RWBY: Fragments Chapter 26: Octave, a rwby fanfic

Music says the words we're too afraid to speak out loud ~Unknown

Note: This will contain 3 songs within the story, of course, these are just purely for entertainment purposes and own nothing, links are connected to the song name, enjoy!

Arc IV - Linked Horizon

Chapter 26 - Octave

"Alright, lets all agree to 'never' help Ren deal with Coffee Nora ever again, are we in an agreement?" I asked as I rested my head against the door to my room where my friends will be waiting for me to collapse in despair and quite possibly rant about my day

"Ditto." Eric

"Not a word from me." Iota

"I...have to agree too." Specter, who decided to commune with me at the worst time. "Should I talk another time?" No...might as well stick around until I'm alone

"Now, let's go in, crawl onto my side of Ruby's bed, and curl into a ball of comfort for the remainder of today." With my sigh long gone, I went to open the door, but I could hear something on the other side, it was harmonic, almost like... "Singing?"

With my curiosity peaked, I entered my room to see...all of my team, Coco and Velvet, Sun and Neptune, along with Jaune and Pyrrha. Apparently, sleep wasn't on my list anymore, what I did see was Weiss clearing her throat, sitting back down on her bed while applause rang through the room, mind you, my mind was still trying to process it all slowly

"That was beutiful, Weiss!" Ruby gushed with amazement, as Pyrrha nodded in agreement

"It seems none of us would be able to top your performance, though, Yang does have more...flare." Pyrrha added at the end, adding to Yang's ego and fist-pump

"See that? I can sing too!" Yang boasted that's when I made my move

"You mean like how you used Echo as an amp, setting off such a high frequency in my armor that it shattered half the windows on campus?" I remarked dryly, seeing her pride fall apart, her finger raised to her lips to hush me

"We agreed to never speak of that!" Yang hissed, while I shrugged

"So...what did Ruby force you to do this time?" I smiled with my arms crossed, seeing Ruby push a book aside shyly

"Another of Ruby's ideas to spend our week of relaxing. This time, singing." Blake replied with actual interest, ok, then this I have to see. So I sat down beside Coco and Velvet, as I looked over to my rival with a grin

"You sing?" I asked before I received a punch to the stomach, knocking me down as I laughed/wheezed. "Worth it."

"If I sing, you fork over 100 Lien." Coco bargained with a smug look, her eyes looking over her shades at me, then Velvet tapped her shoulder nervously

"Coco, knowing Sky, that's what he would do." Velvet sighed at my nod, my hand holding a card out before her eyes like I just won Blackjack

"Still wanna sing?" And like that, she was silent again, but I knew deep down she wanted to

"Then the earth's core is a long way to go." Ha, nice! But then I saw it, and at first, I was nearly begging for it not to be a dream, but gladly, my eyesight was very much working. Ruby...was going to sing, then again, I think she was doing this cause I've always egged her on to doing so. But I didn't say she had to do it in front of everyone. "Accept it and embrace it, Kai."

"Yeah, rock 'em, Sis!" Yang cheered, whilst Weiss watched with as equal fascination as me and Blake, yet the song chosen rang a familiar tune in my ears, exciting a grin from me with my beating heart

Jeff Williams - Now That We've Come So Far

I keep a picture of you
But I don't know just what I'd do
If I saw you face to face right now
You know I've always loved you
If I could stop myself I would
But there's no easy way to
End how I feel
And to change what was real
Though we try to fade to black
In the end we come right back

Now that we've come so far
How can we ever start again?
Memories would lead us back instead we just pretend
Now that we've come so far
The love that never ends
Keeps us, holds us, leads us, always tearing us apart again

Kimi no shashin miru tabi
Omouyo moshi I'm a
Kimi ni attara doh naruka
Tsutto kimi na suki
Akirameyo toe shita
Kedo kantan janai sa
Kako oh kai e doo kotowa
Demo owarasedu
Demo kitto mododu

At the end of the song it then occurred to me where I heard that song from, but my puzzled expression wasn't noticed by the group clapping at Ruby's beautiful performance, I won't lie, she was a 'really' good singer, even topping my sisters, although Erika has her hands full with Nora at the moment. Oh yes, the song...

