RWBY: Bonds Between Hearts
Chapter 6: Treading on Thin Ice
WARNING: I own none of these characters sides from my OC(s). All rights go to their respective owners and properties.
This is nothing more than, well a fanfic, a story made up by a fan for entertainment and knowledge.
Everything in this fic is not canon and is only meant to give the audience a new idea of the works of each of the franchises in this story.
So please support me, my work and have some fun. Now enjoy the story. ^w^
Beacon Academy.
One of the most prestigious academies to train future Huntsman. One of the most respected Huntsmen Academies as it accepts all without prejudice and more, building and creating several legendary heroes for Remnant.
But within one room, it seemed to be more filled with dread than delight or studies. Within it, Weiss Schnee, Heiress to the Schnee Dust Company alongside her leader, Ruby Rose of Team RWBY were looking at their other two teammates Yang and Blake.
It had been a week since they returned from their trip in town and they haven't even left their beds since then. Ruby tried to cheer them up or do something to make them smile or even move, but was met with silence and the dreaded air around the two girls.
The young huntress in-training wished she could do something to help her sister and friend, yet she was running out of options and even more so her own hope to help them both.
There were times during classes the ringing of the school bell or the drop of the book would cause them to jump. The travel between classrooms had made them look over their shoulders. As if they became paranoid.
"Yaaang, can you tell me what's wrong? You've been like this for a week!"
"Not now Ruby… just… not now." The blonde bitterly replied.
"You were clearly chipper and yet here you are, not as such." Weiss drawled. "That isn't you. Well, there's Blake."
"Weiss… not now… not like this…. Please…" The raven haired girl pleaded, curling up tightly in her bed.
"You honestly can't be like this! Our combat classes are nearing failing grades because you two are brooding with such paranoia!"
"If you knew what we knew? You'd be the same…." Yang huffed with annoyance, turning her head away from the heiress.
"If we fail the semester then the blame and shame you brought is on your hands!" Weiss marched out, slamming the door shut.
Ruby flinched. Weiss wasn't wrong. Their grades in combat class were slowly slipping into failing grades. If it's like this any more the worse case scenario was possible expulsion or suspension. She didn't want that.
'Maybe Professor Ozpin might help!' Ruby quickly left the dorm as well but with hope glimmering in her eyes.
(Insert Opening - Triumph - RWBY Vol 5)
[Back to the fairytale, Back to the show, Back to the wall, And there's nowhere to go]
A short guitar solo starts as it then shows Cody waking up, surrounded by a ruined city as the young teen stood up, confused and wondering where he was as he looks around. As he stayed there a faint whisper in his ear made him turn around, to not only see Kamen Rider Blood for a moment there but also the glare of Killbas from afar, forcing him awake from his dream to reveal the people of Beacom Academy, with Yang holding her hand out to him.
[Hopeless and desperate, All paths adverse, Things lookin' bleak, And they're bound to get worse.]
The teen smiles as he tries to reach out before the bright colored field cracks and shatters, revealing that of Salem and the rest of her pawns behind her as the shadows of the Smash followed by Blood and Mad Rogue along as it's dangerous shadow loomed over them. Cody, determined by his friends then holds up the Build Driver as Cross-Z Dragon flew in with the Dragon Full Bottle and the Muscle Galaxy Bottle, as they then charged into battle against the threat before cutting away to reveal the title card.
[Helpless and doomed, And there's no way to win, Goals unachievable, Faith running thin.]
After the title vanishes, it then looms over Cody, sitting in an alley as rain pour down on him hard. The young teen looking at the ground softly before he glances at his Full Bottles as he relaxes next to Cross-Z Dragon. The screen then pans away and towards Ruby as she sits there on top of the building, the young teen glancing down to where Yang stood there, the young teen sighing softly with a smile before she jumped off and landed near her sister while Weiss just sighs heavily in the background.
[Lost and forlorn, Impossible odds, That's when you'll learn, You've been messing with gods]
The screens then gains static as Blake stands there with Adam, growling in disgust of how the humans of this world are, causing him to turn to be greeted with Roman and the rest of the White Fang along with some tech before the group looked up to be greeted by several Smash and Guardians, only to be swiftly stopped by Grease.
[Send in your Grimm, Tear off my limb, Strike me with bolts of lightning, I won't die!]
Back at Beacon, Cody begins to walk around before the same colorful field surrounds him, causing him to look around to see Team Rwby and JNPR among others walking around him before they vanish into darkness, leaving the teen there. As the color fades off and shatters once more, the young teen floats around in space, only seeing death and destruction caused by Blood and Killbas as the teens beings look down, only for Cody to see the Relics of the Gods for a moment.
[The battle seems unwinnable, But all we need's a miracle, We're going up, we'll never be denied!]
Cody called out to Yang as he rushed ahead, being bombarded by the energy and darkness that the being is emitting as it pushes him away. The young girl also notices as she reaches out for him as he does the same, trying to take their hands before they grasp and a bright light where Cross-Z Charge stands there tall. Only from afar sat Stark, chuckling softly before it morphed into Evol, only to fade away.
[Can't wish away the dismal days, Can't bring back what is gone.]
As Kamen Rider Cross-Z, he begins to battle against the Grimm along with the Smash, Blood and Killbas. The Rider fighting to save lives as Team RWBY and JNPR with Grease fight alongside them on the ground, dealing with the White Fang and Grimm as Cinder and Salem blast some darkness at the group.
[Won't waste more tears on yesteryears, Instead, we'll carry on!]
Great Cross-Z then changes into Cross-Z Charge, as well as a Hazard Cross-Z form, dealing with the Smash along with the teams as they continue to fight against the forces that are surrounding them. They soon fight as a silhouette of Cross-Z Magma stood behind him before a new form of Cross-Z, Cross-Z Evol, appears softly before fading away.
