I wrote this as a therapeutic story for what happened in V3's finale, but dropped it as soon as I recovered. So, I finally decided to upload this after many weeks of contemplating.
As you'll be able to tell, this is an AU of if V3 ended on a happier note.
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY. It belongs to RoosterTeeth and the late and still great Monty Oum. Kuro belongs to me and any other OCs and/or references included belong to their respective owners.
'Ruby… Weiss… Blake… and Yang…
I remember you four always telling me the same thing…
…That all of you considered yourselves to be one, big, happy family…
…Now, that I think about it… I feel like I'm starting to understand…
We've traveled around the world… seen struggles, death, and bloodshed… Not knowing how to prevent it from spreading…
…We were all just kids, starved for love, freedom, acceptance, and equality… in a land filled with death and destruction…
…and also, we each had separate ambitions, in a sense.
…Ruby, you want to help whoever you can reach out to…
…Weiss, you want to surpass your limits as both a Huntress and an individual…
…Blake, you're a woman who is starved for equality between both of our kin and want to change it not only for yourself, but for the world…
…Yang, you've been on the hunt for your missing birth mother for many years, and yet still prioritize being there for the remnants of your true family…
…I, myself, have been so confused and lost… My heart was a mess from the pain of loss and loneliness… as well as my confused feelings for both Blake and Yang…
…I felt that if I decided to fade into the darkness… that I would finally understand myself…
…but that wasn't the solution. It never was…
Was it… that by sharing each other's pain and tragedy… and carrying on with heads held high… that we could truly comprehend one another… and live on happily despite the situations around us…
…but I never learned that lesson as far as you… I was so insistent on living distant from you all, knowing how frustrated and sad it made you…
Ruby kept saying that I was the older brother she never had, and that she couldn't imagine a world where I wasn't present…
Weiss… we never said it, but you and I felt a sort of… kinship since the day we met. We've faced the pain of loneliness… and… when I saw that hint of longing to be acknowledged and loved for who you are, I was happy…
…Blake… Yang… despite what happened between you two and Adam and your mother… when I turned to darkness and ran, both of you refused to give up on me. You kept trying to pull me closer whenever I pulled away, and never abandoned me… I could feel, just a little bit, your love each time… and it only made mine for you stronger…
In a more logical sense, you two should despise me…
Instead, you kept chasing after me…
…Never cut me off…
…you just kept working your way deeper into my heart…
No matter how I tried to deny you, you never turned your backs to me, even when everyone else had…
My heart was healed only thanks you all being by my side…
…All I used to do was mope and feel sorry for myself…
I've always focused on what I lost… rather than what I have right in front of me…
…but it's not just about me…
What you four have done for me… I'm sure you can do at a much larger scale…'
~oO RWBY Oo~
Kuro Seishin, a young man who walked a vicissitude path of betwixt and between because of an unfortunate turn of fate, was once a proud student and upcoming Hunter-in-training of Vale's Beacon Academy. Under the tutelage of some of the best of best, he began developing his skills. But despite all that he had, he started to become impatient about his growth compared to his friends and colleagues.
Dissatisfied with his progress, Kuro leaves Beacon without a word to anyone so that he can acquire the strength needed to have his revenge. His years of seeking power become increasingly demanding and irrational and isolated him from others. After proving instrumental in ending Cinder's plans at Amity Coliseum and being redeemed by the love of his friends, Kuro decided to return to Beacon and dedicates his life to helping protect Remnant and its inhabitants.
~oO RWBY Oo~
Kuro, Ozpin, Glynda, and Team RWBY stood at the reconstructed Beacon Academy's outer gardens. It was around noon when Kuro had decided to leave Beacon once more to roam Remnant.
"Now, normally, I would have you restart at year one. However, your efforts combined with Teams RWBY, JNPR, and CFVY have granted you some degree of merit," Ozpin explained to the ex-runaway. "When the Council had heard of your contribution towards our victory as well as recovering the Fall Maiden's powers, they were quite shocked to learn that it was one of my students. Once I explained your… circumstances, they demanded to have you reinstated."
