Here it is, the gripping conclusion of season 1! After last night's RWBY I too wondered how I would end this, but after four hors of grinding and lots of caffeine I had my epiphany! (After two shots of rum) So here it is, prepare to laugh, to cry, and to grip your seat so tight it will break! Here is the final full chapter...of RWBY: The Darkness Within!
Revelations
Luxus couldn't help but smile as he sat there with his mother and sister eating some simple soup and bread. It was no feast or fancy meal, but it was dinner with family; real family! Not just his father and that fake mother of his, discussing business and politics and other nonsense, just a nice meal. He told them of his time at Beacon, of the friends he made, even recounting Nora's ludicrous behavior to the point that his sister's drink was coming out her nose by the end of it she was laughing so hard. His mother smiled the whole time and the environment felt so homely and heartfelt he just smiled with them. This was family…this was what it meant to feel home…his face obviously sunk, because his mother gave him a concerned look. "What's wrong?"
"It feels great…finding family after so long…but I just don't know what to do…about dad, about my team, about my other family…Beacon looked good at first, but now…I just feel so lost." He answered.
She smiled warmly and put her hand gently on his cheek, "Mijo…you are fine the way you are…these things you must learn for yourself. Remember what I told you as a child…you hated it so much…"
"There's no such thing as a painless lesson." He replied.
"Yes!" She exclaimed, "You must realize…these things happen for a reason, you must be strong and over-come them…you are a smart boy, you will solve it."
He smiled and took his leave, returning to campus where the scene wasn't any better. Deverou was nowhere near asleep seeing as Caradin was sitting there playing a game and a note from Deverou said he'd be in the gym. "Knives really set him off huh?" Luxus asked.
"Yup…to be fair I think Weiss was asking for it…but Deverou is all duty above desire…even if he thinks or want Knives to be right, Weiss is his main concern."
"He should really put his loyalties on his own team…I know he has an obligation, but this constant distraction of Weiss can't go on anymore." Luxus sighed.
"Preaching to the choir man…but hey, shouldn't we go looking for Knives?"
"He'll show up when he wants to be found…" Luxus replied.
"I hope you're right…"
*Knives*
He didn't know how long it'd been since he had been fighting with Cyan. Hours? Days? It didn't matter to him. With each loss he stood and readied himself again and they fought. He learned his opponent's patterns, shift in weight when he punched or kicked; his tactics and ideas. Cyan was a good fighter, and very humble which made him harder to hit. But he always left his face open because he only guarded his body and legs. Knives took advantage of this in their final fight. He didn't rush in like usual, he let Cyan come to him, but rather than go on the defensive as soon as he was in range Knives opened up with a flurry of blows, left and right, back and forth, kick, punch. It drove Cyan back and kept him on his toes. Knives would faint or strike and quickly retreat for a stronger attack. He finally saw an opening and took it. He struck out his left fist past Cyan's head and swept back fast. He ducked and Knives kneed forward catching him in the chest. He stumbled back and Knives went in relentlessly until finally he knocked Cyan flat on his ass and went in for the killing blow, stopping his fist just above Cyan's throat. Cyan smiled and he noticed Cyan's hand hovering above his own heart. "Sloppy Alex…but effective…I'll give you that one."
Knives helped his cousin up and they smiled. Cyan with but a few bruises, and Knives so sore he couldn't sit down. He just flopped down in Cyan's shack and they both shared a canteen of purified drinking water, a commodity in these parts, as they sat there in silence for a while.
"What's your plan cus…Caden's coming home soon so I need to know your plan…"
"I don't know…I could go back…but my team is still upset with me I think…plus that Weiss bitch!"
"Weiss Schnee!?" He exclaimed bolting up before regaining his composure, "Interesting…you know cousin I have a job if you're interested…"
"Oh yeah? Hey where do you keep the liquor in this place?" Knives asked rising wearily.
"Cabinet in the back…yeah I got a job." Knives heard the rustling of some papers. "I got some orders recently about a job. The pay is good and we really don't have to do much."
"Is this one of THOSE jobs?" He asked as he found what he was looking for and grabbed a bottle of rum, shuffling his way back in and sitting slowly.
"You could say that…there's a Schnee shipment coming in and my employers want to…acquire it for a lower price."