[We'll win, for sure, we will endure, And though our goal is far]
Cross-Z and RWBY then team up to deal with Salem and Blood as the two duke it out over one another, with Cross-Z started dealing with Blood that has erased countless areas only to be replaced by Killbas and his dangerous powers, while Ruby unlocked her hidden power as their next attack shatters reality.
[We'll be the ones to touch the sun, Triumph will be ours!]
Cody then opens his eyes, showing himself now on the campus grounds, with his bottles in hand and Yang nearby as he notices his friends now there, smiling at him. It brought a smile to the young teen's face as he looks back up to see a rainbow over them all before the title reveals one last time.
Within the headmaster's office, Ozpin sat there with his coffee, sipping at it as he listened to Ruby's pleas. He was quite aware of the change of behavior of Team RWBY. Goodwitch had explained to him regarding their grades falling in the combat class. Normally it was normal as it was their first year but the behavior the two had displayed paranoia, constantly looking over their shoulders and their eyes full of wary towards the people they speak to.
"And then they said they didn't want to talk about it! They were so gloomy and grumpy Weiss wanted to put so much blame on Blake and Yang!" Ruby concluded while flailing her arms. "I-I know we are not doing well because of it b-but I don't know what to do… I thought of asking the School Counselor…"
"You have every right to bring it to me, Ms. Rose. Your concern has been noted as I've been told of your sister and Ms. Belladonna's… behavior. You said this happened for the past week?"
"Y-Yeah! They said they went out to that nice cafe, but when they came back… they looked… scared. Like… they saw the boogeyman." Ruby gripped her school uniform upon the title. "I'm worried about what exactly they saw or… what my sister will do if she keeps like this…"
Ozpin nodded softly, understanding that whatever they saw, must've been something incomprehensible to understand. He figured it was…. Her, due to his own experiences. But from what the young huntress has told it, it seems it was something else. But as long as it wasn't her power, he knew they could recover.
"As much as I wish I could help, Ruby Rose. From what it seems, I'm guessing they just need time. Time to heal, to process and overcome this fear. For what is humanity, if not resilient? What is will if not indomitable?" Ozpin told the young girl with his usual confusing riddles. "Only then they can understand."
"There's… nothing else I can do?" Ruby asked, her head slightly dropping.
"I wish there was another way… I'm sorry." Ozpin responded to her softly.
"Oh… okay…" The scythe wielder stood up. "But thank you, professor." She went to the elevator and when the doors closed, Goodwitch sighed, "Ms. Rose isn't wrong. After discussing with the rest of the faculty, both Ms. Xiao Long and Ms. Belladonna has been failing their grades due to their unexpected behavior."
"It means most likely they learned something else… Something even more dreadful than our current enemy and objective." Ozpin noted. "Did you see how our two students looked at everyone?"
"… full of wariness."
"Wariness, their minds assuming the perpetrator could be any one of us."
"Do you think…. It could be Faust?" Glynda spoke up. "I know it is just a mere urban ghost story…" Even she had heard whispers of a group in the shadows, their presence unknown and not seen. Like ghosts, they were never seen or heard of.
"Story or not… everything begins somewhere." Ozpin noted, "And with you already knowing the truth about the mission. It must mean it too exists."
"But no one has ever seen them."
"This time though… it seems our two scared students, might have seen them… Or maybe just one of them?" Ozpin theorized. "The Boogeyman itself."
No one can drive such fear such as an old scary tale told to children - if you act against his wishes, he will come for you in the night.
"For once, I may need to speak to the two about what they know of such a fairy tale…" Ozpin noted as he reached for his scroll to send word to the two huntresses in-training to meet him in his office.
XXX
"Those two are going to be a failure to the whole team! I swear…" Weiss gritted.
The heiress will not be sent home because of the fears of two girls who couldn't get it together. Whatever the issue was, they needed it to be over before they were kicked out of Beacon. Weiss will not go back to her father and his prying eyes again.
Question is how long will it even take for them to get their act together!? Honestly the whole thing about seeing the boogeyman was a total farce! Sure it was a scary story told to them as children but to actually speak like they had seen it? Such childish nonsense!
"Excuse me… Weiss Schnee, right?" A young voice called to the heiress as standing there was a Beacon student, the same year as them, but different classes yet he still seemed unfamiliar.
"Can I help you?" She frowned.
"Yes, actually. I was asked by one of the professors to bring you. Said something about another failed paper?" The student stated to the heiress.
The heiress raised an eyebrow before she clicked her tongue. Of course it had to be that. It had to be from Blake and Yang!
"Lead the way then." Weiss huffed as she began to follow the boy. Though as they do, the boy began to gain a wicked grin.
XXX
Within a rundown gym, Cody was striking at a robot dummy. His anger fueled him with each hit he sent, denting the robot more and more before one last punch shattered its head, dropping to the ground.
"Ugh… Another one!" Cody shouted, turning his head to Junior who was with him alongside some 'acquired' Atlas robots.
"Kid that is enough for now."
"Just another robot! Come on!"
"You've been destroying these things like a kid in a sweets store. I can't just pluck another truck of these things, they've upped their security. I still need these for a few other jobs. I'm sorry but that was the last one." Junior sighed.
At first when the boy came back, he was more surprised he only wanted a training dummy. But after the 4th truck of Atlas bots he swiped from, he started to realize the kid was not only trying to get stronger, but avoiding something on his mind as well. He had enough drunkard customers and employees to notice that much.
"There must be something!"
"Sorry kid."
Cody gritted his teeth in frustration. "Fine! I'll go hunt Grimm!"
"Kid, you seriously need to calm down and rest. You're obviously scared." Junior stated with a heavy sigh. "You're just gonna make things worse. Or do you want more trouble out there?"
