The morning after the storm Chloe found herself, of all places, back at the lighthouse, sitting on the bench with Rebel Soul planted in the ground in front of her. The sky was clearer and the ocean was calmer than she had ever seen. The damage to the town was plain to see in the light of day. Chloe winced as she noticed the diner where her mother worked had been nearly flattened. Mom's probably going to be out of a job for a while… at least she won't have to feed me during that.

The crunch of leaves behind her warned Chloe of someone approaching. There were only two people who would even be able to find her. "Figures you'd track me down here," she called out. Chloe didn't know who she was talking to yet, but that statement would apply to both.

"It was here or the junkyard," Ruby's voice responded. "Which I did check out first, but there were police crawling all over it."

"Guess David got word out," Chloe nodded.

Ruby leaned over the bench. "It looks like you've been thinking."

"Yeah," Chloe nodded. "I'm going to tell mom everything. I have to. I can't just leave and have her thinking I ran away again."

"That a good idea," Ruby agreed.

"Max too," Chloe added. "I'm not sure what our future holds, but if I want it to work, then I can't have her thinking I dipped on her either."

Ruby studied Chloe's face. She could tell her friend was conflicted. "You know… we can't force you to fight. That's not the kind of people we are. No one would blame if you wanted to stay."

"I would blame me," Chloe answered. "This whole Keyblade thing is a responsibility, right? I can't become the person I want to become if I keep dodging responsibilities."

Ruby smiled. That was far more mature than the Chloe she found a few days ago. "If that's your choice. What about David?"

"That's the hard one. If mom doesn't take him back, then he never has to know I'm gone. But if she does… lying is no way to begin a second chance."

Ruby thought on it for a moment. "If she does take him back, it won't be until after you've left, right? Talk to her, come to an agreement about him together."

"That sounds like a good idea, Rubes," Chloe nodded. She stood up and took Rebel Soul into her hand. The weapon proved that a part of her would always love Rachel.

Take care of her.

But Rachel was gone, and Max was still here.

Ruby noticed her friend's pause. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothing important," Chloe lied. "Just wondering… if Rebel Soul really came from Rachel's heart, do you think my heart could still forge its own Keyblade?"

"After this week, I'd believe anything," Ruby shrugged.

"Then I could use them both at once, like Roxas!" Chloe struck a pose with Rebel Soul over her shoulder and her other hand gripping an imaginary Keyblade.

Ruby giggled at the sight. "Let's go talk to your family, dork."

"C'mon, that would so cool!"

"It would be very cool."

"Right!?"

"But you're not borrowing Crescent Rose again."

"Whaaat? I so wasn't going to ask!"

"…"

"…Not right away like that."

It took some time to gather Maxine and Joyce on the living room couch, and even longer to explain everything. The living room fell silent while everybody took time to think, Joyce in the armchair, Chloe and Max seated next to each other on the couch, and Ruby leaning against a nearby wall. Joyce's eyes were locked onto Rebel Soul, which Chloe had summoned and set on the coffee table during her explanations.

"So… magic is real?" Joyce finally asked.

"Really, mom?" Chloe questioned, thinking they had settled that ages ago.

"I'm sorry, honey, but I need to start somewhere!" Joyce argued. "I mean, you're telling me you're some kind of… interstellar policewoman? That sounds like one of your cartoons."

"Hey! Anime is an artform."

"Let's not have that discussion again, my brain already hurts," Joyce pleaded. "It just… traveling to other worlds, fighting monsters? It sounds so dangerous… can't you just stay here?"

"Is that really what you would prefer?" Chloe asked.

"Of course it is! Why wouldn't it?"

"Because I'd still be the same bratty kid I've been for years, going nowhere! Mom, I've burned every bridge you've tried to build me, this might be my last chance to… make something of myself. I can't run away from this. If I do, I'm afraid I'll start backpedaling again... So no, I can't stay. It's not a responsibility I chose, but it is mine."

Joyce leaned back, taking in her daughter's words. "Since when did the Blackwell Rebel care about being responsible?"

"It's a recent thing," Chloe admitted. "I guess I'm just sick of being the problem child. I want to be someone you all are proud of. That dad would be proud of…"

"Oh, honey… you know William would be proud of you for anything you set your mind to."

"I know," Chloe smiled, recalling her time in the pocket reality.

Joyce looked down to Rebel Soul once again. "If this is what you want… well, it sounds like I couldn't stop you if I wanted to."

"…do you want to?" Chloe asked carefully.

"No mother wants to send their child to a war…" Joyce answered. She picked her words carefully, knowing what her daughter needed to hear even as she was hesitant to provide it. "But you're right, about changing. The woman sitting before me right now isn't the same girl that argued with me in the diner just a few days ago. If this 'Keyblade' has something to do with all that… well, if you need my blessing, you have it."

