[Cues - Far Away (遥か彼方, Haruka Kanata) – Asian Kung-Fu Generation]


残り:四の影/ Remnant's Four Shadows

Volume 2, Episode 8: The Truth Burns


(Tuesday – Day 9)

Team YUKI knew it was bad when they woke up in Chronoa's realm. The Goddess of Time looked stressed and cold. There were several books on her desk as Chronoa sighed.

"Fuck it. After the recent alterations that the Gods have forced into this timeline behind my back, I have no choice from to give you everything." Chronoa said looking down at those books. "All the knowledge of the timeline."

"Everything?" Yuki asked shocked.

"Yes. All 6 Volumes thus far, the "side adventures" of After the Fall, and I'll have to give you, Yuki, a new ability. I shall make you an Oracle." Chronoa said seriously. "Basically, a herald of mine."

Yuki gulped knowing what he had always knew was bad enough. Part of him wanted blissful ignorance, but his logical side pointed out that was a stupid desire to have. He accepted this power wholeheartedly while wishing his blissful ignorance goodbye.

After the process and sending them back, Chronoa knew she was in danger. The brother Gods were going to come for her, but she resigned herself to. If she was going to be beaten and humiliated, she was going to tank it.

-R4S-

Team RWBY and Professor Peach knew something was very wrong when Team YUKI lumbered out of their room. Yuki was livid internally over the truth about Ozpin and Salem, and the only thing that prevented him from snapping was knowing that Adam was a dead man in the regular timeline. This assured him he could kill Adam with little issue to the timeline. Rita had come up to Yuki who wordlessly give her the discs for Volumes 3 and told her to watch it to which she scurried off to do so. The four dropped on their chairs at the table looking haunted. Yuki and Lapis were simply withdrawn, Kelly was holding Cinnabon for comfort, and Ivory was popping the energy drinks. Serena appeared rubbing Yuki's back to try to soothe.

"Ruby…" Yuki said warily. "I need to ask you something."

"What is it?" Ruby asked.

"You say you want to be the heroes in the storybooks." Yuki asked almost pleadingly. "Could you still be one even with how harsh reality is, with secrets that could destroy your belief and hope, and having to make hard choices?"

"I could let those secrets destroy me, but I think of the people who need protecting. We can't leave them unprotected, can we? Even with how cold reality is or no matter what hard choices I or you have to make, we signed up to be huntsman to protect the innocent…like our parents before us." Ruby said gently.

She did not know, but Yuki needed to be reminded. He got up and thought of his father. He knew exactly how screwed things were (for the most part) yet always carried that goofy grin to help everyone. For a moment, he could see it in her. A bit of the old Yuki before Adam came…the side buried under the weight of the jadedness. Yuki made a promise to himself he was going to protect that. Ozpin and Salem? He didn't care. He was not going to let that optimism and hope be killed by neither one of that.

"Ruby, today there will be afternoon 1 on 1 training with me today. You need a rest and I need to sort some issues." Yuki said getting up.

Lapis got up and left the room citing she had to deal with Jaune. Kelly noted that Team RWBY had her class and hauled them off to it with Ivory following along. Yuki went into Peach's room to find her looking completely downcast.

"Damn it…Glynda." Peach muttered as he put a hand on her shoulder. "Please tell me it doesn't get worse."

"I'd tell you no, but you knew what you got into seeing the show." Yuki said tiredly.

"I need a day off." Peach said turning off the television and passing the disc back to Yuki.

Yuki put it away right as Ozpin and Glynda walked in to do the usual meet and greet. Glynda had frozen in her tracks seeing the flat out death glare Peach had for them, and Yuki was not any better.

"What do you want?" Yuki asked.

"Is that any way to talk to your boss?" Ozpin said before sipping his coffee. "I need you for something. I've recently come into information you have a tie with the Remnant Amazons."

Using Harley's semblance, Yuki read between Ozpin's lines and his glare hardened.

"You want the Fùxīng Shuǐguǒ." Yuki said cutting Ozpin off. "And you except me to go behind them to help you. Here's my answer, fuck no. I don't see you having your mates backstab their family to serve your needs. Oh wait, knowing you, you'd make Qrow do so to Yang and Ruby. Is nothing sacred for you?"

"Glynda, please don't tell me you expected Yuki to do this?" Peach asked.

"Well…maybe consider asking first." Glynda said weakly trying to excuse this.

"That wouldn't fly because Cologne won't and never will trust you. Hell, I'm struggling to trust you!" Yuki said livid. "And you toying with your "team", your students, and Team YUKI isn't doing any favors."

