I do not own RWBY or any of the characters.

Letting Off Steam

Fox stopped as he reached town, walking quickly and quietly through it. He didn't know exactly what he was looking for, but he was sure he'd find something. Finally, he did. A handful of robbers in black suits with red ties and sunglasses wielding swords or machine guns were robbing a jewelry store. Fox stopped, growling and reaching for his sword, only to stop. He grinned. It felt like a perfect time to test his new weapon, or maybe it was his old weapon, he wasn't sure anymore.

He drew the white sword, extending its blade and walking forward. The thieves turned to him and shouted for him to stop. He didn't. One of them charged at him and slashed and he slashed as well. Their swords met with an almost musical ring as Fox's snapped the thief's blade off cleanly. Fox flipped the sword, driving it into the ground and noticing the minimal resistance, then slammed his fists into the thief several times before kicking him backward into the other three. He sprinted forward, flipping over a stream of bullets before falling at the thief shooting at him, kicking his gun aside before superman punching him in the nose, crushing it and flattening the man against the pavement. As soon as his feet hit the ground, he spun, drilling an uppercut into the third thief's lower ribs, lifting him into the air before grabbing him by the front of his suit jacket and hurling him into the last one. Both crashed to the ground and Fox shot forward, slamming a knee into the already-injured thief's jaw before catching the other by the throat and holding him off the ground.

"Where's your boss?" Fox growled.

"The night club!" the thief said. "Three streets over!"

"Good," Fox said. "Take a nap."

He slammed the thief against the wall and walked back to his sword, picking it up and storing it, walking to the night club he had been directed to. As he arrived, he found a single thug standing guard, and dropped him with a quick uppercut to the manhood. Then, he slid the door open, stepping inside and finding everyone aiming a gun at him.

"Kid, you got some balls coming in here," a man in a white shirt and black vest with a red tie and a bull beard said, crossing his arms.

Fox looked around. Thirty to forty basic male thugs, one basic thug working the music wearing a bear hat bigger than his torso, and two females in skirts, one wearing white, the other red. The girl in red had a pair of bracelets with claws reaching past her hands. The other girl had a metal plate on each forearm and shin, and a pair of pistols on the back of her waist, partially hidden by a tattered white train that fell to about the back of her knees. Fox smirked. These would be the elite body guards, despite being made to look like they were just fancy club girls or dancers.

"I guess we're going to have to teach you a lesson," the crime boss was saying.

Fox chuckled darkly. "Oh I am going to Yang Xiao Long the fuck out of all of you." He pointed at the two girls on the upper level of the back. "Except you two. You'll actually warrant the use of my sword."

"So you're one of Blondie's friends, huh?" the crime boss asked. "Why are you here?"

"Simple," Fox grinned, sliding the doors closed. "I need to let off some steam."

And then, he was moving. He was out of the ring of pistols before anyone could react, slamming one thug's head into another's, dropping both. Then, he jumped, flipping and slamming a kick down on another before turning and slamming his fist into one behind him. As that one was being caught by two more, he jumped at them, slamming his knees into their heads and dropping them before flipping and slamming his feet down on two more's feet. Both yanked their feet up instantly, Fox using their movement to increase his own momentum, flipping backward and kicking both under the jaw before crashing down on another. As soon as he had, he grabbed another, spinning and swinging him through the others in a circle before throwing him.

A thug stepped forward, slashing downward at him only for Fox to catch his wrist, twisting sharply to make him drop the sword without anyone getting hurt, then slammed a series of rapid punches into his chest before jumping and kicking him in the face, hurling him away. As he landed, he picked up the sword, hurling it into the wall and catching a punch. He jerked the hand upward and back, dropping the thug to their knees before kicking him in the face. The last ten or so still standing all drew swords and charged. Fox grinned, sprinting forward then dropping into a slide, taking one's feet out from under him before flipping backward onto the thug and slamming a punch into his head. He stood as another slashed add caught his wrist, blocking the next one's sword with the current one's. Then, he yanked downward on the arm while kicking the thug in the groin, flipping him into the air before jumping and kicking him in the gut, sending him blasting through the rest, all of them being knocked out.

