A/N: What is up everyone! I am here with the 26th chapter of OOO and this is where a certain Combo finally makes its debut! I know some of you are wondering if there will be a Super TaToBa, and to answer this, I don't want to give any spoilers but it will be before the Volume 4 arc. Also, I know some of you are wondering when I will update Chalice: The Wild Card Chronicles and it will be soon since I'm taking my time and this story will be updated more often than the others.
Remember, I will be following not only the RWBY episodes with some additions but also the OOO series (The Greeed, meeting Ankh, introducing Kougami, etc., but no Birth [Maybe]).
Don't forget to check out my other stories as well.
Henshin!
Third Person View
'Thought'
Greeed/Yummies
The moonlight casted down on the city of Vale, the city itself shining in the night from all the lights. If was a rather calm night for once but in an alley, a dome of cell medals formed before it took shaped, the light dying down to reveal a hooded figure wearing a cloak that was that to those who worked for royalty.
"It has been so long since I came back here," The voice said with a grin but under the hood was an evil grin, giving off his lust for power like his majesty did all those years ago. He looks up, seeing the familiar shattered moon unlike the one he had seen in that other world where it wasn't. Oh the memories of those years, watching the moon basking its glory while this moon was only remnants of what it should have been.
But for his return? There was a reason to why he came back...
He chuckled evilly before walking out the alley as he approached a stand that had the local papers. Wanting to see how much times past, he flipped through pages that were simply boring but some articles caught his attention.
The Greeed and a certain suit of armor.
"OOO." He muttered but he knew this had that bird's work all over it since he saws a man with a familiar arm in the image, pointing at a certain Bug Greeed. His smirk grew before tossing the paper aside and began his search for a certain target.
"Now…" The figure grinned. "Time to look for you, Core Vessel."
Remnants of Desires
Chapter 26: The Alchemist, Purple Cores, The Invincible Combo
Morning finally rose as it began to enter the room. Upon hitting my face, I slowly wake up, yawning but oddly enough, unable to move an inch. 'Why can't I move?' I asked in my thoughts. As my vision began to clear up, a huge rush of blood went to my face, making me blush. Blake was snuggling against me!
"B-Blake!?" I stammered. Suddenly, I remembered last night when the both of us went to our second date.
She sighed happily, nuzzling against my chest as I heard that purr again! "So… warm…." She said softly.
Oh man… I have to wake her up before Yang or even Nora find out about this! "Blake, wake up," I shook her lightly, trying to wake her up.
"Ngh… 1 more hour….." She muttered.
"B-But you're in my d-dorm…" I answered nervously.
"5 more hours….." She muttered, obviously still asleep.
I gulped until I heard the upper bunk move, showing that Ankh was waking up. The Bird Greeed hopped off his makeshift bunk and stretched before turning around to see me but also Blake. He blinked for a moment before he snickered at first until…
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" He laughed, clutching his stomach from his laughter. "I came back after getting those Cell Medals and wake up to this, seeing you and kitty cat on the bed? HAHAHAHA!"
"It's not funny, Ankh…" I frowned at him.
"Oh it is," He laughed. "You are an oblivious idiot who doesn't realize that-" A pillow was slammed into his face, making him fall back to the ground. I look to see Blake now leaning forward, an annoyed glare on her face, "Beat it bird brain…."
Ankh grabbed the pillow and moved it away from his face, seeing that Blake was the one who threw it at him. "Why I oughta…" He gritted until I got off the bed, stopping Ankh from getting to Blake.
"Calm down, Ankh!" I insisted. "It was your fault first of all."
"My fault!?" A tick mark formed on his head. "You should be at the one at fault here! That cat threw that pillow because I was trying to tell you about that brain of yours being oblivious!"
"Okay, how am I oblivious!?" I waved my arms. "What makes you think I am oblivious? Name one thing."
"Firstly, how Yang tried a few times of flirting with you," He raised another finger. "Secondly, that Cinder girl trying to talk to you in a rather seductive way." He raised a third finger. "And thirdly, her." He pointed at Blake.
"What about Blake?" I crossed my arms.
"It's obvious she marked-" Another pillow hit his face once more, forcing him back, as he pulls it off and growls. "Fine. Let him be oblivious. You won't be able to make him see it." He growled, storming out of the room.
I blinked before looking back at Blake, "What did he mean by mark?"
"I-It's nothing…" She turned away shyly.
"Oh… alright," I shrugged before noticing the time, showing that class starts in two hours. "Class starts in two hours, you should head to your dorm to get ready."
"I… can in an hour…. I just…. Wanna stay here.. For now…." She said with a blush.
Did I hear that right? Why would she want to stay here for the next hour? "Why would you want to stay?" I asked, confused.
"I… feel safe when I'm like this with you…." She muttered.
"Eh?" I blinked, a blush rising on my face, my heart rapidly beating like last time. It was the same feeling again… I feel her hand tugging on me as I look at her.
"Can… we just lay here…. For now?" She asked shyly again.
"I-I…" I stammered. "W-We have class in two hours though.. A-And Yang would be wondering where you are. I don't want her to think you were here the whole night."
"It's okay…. We… can just stay here for an hour…." She said, holding my arm. I stared at Blake in the eyes, feeling drawn to them like at the dance and our date… I couldn't help but be mesmerized by her… beautiful eyes. I soon feel her pulling me back down onto the bed, snuggling next to me as that purr can be heard once more. A soft smile slowly crept on my face as I unconsciously moved closer to her.
I looked at Blake before we jolted as we heard the door being slammed opened. Oh boy...
"WELL! If I knew you two were going to cuddle, I would've brought candles!" Yang voice chuckled out.
