Disclaimer: RWBY and Hollow Knight don't belong to me. They belong to RoosterTeeth and Team Cherry respectively.
Rook 435: Thank you! And you're in for a treat when you do finally face the Hollow Knight.
Al-khalid: An honor to be part of a collection.
ThePolishSausageRoaster: Thank you so much! I'm always worried about characterization, balancing canon with glimpses at the hidden sides of characters.
Galer, a54321, proiu, Rider09: Thank you all very much!
Chapter 4: Hallownest's Protector
Protector of a fading land...
The bug looked like the Hollow Knight. Much smaller, only as tall as Weiss, and with smooth horns rather than the Knight's three serrations. Instead of a tattered grey cloak that covered the Knight's upper body, this bug wore a deep pink cloak that almost resembled a waist length dress. But their eyes were the same bottomless black as the Hollow Knight's.
And then the strange bug spoke.
"So, you are the ones intruding upon this ruined kingdom," the bug's voice was feminine. Had Blake heard the voice on the street, she would've envisioned a girl her age or slightly older.
The Hollow Knight struggled against invisible bonds and Blake narrowed her eyes. Behind her, Weiss unsheathed her rapier.
"And who might you be?" Weiss asked carefully.
"Who I am is of no concern, stranger," the bug said. Her tone of voice reminded Blake of those first few days working with Weiss, back when she had an...attitude problem. A voice full of authority and the unshaken belief that people would listen to that authority. But there was more in the bug's voice than Weiss had. A sense of...experience. Sorrow and resolve.
Weiss had been a spoiled princess. This bug reminded Blake of some of the more senior White Fang members. People who'd seen the worst of people, who'd seen so much hope and plans burn to ash.
Blake tapped into her aura, ready to launch herself into battle. She might not have had a weapon, but she wasn't useless.
Those senior White Fang members weren't pushovers.
Blake wasn't sure of Weiss recognized the danger in the bug, but the heiress had her weapon at the ready and a face that was not amused.
"You point your weapon at us, stranger. It would seem very much a concern for us."
"Hmph! You hold that weapon as if you intend to fight, oh pale one."
The bug put such a twist in the word pale that Blake raised an eyebrow. And she doubted that the bug was making fun of Weiss's complexion.
"Maybe I do," Weiss bit out.
"Ha! Very well then, pale one. You who dares stir up things best left forgotten. You who does not realize what curses lays deep within this kingdom. If you wish to continue to meddle within the affairs of Hallownest, then gar'hama!"
With that guttural cry the bug brandished her sword. It was a strange thin weapon, that resembled a needle more than anything-
The bug threw her weapon towards them and it whistled through the air, almost impaling Weiss. As her teammate slid out of the way, Blake saw a glint of silvery thread and watched as the bug pulled the sword back towards her.
'So thats why it looks like a needle!' Blake thought. Followed by, 'That's my strategy!' (1)
Weiss waved her rapier, pulling the trigger on the dust canister. Sparkling red dust filled the air for a brief moment before Myrtenaster caught fire. With a kiai Weiss slashed at the bug, a wave of fire flowing towards her.
"Ha!" the bug cried, leaping high above them and the wave of fire. Hanging in the air as if defying gravity, the bug tensed and seemed to push herself off of the air itself, rocketing towards Weiss.
'These bugs don't make sense!'
Weiss once again slid out of the way of the attack, but now the bug was right beside her and unleashed a blistering volley of stabs. Not all of which Weiss avoided.
'She's fighting blind!'
Weiss cried out as the bug scored a hit in her midsection. If not for aura, that would've been fatal.
Pressing her advantage, the bug pulled back her sword for another stab as Weiss stumbled. At that exact moment, Blake slammed into her.
It wasn't like hitting another human. Human's weren't soft by any means, but compared to the bug?
It was like slamming into a mannequin with hard edges.
The bug stumbled back and Blake pressed her advantage, throwing out a jab towards her face, nails outstretched. If her opponent had been human, she would've raked their eyeballs and, aura or not, that would've stung.
Blake's nails didn't meet aura, scratching across the smooth material of the bug's white mask. The bug flinched and Blake threw a kick at her knees. Meeting empty air as the bug twirled to the side, Blake fumbled and turned just in time to see silvery thread surround the bug.
