Chapter 9
Kagutsuchi- Army Dorms- Just before midnight
Blake went to bed first and while no one was looking, put on her gears, and just waited. Once everyone was asleep, she tiptoed out of the dorm. She needed to go. The elder told her that the White Fang have been seen in the sewers. She needed to see for herself.
"They are searching the old tunnels. That was the main reason they came to recruit us." Said Totokaka, the Kaka elder.
"The old tunnels?"
"Before the Hierarchical Cities were built, before people live on the mountain, they lived inside it."
"So the old tunnels are the remnants of that time. But why would the White Fang… What are they searching for?"
"I do not know. Most of the tunnels had been closed off. We Kakas opened and use some of the tunnels to enter and leave the mountain, but even we do not know all of their paths and secrets."
"Blake?"
She almost jumped, and turned to see Yang, fully geared.
"Yang? Why are you out here?"
"The same reason you are."
'What? But-'
"That Grimm that attacked Ruby. Let's go kill it."
Oh…
"Blake? Sis?"
And now Ruby too?
"Ruby, why are you up?" Asked Yang.
"I saw you got up and got dressed, where are you going?"
'You didn't pretend to go to sleep with your gear on did you? Did you want to get caught?' Thought Black.
"I…"
"What are you guys doing?"
Now Weiss too. Of course. Why not.
"Ar.. Are you guys leaving me out of something?" Asked Weiss, and it may be her imagination, but she thought she heard Weiss' voice cracked a little, like she was about to cry or something.
"So why are the two of you geared up? Are you going somewhere?" Asked Ruby.
"Well… I guess there's no hiding it now. Me and Blake are going after that Grimm!"
'No… you're going after that Grimm.'
Weiss: "What? But we got our match tomorrow. We need to be on our top form!"
"So what? With our combined strength, that Grimm is nothing. We can kill it in like ten seconds!"
Ruby: "The elder did say that it already attacked some of her people, and there is a reward for killing that Grimm… Let's do it!"
Weiss: "Fine… if I can't convince you out of it, then I just have to come with you. Someone has to keep you in check. Let me go get ready first."
A moment later, Weiss and Ruby returned with their weapons and a metal case. Weiss opened the case, and revealed four black metal masks. They even have visors on them.
Weiss: "Take these. Wear them after we enter the sewers."
Yang: "Mask? I don't need no mask. The sewer doesn't smell that bad, princess."
Weiss:"It's not for the smell! These are Atlas military grade Seithr purifier masks!"
"Can we just go now." Said Blake, tapping her toes on the ground.
Sewers System
"So… now that we're here, how do we find this Grimm?" Asked Yang.
"You… I can't believe this. You literally never think anything through, do you?" Said Weiss, dumbfounded.
"That Grimm emits Seithr. We might be able to detect it with the Seithr sensors in our scrolls." Suggested Blake.
Yang: "See, we do have a plan."
Weiss rolled her eyes. "So now what? We could cover more grounds if we split up."
And all of them turned to Ruby.
"Wh… What?" Asked Ruby, confused.
"You're our leader." Said Weiss.
"Oh… I am, am I?" Said Ruby. "Um… Yang and… um… me in one team, and Weiss and Blake in another…"
Weiss: "Oh, so you want us to split up then?"
"Huh? Should we not? But you said-" Asked Ruby.
"That is for you to decide. We give you our opinions, but you have to make the call." Said Weiss.
"What's your problem? Still salty about Ruby being the leader?" Said Yang, walking in front of Weiss.
"Come on guys…" Said Ruby, trying to stop the fight.
"You want the truth? Yes, I still believe I can be a better leader. But!" Weiss stopped Yang before she said anything. "I accept that I cannot change Ozpin's decision, and that Ruby can also be a good leader, and I accept Ruby as our leader."
"Better leader than Ruby? You? A spoiled little princess?" Said Yang, looking Weiss straight in the eyes.
"A highly trained and educated spoiled little princess." Said Weiss, staring and retorting back.
As much as she also wants to dunk on Weiss, Blake had enough, and walked away.
