RWBY: Chosen King and Queen

Chapter 5: Redemption and Dreams

I am not done yet! Another chapter! Double! Enjoy!!

Another battle. This time it was indoors. A school. My love. My life Ruby. On the ground fainted, as I looked on as my blood began to start pumping. Who could have done this? Who was responsible?! I looked around only to find no one. Someone was responsible. Someone needed to pay. In a fit of rage all of the energy I had within bursted out as blue aura like blades surrounded us. Again flashes occurred. Fights that I have not been in, styles that are familiar but yet different. I looked down and found a pond as I looked in it and found my reflection, but I felt different. Something wasn't the same. Something isn't right. I looked back to Ruby to see an assailant. A black cloak. After her unconscious figure. I acted once again. With my right hand outstretched every sword attacked and struck the assailant. I looked at my hand and then the pond at myself only for the reflection to talk to me and say,

"...Future… "

"First before anything I feel as though you need to change your weapon," Rainier said.

Cardin looked confused, "Why?"

Rainier and Cardin were in a blacksmith shop as Cardin asked for combat training, while Rainier decided to help with his first step. "If I am being honest, I don't believe you have an affinity for a mace."

"Okay then how do we find my affinity weapon?" Cardin asked.

"Well that's the easy part; however the hard part is being able to have a variety of weapons to test it out. Although for this place we won't need to worry about it. You could thank Ruby for that."

Cardin nodded and made a mental note to thank the red-headed leader after this. They approach the black smith that was at the counter in the front of the shop. Cardin made note of the many types of weapons everywhere ranging from swords to hammers all plastered all over the wall or being placed on the floor near the wall. "Well hello there," an older man greeted, "What can I help you with today?" The man had grey like hair with a grey beard and a sort of skinny stick in his mouth, along with black eyes. He wore a grey shirt with stains on it along with and a black apron wrapped around his waist with dark pants.

"Yes, a young girl called earlier. We're trying to get him a new weapon," Rainier started, "But we need to find out what he will be best at first."

"Ah you must be Ruby's friends, well then allow me to introduce myself. Grey Coal is the name," the older man sticks his hand out to be shaken.

Rainier responds to the gesture in kind, "Rainier Cendrillion."

Cardin shook his hand as he introduced himself as well, "Cardin Winchester."

"Well then, now that we are acquainted why don't we head on in the back, that's where I have the weapons assembled."

Grey led them to where he has all types of weapons laid out for display on a table, "You youngsters can go ahead and knock yourselves."

Rainier nodded, "Thank you for all your help."

Grey nodded, "No problem. Just yell if you need me."

With Grey vacating the area, Rainier turned to Cardin, "Now then let's get started shall we."

"So how do we find the affinity of the weapon that I have."

"The process is quite simple really and it shouldn't take long." Rainier walked up to the array of weapons and laid his hand on one, "All you have to do is use your aura to try and connect yourself with a weapon. If it feels right and you feel as though it's an extension of yourself then you know you have the right weapon." Cardin nodded and walked up to a weapon. In front of him was a hammer, something used for brute force and impact to deal damage. Cardin did as he was told and focused on his aura. "Concentrate. Don't pick the weapon. Let the weapon come to your aura. If it is a match that is."

Cardin concentrated but he didn't like how the weapon felt in his hands. It was as if it was too stiff as if it was retreating, this Cardin put the hammer down and then picked up a spear. He did the same and for this it felt a lot better than the hammer. It felt like he and the weapon were on equal ground; however, it still felt a little off so he kept trying.

After several attempts he landed at a war axe and it was the closest thing to a solid connection and to what Rainier explained but it was still missing something. He thought a little more then came with an idea, so he took the axe along with him. Rainier was curious about this and watched with intrigue. Cardin then picked up the lance from earlier and with them both it felt right, maybe not as heavy as he would like but the connection was there. "I see," Cardin looked to Rainier, "So your weapon is a heavy glaive. How fitting as it gives you range and power and with practice, better mobility." Rainier smirked at Cardin to which he smiled at the prospect of his new weapons.

"Hey," Grey came from the front of the store, "Did you find what you were looking for?"

Rainier nodded, "By any chance do you have a forge we could use."

Grey smirked, "Ruby said that you guys might need it so it is open and ready for use."

A few days later, Rainier was walking down the hall with Blake as they had just come from the library; however before they started walking Cardin was walking by. "Cardin," Rainier called out.

Cardin walked over to him, "Hey Rainier. Blake." Blake did not speak back; however to Cardin he understood why. He had just started to change not only that but he has yet to apologize to Velvet for the reason of him wanting to completely change his image before confronting her. So to him it was natural that she was still skeptical of him.

"Cardin. This is for you," Rainier gave Cardin a book, to which Cardin looked at it with confusion, "It is a book on fighting styles for heavy glaives. Something you will undoubtedly need for your new weapon."

"Thanks Rainier, actually it is done now and I was on my way to pick it up now, but if you don't mind me asking do you know anyone who can help me with how I look?" Cardin asked.