"Heg'ale!" the bug shouted, fine thread filling the air as she swung her sword so fast that it blurred. Blake felt the phantom twinges as razor sharp thread cut against her aura. That wasn't the alarming part. What was alarming was that the threads stuck, and were wrapping around her-!
Blake tapped into her semblance just as a thread looped against her throat, and leapt away. She watched as the shadow she left behind got sliced into ribbons by thread that more resembled garrote wire than silk. And swore as she realized that some of that very thread was still hanging onto her, thankfully cut from the rest.
The bug paused only for the slightest moment before leaping back, eyeing Blake warily. At least the faunus hoped it was warily. The mask made it hard to tell…
'Fighting people in white masks, again,' she snarked to herself.
The bug began to circle her, legs pitter-pattering against the stone floor and Blake did the same. She wasn't about to let the bug get the drop on her again. She hoped that Weiss had something prepared though…
"Shah!" the bug cried out, rocketing towards her. Blake tensed, creating a shadow clone at the last minute and leaping to the side. The bug slammed into the clone – and leapt off of it just as Blake leapt into the air for a kick.
'How-?!'
Both of them were in the air and the bug wasted no time leaping off thin air once more, lunging towards her. It was only jumping off another shadow clone that saved Blake from being hit. The two of them landed, skidding across the ground. Blake's ears twitched as she heard the patter of many legs and spun around just in time to see the bug whirl around on four pairs of spidery legs, sword still in hand.
The bug launched herself with another cry, and it was all Blake could do to avoid a flurry of stabs and slashes.
'Never. Going. Without. A. Weapon. Ever. Again!'
"Shah!" the bug spun around, almost scraping the edge of her sword against Blake's stomach, "Ed'ino!"
'Any time now Weiss!'
Blake lunged at the bug again, trying to score another blow on her mask. The bug whirled her sword around, stabbing Blake in the chest. Blake leapt away as her shadow took the hit and aimed a blow at the bug's side when she felt something tug at her heel.
'No!'
Too late she saw the thin thread all across the floor, and time seemed to slow down. She saw hidden limbs writhe under the bug's pink dress, threads wrapping around her legs and pulling taught.
Blake hit the ground, her head slamming against the stone. Hard.
Even with aura, the phantom pain that bloomed in her head created small spots across her vision. When they cleared, the bug was standing over her, sword pointed at her throat.
"I know not what sorcery you use, stranger. But it is now time to end this."
"And end it I will!"
Glyphs blossomed across the cave, each various colors. And Weiss Schnee lunged towards the bug, fiery rapier in hand. The bug leapt away, dodging the flaming sword – but not the shard of ice that rocketed from an icy blue glyph behind her. As the bug cried out, Weiss leapt into the air, propelled by glyphs, and lunged at the bug again. Another glyph spun, spitting out a blast of air.
A deadly dance blossomed, Weiss pirouetting and lunging towards the bug, propelling herself off of black glyphs while the bug tried to avoid the dust glyph traps Weiss created. Blake could see the sheen of sweat on Weiss's face as she concentrated – the bug was keeping herself in the air by bouncing again and again off of thin air, trying to dodge everything.
The first one to make a wrong move would loose.
In the end it was the bug. The last of Weiss's trap glyphs activated, turning dark purple and pulling at the bug with the power of gravity dust. Blake saw the bug stumble from her leap and fall through the air. And Weiss slashed across the bug, sending them both to the ground.
Blake, who'd been trying to rip the thread off her legs without cutting her hands, barred her teeth in a grin.
When the dust cleared, Weiss and the bug stood facing each other. Blake could barely hear Weiss's short controlled breaths over the sound of the bugs loud gasping.
"Do you yield?" Weiss asked slowly as she breathed.
"...For now, I do," the bug admitted, getting her breath under control.
"You are not what I had expected, pale stranger. You and your friend. But know this. This kingdom holds many dark secrets, none of which should be disturbe-"
The Hollow Knight roared, finally breaking free of the many threads that had bound them. With a 'vworp' of darkness they teleported to Weiss's side, holding their sword at the ready. Blake saw the bug tense and Weiss smirk.