"Blake? Where are you going?" Asked Ruby.
"I don't have time for this. Call me when you guys are done."
"Blake, you can't go alone!" Ruby immediately tugged on Yang left sleeve."Yang! Go with her."
Yang looked at Ruby, and then at Weiss. "Alright. I'll let this slide this time." And ran after Blake. Leaving Rudy and Weiss alone.
"I'm not apologizing." Said Weiss, after Yang was gone. "I'm allowed to accept you as our leader, and at the same time thinking I can do batter."
"Okay…"
Sewer- Eastern side
"The nerves of that entitled princess. So… where are we going?" Asked Yang.
"The elder said her people was attacked, so let's check out the path to the village first."
"Great idea!"
Yes, it was. After that, Blake will suggest that they split up again and check out the old tunnels around the village. She didn't want to involve Yang, but it's too late now, she has involved herself. It was then she heard something, and immediately drew her weapon.
"What?"
"Someone's coming."
Two silhouettes came out of the darkness, one man and one girl.
"You!" Said Torchwick, looking at them with surprise. "Why the hell are you here?"
"Oh look, it just Torchwick." Said Yang, and then she saw Neo. "And yon. Time for some payback."
'This is good. I could get some information from them.' Thought Blake.
"I'll take Torchwick, you-"
She didn't even have to finish, Yang's already charging towards Neo.
Sewer- western side
They've been walking for a while now, none of them said a thing.
"So…" Said Ruby, trying to break the silence.
"I did some research on this Arakune on the Kagutsuchihunter information site."
"Oh yeah?"
"Like the elder said, several hunters tried to engage it, but to no avail. According to witnesses, it can escape through the pipes and even turned invisible."
"So beating it isn't the problem, keeping it from running is."
"They also said it could speak. I'll believe it when I hear it."
"OH! I just remembered, it keeps talking about the "azuree" or something."
"Azure?" Asked Weiss.
"Maybe it's a local soft drink or sweet."
"Azure… there's only one Azure that comes to mind." Wondered Weiss. "Not important right now. The hunters who encountered it also suggested using cold Ars to freeze it first, and then electrify or burn it."
"Cold arts?"
"Ars Magus. We can just use Dust instead. In fact, I brought a lot of ice, fire and electricity Dust."
"Wow. You did a lot of research."
"The question is, why didn't you?"
"I…I didn't plan on hunting down this Grimm."
"Me neither. But I still did the research just in case."
Beep, beep, beep.
They immediately unsheathed their weapons, and stood back to back. They carefully scanned every dark corner - the tension is high. That was when Ruby remembered, and looked up.
"Weiss! Up there!" Said Ruby as she pushed Weiss away, as a black goo dropped from the ceiling, just in time to save her.
"A… Azure! AZURE!"
"That's Arakune?" Said Weiss, looking at the black goo. "Alright. You call Yang and Blake, I'll try freezing it."
'Alright, the report said insects can come out of its body, and once it's got some bug scent on you, the insects will swarm you from all directions.'
Weiss skated towards Arakune with her Glyphs, Arakune jumped into the air, and spun like a buzzsaw with spider claws; Weiss immediately dashed back with her Glyphs and evaded the claws, or so she thought, a claw shot from one of Arakune's legs hits Weiss's mask!
"Weiss!"
"I'm alright!"
Weiss stabbed her rapier, Myrtenaster into the ground, and a wave of ice pillars rushed towards Arakune. Arakune jumped, but was shot in the face by Ruby in midair, and fell to the ground. Weiss, using her Glyphs again, moved in at high speed, and pierced Arakune while it was still recovering, and from the stab wound, Arakune began to freeze.
'It's workin-'
"Stop!"
Weiss looked for the voice, and saw something flying towards her, she immediately pulled out her sword and jumped back-
BOOM!
A huge rod! Stabbed into the ground, where Weiss was, and out of the shadow, a woman jumped on top of the rod with one foot up in a crane form.
Ruby: "Doctor Litchi?"
"Please." Pleaded Litchi. "Just leave. Go back home. Let me deal with Arakune."