Rainier understood why he asked this, "Besides Coco, who I believe that you are not on the best terms of with yet. The next best person is Zyaire."

Cardin nodded, and left but not before thanking Rainier for everything. Blake looked at Rainier, "Can he really be trusted? I can see he is trying to change but can we be sure that he can?"

"Everyone deserves a second chance, depending on the circumstance. For Cardin, I believe he can, but I would be foolish to rule out that other possibility. I believe in my leader's intuition and I trust him fully," Rainier said as he began leaving.

Blake stood and thought about her team and envied slightly on how close Drayce's team was and how they could trust each other in a heartbeat. 'Should I put more trust in them. I mean they agreed and was happy when Argus stood up for Velvet…' She thought but after a while she dismissed those thoughts and left for her dorm room.

A couple of days later

In the Cafeteria

Teams RWBY, JNPR, RRZA, and CFVY were all enjoying lunch at a table while everyone was groaning from the pun that Yang just made. Someone behind Velvet cleared their throat in order to get their attention. Everyone looked to see Cardin, which prompted both Yatsuhashi and Fox to stand up in guard of Velvet. "You have a lot of nerve to show yourself here," Yatsuhashi said.

"Wait boys," Coco said, halting them, then she addressed Cardin still in her seat, "What do you want?"

Cardin, with Russel behind him, stood for a second as this was becoming hard for him to do until he quickly knelt down in a bowing motion, "I would like to apologize for all the harassment that I caused your team and to your teammate Velvet Scarlatina."

This surprised both Yatsuhashi and Fox but they sat down and said nothing. "What makes you think that we would accept this?" Cardin looked for an answer but said nothing, "For the things you've done to Velvet I would really love to send you flying," Cardin understood where she was coming from and honestly didn't expect them to accept his apology. "However, this is not my call. If Velvet can forgive you, then I can too, but don't think that this will get you into my good graces. If she accepts, you will need to work hard to prove yourself. Your call Velvet."

After a couple of seconds with everyone in the cafeteria looking on, Velvet gave her answer, "I forgive you." Cardin's head rose so fast that it may have gotten a bit of whiplash with his eyes wide in surprise, "You said that you apologize and I've heard that you have been trying to change and I feel that you deserve one more chance."

Cardin went on and looked at the faunus in amazement, "Thank you so much."

Later that night

Drayce was breathing heavily in the middle of a stadium of sorts. It was a facility that students in the academy could use in order to train in their off time. After finishing the last hologram dummy he sat at the center of the stage panting and in sweat. He has been at it for a couple hours now, and it has been happening for the last couple days.

"Drayce?"

The person in question looked back to see Ruby there at the door, "What are you doing up so late, and here at all places, you could get in trouble."

Drayce got up and sat on the benches near the stadium with Ruby, "I couldn't sleep, so I decided to get some training in."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Drayce thought for a second, "I feel as though something is wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"Like something is going to go wrong, and I don't know what," Drayce started, "I feel dread when it comes to our teams future and honestly. That scares me." Ruby looked at him in pure shock. For Ruby, Drayce was the kind of leader she wanted to be, someone she looked up to. He always appeared fearless, smart, fun, and generally always knew the answer to things, but to hear that he had something that could make him visibly shake was something that was very concerning to Ruby.

"Is there anything that makes you feel that way?" Ruby asked, trying to get to the bottom of his problem.

Drayce thought as if contemplating whether to tell or not but decided on revealing it only to Ruby, "I have these dreams, but honestly it doesn't feel like they are dreams. Like they are futures. I see many things, people dying, things burning, people that I don't know. I just don't know what's going on with me. If they are anything, I… I'm scared if these are futures, what if you…"

He left that sentence hanging in the air but Ruby understood what it meant, "I'm going to be fine, Drayce. We are all going to be fine." Ruby then hugged Drayce, "I promise you, everything will be fine."

"Then promise me." Drayce started as he looked at Ruby, "Promise me that no matter what happens that you will be okay. I lost my mother, my father feels like he's on death's door, I just can't lose anyone else important to me."

Ruby looked at him for a moment. This was a side that she had never seen of him, 'All of this pressure. He isn't just here as a student but also as a representation of Arlyn. It's hard for him, he feels alone even though he still has his friends… Then I'll make sure he isn't alone.' Ruby gathered enough courage to say what she needed to him, "I can't promise that I'll be alright since we are Huntsmen and Huntresses; however, I promise that as long as I am here I'll always be by your side, but you must promise me the same."

Drayce nodded with slight tears in his eyes, "I promise."

Sorry but this one is a little shorter than the rest because

A) I want this chapter to be a sort of separation between Jaundice and The Stray

B) To do some character development for Cardin and show how Rainier acts and thinks

C) Reasons that you guys will know later on in the story

So with that being said between volumes you may see some chapters like these that are shorter up until Volume 3. They are kind of used like those fillers in anime but actually have some important stuff in them. So it isn't filler? IDK call it what you will. So until next time. Peace out and stay safe.