Experiment V

Oh boy it's been awhile...sorry about that everyone, my computer was on the fritz and all that but enough that. Enjoy the chapter and remember; I don't own RWBY.

Chapter 21

"Mr. Rose, you can't continue putting off your treatments any longer. You already know what it's doing to your body and not taking them is only accelerating it." Ozpin said to me as I was rewrapping my right arm after my spar with Yang.

"I know, Ozpin...but it hurts more taking the treatments than not, y'know?" I stated as I inspected my right hand with disinterest.

2 Weeks Prior...

"C'mon, that all you got?! I expected more from you, Nora!" I exclaimed as I spotted the hammer wielder on the bench, her usually cheery face twisted in concentration as she continued to lift the god-like amount of weight on the bench.

"I've...got...this..." she breathed out as she pushed the weight once more before I helped her place it back into its original place. "Thanks, Jay! You were such an awesome help! Sorry about making you spot me." The ginger haired huntress said, her bright smile returning once more.

"It's no big deal Nora, trust me...is that all it for you today?" I asked her to which she nodded before taking her leave, yelling a quick 'goodbye' before rushing off. I had to shake my head at that before deciding to start my usual routine.

First running 10 kilometers on a treadmill, which in retrospect isn't that hard if you have either the stamina, physical prowess, or the semblance to maintain a good pace and luckily I have the stamina.

Everything started off the same way it usually does; I maintained a good pace, breathed regularly and evenly, and maintained my focus. Soon though, things started to take a turn for the worst, I started to feel fatigue set in which wasn't a red flag for me but after taking a quick look at the distance traveled on the machine, it did become a red flag.

.5 kilometers traveled.

Hurriedly, I took a quick swig of my water which I thought would alleviate some of the problem but it did no such thing. I then decided to stop the treadmill but that proved to be a horrible mistake for as soon as I stepped onto the carpeted floor of the gym, I felt my body start to sway and my vision blur.

Then they began. The visions. At first I saw snow falling but soon that was accompanied by a horrible smell, a smell I knew all too well. Burning flesh mixed with melting steel.

Soon faces started to fill my vision, some the faces of the people I was ordered to kill over the past few years while others looked unfamiliar. Their faces twisting in silent agony as they moved past me.

"Why would you side with her?! Do you not see the pain you're causing, Alex?!" I heard an outraged voice exclaim as I began to look around to spot where the voice came from.

"Because she gives me power that far surpasses even you, William." A calm voice responded. A familiar voice...Dad?!

"That's utter bullshit and you know it! She's just using you for her own personal gain!" The angry voice said again but this time I found where it was coming from. Turning around, I was met with 4 silhouettes that quickly took shape, first being Maria who was bleeding from what looked to be her abdomen with a red haired man trying to slow her bleeding but not being successful at it and then there were 2 men staring each other down.

More surprising though was the fact that one of the men was my dad in what looked to be knights armor though it looked cracked and riddled with sword slashes, leaning onto an unsheathed Crocea Mors, facing off against...me?

What the hell?

"William, I do hope that you see reason to this." Dad said evenly but this proceeded to only piss off this William guy. "See reason?! Are you shitting me?! We took an oath when we left Atlas and yet you turn your back on man and faunas alike! And for what?! To beat me in a fight?!" he asked in complete outrage.

Dad chuckled at this.

"You place too much in them. I simply wanted the same power you had to show you how much more you could solve the problem between Man and Grimm. By simply eliminating Man. Look around you William, how can you not see the true beauty that is our kind ridding the world of Man and their pathetic counterparts, the Faunas." Dad said as he gestured to a cliffside.

I felt compelled at that point to look over the side but I wasn't prepared for what I saw. Grimm. Hoards of them flooding the streets of what I could easily tell was Atlas or...supposed to be. One by one, I saw Beowolves and Ursa slicing, ripping and devouring people. The military straining to push them back to the walls and failing.

"All I see down there are the men and women of Mantle being slaughtered in the streets!" I heard William cry out at Dad again. "Give it a rest, Will, he's too far gone to listen to reasoning." I heard Roman(?) say.

I turned around but only caught a glimpse of the younger looking thief before the ground beneath me gave way and I started to plummet into an abyss. The darkness clouding my vision but quickly being replaced with red...deep red...blood.