I quickly moved away from Blake before keeping myself together and looked at Yang. "Can you knock next time, Yang? You know how much Ankh hates it when you do that."
"Well, he isn't here. Sides." She grins, holding up her scroll, "This is too juicy not to share."
I paled before I rushed up to Yang and tried to grab her Scroll. "Yang, d-delete that!" I panicked, trying to grab her Scroll.
"Oops! Just uploaded it to the school news site." She chuckled. If was possible for me, I became pale as paper and stone with a crack.
"Hahaha! You should see your face!" She laughed, "Relax, I only sent it to our friends. Nothing more."
"E-Eh..?" I squeaked before I fell back until I soon saw my scroll lighting up with a few messages from Ruby, Weiss, Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha and Ren. Even some from Coco, Velvet, Sun and Neptune, each one with different responses.
I looked at Yang who had a grin, "Why did you have to do this…" I groaned.
"Cause I like seeing you two fluster." She smiled, before quickly rushing off as a few shurikens embedded into the wall where Yang used to be. Wait, where did those come from? I looked back at Blake who had two between her fingers.
"She's going to pay for that…." Blake growled.
I looked at my Scroll before deleting the messages so I can prevent further messages from showing up on my scroll. Why do they have to ask me many ridiculous questions?
Lunch time was finally around as I was eating my lunch but it wasn't much of a lunch to enjoy in peace… why you ask? Well right now, I was being asked a bunch of confusing questions by my friends as I try to eat my lunch!
"So! How was cloud nine?" Nora grinned.
"I bet she gave you a nice dance too." Sun chuckled.
"I told you guys, I don't know what you all mean by that!" I responded.
"Did you two kiss? Neptune added on.
"I hope you guys played it safe." Even Ren added on.
"I don't know what you guys mean!" I responded, now getting annoyed. Seriously, some made me confused while a few other assumptions made me blush.
"Come on guys…. Can't you leave them alone?" Ruby frowned, trying to keep everyone happy and calm.
"I agree. All they did was cuddle. Nothing more…." Weiss nodded.
"Tell that to the oblivious idiot," Ankh jabbed his thumb at me.
"Blame Yang." Blake frowned, "Though being in the dorm today will teach her a lesson.." She huffed in anger.
"What did you do this time?" Jaune asked nervously.
"The same treatment the last time you, Weiss, Ruby, and Nora received but worse." She answered calmly, causing the others to gulp in response.
"W-We should move on…. Sides, there is only two weeks till the tournament." Pyrrha pointed out. "We need to focus on that."
"Oh right, the Vytal Festival is starting soon," I remembered. "But I don't know how I will be able to enter the tournament. I mean I am only in a solo team."
"Maybe you could use your Medals or Combos to make a team?" Jaune stated.
"Probably," I shrugged. "I'll try to think of something, hopefully on time for the tournament. Besides this is the first time for me to be in a tournament, even being in a festival..."
"Really? You never seen or been to the Vytal Festival?" Pyrrha asked.
I flinched, upon realizing that I never talked much about my home to them.
"With his training and that armor, he was unable to see anything about it." Ankh sighed, "He said he wanted to keep learning so he can be a better hunter…."
"Y-Yeah, what he said." I nodded quickly. "If it wasn't for Ankh helping me, I wouldn't have been able to be a better fighter."
"It's still hard to believe that Ankh and the other Greeed are considered the First Huntsmen since they have been fighting Grimm before any of us." Neptune responded.
"Che, seeing is believing blue boy," Ankh scoffed, his Greeed arm present. "If I was in my real body, the Grimm would have been easy to take down at ease."
"Whatever you say, Ankh," I rolled my eyes before we heard the bell ring, showing that lunchtime is over. "We should head to class."
"I'll check on Yang." Blake stood up, smiling softly at me as she was about to walk off.
"Alright," Ruby nodded before we all made our way out of the cafeteria. However as we were making our way to the hallway, Ankh suddenly froze, his eyes looked to be flaring in full on rage.
"Ankh? What's wrong?" Jaune asked.
"Well, well, well…" A voice mused, making us turn around as we saw a cloaked figure who lowered his hood, revealing a man who looks to be in his late 30s with dark blue hair and eyes that gives off wrong vibes. "It has been a long time, Ankh."
"You… you were suppose to be dead like the Multi-King 800 years ago!?" Ankh growled in disbelief.
The man chuckled evilly as he looked at Ankh. "You wound me, Ankh," he mocked. "But I didn't die like my Majesty."
"Ankh, who is that guy?" I asked.
"And how do you know him?" Ruby asked.
Ankh clenched his claws. "That man is Gara, the Royal Alchemist. Creator of the O-Driver and us Greeed." He spat in venom.
All of us looked at him, wide eyed. The creator of OOO's power was standing right before us. And… what felt wrong was the fact that he was giving me a very dangerous look.
"After all these years, you took over a human, Ankh?" He mused. "Oh how interesting it is to see it happen."
"Che, you might as well stop your ramblings.." He said, drawing out his sword, "Cause I'm going to finish what I should've done all those years ago!" He charged towards the alchemist who grinned as the moment Ankh struck Gara, it was caught by a claw. "What..?"
We were all shocked as Gara's arm changed into something draconic in nature. "Surprise, Ankh?" He laughed evilly. "There's a reason why I have been roaming for 800 years." He delivered a kick to Ankh's chest, sending him back to us.
"You…. you're nothing but a monster!" He gritted, holding his chest.
