Outcasts and Outlaws
Chapter 16
Epilogue
First of all, sorry for not posting for a few days. I've been really busy with working on my novel that I'm hoping to get published one day. Obviously I'm sinking a lot of my time into that but I've made a decision. I'm putting Through The Hoop on hold and I'm gonna alternate between working on this and my novel every other day, though I'll still try to post chapters every day until I'm caught up. Anyway, this one is the finale of the first volume. There may be some typos, as I'm rushing to get this up before people start wondering what's going on hahah.
Opening Music: https/youtu.be_x9zjk2MgVQ [RWBY OP 1]
(Music starts, shows Connor in a red shirt kneeling behind a tall figure in a green cloak in front of him) (Connor raises his hand, a depressed look in his eye) THEY SEE YOU AS SMALL AND HELPLESS! (The figure's green cloak flaps in the wind) THEY SEE YOU AS JUST A CHILD! (Dark clouds start to form in Connor's eye, it being zoomed in on until he evaporated into dark clouds) SURPRISE WHEN THEY FIND OUT THAT A WARRIOR WILL SOON RUN WILD! [OUTCASTS AND OUTLAWS] PREPARE FOR YOUR GREATEST MOMENT! (Shows Ruby in a training room with her scythe) PREPARE FOR YOUR FINEST HOUR! (Shows Connor standing in a tree wearing a long black coat) THE DREAM THAT YOU'VE ALWAYS DREAMED (Shows Yang on her bike) IS SUDDENLY ABOUT TO FLOWER! (Shows a horde of Grimm advancing) WE ARE LIGHTNING! (Shows Damien with Brook standing on one side of him, a shadowy figure on the other) STRAYING FROM THE THUNDER! (Connor looks behind him as a Grimm drops down and charges, but slashes past it) MIRACLES OF ANCIENT WONDER! (Shows Connor, Yang and Ruby charge in) THIS WILL BE THE DAY WE WAITED FOR! (Shows Connor standing in front of Beacon looking apprehensive) THIS WILL BE THE DAY WE OPEN UP THE DOOR. (Connor starts to fall forward) I DON'T WANNA HEAR YOUR ABSOLUTION! (Ozpin catches him and pulls him back up, then Team JNPR come to stand with him) HOPE YOUR'E READY FOR A REVOLUTION! (Shows Ozpin walking away from Connor with his Kane over his shoulder) WELCOME TO A WORLD OF NEW SOLUTIONS! (Zooms in on Ozpin's eye as a gold gear spins around in it) WELCOME TO A WORLD OF BLOODY EVOLUTION! (Shows Ruby, then Yang, then Ozpin, then a shadowy figure) IN TIME, YOUR HEART WILL OPEN MINDS! (Connor steps through the shadowy figure and draws his arm blades) A STORY WILL BE TOLD! (He does an epic pose) AND VICTORY IS IN A SIMPLE SOUL! [END]
Connor woke up in the same hospital bed he'd been in before. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he noticed that everyone was standing around his bed, watching.
"I'm glad to see you're awake." Doctor Brian greeted, stepping in front of everyone, clipboard in hand.
Connor looked around at everyone, feeling that something was off, someone was missing. He ignored the feeling as he was pretty sure everyone was present and asked, "What happened after I blacked out?"
Doctor Brian hummed, trying to recall the events of the evening. "Well, after Kane left your body he defeated the Neverdrake with no problem at all. Not surprising in the least." He accounted. "But then he took your cloak and scarpered."
Connor's eyes widened in disbelief as he felt for his cloak, and realised he was only wearing his tank top, not even his eyepatch. He left?" He repeated. "Did he say anything?"
"No, he just walked away." Doctor Brian informed Connor, not looking very happy. "I suppose he didn't see any reason to stay."
Connor sighed disappointedly. He didn't think Kane would just up and leave like that. He thought that maybe he would've waited until later and then said his goodbyes. Connor then took another look around the room and realised what, rather who, was missing.
"Where's Ruby?!" Connor questioned desperately, hoping she hadn't gotten hurt in the battle. Ozpin sighed emotionally and handed Connor a slip of paper with some writing on it. Connor read.
We've taken Ruby Rose and are holding her as a ransom. If you want to see her alive come to Warehouse 13 in Vale and trade her for Kane. Signed, The Outlaws.
Connor felt every muscle in his body tense up as he read those words. He was angry and scared for Ruby at the same time. If they had found this note, why was everybody still here?
Connor quickly jumped out of bed before anyone could stop him and made a mad dash for the exit. Jaune and Ren alone grabbed him before he could escape and held him back by his arms.
"Don't go!" Ren told him. "It's obviously a trap!"
