What are you-"
"It's been over a week and you look like garbage, smell it too. Grab a shower, and we'll go talk."
"We already are...?" Yang shot her a confused look.
"Not between us you dolt!"
"Then to who?" Ruby sniffled.
"To Louis's friends."
"What?!" Yang shrieked. "Didn't you hear what I just said? They hate us!"
"What're they gonna do, assault us?" Weiss mocked. "They don't have aura, let alone have weapons of their own, bar Evans, who isn't in any condition to fight." She snorted. "What is he gonna do? Shoot bullets out of his crutches that is also a gun?"
"She... has a point."
"Blake. You're awake?" Ruby mumbled, using the back of her hand to wipe her tear stains.
"With all the shouting and screaming, it's definitely a soothing lullaby to behold." Blake muttered sarcastically, causing Yang to go up and help puff up a pillow behind her back as she leaned back. "Thanks."
"I think it might be a good idea." She continued. "To go and talk to them. You've been cooped up in this room for far too long and honestly." Blake looked longingly towards Louis's bed beside hers. "Until he wakes up, there's nothing we can do about it."
"If he even wakes up."
"Until he wakes up." Blake repeated with a hiss as she stared her partner down. "You'll have your explanation as to why. Just be patient about it."
"How about you?"
"What about me?"
"You can't talk to them. You're still to weak to stand let alone, walk."
"That's why I'll be staying here, reading my book."
Yang sighed.
"Is this really the time to be reading your porn?"
"It's not all smut." Blake sighed in a slightly annoyed tone. She'd figured she'd get used to the blonde brawler's antics by now. "But someone has to stay in case he wakes up." She said, flipping to the middle of her book.
All 3 exchanged glances, knowing that once Blake is in the middle of reading. Nothing could stop her.
Nothing.
"Okay, but you're gonna miss out on all the fun." Yang teased, finally calming down enough to stay lilac for more then a minute.
"Don't worry, I'm fine and comfortable over here."
"Oh so that's your plan." Yang winked suggestively. "Wait for him to wake up before you tell him you're uncapable of taking your clothes off on your own, then you lock your legs around him and-"
Yang dodged the book aimed directly at her face.
"Feisty~"
"Let's go." Weiss dragged Yang out before a full fledged argument would ensue.
"Thanks." Blake seethed with flushed cheeks as Ruby placed her book in her hands, clasping shaky fingers around them.
"No problemo." Ruby's lips tugged at the edges, despite her cute face ruined with the tear stains and nearly bloodshot eyes. "Hey Blake..."
"Hm?"
"Do you think they're gonna hate us?" She asked nervously as she twiddled with her thumbs. "I know Yang said they are but... what do you think?"
...
"If they are, Louis would never forgive them for it." Blake snorted. "He'll come to our rescue, as always."
"Snnrrrrk... I guess you're right." Ruby chortled with a small sniffle. "Don't know what I'm getting so worked up about." She took one last glance at her only male teammate, instantly killing her lopsided grin. "Why'd you think he did it?"
"Beats me..." Blake echoed Ruby's actions as her eyes roved unconsciously to Louis. "But maybe he's trying to make it up to us for lying."
"Maybe..."
"Go now. You don't want to keep your sister waiting." Blake smiled as she gently nudged her arm.
"You're right!" Ruby wiped her face with the back of her hand again as she zipped out of the room. "Thanks Blake!"
The door slammed shut.
...
...
"I could hear you by the window sill y'know." Blake called out.
"Guilty as charged."
A shadowy figure climbed into the open window, a woman with copper skin and now dressed in her regular outfit rather than in bandages. The only thing that changed from her natural features was that her eyes glowed blue instead of yellow.
"Since when were you so on edge?"
"Ever since you took my bow away from me." The cat faunus chuckled mirthfully as she remembered the times. "So, any reason as to why you're hiding until they'd left?"
"You're asking me that?" Amber gestured towards herself with a cocky smirk. "I'd thought you'd have known your partner like the back of your hand by now."
"That still doesn't explain why you're here." Her eyes narrowed as Amber took a seat beside her.
"As you pointed out, you're bedridden and as Weiss pointed out, I'm nothing without White Knuckle Ride. Unless..." Amber rolled her eyes. "I use my crutches which is also a gun."
She leant in as she settled beside Blake to whisper into her ears. "It secretly is. But don't tell her that. Don't want her to have her guard up."
"Your secret is safe with me, but if you think of hurting her you're dead." She crossed her heart. "So, why do you need to be here with me? Unless you're banking in on servicing me, which I can tell you right now, is not needed."