"...Though seeing as you've awoken one of Hallownest's darkest secrets, I know that no warning of mine will stop you from trying to dig up more," the bug stood up and stared at the looming Hallow Knight.
"Peace, my cursed sibling. I shall bother your friends no longer. All I ask is that you leave the kingdom that has cursed you alone. Some things better remain undisturbed."
"Wait, wha-?"
Before Weiss could finished her question, the bug leapt into the air and Blake saw the solitary thread that trailed off into the darkness above them. Before anyone could stop her, the strange bug had zipped away, out of even Blake's sight. Leaving only a whisper on the air.
"Dare not follow me, oh Hollow Knight. No more shall shadows haunt me..."
Protector of a fading land...
"Blake!"
Danger passed, Weiss could feel her heart slowing and the buzz of battle fading. She ran towards her teammate, trusting that the Hollow Knight would protect her from any nasty surprises in the dark.
Her teammate looked worse for the wear, school uniform dusty and shallow scrapes across her skin where her aura had grown thin in battle. Blake was still struggling to unbind her legs, making a low hiss as she tried to tip thread.
"Allow me," Weiss said, carefully and swiftly cutting through the thread. It took more force than she expected. The thread acted more like steel wire than silk.
Blake began massaging her legs, before accepting Weiss's hand.
"Thanks."
"Are you okay?" Weiss asked, placing a hand on Blake's shoulder and frowning. Despite being unarmed the raven haired girl had lunged straight into the fight. Weiss would've expected such a move from Yang, but Blake?
"I'm fine. The question is, are you okay? You were fighting in the dark. And she was aiming to kill," Blake said darkly.
Weiss shivered at the reminded, still remembering the phantom touch of sharp steel across her stomach. Just like the Hollow Knight and that...Vengefly?
'She called them 'my cursed sibling' ' Weiss thought. After giving Blake a once over to make sure she was alright, Blake giving her a deadpanned stare all the while, Weiss turned towards the Hollow Knight. In the gloom of the cave, it was nothing more than barely discernible shadow, towering over them. It felt like they could disappear into the darkness at any moment.
Weiss was no longer afraid of the Hollow Knight. A short time though she'd known them, they had plenty of opportunity to hurt her and her friends. None of which they had taken. She did not fear the Knight -
But she wanted to know more.
First's things first though…
"We should get going," Weiss said tersely, "The rest of this place could cave in at any moment. And no doubt that we've been missed. I can only hope we haven't missed any classes..."
Weiss held out a hand. Blake grabbed it, and after a moment's hesitation the Hollow Knight placed their hand on Blake's shoulder. Weiss summoned the Dream Nail, raising the strange rapier high into the air.
As she swung it down, she heard the skittering of many feet and Blake give a strangled cry. But the world whited out before Weiss could see what had happened. When Professor Port's classroom returned, Blake had taken a few steps back, pale like death.
"Blake?" Weiss asked, concerned. The raven hair beauty turned wild eyes towards her, and Weiss refused to take a step back.
"Blake, what's wrong?" she asked, urgent.
Blake took a deep breath, and then another. Before shaking her head and tying her ribbon over her cat ears.
"I-It's nothing. Just...felt a gift our little bug friend left us."
Weiss knew that Blake was lying. And she felt a stab of hurt by that. Didn't Blake trust her? But the more pragmatic side of her knew that Blake hid many things. Being Ex-White Fang terrorist, it came with the territory. But Blake wasn't that anymore. Maybe she had skeletons in the closet, but Weiss wouldn't be the one to force them into the light.
She'd have to trust that her teammate would speak when ready. But it still hurt.
Protector of a fading land...
The Hollow Knight did not feel right. It wasn't a physical malady. Killing the Vengeflies had given it enough soul to focus on healing Sir Hegemol's blows. But still, it could feel some squirming feeling deep within it.
The Gendered Child. Child of the Beast and the King. The Knight's sister. Hornet.
She was still alive. But far different from the Hornet it remembered. Yes, Hornet had been serious, even back then. But she had been cocky, excitable – in a way she had resembled Yang Xiao Long.