"However, you're not entirely excused," Glynda cut in, raising her glasses. "Even though, we've allowed you to continue to study here as well as your personal travels, you will be required to take mandatory remedial courses to catch up on what you've skipped out on. Also, you're prohibited from participating in Combat Classes until you've made up the material."
Glynda decided to ignore Yang's cry of "Ooh!" Kuro, however, remained blithe; "I understand. Thanks…"
"Do you really have to go so soon, Big Bro? I mean, we just got you back," Ruby asked, sadness oozing from her tone. Kuro sighed and closed his eyes.
"There's… still a few loose ends I need to tie up. And those ends are to be met up front. I'm sorry, Ruby… everyone"
Each of them waved off his apology in their own way, yet Kuro heard Weiss huff and mutter something. But Kuro smirked despite himself as he knew that somewhere in there, she had called him a "dunce."
"Well… um…" Blake spoke up with trepidation. She was timidly twiddling her fingers with slightly colored cheeks, looking into the ground as if it were magical. "…W-what would you say… if I asked you… to take me with you?"
Blake looked up at him with an expectant puppy dog look (which was ironic in Kuro's opinion considering her heritage). He bit back the urge to smile and say "yes."
"…No," he said rather bluntly. "I would if I could, but these are personal matters that no one else besides myself should be involved in."
'…Not only that… I want to find out more about this white skinned woman I've been seeing in my dreams…'
You could hear glass shattering as Blake's hopes got crushed and she hung her head. This was definitely one of her rare comical moments.
'You could rely on me, too, you know…' her sorrowful thoughts were halted when she felt a hand run through her hair before resting at the back of her head. The hand applied force and pushed her head forward until her forehead made contact with Kuro's.
Startled amber eyes meet tranquil sapphire ones as he uttered the simple phrase; "I'll be back soon. Wait for me, 'kay?"
A small gasp escaped Blake's lips at the small declaration. She blushed madly, slapping her hands to her cheeks and shaking her head to the side in embarrassment.
Even more so as Blake's teammates were right next to her to see her like this. Besides the not-so-quiet cackle from Yang, Ruby and Weiss just smiled at the normally emotionless girl reacting like a typical girl with a crush.
Ruby suddenly stepped forward, her legendary silver eyes locked onto his; "Before you go, Big Bro… here."
Ruby thrusted her hands forward to present him with something… Something red and familiar…
It was his old scarf. The scarf he wore before turning to the darkness. Kuro's eyes widened slightly at the bundle of cloth.
"You… actually kept that?"
Ruby looked up as if he had shot Zwei at point blank range right in front of her; "Of course, we did! We're just giving it back, now."
The boy's lips slowly curved upwards as he looked towards the rest of her team. They all nodded with bright smiles on their faces (Blake was still blushing, I might add). He turned back towards the crimsonette.
"You'd better thank the stars above that it's nearly impossible to say no to you," he joked, ruffling Ruby's hair affectionately which got a quick laugh out of her, before accepting the trinket. He gave a nod towards Weiss, Yang, Ozpin, and Glynda before turning away from them and walking off, beginning his new journey into the unknown…
'But take heed, you four… there aren't many people like you…
…things won't come as easy as they seem. Take the Breach in Vale, or the invasion of the coliseum, for example…
…the Headmaster once said that it was up to us to take the first step…
I'll just go by that until I find my own answer…
…Even if our hearts are scattered… even if the scars of war take away what little innocence you have left…
…after the fighting is done and the battlefield is clean of blood…
…until that happens, I'll stay strong. I'll bear this until I can really do it…
And the beings that are tasked with that…
…the ones responsible for carrying on the will of the warriors from days of old…
…are us…
That is the burden we now carry…
…the challenge that came with this mantle, this title…
This is our destiny as Hunters…'
I won't mince words, but this whole chapter is one big reference to something, but I'll leave it up to you guys to figure out what it is. It's fairly easy… I hope not…
Please be sure to Fav, Follow, and drop in a Review and I hope to see you guys again soon!
~ Peace!