Weiss: "What's going on? Why are you stopping us from killing that Grimm?"
Litchi: "HE'S NOT A GRIMM!"
Weiss: "He?"
Litchi: "He used to be human, an accident turned him into that Arakune. Please! Just go!"
"That sounds like a comic book super villain origin." Commented Ruby.
Weiss: "That thing attacks indiscriminately, it's too dangerous to be left alone."
Litchi: "He hasn't killed anyone. And I'll make sure he never will. So please stop."
Weiss: "Even if that's true, sooner of later, he will, if he is not stopped. I can freeze him, and then capture him. That is the best I can do."
Ruby was conflicted, on one hand Litchi saved her, and she didn't want to kill a person, even if he is now, literally a monster; on the other hand, Weiss was right. Sooner or later, Arakune will kill somebody, if he hasn't already. But when she saw Arakune moved towards Litchi with his claws out, Ruby immediately fired a shot! And hits Arakune in the mask!
"Stop!" Said Litchi as she jumped and kicked her staff flying towards Ruby, Weiss immediately moved in front of her and blocked the staff with a Glyph shield.
Weiss: "What the hell are you doing! She just saved you!"
Litchi: "JUST LEAVE!"
Weiss: "That Grimm… that person has already attacked the Kakas! It just attacked you, It almost killed Ruby! What kind of doctor are you!?"
"You leave me no choice. Lao Jiu!" And the small panda doll on Litchi's hair moved, filling Litchi with power!
Weiss: "Wait… that panda doll.. is alive?"
"Weiss! You deal with Arakune, I'll handle her!" Commanded Ruby.
Sewer- Eastern side
Neo shattered again, no matter how many times Yang punched her, she still retains that smirk of hers, and that just pushed Yang even more over the edge.
"Fight ME! What are you, scared? Chick-"
And then she was hit in the back of the head! And Yang Burned! Her eyes turned red and her hair glowed gold.
"You've done it now!"
And She began punching in every direction possible and firing the gun in her gauntlets at the same time!
"Yang! Stop!"
"Huh?"
Yang turned to the voice, and saw Blake, with a bullet hole on the wall near her, and also near Torchwick.
'I… I almost hit Blake?'
That pause was Yang's undoing, as she felt the hoot of Neo's umbrella around her neck, Neo's back on her back, and her feet lifting off the ground, and then she began to choke.
"Yang!" Said Blake as she turned toward her-
BANG!
She was shot! In the shoulder, and was sent to the floor.
"Tsk-tsk, little kitty, turning you back on me was not very smart."
Blake immediately jumped to her feet, Torchwick fired another shot, hitting Blake right in the head! However, this time Blake's body just disappeared!
"Huh? Shit! Neo! She's coming your way!"
'It's okay. My Aura held. The bullet didn't pierce through.' Thought Blake as she rushed to save Yang.
Not confident enough with her marksmanship, Blake rushed in for melee. Neo saw her coming, and threw Yang at her. Blake caught Yang, but the force pushed her into the ground. Once her butt hit the ground, Blake immediately pointed her gun at Neo, but it was too late, Neo was already in front of her, and with a kick, Blake's weapon, Gambol Shroud, was sent flying.
"End of the line kitty cat." Said Torchwick behind her.
With Neo in front of her, Torchwick behind her and a weakened Yang on her laps, she can't escape.
'So this is my end? Killed by a small-time crook in a sewer?'
"It's been fun." Said Torchwick as he pointed his gun cane at Blake's head, smiling. "Now let's see if you can dodge this."
Creak!
The sound of bone creaking? Instead of a gunshot? And then something hitting the wall? Blake looked up to Neo, and saw a shocked face. She then looked to side, and Torchwick, on the ground, in front of the wall.
?: "Take your companion and leave, young lady."
A chill ran down Blake's spin. An elderly voice, Blake looked up, and saw a tall, slim, elderly man, dressed like a butler.
"Who…cough! Who's there?" Asked Yang, with her hand on her throat, finally having the strength to get up.