Now, there was a sense of melancholy to her, that reminded the Hollow Knight of its final days in the Palace. The Queen had left for her gardens, followed by Dame Dryya. Isma and Hegemol remained at the Palace while Ze'emeer left to the Mantis Village to ensure their loyalty. And-
The exiled knight had last been seen in the Royal Waterways.
The Palace had been quiet and somber, last the Hollow Knight remembered. Hornet now held that same melancholy. More than that, she had honed her mother's ruthlessness into a lethal presence. Hornet was sharp, and if one wasn't wary enough approaching her they would die.
That was not the Hornet the Knight remembered.
Ignoring Hornet, the Knight...Had lost. Lost it's battle with Sir Hegemol. It knew that its time in the Black Egg Temple must've weakened it, but to this degree? It was unacceptable. The Knight would have to train. Nothing in Hallownest would impede it or the Lady Weiss again.
But when they had gone back, to that strange kingdom of Remnant, something was amiss. They had come back just before 'lunch' was over, and Yang Xiao Long and the Nailsmith Ruby had been displeased with them. Not in anger, but in worry. The Lady Weiss and Blake Belladonna had apologized and said they would explain later, and that seemed to settle things for now.
But Blake Belladonna was acting strange. Not paying attention in classes or conversations, eyes focused on something further away than walls. Starting suddenly when someone called her name. The Hollow Knight observed this furtive behavior for a good part of the day, and still did not know why. Blake Belladonna had not been like this encountering the Vengefly Kings, Hegemol, or even fighting Hornet.
By deduction, then it had to have been that figure in the darkness that the Hollow Knight had seen Blake staring at. Appearing suddenly before the Lady Weiss cleft the veil once more, it was too faraway to make out properly. It looked less like a bug and more like a human, dressed in dark clothes and a white mask that resembled those Grimm the Professor Port had spoken of. The only other discernible feature had been hair so red it looked dark, like freshly spilled blood.
But why would a sight like that affect Blake Belladonna so?
Now they were in a library. It was not like the libraries of Monomon the Teacher, with strange glass containers of liquid, and Monomon's uomas floating around the shelves of scrolls and tablets. This library had high wooden shelves of things called books, illuminated by the light of the Higher Being known as the Sun, who's light shone through large windows.
It was apparently something called Study Hour, where the students were meant to hone whatever skill they thought necessary. So, the Nailsmith Ruby took them all to the library, into a secluded corner.
After making sure that no one was indeed around, the Hollow Knight walked back to the table team RWBY had taken. The Lady Weiss was sitting as a noble did, waiting patiently for the Hollow Knight. The Nailsmith Ruby sat next to her, fidgeting. Blake Belladonna sat, staring at faraway things once more. And Yang was standing, both her hands on the table.
"Alright, you said it was a long story. Talk."
The Lady Weiss did, from the very beginning, with minor additions from Blake Belladonna. By the end of it Yang Xiao Long was sitting down incredulously and the Nailsmith Ruby had an expression paradoxically ranging from disappointed to happy.
"I understand that I shouldn't have kept it a secret," Weiss said, "And I truly meant to tell you all. I...I didn't feel like I had enough to tell you."
The Nailsmith Ruby reached out and flicked the Lady Weiss's forehead.
"Hey!"
"You should've told us, so we could help," the Nailsmith Ruby reprimanded, gentle.
The Hollow Knight did not know why the Nailsmith Ruby was leader of the team, but it had not seen reason to complain. Most likely it did not hold all the facts and customs of this kingdom.
"I know," Weiss admitted.
"So, what? We're going to solve a magic mystery?" Yang asked, dubious.
"We certainly can't just let it sit idle," Weiss objected.
"Weiss is right, Yang. This is very big, whatever's happening," Ruby said.
Yang Xiao Long 'hmmed' and turned towards Blake Belladonna.
"What do you think?"
"...That strange bug said that Hallownest is cursed. And this Seer warned Weiss as well," Blake said after a moment, "Not doing anything might be dangerous."
The Knight shifted. Cursed. It was not sure what Hornet had meant by that. Hallownest was not cursed. Not anymore, at least.
The Old Light hadn't held those Vengeflies it had killed. Sir Hegemol was still alive, and the rest of the Great Knights must have been too. What could the Gendered Child have been referring to, if not the plague?