Cody growled heavily before he let out an angered yell, only to turn and strike the robot, literally breaking the ground into a crater before he marched off.
"God… why are kids so difficult?" Junior muttered to himself before he walked out, just in time as the old building collapsed.
The male blonde panted, his eyes staring at the scraps of metal beneath him.
'Survive. Live. Just as you have done so before the world around you burns. By then you will grow more.'
The words Blood Stalk said to him still echoed in the depth of his mind.
To survive another day as the world around him slowly burns from its bitter conflicts. His growth is only known amidst such troubles.
His mind pondering over how to overcome this, how to beat Stark at his own game, how to stop that monster…. And save others. His thought toiled and thought carefully over everything he could do, everything he can use at his fingertips. While killing Stark and destroying Faust was part of the option, he wasn't strong enough to beat him yet, and he worried he had no time to get stronger than that snake. He seen what the bastard can do.
Somehow, not just his armor, he used fire and air with such ease like donning a glove. That couldn't be a Semblance could it?
"Wow, you sure threw a mean punch to make such a mess." Cody tensed and brought his fist up but met a wall of earth. He yelped, clutching the bones of his knuckles and looked up to see Blood Stalk wagging his fingers.
"You….." Cody hissed in anger, with his eyes flashing red.
"Ah, good! Good! You bring more curiosity and questions to me from this!" The bastard clapped in glee.
"What do you want from me you damn snake?!"
"Just a short visit is all. Though lo and behold you sure are improving. Guess my words put some thought into ya, huh?" He hopped off the earthy wall, idly circling Cody.
With a heavy growl, Cody threw a punch but missed Stark as his fist shattered a ruined brick wall, making him look around for his new fabled enemy.
"Just so you know, the two girls are still alive. Rest assured. I wouldn't step over the line yet since they haven't entered my territory."
"Just what do you want from me?!"
"A simple… hm… a game if you will."
"A game? A damn game?!"
"Correct~! Now, I will give you… 48? Nah too easy, 24 hours to finish it." The snake's voice echoed haughtily. "If you win, I just might leave you with a present as a token of gratitude. Or is it a token of victory? Meh."
"Finish what, exactly?" Cody glared heavily.
"Oh just a game of Dust This, Dust That, Dust Everywhere." The leader of Faust saw Cody's deadpanned look. "Honestly kids these days. You find me the right Dust, the next step will be provided. And then if you get it right, you get the prize."
"And if I lose?"
"Oh, someone dies. Not you though. You are special to me."
"If it was any of those three girls from before…" Cody hissed, his rage rising.
"Oh no, no! Not that little cub, cat, or firehead! I wouldn't do that! Just an heiress who will provide you with the right expertise to complete the game!"
"Huh?"
Two snakes appeared in a cyclone before a girl in white was spit out like a bad taste of food. Cody rushed down the crater and cradled the girl. "W-Wait a minute… this is Weiss Schnee!?" He looked at the air. "You kidnapped the heiress of the SDC?!"
"I know, right?! This is going to be such a fun game!" Stark cackled in delight, "Oh, also. I suggest you start running. Otherwise you'll lose completely."
Cody was confused as only within moments he heard the sirens of Vale slowly getting closer to him, making his eyes widen.
"Tick tock boyo. Better bust the move. Posters of the crime will spread and the clock is ticking. No, literally. You are on a timer and the heiress has a nifty accessory ticking."
Cody gritted his teeth when he noticed what he meant. There was a device on her wrist with what is no doubt a Nebula Gas bomb.
"I can't wait to tear your head off your body…" Cody said, seething with rage at the snake boss before he soon began to run as fast as he could with the unconscious heiress in his arms.
XXX
Within the headmaster office, Ozpin sat there with a silent Yang and Blake. The two girls still in their pj's as they sat in silence while the headmaster was sipping some coffee, just waiting for the proper time to speak to them or them to finally talk to him.
"Now girls, I have been told of your recent experience in classes lately. I'm afraid I require a much needed explanation for your failing grades. You two have been making fair progress but to suddenly fail or skip classes? It is quite a turn."
"We've… just been tired is all…" Blake spoke up, her head turned slightly away from the headmaster.
"That may be but I am sensing there is more to it. You two have been displaying clear symptoms of paranoia." He smiled. "Does it have to do with the fabled Boogeyman?"
The moment they hear that, the girls flinch and soon return back to being silent, earning all that he needed to know.
Ozpin took a deep breath and sighed, "I know it's scary. To think something like that actually exists. And when confronting it and the truth, you don't know what to do or how to process such information. So what do you do? You shut down…. You keep to yourself, believing this feeling will pass or maybe you think you're dreaming and will wake up to a better day." He said to them, somewhat sharing his own past with the two without actually revealing it.
"We…" Yang swallowed. "W-We saw-"
The elevator suddenly dinged and the four saw Ruby glomp onto the floor. She panted and scrambled onto her feet. "S-So sorry! H-Have you guys seen the news?! Weiss was kidnapped!"
Blake and Yang stood up from their chairs. "WHAT?!" Everyone, even Ozpin said with shock.
XXX
"Okay, gotta think. Gotta think…" Cody paced back and forth. Junior had asked him earlier what he had gotten himself into but couldn't properly give an answer. All he knew was that trouble certainly found him. "The bastard kidnapped Weiss and dropped her to me. Somehow convinced the police I kidnapped her… and I have to play his stupid game."
The young blonde experiment continued to try and think through all of this and what the plan was. Why need a Schnee? Did they have something he wanted? Was it just some dust the snake needed? And why was this girl so heavy!?