Neo charged at the elderly man, the sword on the tip of her umbrella extended, but the old man ignored her. And looked to the right of Blake, at Torchwick.
'What is he doing? Why isn't he defending himself?'
When Neo's blade reached him, everything around them shattered like glass.
"Good. She chose to run. I would really hate it if I have to kill a young girl." Said the old man, still looking in the same direction.
Blake looked over, and saw Neo, carrying Torchwick on her shoulder and escaping.
"What? How did you know…"
"Her illusion has no smell. I could easily tell it apart. You should be able to too."
"Wait! Running away? Coward!" Said Yang, standing up, and attempting to chase after them.
"Stop." Said the old man. "I didn't save you so that you could get yourself killed again."
Yang: "Don't worry, old man, I'm not the one getting killed."
With a burst of speed, the old man was in front of Yang, looking down at her.
"Wh… what?"
"Go home."
"Excuse you! I don't take orders from you!"
"Yang…" Said Blake. "Just… let's just leave…"
The old man's mouth began to morph, teeth turned into fangs, his face grew hairier, and Blake finally understood what Makoto meant by leftover instinct, and why she was so scared of this old man.
'Some kind of canine Faunus. Must be…'
"I saved you because my mistress ordered me to. If you get killed I would have failed in my duty. But make no mistake, my mistress wished for your survival, but she didn't specify in what condition."
That was a bluff. Although it was true that Rachel didn't specify when she asked Valkenhayn to save Yang and Blake, he knew exactly what she meant, and a good butler will always fulfill his mistress' wishes.
"I'm.. I'm not scared of you…"
"Yang! Please!"
It wasn't just because he's a canine Faunus, Blake could tell, this old butler was powerful. Maybe he did only took out Torchwick by surprise, but while she didn't see it, she heard it. The sound of Torchwick's bones, broken in one strike. And Neo, clearly a strong opponent, stronger than Torchwick, and even defeated Yang, the strongest member of team RWBY twice, she saw everything, and ran for her life.
Yang never saw Blake like this before. She rolled her eyes and walked over to her.
"You okay?" Asked Yang, holding out her hand.
"I think my shoulder might be broken or at least badly bruised. Let's call Ruby and then call it a night." Said Blake as she took Yang's hand and stood up.
"Yeah."
"So, who are you?" Asked Yang, looking in the elderly butler's direction, but he's already gone.
Neo, with Roman on her shoulder, was running towards the sewer exit. She saw it. A huge dog, came out of nowhere and ram into Roman so fast, that for a second, its body was a blur. That dog hits Roman so hard, that it went through his Aura and broke his ribs, and at the same time, it cuts, no, clawed opened his body. And then, the dog turned into an old man. Neo always trusted her instincts. That old man… even if he didn't ambush them, they stood no chance of beating him. First that grim reaper, and now a weredog man, they should have never come to Embryum.
Sewer- western side
What seemed to be a regular staff, was wrapping and moving around Litchi like a multi section staff.
"Look! Look! She can control poles! Like Pyrrha!"
Weiss: "What? No! Pyrrha's Semblance is Polarity, Magnetism! No! Not important! Just pay attention. I'll beat that Grim- sorry, I meant Mr Grimm. I'll beat him fast and come help you."
Litchi sent her staff flying towards them, Weiss dodged left and then ran towards Arakune, Ruby used her Semblance: Petal Burst and her gun and launched her into the air, and then into the ground.
"I don't want to fight you!"
"Then leave us alone!"
Litchi rushed and delivered a forward kick, which was blocked easily by Ruby, but she then did an over head kick, but Ruby just ducked under it.
'She seriously just attacked me with her bare legs? I could easily cut off her feet! Does she have so much confidence in her Aura pool and mastery? Oh no! I forgot about her staff!'
Ruby realized just in time, and used Petal Burst to dash out of the way, just before the staff hit her from behind.
'She's gone! Where did she go?' Thought Litchi, looking around. When she saw Ruby beside her, she immediately sent her staff spinning towards Ruby first to cover her advance, while she rushed in, fist first at full speed. Ruby knocked away the staff, and used Petal Burst to dash away again, as she really didn't want to fight Litchi.
