LO SIENTO! A thousand apologies, I didn't want you all to think that I would never again post for this story! T^T Life has been rough, school's finally past Midterms, I've had some issues with my family for a straight month, and my job...well it's complicated but suffice to say I no longer have one. All in all a hard few weeks it has been. So basically I've been trying to get away from my regular routine and trying to enjoy myself for once and that has been conflicting with my writing so now I'm back! I'm going to be posting a lot of RWBY related stuff over the next few days. Expect to see more of Darkness Within, The Remnant of RWBY, and HunterXRWBY all of which you should go and read, because hearing your kind words and knowing that people actually read and love my stories means the world to me. And now, to Wurfel!
RWBY: The Darkness Within
Season 2- Chapter 16
The City of Gamblers
When gambling it's Best to make your opponent Think They're Winning
"Wow, so this is it!?" Beatrice exclaimed as she bounced off the ground as they entered the city of bright lights, flashy colors, and dimwitted people. "So this is the famous gambling city." It had a single road down the middle that met the town square and had a perpendicular to it, as a spiderweb of backstreets wound their war between the various casinos and hotels. The most notable feature being a mansion far before them, a red and gold casino called Los Diablos, and a Tower to the northeast.
"Yep, it's a city of greed and opportunity." Luxus said, "I've seen the rich walk out beggars, and beggars walk out rich."
"So who wants to play Blackjack, my treat!" Knives said eagerly.
"Of course you'd want to waste our money when we get here." Deverou said.
"Oh come on, with you by our side and with my keen eyes, we can easily rob a few people of their hard earned Lien." He grinned.
"Do you not feel bad at all with what you just said?" Deverou asked.
"I'm sorry, didn't you used to kill people?" He asked.
"They were bad people." Deverou mumbled as he scratched his head, and looked away.
"Well whatever man, if you don't want to we won't; so Caradin, who are we running security detail for?" Knives asked as he put his hands behind his head and walked with long strides.
"Um," He looked at the ground, "I'd rather not say."
Luxus stopped immediately and wheeled on him, "Who the fuck did you"
"Luxy!" A woman called as she strode towards them in a brilliant white dress and coat with grey fur and a diamond tiara.
"I just may kill you when this is over," Luxus declared, "Vivian, it's been too long." He said with disdain.
"Oh, just call me mom." She said with a smile.
"We both know I will never do that." Luxus said with hate filled eyes.
"The sooner you do," She said as her expression shifted to a cold one, "The sooner you'll be able to forget about those wretches your father cast out."
"You mean my mother and sister, not gonna happen." He said, "Now where's father so I can get this bullshit assignment over with."
"A bullshit assignment?" His father said as he approached, the man dressed in a grey coat and pants with black shoes and a white vest over a black shirt. His purple eyes were darker than Luxus' and they were keener, like a hawk's. His face was hawk shaped and his white hair was trimmed short and slicked back. "I didn't believe you'd been raised to speak in such a manner."
"Drey, Luxy was mean to me!" Vivian said reverting to her child-like voice.
"How dare you be mean to you mother Luxus, what do you have to say for yourself!?" He roared.
Luxus shrank back and looked away trying to find the words, but it was Knives who spoke first, "Excuse me sir, um, it's Dreyer Rayfor von Würfel correct?"
"It is, and who are you?" He said fixing Knives with condescending eyes. Luxus eyes pleaded with Knives to stop as Deverou clammed up in the presence of this man, while Caradin and his mother stood back to let this be sorted out.
"I'm Alexander Blut, you can call me Al, Alex," He said as he threw off a friendly and childish air before becoming incredibly cold, "Or Bloody Knives." He said fixing Dreyer with his crimson eyes as the man visibly flinched and Luxus shook with fear and excitement. "Now 'Luxy' here is my partner, which means he watches my back and I watch his. Now he's told us nothing about you, and I think I finally understand why, so I'm gonna make a deal with you, you're a gambling man correct?"
"This is true." He said sweating slightly.
"Alright then, let's play a game." He said revealing a coin from his pocket with a strange symbol on the front. It was a golden coin with a red gem in the center, on one side was a sun and the other had a Nevermore. "Heads, you leave Luxus alone for the rest of the time here and you treat him with love and respect. Tails, I become your whipping boy for the time we're here as well as Luxus."
"Dude, what are you" Luxus started before his father's hands silenced him with a grin on his face.
"I accept."
"Good." Knives said as he hurled the coin full force at a telephone pole and it shot back to his hands as he shuffled it at rapid speed, Dreyer's eyes a flurry of movement as he tracked the coin. Knives hands began to move even faster, and faster still as Dreyer tried to keep up, before Knives stopped, his left hand clenched tight around the coin.
"Time to find out which one it is isn't it?" Knives asked.
"No need, it's Tails." Dreyer smirked. Knives opened his hand and the Nevermore was facing up. "Hah, I knew it. Well it was"
"Not so fast," Knives said smirking, "I never said which side was which."
"But you showed the sun first!" Dreyer exclaimed.
"Yes, but the Blut were always sneaky. Their symbol was tails while the Nevermore, which was the symbol of Alexei's power was heads." He said with a smirk. "Too bad, but you should never assume."
"I don't assume, I'm right." Dreyer said as he reached towards the coin.