A small trickle at first but then it soon became oceans of it. Faces materializing in it as it rushed past me in a strong current but I paid it no mind as I tried to find something to help me climb out of it but I had no luck and soon it consumed me.

"William! William...! ...iam...!"

"..mes! James! Wake up, James!" I heard a distant voice say before my consciousness began to return to me only for me to be greeted by the concerned faces of everyone including Goodwitch, the Branwen twins, and Ozpin himself.

"Ugh...what happened?" I asked out loud as I clutched my head in pain.

"You seemed to have passed out somehow and have been like that for...what like 20 minutes?" I heard Qrow say before Raven corrected him "2 hours...seriously Qrow? Is that liquor making you lose the concept of time?"

I quickly tuned them out due to my splitting headache worsening from any sounds being made.

"It's good to know you're alright, Mr. Rose." Ozpin said before seemingly turning to everyone else and saying "Now if you 8 would kindly leave so that the rest of us can speak with Mr. Rose." "But Headmaster-" Ruby started before stopping when Qrow placed a hand on her shoulder "C'mon kiddo, it's important to his health alright?" he said to which Ruby meekly nodded her head and left, everyone else following her in tow.

"Now then, tell us exactly how you know about William." Raven said maliciously once we were sure they were out of earshot.

Present Day...

"Have any memories surfaced Mr. Rose?" Ozpin asked me, changing the topic to what had quickly become a rather urgent one. "Not really, Ozpin though I have been feeling...I don't know...empty, I guess." I said, only for the man to don a look of intrigue.

"How so?" he asked, causing me to sigh and explain my feeling.

"That sounds like a simple case Aura Exhaustion" he concluded but I shook my head at that. "Not for a whole week though, that's the thing, feels like I'm running on fumes at this point" I countered as I tried to get off the bed but just then, Mom came in, causing me to slightly tense up.

Over the past couple of weeks however, I've started to feel suspicious of her. Every time I look at her now, I keep seeing something that resembled multi sided glass covered in an aura color consisting of pink, brown, and white but also a twinge of crimson.

Something about that pattern seemed familiar but I couldn't place it at the moment. "Say James, you think now you'll let me give you your treatment?" I heard her say but her voice sounded...false, almost as if wasn't hers.

"Sure, if you insist, sorry Ozpin but it looks like this is where we have to cut the mystery short for today" I said, causing him to nod his head and leave the room.

"Are you ready now?" she asked me as I started to lay down on the bed and nodded, I felt the medicine flow into my veins from the needle but something seemed off, the usual warmth that I felt from it seemed to have been turned up to almost Supernova levels.

I soon climbed back to my feet but quickly felt the tiled ground connect with my face "What...the...fuuuuuuu-" I started to say before my mind was clouded over and I was unconscious.

Several Hours Later...

"Ugh...my...everything...how many times this month am I gonna get knocked out when my guards down?" I asked no one in particular before I started to feel several presences around me and from what I could tell, they weren't happy.

"Nice to see you're awake, V...or would you prefer James? Or maybe even William?" I heard a familiar, bone chilling voice ask me as 3 people came into the spotlight that had been shining down on me and while one of them I knew would be there, the other two surprised me entirely.

Taiyang and Mom.

"You seem surprised...confused even." The Commander said as I refocused my attention on his masked face before he snapped his fingers and I saw Mom start to change, a mirror like effect consuming her being but quickly dissipating to reveal a raven haired, green eyed woman but I didn't have time to deduce who she was as I heard a slight ringing sound as I saw Tai shift in a blur into a dark skinned, green haired woman wearing what looked to be clothes one would wear in the deserts of Vacuo.

"V, I'd like you to meet the two women who have been keeping tabs on you since you decided to leave the organization." He said before gesturing towards the raven haired woman "Saffron Glass" then switched his hand to gesture to the desert woman "and Jade Sustrai."

"Oh? And if I may ask, who are you under that mask?" I said, knowing what my situation was and that I had little to no chance at escape due to my very obvious weakened state.

"Hehe, seems you know your situation well enough...fine, I'll grant you the courtesy of seeing my face before you die here." He said as he reached behind himself to reveal who I had hoped wasn't behind the mask.

Alexander Arc...my father.

And this seemed like a good place to stop so it's where we'll stop for now so until next time...stay tuned readers.