"Ugh…" the blonde froze and slowly looked at the small sofa to see the Schnee groggily holding her head while sitting up. "Where…" her ice blue eyes looked around before seeing Cody.
"U-Um… hi?" The blonde waved.
"AAAH!" The heiress grabbed whatever she could and threw them at him.
Cody simply took the hits of what she threw because at the moment they were in an abandoned toy store, meaning only toys were being thrown as he sat there, waiting for her to calm down from her jolted slumber.
"Please stop throwing that stuff at me…." He sighed out, only covering his eyes a bit.
"W-Who are you?! Did you and that student set me up to be kidnapped?!"
"Cody Aldrich. And no, I didn't set you up, you were taken by the one who set me up." Cody explained to the heiress in a tone deaf voice. "Look, there is much I want to explain but right now we are on a time limit."
"What makes you think I should believe such a buffoon?!"
"For the love of… there is a damn bomb on your wrist!" He raised her arm in question. "I am trying to save you before this thing injects its substance and turns you into a monster or kills you!"
Weiss flinched as she looked down at her wrist, seeing the odd bomb watch as she attempted to take it off, only to get shocked in response. Her Aura glimmered and held her breath. "Wha-What? T-Take it off!"
"I can't alright?!" The blonde took a brief second to breathe. "I understand you are panicking but right now we have 23 hours before I lose and you die. The guy who kidnapped you is framing me for your disappearance!"
"Hmph… say I do 'believe you', just what are you going to do about it?" Weiss huffed, crossing her arms.
"One, saving your life. Would you want to be a monster or die from Nebula poisoning?"
"And just what even is that?"
"Unknown type of gas that can either kill or turn you into a monster."
"And how come you're not one or the other?" Weiss questioned with another huff of annoyance.
"Never said I wasn't a monster… just one that didn't become their pet." Cody huffed back, "Why did I have to be tossed a lousy Schnee?"
"Lousy?! I have you know I am the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company!"
"Yeah, do I need to repeat myself, your majesty?" He said in a mocking tone.
"How rude!"
"Meh, been told worse."
A sound echoed, causing the duo to look at each other. "Was that you?" They asked each other. The sound echoed again in which Weiss checked her school uniform's blazer and felt it. She dug into the pocket and pulled a Scroll but it didn't belong to her.
"There's a message." Schnee opened the device to widen it. "Tick tock. Your life is on its limit. With the princess with you, find the speck of dust I seek. FYI, police are everywhere. If you go to Beacon or to any pje to save you aside from your savior, you will burn." She read. "This has to be some prank."
A blink happened again. "PS… i-It's not a joke? I-Is he spying on us?!"
"He's the leader of Faust. He has eyes everywhere…" Cody frowned. "Lousy snake…."
Another chime echoed and the message said, "I'll take it as a compliment boyo."
"Grr…"
"Wha…" Weiss breathing heaved and rested her hands on her head. "I-I can't die like this! N-Not to be some monster!" She gripped Cody's collar. "You have to finish this game you dragged me into!"
"You don't think I've been trying since you've been handed to me? I don't even know what he wants!" Cody shouted in response as the heiress shook him like a doll. "What even does he mean by 'Speck of Dust'?!"
"How should I know?!"
"You're the heiress of a Dust company, what else!" Already he is seething and the blonde was sure Blood Stark was eating popcorn upon the sick humor that was happening.
"Just cause I am, doesn't mean I know every little detail about it like my father does!"
"Oh ain't that the first time I've heard that sorry tale before. Want me to get you some tissues of all of the crap I don't give!"
The response he got was a harsh slap to the face, shocking the experiment. Okay that one actually hurt. Weiss' face was contorted with anger towards Cody but there laid the lingering pain beneath that shade of hate.
"Don't ever say that again." She hissed. "Just get this bomb off my wrist."
"… Fine. Whatever." He slowly pried the heiress' hands off him. "If speck is basically a minuscule amount, don't you have any dust your company hardly uses?"
Weiss pursed her lip. "If… I were to find out I would have to contact the company… but it has to be done at the CCT. But with police looking for you-"
"Only you can go in and can't tell anyone about our situation." Cody scratched his head. "Alright… then we just have to do that. Just… don't screw this up."
"You do the same you stupid dolt."
"I can literally throw you into the ocean…" He glared at her.
XXX
Police were still in search for the blonde teen responsible for the kidnapping of the Heiress of the SDC. Patrols had never stopped and it had been 6 hours since. By the CCT, Schnee nervously kept the hood of the sweater over her head and swallowed slightly. Her life was currently on the line and the idiot blonde was her only chance to remove the bomb off her wrist.
She wanted to scream for help. She wanted to call for help but her life was right now on thin ice, no pun intended. To either be a monster or die through poisoning of an unknown substance. It scared her. She had experienced a few kidnappings before or heard of it from her family.
But it wasn't for ransom, just to toy with the life of another like a sick joke.
Even when she does this, she will demand him tell her everything he knows, or so help her. She'll play victim and make him tell her the truth, one way or another.
Taking a shuddering breath, she requested a spot and entered the console. Her fingers hovered slightly and took a shuddering breath. 'This is my life on the line… I have to do this.'
Calling the company she waited and lowered the hood of the white sweater. With bated breath she saw the familiar receptionist on the line. "This is- O-Oh, Ms. Schnee! I didn't expect such a call. What can I help you with?"
"I wish for an inquiry regarding our Dust." She bit her lip and inserted the Scroll given to her.
"Dust the company hasn't used? Ms. Schnee, if I may ask what brought this up?"
Weiss paused before closing her eyes. "Just for comparison in regards to current inventory after recent robberies." She lied.