The two struggled to keep a hold on Connor even without Kane's strength. He was more determined than he'd ever been in his life, two people wouldn't be enough to stop him. In a blink of the eye both Ren and Jaune were on the ground and Connor was out of the room, running for his Ruby's life.
As Ren and Jaune rose back up to take chase, Ozpin motioned them back. "Leave him." He ordered. "You won't be able to stop him."
Ren and Jaune regrettably decided to heed Ozpin's word and let Connor go on his own to save Ruby. After all, it was better that they didn't all fall into the trap.
"He doesn't remember what happened when he was drunk does he?" Doctor Brian thought out loud, wondering how much of Connor's memory of that night still remained.
"No." Ozpin answered, smiling. "But his feelings for Miss Rose remain the same as ever."
"Feelings?" Yang repeated, knowing that she had told Connor, "No funny business."
Ozpin sighed in regret and turned to Yang. He guessed now he would have to tell her the full story.
A little while later, Connor ran through the streets of Vale towards Warehouse 13, which he knew the location of thanks to the directions of a few confused strangers. "RUBY!" He screamed, hoping she would answer back, but she didn't, so he just kept running.
On top of roof of a nearby building, Kane stood and watched Connor racing through the streets in search of Ruby. He sighed as his black cloak flapped in the wind and his jet black hair ruffled in the breeze. He knew this would happen. Connor wouldn't abandon her. He supposed he no longer had a choice. It was time to face his enemies head on.
Connor soon found Warehouse 13 and entered. Seeing nothing but a plight of stairs going downwards, he descended, still screaming Ruby's name at the top of his voice.
"RUBY! RU-"
He stopped as he felt a presence behind him. Before he could do anything, he felt a sharp object stab in his one remaining eye and tear it out, spewing blood everywhere.
"I told you I'd take your eye." Said a voice he identified as Brook's, followed by a insane chuckle. "I don't lie."
Connor then felt Brook pushing him up, kicking and hitting and he went. Once he was standing, Brook poked his back with the tip of his hook, prompting him to move forward.
"Damn." Thought Connor.
After a little while of walking through the underground tunnel, Brook signalled with his hook for him to stop and then another voice said, "So you came? I didn't think you would, but Brook insisted it would work."
Connor figured out that the second voice must be Damien, even with his lack of eyesight, he knew that voice. He then paused as he heard a whimpering in the background, an unmistakable voice.
Ruby.
"Let her go you bas-" He once again was unable to finish his sentence, as Brook had smacked him in the back of the head with his hook for the insult, knocking to the floor as he coughed up blood. This causes Ruby to whimper a little more and Connor felt his muscles tense and his stomach growl, but he couldn't do anything without his sight.
"So, do you have Kane." Damien asked, getting straight to the point.
Connor was silent for a minute because he knew he'd failed. He knew he hadn't saved Ruby and he was torn up inside.
"No." He eventually responded.
"Very well." Damien sighed, sounding almost regretful. Connor knew, even without his sight, that Damien was about to kill Ruby.
Then out of nowhere a smash was heard. He heard Damien crying out shock and Brook yelling in pain. He heard a voice, a voice he'd heard so much he could never mistake it.
"Ruby, grab Connor!"
"Kane?! What the fu-" He started to ask before he felt someone, he assumed Ruby, grab his hand and pull him up and away from the sounds of a struggle. Soon he assumed they were outside, as he felt a cold breeze on his bare arms.
When they stopped, Ruby frantically cried, "Connor, your eye!" Whilst running around the edge of the wound with her fingers, cleaning up blood.
"Ruby, I-" Connor started to say, but was abruptly silenced by an explosion. He turned towards the source of the noise, not knowing what was happening and muttered, "Kane..."
He thought Kane had bit the dust. He couldn't believe it, but he didn't think even Kane could survive an explosion that sounded that big. He heard Ruby make a sound and asked her, "What is it?"
He then felt a hand on his shoulder, coming from in front of him. "Kane..?" He muttered, knowing that was who it was.
"Let's get you back to Beacon." Kane's voice said and so, they went, Connor again passing out along the way.
(Play Music Here: Clannad Track 5- Nagisa. If it ends whilst you are reading, click replay.)
Connor awoke in the same bed yet again. He was wearing a hospital gown this time, which he found strange as he'd always worn his own clothes in the infirmary. He realised he was sat up against a pillow and looking down on his lap, saw Ruby in a chair with her head in the bed, fast asleep. He also noticed Yang sitting in a chair a little way back, presumably there to comfort her sister.
He then came to a realisation. He could see! He wasn't blind! He raised his hands and felt both his eyes. His right was just an empty socket now, covered over with skin and his left was scarred still but functional once again. He wondered who had fixed it but then Ruby stirred.