Chloe jumped up, wrapping her arms around her mother in a deep hug. "Thank you, mom. I love you."

"I love you, too, sweetheart," Joyce returned the sentiment and the embrace. "Just be safe…"

"Don't worry, I'm getting stronger every day," Chloe assured.

Maxine continued to silently process while mother and daughter embraced, but eventually she could no longer contain her thoughts. "So… you're leaving?"

Chloe's heart sank. This was the conversation she was truly afraid of.

Ruby noticed the mood. "Hey, Joyce? I've don't think we've ever actually spoken, why don't we go talk a bit? …in the kitchen?"

"Oh?" Joyce was confused until she felt the energy between Chloe and Maxine. "OH! That sounds lovely. Ruby, was it? You could help me cook us all lunch!"

"That sounds like a great idea!"

Ruby and Joyce hurried out of the room, leaving Chloe and Maxine alone. The sat in silence until Chloe broke it. "Yeah, I'm leaving. I have to."

"So…?"

Chloe sighed, trying to find the words. "I know it won't be easy, and it's probably really selfish of me to ask…"

"I think you're allowed to be selfish sometimes, Chloe," Maxine interrupted. She took Chloe's hand into her own. "You have to go for some of the things you want, or you would never be happy. So… what do you want?"

"I think you know," Chloe told her.

"I do. I have for a while," Maxine confessed. "In Nathan's dorm, I, um… I found his phone pretty quickly. And I heard you and Ruby talking."

Chloe's face burned bright red. "Oh. Is… was that why you were acting weird when you left his room?"

"Yeah…" Maxine cringed at the memory.

"…so?"

"So, I know… but I want to hear you say it. Out loud. What do you want?"

Chloe gulped. One final hurdle. Sincerity. No more ambiguity. "I want you, Max, I… I love you."

Maxine smiled, her heart settled at last. No more ambiguity. "I love you, too, Chloe Price."

Joyce and Ruby, who had been peeking from around the corner to the kitchen, turned away once Chloe and Maxine's lips met. "I think they're a good match," Ruby smiled.

"Yes, it'll be good for Chloe to have someone grounded like Max," Joyce agreed. "How much longer before the two of you leave?"

"We should be going, I was only supposed to pick her up and leave after all…" Ruby looked over to the couch where the two girls had collapsed into a cuddle puddle. "But I have been here a week longer than I meant to already. I guess I could give them one more night."

"In that case, I believe you promised to help with lunch, and a few more answers."

"I did!" Ruby smiled. "And I meant it! Whaddya need?"

While Ruby and Joyce got to work and got to know each other, Chloe and Max relaxed on the couch, savoring every spare second that they had.

Glynda studied the student before her. Ever since the realization that their Maiden Thief was likely a student, she had been regarding every stranger with more scrutiny than usual, which was saying something. Still, it wasn't easy. Already she could feel paranoia degrading her logic. What exactly was suspicious? What if they were excellent liars? Was not acting suspicious enough suspicious itself?

Glynda sighed internally. She was thinking in circles. She needed to take a step back, try to work through information objectively. But first, the student before her was waiting. "You're right, Ms. Chloris, I cannot confiscate your weapon. However, you shouldn't have your weapon on you in the halls during school hours. That is why we have provided weapon lockers. So I'm afraid that either way, I must still insist that you are not to be skateboarding in the halls. Please drop your weapon off before heading to your next class."

"But I'll be late!"

"And who's fault is that?"

Reese Chloris groaned and hurriedly walked away, trying not to run in case it angered the strict teacher further.

Glynda turned away. She had a schedule to keep and needed to be back at her own classroom. She only got a few steps before another student interrupted her. Dark skin, blood eyes, mint hair, Haven uniform. "Ms. Sustrai. How is your teammate faring?"

"That's actually why I wanted to talk to you," Emerald answered. "Mercury's parents decided he'd be better off recovering back home."

"I see. When will he be leaving?"

"He's already gone."

Glynda raised an eyebrow. "You do know that without a full team, you cannot participate in the tournament. Why not be with your partner?"

"Merc and I have never actually been that close, and my leader doesn't want to miss the festival," Emerald explained. "We may not be able to participate, but that doesn't mean we can't cheer on our classmates!"

"Very well," Glynda nodded. "Tournament or not, while here I expect to still see you in class."

"Of course. Speaking of, I should be off." Emerald walked away, leaving Glynda to return to her schedule.

The thief kept up the cheery face as she passed other students, until she turned an isolated corner to find Cinder waited for her. "We're officially out of the tournament," Emerald reported.