Knives uncorked it with his teeth and caught a whiff of the sickly-sweet scent of spices and alcohol. He took a long swig, the strong dark rum burning slightly as it when down, but leaving a pleasant warmth and taste in his mouth. He smirked, the alcohol numbing the pain and his mind, "Been a while since I raised hell…but…I really shouldn't…" He brought the bottle to his lips once more drinking more of the course treat. "I'm on 'probation' so I guess even this is breaking the law…but hey who cares right!? Not like anyone gave a shit about us anyway…"
Cyan sighed, "Drink as much as you want and I'll escort you back to Beacon…think about it though, it's going down tomorrow night."
Knives nodded and drank more, his throat tightening with each swig from pain and guilt. He stumbled alongside Cyan in a half-drunken, half-sore stupor and made his way back to Beacon miraculously. He stumbled through the halls singing old tavern songs he'd picked up from the District when he was much younger. Tumbling into the room he was greeted by his teammates shocked faces, "Ello lads! I have had a wonderful evening!"
Luxus was the first to speak, "It's been days Knives! A good leader stays in contact with his team…he lets them know what the hell is going on!?"
"It's all fine," Knives said, "I was just out…doing things."
Caradin analyzed him thoroughly with his eyes, "You're injured…in multiple places if I had to guess…surface and internal damage."
Luxus looked from Caradin to Knives, "What were you out doing!?"
"Training…fighting…lots of drinking." He said with a chuckle, "But mostly train fighting…"
Deverou was gritting his teeth, but he finally snapped, "YOU IDIOT! You run off like a child and scrap and drink, leaving us here with no purpose! You still have to apologize not only to myself but Lady Weiss, then to the rest of the team and anyone else who your IMMATURE behavior has affected."
Knives wobbled and raised an eyebrow, "I don't have to take this! I can just leave again! At least I HAD a purpose in 103…honestly start thinking for your fucking selves, because if I have to do it for you all the time then it is just leaders and followers…it's not a team…but you're used to following orders eh lapdog?"
Deverou was ready to jump at him, but Luxus stepped in between them his eyes free of fear or hesitance, "ENOUGH! Knives…go to bed…we'll discuss this in the morning."
"Yeah, whatever…" He stumbled into bed and let the darkness take him.
The next morning it felt like he had stood in front of a train, as his whole body ached and his head pounded like a hammer hitting a nail through his skull, "Oh shit…what did I do last night?"
Deverou was seated at the foot of his bed, completely dressed and ready for the day, "Are you ready to apologize?"
"Fuck off, I did nothing wrong…"
Deverou slammed his fist into the bed, "You disgraced Lady Weiss and I!" He yelled. "You will apologize or I can beat it out of you!"
He glared, "As expected of a Tenebrous…when shit bothers you, you just beat or torture it into submission…"
That struck Deverou's final nerve as he grabbed the collar of Knives' shirt, and uncharacteristically violent thing for him. "Don't you feel any remorse!?" He shrieked.
"I don't apologize for defending myself."
"Why…why the defiance again…we were getting along so well." Deverou said with anguish.
"You want to know why? Because…this isn't a team…it's a babysitting assignment! All you do or talk about revolves around that pampered princess, Caradin is just waiting for me to snap so he'll have an excuse to take me out…and Luxus," He chuckled, "Luxus doesn't give a shit about us…do you think it's coincidence he picked all of us out of the crowd and then made a team with us? He had files on all of us! Our strengths, our weaknesses, even our mental and physical capabilities! He knew from the beginning about all of us and we still know jack about him! He's manipulating us Deverou…just like Weiss' family is manipulating yours…"
With a scream, Deverou grabbed Knives and tried to slam him into the wall. Knives hit him and rolled away grabbing his blades. He took off down the hallway for the entrance to Beacon with Deverou hot on his heels. He spotted Luxus and Caradin on their way back to the room and just barreled past them not stopping for anything. He arrived at the front of the school and turned standing his ground as Deverou rushed him, taking off his eye-patch and going full force. "SUBMIT!" He screamed.
Knives felt his knees begin to buckle and he started to kneel, before breaking eye contact and bringing up his aura, willing the blood in his body to move. He stood and leveled his blades watching Deverou's every movement. He saw the shift in his weight and the chain scythe flew at him. He blocked it with The Ripper and intentionally wrapped the scythe around the blade. Revving the engine he drove the chainsaw into the stone, tangling the smaller chain scythe with it. Now that he had Deverou on a leash he rushed in with Jack for the offensive. He swung and Deverou blocked. A high speed combo of parries and slashes, Knives would stab and hack doubling back to make Deverou draw on his leash before jumping back in. Deverou kept yanking the chain trying to free himself and gain mobility, but to no avail. Knives attacks became more barbaric as he drove Deverou to the edge before knocking the blade from his hand. Weaponless, Deverou did Knives the same courtesy of disarming him and they proceeded in hand-to-hand. Remembering what Cyan taught him, Knives didn't relent. Left and right, back and forth, kick, punch; he had Deverou on the ropes and then reared back for the killing blow.
