AN: Hi-Diddily-Ho, Neighborinos!

Sorry this has taken so long. I've been busy dealing with the first week of my college term, moving back in and the system not registering any of my classes and the like. It's been a fuster cluck. Before that I was enjoying my last month or so with my family. Not a fuster. And finally, I just wanted to think out this chapter and the next one's specifics a little bit better. So don't worry, I definitely haven't forgotten this story. However, updates are going to be slower from now on for a while as I get back into my groove here.

Responses!

To gamelover41592: Thanks, I really loved having Yang back too! As for why Morrigan isn't named some anagram of Raven with an X in it, that was more Xemnas' thing because of Xehanort's x-blade fascination. I chose the name I did because the Morrigan is this goddess of death who takes the form of a Raven and I liked that connection.

To CraZramblinGhost: Thank you so much. As I said in that chapter, I was kind of scared to make such a huge change with killing off the old KH cast, but I really wanted to go a different route from the other stories I've read. I really like those other stories, where Sora's friends get to meet the Remnant crew. I guess the best explanation would be that those are KH and RWBY crossovers and this one is more of a RWBY and KH crossover thematically. What you said is the best praise I've gotten so far. Brightening anyone's day is exactly what I want to do.

To warrior of six blades: I'm happy you like my personalization of Raven's Nobody; the entire time so far I'd had Raven reconnecting, so I felt like her Nobody would be more like who she used to be. And Ruby is... well, she and Sora both have a bad habit of being clueless despite having so much empathy.

To Wlyman2009: Maybe. Darkness in KH seems to be like fire – it's the carelessness that burns someone. That said there does seem to be a certain temptation that comes with it.

To Guest: It's not going to be quite that intimate for Sora's inner Darkness, but he'll accept it a bit more.

To Kingofclubs8129: Oh, but then how would I be cruel?

To Anonymous: Yeah, I know I haven't given Oz a lot to do for himself as of yet. He does come off as a bit naggy, and I'll try to fix that. But from RWBY, it does seem like his method of teaching mostly revolves around pretty much just giving Team RWBY as much leeway as possible and seeing how it turns out. But I do get where you're coming from, I'll try to address it. I don't want to overdo it with him, though; he's the main actor of the pre Keyblade War sections and I don't want to risk it becoming his story. But he does know what Sora is going through, having lost everyone he cared about in much the same way. I'm sorry though, I'll try to make Ozpin less annoying.

To Guest(B): I'll be glad to try and answer. Honestly I've been trying to come up with a good response or explanation for Ciel's statement. The best I've been able to come up with so far is that I feel like Ironwood would want to keep an eye out for Qrow's family – him being, well, Qrow – especially since she keeps getting involved in things no student should get involved in. I feel like Ironwood would put one of his best with Penny and warn her he thinks of Qrow as... questionable. Ruby's guilty by association.

To SeekerOfDarkN: Thanks! Don't worry, I'm continuing. Just, like I said, slower than before. I hope to weave them together even better than I have so far.

Chapter 26: Black

"Your hopes have become my burden... I will find my own liberation."

"What is it?" Sora asked as he stared at the sword and bladed sheathe that had been buried in the center of the door to the Faunus bar, a white piece of paper rolled up and tied to the long piece of black ribbon trailing from the end of the blade. The weapon had a gun in its crossguard and a handle on its sheathe for dual wielding attacks. Sun had led them there, his eyes wide and terrified by the presence of the blade.

Sora received two answers in return for his question. "Gambol Shroud, Blake's weapon. She'd never leave it like this," Sun responded worriedly.

"It is a threat. The enemy has Miss Belladonna," Ozpin stated almost simultaneously, bringing attention to what Sun had been too worried to say outright. The man walked forward with heavy set eyes and, despite the wind whipping the ribbon and that which it held around wildly, he had no trouble quickly grabbing on to the paper and untying it. He unrolled the message and read through the information upon it with increasingly cold and angry eyes. After he finished, he held the note out behind him. "Mister Wukong, Mister Nomura, this is for the both of you." Sun and Sora glanced at each other and walked forward. Sun grabbed the note and he and Sora began to read it nervously to themselves.

"Red's friends, teacher, and boy toy -" Sora frowned at that second use of the nickname 'boy toy' for him.

"I think that I found your pet kitty a few nights ago when I was on a walk. She seemed lost, climbing buildings and mewling to herself about how terrible the world was. I felt so bad, I just had to take her home and tell you. Unfortunately, she would have been a bit of a bother to move without some form of encouragement, so she's currently nursing a rather painful headache. Oh, and I just hate hurting animals. Well, it had to be done.

"So, how are things? I can't wait to find out. As for me, I've been living the good life ever since you arrested Junior – Twice! I have to say, that might be the best bribe I've ever paid, getting those council idiots to get rid of him. And they chose you! Oh, Roman would have just loved the irony there, it was the kind of thing he lived for. You know, tricking idiot kids into doing things. And he really would have loved this irony especially.

"Oh! Oops, well you should excuse me. I'm sorry, but your stray is acting up and I haven't even fed it yet! I'm so forgetful sometimes. Anyways, if you want your pet back come meet me at the dance club – another gift you kids got me after taking out Junior! Come soon; I'm not exactly known for being a patient woman.

"Sincerely, Neopolitan."

"Why does she keep calling Blake a cat?" Sora asked simply, one eyebrow raised. "That... it almost makes it impossible to understand. She's not a cat – what is.. is it just to be mean? Weird? I don't get it."

