Discipline and Differences
AN: And here it is... the final chapter of Ninja Kitty and the Dark Ninja. I have to admit a little something. This is probably not my best chapter out of the other two. Honestly... I just wanted to get this one over with and move on. Still, if you guys enjoy it then it's all good.
Adjusting to Nox was... difficult for team RWBY. The dark ninja has a bad habit of sneaking around wherever he damn pleases. However, it was his latest stunt that made Blake more fearful of being hated than ever. Not for being a faunus, because even Weiss managed to change her views after their fight that nearly tore their team apart. But rather... for her inability to keep Nox in line. What was the problem? This morning Nox had apologized to Yang for all the times he called her a courtesan. When asked at first why, Nox replied with "I realized that I have no real evidence of Yang being a courtesan." While the rest of her team accepted the explanation, Blake felt there was more to it than that. So our lovable cat faunus confronted Nox about it, and to her horror, Nox claimed to have checked that Yang's hymen was intact. Blake gaped like a fish on dry land at that information.
"How?" She had asked in disbelief.
"In her sleep." Nox replied, looking like he didn't just admit doing an invasion like that.
"...Why did you do that," Blake asked, dreading the answer.
"There was no other way to confirm how much... Action she gets." Nox showed, looking thoughtful to emphasize the last part.
"Nox... You don't just do that," Blake snapped at her Blade basically violating Yang without the poor blonde even knowing it.
"Why not? It was the fastest way to confirm her claims." Nox showed on his scroll with a head tilt.
Blake felt like tearing her hair out at that kind of argument. Was Nox really this ignorant? Or was he just messing with her. "...Nox... If you found out someone touched me without my consent, what would you do," Blake asked, trying to get her point across, seeing as he doesn't seem to care about anyone other than her.
"I would gut the perpetrator like a fish." Nox replied with a hard look.
Blake returned the look with one of her own. "Good, because then you know how I feel about you doing that to my friend," the cat faunus added.
The ninja's eye widened at Blake's words. Then he opened his scroll hesitantly. "I'm sorry, my lady. I didn't consider how my actions might affect you. Please, punish me any way you see fit." At the end of that text, Nox kneeled before Blake, waiting for his punishment.
The cat faunus quickly looked around the hallway she had dragged him into. Thankfully, no students were moving here right now to see this embarrassing situation. But that won't be the case in the next five minutes. "Look, let's talk about this later. We need to get to class right now," Blake said, not wanting to think about this at the moment. And that's ignoring the fact that Nox wasn't even sorry about what she did to Yang for the right reasons... How did he even do it without waking her up? "I don't want to know," Blake decided in her head. More importantly, she had to make sure that Yang will never find out, or Weiss for that matter. She can't imagine the amount of trauma or paranoia this could cause them.
Blake had tried, really she did, but the poor girl was unable to get her mind off of Nox's transgression. Actually, her brain that has long since been tainted by smut books, started picturing everything Nox could do without anyone's knowledge. Sneaking into lockers, showers... or even other dorms and have his wicked way with anyone. Though the worst part is, her thoughts were interrupting with history class that any sane person had a hard time following anyway.
"Say...," Yang whispered to Nox, who was sitting between the said blonde and Blake, wondering about something that she felt she should've questioned before, "Why didn't you ever call Dahlia a courtesan?"
That question momentarily cut Blake's train of thought. That seemed actually, like a good question, given Dahlia's apparel.
Nox used one hand to fish out his scroll while writing notes with the other. It wasn't mandatory for any of the Blades to take any kind of notes during classes, but Nox had decided to make himself useful by taking notes for Blake. Anyway... "Because Dahlia doesn't carry herself like one." Was the simple reply.
"What's that supposed to mean," Yang whispered in annoyance.
"You carry yourself with a clear purpose of flaunting your body. That's why I mistook you for a courtesan."
"Doesn't Dahlia flaunt her body too," Yang asked, seeing as Dahlia always did have a certain... gait that swung her hips and made her breasts bounce ever so slightly.
"If you're talking about her walk that emphasizes her hips, that movement comes as naturally to her as breathing does to you. She doesn't put any extra effort into it, unlike you." Nox showed on his scroll, never pausing in his writing of notes. Then he rolled the scroll more. "Nor does she attempt to seduce people around her to mask any insecurities."
That last one made Yang flinch. Before anger set in, "You don't know what you're talking about creep."
