Chapter 18 : Seeds of Courage
Disclaimer : I do not own Kamen Rider and RWBY as they both belong to their respective owners, except for my OC(s).
Shouichi Tsugami was on a break of his own patrol routine. He was seen drinking his own strawberry smoothie on top of his bike; a perfect way to cleanse his mind from doubts and mind blocks. There was surely nothing better than a cold, fresh smoothie under the sun's soothing afternoon light.
Looking back to his earlier years, so many things had gone on from time to time. His journey started off as an amnesiac man who did his best to please his foster family. It all turned out that he was bestowed by the Seed of Agito, a special substance that gave its selected users extraordinary power. Shouichi's own Seed let him transform into Kamen Rider Agito, a gift that he would always treasure until his dying breath.
So far, most of his partnership began with misunderstandings. First, he was hunted by Hikawa as his Police Department had used to label Agito as a threat. It took him a couple of words and actions to convince him that Agito was always a good guy. Then, Ryo had always been a wild card by himself. His ferocious fighting style may render him unfit to be called as a savior, but he proved himself to be a fiercely loyal and powerful ally. He also remembered having a surgeon who also possessed the Seed that enabled him to transform into a Rider, too. Unfortunately, this surgeon had passed on first.
Along his journey, he had finally regained his memories, having an original name called Tetsuya Sawaki as his current used name was from his older sister's late lover. Shouichi had embraced everything; his past, his power, his duty, and his destiny as a Kamen Rider. Knowing that he and his partners weren't alone, he was glad to be a part of the world's mightiest guardians.
Speaking of guardians...
He saw his latest successor stopped at the market in front of him. He was seen on top of his Machine Decader, taking out his hand towel to swipe his sweat away. The newbie also seemed tired. It seems that he had been searching for something to no avail. The young man even slumped his body a bit to his bike.
Kyle Morgan seemed to be having a trouble, and Shouichi Tsugami must help the young Rider.
"Kyle? What's going on?" Shouichi asked, walking towards the Huntsman/Rider.
"Need... drink... now..." he exhaustingly answered, like he had been at this for hours long.
"Oh, say no more! Help is on the way!" Shouichi quickly prepped himself to enter the market.
"Milk... please!" Kyle ordered, giving his money to his senior the right amount needed to buy it.
"Which milk?" the senior Rider asked, though there was an evidence of a sly grin on his face. Kyle didn't even need to know what else there was to the word 'milk' that he meant.
"What do you think I'm referring to, man!?"
"Alright, just kidding! Right away!"
After seconds of nourishing refreshments, Kyle proceeded to share his recent tale of revelations.
"So, what's going on?" Shouichi asked.
"Have you seen Blake somewhere?" Kyle asked.
"No. Why? Something happened?"
"Yup. It happened hours ago."
The revelation brought up by Xiphon clearly shook Blake's mind. There was only fear on her face. Her secrets were exposed in a matter of seconds, one that she thought was the last thing that she ever wanted to happen. Tears came out from her face as her words were choked away by her own guilt. Memories of her own bitter past also surfaced, with her facing the world's prejudice towards her own race alone as a little kid. The longer her friends glanced at her, the more sorrowful she became. She had no idea what to do or what to say, except for the one that she eventually opted to.
She ran.
"Blake, wait!" Kyle called out, much to no avail as the now-revealed Faunus jumped away to the rooftops after taking her fallen bow with her.
"I can't believe it! After all this time, she had been a White Fang spy! Right underneath our noses!" Weiss exclaimed.
"She had been a Faunus all along. Without even telling us a thing." Yang muttered.
"Oh, Blake. Are those huge secrets really being kept all by herself? I can't imagine how burdening it must be." Ruby sorrowfully whispered.
"Oh, so you guys didn't notice she was a Faunus after all this time?" Penny pointed out.
"Wait, how did you know that?" Ruby asked curiously.
"Uhh, the cat ears?" Penny guessed, pointing at her head and gesturing to form a pair of cat ears.
"But she had been wearing a bo-ohh..." Yang halted on her words as the realization struck them in silence. A tumbleweed was seen blowing through in the wind.
"She does like tuna a lot." Ruby whispered.
"Oh, and Penny, can you please keep this whole thing to yourself only when you get back home? We don't want too many people asking about this." Yang asked.
"I promise! Your reason is a valid one, Yang! When I get back home, this matter is only for me to know!" Penny declared to herself.
Blake being a Faunus was no surprise for Kyle. However, her being a White Fang member was a new thing for him. Of course, Kyle admitted himself that he was glad being the first one Blake confided her secrets into. He could always relate himself to her that he was always being the odd one out ever since his childhood. And for her to keep such secrets away the whole time...
He had no time to mull it over. He had to make sure of everything. He mustn't let the chaos clouded his own judgement. He had to see this through the end.
"I'm going after her." He said.
"Be careful, Kyle!" Penny bid her farewell.
"Okay, we're counting on you!" Ruby approved.
"Trying to talk her out, eh? Fine by me." Yang followed, however...
"What? No, you can't! What if she's expecting you to?" Weiss objected.
"What're you talking about?"
"It could be a trap, Kyle! If she's been with the White Fang all along, there's no telling what she could do to you, or any of us!" the heiress pointed out.
"Weiss, I have to see this through the end. Xiphon might be the one to say it, but I have to ask Blake herself if I want the truth. I saw her face too, Weiss. She's scared. Maybe if I can talk her through, we can decide our thoughts better." Kyle explained.
"I don't want to risk it, Kyle!"
"Well, I do! I'm gonna bring her back, even if it means I have to dive back into the hell myself!"