Gara chuckled before he laughed manically before he grabbed his cloak before a glow surrounded his body. Once it died down, it reveals a new kaijin taking his place. Its skin was dark brown skin that was scale-like with with the wings of a dragon acting as a small, short cape on its back. His body had gold trimmings on the chest with a gold piece that hangs from the center waist waist down with his chest having a green orb. His hands had long sharp 'talons' that were ready to cut down anything. His face was the most disturbing feature he has no eyes, only a gold piece to act as a crown while being dragon-like as well.
"I'm no monster, Ankh." Gara spreads his arms out like wings. "I am reaching to the Godhood my Majesty couldn't reach!"
We all stumbled back upon seeing what occurred. The Alchemist made himself turn into a monster… all so he can reach godhood.
"You still consider yourself a god? Don't make me laugh… you're just an ant trying to attack a mountain." Ankh glared.
Gara's teeth changed into a grin before his arms extended, delivering a whiplash to us before we can even expect it as it sent us to the wall on the school. "How amusing, Ankh. While you were sealed for the past 800 years, I have learned so much to the world. I am far greater than you and the Greeed are in combat."
"Heh, if you were so great… How come you couldn't beat the Multi-King as easily as you sound like it. I bet you're still scared to even look at a painting of him." Ankh chuckled. Gara snarled before he extended his arm, grabbing hold of Ankh's arm as Cell Medals began to be transferred over to the Alchemist!?
Ankh gritted his teeth as more medals began to escape from his arm. "What are you doing…!?"
"I know what I can do to you, Ankh. I made you and the Greeed after all." He reminded before tossing him to a pillar.
"Just why are you here!?" He demanded.
Gara tapped his chin, "Why? Oh, why it's because of the young man you seem to be watching over," He chuckled, pointing at… me?
"What has Enrique got to do with this!?" Blake demanded.
"It's simple… he is the perfect vessel I have been searching for over 800 years." He replied. "You see… this planet was full of so many desires that my project couldn't find the right vessel. And so… I tried to test the potential of Core Energy that I took myself into another world, similar to this world!"
"Another… world…?" Weiss got out.
"Correct and when I thought my project could never be accomplished… I found the perfect vessel and it all started five years ago. A young boy..." My eyes widen upon what he was talking about. "Ah, it seems you know what I am speaking of, don't you?"
Memories of the accident and the death of my mom and little sister flashed back in my head, making me tremble while Gara laughed. "You see, he was the perfect vessel! I watched from afar, seeing that child grow up with nothing for five years! A young man who hardly had any friends, a young man who suffered so much. A young man who became selfless and eventually... no desires. The perfect vessel."
"Enrique…. came from another world?" Jaune said, the others who didn't know turning to me with shocked expressions. Ruby, Ankh, and Blake looked away since they were the only ones I told about my origins.
"He was indeed. Earth, a planet that went through many wars. Many troubles, throughout the years." The alchemist laughed. "And he is the perfect subject for my project. You see, it was I who brought you here into Remnant, boy."
"What…? Then that cell medal dome…"
"It was one of my transportations but to think that Ankh encountered you. Seems like old times doesn't it, Ankh?" He then reached to his side before pulling out an ancient box that was circular but the image on the box had images of… dinosaurs…? Wait… don't tell me… "And now I will begin where I should have started."
"Those are!" Ankh gasped, "You're insane! The King sealed those away with his power! Not even you can break it!"
"Times have changed Ankh." He used his newly gained power to break it open, revealing 10 Purple Cores. He grabbed five as he presented them to us as they began to glow. "Now… fetch." He tossed them as the five Cores literally were flying around.
"What are you doing?!" Ruby shouted with worry.
"Oh little one, don't you all remember? The boy is the perfect vessel."
Blake's eyes widen, "No… you can't do that to him…." She said with fear.
The Cores floated around more before they soon began to surround me, making me go pale. Those Cores… those were the same ones tha t-
Before I can think further, the five Cores entered my chest, a purple glow pulsating with each one entering my body. When the fifth core entered my chest, my body felt weak as my vision began to become a blur. No… I couldn't… I fell to my knees as Gara laughed as we saw him say his last words. "Have fun~" He laughed before he vanished and everything went black.
I slowly regained consciousness as my vision was blurry at first. Trying to remember what happened, I remembered Team RWBY, Ankh, and I were looking around since the Vytal Festival will start in two weeks. I then remembered the man calling himself Gara who carried an ancient box that released….
My eyes widen in realization before I quickly sat up.
"You're awake!"
I turned my head and saw Ruby and the others along with Ankh who was staring at me, more like staring at my heart would be.
"Yeah…" I responded.
"Are you alright?" Blake asked.
"I'm… fine. I remembered what happened earlier." I answered.
"It seems you are alright after what happened as well," another voice said. I turned my head and saw the school nurse who was going through some data on his Scroll.
"What do you mean?"
"We need to confirm it though," he said. "If you may, can you tell us where that man placed those items?"
When he said 'items', my eyes were filled with horror. And I first thought was a dream upon remembering what that Gara man did but hearing those made me scared. I wanted to know so I quickly removed my shirt, revealing my torso as I place my hands where the said items are, in a panic. After spending my time training often, I never got a chance to see how much I changed. But now, the slight skinniness had been replaced with a well-toned body. I wasn't buff at all, but still looking fairly decent.
I then forgot that Team RWBY was here, making me inwardly facepalm. I hate to admit, there I time that I can be an idiot and Ankh would agree to it so I put my shirt back on before I can receive more stares from Yang.
"Man, you hit the jackpot Blake." Yang smirked, eyeing me as Ruby faced away.
The doctor began to do a scan of my chest as the data was being transferred to a screen on the wall. When it was done, it revealed the image of what was inside. What we saw in the image shocked the group but for me to panic. The image displayed five Core Medals in my body, from what seems to be around my heart.