Now Blake glanced at the situation in worry. Nox doesn't mince words when speaking his mind. He gives it straight and bluntly, never considering the other person's feelings... Something Blake has been wondering if he is even capable of lately.
"It's all in the way you..." Nox's scroll was snatched away by Blake who red what her Blade was about to say.
She gave him a disapproving look. "No." That simple command made Nox hang his head in shame of disappointing his Driver again.
"What did he write," Yang whispered loudly so Blake could hear her.
"Trust me Yang, you don't want to know," Blake said, confiscating Nox's scroll for now. Which also robbed the ninja of his ability to speak... That gave Blake an idea for punishment, "For the rest of the day, you're not allowed to communicate through writing."
That declaration made Nox's visible eye widen in alarm, before trying to express his thoughts through motions and what apparently was supposed to be sign language. Supposed to be, being the operative part.
"I don't understand what you're trying to say," Blake said, turning her heart into stone. She had to put her foot down now, or Nox will be completely uncontrollable. Honestly, this punishment felt tiny compared to Nox's transgressions. If the poor Blade didn't look so distressed, that is. "But my decision is final," Blake declared before returning her attention to the class.
Then the ninja felt a tap on his shoulder, which prompted him to turn to a smirking Yang. The blonde made a whipping motion, complete with a sound effect for a whiplash. The dark ninja glared at the blonde with his cross pupil.
"Nox, behave." Only to become depressed when Blake gave that command.
"Is there a problem miss Belladonna," Oobleck asked, noticing the last part.
"No, professor. Nox was being out of line," Blake quickly said, causing the Blade to fall deeper into the pit of depression.
"...I see," Oobleck commented a little skeptically, but decided to move on with the class. All the while Adenine was reading the giant book attached to her. Although she was still assisting Oobleck whenever she needed to.
Speaking of which, Adenine looked like she remembered something as she paused in her reading. "Oh, Barty! I almost forgot, I finished writing the questions last night," the literal book lady said to her Driver.
"Oh, that's right! But you didn't have to do that," Oobleck told Adenine, still feeling a little bad about her doing that.
"Oh no. You needed to sleep. If you had overworked yourself, your brain would not be able to function properly," Adenine replied with a smile.
"Umm... Yes, that is quite right," Oobleck said with embarrassment, "Thank you, Adenine."
"Professor," Weiss called out loudly earning Oobleck's attention.
"Yes miss Schnee," Oobleck replied, taking a sip of his coffee.
"What is miss Adenine talking about," the Schnee heiress asked.
"Oh yes," Oobleck said quickly, "There will be an exam next week on what we have learned during this semester." That revelation caused several groans in the classroom.
"Oh, great," Yang complained, slumping in her seat.
Ruby too looked like she saw someone kick a puppy. Only Weiss was looking forward to that.
Blake just had confidence in her studying.
"Are there any questions," Oobleck asked the class, earning one random student raising their hand. "Yes?"
The student, a girl had a conspirational grin, "When is your wedding?" Causing the class to erupt into laughter. For some reason, the jokes about Oobleck and Adenine being in a relationship or married haven't gotten old just yet.
"Funny," Oobleck stated, surprisingly calmly. "But you do remember that I might make some last minute changes to the questions, don't you miss Makonis."
That threat ceased all laughter in the room. Oobleck isn't that petty, but the students don't know that, nor do they want to risk it.
"Sorry professor," the student named Makonis said.
"It is quite alright. And it's doctor Oobleck," Oobleck said while correcting the student. "I didn't earn my PhD for fun, thank you very much."
Blake shook her head at this... The couple jokes about Oobleck and Adenine weren't the only ones floating around. Evidenced by how Yang mentioned about joking that Ruby would only marry a guy that could turn into a weapon. Sadly with Roze, that joke might turn into reality one day. With Weiss and Dahlia... a lot of guys and some of the girls have asked if they could have a night with Dahlia. It took every ounce of self-control from Weiss not to snap at the poor fools, and that's not counting Dahlia herself refusing to "spend the night" with anyone... Though sometimes she had to emphasize her words with a bitball in the face.
Anyway... Blake's fantasies were crumbling away with every new quirk she learned about Nox. Although... it seems more like he just needs to be educated on the concepts of privacy and decency. "I guess ignorance can be cured with education," Blake couldn't help thinking, but she did briefly wonder why Nox seemed to become more miserable by the second. Still, one thing was for certain, Nox would never be Adam as long as she had a say in it.