The young Rider summoned his bike using his Decadriver. The bike's engines revved up as he got on top of it. He stopped for a moment after he gripped his right hand on the gas.
"And if you're part of the team, then I urge you to act like one."
And with that, Kyle departed from his comrade's, leaving them behind in order to fulfill his own mission. It seems that Weiss had a hard time to grasp the reality she was in. It was all similar, even too similar to what happened to him. He couldn't bring himself to trust Xiphon's words anymore. He wished that Blake being a White Fang proxy was never a truth. On the other hand, he couldn't left Weiss being conflicted the whole time. so, on his way, he reached out to his most trusted solution he could ever afford.
"Tsukasa, we have a problem."
"And that's how it is." Kyle finished.
"I see. You know, I think you've made a right choice for that. I wonder if this would lead him telling 'that' to them. And to think that she had been a White Fang member all along... man, this... this is really a lot to take in. I mean, what about her now? Gosh..." Shouichi lamented.
"I know, right? Her face kinda reminded me of when I was being stricken by Xiphon's Terror Memory effects. I mean, can you imagine yourself in a situation where all of your secrets, all the things that you think aren't worth telling are being given away like a lottery ticket just like that? After what happened to me, I don't want to see anyone else suffered the same fate."
"I can understand that, Kyle. But still, even if we managed to get to her, she still has to confront this problem herself. I get the fact that she ran away because she was stressed. But if she keeps doing that, it's not gonna make things any better, know what I'm saying? It's called courage, man. Just like how the Seed of Agito works."
"Your Rider system's power source?"
"Yep." Shouichi answered.
"Hmm... You're right. So, can you help me look for her?" the young Rider asked.
"Oh, sure! I still have my schedule on my hand, so I'll gladly use it!" he accepted.
"Perfecto! So, have you seen her around?"
"Well, unfortunately... no, she's not going through any roads I've been recently."
"You see, the last time I saw her, she climbed on top of a building. I've been checking through street corners, even the smaller ones, and hopping on and off rooftops a couple of times. My legs got beat, I used my bike, and... that's how I get here." He told.
"Then that explains why you're so pent up here, and with the fact that Xiphon got you guys real bad." Shouichi commented.
"I'm afraid we're still gonna play this hide-and-seek if she's still that scared. I mean, she's a Kunoichi, man! She's got some ninja speed that maybe even my Gaim Ichigo armor couldn't catch up!" Kyle said.
"Whoa, slow down right there, Kyle. What do you say we go to Tsukasa's and get yourself some rest? I believe a nap can help you clear your mind." Shouichi suggested.
"Assuming that there won't be any Dai-Shocker messing around, then yes, it's a good idea." Kyle spoke in a tone of uncertainty. He just didn't want to laze off when the baddies showed up.
"And that's where I come in, Kyle. Besides, they don't call this 'patrol duty' for nothing." Shouichi assured with his wide grin.
The afternoon had almost passed, and Xiphon had already earned his fun. He had to admit that testing his enemies' mettle was... enjoyable. As a Dai-Shocker general, his method was the one that he mostly favored on, though depending on the situation, that is. First, he allowed his enemy to think that they were winning by a contest of strength alone, and with the intel he had, he made a revelation that would shook them. He did so with his confidence that he took his pride on, including the pride of his own work. Couldn't have him look bad in front of his audience, should he?
Even so, he would still need to observe the results. Would they scatter, or strengthen their bonds even more? If it's the latter, then he would need to rethink his future strategies more carefully and precisefully. Their resolve had always proven itself to be a powerful adversary of his kin. Moreover, his research must keep going on for the sake of Dai-Shocker's glory. Kyle Morgan's powers had made him constantly grow stronger as he gained the powers of his predecessors. Added with his training as a Huntsman, he would certainly be a force to be reckoned with. And as much as he admired it, he himself must stay true to his ideals.
Which is why, his Dust transport would be ready soon.
"Is everything ready?" he asked Roman using his civilian form.
"Just a few boxes and we'll be done in no time." the latter answered.
"Terrific. Oh, and mind if I ask you why we're doing this out in the open harbor? There had been preps for the interkingdom Huntsmen welcoming ceremony, in case you didn't notice." Xiphon asked, unsure of his partner's decision.
"Well, last time I checked the schedule there, the transports for the Huntsmen will be arriving at the eastern docks, and we are going to use the southeastern docks to do our job. It'll be pretty much empty since the workers would go to the former docks to welcome them." Roman informed.
"So we're moving there tomorrow morning and start packing up in the sunset. I see. I gotta say you did actually try to think smart for once."
"Once? Hey, you're the one who told me that my plan has to be conducted more subtle than before, so you're gonna have to thank me for doing what you asked me to!" he scoffed.
"Oh, I am thankful for you not to repeat that entire bravado, Torchick." He teased.
"And for the last time, it's Torchwick!" Roman growled, pointing his cane in front of Xiphon. The 'chick' part had always been a tick to Roman, as he remembered how his partner used to mispell his name when the first time they met. The latter eventually found it amusing to do.
"Right, right. Let's get moving, then." Xiphon said, shrugging the cane away from his chest.
The night had finally arrived at the top of the city of Vale. Street and building lights bathed all over the city. Vehicles and people roam around freely by fulfilling their daily needs. Even students of Beacon were either hanging out or simply having a dinner inside the academy's canteen. As for our famed Huntresses, they were resting inside their dorm.
"If you're part of the team, then I urge you to act like one."
Were the words that kept ringing inside the heiress' head. She still couldn't make sense of it, and everything else that had transpired. Her scuffle with Blake led them all to an astonishing revelation; that Blake Belladonna was a Faunus, and a White Fang after all. Moreover, they learned it from their sworn enemy instead of their friend telling the truth herself. The evidences were all laid in front of their eyes. It was clear enough that Blake was a spy, a threat, and an enemy.