"Oh… I see… then it must be what your sister has asked to get ready. I didn't expect you'd be the one to take it." The operator said, as that made Weiss's eyes widen a bit.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh well, earlier today Winter contacted us as well to get certain documents and Dust mines ready for a special transfer. Though it was odd as she only sent it by text over a video call. Must be under the weather, I assume."
'The snake has eyes everywhere.'
Weiss remembered Cody's words. It meant the snake had people in Atlas too. How deep was the leader's network? Did he have followers everywhere? Could it be her sister was one of them? No, no she can't believe it is possible… she refused-
"M-Ms. Schnee, is everything okay? Y-You look to be hyperventilating."
"Er… yes. Just a bit tired from doing this duty is all." Weiss lied once more with a soft smile, knowing that saying anything or even hinting about it would mean not just her own demise, but maybe even her family as well, something she couldn't risk. "J-Just… tell me please."
"Let me see… ah here we go, the Dust that has been low in storage happens to be Hard Light Dust. But it will be restocked in a month."
"Speck of dust…" she murmured. "I… I would like to request a small crate delivered."
"Eh?"
"Deliver a box size amount of the Hard Light Dust. The address is in the information."
"O-Oh I see. I will inform of the request-"
"I need it immediately… please."
"… Alright. Have a good day, Ms. Schnee"
Weiss sighed heavily, leaning back against the chair as the Scroll ejected from the console. Her device pinged, allowing her to notice a message. Her eyes widened and immediately rushed out of the CCT and approached a tree. "Hey dolt, are you there?"
At first she heard nothing only to see… the most adorablysmalldragonflyinguptoher!
Weiss wanted to squeal with delight and more, but she quickly shook her head to shake such thoughts. She soon noticed it was gesturing her to follow it as she nodded and followed suit.
Once the (cute) dragon stopped she saw the dolt who petted the mechanical being who purred. "Well?"
"… I received a message from the supposed snake right after my request for Hard Light Dust was accepted." She turned her Scroll.
"Good, now we wait to see what's next of the snake…" Cody growled as the dragon flew over to peck at his head, making the blonde gently reach over to pet it.
"With light comes dark, dark comes light. Search for me in between under the sky littered with its colorful sunset of petals." They read. "The heck is that supposed to mean?"
They heard a hiss, causing Weiss to pull her sleeve and saw one part of the wristlet expand its panels. Her eyes dilated when they saw they had 12 hours left. "P-Please hurry!"
"Light comes dark, dark comes light. Search for me in between…" Cody scrambled left and right. "Think Cody, think… what is in between dark and light? What did Blood Stark mean by…" Cody's voice trailer off upon his shadow. He looked up and saw the sunlight in the open area of the trees they were under. "A shadow…"
"Huh?"
"A shadow is between light and dark. The sun is our light right? And what happens when the sun points towards our backs?"
"It casts a shadow, leaving darkness on the small area in question!
"But what about 'under the sky littered with its colorful sunset of petals' is the problem… the sunset won't make a shadow since it becomes night…"
"… Not if the riddle is the other way around." Weiss slapped her hands together. "Forever Fall is known for its colorful scenery that feels like it is fall. The colors of a sunset but the sun doesn't cast much over that area unless it was night."
"… The moon is the light. And night…"
"Is darkness. There is one place in forever fall-"
"There he is!" The two quickly looked back to notice several officers. "Stop right there!"
"Quick, I know what the riddle meant!" Weiss pulled Cody.
XXX
It had been 18 hours since Weiss was kidnapped. Ruby was extremely worried as she stared at the ongoing news that displayed in the Scroll. They mentioned the recent sighting of the Heiress with the kidnapper.
"Anything?" She raised her head to notice Yang.
"The police spotted the one who kidnapped Weiss! But um…"
"What?"
"Isn't he… um…" She handed the Scroll to her sister. Yang raised an eyebrow but both were raised to the wanted photo of Cody.
"What…" The fellow blonde was the one who was wanted for kidnapping the ice queen?! That didn't make any sense! He wouldn't do that!
"So he's the bad guy who took Weiss!" Ruby huffed as she picked up her Crescent Rose.
"Ruby, wait!" Yang halted. "Cody isn't responsible for it!"
"Eh? Cody?" Ruby gasped. "Yang! You knew a criminal!?"
"No, well he works with Junior- wait, that isn't the point! He is the guy I told you about! The one with the armor you thought was cool!"
"So he is a bad guy!" Ruby pointed to the wanted poster.
"He's… UGH! This has to be that damn bastard's fault!"
"Language, sis! Whoever it is, let's go after Cody the Kidnapper! Onward!" She said now disappearing in a flurry of petals.
"Ruby!" The blonde gritted. "Just freaking great…"
XXX
It was now nighttime and the two teens ran. The forest that is Forever Fall was shrouded with the moonlight of the shattered moon. It wasn't much to explore but made it to the area Weiss mentioned. There laid a large clearing but there laid a few rocks in the center. "If I am right then the moonlight will cast over the rock." The heiress stated. "But why a rock?"
"Maybe something special about it?" Cody quipped.
Weiss rolled her eyes and snatched the box he carried. They had already delivered the Dust but they had an earlier message telling them they were to use two shards. It was suspicious but regrettably obeyed. Advancing forward they looked around the rock and saw nothing out of the ordinary. "What is there supposed to be?! All there is, is the shadow of the rock!"
Cody stared before he frowned. He looked at the dragon. "Dig."
It nodded before it swiftly dug into the shadow, throwing dirt all around the two. Weiss casted a Glyph to prevent the dirt from soiling her clothes before the digging ended. The dragon chirped but to their confusion there laid a- "A panel?" The two repeated in bewilderment.
Laying there in dirt, vines and some bones was a black panel, one that was obviously not from here as even they could tell it was foreign to Remnant. This was the item that Stark wanted, a stupid metal panel?