Around this time, in a far away village that housed a Schnee company mining site. A figure stood upon a small hill overlooking it.
This figure looked to be partially mechanical with several blue markings across his body. On his feet he wars steel toed boots that seemed a little too thick at the toes than necessary. Two thick ropes are tied around each of his thighs. On his back are two war banners with glowing blue markings. On his, head is a red helmet with two winglike extesion on the side. The helmet itself had a large blue crystal on in. Out of the back of the helmet, flames were coming out. His eyes, which were shadowed by the helmet, are yellow optics on a tan face. His lower jaw is made of metal. Finally, on his chest is a Core Crystal in the shape of an four pointed star in an X position.
"It's time, Perceval," said a person who had appeared behind him.
The Blade, now named Perceval, turned around to see a group of White Fang members, armed to the teeth. Including Perceval's Driver, Adam Taurus, a high ranking member of the White Fang. An organization with a goal to save the Faunus by eradicating the evil that is humanity... Or that's what Perceval was told. However, with the dust robberies and slaughtering anyone without a care in the world, the Blade found his Driver's claims questionable. "Our target is the Dust mine around these parts, there is no need to kill the villagers," Perceval stated, hoping to change Adam's mind one more time.
"Those bastards serve the Schnees," the bull faunus snarled at his Blade, "They deserve nothing less than total extinction."
"...Even the children," Perceval asked seeing from his vantage point that the village had a few children playing around .
"Especially them," Adam said with a wicked grin, "I won't let the future enemies of our race a chance to slaughter us!"
Perceval was about to respond, but an explosion in the village interrupted him.
"It's begun, come on everyone," Adam said as he and his group charged the village that was decending into chaos. With Perceval reluctantly following.
Few hours later, the village had fallen at the hands of Adam and his fanatic followers. The best part is, there were no Grimm in the area right now, so they allowed themselves to celebrate their victory. Only two people didn't celebrate though. Perceval, and a young faunus boy with deer horns. The poor boy joined White Fang to fight against the oppression, but these villagers were practically defenseless against them. But some of the senior members killed villagers while laughing.
Anyway, Perceval and this faunus were now scouting the woods to see if there were any stragglers that managed to get out... Or... that's what the young Fang member thought. The truth is, Adam had ordered Perceval to execute the poor lad before he becomes a traitor. From what the Blade understood, Adam was betrayed by his closest friend who turned against her own race. Which is why the Driver of the White Fang decided to execute anyone who so much as thought differently from him to prevent any more defections.
"Tell me again, why did you join the White Fang," Perceval asked the young faunus casually.
The faunus in question turned to Perceval with a hesitant look," Why do you want to know?"
"Because everyone here has a reason to hate humanity, but you don't seem to possess the same amount of hate, why is that," Perceval responded, before taking a sip from his gourd while carrying a large bag around his shoulder.
The faunus sighed before replying,"...It's just... when Adam said we would kill the villagers who support the Schnees... I assumed that they were evil psychopaths that were trained to kill us. I... I didn't think... that they were just..." The youth was unable to continue before he started sobbing. "S-some of them were even faunus," the boy sobbed before falling to his knees. Forcing them to stop walking.
Perceval looked at the boy with just a hint of pity. It's a shame, but the lad's fate was sealed the moment he questioned Adam about how they were any different from the Schnees. "...Do you have anywhere to go, if you were to leave now," Perceval asked the boy who looked at the Blade with tear stained face.
"...My grandparents are still alive in Menagerie... If I could... I would go back to them," the boy said with sadness.
"Good," Perceval said as he put the bag down gently and summoned his Blade weapon. A Chroma Katana with a purple blade. Then he dashed at his target that still had a family to remember him.
Back in the village a few minutes later. Perceval entered the mayor's office that Adam had taken for himself. Apparently the bull faunus was preparing for the next part of their plan. "Oh, Perceval. Did you finish the job," Adam asked at the sight of his Blade.
Instead of answering, Perceval threw something to Adam, who promptly caught it. It was a single deer horn, cut from the tartget's head.
"Good work," Adam said with a smile.
"...The boy had family that is still alive, what should we tell them. Or our troops," Perceval asked his Driver, who gave a frown.
"Just tell them he was killed by the Grimm," Adam said dismissively, "Now leave, we have a Schnee mine to destroy soon."