And yet, Kyle was obligated in finding her.
"How's Kyle, sis?" Ruby asked her elder sister, who had just finished calling Kyle with her Scroll.
"He said that he'd just waken up from Tsukasa's. He's gonna continue looking for Blake again. See, she had been missing this entire day. He also told us to stand down and let him and Shouichi do the job. My only hope now is that they could find her." The elder sister informed.
"Really? Well, I hope she's getting better, too." Ruby was surprised by the fact that Kyle didn't allow them to look for her, and that is for good reasons. However, she too, also hoped for the best.
"Still, her being a White Fang member is unbelievable, too." Yang said.
"For a moment, I saw Kyle not as surprised as us. Don't you think he might've known something from Blake that we don't, before?"
"Well, I think Blake being a Faunus won't be a very surprising reveal to us if it weren't for Xiphon."
"What's with him, anyway?" she irritatedly muttered.
"Uhh, what?" Ruby asked, unsure of what it meant.
"I mean, why would someone like Kyle has to convince Blake to come back again!? She was clearly a White Fang spy! How come he's such a shellhead!?" she irked.
"But Weiss, don't you see her face? She was scared. There's no way she would just turn against us." Ruby said.
"Well, that just means she was scared to death that we had finally see truth! She could just run back to her group of scoundrels just to prove how much of a failure she is!" Weiss deducted.
"Well, I wouldn't be so sure about it." Yang spoke.
"What!?"
"Are you really sure she's still working with the White Fang? I mean, she didn't give us an evil laugh or something. If anything else, we should still ask her directly if we ever wanted some answers from her." The brawler quipped.
"But that's just dangerous! You're just gonna do the exact same thing as Kyle!"
"And that's exactly what I told him to."
The girls then turned to the door to see their personal mentor, Tsukasa Kadoya, standing right in front of them.
"Tsukasa?" Weiss called.
"Let me guess: did Kyle tell you about this?" the heiress asked.
"Yup, and I just volunteered myself to enlighten you guys. Let's go talk somewhere else less crowded... and crampy." He said.
"Where do you suggest, then?" Weiss asked again.
"How about the rooftops? We might also get a stock of fresh air, there."
"You mean to the bench we used as our spot?" Ruby quipped.
"Good! To the hangout spot, then." Tsukasa declared.
"Umm, guys?" A red-haired Huntress was seen peeking from the room's door.
"Oh hey, Pyrrha!" Yang greeted.
"We're having a pancake party at our room. Do you guys wanna join in, too? Also, hello Tsukasa." She offered.
"Hi there." The Rider greeted back.
"Well, uhh... thanks, but I think we'll have it later." Yang declined, knowing how dire their condition was.
"Is there something wrong?" she asked concernedly.
"Not at all, just want to hand out some reports from our surveillance. I only need Ruby, Yang, and Weiss to discuss with. You guys can go first. Don't worry about it. Maybe you could ask the others to left some of them out for us?" Tsukasa informed.
"Alright, then. I'll try my best not to let Nora gulp them all in." Pyrrha joked.
"Thank you. This shouldn't take long." The elder Rider assured.
The search for Blake Belladonna had continued. Using her Scroll's signal to track her movements via the Decadriver, Kyle and Shouichi set out to the streets of Vale once again. During their first attempt, they had a hard time triangulating her position due to her fast movements. In the evening, however, she was starting to slow down and became more predictable than in the afternoon. The signal eventually led them to a place they thought much least likely for the Huntress to be.
Beacon's courtyard.
It was 9.20 pm and the courtyard became empty as the students had mostly gathered inside the academy's building. The lamplights shone the location's grounds, accompanied by the shattered moon's light itself. The Kunoichi had stood in front of Beacon's monument, which depicted a sword-wielding Huntsman and an axe-wielding hooded Huntress staring down at a Beowolf. She then closed her eyes and removed her bow to reveal her Faunus trait: a pair of cat ears. The said cat ears were surprisingly blended enough with her black hair.
The Huntress then looked up to the monument of Huntsmen, heroes who had defended Remnant for a long time and passed their knowledge down to the new age. She pondered on the fact about them being heroes. What Xiphon said back then was true, that she was a White Fang member, and the reason for her to enter Beacon Academy was to escape from the grasp of her haunting past.
She admitted herself that she had hurt a lot of people, just to ensure her race's liberty over those who trampled on them. It slowly, and finally turned out that no matter how noble her ideals were, her past deeds were something that she could had never been proud of. So, she made a choice; she ran away from it and started her life anew as Huntress-in-training on Beacon. That way, she could still hold on to her ideals and act in the most righteous way that she had always expected herself to be.
But thoughts suddenly came and burdened her own mind: was someone like her worthy enough to become a hero? Had she made the right choice to attend Beacon? Was her Faunus heritage a gift... or a curse, at all?
She could hold her tears no more as she held herself in the line between acceptance and denial.
Suddenly, Blake heard a sound of roaring bike engines. Of course, she had a good idea on who could it be. Her heart raced as she turned to see what might be the horrors of her revelation. She was greeted by the Kamen Riders who had been looking for her the entire day.
"Kyle? Shouichi? I... please, stay back! I-!"
"Blake, it's okay. We're not gonna hurt you." Kyle assured.
"After all that's happened? After everything that you knew?" she sobbed.
"We just wanna talk with you. There's nothing to fear about. You may be a White Fang member, but that doesn't mean we're gonna execute you in place. We simply want to hear everything from you." Shouichi said.