A gunshot rang through the courtyard and Luxus stood there glaring at them. "That's enough! Now why don't you calm the FUCK down…and we talk about this."
Knives scoffed, "There's nothing left to talk about…this team was a joke to start with." He grabbed his weapons and started walking away.
"Where are you going?" Luxus shouted.
"Home…where I should be…"
He left them speechless and unsure of what to say or do. So they dispersed once more.
*Caradin*
"I just don't know what to do…"
"Get your team in line son!" His father yelled, "My squad doesn't act up because they're disciplined! Your mother and I have been too lenient!"
He heard his mother fussing on the other side and the phone went to her, "Sweetie as much as I hate to say it your father's is correct…a Hunter without discipline is a rogue with powers…you need to bring them in…"
He heard them banter back and forth into his ear about it and just grew fed up, "SHUT UP!" He screamed, silence on the other line, "You always talk about what's best for me but you don't even know me! Hell I don't know me! I'm not the team leader, the guy who ran off was, and honestly if I was team leader, with the responsibilities it entails and you two hounding my ass I'd up and get out too! I don't even know what I'm doing at this school! I just…I wanted a place to ACTUALLY call home…and…these guys were family to me…I just don't know what to do…"
More silence on the other line, until he heard his parents finally speak, "Son…you're a Cross…which means that doing the right thing…and doing the hard thing…are one in the same…so you tell me, what does your squad need from you?"
"They need a soldier…someone who can be there and provide discipline, but when the shit hits the fan is the first line of defense…"
"Then what are you on the phone for?" His mother asked, "You have a team who needs you…Hunter Caradin Cross."
He teared up and hung up grabbing his coffin, "Guess it's up to me to prove you wrong Knives…I can think for myself...I'm living for me."
*Deverou*
Deverou paced back and forth angrily. Lady Weiss had gone off to find Blake and he needed to vent. Xich rounded the corner and he smiled at the sight of his cousin. "Hello Xich."
"Hey Dev, what's the problem?" Xich inquired.
"I-I'm having trouble with my team…I wanted Knives to apologize for calling out Lady Weiss and he was so defiant…then he fought me and stormed off and…he told me in Forever Fall to call him out when he's acting out and I did and he got mad…I-I don't know what to do…"
"Have you ever considered Knives was right? Or in any case that he was hurt?" Xich offered.
"But…he offended Lady Weiss! He doesn't know what her or our life was like! He has no right to judge us!"
"Have you ever considered that he had it rougher? Or the fact that Weiss isn't always right? The Schnee are human too cousin, they make mistakes. It's not the Tenebrous job to roll over and obey, cleaning their messes. We are their right hands…we guide them, call them out when they mess up…and we aid them…we aren't subservient…we're loyal…there's a difference."
Deverou was taken aback by what he had heard, but deep down he knew Xich was right…he had always been the wiser…Deverou bowed, "Thank you cousin…I have work to do."
*Knives*
Knives and Cyan stood on top of the crates waiting for the "distraction". They saw the airship on its slow descent and moved quietly through the shadows. "Are these your employers?" Knives inquired.
"Well…a previous one…Roman Torchwick." Cyan replied.
Knives knew the name well and the reputation to boot, and went about following Cyan. The Faunus girl, Blake, ambushed Torchwick and a fight soon broke out. Using the conflict as cover, Cyan and Knives went to one of the containers and popped it open grabbing as many crates of Dust as they could carry and moving them to their van. The monkey Faunus from before had engaged Torchwick in a one on one battle. They were running out of time so they packed up and went to their rendezvous point further down the pier. They arrived on location and Knives was far beyond panicky. "Where's your guy!?"
"Chill, he's right there." He said pointing.
He spun around and froze. He saw the bald man with the thick moustache and sickly yellow eyes. His suspenders and coat striking terror into his soul. "SN-103…how convenient…you get a bonus Cyan."
Knives spun his blade on his cousin, "YOU SOLD ME OUT!"