"You know, last I checked my scroll had a password, so my only guess is that you spied on me typing it in?" I questioned the gun-nut who now went from embarrassed to looking like a deer in headlights, chuckling nervously

"W-What, no...I would n-never...umm..." I was now directly in front of my girlfriend, not even a week and she was really testing me now, I'll give her points for stealth, but confidence is not. So I grabbed her cheek and pulled at her with irritation

"Next time ask you, red-headed dunce!" I yelled as she cried in pain, all the while the group watched in amusement, then I let go, grabbing my scroll as I flicked down the list that they played through, so far... "You've barely scratched my list."

"What?" Weiss blinked before I held it out for them to watch my finger press a button, in a flash, two more files appeared, all of which held over 200 in each file, this lead to most of them gawking at my choice of genre

"You're kidding...that many from your world?" Jaune gaped while I shrugged in response, yet Velvet asked in a more calm state of mind after, hell, even Coco was dumbfounded

"So...do you just listen to them, or do you sing too?" Now that was a question I wasn't expecting, but now everyone was staring at me, causing my face to brighten slightly from the looks of curiosity. So I cleared my throat, looking anywhere but at them

"...Yes..." I muttered before I quickly fired back with a finger jabbed towards them. "I have stage fright, so don't get any ideas!"

"Oh come on! Its us! What can a little bad singing do now, it's not like we're forced to fight you again?" Yang, my best friend, and as such, you bring up the worst memories in me. 'That' earned her a slap from Blake on the back of the head. "Ow!"

"Try something cool or maybe something with a good rock beat?" Sun suggested with equal amusement, pulling the cords on an invisible guitar, while Neptune moved in-front of him

"True, or you could try something more settle?" At that, Sun rolled his eyes, shoving Neptune down with his hands atop his blue-haired friend

"Booooring!" Sun drawled out, Neptune quickly pushed back up with an irritated glare

"You're boring!" Neptune huffed before his face met a banana peel

"Your face is boring!" Sun retorted while chewing on a piece of banana, meanwhile, Velvet covered her bunny ears to block out the noise herself. Smart girl

"Sky, do you enjoy it?" Weiss asked me calmly, and while the whole idea didn't sit right with me, it did raise a valid point. When I thought about it, I sung for nothing more than my own enjoyment, it gave more colour to more mundane tasks, in a word, fun. Seeing my gaze, Weiss smiled a little. "Well, pick one, we won't say anything, just let you sing."

"A-Are you really sure, I can't always hit notes right?" I warned, but as if anticipating that answer, Pyrrha spoke up

"We won't say a word, we care about you and nothing can change that." Wow...they really care that much? I mean, of course, they do, but...I guess the Sky they met is still in my head somewhere, my doubts will always remain a part of me

"I think...I think I know the song, give me a sec." I spoke softly. To put it into perspective, this was one of those songs that reflects a part of you, this one definitely felt that way to me. Ahem, here we go

Johnny Rzeznik - I'm Still Here

I am a question to the world
Not an answer to the Earth
On a moment
That's held in your arms
And what do you think you'd ever say
I won't listen anyway
You don't know me
And I'll never be who you want me to be

And what do you think you'd understand
I'm a boy, no, I'm a man
You can't take me
And throw me away
And how can you learn what's never shown
Yeah you stand here on you own
They don't know me
'Cause I'm not here

And I want a moment to be real
Want to touch things I don't feel
Want to hold on
And feel I belong
And how can the world want me to change
They're the ones that stay the same
They don't know me
'Cause I'm not here

And you see the things they never see
All you wanted I could be
Now you know me
And I'm not afraid
And I want to tell you who I am
Can you help me be a man
They can't break me
As long as I know who I am

And I want a moment to be real
Want to touch things I don't feel
Want to hold on
And feel I belong
And how can the world want me to change
They're the ones that stay the same
They can't see me
But I'm still here