"Blake, listen..." Kyle pleaded as he walked closer to her. She was still looked a bit dreaded.
"N-no! I..."
"Hey." He said, placing his hands on both of her shoulders. "I really appreciate that you confided to me about you being a Faunus. You knew I'm okay with that. But I gotta admit, you being a White Fang surprised me. And that... is what we're gonna ask you about."
"What?"
"Which loyalty are you pleading yourself right now; the White Fang, or us?"
Blake was silent for a moment as she shoved away all of her insecurities. The Riders had made sure themselves that they had meant no harm to her. They were not the accusers that she used to encounter. There wouldn't be any prejudices like what had happened to her anymore. Once it was done, she had finally voiced out her answer.
"I... I'm not with the White Fang, anymore."
"Tell us about it." Kyle said.
"I admit that I was once their operative, just like what Xiphon said to you. I used to fight for my ideals for Faunus' justice by joining them. But... over the time, I grew tired with their violent methods. That's why I decided to run away from them, to start over again so that I can make up for things that I've done." She explained.
"I see. Well, if you're not with them anymore, then why keep it a secret? Why not tell… no, Why didn't you tell me when you confided yourself being a Faunus to me?" he asked again.
"How do you think I'm supposed to do if my past is something that I've never been proud of!? How do you think everyone will react if I just tell it out of the blue!? I don't want to lose my friends that I've been longing for since my childhood! The White Fang will come after me for what I did, and I don't want you, my friends, to suffer just because I'm here and for what I am!"
It was all obvious that Blake Belladonna had been bearing her own burden of life. Her pain and remorse were all embroiled in her words. Tears dropped down from her eyes as she had been pushing herself to voice out her reason, all for knowing that the young man in front of her was her comrade. She could never hurt him for he would do the same. Reason was the only thing he wanted to seek out from her.
"I… I get it, Blake. I get it." Kyle said, leaning his head close enough to stick into her forehead. He then continued, "If that's your answer, then I'm cool with it."
"R-really?" she wondered as her sorrow started to fade away. The Rider then backed his head away to tell her his story.
"You see, during my last mission with Tsukasa and Shouichi, there was a creepy scientist guy who threatened to shoot all of the hostages if we didn't give up. I saw his face, and I didn't see any doubt or remorse by doing it. He was deranged enough to take away a single life. After I took him down and got all of the hostages and the other scientists out, I opted to leave that guy for what he did."
"Opted? Then… did you do it?" she asked.
"It turned out the other way."
"Hey there, Kyle." Natsumi greeted her successor, who was taking a break at her residence. He sat on the front yard bench while looking up at Vale's starry night sky. Her words, caught his attention.
"Oh, Natsumi! Where's Tsukasa?" he asked.
"I'm afraid he's currently busy monitoring another mission." Natsumi informed.
"I see."
"But don't worry, he told us about what happened in the afternoon. That's why he asked me and Kivat-la to sort things out for you." She said.
"So! Is there anything bugging you, Kyle?" the petite white bat asked as she circled around Kyle before resting on his chest.
"I, uhh… I wonder if rescuing a lunatic would worth our risks of being a Kamen Rider."
"I take it you're talking about the Hector person?" Natsumi guessed.
"That guy threatened to kill people with no remorse seen in his face! I could never tolerate that as someone who has a much better common sense than him! I know he was manipulated like they told me, but I just…" he was a bit silent to find a more appropriate word to sound his reason. "I still can't shake my feelings of my last failure away from me. It's like I found myself hardly believing in everything that has been told to me. I can't let mere words manipulate me again."
"I see… then let me ask you this; if you happened to meet someone who has done something bad, but decided to make amends for it in the end, what would you do?" she asked.
"I would… support them?" Kyle answered with uncertainty.
"You better be!" Kivat-la quipped as she flew in front of the young Rider. "Now, how about second chances? Do you believe someone like that should deserve it?"
"It depends, I guess." He replied.
"Well, that half-hearted attitude will get you nowhere!" Kivat-la scolded.
"W-what do you mean?"
"Listen, Kyle. Being a Huntsman and a Kamen Rider means that you must always believe that everyone deserves a path of redemption! You should always prioritize in saving lives, even if it means walking into a trap! In other words, you must believe in a light of hope, no matter how small it is!" Kivat-la said.
"Believe in redemption… even if it's slim…" he reminded himself.
"Then allow me to tell you a story. I was once a servant to Narutaki, only living to observe everything that has happened during Natsumi's journey with Tsukasa. He promised me a wealth for my own. But, every time I told him about our failures in killing Tsukasa… he… he would always torture me. He had been such a meanie to me…"
"Kivat-la…"
"I happened to meet Natsumi during one of my surveillance mission. At the time, she had no idea of my allegiance. Even when I turned my back on her… she still believed in me. And then, when Narutaki finally got fed up on me… and turned me into an abomination I had never desired to be… the one who took me out from that pit… was Natsumi. She was my true answer for my misery… a hope."
"It's all true." Natsumi spoke as her Kivat partner flew to her palm. She also petted her head softly. "The same goes for Tsukasa, too."
"Tsukasa? Ah… I see."
"There's nothing wrong in holding on to our ideals in this cruel reality, Kyle. Even someone who was used to be a wicked one like Tsukasa could still thrive to the path of goodness should he or she desires it. That is our duty, Kyle; to become a guiding hand for those who are lost. Even if they're criminals or… bullies, give them a second chance to prove themselves to you."
A second chance… he remembered saying it to the late scientist, Monica. She may had done terrible things as the one who discovered the virus, but she and her fellow scientists were fully aware of it and tried everything they could to stray from such path. That was something he could never argue with. However, Hector was still just a small example for that. He had to be ready for something that might even be much worse than that.