"Ah, yes. You do not know... Well, it's her secret. She should keep it or release it as she sees fit," Ozpin said quietly, shifting on the pillar that was his cane. "Her secret belongs only to her."

"We have to go get her," Sun said, changing the topic of conversation and crumpling up the paper in his hand, his fists quivering with rage as he stood there. Sora understood his rage and was of a mind with the Faunus. He may never have met Blake, but he sure as hell wasn't going to let anyone hurt any of Ruby's friends... but still, he didn't want to rush angrily into something. Xemnas' words suddenly began to hang heavy in Sora's mind – if he didn't charge in head first and guns blazing, was he just being cautious or was he simply running from even the chance that he'd face his Darkness?

Thankfully for him, Ozpin broke the quiet and angry silence. "I wish we had time to plan, though we are not left much of a choice in this," the old warrior said. His grip on the cane tightened and he slid it out to his side; he was not looking back at the younger warriors that were with him, instead reaching up with his left hand to grab the sword buried in the door. The muscles in his off hand tensed for a moment and the blade snapped out of the wood, the ribbon flapping wildly as a result of the sudden change in momentum. He turned around and let a small smile replace his angry glare. "We will save her, Mister Wukong, I swear it. Besides, compared to the creatures and monsters you have fought on your journeys thus far, a simple criminal – while still dangerous – should be a nice change of pace, yes?"

Sun was in no mood for even a hint of joy, however. He dashed forward and took Gambol Shroud from Ozpin's hand and looped it around his back. "If we're going, let's get going now," he said coolly, spinning on his heel and walking away from his friends. "That club's not close."

"Indeed," Ozpin agreed from where he stood. He watched the young Faunus go and nodded in approval of Sun's cool desire. It was not anger that was driving him onward, though it was abundantly clear to even the most oblivious person – read, Sora – the young man was very angry. No, what was driving him forward was a much quieter thing that made Ozpin sure Sora and Ruby were beginning to have a tremendous effect on those around them: Hope.

Ozpin looked down at Sora as Ren and Nora nodded to each other and began to follow the Faunus. Before Sora could follow, Ozpin noticed that the young man was sorely lacking in his own hope and stopped the young man with a hand on his shoulder. Sora turned his head back and looked up at Ozpin. "Sora, when I first arrived here, I felt much the same as you. I lost all those who had been closest to me and I believed that trying to enjoy what I found on Remnant was somehow betraying their memory. As if by moving forward I would be trying to forget them."

"I'm not afraid I'm trying to forget them, Ozpin," Sora muttered hollowly. He uncomfortably brushed the man's hand off of his shoulder and walked after the others at a jog so he could catch up.

Ozpin shook his head at this poorly hidden lie. He had always understood Skye better than any of his other students, which made sense given how much longer they had known one another and how much they had been similar back then. And now Oz saw more and more of Skye in Sora every day. As Oz's first student had once said, "You shouldn't cry when you lose someone. That's not the right way to remember a friend."

Ozpin shook off his appreciation of the young man's Heart and lifted his cane, moving at a measured walk yet still somehow fast enough to keep pace with the young warriors who had broken into a sprint far in front of him. He often forgot just how much impatience affected those who had not lived a long life, and just as often it slipped his mind that he himself had become prone to reverie even in the most dangerous and pressing circumstances some time around his third century. It had taken a concerted effort to bend that habit, but he still had yet to truly break it.

Ozpin silently followed the children – warriors, he corrected himself. All may have seemed children to him, but these children had long since passed that barrier through their experiences. No children could survive Salem or the Darkness as they had, even with Hearts of purest Light. He wished they could have stayed as they were, as he had far too often seen children forced to become weapons in war. But it had been their fate to become more through those worst tribulations. A sad destiny for ones so undeserving of it. And whatever joy they could possibly gain would only come through even more tremendous trials, if it even came at all. But that did not matter at the moment. All that mattered now was the saving of the young woman.

R W B Y

Twelve Years Before the First Keyblade War

Ozpin stood in the viewing room for sparring, watching as a grinning Skye stood across from his friend and rival, Mark, at the center of a large white circle. The white haired young man's face was his usual serious glare, but there was something slightly different in his stance. He was the strongest of the five other young men and women that Oz, Skye, and Salem had rescued from slavery and experimentation, and it was incredibly clear he did not like losing. Even to someone who had been training in battle for years longer than him such as Skye.

Ozpin watched while the spiky haired youth in his black coat – the material of which Salem had long since taught Ozpin to create – said something to his friend and hefted his wooden training blade atop his shoulder. Mark gave Skye absolutely no response, and the brunette young man just laughed loud enough for even Ozpin to hear, to say nothing for his other apprentices who were outside with the two of them. To them it must have been almost unbearably loud, if it were not for the infectious nature of the laughter. Oz himself was struggling to hold back his mirth.

Then the fight began. Overall, Mark was the quicker of the two fighters when it came to attacks, lashing out with strikes fast enough that almost any warrior would find themselves on the wrong end of his blade in only a few short moments. He also had an incredibly fluid form of fighting, launching into quick and powerful counterattacks that used the force of his opponent against them. Skye was not quite as fast, nor was his form of fighting as fluid. In fact, one could say that Skye should have been outclassed by his rival, defeated in a few minutes at most. Yet, despite his incredible disadvantage, he defeated Mark time and again, and definitely not because Mark was not trying. No, the young man was incredibly angry whenever he lost a fight. Somehow, Skye overcame the obstacle in his path by meeting it head on. He was both the unstoppable force and the immovable object.