They can't tell me who to be
'Cause I'm not what they see
Yeah the world is still sleeping while I keep on dreaming for me
And their words are just whispers and lies that I'll never believe

And I want a moment to be real
Want to touch things I don't feel
Want to hold on
And feel I belong
And how can you say I'll never change
They're the ones that stay the same
I'm the one now
'Cause I'm still here

I'm the one
'Cause I'm still here
I'm still here
I'm still here
I'm still here

At first I didn't look at them, actually, I was so caught up in the song that I didn't really pay attention to my surroundings, so when I did fall back down from my internal thoughts, I was standing directly in front of them all, and then they cheered, for me?

"I'm sorry, I'm really confused?" I asked with a dumbfounded expression, but before Weiss could answer, Yang had already made her way towards me, hooking an arm around my neck and pulling me into a tight arm hug

"Now that was cool, you should have told me sooner that you could sing, then maybe I wouldn't have broken all those windows!" Yang laughed but I still feel those panes crying out to me, ugh

"I doubt that..." Both Iota and Eric muttered in disbelief, Eric seemed to glow with amusement in my head, was he...was he eating popcorn!?

"Yep!" How did - When could - questions for later

"Ok, I got to admit, that was pretty good." Coco sighed with her hands up in defeat, then Sun and Neptune both joined in

"Not bad, Sky." Sun praised with a clap

"Smooth. Cool. Fun." Neptune gave a thumbs up. I was honestly surprised by their comments, I mean, last I checked, I wasn't a singer or a star, I guess I really do still doubt myself. Old habits die hard

*BOOM-Crash*

Within a flash, the door was kicked open so hard a boot stuck through the wood for a second, while three people entered the room. My sister who looked exhausted, Ren who was trying to stay calm, and...Nora. As for Jaune, he was now pinned between the wall and door, groaning in pain.

"Why me...?" He cried, yet the cold finger of Death pointed towards me. More specifically, Nora pointed towards me and Ruby. We looked at one another, then back to the incarnate of insanity

"Nora? Are you...ok?" Ruby asked with slight hesitation, then she shook her head a few hundred times. I saw Ruby droop a little. "Actually, that's a dumb question to ask."

"Yep-Totally-Certainly-AOK-Duet. Now. Both of you. My shiiiiiip!" Nora blurted out with a craze, the look of coffee still in her eyes like a wild animal, then Erika sighed, pulling Nora back with a heave

"She...won't...shut up...about...her ship!" Erika panted, trying to hold the girl back from charging through time and space, then Ren clarified for all of us

"Nora wants the two of you to sing, she says that's what her...visions...keep telling her," Ren explained before I blinked again. "I don't understand it much myself, but it might help calm her down."

"And the drawback...?" Ruby asked with a strange look, her eyes narrowed with suspicion, but then Nora looked back at us, I nearly felt my souls leap from my body

"Guys, do it, before she loses her nerve!" Sun asked us, as he hung near the window behind us

I sighed, looking to Ruby with a smirk.

"Guess I have your angelic voice to cover mine then." I mused as Ruby smiled a little at the compliment, then I scrolled to a song that would definitively suit this moment. "I guess this will do, just follow the lyrics that are on the right, Ruby."

"Right! Let's do this!" Ruby nodded with determination, the two of us fist-bumping while the song began to play

RISE | feat. NateWantsToBattle | ENGLISH Ver | AmaLee

[Sky is Left | Ruby is Right | Both are Middle]

I caught a glimpse of your light

When I was empty inside

And through the nothingness

I found this world

I'll wander calling your name

Until the end of my days

'Til I find the answer

Right through my fingers

I'm losing the light

Why can't I ever do anything right?