"A second chance, huh? What if it doesn't work, then?" he lamented.
"Then we'll live with our consequences." The female Rider answered.
"Which is why I still want to consider you as a friend, Blake. If you're really here to set things right for you… then I'll be the one who welcome you for it."
"Th-thank you…" Blake said as she slowly broke down into tears.
She suddenly leaned herself into Kyle, which the latter didn't expect to happen. He was flabbergasted and unsure of either what he had to do or to think. However, the Huntress was the one who needed the comfort after the whole pressure she had been having for the past hours. And so, he returned her action by embracing her with his hands, ensuring that everything will be alright. Meanwhile, Shouichi could only witness it solemnly. The conflict that Remnant's heroes had been facing was not that much different from his and the other Riders, as well.
The Rider then attempted to brush her head softly. He also whispered to her cat ears as they happened to be nearby his mouth. "It's gonna be alright." He whispered.
This caused Blake to suddenly jolt herself backwards by pushing him away after her face went red. She was seen flabbergasted, possibly due to the whisper.
"Oh, sorry! Did I bother you?" he apologetically asked.
"N-no! it's just… my cat ears are really sensitive. I can feel your breath in there." She stutteringly answered.
"Okay then… remind me not to do that again, if you'd like." He said.
"I… I don't resent you." She whispered to herself.
"Whelp, looks like a particular someone forgot to add the word 'was a member of White Fang'. What a cheap shot at tearing us apart." Shouichi sighed and spat.
"I think we'll get to that later. Now listen, Blake, you already told us everything about yourself. I think you should talk to the others about it." he imploy.
"I don't know about it, Kyle. I'm… scared, of what they might say once they see me again."
Shouichi sighed, feeling the burden of his own friend. He then spoke, "Blake, I understand that you've been burdened enough by that turmoil. But still, if you keep avoiding others, then you've only make it worse. You see, you should confront them about this, talk to them about what's been on your mind, and I'm sure they'd appreciate it rather than you tell nothing at all."
"I told you, Shouichi; they might hate me just like most people." She still rejected.
"But that still won't change your goal right?"
"Wh-what do you mean?"
"Blake, no matter what people might say about your Faunus heritage, they could never change who you are, and your motivations to live on. They're not gonna stop you from taking down the White Fang all by yourself. Am I wrong?" he advised as Blake was still speechless.
"And besides, how do you think I managed to survive Xiphon's fear attack on me?" Kyle asked.
"You... faced it, right?"
"That's the point, Blake. See, you've been dreading over things that you don't even know yet. There was a saying back in my home that the unknown was only something for us to conquer. Just believe in yourself, Blake. No matter what happens, we'll face it together, along with our friends. Now, let's hold on to that hope, okay?" Kyle advised.
She nodded and said, "Alright, I'll see what I can do later."
"Good to hear that. So, wanna go back to the dorm now, Blake?" Kyle asked.
"I uhh… I think I need a space for tonight." She uncertainly answered.
"How about a night at Tsukasa's? pretty sure he still has plenty of rooms for you to sleep over." Shouichi suggested after he and Kyle nodded for the idea.
"I'll be accompanying her too, then." Kyle offered.
"Oh… just don't get your hopes up too high, alright?" he teased.
"Hopes? What are you… oh dude, no!" Kyle exasperated, knowing what it meant.
"What is it?"
"You… don't have to know that." He assured.
As they kept talking through the remainder of the night, a figure was seen loitering from a tree in the courtyard. It was the monkey Faunus from the afternoon at the docks. He was eating his banana while having been watching the entire scuffle. The Faunus had been planning to call the Kunoichi out with him, but somehow her friends managed to get to her first. It seems that he had to use his chance at another place and another time.
"Guess I've been worrying on her too much, eh?" he muttered as he left.
Meanwhile, the remainders of team RWBY and Tsukasa had gathered in Beacon's cliff as Tsukasa suggested. The girls had made a brief explanation of what happened in the afternoon. However, Weiss didn't seem to waver from her accusations towards Blake and the White Fang, which the Rider himself had to think through on how to smooth things over.
"I told you! Blake has been a bad guy all along!" she objected.
"And how can you be so sure of that?" the elder Rider asked.
"She had been defending the White Fang and tolerated their actions after I told her not to! I bet you already know that they brought nothing but chaos! I mean, it's obvious that she's one of them because who else in the world would do that?" Weiss jeeringly explained.
"So?"
"So what? What else there is to say other than that!?"
"Is that what you really think it is? Do you know the real reason why she's here with your team instead of the White Fang? Do you know her real motives? What is her real reason of attending Beacon? What are her real words? Do you even think about that?"
"W-what are you talking about!?"she jeered again.
"See, that's your problem, Weiss Schnee. You conclude things without even attempting to know the utmost truth behind it all. Plus, what you've been doing is called bigotry, seeing how you always denounce the Faunus that you've been looking for. No wonder why she's so pissed off when you also did that to White Fang." Tsukasa said.
"I... I think he might have a point here. See, how about we talk to Blake tomorrow just to hear what she has to say? Maybe we can sort this out peacefully!" Ruby suggested.
"I'm not gonna risk reasoning with a hostile!" she denied.
"But Blake's still our friend, no matter what! Ruby's right! I insist we look for her, Weiss!" Yang said.
"With the police!" Weiss added.
"And that, is what makes you no different from Atlas citizens. You people are notorious for generalizing Faunus with the White Fang, and most of you are always known to denounce every Faunus they see. You can always say that you've taken the path of Huntress, but keep that attitude up, and you're just as rotten as them... and your father."