"Oz! Oz, I've done it!" Ozpin turned his attention from the fight just as Skye slammed his training weapon into Mark's gut and earned his victory. Oz sighed and shook his head as the woman clad in her usual colorful, painfully bright robes ran his way. Salem had been claiming she had 'made' a magnificent discovery for months now, and she had yet to produce any actual evidence she was close to anything. This was, in fact, the fifth time she had stated she had 'done it' in the past month, and he was sure it would result exactly like the others – with absolutely nothing to show for it.

"Wha? Why are you giving me your skeptical look, Oz? I really have done it this time!" Salem attested – third time in the past month she'd used that one. "I've made a weapon – no a tool – just like the χ -blade -"

"'Unbreakable. Capable of destroying Heartless with ease, channeling the magic I discovered, unlocking any door, and being summoned from any corner of the world by a mere thought?' You've said that..." he stopped and counted up on his fingers for a moment. "Ah, every time you've come to see me for six and a half months and you have absolutely nothing to show for it. Tell me, is this the same or do you actually have something?"

Salem looked at her old friend, aghast he would suggest such a thing. "You... Why you... I am insulted. Insulted!" she said, mock pain running through her voice while she raised her hand to her chest. She shook her head and covered her eyes as if crying. "Oh, the intense pain in my Heart! I cannot – I will not – take this from you, Good Sir!" She held her right hand out to Ozpin and a flash of green light erupted in her hand, replacing the air with a weapon altogether alien to the man with her.

The most odd thing about the weapon was its shape, as it held the general appearance of an old key, with teeth and a basket forming the rounded grip. The sides of the basket were formed from a pair of gnashing scorpion claws. The outer shell of the claw was green, a color that continued into the arm of the creature. The inner claw was gray, not unlike the color of Ozpin's hair. The claws met at the bottom of a gray handle wrapped in deep black cloth beneath Salem's closed, pale fingers. There was a huge, blue eye in the center of the weapon's crossguard, the iris a thin black slit, and glowed from within the center of the scorpion's head. It did not blink, it merely stared pitilessly but also fairly upon the world. The body of the creature was gray, and slowly turned into the emerald green as the tail that made up the weapon's blade extended and curled so that the poisonous tip became the teeth. Dangling from the pommel was a chain ending with a charm shaped just like the weapon itself.

Ozpin let out a slow breath while staring down at the blade edge held at his throat. Finally: "Okay. You win; that's impressive as hell. You made a..."

"Keyblade," Salem finished for Ozpin.

"χ -blade? I guess I see a small resemblance, but -"

"No," Salem cut him off, letting the tip of the weapon hit the wooden floor of the room. A deep thud rang out between the two. "Keyblade. Not χ -blade. Like the thing that opens doors."

Ozpin shrugged, acknowledging the similarities the weapon held to the household item. "Well, take it. This one's yours; it's my favorite so far," Salem said. The light flashed in her hand again and the weapon was held backhand. She held the handle out to her friend and smiled. "For my favorite person."

Oz blushed and laughed nervously. "Th-thank you, Salem," he muttered quietly. He reached out with his left hand and gripped the weapon firmly. The woman let go of it and Ozpin was immediately struck by how light the weapon was. It should have been a monstrous weight if it truly was unbreakable, and yet Ozpin noticed he had almost no trouble in holding it. He raised his arm straight out in front of him and held it that way for a few minutes. "It's... weightless."

"Not quite. It's perfectly weighted. You're just too strong to notice," Salem complimented.

"Flatterer," Ozpin muttered.

"Usually, yes. But not right now," Salem explained with a smirk. She gestured at the weapon. "Another unexpected boon of the Keyblades – you're faster, stronger, and more agile than you've ever been. And all for the low low price of free."

"What's it made of?" Ozpin inquired suddenly as he twirled the weapon around himself, trying to get used to its odd lack of weight.

"Ah, that would be revealing my secrets! Don't look a gift horse in the mouth Oz, especially when the gifts are not all given, yet," Salem chastised with a coy grin. She wrapped her arm around Ozpin's shoulders and placed him between her and the Keyblade. "Now, I've got six more. The ugly one is for the thief. It's all black and shadowy like someone who breaks into places."

"Salem..." Ozpin castigated as she led him out of the building so he could call his apprentices to join them. Though, if the weapons were as powerful as Salem suggested, perhaps giving them to people who were still so young would be a dangerous proposition. Better to wait, he supposed. "At this point, I'm sure you alone are the cause of all the enmity that exists between the two of you. Skye could not hate anyone unless they were truly evil." Ozpin's voice lowered to a whisper. "And even then, he's too good for it."

"Your soft spot for that boy will get you killed one day. Or worse – me," Salem retorted dryly.

R W B Y

Sun was the first to run up to the club's doors, Gambol Shroud still slung over his shoulders and his own weapon in staff form in his right hand. Sora was panting slightly as he tried to keep up with his friend, instead lagging behind with Ren and Nora who did not have the same fire in their movements as did the Faunus. Beside them, almost hovering across the ground in the swift fluidity of his walking gait, was Ozpin. Finally, Sora and the others caught up and slid to a stop at the base of the door. Sora took a long, heaving breath and stated up at the ever more purple sky. "Whew," he breathed, again missing the Keyblade. He looked down when a loud, dull thud echoed in front of him.