"I'm merely doing things for the greater good." Ozpin said seriously.

"So, sticking your dick is crazy when the Gods warned you not to, is a funny way of showing it?!" Yuki thought before saying, "For the greater good? Was that the same line you fed to Hazel when his sister died?"

Ozpin was silent as Yuki glared harder almost appearing to stare into Ozpin's very soul. However, Yuki was silent as well.

"If you two don't have anything else to say, I suggest you leave. We have lesson plans to deal with." Peach said coldly.

Glynda and Ozpin had left as Yuki let a sigh. Dealing with Oz was going to be hard after learning all of this. If anything, he was a victim too, but Ozpin's decisions made them hard to put up with him.

"By the way, Rita. I didn't know you studied botany or that your name was Thumbelina." Yuki remarked.

"Technically, botany is a side thing for me. I am still a scientist at heart, and botany was something I was pushed into studying by my parents. Thumbelina…is sadly what my parents stuck with me as my first name. Thankfully, the moment I was old enough, I changed it to my middle name and renamed myself to Rita shortly after. How did you…" Peach said.

"After the Fall. It's a side-story that reveals information that should have been revealed sooner. Like CFVY's semblances." Yuki said dryly. "Honestly, I'm just done with preserving canon. I'm personally ready to derail it."

"Preventing the fall of Beacon?" Peach said.

"Part of me says no, but I have a plan that will get me out of Ozpin's thumb. I just need to start on the paperwork to do so." Yuki said as Serena immediately got to work.

The rest of day went on as usual as lunch came up, and Yuki came up to Velvet.

"Hey Vel, I need to talk to your leader." Yuki said kindly.

"Coco? She's out in Vale." Velvet said.

"Thanks, Vel." Yuki said going back to the Dragon's Den.

He walked pasted Team JPNR right as Lapis came into the room coming up to Jaune.

"Well Jaune, I have the results of your test and I need to say congrats. You passed with flying colors." Lapis said handing her a letter. "So, everything's official…your transcripts are redone, and you're now here as a huntsman in training under us."

Jaune paled as he knew that the team was not going to have any mercy in training him.

"Congratulations, fearless leader!" Nora said excitedly.

"So, Cardin nor anyone has any blackmail on you." Lapis said sternly. "I expect you to train until you're up to our standard. After some talking, the team has agreed to teach you the Azure family style that you were trying to copy. So, we'll start training now."

"Oh no…" Jaune thought as Lapis dragged him away.

Ivory was in the midst of grading papers with Kelly as Yuki returned to the den to change into some street clothes. A simple jacket, a plain t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers. He had been learning to shapeshift not only his body, but his clothing. Thanks to combining it in tandem with Emerald and Neo's semblances, he was able to completely alter the clothing. He got his weapons in tow and tore open a portal straight to Coco.

-R4S-

[Cues: J Dilla – Come Closer (Instrumental)]

Coco was in the midst of doing some clothes shopping, specifically trying on some new dresses for the dance. She was in the midst of unzipping her dress when a portal flash up. Coco let out a squeak and out came Yuki who quickly realized he should have called. Considering she had the dress she was trying on unzipped exposing her frilly black bra.

"This is a bad time…" Yuki whispered.

"Is something wrong?" A store attendant said.

"Unless you can shapeshift into a woman, it's going to be an even worse time." Coco whispered.

Hastily, Yuki shapeshifted into his female counterpart to which Yuki had called Yukine. This transformation was simply for disguise, but it was an awkward one to use. Simply because of Ivory. The store attendant came up only for Coco to say that it was a girlfriend of hers that surprised her which convinced the store attendant to leave.

"Holy shit, you fill out really well." Coco said with a chuckle.

Yuki had also changed his clothes to a shorter black jacket, a blue sports bra, black cargo shorts with blue flames on the ends, and blue trainers.

"Please don't remind me." Yuki said right as Coco squeezed his chest. "Yeah no."

He swatted her hand away and Coco redressed herself before they left for the food court where Yuki shifted back to his normal self much to Coco's disappointment.

"Look we need to talk. It's about your semblance. My database has just informed of your semblance and your team's. I simply have few words to what I learned. Practically only Velvet is using her semblance to her best. You and Yatsu not so much." Yuki said dryly. "And before you ask, yes I'm aware of his past trauma. But sitting on this power is like saying you're broke while laying on a pot of gold."

"Not like there's any psychologists around for huntsmen." Coco said causing Yuki to facepalm.

Yuki got up and tore open a portal leaving through it before returning with Toriel. Yuki could not blame Coco as he knew Ozpin hid this.