"We came all this way… for a stupid panel?!" Weiss shrieked. "Why would this piece of garbage-" Just as her hand neared, she was greeted with a powerful wave of energy that sent her flying and crashing to a tree.
"Weiss!" Cody jogged to her. "Hey g-get up!"
He looked at the panel in the dirt. What on earth was it? To radiate such energy was unbelievable! That wasn't the work of Dust at all!
The Scroll rang, making the blonde check the scroll Weiss had.
"With two, you carry the treasure. With one, you bring it to the docks." He read. "Grr… bastard…"
Looking at the two Dust crystals, Cody frowned and walked over. He grunted to the pulse of energy that was released but drew close. With haste he dropped the two crystals onto it. The two objects shattered and hard light energy coated the panel.
He kicked up the panel before catching it in his fingers as he began to make his way to the location of the docks with Weiss in his arms. 'What did he mean by 'With one, you bring it to the docks…'
Wait a minute… with one. Did that mean him or Weiss had to deliver it on their own-
"Weiss!" The blonde paused and turned around to see a girl dressed in black and red… carrying a huge scythe.
"Oh great…." Cody sighed out, knowing that by this look, he was about to get hurt badly.
"Drop my friend you kidnapper!"
"Look squirt, this is just a misunder-"
"I'm not little! I drink milk!"
That took him off guard as he snickered into a laugh, "Okay? That's a new one for me…" He chuckled out.
The girl with the red cloak puffed her cheeks. "You will release my friend and be arrested!" She charged towards him with her scythe.
"Oh crap!" He rolled with Weiss in his arms but dropped the hard light-covered panel in the process. "Look, you need to leave me be, otherwise Weiss is gonna get hurt!" He said, trying to diffuse the situation yet from what it sounded like to the girl, it was a threat to her friend.
"I won't let you hurt her!" What shocked Cody was the girl vanishing in a flurry of petals and was suddenly in front of him. His eyes widened before the scythe dug into the dirt and felt its dull end slam against his leg, creating disbalance. He fell on one knee, his Aura recovering the brief injury.
"I am not the one hurting her damn it! I am trying to save her!" Cody barked.
"Don't lie to me! Bad guys always capture a princess!" She pointed out, nodding to her logic. "I will save my friend as the Huntress I aim to be!"
The blonde gritted his teeth. Just like before. Hunters were never heroes because examples like this reminded him how he survived. How he lived.
"Stupid…"
"Eh?"
"Why the hell are you following a stupid dream?!" He snapped. "Huntresses and Huntsmen are nothing but liars! Jerks with their stupid egos and never there to save anyone from people worse than you can imagine!"
His eyes glimmered slowly, his breathing becoming ragged to the bitter nonsense of such dreams. "Heroes like them are just stupid fiction!"
"It's not stupid! It can happen!" Ruby shook her head from his proclamation.
"Liar!" Ruby flinched to the response. "They never saved the kids 10 years ago! Never saved any of them from the pain and torment! They suffered and no one… NO ONE SAVED THEM! People like you… people like that damn blondie believe becoming a Huntress or Huntsmen is a good thing… IT ISN'T! They couldn't save the people those bastards kidnapped! Never!"
"I-I…"
"Just give up such a stupid dream and stop lying to people!" Ruby saw azure flames lick Cody's clothes and for a second the wind almost brushed around them. "There is no such thing as heroes!"
Ruby was left speechless and stunned as Cody continued his way with Weiss and the panel as he marched passed Ruby, shoving her with his shoulder as she dropped to the ground, stunned as she simply turned her head to the leaving boy.
"H-Heroes… don't exist…?" She murmured repeatedly.
With Cody, he gritted his teeth angrily. The flames didn't die down and the wind slowly became harsh until a soft groan reached his ears. Seeing the heiress slowly come to calm his emotions.
"Ugh… who got the number of that stupid panel…?" Weiss groaned out, waking up from her hit.
"Weiss!" He stopped and sat on the grass, gently helping her sit up. "How are you feeling?"
"Still in shock that this whole crap is happening…. Just what happened?" Weiss groaned out.
"The panel released some energy, whatever it was and literally launched you away. I had to use the two dust crystals to shroud it in Hard Light." Cody explained. "The snake wants one of us to deliver it."
"Wait… how long do we have left?" Weiss questioned as she looked at the bomb. Her eyes widened to the timer. "F-Five hours… the docks are at the same amount of time…"
"Guess I'll have to speed things up." He frowned, soon reaching into his jacket to pull out the driver as he strapped it onto himself, confusing the heiress.
WAKE UP! CROSS-Z DRAGON! ARE YOU READY?!
"Henshin!"
WAKE UP BURNING!
In seconds, the two trays of armor collapsed inward, attaching to the teen. In moments, another set of armor attached to the back, first forming wings before they folded into shoulder pads and another faceplate.
GET CROSS-Z DRAGON! YEAH!
"EEHH?!" She exclaimed. "Y-You're the one Yang mentioned?!"
"Ugh… she loves to talk too much…" Cross-Z groaned as he picked up Weiss in his arms as with a simple leap, they were both flying through the air from the jump, making the heiress scream from the sudden leaps and jumps he was doing with ease.
Weiss soon quickly held onto him tightly with each jump he made, shocked at how powerful he was and did this like it was normal to him. No wonder Yang was so invested by his power, he was basically some kind of super human, and it made her wonder what his Semblance even was.
XXX
Cross-Z skidded upon landing but not before crashing into a crate. He groaned, "I thought I had the perfect landing…"
Weiss however shakingly crawled away from him. "Never… do that… again…" she held her mouth before rushing to the water and regurgitated her stomach contents.