"Open, dammit!" Sun snapped, slamming his staff into the door over and over again. He moved with a wild and angry fervor that was rarely seen in the world, the movements of a man fighting for something beyond his own life, something for which he was willing to go through that most painful of trials that existed in Remnant's dark world – to live. His staff slammed into the door again before he let go and began to slam his fists against the door in a desperate cry for it to open, to receive him so he could save the woman trapped within.

Sora walked up beside him and his desire for the Keyblade's return ran through his mind again. With it, opening the door would have been a simple and quick matter, using its ability to unlock and open any gateway. Or he could have just beat the doors down with a torrent of intense magical power. Either-or he supposed. "We can't get in through the doors?" Sora asked as he walked up to stand beside the Faunus. He shoved the door with Sun for good measure but soon realized it was a fruitless effort. He grabbed Sun's arm as the Faunus readied to slam into the door again, then the former Keyblade Wielder shook his head. "We need to look for another path..." He looked around analytically and ran around the side of the building, calling back a moment later there was a loud clang that echoed from where he had gone.

The Faunus looked up hopefully and sprinted after Sora, followed soon by Ren, Nora, and Ozpin at his back. They rounded the corner to see Sora disconnecting Fenrir's metallic rope from the rung of a fire escape ladder. He looked up at the others and grinned suddenly. "You guys think this will be good for getting in?"

"She'll know we're coming from up there," Ren pointed out as he drew StormFlower.

"Let her," Sun said as he clapped Sora on the back. The Faunus smiled for the first time since finding Blake's weapon and nodded around at his friends. "She won't know what hit her." He turned around and jumped excitedly onto the ladder, looping around and around it whooping happily, as if challenging the gangster within the club to prepare for them and their onslaught in the name of a friend. Sora smiled at the careless movements of his friend before following, the second to climb the ladder. He was halfway up the flight when he heard a familiar ding come from just beneath his feet.

"Oh, come on!" he shouted as he let go of the ladder and landed on the invisible wall of energy. He looked up and he and Sun caught each others gazes. Sora shook his head and looked down at Ozpin who hung just below him, followed by Ren and then Nora. "No way through?"

Ozpin sighed and shook his head. "No, I am afraid not," he grunted. He glanced down and motioned for Nora and Ren to descend, then back up at Sora. "It seems we must part ways, Mister Nomura. These walls are... dangerous. Whatever it is that lies in there should be treated with caution beyond what we expected. But you will pull through, of this I have no doubt." Sora and Ozpin smiled at one another, then went their separate ways.

Ozpin stood with his two former students, waiting for his current student to return victorious. Something black crashed into a trash can in the alleyway across from them and Ozpin froze with worry. He slowly pulled out his Scroll and lifted the device to his ear. "S'Qrow," a voice yawned gruffly as soon as the call connected. "Speak up or hang up, it's... God, it's three in the morning? Oz, what the hell?"

"I wanted to ask you something, Qrow. Sora said you saw the Heartless. Yes?" the Headmaster inquired clinically, ignoring his friend's annoyed growling. His eyes had lost the shadowy creature, and that only worried him more.

Qrow sighed on the other side of the line. "You know, at times I miss when you let yourself get captured by a crazy witch. I got to sleep in until six in the morning sometimes," the Huntsman grumbled half heartedly. There was a pause and the rustling of sheets. "Yeah. Yeah I saw it, why?"

"Keep me apprised of any disappearances in Atlas. Where one exists it is inevitable that more will be born," Ozpin explained, leering after th shape rustling in the darkness beyond the reach of the club's dying neon; he had been lucky to find it again.

"That'll be hard. Faunus here already disappear in droves to join the Fang. But okay, Oz. It'll be easy in between trying to both set up a meeting with Papa Schnee while hiding his two most... okay daughters from him," the man responded, voice sharp with sarcasm.

"Yes... indeed..." Ozpin responded, his eyes still following the darting shadow. He opened his mouth and shut it quickly before setting his jaw. "Qrow, I will have to call you back. We are about to be attacked and this requires my full attention."

"We're what?" Nora asked, grenade launcher already drawn and at the ready as she began to search for whatever threat it was that her former Headmaster had seen in the shadows that she had not.

"Full – Oz, what could possibly require your full -" the line was cut off when the former Headmaster pocketed his Scroll and lashed out with his cane, disappearing and reappearing with a trail of green behind him. The metal weapon whistled as it danced through the air and collided between two gleaming yellow eyes.

The creature shrieked in rage, a bone chilling noise of Darkness that still caused a shiver of pain and rage to crawl down Ozpin's spine even after a thousand battles with it. "On your guard!" Ozpin shouted with a glance over his shoulder, but he was too late. Corridors of Darkness had erupted into being around Ren and Nora, pillars of inky blackness that swallowed up all the light surrounding it and giving off a harsh chill. From within soon burst forth a collection of evil creatures, each exactly like the being whose face was currently giving way to Ozpin's cane. Tall, powerful, and lithe, the monsters form was made up of pure darkness, black and in the general shape of a human. Blue lines like jagged lightning arced across its skin and up its massive, drooping anntenae sprouting from the back of its head. Two evil, yellow orbs glowed in the center of its skull. Neoshadows.