"Very good," Cinder nodded. "I can't risk interacting with Ozpin's circle myself."

"Why is that?" Emerald asked.

"As I've nurtured this new power, I've been able to… 'feel' another power," Cinder explained, "something that, for lack of a better descriptor, 'burns'. It has to be that brat. Her power seems the opposite of mine, so if I can feel her, it stands to reason that she can feel me."

"I thought she left?" Emerald wondered. "I certainly haven't seen her, and her team is still around."

"So says Ozpin," Cinder pointed out.

"I guess," Emerald accepted.

Cinder eyed her subordinate and felt her anxiety. "There's something else?"

"Well… um…" Emerald struggled to find the right words, remembering what the wrong ones did to Mercury. "You do know… Sorry, of course you know, but don't you think… Sorry, that's… um…"

Cinder scowled, her eyes flashing yellow as her frustrations mounted. "Out with it, girl!"

Gulp. "It's going to be a lot harder to influence the tournament if we're not a part of it," Emerald finally spat out, mostly out of fear from Cinder's outburst.

Cinder's eyes softened, if only barely. "Of course it will be, but not impossible. We still have two gifted illusionists, after all. As long as you two continue to obey, of course."

"Of course," Emerald replied, her voice shaking. "So… what is our plan now, ma'am?"

"Stoke the fires."

"Ma'am?"

Cinder smiled and explained. "There's a thought in the back of every Beacon student's mind. Something that comes out every time they look up to the sky. Do you know what that thought is?"

Emerald thought for a moment, not wanting to disappoint Cinder. "The warships?" she eventually guessed.

"Good girl." Cinder continued after her brief praise, "specifically, why the warships? There's a tension brewing. A rivalry is forming between Beacon and Atlas, and the other two schools are simply waiting to see who they should side with. It's a scale model of war in the making."

"I'm sure it didn't help when Ironwood vanished," Emerald noted, beginning to understand. "And then his second in command came, bringing even more ships and more soldiers for a so called 'inquiry'."

"We don't need to be involved in the matches directly. A nudge here, a whisper there, and a few illusions sprinkled on top…" Cinder spared a breath to chuckle darkly. "It's fertile ground to sow discord and mania. We'll reap our chaos in the finals, coincided with a White Fang attack, and that fear and animosity will call to the Grimm. It will be a tad more difficult, but the overall plan is very much intact."

Fire sprang to life in Cinder's palm to emphasize her final point. "And I will finally finish what I started and claim what is mine. Come the close of the Vytal Tournament, this 'shining light' will sink in darkness."

Hey all! I was hoping to have one more chapter prepared by now so I can confidently promise an upload next week. Unfortunately, I cannot. With this next chapter, whenever it comes, also comes a bit of news that affects this story, so please pay attention to A/Ns. Winds permitting, I will still be uploading next Saturday, though there is more than one reason an upload would be delayed, even if I have the chapter prepared. I've never had surgery before, but boy does it sound fun (-.-).

In case I have any readers dedicated enough, I'll try to keep people updated with my Tumblr account, where I am also VengfulFate. Fans of this story should check it out regardless, as I have posted art related to KHR!

One last thing before we part ways for now is a bit of a request...

People who know Life is Strange knows it, well... doesn't have the best writing in the world, let's say. I do enjoy the game and I think many characters have charm and potential (much like early RWBY), but replaying it for this I realized the writing didn't hold up to a more critical and objective eye. It's not god-awful, but there is definitely room for improvement. And I understand the 'they're teens, they're supposed to be cringey' argument, but a. I'm not just talking about the dialogue and b. even that had its limits before I found myself thinking 'this isn't how human beings speak, even cringey teens.'

I mean, maybe if they were, like, 15? But these characters are all 18 or older (except 16-year-old Warren, apparently. That's why you do your research, kids). I'm not saying they should be Shakespearian in eloquence, but they ought to be a bit more aware of the language they're using. I've been 15 and I've been 18, there's a world of difference between the two.

Tangent aside, one of the things I was hoping to do with this was sort of 'fix' Chloe's arc. To give her some growth and maturity while keeping her recognizable, mainly by using the fact Ruby was thrown into the mix as the vehicle for that change.

So, the request is feedback on what you guys think of how I wrote Chloe in KHR? Please let me know!

TL;DR There will be one more chapter, either Saturday or when it's ready, Tumblr will have news updates as well as art. Life is Strange as a narrative is decent, maybe even good, but not great. I hoped to fix at least one of its shortcomings, so let me know what you think of how I wrote Chloe in KHR, please!

With all that said, I shall see you all next time!

- VengfulFate.