"Shake it off, we're almost done with this crap." Cross-Z rolled his eyes as he looked around for the proper dock, unsure which one he needed to be at. "One of us has to deliver this panel…"
After coughing and washing her mouth, Weiss coughed and looked at Cody. "I should since I'm the one with a bomb on my wrist."
"Fair Point…" Cross-Z sighed as he handed her the panel. "Just be careful…. He is a snake after all…"
Weiss nodded and slowly walked ahead. Looking over her shoulder, she saw the slouched Rider before facing ahead. She inhaled and exhaled before walking. Cody was out of her sights, only silence being her companion. She felt the unease swell in the pit of her stomach before her Scroll rang. Her hand reached to her blazer and procured it, seeing the message. "Move to the right by four steps."
She did as told and another message erupted. "Hold your arms out with the panel." She swallowed and did as told. There was no message afterwards. Her mind raced as her ice blue eyes glanced at the bomb, seeing 50 seconds. A bead of sweat slowly fell and her eyes glimmered in fear.
Suddenly she saw smoke from the buildings on the far right move and soar before gathering in front of her very eyes. The smoke solidified and revealed an armored figure with the symbol of a bat. The heiress froze to the ominous gaze locked onto her. She could not move as instructed. Her hands trembled before the bat raised his hand and gripped the shrouded panel. His steps were slowly and careful before resting two fingers to his helmet. "Panel secured, my lord…. understood, returning with the sacred piece."
Weiss soon began to breath a sense of relief, yet she noticed the bomb wasn't being removed from her wrist.
"W-Wait… the bomb! I-Isn't there anything to remove it!?"
The being paused and glanced at her. "Who said anything about removing it from a Schnee? My lord never said anything about it."
Despair filled her mind as Weiss began to panic. The armored criminal left her in which the heiress ran back to Cody.
"Weiss? What-"
"Hurry please!"
"H-Huh?"
"They didn't remove it!" She raised the arm in question.
"What?!" They saw 30 seconds on the timer. "That son of a bitch!"
"Please! I don't want to die! Anything please!" She wept, gripping his armor.
"I don't want to hurt your or just cut off your hand, as far as I know it'll just blow up!" Cody grimaced as he tried to think of something. "I-I-"
10…9
Weiss cried, her mind panicking and unable to process what was about to happen to her.
8…7
Cody remembered having to abandon the kids who escaped with him. Their cries to help, only for him to run away, leaving them to their fate.
6… 5
Slowly, he gripped the Heiress' hand. "I won't let you be alone in this." He assured her.
4….3
"Please…. I don't want to die alone…." Weiss's face was running with tears and mascara down her face.
2… 1
Just as the timer reached 1, it didn't become 0. The device hissed before it was unlatched from her wrist and fell to the ground. Weiss fell to her knees as Cody followed down, keeping her in an embrace as the girl cried. The blonde's eyes shifted narrowly and caught sight of Blood Stark who waved and raised a sign that said, "You win!"
'The bastard… he tested if I would make the same mistake again…'
The Scroll rang in which he furiously picked it up but it wasn't a message but a call. "What the hell do you want, Blood Stark!?"
"You have succeeded in my game! I knew you wouldn't leave the princess to die alone! Unlike 10 years ago."
"Bastard…. I will mount your head on a pike!" Cody hissed, almost ready to crush the Scroll.
"Ooh, how scary. With your success comes your prize! It is in the wristlet that fell! It is but a taste of what you will see from yours truly. Ciao."
The call ended before Cody looked at the former bomb. He picked it up and noticed the buckle that connected the wristlet was something embedded. He furrowed his brows and tugged. He grunted slightly but not before pulling it out and gasped in shock.
A square-shaped bottle and it held the image of a dragon. It wasn't like the normal Full Bottle he has, as it felt like something somewhat solid in it, like jelly or oil. "The… hell…" He looked up where his nemesis once was.
Blood Stark was beginning to forge a new arsenal for his organization.
XXX
Ruby mulled on the steps of the academy as Yang gently rubbed her back. After what happened the hurtful words the male blonde said to her was fresh on her mind. Yang felt like finding the boy to punch him for his harsh words, but right now she knew her little sister just needed someone to be there, waiting for Weiss to return like she knew the heiress would.
As they sit there, they soon heard footsteps as walking up to them was Weiss and surprisingly Cody as well. The boy gently having his hands on her shoulders as Weiss was trying to dry her tears and makeup from what happened.
"Weiss!" Ruby rushed to her and hugged the heiress. "We were so worried about you!"
"Ruby…." Weiss sniffled.
"Weiss..? Are you-" The leader of the team coughed to the sudden embrace.
"J-Just shut up please? I need this…." Weiss sniffled out.
Yang glared for a moment at Cody but even his own face showed all that she needed to know. Whatever happened to them both, it was troubling and almost breaking their spirit as he turned and began to walk away.
"Happy?" Cody spoke up. "This is what happened after you and Blake butted in… hope you can live with that."
"I-I didn't…" Yang tried to reach but he harshly shoved her arm away from him.
"Don't touch me."
"Hey, leave my big sister alone!" Ruby defended. "She was trying to help!"
"If she just left me alone, you and your friends wouldn't be targeted…." He said harshly before turning to the scythe owner, "… Keep that dream of yours alive, okay? Your friends could need such light… before he decides to break it."
"Ahem."
Cody and the girls looked at the steps to see Ozpin and Goodwitch.
"… shit." The male blonde grunted.
"May we speak in my office?"
"… Whatever." Cody glanced at the girls before following the two adults.
What made Yang more upset was how easily they got him to follow them, unlike her attempts.
XXX
Inside Ozpin's office Cody crossed his arms as he stood there, waiting for them to speak as he was already feeling his skin crawl at being here. He hated the school already for the obvious reason.