"What do I look like to you? Derrick? Dwiki?" Amber deadpanned. "You give me way too little credit. If Louis can control his hormones for staying with 4 lovely women for over a year then so can I. Besides, I already managed to und-"
"Und..?"
"Uuuunite the team!" She corrected quickly. "I'm here to talk. And since you aren't able to do so with the others to approach the 'others'," He quoted the air. "I'm here because it looks like you needed to sate your curiosity."
"Who said I'm curious?" She crossed her arms. "And just what exactly would I be curious about?"
"Please," Amber rolled her eyes. "You're not even reading that." She pointed at the book. "Everytime they go out to get food, you secretly put the book down and look towards Louis and bite your lips which," She added quickly as she held up both hands while Blake's eyes narrowed into stilts. "I have no qualms about, but even without Trypophobia I don't think those holes are the battle scars you chicks dig, so I doubt you're hot and bothered at a time like this."
Blake pinched her nose ridge as heat crept up her neck while her cheeks flushed with specs of pink.
"How long have you been spying on me?"
"Almost everyday." She admitted carefreely as she propped one leg atop the other, getting Blake to look dumbfounded. "It wasn't on you intentionally, just needed to check on Louis personally. Knowing you guys won't leave his side however..."
"You decided that eavesdropping until the time was right was the second best option."
"You were muttering questions he couldn't answer. Yet." She added when Blake opened her mouth. "But I think I might of assistance there."
"Looks like I wasn't the only one who became more perceptive over my time here at Beacon." She sighed.
"So," Amber linked her arms behind her neck as as she leaned back on her seat, looking at the ceiling. "We've got plenty of time and privacy isn't an issue anymore. If you're gonna say or ask something... now would be the time."
"Off the records?" She muttered as she slammed the book shut and set it down beside her bed.
"What happens in this room stays in this room."
Shift
"Hey there... Guys." Ruby muttered nervously and timidly as she popped her head above her sister's shoulders, who was lumbering forwards to the group of men working on a contraption that was too small to be a vehicle, with Weiss at their side.
Their eyes roved towards the ladder leading to a temporary makeshift balcony above, steel works making up the foundation of a steady frame while the floor itself is less then a foot of solid metal.
The sounds of construction stopped.
The purple hooded man turned around at the sound of interruption, removing his now different mask which had a long beak to it with dark purple visors, along with two portly man, one taller than the other.
"Is it finally my time to-"
"Not now Dwiki." Kevin hissed as he broke through the small group, grabbing the edge of the ladder and leaping halfway down while breaking his fall with a crouch. He patted his hands together to wipe off any grime and dust, then used the back of his hand to wipe the sweat off his forehead. "Not to sound rude but we're a little tied up at the moment, so what do you need?"
"We... just wanted to talk." Weiss admitted.
"What about?"
Adrian popped his head from behind said contraption as he lifted his wielding mask, regulating the flow of gas on his blowtorch.
"How do we put this..." Yang tried to find the correct words as she spun her hand around. "We uh..."
...
"Look, Blossom Bubbles and Buttercup." Kevin addressed as he stared at Weiss, then moved on to Ruby and finally Yang. "We don't really need a distraction right now, so if you could hurry it up-"
"We just wanted to get a few things off our chest. It'll make us rest easier. Help 3 lovely girls out... please?" Yang asked as she stretched her arms behind her back, letting her top slide down a little further to expose the crack between her ample bosom.
"I... can do that." Dwiki reached out.
SMACK
For once it was delivered by Adrian.
"Owww... why me?"
"Do you want to get killed?" Kevin sighed from below. "Didn't Evans and Louis mention something... I don't know," He rotated his wrist and rolled his eyes. "Similar," He settled on. "Happening at the Yellow Trailer?"
"Ughhh... And why were you the one to hit me?!" He glared at Adrian with all the anger he could muster, which ended up making him look constipated.
"You were about to launch yourself to her."
"So?"
"You were about to break the bro code." Adrian shrugged. "No stealing Louis's girls."
"We're not-"
"Trust me." Kevin whispered as they huddled together. "It's for the best."
Dwiki sulked as he rubbed the back of his head, but remained silent.
"You seem to be in a good mood." Kevin growled suspiciously as he drew back. "What changed."
"I don't know what you're talking about." She smirked slyly.
"You may have them on the end of the hook Goldilocks, but I'm not as easy to manipulate as you might think." Kevin hissed under his breath as he wrapped his fingers on one of the steps. "So spill it, before I lose my patience and decide to go back up there and resume my work."
...
"Okay..." Ruby took a deep breath as she finally found the courage to step out of her sister's well built cover. "Here goes nothing..."
Kevin raised a brow and crossed his arms.