Ozpin growled in worry and kicked off of the Heartless he had attacked, sending it flying away to collide with the stone and steel of a building while he dashed towards his two allies, moving so fast that he was among them before Ren and Nora could do anything. His cane moved like the tip of a whip, the air cracking with small but echoing sonic booms every time it moved to deflect the raking claws of another Heartless that moved to attack him or those he protected. He batted one of the seven monsters – including the now recovered first of the creatures he had attacked earlier – away and into its brother who was spinning towards them. The two disappeared in puffs of black smoke upon collision, destroyed by the accumulation of damage given to them by Ozpin. He rolled beneath the outstretched claw of another and buried his cane to the handle in the Heartless' head. He turned to the five remaining Heartless when the one he had just killed disappeared completely. He was about to turn around, feeling the hair on the back of his neck begin to stand up, when a bolt of lightning crashed into the Neoshadow creeping up behind him. He glanced over at Nora, her hammer raised above her and glowing with yellow electricity.

He had no time to thank her, however, as black corridors of shadow suddenly erupted around the three of them. Ozpin brought his students back to back with him, forming a defensive triangle from which they could more easily guard against their enemies. "Are these Heartless?" Ren asked, aiming down his weapons' sights and readying to defend. "I saw something similar in Jaune's Heart."

"Yes. Be careful," Ozpin warned, voice curt and hollow as he shut off his fear. It was only a matter of time until they began to attack once more.

His worries were confirmed almost immediately, with one of the creatures jumping out of the portal to his right and attacking Ren's left shoulder. Ozpin wanted to defend his student, but was quickly faced with an onslaught of his own – two jumping at him from the front and his left while another went for Nora. Oz raised his cane and slapped one of the Heartless into the other, their heads colliding with the quiet noise of Dark on Dark. Ozpin spun around with cane parallel to his body and a green trail of light shadowing his movements, and buried the blade through both Neoshadows' connected heads. "Focus on the one that's about to attack us," Ozpin demanded before running forward, portals of Darkness appearing where his feet had been moments before, a black claw reaching out for him but only hitting the trail of light behind him instead. Ren and Nora watched him for a moment before narrowly dodging the sudden attack that swept down at them from the sky.

"Ak!" Nora shouted as she whipped her hammer around, catching a barely glancing blow against the Heartless. It spun with the blow and slashed its claws at Ren's head. He caught the attack with the blades of his weapons and fired a stream of Dust bullets into its head, each laced with confusion magic. The Neoshadow hissed and stumbled backwards in confusion, flailing wildly and trying to come to its senses again. Then Nora's hammer flattened it to the ground.

The last one came out of the ground and raised its arms, portals of Darkness appearing around it and claws of new Heartless beginning to pull themselves out. Until Ozpin's cane was suddenly shoved through the top of its head and ran through its entire body. The man stood up as the portals around him slowly disappeared, taking the Heartless within away as well, then looked over at the door to the club which still glittered with a magical barrier that hid everything that could be going on within. "This is not good," the ancient warrior muttered angrily, his knuckles turning white around his weapon's handle. He hoped Sora and Sun were safe.

R W B Y

Ten Years before the First Keyblade War

Fire. The flames burned more hot than anything Ozpin had ever experienced and threatened to burn him completely away with its intensity. The smoke filled the air and burned him within as well, his lungs screaming out for air as they were attacked by the thick gray smog. The light was blinding, so much so that he was sure he could have seen better in pure darkness. There was a cacophony of noises, screams of death and pain alongside the crackling of wood exploding and crumbling under its own child's heat.

He, terrified, summon Libidious Sting to try and calm the flames with his magic. Ice shot from the weapon's tip to do away with the heat, to save someone. Pages from books fell from above him, ribbons of flames that twirled into nonexistence around him and kept his Blizzaga from doing anything useful. He gave the weapon a swing and it crashed into the embers and swept them aside; he couldn't use Aero magic to get rid of them for fear of being bathed in a tornado of flames himself. He covered his mouth and nose with one black sleeved arm and coughed violently as he came to understand nothing could be done. The Library of the Scholars was going to burn. He looked around again and saw burning yellow eyes and arching black claws begin to reach for him.

That was when he, of course, woke up. "Yagh!" he screamed, thrashing around beneath his sheets, cold sweat running down his entire body and making them stick with every movement to his flesh. When he finally calmed down, he looked over to his left to see the annoyed, almost glowing red eyes glaring at him.

"Bad dream?" Salem asked dryly, one white eyebrow raised to communicate her lack of amusement. "You've fought creatures of pure Darkness, and a few little bad dreams can scare you? Ozpin..."

"Why do you only say my name when you're mocking me?" Ozpin grumbled, leaning back onto the bed again and covering his eyes with his hand. He was dodging the question, of course, especially since these nightmares had been going on for three or so days. He didn't want to worry her about it, stubborn as he was.

"Why do you make it so easy to mock you?" the woman inquired simply. She sighed and placed her arm over Ozpin's chest. "Oh, don't worry, I'll keep the big bad monsters of your dreams away you big baby." Ozpin just growled. "Oh, you know you love me."