"So, shouldn't we tell Professor Ozpin about this, instead?" Yang asked.
"How would he know anything more than we do?" Blake fired back.
Yang Xiao Long blinked at her raven haired teammate and the Lady Weiss cleared her throat.
"I was going to tell the Headmaster after we discovered more," Weiss said.
"...Alright. Solid plan. So what do we know?" Yang asked.
The Nailsmith Ruby disappeared and reappeared in a flash of red flower petals, holding a notebook and a pen.
"Right! So, here's what we got so far!"
The Nailsmith Ruby began to write, taking suggestions from her teammates. In the end, the list was...short.
"Not a lot to go on," Blake said, looking at the list.
"Why don't we ask the big guy?" When eyes turned her way, Yang Xiao Long shrugged.
"They're from Hallownest. And that weird bug called them sibling, right?"
Four pairs of eyes turned towards the Hollow Knight, and Yang Xiao Long pushed the paper towards it.
"Go ahead, big guy."
It took a moment to figure out how the writing instrument worked. Once it had done that, the Knight carefully wrote 'The Gendered Child, Hornet'. Right away the problem became apparent.
"That just looks like chicken scratch," Ruby said, staring at the Hollow Knight's runes. The Lady Weiss had her head in her hands.
"I thought cause they understood us they'd have the same writing system, stupid..."
"Why don't you use that Dream Nail thing?" Blake asked. Weiss sighed.
"It's not a conversation. I can only...'read' snippets of thought. It'd be long and tedious-"
"Not good in the long term," Yang said, leaning back in her chair. The Nailsmith Ruby perked up.
"You have a plan, sis?"
"Well, they can write, right? And they understand us. So all we gotta do is teach them good ol' Valish."
"You say that like's its simple," Blake said. Yang shrugged.
"We've got like thirty more minutes of Study Hour. I'll see what I can do. Come here big guy. Rest of you should probably finish some homework, specially you Weiss."
The Lady Weiss nodded.
"I am behind..." she admitted.
"Ooh, I'll help!" Ruby said.
"Right then, come here big guy!"
The next twenty minutes, Yang Xiao Long taught it their kingdom's written word. She was a good teacher, patient and unyielding. The Hollow Knight listened intently, absorbing the strange symbols the golden human threw at it.
Finally, Yang Xiao Long said, "That'll be all for today. Can't throw it all at you in one go, right?"
The Hollow Knight gave a polite nod, before concentrating on the paper, writing in the strange script. It focused so much, it might've used a bit of Soul doing so. Finally, the Knight dropped the pen and took a step back. Yang took the page and read it out loud.
"The Gendered Child, Hornet. Sibling," she read slowly.
Silence followed her words and the Knight became aware of the many eyes on it. The Lady Weiss opened her mouth, interrupted by beeping from her pocket. The Lady Weiss looked from her pocket to the paper several times, mouth twisted into a grimace.
"...We're talking about this later. After classes."
Protector of a fading land...
"It's graceful, isn't it?"
Professor Ozpin took a sip of coffee as the Hollow Knight glanced at it. Just as he had expected, Glynda only allowed the Hollow Knight in the classroom if it stood at the very back of the arena hall, out of the way. This suited Ozpin, who didn't want to interrupt Glynda's combat class. She'd never forgive him.
The Hollow Knight looked at him for a moment, before turning back to the spar. Miss Rose versus Mister Lie. A battle of speed and evasion, because the first hit would most likely spell victory. Ruby Rose hit hard and fast, and while Lie Ren did not hit as hard, he hit much faster in close range. He was well versed in hand to hand combat, switching between unarmed and armed combat on the fly. That some of his fighting style looked suspiciously like moves from Kuchinashi(2)...Well, one could hardly fault someone for surviving anyway they could, especially with what he knew of Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie's pasts. And less than highbrow honorable combat moves aside, Mister Lie was a kind young man.
One that didn't have the stamina to match Ruby Rose's dashing around, Ozpin thought as he observed the way Lie Ren breathed and shook even as he twisted in and out of the range of Ruby Rose's scythe. He'd have to work on that in the future.