"Those are…" Ruby started.
"The first Five Core Medals that Gara placed inside him." Ankh finished. "I would never expect Core medals being able to rest inside a human being than a homunculus…"
"Isn't there anyway we can remove them?" Weiss turned to the nurse.
"After what you have told us, we planned on doing so but seeing where those items are now, the process is very dangerous due to those items around his heart. If we were to perform the surgery, we don't know what will happen if we removed them, away from his heart." The doctor explained.
"So…. is it hurting him?" Ruby asked with worry.
"Strangely, no…" He sighed. "I don't know how it is even possible for those kind of items to not be able to hurt him." He then looked at me. "Do you feel any pain at all?"
I slowly placed my hand on my chest before I shook my head. "I… I don't…" I replied.
"I see…" The nurse wrote a few things down, "I suggest you to take it easy for the next 3 weeks. Just to be safe since we don't know what these things can do."
"Wait, three weeks?!" Ruby gasped, "But the Vytal Festival starts in two! Enrique won't be able to compete!"
"It is best he rests," He replied.
"But-"
"I'll be okay, Ruby…" I assured.
She lowered her head, sadden that I'll have to miss out on the tournament. I forgot that if teams are registered and win their first match, they're out of the tournament.
Ankh though turned around and began to walk towards the door, "Hold it!" The Bird Greeed stopped, Yang stood up and glared at him, "Where do you think you're going?" She asked him.
"Heading back to the dorm, what do you think?" He responded.
"Seriously?" She frowned, "You're not going to help us find that Gara guy and pummel him?"
"Finding him will end up with your deaths," He warned.
"What's that suppose to mean!?" Weiss argued.
Ankh turned around as we could see the rage in his eyes. "Gara isn't an ordinary man, he is just like the Multi-King, craving for power, the lust for the Godhood his majesty couldn't achieve 800 years ago." He explains in distaste. "He was the one who created us Greeed and the O-Driver. He has the ways to kill and since he turned himself into a monster to roam for the past 800 years without anyone noticing, you tell me?"
"If he's just like the Greeed now, we can beat him!" Yang argued.
"There were no Core Medals inside that madman, you idiots!" He announced.
"But what if-"
As they argue, I simply stared at the image of the Cores that were inside my body. I was very scared and horrified to what happened to me. The purple Cores were the Cores that made Eiji slowly turn into a Greeed but this time… this time Gara is the one who made those Cores enter my body and now… now I'm scared of becoming a Greeed...
"Enrique?" Blake had a worried look, placing her hand on top of mine's.
I turn my head to look at her before looking away while Weiss and Yang look at me as well. "So… what Gara said about you being from some other world… was it true…?" Yang asked.
I lowered my head and saw there was no point of hiding it anymore. "He was telling the truth…" I confessed. "I'm not from here…"
"Why didn't you tell us? I thought we were a team." Weiss questioned.
"Like you guys would have believed me?" I countered.
"We're your friends Enrique. If you said you were a prince, we would believe you." Yang said, her arms crossed.
"It's not easy to explain to people." I argued. "I mean who would believe I was from some planet where we went through wars worse than this? Even with no Grimm, we still endure the conflicts."
"Enrique, we would've believed you. We're your friends and your team." Weiss said. "I'm shocked to think you would believe that we wouldn't care or trust you, after everything you have done for us, every time you believed in us. And you think we wouldn't after everything?"
I could only look away. "Just go…" I said softly. "Please…"
"Enrique, you can't expect us to-" Blake tried to argue.
"Just go."
"But Enrique-"
"I just want to rest, so go…" I laid down as I turned away from them but the moment I looked away, I finally let out some tears due to what is going to happen to me soon. I didn't want to be bothered… I just… I just wanted to be left alone so I can rest...
"Come on…." Yang said, placing her hand on Blake as they all made their way out of the room.
"This man is what?" Glynda got out.
"You heard me, blondie," Ankh informed. He was in Ozpin's office after being called up regrettably by the headmaster due to the 'man' that showed up out of nowhere and now Ozpin, Glynda, and Ironwood were listening to every word the Bird Greeed was saying. "That was Gara, the damn Royal Alchemist. He had the gall to show up and now my charge has some items inside him."
"How is he still alive after all these centuries? It's impossible." Ironwood said.
"That was because he turned himself into this," He got out his Scroll, showing the image of Gara. "That madman made himself a monster full of Cell Medals. In other words, he made himself a homunculus."
"By Oum…." Glynda gasped.
"So… he's after Enrique then…." Ozpin frowned at this.
"That is the thing, I don't know what that sick bastard is planning but it has something to do with those Cores," Ankh huffed. "Right now, Gara is holding onto five in some box he carries."
"And the other five?"
"What did you think when I said 'items inside him'?"
"We need to remove them before he spawns a new enemy." Ironwood said, standing up and about to walk out to get him to surgery.
"You do that, you kill my charge and the Greeed would see it as a chance to take over," Ankh informed, "Those Cores are very close to his heart, one mistake and he would die."
"Then what can we do? We can't let that young man burden with something so dangerous!" He argued.
"Simple, do nothing until we see what happens. Something tells me those Cores will do something sooner or later."
"How can you be so sure?"
"I'm a Greeed, what do you think?"
Night time was around as I struggle to fall asleep after what happened earlier. I just couldn't sleep… all that happened earlier was scaring me to the point that I was afraid of what will happen when I fall asleep.
But as soon as I turn my head, I see Blake, Ruby, Yang and even Weiss, all asleep on the ground near me, in their sleeping bags. While they did sleep, it was obvious they had worried looks on their faces.