'She's not like Sun, she fightsindependently of her staff! It's like fighting two opponent at once!'
'A teleport? No, more like a sudden burst of moment.' Thought Litchi.
"RUBY! Look out!"
'Huh?'
Ruby looked around, and saw Arakune beside her, with his eight claws mere centimeters away! With no time to dodge, Ruby's only choice was to concentrate all the Aura that she can in front of her, but just before the claws reached her, Ruby heard a "whoosh" sound, and all of Arakune's claws fell off, cut. Ruby looked to the side, and saw a man in white armor, holding a greatsword.
"Ruby!" Said Weiss, running to her side. "I'm sorry! Arakune suddenly turned invisible and disappeared."
"So cool…" Said Ruby, not paying attention, looking at the faceless white knight.
"Pitiful creature." Said the white knight. "I know not what hell you spawned from, but I shall send you back."
"Y… Y…ou astrd! NO! Sankishin! Ugu Ugu UGU!"
Arakune jumped back and opened his body, and began to charge energy! The white knight on the other hand, raised his sword skyward and did the same.
Empty Sky Form: SQUALL!
Arakune fired his laser, and at the same time, the knight slashed his sword down and cut the beam and the laser disappear! But it wasn't finished, the shockwave from the slash also cut Arakune in half!
"My bo… body! AHAHAHA!" Screamed Arakune as half of his cut off body began to disappear.
"My sword, is the Nox Nyctores- Interfectum Malus: Ookami. It has the ability of disrupting the flow of all magic, Ars, and…" He pointed to Arakune's disappearing body. "Seithr."
'A Nox Nyctores! Ookami?' Thought Ruby. "SO COOL!"
"This is your end, spider." Said the knight as he raised his sword.
"Stop!"
Litchi sent her staff at the white knight's head, while she aimed for his legs, but the knight grabbed the staff easily, and then struck Litchi with her own staff, Litchi blocked the attack with her arms, but was then kicked in the face, then in the stomach, sending her flying.
The knight looked over to Arakune, and found that he had disappeared, he then turned his featureless mask face at Litchi, who was lying on the ground with a broken nose.
"So you defend that evil, then you will share his crime, and My Judgment!"
The white knight walked over to Litchi, but was stopped when Ruby walked in front of him.
"Wait wait wait. She saved my life, and um… she won't do it again?"
Weiss facepalmed.
"Think of your action carefully girl. Did you not hear what I just said? If you defend evil, then you will share their crime, and judgment."
'Oh no!' Thought Weiss. 'He's one of those black and white only crazies.'
"I… um… am not exactly defending evil… I'm… defending the person who's defending evil?"
The knight looked at Ruby for a while, and then sheathed his sword.
"You are fortunate today, girl, for I have more important matters to attend to. But make no mistake, next time, there will be no mercy."
And then he turned and left. And Weiss let out a sigh of relief, and walked over to Ruby.
"I can't believe you just did that."
"AH!" Shouted Ruby suddenly.
Weiss jumped. "What?"
"I forgot to ask him his name!"
Weiss rolled her eyes, and then looked to Litchi, using a healing Ars on her nose.
"I'm sorry." Said Litchi suddenly.
Weiss: "What?"
Litchi: "I'm sorry. But I also will never stop protecting him."
"You… really love him, don't you?" Asked Ruby.
Litchi did not respond.
"If you really love him, then you should've help us stop him, or capture him.' Said Weiss.
"Ice wouldn't work. Freezing him was one of the first thing we tried. His body can generate heat. You saw that laser, didn't you?"
"Then what? You're going to keep fighting the hunters that come after him?"
"I'm researching a cure. In the meantime, I'll need to keep him alive."
"I can't believe this." Weiss shook her head. "I'm going to call the others. Let's leave Ruby. This was never our fight anyway. Let the NOL handle this."
Weiss turned her back on Litchi, and then pulled out her scroll, but before she could do anything, Weiss collapsed.
To Be Continued