"Normally your actions would have been seen as harsh with the supposed kidnapping-"
"What do you mean 'supposed'?" Cody cocked a brow.
Ozpin took a sip of his drink before he gently set the mug down. "Quite frankly young man, the police seemed to have strangely forgotten about Ms. Schnee being kidnapped."
Cody stared before he snorted. No doubt Blood Stark's work.
"And yet what I couldn't help but be curious about… was this." On que, Goodwitch raised her Scroll to reveal Cody's landing on the docks and the dismissal of armor before the footage became static.
"I've seen a variety of Semblances in my time but yours… is quite strange."
"… So what?" Goodwitch frowned at the blonde's behavior.
"And Ms. Rose has said.. a variety of words you have told her." Ozpin continued.
"It is the bitter truth. Not my fault."
"You still had no right to be antagonistic to her! She was protecting her friend!" Gylnda scolded, annoyed by the boy's attitude.
"And if she kept it up, she would've watched her either become a monster or die in front of her eyes. Tell me, what's worse than being mean to a kid?" Cody questioned the teacher.
Ozpin was silent while Glynda was aghast by the young man's response.
"If you are trying to get me to stay, don't bother. This school… is stupid. Can I leave now? If the police cleared me since they don't remember then I'm free to go, right?"
Ozpin said nothing as the blonde boy turned and went into the elevator, leaving the two. Glynda just turned to the headmaster, baffled at how he easily let him go.
"Why did you let him leave? We could've found out more and helped him." Glynda protested.
"Because… We have a guest." Ozpin said, looking at railing above.
"A guest?" Her eyes lingered and immediately stepped to Ozpin's side
"Guess you're not as blind as I thought, Ozpin…" A chilling voice rang off as Stark came into view of the two. "Yo."
"Wha-" Glynda gripped her crop but suddenly an phantasmal serpent coiled around her, restraining her.
"It's not nice to threaten an unarmed individual…." The leader of Faust leapt over the railing and landed rather calmly instead of cracking the floor. The armored snake approached. "Is this seat taken? No? Thank you very much!" Pulling it back, he took a seat and rested his feet on Ozpin's desk.
"So… what do I owe the pleasure of meeting with the legendary 'boogeyman'?" Ozpin asked.
"Ooh, now that's a nickname I haven't heard in a while. Ah, memories. Scaring the hearts of any soul who speak of my mine. I'm like that one guy in that fantasy book 'he who must not be named' bwahahahaha!"
"…"
"Sheesh, no humor. Tough crowd." The red Rider sighed.
"Just cut to the chase… What are you doing here and want?" Ozpin questioned.
"Ah it is about my boyo you took a curiosity to." Blood Stark moved his feet off the desk. "I want you to keep your four little girls and yourself away from him."
Ozpin's brow raised from this obvious threat, "Well, why I can promise myself. My students I cannot as they seem to be now entwined with him."
"I'm quite serious, you know? After all I nearly bombed an heiress, having two girls so paranoid they are lacking progress in classes which sucks quite frankly, and third… their blood will be on your hands. Oooh, how would the families feel? Despair? Grief? Rage?"
Wind brushed against the leader but also an audible clang. Glynda gasped as the sharp end of Ozpin's cane met the grip of Blood Stark's hand. The villain had stopped it within a nanosecond.
"My, my! You're quite quick to the draw. I already can tell that this cane of yours is powerful indeed…. Enough to actually wound me were it not for this mortal flesh!"
"Then you should also know, that threats against my students is the one thing to never do in front of a headmaster…." Ozpin said coldly for once.
"Maybe…" Blood Stark slowly pushed the cane aside. "But you know what's sad?" He leaned forward. "We all have secrets in such a forgotten world, eh old man? You and I… still have our tricks."
Ozpin glared at Stark with needles of rage in his eyes. "Harm them like that, and you'll see why I have remained here for so long…" He warned the snake enemy.
"Scary." He shrugged. "Well! Maybe it's just me, or better yet!" Ozpin's eyes widened when the Rider leapt back but he saw it. There was slivers coursing around him he never thought to see again. "We just have to use a little magic to do our work."
"How….?" Ozpin said in shock.
"I know you. How you think. How much time have we seen the world change?" Blood Stark turned around and spread his arms like wings. "Ahh, such marvelous changes after they left us! Only to leave me with the greatest opportunity for all mankind."
"That shouldn't be possible…. Salem and I-"
"Salem and you blah, blah, blah. That lady fooled all those people. I wasn't stupid for I did such lures for a living." He lowered his arms. "You oddly lived to see throughout time. Me?" He ominously looked at Ozpin with a manic aura. "I have lived through those who bear my blood across eras since."
"What… even are you…?" Ozpin asked, gripping his cane tightly.
"You can call me…" his armor vanished, revealing the familiar coffee maker Cody knew. "The Devourer… Evolto."
And with that, the odd being vanished in a mist of blood red smoke, leaving the two professors as a cackle echoed, leaving the pair alone.
Ozpin laxed against his seat, his hands tightly holding the pommel of his cane. "Glynda…"
"Y-Yes Ozpin…?"
"Contact James…"
"Wha-" She stiffened to his glance. "And Qrow as well…. They need to be updated…."
The blonde woman nodded and made her way to the elevator. With her gone, Ozpin removed his spectacles. He has thought Salem and himself were the only survivors of the Time of Gods. Only to discover a snake had shedded his skin from their past and was roaming across Remnant with the gift. He who also has a shadow organization that has expanded for generations as well. This was something they cannot ignore now, this was a new danger.
"Evolto the Devourer…" his green eyes stared at the cogs. "What have you done?"
All of this started from the boy Evolto is protective of. Several reasons came to mind but there was one possibility that he dreaded being.
He hoped, no, prayed it wasn't that.