"They asked if they could stay until the morning…." I turned my head to see Ankh, up late again eating his ice cream. "I know you're scared Enrique…" He turned to me, "You may not know this, but before the King sealed himself, he was worried about those Cores that Gara made, without his permission. He could sense the energy just as much as me with those…. Hence why he used his best mages to seal them away…. Until now that is…. That bastard.."
"But why me…?" I muttered.
"He said so himself, you have no desires due to your selflessness," He took a bite of his ice cream. "And whatever those Cores are, it reacted to you. I'm still wondering just what type of Cores those were."
"Sounds you care about my safety," I chuckled softly.
"Tch, I am only making sure you live through this," He tossed the finished ice cream in the garbage before heading to the dorm, "Also, Kitty cat was more worried than you even notice." He closed the door of the infirmary.
I turned to see her hugging my spare pillow, some tears in her eyes. Was she that worried after what happened to me…? I never thought she would care that much… I slowly sat up from the bed before I quietly got off the bed before approaching her sleeping bag, "Blake…" I called out softly.
"Ngh…. Enrique?" She rubbed her eyes, slowly waking up.
"Ankh told me why you guys are here… are… are you really that worried?" I asked.
"Of course we are…." She looked at me, a sadden, yet worried look on her face, "We care about you Enrique…. You're family…."
"F-Family…?" I got out. "You guys consider me family…?"
"Of course we do."
Family… it was something I haven't had for 5 years...but now… now it felt like they were in front of me. My friends… they were here for me… and I never realized that they are also family. I slowly wrapped my arms around her, hugging her. "Thank you…" I thanked softly.
Blake smiled softly, hugging me back, "Please.. Don't ever feel like you can't talk to us.. We're here for you… Now… can you not go off on your own this time, and just sleep?"
I slowly nodded before I got back up and went to the medical bed, laying down as I look out the window. The shattered moon above my head as I smile softly before drifting to sleep once more.
'A family….'
Gara was writing down notes upon the result of earlier. The Cores indeed were absorbed into his body, making the young Rider into the vessel he had been seeking to create. Only now, he needed to to test the first part of the phase. Grinning evilly, he grabbed a photo and tore it apart. When he finished, he tossed it to the ground. He dug into his chest before pulling out a cell Medal. Only this one had the image of a dinosaur, a T-Rex. "Now… let's see how you will fare against them." He mused before a slot formed on the photo and tossed the medal inside.
What poured out wasn't just a regular Yummy. It wasn't covered in bandages. It was a fully grown Yummy, based on the T-Rex Cell Medal he tossed in, but the night and shadows covered it, only partially the head can be shown.
"Kill his friends." Gara commanded.
It nodded before walking away as Gara smiled maniacally as he began to prepare himself to watch what will happen.
Morning finally came around as I slowly opened my eyes. A soft blush overcoming me as I soon see Blake snuggling up to me once more! "B-Blake!" I stammered. "Can you wake up, please! Y-You're on the bed, not the sleeping bag!"
"I know…. Hmm… comfy…" She said softly, nuzzling into my chest more.
"C-Can you please get off?" I asked.
"No….." She purred.
"Aw, look at the cute couple," I jumped as I turn my head to see Ruby, Weiss, and Yang now awake with the latter having a grin.
"Y-Yang, it's not like that!" I argued.
"Oh? She's snuggling with you. I don't know about you, but when a girl does that, she li-" A pillow smacked her face, Blake while still leaning, had her arm in the arm.
"Uh… I'm going to go get breakfast." Ruby gulped, as she sped off, not wanting another punishment.
"Same here!" Weiss agreed before leaving.
"Um… I think breakfast does sound nice," I nodded before getting off the medical bed and followed the two.
"Hey, wait for me you guys!" Yang called out.
Blake sighed, standing up, "Guess I'll come too…" She said, wanting to stay by me a bit longer.
All five of us made our way to the cafeteria to get some breakfast and luckily there was no class for today. Along with Team JNPR, we began to enjoy our breakfast but for me… I was still worried about those Cores that are inside me.
"Hey, don't be like that Enrique. Try and smile." Pyrrha said to me.
I raised my head to look at my friends before a small smile crept on my face. "I guess so… sorry… it's just that I hope there is a way for those Cores to go away…"
Ruby frowned for a moment before her eyes lit up, "Ooh! How about we all head to town and hang out!" She suggested. "All eleven of us."
"Eleven?"
"Ankh and Akira, included." She explained.
"Yeah! Sounds like fun." Jaune nodded.
"Count us in," Nora beamed.
Ruby looked at me, "You too, Enrique."
"Me?" I blinked.
"Yeah, you're coming along as well. No excuses."
Yang chuckled, patting Ruby's head. "She's got you there Enrique. Besides, it gives us a lot of time so you can tell us about your home."
"I might've been curious to hear about your world." Weiss huffed.
"Tsundere.." I chuckled.
"What does that even mean!?" She said with confusion.
"A person who is initially cold and even hostile towards another person before gradually showing their warm side over time," I grinned.
The others looked at each other then at Weiss with Yang saying, "That fits her for who she is." Weiss became embarrassed as she looked away.
"Come, let's go!" Ruby declared.
We went to town but at first Ankh didn't want to come along until Yang and Akira dragged him along. At first he planned on escaping via arm but Yang made sure he didn't try. RIght now, we were east in the city as we began to explore a bit as we all were enjoying our time.
"So wait, your home literally has no-"Pyrrha covered Jaune's mouth so that no one else hears about it.
"Yeah but we still have troubles throughout the years. We even went through two worlds wars, it's like your Great War but on a global scale." I explained. "Believe me, those were tough times even one time when people were poor back then until a man wrote a plan that helped everyone."