"Do I?" Ozpin countered. He sighed as well and grabbed her wrist with his left hand, letting his other one drift down to grab the handle of his Keyblade. He had yet to allow any of his students to use theirs – save for Skye. The young man had been adamant that he did not want to be treated differently than the others; odd seeing as he was different. Ozpin could not put his finger on why, but he could not completely trust the others. Call it an irrational fear – Skye liked to – but the five he loved like children he just could not trust. He hated himself for it, especially since he could ignore the one that hit sometimes when he was with Salem. To be fair, he felt as if that was just because his few prior relationships had ended... poorly. He smirked and rolled her into a tight embrace. He buried his face in her neck and kissed lightly. "Fine. Fine, you're right. Despite the mocking, I do love you."

Salem made a laughing moan and patted Ozpin's messy gray head. "Go back to sleep," she commanded. A hint of sadness crept into her voice, but it was gone so quickly that Ozpin was sure he had imagined hearing it: "There'll be plenty of time tomorrow to freak out about your dreams."

"Yes, all the time in the world to complain about my bad dreams and have you make fun of me for it, calling me little baby Ozpin," the man replied mirthfully. He shook his head and nuzzled into the woman's shoulder. He closed his eyes and sighed contentedly as he prepared to drift into sleep again with his shield from his nightmares.

Alas, it was not meant to be. "Boss! Boss!"

Ozpin and Salem both groaned and turned around to glare at the small, cat like creature they had created from pure Light. "Chirithy, what the hell is it?" Ozpin growled, a hint of murder in his voice. His goal had been to create a creature that could help him fight Heartless, and instead he got a silly messenger. Not that he would complain – save in this instance; Chirithy was a clever, funny, and kind creature through whom could be passed messages to the Chirithy of his students and, thus, to the humans themselves.

"Sorry, but Jorden says you've gotta come. The Library of the Scholars is on fire," the Chirithy said. Ozpin's scowl disappeared and ice ran down his spine, summoning images of his dream to mind once again.

"Let's get going," Ozpin muttered, grabbing his Keyblade and using its magic to summon clothes around his form – a skill he had learned from his time with the weapon.

"Easy there!" Salem shouted as he jumped from the bed clad in his black coat and boots. She pulled the sheets back down to cover her body. "Not all of us can get dressed with magic, you know."

Ozpin blushed and motioned for Chirithy to leave. "We're right behind you," he told the creature. It shrugged before back flipping and disappearing into a puff of smoke. Ozpin shook his head and exited out onto the balcony so he could wait for her to follow. He was immediately greeted by the effects of the fire: a pillar of smoke arched through the night sky from where the huge, castle like structure stood, casting an even greater darkness onto the town by covering the light of Kingdom Hearts above. Ozpin placed his Keyblade on the banister of the balcony and gripped the wooden beam tight. This felt far too familiar to the man, though he knew such a thing was impossible.

A few moments later, Salem rushed out in her less billowy outfit – still clad in her usual bright colors. "Oz, let's – God..." She had caught sight of the consequences as well, the flames starting to rise far enough to be seen among the pillar of smoke and casting demon shapes within the smoke itself. "Th-that's..."

Ozpin threw his Keyblade out in front of them, focusing his mind to create a birlliant flash of emerald light around its form. Within the glow, the Keyblade did something that had, at first, surprised Salem to no end – it transformed its shape completely and even changed its main function to suit its wielder's needs. Instead of a sword in front of them was a floating vehicle, a scorpion's body and tail making up the seats of the bike while its claws came together in the front to form the front propulsion unit. The legs of the scorpion formed a series of smaller propulsion units along the bottom that pointed towards the back. They all shined with a light that gave of a gray and green tint. Ozpin drew his hand back and the floating bike drifted back to settle parallel to the balcony for easier access. "Oh, I hate this thing," Salem groaned even as she followed Ozpin onto the bike. He just smirked and gunned the engines, both to terrify Salem and to get where they were going as quickly as possible.

When he arrived, Skye was busy trying to coordinate efforts with the others to protect the people rushing to see what was going on – ever since discovering magic, the town had come to rely greatly on Ozpin and his students for aid in crisis. "Oz!" Skye called after catching sight of the descending hovercycle. He waved one hand above his head and the Keyblade wielder hovered over to him. "You got Jorden's message, then. Good. We need that weapon of yours ready."

"People have seen them?" Ozpin asked.

"Half a dozen people say they saw monsters with yellow eyes starting the fire. Which explains why the fire isn't spreading at all" Skye confirmed. He grunted and shoved back a large man trying to get closer, then gestured over his shoulder. "All of 'em say the fifteenth floor is where the fire started. But if how they've been following you since you got that thing are any indication, we won't have to wait long no matter where we head in."

"I'll watch his back," Salem asserted. Ozpin thought about telling her she should stay away from the fire, seeing as she had not made a Keyblade for herself and as such was not superhumanly durable. He ultimately decided against that since she would just find her way in regardless of what he wanted. Skye on the other hand he could keep safe.

"I feel so admired," the Keyblade Wielder forced between his teeth. He nodded down at Skye. "I need you out here to make sure everything stays calm. Keep everyone out while we'll look for survivors and Heartless." Skye looked like he wanted to protest for a moment, then sighed and nodded dutifully. He saluted halfheartedly before he returned his attention to the people trying to get past him for a look or to search for their loved ones. Ozpin blinked once and angled the cycle to fly up towards the fifteenth floor.