This is the time

Throw it aside

Take all your scars and just leave them behind

I'm gonna get through it dead or alive

But on my own I cannot survive

I don't wanna lie to myself

Keep on the fight that's right (I'll never lose and cry)

Keep running day and night (It's time to rewrite)

No matter what anyone says I'll find my way

Yeah, never go away

(Never go away now)

Nobody can stop me no way

That promise is engraved in my memory

We'll take it back you just watch

Everything that we lost

Rise up in this world (Never looking back yeah)

The end of our journey is on repeat

But I won't let it stand between you and me

What are you fighting for

Cause it's not over

Rise up in this world

Now I know it's obvious what I need to do

Keeping to my word fighting all the way through

In the dark, searching for an answer

No one is balanced and no one is forced

To fight without seeing reality

Is a short life even worth it to live for me?

Change the world and I know what for

Chase my dream fight my war

Keep on the fight that's right (I'll never lose and cry)

Keep running day and night (It's time to rewrite)

No matter what anyone says I'll find my way

Yeah, never go away

(Never go away now)

Nobody can stop me no way

We gotta keep a hold on the vow we've made

And no matter the cost

Regain all we've lost

Rise up in this world

I'm rising like a phoenix a hundred times

My whole life on the line, I will chase that light

I know my soul it won't fray

It'll never fade

Rise up in this world

I gotta go, I'll defend this world on my own

Don't be fazed you gotta find the light

Gonna be up to you if you gotta stand and fight

If you're fighting in the day

You gotta battle in the night

And ain't nobody gonna tell you if it's wrong or right

Shield up to my dilemma

Send the guards here they come

Stay hungry

Stay foolish

And no matter what you've got let's go (Never go away now)

Nobody can stop me no way

That promise is engraved in my memory

We'll take it back you just watch

Everything that we lost

Rise up in this world (Never looking back yeah)

The end of our journey is on repeat

But I won't let it stand between you and me

What are you fighting for

Cause it's not over

Rise up in this world!

When the song finally ended, I found myself taking in deep breaths beside Ruby's now beet red face, but she too was out of breath from how much energy we put into the song. RISE would do that to anyone really. When everyone stopped cheering, I noticed Nora, who was now out cold on the floor, with our mission a sucess, Ren and Erika collapsed against each other, their own relieved smiles as the two took this chance to breathe again

"At least she's asleep now." Ren sighed with a shake of his head, with Erika groaning, leaning against his shoulder for support. Yet Erika's smile was a good sign that she enjoyed the song. Just wished Nora would stop with the 'Shipping' thing, meh, once she and Ren got together me and Ruby will dish out our revenge just as swiftly

"Aww, you two are so cute!" Yang cooed sweetly at us. While I kept my composure, Ruby opted to just bury her face into my back, whining in embarrassment. So I just pat her on the head softly

"You won't move, will you?" She shook her head. "Do you want me to take care of the attention?"

"Please...?" Ruby mumbled while I tried not to gush at her cuteness, then I cleared my throat once more

"Gods, please protect me for what horrible fate awaits me now." I prayed before I yelled. "Bumblebee is the worst Ship~!"

"What the hell is 'Bumblebee' got to do with this?" Yang's odd look only made it more clear how little she understood of Nora's insistence of these 'Titles', like the one for me and Ruby was...Blue Rose, I believe? Still, at my line, I quickly played one last song, throwing my scroll towards Yang's bed (PLAY THIS)

. . . .

"WHAT~!?" Nora, Pancakes Transformed had awakened with a hellfire burning within her irises

"Let this day be the day that you remember as the day you almost caught, Kai Amadeus!" With my speech, and two references out of the way. I dolphin-dived over Sun's head, flying out the three-story building and into the tree outside, sliding down the bark and onto the ground, seeing Zwei bark happily down at me. "Farewell, love! I will return for you~!"

To Be Continued...

This was a fun chapter, both adding the music and the ship of Ruby and Sky, that and the ending I thought would be more than amazing. And encase Nora's title wasn't obvious, it's a Destiny reference to a Vex. Like always, I hope you enjoyed the start of this four arc and seeya in the next chapter Hunters!

Also, I apologise for not uploading this sooner, I'd say why but excuses-excuses and all that :)

Next Chapter: Summer Roses

Sometime later, Sky is invited by Yang and Ruby to visit their home in Patch and to meet their dad, something Sky is not looking forward too in the slightest.