As soon as she lifted up her head and saw Connor awake she smiled, and and embraced him in a loving kiss. The put his hands on his kiss and pushed her lips against his in a perfectly blissful moment before pulling away, her face a dreamy happiness. Yang seemed to be mad about this but didn't go go for Connor or pull Ruby away.
"Hey Rubes." He greeted sleepily as he tried to think of something to say. "Are you alright?"
She didn't answer verbally, she just looked and Connor with tears in her eyes and then hugged him, holding herself tightly to him. Connor looked to Yang for an explanation, and her eyes told him all he needed to know. At that moment, Ruby moved her head to the side of Connors and whispered something in his ear, then pulled away and looked him in the eye.
Connor sighed contently and looked her back in her eyes, then responded, "Me too."
Later that day, when Connor had left the infirmary, he stood in the corridor of Beacon waiting for Kane. He was still going to leave but it seemed that this time he at least wanted to say goodbye. As he waited Connor looked at the card he had received upon leaving the infirmary. It read: Get well soon, it was a tricky operation! It was signed by Doctor Brian.
Connor dropped the card out of surprise when he saw Kane walking down the hallway towards him. He didn't bother picking it up. When Kane stopped a little in front of him, Connor spoke first. "So you're leaving?"
"There's nothing for me here." Kane answered sounding somewhat upset. Perhaps he really wanted to stay? "Besides, I need to get this new body into shape."
Connor smiled at that. Even in the face of saying goodbye to someone he'd been with for eight years, Kane still found the time to have a little joke.
Kane then stuck out a hand, somewhat stiffly and waited for Connor to shake it. Holding back tears, Connor smacked the hand away and hugged Kane who didn't hug back out of shock.
After a minute of hugging, in which feelings that could not be described in words were conveyed, Kane stated, "I'm not much of a hugging person."
Connor let go of Kane, who then turned around and waved over his shoulder, then started to walk away down the corridor. As Connor watched him go, tears welled up in his eyes again and he yelled down the corridor. "Kane!"
Kane stopped and turned his head, looking towards Connor, who said, "You were like a brother to me. I didn't always like you, but you were always there and even though you were sometimes mean, you were kind when it mattered." By the time he had finished his monologging, Connors tears had begun to stream down his face from the emotion of saying goodbye to his lifelong companion.
Kane listened to it all and simply replied, "Same to you." Connor rose his head and looked right at Kane as he continued his way down the corridor. He didn't know if they'd ever see each other again, but he sincerely hoped that they did. He'd never have a friend like Kane again.
A little while later, Connor and Ruby stood next to each other on the balcony, looking out onto the forest, which had miraculously turned to a sea of cherry blossom trees. It could've been Kane's doing, and the thought of that made Connor smile.
"Will you be alright without Kane?" Ruby asked Connor as he continued to stare dreamily out into the forest of pink petals.
"I used to think I'd be nothing without Kane." Connor said. "I used to think that if he ever left me, I'd be useless on my own." He then looked at Ruby and added, "But I don't feel that way anymore. I don't need Kane because I've got friends who care about me and who would do anything to help me and, best of all, I've got you."
Connor remembered all their times together, the good and the bad. He remembered when they met, when he'd brought her an ice cream in the cafeteria. The time they had all pitched in and brought him his cloak. The time he had payed for Ruby's weapon magazine. He thought about when he had first fought Brook, and when Ruby had visited him in the hospital afterwards and listened to the story of his past. The times he spent with team JNPR, hanging out, becoming good friends. The time Ruby had bumped into him in the hall and forgiven him. His birthday party, the two battles in the plaza in Vale and the dance where he had seen Ruby looking so beautiful, and finally the kiss in the infirmary.
Ruby blushed and got teary eyed, then held Connors hand and leaned her head against his arm. They stood there in silence for a minute and then Connor yelled out towards the trees, "Come back soon, Kane!"
Ruby giggles heartily and asked, "Do you think he can hear you?" To which Connor happily answered, "He can always hear me."
Sure enough, Kane was standing in the branches of one of the cherry blossom trees, hidden in the pink. He watched Connor and Ruby for a while then promised them something.
"I promise I'll come back."
(Play Music: Clannad-To The Same Height and then Darren Chris Not Alone. Play them both fully even if you finish the credits)
Thank for reading.
Written by Oliver Clayden.
Inspiration from the Roosterteeth series RWBY.
Thanks for the support Dad, Sam and anyone else who ends up reading this.
Connor and Ruby will return in the next story...
And later today I will upload the first chapter of volume 2! It'll be classed as a different story, so please follow me if you want to know when it is posted or just keep an eye out! Also, one last thank you for all the views on this. It makes all the work worth it.