"Move your hand any closer and you forfeit it." Knives said with murderous intent.
Dreyer stopped and put his hand away, "Very well. Let's proceed to my manor so we can discuss the assignment at hand."
Those who live in Luxury don't know the Suffering of the Pauper
Caradin whistled as they entered the lush garden in front of the mansion, the red roses with a variety of other flowers spread across the lawn, while hedges shaped like cupids littered the lawn. The house itself was a large white estate with a wide foyer with marble flooring and marble pillars to support the other floors. The staircase was marble with golden railing and the carpet was red velvet and the rugs were from Vacuo. "This is a fancy house you have here."
"It's nothing big." Dreyer said as he climbed the staircase and led them to his study on the second floor while Beatrice darted around stuffing her face with food that sat on trays and admiring the art.
"Sho whash your probrum." She said with a mouthful of cake.
Dreyer grimaced at her manners, then regained his composure, "A threat has been issued against this city by White Fang sympathizers. The walls are strong, I've seen to that myself, and my grandfather personally trained and established the city's defense force. So it's secure, but I want these people rooted out and found." He declared.
"Then you've called the right team." Beatrice said lowering the glasses from her face, her emerald eyes revealing a monstrous intelligence behind the façade of a fool. "I'll personally see to it this rogue element is rooted out, I assume that all facilities in Würfel are at our disposal and you'll handle housing arrangements?"
He blinked, "Um, but of course."
"Awesome! Alright boys, single file line let's move." She said as she corralled them out of the office as Dreyer stood there in shock.
Behind the look of Innocence are a Demon's Eyes
She led them to the town square and looked them in the eyes, "Weapons and Semblances, now."
"Uh, um." Deverou said as he struggled to get his chain scythe out, "Black Rose, a Variant Ballistic Chain Scythe, Dust model. It's capable of being a chain scythe or katana, and it vents Dust through a small motor where the gun should be, and it uses the magazine to store powdered Dust. My semblance the Eye of Still Waters, allows me to hypnotize anyone I make eye contact with. It involves me using my blue eye as a focus for my aura directly calming a person down and pacifying them."
"Good, remove the eye-patch." She said bluntly.
"Um, it's not something I can really control too well." He chuckled.
She put her glasses on and locked eyes with him, "Do it."
He did as he was told and locked eyes with her, and she slapped him in the face. "Um, did you tell her to do that?" Luxus asked.
"The flaw in you skill is you're using it for direct eye contact. Anyone can wear glasses and negate that by having lenses that reflect light or shield their eyes." She took off her glasses, "Your technique is the Eye of Still Waters, your Semblance is Hypnosis." She said, "Wear the glasses and work on restraining your natural instinct to use your power when both eyes are out, then work on honing your hypnotic power with your body and not one singular focus. Your aura is strong, so start using it." She wheeled on Luxus.
"Esmeralda and Lilith, two Colt Custom pistols with bayonets, I have various magazines and Dust rounds to maximize my efficiency. I also have the Roulette Custom, Red King Revolver sporting a .62 caliber bullet with variants in Slug, Hollow Point, and Armor Piercing. My semblance is Kinesis, I can manipulate the movement of objects by putting my aura into them." He said quickly and nervously.
"Does it require you to know the materials you're manipulating?" She asked.
"Yes, but I can tell the substance, consistency, and weight of an object by touch alone." He said rapidly, "It was part of my weapons training from my father."
"Good, Knives!" She cried as he went rigid.
"I have a family Kilij named Jack and an X-21 Chainblade called The Ripper, my semblance is Blood Manipulation, but it only works if it's my blood. I can craft it into various shapes and use it within my own body to harden parts of my body against attack or even metabolize poison. Naturally though due to this ability being internal, my aura is rather weak so I can use it to shield minor attacks." He said.
"I see, well then start focusing on externalizing your aura and shielding your body." She said, "Caradin."
"Oh come on mom, you already," He was able to get out before her fist collided with his jaw.
"Answer, now!" She cried.
"Claymore, Axe, Scythe Kit; Wolfwood. I use fire Dust to run the Vernier engines in the weapon to act as thrusters for changing trajectory or for heating up the blade to do considerable damage. My semblance is Sacrifice, it allows me to use my aura to heal others at the cost of my own aura." He said sternly ignoring the pain.
"Good, have you gotten better in combat?" She asked.
"Of my team, I am physically the strongest and I've improved in Close Quarters Combat since leaving home. I can use my aura and semblance with ease to create shields and heal myself with enough concentration." He replied.
"Good boy, focus on the shields and healing until they become natural to you!" She smiled going back to her childish self, "Well you all have your homework assignments, work on them while you go about your assignments in the city!"
"Um, Mrs. Cross," Luxus spoke, "I didn't get an assignment."
"Courage," She replied, "Think about how you're going to stand up to your father."
He looked at the ground as they all spread out to cover ground and he was left to think.
Betrayal is the Biggest Gamble
In his office Dreyer made a single call, "Romeo, it's Dreyer, they've arrived."
There was silence on the other end followed by a chuckle. "Understood."
The Drill Sergeant Huntress has tasked our heroes with assignments to make them into Huntsmen. And what is this shadowy dealing from Dreyer in the background!? Don't worry it'll all be revealed this weekend, so expect a few twists and turns along the way...as well as a confrontation between our four assassins.