"Wow…" Ruby said in awe. "What about the technology?"
"Well… there are some things we are not advanced with," I admitted. "But there are some countries that are ahead in terms of technology. Like Japan for example."
"Japan? Is that a fruit?" Nora asked.
"No, it's a country. Known as the land of the rising sun." I corrected. "Plus, they have tradition. And during an era called the dynasty, they had samurai who followed honor, ninjas, kunoichis, and shoguns."
"They have those?" Blake asked, surprised yet excited before quickly becoming quiet.
"Yeah," I caught her question. "And Japan also have these plants called cherry blossoms. In the spring, the trees bloom pink petals that eventually flow against the wind."
"Sounds romantic…" Weiss smiled, fantasizing about it.
"What about your home?" Akira asked.
"Oh well my home is called the United States of America," I smiled. "It's called the Land of the free and the home of the brave. There are 50 large masses of land called States and we have different branches of military unlike Atlas."
"Amazing…." Pyrrha gasped.
"What else does this, 'America' have?" Weiss asked.
"Within the states, there are numerous cities but there's one capital that is considered the capital of the country: Washington D.C. That is where the most important figure is at, the president who is also commander-in-chief of the military." I continued.
"Hmph… Sounds like a boastful of arrogance to me." Weiss huffed.
"Oh and we don't have or use Dust," I added.
"That's impossible! How is your world still running itself?" Weiss gasped, as the others were also surprised to hear this.
"That's because we have our own way to using energy. We use electricity, fossil fuels which are found underground, oil, even using solar energy from the sun," I listed.
"That's quite impressive, Enrique." Pyrrha complimented while Weiss cross her arms.
"Do you miss home?" Blake asked, making me stop where I stood. "Enrique?"
"I…" I got out, raising my head until I felt pain in my head for the first time. The others saw how I was as Ruby knelt down, "Enrique, what's wrong?"
I couldn't speak up until Ankh turned around. "Yummy." He said.
We turned around to where Ankh was facing and saw a Yummy completely different than the previous Yummies we have faces. The Yummy that made some of the civilians run away, the street becoming empty, was a humanoid tyrannosaurus rex with a few armor pieces on its body while carrying a club that was made of ice that looks like it hasn't melt at all.
Wait, a Dino Yummy!?
"What the…" Ankh got out.
"Wait, there's a Reptile Greeed?" Yang got out, turning to Ankh for some answers. "Another thing you 'forgot' to tell us?"
"I don't know but I know this has Gara all over it!" Ankh growled.
It first turned to Ruby, it's deep purple eyes glowing softly, "Erase family." It said out loud.
My eyes widen before looking at Ankh as I placed in O-Driver on my waist while Ankh handed me the King Combo as I place them in while Akira placed in his Birth Driver and Cell Medal.
"Henshin!" We said in unison.
TAKA!
TORA!
BATTA!
TA-TO-BA! TATOBA! TA-TO-BA!
With Akira and I in our respective armor, we gout our respective weapons while Team RWBY and JNPR did the same with their weapons. "Be careful, this Yummy must be different than the others," Akira informed us.
"Right," I nodded.
It scoffed as a swing of it's tail shot several shards of ice at us, we blocked but it hurt a lot more than the regular Yummies or even Greeed's attack. It charged ahead striking us down as it began to rush towards Ruby.
"Leave her alone!" Yang shouted, charging ahead, but as soon as her fist made contact, her hand was quickly frozen in ice before a ripple of purple energy forced her away.
"What was that?" Ankh got out, surprised.
"How should we know!?" Yang asked, breaking away the ice on her hand.
I charged forward with the Tora Claws out as I began to strike the Yummy but it was blocking some of my strikes until Akira joined in as he was equipped with Shovel Arm, ready to strike the new Yummy to its chest.
It turned around quickly, striking Akira with it's club as it tossed him into a few buildings near by. "Target, injured. Returning to task…" It said, turning back to Ruby. She began to back up until she was unable to move, she looked down to see her legs covered in ice as it began to move up towards her body at a rapid rate.
"Help me Enri-" She was unable to finish her sentence as she was soon covered in ice, head to toe.
My eyes widen in horror as the memory of what happened to Marie in the accident returned. "N-No…"
"YOU BASTARD!" Yang shouted out, her hair ablaze and her eyes turned red as she charges in, wailing on the Yummy as it turned to her.
"Next Target."
"Yang, move away from it!" Akira shouted, shooting the Yummy in the back.
"NO! It needs to pay!" She shouted, tears in her eyes as she continues to strike it, not knowing her weapons having little effect on it. The Tyranno Yummy snorted, gripping her head tightly as ice began to form on her head.
"L-Leave them alone! Stop it now!" I said in fear as I got up to strike the Yummy with the Tora Claws once more.
"No…" It said, freezing Yang as well, before turning to Weiss. "Next Target." It used its tail to smack me away, walking towards the now scared heiress.
"Weiss get away from it, hurry!" I pleaded as I got hold of the Yummy.
She was unable to respond, her eyes hazed over as her body trembled. She was frozen with fear as it soon approached her, freezing her in place as well. More memories of my family appeared in my mind, along with RWBY as each one's face shattered into bits…. Only leaving Blake left.
My eyes widen as I turn to Blake, 'No…. not her….'
"Enrique! Snap out of it!" Ankh shouted, smacking my helmet. "You and Akira have to beat the Yummy! Just fight it!"
I looked at the Yummy in question before I grabbed the Medajalibur and let out a battle cry with the blade. When I got close, I struck its back before unleashing a few more swift strikes as some medals finally began to spill from its back.