In the back of his mind, a part of him that was always plotting noted that Lie Ren and Ruby Rose had a lot to teach each other. They both had speed and agility, but Lie Ren had not the stamina, and Ruby Rose relied on her weapon greatly. Distantly, he wondered if they'd figure it out and ask each other for pointers. That'd be the best, for students to take initiative.
The headmaster took another sip of coffee, watching the Hollow Knight stare at the boss fight. He wondered if this strange being had come to similar conclusions. Part of him burned to ask the Knight what they thought. A hard task for one who couldn't speak, but nowhere near impossible. Sign language would be difficult though-
"Ha!"
A swing of that great scythe, a dodge a fraction too slow. Lie Ren tumbled across the ground, his aura in the red.
"End!" Glynda Goodwitch announced, with force and expression that made it clear that anymore fighting would taste her riding crop, and only her riding crop if they were lucky.
Ruby Rose twirled her scythe into its more compact form and Lie Ren managed to get to his feet, a rueful smile to match Ruby's sheepish grin. Ozpin turned back to the Hollow Knight as Glynda spoke to both combatants and the room at large about the battle – what had been done right and what had been done wrong.
"There are many things I would like to ask you. You and Team RWBY."
The Hollow Knight either didn't know anything or was too well trained to flinch. They simply turned black eyes towards him.
"I have suspicions," Ozpin could feel forebodings in the air, and swear he could taste traces of magic all across his academy, "And I'd like to lay them to rest. But, I will wait."
He believed that Weiss Schnee and her team would tell him what they found. He wanted to believe…
The Hollow Knight stared at him some more, before giving the faintest nod and looking back at the class.
Taking one last sip of coffee, Professor Ozpin slipped out of the class as silently as he had slipped in.
Protector of a fading land...
"Right, so classes are over for the day. Now are we finally getting to the bottom of this?" Yang asked.
"You're oddly excited," Weiss noted.
"Well, why wouldn't I be? As far as adventures go, a dream world full of bugs is pretty high up there!" Yang grinned.
Weiss looked around them, but there was no one around. They were outside, in Beacon's sprawling campus. The twilight sun was shining down on them, and Yang could taste the last days of summer on the wind. Soon the first whispers of the chill of autumn would return, but for now, it was a comfortable warmth. Anyone else outside would be playing around in the nice weather, freeing themselves from today's classes. They wouldn't come near a huddled group of girls, especially with the Hollow Knight looming over them and staring at anyone who came close.
Besides, Yang had made sure that no one was in ear shot when she had said that. Adventure was fun, danger and all. But getting looked at like a crazy person wasn't. It wasn't just adventure that made her a bit impatient either.
Something had happened to Blake. Her partner wouldn't tell her, and Weiss didn't know either. Blake seemed like the quiet type at first glance, but there was a difference between quiet and the mulish silence they were getting today.
Something had happened and Yang wanted to get to the bottom of it. And she would get to the bottom of it.
"Yang's right. I kinda want to see this place too," Ruby said. There was a smile on her face, but she was calm. Like a leader should be, Yang thought proudly.
"This'll be an unofficial Team RWBY mission, so chins up everyone!"
Yang grinned, stretching a bit, and she saw Weiss smother the start of a smile. Even Blake ghosted a smile, strained as it might've been. The Hollow Knight just stared at all of them before nodding.
At Ruby's words, Weiss held out her hand. A glyph unlike any other Yang had ever seen formed in her teammate's hand. Wheel shaped, with spokes that looked like a bloomed flower. Glowing a strange pink light that gave Yang gooseflesh. The moment Weiss grabbed the glyph it unfurled into an otherworldly replica of her rapier, the blade constantly shifting and leaving afterimages. It was very, very trippy.
And then Weiss lifted the ghostly blade above her head, the weapon exploding into a plume of feathery fire. With a yell the snow haired girl cut the very air in front of her, leaving a long glowing gash. For a moment everything was silent-
-Glyphs exploded from the cut and across her vision, the world whiting out-
-And when the world returned, it returned with a vengeful downpour.
"Hey!"
"What the-!"
"Rain?"
That was Ruby, who had looked up at the torrential downpour before lifting the hood of her red cloak. Some looked at her little sister and the bright red cloak she always wore and thought 'impractical' and 'fantastical'. They didn't know that said cloak was waterproof, most kinds of weatherproof, retained heat, and had pockets. Ruby chose the cloak to be fashionable, yes, but to her little sister fashionable also meant ludicrously practical.