The words ticked the Schnee heiress up. Comparing her with her father had pushed her far enough. "N-no way! I'm not what my father is! How dare you compare me to him!"
"Well, hate to break it to you, but that's what you've been doing the whole time." Tsukasa pointed out.
"Then what are you trying to say!?" she growled, only to be surprised when Tsukasa suddenly took out his Ride Booker gun.
"What if I told you that I was one of Dai-Shocker's general?"
"Wh-what!?"
"Whoa, seriously?" Yang gawked. Her sister was just as surprised as her.
"I joined the Dai-Shocker just because I think it would be fun. I raised myself to the highest general rank that enables me to enact my plan to merge the Riderverse, so that I could destroy the Kamen Riders at once. I created my own Rider system in order to fulfill my twisted prophecy of becoming the ruler of Riderverse! And that is by erasing the Kamen Riders themselves!" he declared, much to the girls' shock.
"N-no way..." Ruby muttered.
"Y-you traitor!" Weiss growled as she attempted to reach her rapier, only to be halted by her own dread.
"That's the point, Weiss. I could even have you all dead if I ever wanted to. Now I ask you this; how about you take the shot?" the elder Rider asked by forcefully pulling her hand to get ahold of his own gun, pointed right at his throat.
"Wh-what are you doing!?"
"You always said that you wanted to become a Huntress who will destroy the evil, right? For my whole life, I've been nothing but the embodiment of that evil. So, how about you start it from shooting me right here, right now? If you ever want to prove yourself right, here's your chance."
The look on Tsukasa's face was honest and firm, but not the one who had been truly a villain all along. He was also filled with regret of what he had become in the past. His journey had taught him a lot in how to accept who he was and live on with the consequences. He even went so far to make someone pointed his own gun at himself just to prove someone's point. There was no sign of fear on him, not unlike Blake who ran away in a second.
The longer it happened, the more Weiss trembled herself. She was literally facing a man who was ready to take on his consequences, even with death. It might be an overexaggeration, but it was true. She couldn't bring herself to say more words, nor her friends. She could only look at him in fear, not knowing what she was supposed to do. She lost all her words and her own arguments from last time. She had started to doubt herself.
"I... I..."
"What are you waiting for!? Shoot me!"
"I can't do it!" she yelled as tears came out from her face. She also lowered the gun that had been handed to her. "I... I don't know... I just... can't!"
"Weiss, please just calm down-"
"That's enough, Rubes. She already had it herself. Tsukasa, your word?" Yang halted her younger sister, allowing Tsukasa to continue.
Tsukasa sighed at the view, knowing that his method was effective. He then nodded to Yang and continued, "I bet you're now wondering why I was accepted as a true Kamen Rider by my friends. Why someone like me would ever be forgiven by heroes like them? It's because... they believe in second chances, which is the path of redemption. I have lived a life where I couldn't remember my own sins, and by the time I remembered... I was scared."
"I was scared that my sins... could never be atoned, that my journey to save the world as a Kamen Rider had been nothing but pointless. But... they still accept me despite all of that. They wanted to see me earn the chance to make things right, as they had always did. They showed me the light of atonement... one that can be seen if he or she desires it. They wanted to see me become a better version of myself... which I did, thanks to them."
The girls were silent upon hearing the story. They had never thought that their mentor was a man like that; a man who had committed a sin and lived a life where he couldn't remember it. the revelation must had took him hard, probably much harder than Blake's. And yet... he still fought for what he believed as a righteous act to make amends of his own, by walking a path of a warrior. His efforts were never all on his own, but with acceptance and forgiveness from his friends, which he had been striving for. Those acts could never be condemned nor denied by anyone else.
And perhaps... Blake herself was not beyond redemption.
"The thing is... I want you guys to believe that not everyone is beyond redemption. They might be seeking the truth, to the path of righteousness... just like what we had been walking on. The White Fang might be a violent group, but I believe that there may be some Faunuses who can never condone their actions. And not just them. There are still people who had been seeking answers without knowing what they had been doing in their whole life. I want you guys to guide them, help them find their answers, and show them what they can be. I also believe that Blake could be among these people. So please... help her see the light, as her friend... and as her family."
And with that, the night had passed.
The next day…
The White Fang had started their plan to move all of their supplies to the Southeastern docks. Moving them with trucks was the best way to cover its contents with boxes so that prying eyes wouldn't reach them, especially if the crates inside it were marked with the Schnee Dust Company logo. They had started moving at around 10 o'clock in a convoy of at least 8 trucks.
And it didn't go unnoticed by Shouichi.
As for the other two who hadn't returned to their dorms, they were seen going for a stroll together through the streets of Vale. Seeing how the Kunoichi was still uncomfortable from the whole ordeal yesterday, Kyle opted to accompany her as long as she needed until she got better. Moreover, he still saw her frowning even after minutes passed by. Either it was due to the ordeal or it was just her being... herself. He then decided to start the conversation.
"So, uhh... how are you holding up?" he asked, which was the exact same question that Weiss asked to him after what happened in the Mirror World for as much as he could remember.
"I think it's starting to be bearable, now." she answered.
"Wanna talk to them? You can use your Scroll, though."
"I, uhh… I think I'd like some refreshments first." Blake replied.
"Okay. So, any treats you want from me?"
"I'd like a Skybucks coffee for starters." She smiled.
"Cool! Been a while since I drank coffee ages ago."
"Really?" she wondered.
"Two days before I got myself in Remnant. Guess I was right to say that." Kyle said, causing Blake to giggle upon it.