When he got there, he pulled up his hood and leaned in close to the cycle's handlebars. "Hold on tight," he told Salem. He felt her grip around his midsection tighten and he gunned the engines again, flying through the window and meeting the roaring flames head on with a sphere of Reflect magic that surrounded him and Salem. The cycle disappeared a moment later, replaced by the Keyblade, and the two tumbled through the air before landing lightly down a hallway. Ozpin pushed himself to his feet first and covered his mouth with his sleeve. "We should head for the central library; Heartless would herd people together if they could."

Salem nodded and grabbed onto Ozpin's free arm. "Let's hurry," she agreed. Ozpin smiled at her from beneath his hood and took off down the hallway, moving faster carrying Salem than she ever could alone. It only took him a few seconds to sprint down the length of the building and explode into the main library.

He was greeted by the same image he had just seen only a half hour before at most. He shot a Blizzaga out in front of him despite knowing in his Heart that doing so was useless, and the ice exploded against the burning ribbons of paper. Oz slashed with his blade in front of him, trying to fight off the panic that just kept rising in his chest. Next would come the – "OZ!" He turned around and everything immediately went cold.

The Heartless were huge, armored things each with a shield as tall as it was adorned with a growling demon's face. The demon's maw was filled with glimmering embers of Fire. The free hand of the Heartless was as long as its body and rested against the floor like a third leg. "Get behind me," Ozpin said as he raised his Keyblade defensively in front of him with one hand, pushing Salem behind him with his other. He coughed beneath his hood as the smoke filled his lungs and squinted as it burned at his eyes. That was when the creatures attacked, the three of them all lashing forward to fire burning orbs of magic at Ozpin and Salem.

Oz slashed out horizontally, the Keyblade catching the three orbs and knocking them back. The movement caught the flames around the two, however, and he stumbled backwards from the sudden draft of heat. Salem went with him, yelping as they suddenly pushed up against the railing of the massive room. It creaked under their combined weight until Oz frantically pulled her forward and back towards the advancing Heartless. "Dammit, dammit, dammit," Ozpin growled as the shields locked up together. Ozpin raised his Keyblade above his head and an explosion of lightning crashed around them, crashing into the Heartless and stunning them. Oz grabbed onto the woman beside him and jumped over the armored Heartless.

As he was over them, a sudden tug came from above and Ozpin shouted out in surprise. He hit the ground and tumbled through the flames. Alone. He looked up with wide, angry eyes, at the things that had taken Salem. He called them Novashadows – more powerful than the already powerful Neoshadow Heartless that showed up occasionally now. There were about five in all, their claws gripped around Salem's shoulders. Oz jumped to his feet. "Salem, no!" he shouted. He ran towards her and jumped, summoning his Keyblade back to his hands so he could swing down from his right shoulder at the pool of Darkness and save her. He was thrown off course by a shield crashing into his midsection and throwing him away. It buried him in the wall.

"Oz! Oz hel -" Ozpin looked up when Salem's voice cut out and he saw the Novashadows drag her through the portal to feast on her Heart.

"SALEM!" Ozpin roared. He raised his weapon, now glowing with a blade of Light, and ran towards the armored Heartless. He sliced through the shield that came towards him and easily bisected the Heartless behind it before turning wild eyes on another. He tossed the Keyblade in front of him, bathed in ice and Light, and the second of the creatures exploded from the force. For the last he simply destroyed the balcony beneath it and it plummeted towards the ground far below. He looked up at the fading portal and jumped towards it. "Salem! Salem, I'll -" His face slammed into the ceiling and he fell to the ground. He pushed himself up to his knees and stared up at the spot where she had been a moment before. His head fell to his chest. "Salem..."

He walked out maybe an hour later, the fires dying down, replaced by intense magical ice that would melt away in a day or so. "Oz where's..." Skye quieted down when he saw Ozpin's downcast eyes.

Ozpin had known this was going to happen. He realized that now. He had seen not himself being taken by Heartless, but Salem. He had seen the fire, the destruction, and finally her death. He looked down at the Keyblade in his hand as it dawned on him – the dreams had started when he'd received it. He had opened the door to the future, which made sense. It was just another door the Keyblade could unlock. "It's time you all learn how to use the Keyblades," Ozpin growled as he stomped past his student. If he'd made that decision earlier, maybe he could have saved her. If he'd brought Skye in maybe he could have saved her.

It didn't matter. The Heartless were too bold now and something had to be done. It was time to be Huntsmen, not guardians.

R W B Y

Sora looked over at Sun as they stood above the skylight of Junior's – wait, Neo's Club. "Just get her down, get her weapon to her, and then we can take Neo out together. She's got Darkness, so we'll need all of us."

"You got it," Sun said. He stood up and took a breath. He looked over at Sora and smiled anxiously. "So... how's my hair."

Sora scoffed and shook his head. "Fine," he assured before slamming Fenrir into the glass. Sun jumped in first and bounced from lights to speakers until he hit the ground. Sora followed, not quite as agilely as the Faunus, and was soon rolling to his feet. The former Keyblade wielder looked around and threw his hands up in challenge. He was confident he could win if he was careful. Well, that and if he knew where his enemy was. "We're here!"

A spotlight came on to reveal a young woman dangling from the ceiling. "Blake!" Sun shouted, already running towards her. Neopolitan didn't try to stop him, which worried Sora. Nothing else happened as the Faunus approached the woman.

"Sun, what the hell are you – It's a trap, you idiot!" the girl snapped as the Faunus approached. "Sun, get your friend out of here! She's gonna kill him!"