"What is Louis to you?"
Shift
"That's surprising." Amber stroked her chin. "That's what got all of you so worked up?"
"I'm gonna be honest with you." Her eyes roved to the punctured body of the man recovering next to her. "For the past year we've known him, fought with him, bled together, and ventured with, we still feel like he's a misplaced stranger to us."
"Obviously, we're not from-"
"This world, I get it." Blake sighed as she pinched her nose ridge. "But that's besides the point."
"Hmm..."
"Point is, even though we've gone through all those things... and he'd tried to open up to us, did open up to us." She corrected. "With even two of us having fallen in love with him-"
"I'm surprised you're admitting it so openly."
"You'd better honour your promise to keep this behind closed doors." Blake muttered as her cheeks blushed while she became self aware as to what she just blurted. "Otherwise I'm gonna hunt you down."
"Duly noted." Amber chuckled with her expression nothing short of bemused. "Proceed."
"Even after all those things, he still doesn't trust us with this plan, even if it's a major one." She slammed a curled up fist on the sheets, and even with a muffled thump it almost caused Amber to topple over.
"Why?" She asked as angry tears stung the edge of her eyes, threatening to spill out. "If he'd had trust us, even just a little... This wouldn't have happened. He would still be walking, alive and well. You guys would still have your stupid friend while we'll have our stupid teammate..."
"The alternative is much wo-"
"It's not fair!" She screamed. "Why?! Why him? Why does he have to be the one to risk everything in order for us to live?! Why does everybody around me just..."
She hugged her chest.
"Just wither and wilt away...?"
...
After what seemed like minutes, Evans finally spoke once the ragged pants transitioned to muffled sobs.
"You know that thing where... you use a certain word to describe someone?" Amber asked as she handed Blake a box of tissues, which the cat faunus gratefully accepted.
"What am I talking about, of course you do." She scoffed and swapped her legs to prop the latter up. "You were supposed to go back home... to Menagerie after this." She added when Blake managed to look confused despite the tears cascading down her cheeks. "You gave up on the pursuit of the White Fang and just wanted to go home. Sun trailed after you and then... You had this conversation."
"You thought Adam was Justice, then after being in a relationship with him, you figured he was Passion. Heh. Wonder how you figured that one out."
...
"Do you think... He'll..." Blake trailed off as her voice caught in her throat.
"Mind?" Amber finished with a scoff. "I thought you knew him well enough to the point where you'd have confessed feelings for him. If you're asking me that, then it seems to me that you obviously don't."
"It was a well known theory in the Rwby Fandom that you aren't a virgin. As to why? I can never tell. Maybe because, apologies in advance if I offend you, you and Adam Taurus were both faunus's that have a higher desire for lust? Or perhaps because he managed to convince you that he was all you needed."
"I can confirm it was the latter..."
"Good to know, but again, he, that is to say we." Amber pointed to Louis then herself. "Don't care."
Blake felt the edge of her lips tug into a smile.
"Even if you did let's say, bear his child or something, Louis, even as a friend, would help to look after it. Hell, I could be the Godfather!"
"I'll keep that in mind." She giggled lightly.
"Anyway, " Amber continued as Blake muttered her thanks. After all that crazy White Fang shennadigans you finally figured out he was Spite." Amber waited, and Blake gave a small nod as confirmation. "Well, similar to form, me and the bois have that too."
"Okay..." She sniffled. "But what does that have to do with him?"
"Well, the word that describes Me for instance." She lifted a palm to her chest. "Is Pride."
Shift
"Whenever Louis does something, especially something he is peculiarly fond about, he'll commit to it, not matter what."
"So, he's fond about protecting us. Cool." Yang let out her breath come out in an annoyed rasp as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "It's natural, given the camaraderie we built as a team over the year we've been togethe-"
"I wasn't through, boobzilla." Kevin cut off, getting Ruby to hold her sister back from punching the rotund man to orbit. "That motivation can only get one man so far. You commit to an act, but you are limited to what you can do as a man. A Hu man."
"And... Louis isn't a man?" Weiss raised a brow as she tucked her arms beneath her chest once Yang's rage died down.
"He is." Kevin answered. "But his grit is accompanied by something else. Something more... Sinister" He dwelled on. "That binds him, and even compels him to do it without any obstacles hindering him. It gets rid of everything. Memories of love, joy, his happiness, his friendships established. Everything." He repeated.
"But out of all that, it gets rid of one thing that holds us all back."
"And..." Weiss raised a brow, prompting him to continue. "That is...?"
"Fear."
"The black wolf..."
"Is that what you saw?" Kevin asked Ruby, getting her shoulders to tense. "Evans told me about it, but I just wasn't so sure."