Perceval sighed at the lack of care Adam had for a subordinate that the Blade was ordered to kill, before leaving. As Perceval exited the Building, he gave one last look at the woods where he did what he had to. "I hope the boy can make it home," Perceval thought, hoping that the boy's grandparents won't be too upset about him losing a horn. Or the little luggage he had left him with, a change of clothes so he can ditch the White Fang uniform, some supplies, and a little girl Perceval had found hiding in a closet. "I'm still surprised that the little one was able to stay quiet long enough to get out of here." Was the last thought the Blade had before taking a sip from his gourd while trying find a quiet place where he doesn't have to hear the Fangs' joyful recount of this... slaughter.
Back in Beacon, around this time, Blake had gone through her day with her team. Now that the classes are over, Ruby asked her team to come to the forge to see something cool. The red caped leader had finally rebuilt Crescent Rose, much to Roze's annoyance. "Why would you need that, when you have me," Roze asked his Driver
"Crescent Rose is my first weapon," Ruby explained, completely oblivious to her Blade's feelings of jealousy. "I have so many happy memories of creating her," Ruby said as she cuddled the rebuilt compact form of the sniper scythe.
"Come on, Ruby," Yang said with a grin, "Don't make your boyfriend jealous."
"YANG!" Ruby whined with a furious blush, while Roze raised an eyebrow.
Weiss rolled her eyes at this exchange, with Dahlia shaking her head.
Blake didn't comment, instead focusing on Nox. She had thought that the silent treatment on the Blade would be easy punishment, but now... It looks like not only does Nox take his punishment dutifully, but he looked more miserable with every hour of the day since the punishment started. That was making it harder for Blake to keep up the punishment.
"Why not let him talk already," Yang said, not finding the dark Blade's misery funny anymore.
That snapped Blake at attention. "...No, if I back out now, he won't take me seriously," Blake said, trying to keep up her resolve.
"Well, yeah he was a little out of line, but you don't have to torture him like this," Yang said, finding sympathy for Nox despite what he said a few hours ago.
"Yeah, you don't have to be mean," Weiss said, managing to put aside her slightly judgmental attitude towards the assassin like Blade.
"Like you're one to talk," Blake snarked without any real heat, earning an annoyed look from Weiss.
During this, Dahlia had taken one of her braid like ears over her shoulder and stroke it idly. "Nox, are you feeling... alone without your ability to communicate," the ice Blade asked the dark Blade. "Nod means yes," Dahlia added, just to make it clear that this was a yes or no question.
Nox nodded sadly.
"What do you mean," Ruby asked, looking Nox into his visible eye, "We're all here right now."
Roze frowned. "Yes, but he can't talk to us, which is why he feels left out... Am I right," the rose reaper asked the fellow male Blade, earning a nod as a response.
Blake looked at everyone who took Nox's side. On one hand, she was furious on the inside, because she was doing this for them. But on the other hand, Blake had felt isolated herself when she was still hiding her faunus heritage from her team out of fear. "Nox," Blake finally said, earning her Blade's attention. The ninja faunus took out the confiscated scroll and gave it back to Nox. "I'm lifting the ban, but... we're going to have to have a long talk," Blake said as Nox happily accepted his scroll back.
"I understand, my lady. If there is anything I can do to become a Blade you deserve, I will do it." The text said while the Blade himself kneeled before his Driver.
"Wow... he's... dedicated," Weiss said not sure what to think of a person who apparently was suffering from what was essentially a solitary confinement for them, and yet was still willing to serve their mistress... Poor choice of words.
"I wonder if he's into cuffs," Yang teased Blake. The poor cat faunus couldn't help the image that line of thought brought to her.
"What do you mean by that," Ruby asked, causing Yang to face palm. the blonde had forgotten her sister wasn't ready for this sort of conversation.
"I'll tell you when you're older," Yang replied.
"Hey! Stop treating me like a little kid," Ruby pouted, while flailing her arms.
Blake shook her head in amusement, before a certain thought occurred to her. She might be pushing her Driver priviliges with this, but... the temptation was too great. "Nox... There's one thing you can start with to become a better Blade for me," Blake said, already feeling dirty for this.
"Anything for you, my lady." Nox had a hopeful sparkle in his visible eye. This earned a snicker from Yang.
The hidden faunus took a deep breath. "Show me what is under that mask," Blake said, causing everyone to stare at her in shock. Including Nox.