Fox grinned, spinning his weapon into a sword instantly in time to block one set of red claws before flipping over the other, kicking the girl forward, only for her to flip, landing on her feet. He grinned, nodding appreciatively just as the other reached her, a curved blade springing out on the outside of both forearms. Both charged and Fox fended off their blows for several seconds before he drove his sword into the ground in time to block a blow from each before jumping, slamming a kick into both of their jaws and knocking them out. He picked up the sword, spinning it back into its collapsed form and put it away, turning to the boss, who backed away quickly, hands raised in surrender.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" the boss said.

"Sorry?" Fox snorted. "For what? I was just going to thank you for the fun."

Just then, the door opened again and Blake stepped in, looking around at the thugs before staring at Fox. He sighed, hanging his head for a moment before looking up at her, seeing the concern in her eyes.

"You know, I'm honestly surprised by how much I'm not surprised to see you here," Fox said.

The two of them walked out of the club silently, heading to an all night tea shop and each getting a cup before either spoke again.

"Your team said you just took off after Sun's fight," Blake said. "They're worried."

"I just needed to blow off steam," Fox said.

"I noticed," Blake said. "Fox, what's going on?"

"It's nothing," Fox said.

"Fox," Blake said. "I'm not blind or stupid."

Fox sighed. "I know you're not. I'm not going to pretend that there's any version of reality in which you don't know."

"Then why not say it?" Blake asked.

"Because it's stupid, pointless, and none of my business," Fox said.

"But it is my business," Blake said. "So tell me."

Fox sighed again. "I don't like seeing him flirt with you, alright? But I know that you like him back, so, there's nothing I can do about it, and I have no right to get mad over it."

"You're right," Blake said. "There isn't anything you can do to stop him. Trust me, if there was, I would have by now. But, you do have a right to be...well, annoyed, at least. Because I like you too. It's...complicated, I guess. You don't flirt. You just show that you care in other ways. And...honestly, I think I prefer that. But, at the same time, you and Sun are a lot alike. That's why I like you both. Both of you are there when I need you, and both of you understand me better than anyone else I know."

"Sorry for worrying you," Fox said. "I didn't mean to."

"Did you beat Cinder?" Blake asked.

"I stabbed her, nearly cut her in half," Fox said. "But I can't shake the feeling that I didn't."

Blake nodded. "So, I have one other question."

Fox glanced up at her, shrinking into his chair slightly upon seeing the intensity of her stare.

"What did Ozpin tell you that made you shut down so completely for so long?" Blake asked. "And don't tell me it doesn't matter, or that you don't want to talk about it."

"He said that every time I die, my semblance reincarnates me into an infant or toddler," Fox said, Blake blinking in confusion before staring at him. "He said that he and I were childhood friends, and that he's met me every time I've regenerated except once. And he said that the reason I didn't know was because each time I do, my memory gets wiped."

Blake stared at him before lowering her gaze to the table, nodding. "I see. Yeah, that would...probably make me question things too."

Fox nodded, finishing his tea before sighing. "We should head to bed. There's more tournament tomorrow."

Blake nodded, finishing her tea as well. Fox left some money on the table and they walked back in silence. Fox walked Blake back to her room and Blake turned, wrapping her arms around him. After a moment of hesitation, Fox hugged her back.

"Please don't shut me out," Blake said. "If you need anything, I'm here. And so is your team."

Fox nodded, Blake squeezing him for a moment before stepping back and slipping into her room. Fox turned, walking to his own room and opening the door, Ava meeting him with a hug. He sighed, wrapping his arms around her and stepping into the room, closing the door.

"Where were you?" Ava asked.

"Working out some stress," Fox said. "I'm okay now."

"Cinder's alive," Leon said.

"What?" Fox asked.

"Ava caught a glimpse of her through the crowd," Wulfe said.

"Not for long enough to be sure," Ava argued.

"It was probably her," Fox said. "Though, how that's possible, I'm not sure. Nor do I want to know."

Wulfe nodded in agreement. "So, what are we going to do?"

"Sleep," Fox said. "Tomorrow, Ava and I will crush whichever team we fight. And as soon as we find Cinder, we crush her. For good, this time."

The others nodded and they all went to bed, Fox struggling to find sleep, even as the others passed out. He knew he had stabbed Cinder. And yet, she was alive. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't force that knowledge out of his head enough to sleep.

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