For a moment, he was glad that his friend could still retain her smile. Suddenly, they were greeted by someone, who was none other than the Monkey Faunus. He jumped off from the rooftops and landed safely thanks to his Aura. He was clearly a Huntsman for having one.
"Hey, can I talk with you guys for a second?" he asked as the two glanced at each other before giving him an answer.
Meanwhile, in another place...
"Blaaaake!"
"Blaaaake!"
"Blaaaake! Where aaaare yoooouuuu!?"
"You can come out now Blake!"
The two sisters had been shouting out her friend's name to no avail. Along with them was the Schnee heiress who had been silent and frowning along the way. She couldn't bear to call her name after what had transpired last night. She even doubted if she would ever be happy to see her again. Now that she gave a thought about it, Blake's dread towards her revelation was genuine, and not just a mere act of innocence. She kept pondering about it over and over again…
"Weiss, c'mon! help us out here!" Until her red-cloaked leader snapped her out.
"Oh! Uhhh… r-right…" she replied.
"Weiss, what's wrong?" Yang asked, noticing her current expression.
"I'm… not sure about myself, now…"
The brawler didn't take long to realize that it was about what happened last night. She was still distraught by the fact that Tsukasa had been a former Dai-Shocker general, and that he was willingly to accept those sins by making her pointing his own gun at himself. Who wasn't astonished by such thing, anyway?
"Is something wrong, Weiss?" Ruby checked on her teammate.
"Weiss, listen to me; everything's gonna be fine. Like Kyle said, we'll go see Blake ourselves, sort this thing between us together and then we'll go back kicking Dai-Shocker's butt in no time. We're doing this together." Yang assured.
"We already understand what you've been through, Weiss. I'm sure she does, too. You see, I think being a Huntress is also understanding one's pain and do whatever we can to take it away! We're helping each other, here!" the red reaper chirped.
As Weiss nodded at their heartwarming remarks, a voice suddenly came in. "And I think Weiss' hair look wonderful today!" This took the other girls in surprise as they jolted back.
"Aaah! Penny! Where did you come from!?" Ruby wailed.
"Umm, thank you?" Weiss doubtfully answered.
"Hey guys! What are you up to?" the ginger Huntress asked by cheerfully ignoring the younger Huntress' question.
"We, uhh... we're still looking for Blake." Ruby explained.
"Oh, I see." she frowned. "So you're still having no luck in finding her."
"Then have you by any chance seen her, this morning?" Weiss asked.
"I'm afraid not, Weiss. But don't worry! I won't rest until I find your teammate! Let me help you guys out, please?" she pleaded.
"Alright, then. That's very nice of you, Penny." Ruby smiled, accepting her new friend's offer to help.
Our focus then shifted once again to the other heroes, who were chatting along with the Faunus they had just met earlier. The Faunus asked them to have their talk at a balcony cafe, which they started after they had their respective teas delivered to their table.
"So... Sun Wukong, isn't it?" Kyle started.
"Yep! Leader of team SSSN (Sun) and hailing from Vacuo! Nice to meet you, cool dude and dudette here!" he cheerfully introduced and offered his handshake.
"Heh, likewise." Kyle returned as he chuckled, somehow finding his character amusing. Blake then followed suit shortly after.
"Oh yeah, umm... what're your names, again?" Sun sheepishly asked.
"Kyle Morgan, and she's Blake Belladonna."
"Okay, noted!"
"Now then, is there something you wanna talk about?" he asked.
"Actually... it's more like I want to know about Blake here." He answered.
"And why is that?" the cat Faunus asked.
"Finally, she speaks! For nearly three minutes of walking and sitting here, you gave me nothing but small talk and weird looks!" Sun happily remarked. It caused Blake to roll her eyes in exasperation.
"Ahem. The question, Sun." Kyle cleared his throat as he tried to keep the conversation on the said context.
"Oh right. Well, you see... I got this." The monkey Faunus sled out his Scroll and opened a digital document he had inside. It revealed Blake's identity data and records as a White Fang operative. And of course, it wasn't her own doing.
"I-is that... me?" Blake gawked.
"Whoa. Sun, when and where did you get this stuff?" Kyle curiously asked.
"I got it when I just happened to be close to their base of operation yesterday. Saw them moving from one place to another, loading... stuffs or somethin' to their trucks. And then, I happened to be in their base that I thought was less-protected. Luckily, I was right. The guards all happened to have their Scrolls nearby, so I decided to look on their files. I saw things... well, if not all of them: Dust shipments, Grimm transports, Kaijins, and then... there's you." He explained.
"You went solo!? Dude, you're crazy! And for you to do that, you-" he sighed, trying to brake his own running mouth. "You did a really great job with this."
"Okay, I'm... flattered?" Sun answered as he was still flabbergasted by the Rider's remark.
"Now, stop right there. I gotta ask you here, Buddy; have you ever done this thing, before?" Kyle asked again as his curiosity and awe got the better of him.
"Umm, I guess? See, I've been taking down those perps who had been causing ruckus in my home. I went to their bases for stealth ops and when the time comes, I have my friends helping me taking them down! Easy peasy, dude!" Sun boasted.
"Wow." Kyle complimented. He then leaned himself a bit towards the Faunus. "Look Sun, this is the most valuable high-grade intel you got yourself there. I think we should talk about this more and-"
"How about later? There's something I wanna talk about too, now." Blake said.
"Whew. Yes, ma'am." He complied. Blake momentarily gave Kyle an odd look as he suddenly addressed her as ma'am, but she quickly dismissed it for knowing that it was his friend's own quirk. Even so, she could also tell that Kyle was surely excited to have another Hunstman such as Sun to have that kind of skill, and that Kyle must've been thinking on having him as one of the All Kamen Rider League's greatest assets.
