Forming Connections
Rider looks around the room, many machines filled with varying liquids hover over him, each holding needles. Rider turns to his left to see a candidate pulls his right arm free from his restraints before slamming it back down. Rider looks to his right to see doctors over another candidate who is screaming and coughing up blood. He goes limp and the doctors try to perform CPR, but he doesn't respond.
Rider wakes up after the procedure. He glances at his arms, scars formed over the incision. Rider clenches his fist in an attempt to stop the his shaking and rough breathing. He them turns to see the other test subjects, those who survived, still asleep.
Rider stands on a platform, being outfited with his clothes. While the jumpsuit appeared simple, there are many pieces of technology inside that are used for monitoring the test subjects' conditions.
Present Day
While under Rubine's control, the Rider has no conscious connection to his body. It's like he's sleeping, but over time the Rider starts to regain control. Though he still can not control his body, he is aware of what it is doing. The Rider starts to put Rubine's plan together.
Ten years of stealing dust
-To power a fallen airship
Night's "insanity"
-To keep me distracted
Rubine's apparent death
-To lure me to him.
Night's death
-To make Rubine my first priority.
The Rider is currently in the CCTS tower in Atlas. He is using the tower to hack into and extract the files from nearby scrolls. Atlas soldiers lay incapacitated on the floor around the Rider. Even though the Rider is in the Chaos Zone, the guards would notice the console being used. Once the Rider finishes downloading the required Atlas files he opens a portal back to the airship.
"Took longer than expected." Rubine states.
The Rider hands Rubine his scroll, which holds the stolen files. Rubine takes it and looks at the added files to confirm they are the right ones.
"Good. Now for your next mission." Rubine says, "You must sever all connections to your past. Starting with the children."
The Rider reloads his pistols.
"On second thought, bring the Schnee here. I want to watch her die and I think you'll enjoy silencing her." Rubine says.
The Rider opens a portal and stands in front of it, waiting for his target to fall through.
Team RWBY walks through a hallway discussing Onyx's disappearance. A crimson portal opens underneath Weiss. Weiss falls in before anyone had any time to react.
"Weiss!" Ruby calls.
"Guess she was right about Onyx." Yang says.
"We don't know why he did it." Blake states.
"But I intend to find out." Yang says as her eyes turn red.
"And how are you going to find him?" Blake asks.
"We still know where his warehouse is, we'll start there." Yang states.
Weiss falls out the portal in front of the Rider. She gets up and looks at her surroundings.
"Onyx, where are we?" Weiss demands, "Why did you bring me here?! And who's that?!"
The Rider starts walking towards Weiss, who begins to back away.
"Oh, I'm sorry to inform you that the Rider here wants to sever all connections to his past." Rubine speaks, "Including you."
Weiss backs into a wall and the Rider makes his move. He grabs Weiss by her neck and holds her in the air with his robotic arm.
"I was right about you!" Weiss chokes out.
The Rider's grip tightens. Weiss tries to pry the Rider's fingers off of her with no avail.
"Stop wasting our time!" Rubine demands.
The Rider drops Weiss and stands completely straight.
"No! Kill...!" Rubine starts to order.
The Rider takes out one of his pistols and points it at Rubine.
"Damn guy is like a machine," Rubine mumbles to himself, "Always so specific."
The Rider doesn't lower his weapon.
"The Schnee, not me, you idiot!" Rubine yells.
"It's not a problem with your orders." The Rider states.
Rubine realizes his control over the Rider has worn off. Before Rubine has a chance to say the phrase again, the Rider fires on him. Rubine blocks the shots with his weapon, a katar that can split to form a bladed shield. Rubine retreats while using his scroll to remotely open the airlock in the room. The airship was high in the sky, so the opening caused everything and everyone in the room to start getting sucked out. The Rider grabbed onto the edges of the opening to stop himself, but realizes Weiss wasn't so lucky, she is falling in the middle of all the debris. Realizing that they are in the Chaos Zone, the Rider knows Weiss won't survive the fall. The Rider watches as Rubine locks the door behind him as he leaves the room, and then Weiss falling.
He jumps out the airship and straightens his body to accelerate his fall. Once the Rider catches up to Weiss, he wraps his arms around her, almost hugging her. The Rider forces the two to spin until he is positioned on bottom and takes the force of the impact. As the Rider looks around, he sees it is snowing, they are above a mountain. The two land on top of a shed, shattering through it's roof. The Rider groans, lets his arms lay flat on the ground, and looks down at Weiss. She quickly gets off of him and starts to walk away, but the Rider grabs her ankle causing Weiss to trip and fall.
"What are you doing?!" Weiss asks.
"Don't move." The Rider orders.
Weiss does as he says until the Rider let's go.
"What was wrong?!" Weiss asks.
"Shadow Grimm." The Rider explains, "In here they aren't attracted to chaos, instead they are like wild animals who use their senses to locate enemies."
The two get up and walk out the shed into the snowy mountain.
"Rubine is gone." The Rider states.
"Forget him, why did you bring me here?!" Weiss asks, "And why did you try to kill me!?"
The Rider stays silent.
"Teleport me back to Beacon!" Weiss demands.
The Rider opens a portal in front of Weiss and pushes her through. He follows behind her.
"I told you to..." Weiss starts.
"We aren't too far away from where I positioned my Bullhead. We'll fly back to Beacon." The Rider states.
"Open another..." Weiss begins.
"Mention Onyx's abilities again and I'll leave you here." The Rider threatens.
Weiss glares at the Rider, who, behind his mask, returns the expression, for a moment before grunting. The two now traverse down the mountain for a long, cold journey.