"You mean. Under this mask." Nox showed on his scroll while pointing at his mask with dread in his eye.
"Yes," Blake said, trying to sound resolute. And succeeding for the most part.
"If I do this... Will you ask me to show my left eye too." Nox looked hesitant.
Blake took some pity for him, so..., "No. Once I see what is under that mask... you don't have to show anything else if you don't want to."
"Is that a promise?" Nox looked worried.
"Yeah, it's a promise," Blake said with a chuckle.
"Very well." Nox let out what looked like a sigh. With that, the rest of team RWBY huddled up for the big reveal.
Dahlia was a little worried about this, Nox doesn't look comfortable about showing his face, so he must think he's ugly.
Roze was a little confused about everyone's interest in this... Although he would be lying if he said he wasn't curious.
As team RWBY had their eyes glued to the mask that Nox was reaching for, various imagination came to their minds about what he might look like. Some comical, others scary... or just bizarre. "Beneath this mask is." Nox showed on his scroll as he grabbed the fabric covering his nose. Then he pulled it down to reveal... another mask.
"Nox... What is that," Blake asked with a glare. The rest of the team looking very cheated.
"My inner mask." Nox showed on his scroll with an amused glint in his eye.
"Pull it down," Blake commanded.
"No."
That text caught Blake off guard. "You promised to show your face," Blake said with an edge in her tone.
"No. I promised to show what was under this mask. And in exchange you promised I wouldn't have to show anything else if I didn't want to." Nox emphasized the text by pointing at the outer mask he had taken off.
Weiss opened her mouth to retort... only to close it as she replayed the conversation in her head. "...He's not lying," it seemed painful for the white haired huntress to admit being played.
This exchange earned a laugh from Dahlia. "He tricked you, Blake. That sneaky rat tricked you," Dahlia said between laughs.
"I consider that the highest of praise." Nox dared to show on his scroll.
"That's not fair," Ruby said with a pout. She thought she could finally see if her theory about Nox having a miniature missile launcher for a mouth was true.
"You jerk," Yang said, avoiding strong language with Ruby around.
"...I hate you so much right now," Blake said, despite smiling at being had. "Fine, you can show your face when you feel like it," the faunus Driver relented. Besides, pursuing this would be very mean of her, since she hid her ears from her team for so long.
What Blake doesn't know however, is that she could've seen a glimpse of Nox's face if she had given one simple command. You see, the inner mask isn't a simple back up, it had an unnoticeable opening which Nox uses while eating or drinking. Meaning... that Blake could've at least seen the inside of her Blades mouth by telling him to open it. Alas, that possibility doesn't even cross Blake's mind as she motions Nox to put his outer mask back on. Which the Blade did, while internally sighing at the bullet he just dodged.
"Anyway," Blake then says with an evil look. "I think it's time to train you a little."
The way Blake said that, made Weiss and Yang have less than innocent thoughts as they weren't sure what their black haired smut reader meant.
"As you wish, my lady." Nox said while bowing his head. With that, the two left. Leaving Blake's two blushing friends behind, while Ruby looked at the said two in confusion.
"...Did Blake say something gross," Ruby asked. You don't grow up with uncle Qrow without at least knowing when something dirty was said. Evidenced when dad scolded the said druncle, as Yang once called him.
Anyway, Yang and Weiss stared at Ruby, surprised that she was able to pick that up.
"...W-we'll tell you when you're older," Weiss tried to use the same excuse Yang did.
"...So she did." Sadly Ruby wasn't dumb enough to not read between the lines this time.
AN: And there we go. I noticed something very annoying. You see, I use wordpad to write my fix before loading them into Doc manager and adding author notes, or possibly do some small fixes. Anyway, I write Nox's lines with an underline to signify text, but when I downloaded this, the underline didn't follow. Is there a way to avoid this, or am I doomed to go through Nox's lines to make sure they are in the format I want.
Next, I said I had other ideas when I was suggested giving Perceval to Blake, and here it is. An assassin of justice in the hands of a mad man who believes he's doing good. But it looks like our katana wielding assassin doesn't agree with Adam.
Speaking of which. I had insanely hard time describing Perceval. Half the time I didn't know words that could describe him effectively. In the end I had to go with words that I knew were a "thing".
With this, I'm done with this saga. Up next we will see Wrath of the Dragon.