It turned to me, snorting, "Fine. I'll make you watch as I freeze her, then shatter them all." It said to me, turning as it smacked me with it's club. Sparks fly off as I was tossed a bit ways from it.
"I won't let you harm Blake you bastard!" I argued as I struck the Yummy more and more until the next swing made it catch the blade in its grip.
"As if you have any power over me…." The Yummy chuckled, sending several more ice shards at me, "You're weak. That's why you lost your family. And one reason you'll lose this one too." It soon lifted it's club as that same purple energy poured into it as it made one swing, striking me as sparks bled off of me and forced me out of my armor.
"Enrique!" Blake shouted, gasping as she sees several injuries on my body. I tried to get up but from the attacks it delivered, I was barely able to stand up as I try to focus on my aura. However, I saw the Yummy approaching me as it had its club in its grip, making me tremble. I slowly walked back knowing that my injuries are still on my body despite the Aura doing its best to heal it. The Tyranno Yummy marches up to me before raising its ice club, aimed at my head, ready to end me.
"ENRIQUE!"
The moment the Yummy swung its club, my body felt a sudden surge of foreign energy as I saw three of the five Cores leaving my body before hitting the Yummy back. However, my mind became a blur the moment the three Purple Core Medals place themselves onto the O-Driver.
The group saw purple glow surround Enrique's body as Blake, Team JNPR, Ankh, and Birth were treated with a shocking sight.
Three Purple Cores come out of his body to defend him before they place themselves on the O-Driver. Enrique's eyes changed to purple, similar to Yang's eyes turning red when she is mad. The O-Scanner levitated out of the side of his belt before scanning the three Cores now on the buckle.
PTERA!
TRICERA!
TYRANNO!
PU-TO-TYRA NO ZAURU~!
Ice began to form around the area, trapping the Yummy in it before it shattered as it revealed Enrique in a new type of armor that even Ankh has never seen before.
His suit had changed drastically. The undersuit was no longer black, but a metallic white. His legs were donned in segmented, purple plate armour which ended in steel reptilian feet. His hips were protected by more segmented armour.
His torso bore the combined crest of three Medals but with a raised golden edge around it. His shoulders bore thick purple armour with a gold horn on each one. His gauntlets had a trio of stubby horns on them and looked capable of crushing stone on a whim.
His helmet looked like a reptilian creature with its wings spread out with large green eyes and a jeweled beak. Trailing down his back were a pair of sheets of steel which looked like wings.
"RRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" He roared as a pair of wings and a tail appeared before it disappeared, the ice around Ruby, Weiss and Yang shattering as it freed them before his visor was locked onto the Yummy.
(Cue PuToTyra Combo - Power to Tearer)
Ruby and the others quickly regained some of their sense, though shivering from the cold before they were all shocked upon seeing his new armor. "Ankh did you ever see this Combo…?" Ruby asked.
Ankh was still speechless upon seeing the armor. "No… I haven't. I have never seen that type of power over the past 800 years." He answered. "This is something different."
The Rider punched the Yummy back as this sent the behemoth flying. His new strength was intense for it made the Yummy look weak. The low growl and ragged breath was heard from OOO, it was like he became a beast.
OOO's eyes flashed as he plunged his hand into the ground. Purple cracks spread out of the impact point before he pulled his hand out, which was now holding a weapon. It looked like some sort of battle axe.
He charged towards the Yummy and began to swing the weapon at it mercilessly, hacking away at its hide, and spilling Cell Medals to the ground. The way he was fighting showed no mercy, no remorse, no control over his own actions. If was as if he went out of control, going berserk.
"So much power…." Yang got out.
The Yummy tried to swing its club at the Rider but OOO caught the club before he tightened his grip, the ice slowly cracking before it was shattered by his own hand. "W-Wha-" OOO interrupted him as a tail formed on his back and swung the Yummy to the wall, making OOO roar at it before rushing towards it.
He began to strike him rapidly, causing more Cell Medals to bleed out of it before he gripped it's arm, literally tearing it off and watched the limb turn into cell medals. This made RWBY and JNPR gasp in shock from it.
"He's… like a wild animal…" Ruby gasped.
"Or like a Grimm….." Ankh growled.
"How is he able to even use those? I thought they were dangerous? How come it can become a Combo?" Jaune asked, helping the others who were frozen away from the fight.
"I don't know…" Ankh admitted as OOO began to bash the Yummy's head to the ground. This was not like Enrique at all. He had never been so brutal in combat.
They watched as OOO soon had wings formed as he grabbed the Yummy, dragging it across the ground, as the concrete was being torn from the dragging. It groaned, more Cell Medals bleeding from it's body as it stood up, it glared at Ruby and the others, about to march towards them, but it was unable to. It looked down, and much to the surprise of RWBY, JNPR, Akira, and Ankh, it's legs were frozen, unable to move.
OOO dropped to the ground, his feet cracking the concrete upon landing and not too far from it, as this new form began to glow, it's eyes shining softly before it grabbed the O-Scanner, quickly swiping the Medals, as the chime sounded off, along with the new Combo Symbol glowed from it.
SCANNING CHARGE!
The shoulder spikes grew before piercing the Tyranno Yummy's shoulders. His wings and tail sprout from his back before the wings made the Yummy frozen in ice. With this, OOO uses his tail as he swings it at the frozen Yummy, completely obliterating it into shards, with only one Cell Medal present from its body.
(End Song)
OOO slowly turned its head to the others along with Birth as they heard him growl. "You guys need to get back…" Birth said to the two Teams.
Before they knew it, OOO charged towards them as Birth blocked the attack before kicking him back. However, he wasn't fazed one bit as OOO struck Birth across the chest before grabbing his neck and chucked him to the wall.