"It was shadowy, and creepy, dark and even terrifying with those lightning shaped eyes. But unlike Grimm. It had a purpose."
"Wait wait wait." Yang waved her arms frantically in front of her. "Slow down sis. What exactly did you see?"
"Louis's pain and hatred, given form."
The trio turned to see the rest of the boys joining them, expression dead serious, and it took a while for them to register that it was Adrian who said it.
"You have this thing called Aura. A manifestation of one's soul." Kevin pointed out, getting 3 nods in return. "This his what his 'manifestation' took the form of."
"His Aura..." Weiss said slowly. "Took the form of a wolf?!"
"And it became sentient?!" Yang added.
"More like... a second personality." The rotund man said with a wave of his hand. "We don't really get it either, but to put it in simple terms, imagine having a split personality."
"We weren't sure what form it would take, or if it even existed at all, or if it was just an imaginary friend." Derrick said. "But we can confirm that it did exist before he came to Remnant. We don't know as to what point in time it came to be. When we became close friends it just... Already was."
"How can you be so sure this... Persona." Weiss settled on as she didn't believe her own words. "Exist?"
"Ruby and Blake both can confirm that they've in fact, seen it with their own eyes." Adrian pointed out, while Ruby visible shivered, her breaths suddenly coming out hitched and high pitched as she tried to calm herself.
Yang raised a brow as she sent a glare Adrian's way, wrapping her sister up with a warm hug whole keeping her gaze locked to the tall man."
"I'm sure you've noticed his tendencies to have random outbursts out by now." Dwiki chimed in for once, grabbing everybody's attention. "Just like how Yang does it, but with her at least there's an indication. Her eyes will turn crimson."
Yang made a sound of understanding and gestured for them to continue.
"Louis... doesn't."
Shift
"Of course he doesn't." Blake scoffed as she crossed her arms beneath her breasts. "My eyes don't change colour when I'm mad, but at least you could see it clear in my face."
"Yeah but this is... different." Amber waved her wrist as she tried to conjure up the words. "How does one explain it."
Blake looked at the confused maiden trying to find the right words.
"Remember... that book you read, all the way back before Beacon's initiation?"
"I've read plent-"
"The Man with Two Souls."
That silenced the cat faunus.
"I'm probably the 'closer' person to Louis out of the rest of us." Amber ran a hand through her hair. "Obviously I wouldn't be saying it out of my ass for the sake of saying it."
"I met him at a young age. He was... not to say... weird." Amber dwelled on as she fought for the correct words. "But eccentric. That got him bullied time and time again. Unfortunately, due to certain circumstances, I had to move elsewhere, and thus was unable to back him up."
Amber growled under her breath, her tone tinted with a tinge of regret.
"And when we met back in college..."
"He changed." Blake looked away.
"Not to remind you too much of Adam, but yeah, he sorta did." Amber sighed. "He didn't really like to talk to people if he could help it. After all, the closer he gets to someone, the more of a chance they get of being hurt."
"It's a miracle he hadn't hurt any of you during one of these outbursts." Amber added when Blake raised a confused brow. "If I was in my real body now I would show you... but..."
"You were a victim?"
"Almost eviscerated me. Twice," Amber placed her hand on her naval, tracing it to the side. "Near misses, the wound wasn't deep and it barely broke skin, so I was fine. My mom was furious though." He chuckled as he recalled the memories, though Blake didn't see what was so funny.
"We could defend for ourselves if he loses control like that..."
"Can you really?" Amber asked sarcastically. "The last time he let the beast loose you were sent flying to the other side of Beacon."
"That's no excuse to not trust us." Blake averted.
"It isn't." Amber shook her head in agreement. "It's a poor, sorry excuse which I'm not trying to cover for for this once."
"So..."
"It may just be me reaching for something in the dark here, but judging by how he was speaking fondly of you all back on earth, maybe it's because he doesn't see you as just 'teammates'." Amber stroked her non existent facial hair.
"He... doesn't?" Blake looked puzzled. "Then what does he sees us as?"
"He sees you as..."
Shift
"...His heroes." Kevin finished.
A/N
Once again, let's all wish Evans a great one! Thanks for sticking with me and reading my writings bro! This chap is out early for you!
Hope you readers had a great Christmas. And soon, a happy new year.
New chap should be 2 weeks from now, let's just say that aftermath is a mouthful.
Reviewer Sessions
DankAnon : Don't think I'll be fusing anytime soon. Don't want him to get used to being inside of me.
Arclight001 : Why does everybody keep calling me that?!
RandomGuest : Noted. Probably fix it sometime soon.