"That's the guy from the Haven attack. Believe me, he can take care of himself," Sun shouted. He jumped up and swung across the rafters until reaching the top of the rope holding Blake up. "You'll land on your feet, right?"

"I hate you," Blake lied as Sun took Gambol Shroud from his back and slashed through the rope. Blake plummeted towards the ground and landed without a noise on her feet, catching Gambol Shroud in her left hand when Sun dropped it.

"Nah," Sun disagreed when he landed beside her.

"Dramatic! Not scary, though!" Sora shouted at the ceiling as Blake and Sun walked over. He looked down at Blake and smiled.

"Blake, this is Ruby's boyfriend Sora. Sora, this is Ruby's friend Blake," Sun introduced happily.

"Nice to meet you," Blake muttered quietly, drawing her blades. "She'll be back; we need to run."

Then another light came on, and a woman in a frilly albeit sensible battle uniform waved excitedly down at the three. She was wearing mostly white, with chocolate and pink mixed in for good measure to compliment her mismatched eyes. "Neo," Blake growled, entering a battle stance.

The woman raised her umbrella and aimed it directly at them. An explosion of fire rushed suddenly towards the three young warriors, and they all jumped in different directions. "That wasn't Dust!" Blake shouted as the flames exploded against the ground.

"Magic!" Sora responded. He could almost hear the girl's eye roll. "We'll tell you later!"

Sun rolled to his feet and raised his staff. "He's not lying!" he shouted, looking around for Neo. She'd abandoned her spotlight to hunt for the younger warriors in the darkness. He groaned when a piece of metal slammed into the base of his head and he was knocked unconscious. Neo stood over his body, considering killing him, but eventually deciding he wasn't worth the trouble. She stepped over the unconscious warrior and made a bee line for her real target.

Sora was quick, she noted. He blocked her umbrella's first attack easily and even managed to sidestep her kick that came in next. Neo smiled. It looked like he would have been an interesting fight if she cared for a fight. But she didn't at the moment. He slashed his sword through the air where she had been standing a half second before. And he was too damn fast to let this continue with someone else around. So she used her new, Darkness enhanced Semblance. She thought it too good a death for him, but death was death so she couldn't really complain. Sora could do nothing as his mind and reality were suddenly flooded with illusions of what would root him in place long enough for her to bury a blade in his body.

But first... She turned and began to look for the girl. She wished she could taunt her like Roman would have, but Neo didn't really have the vocal range for that. Roman would have done it like a true professional stage player, hitting every dramatic chord and throwing in a crescendo of mocking. Neo supposed she had to settle for making the cat scream. She finally caught sight of the girl hiding in the rafters; dying her hair blonde had been a tactical mistake after all. Neo measured the distance and angle while she turned away to continue looking around. Then she turned on her heel and launched a Firaga at the kitty cat. She didn't move in time, and Neo was happy to learn that cats did not actually have nine lives. She flicked a switch on her umbrella, and the blade extended. Killing time.

She approached Sora and smiled up at his face. She'd send a picture of the dead body to Red's Scroll with Sora's own! She just wished she could see the girl's face when her world imploded. Neo raised the umbrella and aimed the spike right for Sora's jugular vein – most blood for the blow. That would make a truly spectacular picture! She stabbed forward, excited for the sweet feel of flesh beneath her blade...!

But the blow went wide as her arm – and by extension her entire body – was suddenly pulled to the right by a black ribbon and gun. She looked towards where she was flying, but was greeted by a sharp black blade to the face. She was thrown backwards and hit the ground. Who'd done that!? She looked around for her assailant when she stumbled to her feet. Kitty cat, Neo growled internally. The gang leader looked around for her prey. A moment later the ribbon wrapped around her throat from her left and she was lifted into the air. Just as she felt the weapon's grip on her slipping, she reached out and grabbed the ribbon. With all her strength, she pulled herself towards her assailant and held her weapon before her.

The Faunus brought her sheathe blade up and caught the attack with its flat, sliding to her back so she could go beneath Neo. As the criminal soared above her, Blake kicked out with both her legs and landed a heavy blow to the woman's gut. Neo summoned a portal of Darkness above her and flew through the gate. Blake got to her feet and crossed her blades in front of her. Where was the next attack going to come from?

Behind, it turned out. Blake barely caught scent of it in time. When the blade passed through her form, it was a stone shadow that caught the weapon. Neo was good with a straightforward fight; Blake wouldn't win a fight like that with her, especially not with this weird magic. Blake fired at Neo with her gun and sprinted away as quickly as she could to try and look for an opening in the shadows where she could see better. She slid into the darkness and shot into the lights above; the world became black immediately. Blake reloaded Shroud with her last mag of Dust and tried to figure out a game plan. Teleportation, fireballs... what the Dust was all this?!

She hoped Ruby's boyfriend snapped out of whatever the hell trance he was in soon, or none of them might ever make it out.

R W B Y

Sora groaned in his sleep, gingerly placing his arm over his eyelids when the darkness became permeated with the telltale red of daylight through skin. He was too tired to wake up right then. He yawned and shut his eyes tighter to try and force himself back to sleep. This was interrupted by four pairs of tiny, sharp feet landing on his chin. The young man yelped in surprise and sat up at full speed, opening his eyes and being blinded by the daylight. A familiar young woman's laugh echoed above him and he groaned, all the while slapping the crab off of his face. "Sora, you lazy bum! This is the second day in a row I've found you snoozing down here!"