It was raining. It was the kind of rain that wouldn't let up anytime soon. Coupled with the dark gloom all around them that said 'cave', well, Yang couldn't see shit. Only the Hollow Knight's looming figure, the silhouettes of her teammates, and half warped shadows all around them. It was kind of creepy.
"Where are we?" Yang asked. What kind of cave had rain?
"It's a city."
Everyone turned to Blake. The raven haired girl had undone her bow, cat ears free and twitching. And Blake's amber eyes seemed to glow in the misty gloom.
"A city?" Ruby asked, her eyes flashing silver as she turned towards Blake.
Blake nodded.
"It's a city. Not like Vale though. The buildings and layout clearly weren't made by humans."
Scratch that, it was eerie. Yang felt a chill up her spin and couldn't help but look around for movement. Not that she could see much of anything.
Aside from the hiss of the rain, she couldn't hear anything.
A chime came from Weiss as she summoned the Dream Nail once more. In the pinkish light, the pale girl looked like a ghost. Rather than raise the weapon high above her head, she turned to the Hollow Knight.
"Do you know what this place is?" and then prodded the Knight with the pink rapier. Soft glyphs surrounded the Knight, and Weiss hmmed.
"They said its called the 'City of Tears'," Weiss sounded troubled. Not that Yang could blame her. Names held meaning, and what had to have happened to name a city after tears?
"Why?" Ruby asked, ever curious. Weiss prodded the Knight once more.
"Because of 'the rain'," Weiss said, dubious.
"Gotta be more than that," Yang insisted.
Weiss was about to say something when-
Something move above them, swinging onto the roof of a house Yang could barely make out. Next to them, Blake and the Hollow Knight tensed.
"It's her!" Blake hissed. Team RWBY as one turned towards the blurry figure, Yang's hands curling into fists.
"Hmph! Ha'gana sa'gana," a feminine voice spoke, before running into the distance.
"After her!" Ruby commanded.
Easier said than done. Three fifths of their team couldn't see, and the City of Tears had roads that winded worse than a hog-nose snake. This wasn't including the time Yang ran straight into a deep pond where the road was no more. Fishing her out had taken precious few seconds, and by the time they'd gotten a steaming mad(3) Yang out of the water, Blake had lost Hornet.
But the Hollow Knight hadn't and continued to lead them deeper into the forever rainy city. Until they suddenly stopped.
The rest of Team RWBY fanned out to the side of the Knight. Weiss raised Myrtenaster and ignited it, creating a hissing light.
"Turn that off."
The strange bug.
"And why should we?" Yang challenged. She wasn't looking for a fight, but she was soaked and cold and she wouldn't mind one-
A bright white light appeared. A lamp, held by a bug that looked like the Hollow Knight but wearing a pink dress. For a bug without expression, Hornet seemed very done with them.
Weiss put out the fire she had created. The lamp that the bug was holding was a much better light in this rain either way. Yang could actually see the cobblestones and the houses around the clearing-
'Clearing?'
Yang finally noticed the fountain and the statue. Made of black stone, three strange robed figures stood atop a large flower and were staring up at-
"That's-" Yang began, stunned.
"A memorial to the Hollow Knight," Hornet's voice was flat, and she was looking down at a plaque of the strange writing that the Hollow Knight had shown them.
"In the Black Vault far above. Through its sacrifice Hallownest lasts eternal."
Hornet's tone was a winters gale.
"I wonder if any of you understand what shadows stain Hallownest," Hornet turned towards them.
"Hornet-" Weiss began.
"The pale one knows my name. Only my cursed sibling could've told you. I wonder what else it told you."
"Hey, what's your problem?" Yang bit out. Hornet turned towards her.
"I am this Kingdom's protector. It's sentinel. And now its darkest secret walks the kingdom once more, with alien beings who have never walked the lands of Hallownest."
"We don't want a fight," Ruby said before Yang could give Hornet a piece of her mind.
"And you're right, we don't understand. But we want to. Could you tell us?"