Birth got back up before he placed in a Cell Medal in his Driver and twisted the knob twice.
DRILL ARM!
The Drill Arm soon equipped to his right arm before he swung it at OOO before going for his chest but shockingly the purple-armored fighter caught it as the drill stopped moving in his grip.
"Oh sh-"
Before he can finish, OOO punched him in the face before using the Tyranno tail and swinging him across the area, crashing into a tree. He then turned his head to the two teams as they looked conflicted on what to do.
They didn't want to hurt their best friend. They can't. However just as he was gonna go after them, Birth fired rounds onto OOO's back with the Birth Buster, making the berserk fighter's attention focused on him.
"Enrique, you gotta snap out of it!" Birth shouted. "Don't you recognize me!?"
His words were deaf to OOO's ears as the latter charge towards Birth once more, causing him to go on the defensive. "Ruby! Yang! You and the others go! I'll try to get Enrique back to his senses!" He barked, blocking another strike from the axe.
"But Mr. Akira-"
"If you stay here any longer he will hurt you guys! Go!" Birth shot back before a tail slammed him in the gut, sending him to the wall.
The armor canceled out, revealing Akira with some injuries. "Damn…" He groaned in pain.
OOO slowly walks towards Akira with his axe ready to kill. Blake couldn't watch Enrique experience this any longer so she ran towards him and Akira.
"Blake, wait!" Yang called out to her partner.
Blake ran towards Akira who stares at OOO with his axe. The armored huntsman-in-training growled before raising its axe down at his opponent but Blake got in the way.
"Blake!" Yang and Ruby called out.
Blake closed her eyes but what felt like minutes, she didn't feel the attack. She opened her eyes and saw the blade close to her as OOO's ragged breaths was slow but steady with an occasional growl. This gave her the chance to speak up.
"Enrique, I know you're in there. Please, come back." She pleaded. "You said that you will always reach out to help us." OOO stares at her as she continues, "I know you had a rough life in the past before you met us. No one reached out to you after your family died." She looked at him, her amber eyes meeting his green lenses as tears welled up in her own. "Then let us be there to reach out to you. Let us be there to help you. When you are in pain, let us be there to take your hand."
Upon hearing this, her words must have gotten to him as he dropped the axe and roared. Blake flung her arms around him as OOO roars at the air before he began to place his hands on his helmet, feeling the pain as if he was trying to fight back with the crests flashing. Before they knew it, he went back to civilian form but he became unconscious the moment he did as Blake had him gently in her arms with the Purple Cores flying out of the buckle.
As the purple Core Medals tried to fly back into Enrique's unconscious body, Ankh shot from his human host to grab them. When he tried to absorb them, he was flung back by a charge of purple energy that flung him back towards his host, forcing him back on. Ankh stared at his hand, eyes wide as he stared at the purple Core Medals before they reentered Enrique's body.
"What...was that power...?"
Ankh felt it. It was like it wanted to end all that a person desires. It was as if the new Cores are an antithesis to Desires. Bringing an end to all things.
Meanwhile in Beacon, Ozpin and Glynda saw what had just occurred to their own student. Gara used those Cores from two days ago to make Enrique a berserker in the armor, mercilessly killing the Yummy and injuring Akira due to the state.
"Ozpin… just what has happened to Mr. Alderete…?" Glynda asked, shocked to what occurred.
"I do not know but something tells me that Gara is planning something." He answered as a grim look appeared on his face, "and it might end our student's life and possibly the worst yet to come..."
With Gara who watched from the distance of the event that had occurred. He had an evil grin upon seeing the result. "It is only a matter of time before he soon becomes one." He looked at the stone case. "And he will become the perfect vessel that the likes of Remnant has ever seen for 800 years." He walked away, laughing.
Cinder herself had also witnessed everything that happened via her Scroll. She played back the footage and then paused it before zooming in on OOO's purple form.
"This form…. This… power….." She gained a soft devious grin, touching the screen that showed off the new form. This was absolute power, one that could not be stopped by any means, asides from what Blake did, this was one that could rival or even beat that other power. And she wanted it and him, much more than before.
The combo showed so much that no attack stopped him. It was like the combo was invincible.
"The Invincible Combo…" Cinder grinned, "A perfect title for him in that form…."
"You sure it's wise to go after him now Cinder?" Emerald questioned. "That form is much more dangerous than the others…."
"I'm sure. He will join us by the end of the Tournament." Cinder said.
She knew that the kunoichi was the only one to stop the young Rider but how was the question.
One thing is for sure, if she gets him to join, her plans will progress far more quicker than before.
Blazing: Taka (x1), Kujaku (x1), Condor (x1)
Scorching: Lion (x1), Tora (x2), Cheetah (x1)
Strongest: Kuwagata (x1), Kamakiri (x1), Batta (x1)
Legendary: Kobura (x1), Kame (x1), Wani (x1)
Water: Shachi (x1), Tako (x1), Unagi (x1)
Gravity: Sai (x1), Gorilla (x1), Zou (x2)
Invincible: Ptera (x2), Tricera (x2), Tyranno (x1)
(NEXT TIME)
"I don't want to use the O-Driver…" I answered. "I'm afraid of going into that combo again…"
"I am gonna help him," Blake decided.
I never thought it would happen to me. It was a lost feeling to me.
Next Time: Fear, Comfort, The Lost Feeling
A/N: Well that is it for this chapter folks! It seems that Gara has returned and turned our Rider into the powerful PuToTyra Combo! What is the mad Alchemist's plan? What will happen to OOO? Well, you all will have to find out soon. And seeing the preview, you all might guess what will happen? Anyways don't forget to check out my other stories and look forward to the next chapter. Stay in the shadows everyone!