He raised his hands, "I don't know what he's talking about!" A strong force sent Cyan flying into a crate where he hit his head and was out.
"Now then…shall we get started?" He extended his hand and Knives felt his body begin to get extremely heavy as he sank into the ground.
A large axe blade on a chain fired with the sound of a cannon, deflected by Cain. "Interlopers…"
The weapon retracted and Caradin was drawn towards Knives, "Hey bud!"
"You shouldn't be here…" Knives muttered.
"Gee, a thank you would be nice."
Knives looked at him with tear filled eyes, "Thank you…"
Caradin smiled, "Gee don't be weird about it…I just decided to be me…think for myself!"
Knives wiped his eyes, "Let's go!"
They rushed in and began their assault, Cain easily deflecting their attacks with his aura without drawing his weapon. He sent out a shockwave that knocked them back. "Damn…how do we hit him!?" Knives screamed.
"His barrier…it's just like mine…well to be fair it's a lot stronger…"
A chain scythe snaked in quickly and wrapped around Cain's leg and yanked him flat on his face. Deverou appeared from the shadows, "Room for one more?"
"They're multiplying." Cain muttered as he shrugged off the chain.
"I thought you were mad at me?" Knives asked.
"To be fair we all are." Luxus said walking up, "But we're a team…and a team has to work together."
"ENOUGH!" Cain shouted, "47, 33, 10, 21 assemble would you kindly?"
Men with masks and numbered suits dropped down and formed a tight circle around Cain before fanning out and attacking them. Cain gathered the Dust and made his escape and the masked soldiers attacked. "Dammit!" Knives yelled as 10 closed in with his knives and they began clashing, the other person having the advantage of speed, but not range. Luxus fired at him, but 21 fired Ice from his hand and shattered the projectiles.
"They can use Dust from their bodies!?" Luxus screamed.
Caradin was fighting the burlier 47, having a mace vs. halberd showdown, while Deverou danced with the katana wielding 33. Knives looked at 10 and head-butted him, grabbing his throat and drawing on the Dust in his body to set fire to the man. He screamed silently and Knives threw the corpse aside before facing the other three who had turned their attention to him. 33 was the first to be there and put Knives on the defensive while 21 rushed in and started to attack as well. He couldn't keep up, and felt cut after cut, after cut carved into his body. He saw 47 barreling towards him and felt fear. The katana stabbed through his shoulder and 21 used his asp to crack Knives kneecap. He fell and felt the end upon him. The throbbing in his veins screaming. "Release, Release, RELEASE!"
He looked to his teammates and saw them running to take action, and Luxus drawing Red King. And he smiled. The mace came down and it all went dark.
*Luxus*
"KNIVES!" He saw his friend slump to the ground with the blood flowing from his skull and gritted his teeth in anger, "BASTARD!" He fired, once, twice, three, four, five, six. Each shot from the Red King felt like his arm was being ripped off, but his rage held him steady, and he watched each hole it tore in his enemies. Caradin blew past them all to Knives and began trying to close his wounds.
The police who had been sent to investigate the Dust robbery found them. "Call an ambulance!" Deverou screamed as the cops complied. They took Knives to the hospital with Luxus, while Deverou and Caradin could just sit by and hope.
*Johann*
He saw the events playing over, and over again in Knives' head which was now fractured in many places. Johann grinned wickedly and watched with a cruel delight, "You were going to do it…you were going to let me out! Oh but it's not that simple Knives…you see…I come when I want…and with your head in pieces like a vase…there's nothing holding back the river of madness…the Darkness Within is free!"
BOOM! How was that!? I hope you've loved this as much as I have and have rooted with me the whole way. I truly appreciate your support and special mentions go out to TaintedSurvivor, RWBYRyzia, RunaRWBY, GazKuro, pyron55, NewtGirl, darkmoonrise312, Code-Emperor07, Archenarcaleptc, anyone who submitted an OC or followed and favorite'd this story.
To wrap it up in a nice bow I will have one final Epilogue chapter before quitting for a while...I need a break and I need to focus on school. I am in no way done or gone so chill your shizz! Just continue to submit OC's if you have them and I'll filter through. (Again, no main-ish roles yet) And please, feel free to PM me questions about the sequel or anything in general. And if you can't do that because you're a guest then submit them in the reviews and I'll try to answer back. Again, I am truly grateful for the love and support you all have shown me. Keep reading, and as always. Enjoy.