"Hah! You have come to the heart of this kingdom, in search for the truth. Do you think you would find it so easil-"
Street lamps that Yang hadn't even seen in the gloom of the City blazed to life. All across the City of Tears, street lamps and lanterns glowed and illuminated the a city both sprawling and cramped, alien and familiar.
"The Watcher has turned his sights on us," Hornet began gravely, throwing her needle-like sword into the distance.
"If, after you find the truth of this Kingdom, you insist on going further, seek out the ash grave at the edge of this kingdom. There, you may find the road to peace, my birthcursed sibling."
Before anyone could stop her, Hornet zipped off into the distance, swinging into the gloom of the city. Before anyone could think of running after her, they had bigger problems.
As lights illuminated, the silent City of Tears came to life.
Protector of a fading land...
In a shadowy alley, as the ghosts of a City long gone came to life, a figure watched the strangers for another moment before turning back. Making their way through winding roads and taking rooftops when necessary, they headed towards the spire that towered over the City of Tears.
'At least I don't have to fight anything,' Quirrel thought with grim cheer.
The real City of Tears was filled with the husks of bugs and guards long dead, who'd kill on sight. This one, at least, was only filled with the dreams of the dead.
Making his way into the spire and onto the long elevator ride up, Quirrel could not help but think.
'So, that was the Hollow Knight? It's statue does it no justice.'
And the Hollow Knight deserved justice, Quirrel thought. He might not have been one of the King's inner circle. He might not have known all the details. But...He had been Monomon's apprentice.
'Take this mask, my student. The journey I send you on will be long, and perilous, and it is more than anyone should ever ask another. Forgive me that I do...'
Even know, long long after, Quirrel forgave his Teacher. He didn't know everything back then. He didn't know everything now. He was working on learning more. If not for his Teacher, than for the Little Knight that he had encountered through his most recent trek of Hallownest.
The elevator came to a stop, and Quirrel stepped out, thoughts glum. Walking past the Watcher Knights with one hand on his nail, even though they hadn't stirred when he had came here before. Taking another elevator, and-
"You return, apprentice of Monomon."
The Watcher's voice was soft, and gentle. It was a voice that tickled Quirrel's old, almost forgotten memories. He hadn't known the Watcher of the City, the King's loyal servant, that well. What little he did remember correlated with what he felt now, staring at the strange wispy bug, body covered by a grey cloak. Only the white mask was visible, with its single black eye. The Watcher of the City, who stayed up in his Spire and kept an ever watchful eye on Hallownest's capital.
Lurien the Watcher.
Protector of a fading land...Sentinel of Hallownest
(1: ' Followed by, 'That's my strategy!' '): Long ago, when she had chosen her weapon Blake had chosen a Variant Ballistic Chain Scythe because she could cut her opponents to ribbons from a distance, and pull her weapon back towards her when they rushed at her. Evidently the bug had the same strategy.
(2:' That some of his fighting style looked suspiciously like moves from Kuchinashi '): What the rest of the Kingdom of Mistral said about Kuchinashi followed along these lines: You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. On a scale of wretched hivery, Kuchinashi is about .3 Ankh-Morporks
(3: ' by the time they'd gotten a steaming mad '): Not metaphorical. Yang tended to burn when angry
So, another chapter! With a lotta stuff in it. Hopefully this chapter meets expectations, since this is where the gears start winding up.
I couldn't help but add a little Spider!Hornet. It's very compelling.
To give an idea of where this is happening chronologically as far as RWBY goes, this is in the beginning of Volume 2. As far as Hollow Knight, well...
Lie Ren intrigues me. A boy who lost his home and family at a young age, who along with Nora Valkyrie somehow became good enough to become students at Beacon Academy? A school that is an ocean away from their home of Mistral? There's enough material there that one could write an entire fanfic about their misadventures. This is not that fanfic, but I couldn't help in but sprinkle in some of my guesses.
And poor Hollow Knight, having to relearn what skills atrophied while it was sealed away. That'll be frustrating, but they're in a good place to learn to fight.
Team RWBY's getting closer to Hallownest's mystery. But will they discover it soon? Will they accelerate right into a situation they cannot handle?
And what does the Watcher see, high in his spire? What is Quirrel's plan?
Tune in next time!