"Coco, this is Toriel Dreemurr, she's a psychologist. In fact, she and a group in Vale are supposed to be dealing with huntsmen and huntsmen-in training." Yuki explained.

"But…Ozpin…" Coco stammered.

"Owes me and you a good explanation." Toriel said fiercely. "But I will arrange a session for Yatsuhashi if I can talk to him."

Coco looked her up and down as Toriel was always an imposing figure and people could not help but stare.

"Was she a huntress?" Coco asked.

"I was…briefly. But all the Grimm ran away from me." Toriel said wistfully.

"Why?" Someone in the crowd asked.

"Because…they knew better." Toriel said darkly for a split second.

"Well, I'm going to leave you two to talk." Yuki said fixing to leave.

"Actually, could you portal us back to Beacon?" Coco asked. "This is something I should deal with now."

Yuki rolled his eyes and did so as the three left the food court to find up right in front of Ozpin. Oh, how the emerald wizard wished Toriel was glaring at him. She clearly wanted answered, and Yuki bolted out of the room.

"Ozpin, you have some explaining to do." Toriel said in faux kindness. "Coco, please the room."

Coco obeyed, but stayed near the door to listen in. She could hear yelling, Glynda trying to calm Toriel, and more words being thrown. Smashing and the like before Toriel left the room peachy and nice. Coco peered in to see Ozpin's head caved into the wall and Glynda plopped into her room completely lost.

-R4S-

(Nightfall)

"So is the plan ready?" Yuki asked.

The silver eyed warrior was in the lab with a holo screen emitted from his eyes to show Roman Torchwick on the other end.

"Of course. I made sure to prevent any people you would have reservations in murdering on that train. Assholes tried to get a pregnant member and her boyfriend to partake in the train heist. I gracefully offered to pay for them not to be on it before later bribing that couple to leave Vale." Roman said with hints of sarcasm.

"I'll have the idea to compensate you transferred to your account." Yuki said with a sigh. "There's something else. It's about Cinder's boss. I just learned some new info on her…and you're not going to like it."

"It can't be that bad." Roman inquired.

Serena had told and Roman facepalmed.

"I can't believe this shit! You're telling me I die over an ongoing divorce between two assholes using the world as their battlefrield." Roman said as Yuki nodded. "If I knew that earlier, I would have just left Vale, but I can't let Cinder run wild. But have you told your protégés?"

"No, not until the time is right. I need Ruby's innocence and optimism now more than ever." Yuki said hopeful. "I'm just going to make sure I can bust up with this timeline and get us all through with our balls in place. I wouldn't want Neo and Cinder to team up."

"Even for a threesome?" Roman joked.

"Oh please. Neo would have Cinder tied up and gagged." Yuki snarked back.

"Most illogical that they would agree to one." Serena said.

"Either way, I need to go." Yuki said as Roman nodded.

"Later." Roman said hanging up as the screen faded away.

"Still I inform Amber if this conundrum?" Serena asked Yuki who looked over at his A.I.

"Do it." Yuki said as she vanished.

He returned to the dorm through the lava lamp to find Ivory waiting for him.

"Yo. Coco's in our common room and she wants to talk to you." Ivory said with a small smile. "She's going to be quite happy to see you."

Yuki walked out to see tackle-hugged by a gracious Coco explaining how thankful she was to get some help for Yatsu.

"I'm only doing my job." Yuki said kindly.

"Well thanks to you doing your job, my team has gotten time off from missions. Paid time off. Long enough that we can go to the dance!" Coco said excitedly. "So, if you need a date. Hit me or Vel up!"

Coco left the Dragon's Den leaving him with a wink before she was gone.

"Speaking of which. When our mission is over, who are you taking to the dance?" Lapis said teasingly.

"Shit." Yuki spat.

Chronoa was thinking the same word as the brothers had her restrained. She was not going to cry and give them the gratification they wanted.


Semblances Copied:

Team CFVY

(A/N: For those serious of what those semblances, they were revealed in "After the Fall": Coco [Hype. Can enhance dust.] / Fox [Telepathy] / Velvet [Photographic memory] / Yatsuhasi [Memory Wiping (Memory Control)])

Hazel Reinhart

Tock

Maria Calavera

(A/N: Now they know everything! Poor Yuki, ultimately stuck getting more and more annoyed, by ending up as an Oracle. However, with the gang now before fully aware, the timeline is going to change even more radically! This small chapter was made in a bit of response to the reveals made in After the Fall with Peach's name and CFVY's semblance. Let's just say I can't take these writers seriously anymore. Next up, the Breach.)