And there, she started to think that Kyle had made himself a good judge for recruitment purposes. Seriously, what in the world she had been thinking? The Huntress then decided to cast thos thoughts away and focused on her query.
"Sun, how familiar are you with the White Fang?" she asked.
"I guess it's safe to say that I don't think there's a Faunus on this planet who hasn't heard of them. Stupid, holier-than-thou creeps that use force to get whatever they want. Bunch of freaks, if you ask me!" Sun retorted.
"Good. You're off the hook, then." Kyle said.
"Wait, you've been suspecting me as a White Fang member, this whole time!?" Sun gawked.
"For a moment, yes. But that's because we were trying to confirm it to you yesterday while you were having fun jumping and swinging around. We even got ourselves a big problem on our way to you." The Rider explained.
"Oh..."
"Care for another word, Blake?"
"Oh yeah." She complied after she finished sipping her tea. "As you've known, Sun, I was once one of them."
"So I've known." Sun confirmed.
"I was a member for most of my life, actually. You could almost say I was born into it..."
"Back then, things were different. In the ashes of war, the White Fang was meant to be a symbol of peace and unity between Humans and the Faunus. Of course, despite being promised equality, the Faunuses were subjected to discrimination and hate. Humanity still thought of us as lesser beings. And so, the White Fang rose up as the voice of our people. And I was there. I was at the front of every rally. I took part in every boycott. I actually thought we were making a difference. But I was just a youthful optimist."
"Then, five years ago, our leader stepped down, and a new one took his place. A new leader, with a new way of thinking. Suddenly, our peaceful protests were being replaced with organized attacks. We were setting fire to shops that refused to serve us, hijacking cargo from companies that used Faunus labor. And the worst part was, it was working. We were being treated like equals. But not out of respect... out of fear. So, I left. I decided I no longer wanted to use my skills to aid in their violence, and instead, I would dedicate my life to becoming a Huntress. So here I am: a criminal hiding in plain view, all with the help of a little black bow."
After the cat Faunus wiggled her cat ears beneath her bow, Sun asked, "So... have you told your friends any of this?"
Blake merely looked down in shame, thus Kyle took the opportunity to answer it. "Actually... we've been planning to smooth things over today. Our friends and I had just learned about her past as the White Fang in the hardest way possible."
"Which is...?"
Kyle exchanged his look towards Blake, in which they took a slow nod after a bit of a silence. It is time to let the monkey Faunus knew what had been going on. And in order to do so, they need to find a disclosed place first.
"How about we go to somewhere else quieter than here, first?" Kyle suggested.
Inside an empty alley…
"An archenemy of ours revealed her secret. His name's Xiphon. He's also working with the White Fang, but he has a much bigger authority over them, courtesy of Dai-Shocker. I gotta warn you; that guy's one helluva doom bringer, and a tough one that is."
"Dai-Shocker? Wait, I read some of its files, last night. You know what that is?"
"An underground evil organization that had been terrorizing this world, lately. I take it that you've seen the recent Kaijin reports, right? well... that's where they come from."
"Really!? Man, guess I've been really digging into somethin'." He remarked.
Kyle then held Sun's shoulders for a firmer statement. "Sun, this is much bigger than you think it is. This isn't just about White Fang escalating their propagandas, it's about world domination. Dai-Shocker had been wreaking havoc in Remnant years before we were even here, and it has been their thing for God-knows-how-many. They'll do anything to fulfill their twisted ambition. And somehow, they managed to get the White Fang into their fold."
"So this Dai-Shocker has just become a new big bad in the town, huh?"
"More like a 'great evil strikes back'." Kyle corrected.
"Say, where's the rest of your team?" Blake asked.
"Oh, I left them for an earlier sail."
"Eeeh!?"
"Huh!?"
"It's more like I'm givin' them heads up for Vale. It's not my first time I bail them out like this, though." Sun nonchalantly explained.
Blake sighed, "Alright, it's just… unusual for a Huntsman to do that."
"I get that a lot. They'll be fine."
"Okay, back to our topic. So, do you think you have any idea where they're gonna be next?" Kyle asked.
"The intel says that they're gonna move to the southeastern docks today. I say we go strike them there." The monkey Faunus suggested.
"Are you sure about this? I'm afraid that we're gonna have to face a heavier assault, considering they're packing up at the docks and probably… Kaijins."
"Well…"
Just as Sun was thinking about his next answer, a roaring bike sound was heard heading towards them. It was Shouichi with his Machine Tornader. The elder Rider parked his bike nearby the three's location and walked to them to inform his findings. It didn't take long for him to find his friends inside an alley.
"Oh, there you guys are!"
"Shouichi!" Kyle greeted.
"I got something from the docks. Let's have a look there." The elder Rider informed.
"Hey, that's where the White Fang's gonna strike next! I was gonna say it to you guys!" Sun quipped.
"That's… convenient." Blake commented.
"Uhh, who's this guy?" Shouichi asked.
"This guy, Shouichi... is our intel." Kyle answered as he wrapped Sun with his arm, in which the latter smiled to it for granted.
In Tsukasa's residence...
"My God... this is much more devastating than I thought it'd be."
What Tsukasa, Yusuke, and Natsumi had been witnessing was the intel that Ryo brought all the way. it was a data of the virus development since the Mirror World incident, and the fact that it was a modified Bugster virus was also true. And as Tsukasa mentioned, it was way more dangerous than the original.
"We also managed to get some of their factory's locations. Turns out that they're all within Vale." Ryo explained.
"And the closest one to our location?" the world traveller asked again.
"The southeastern docks, right beside Vale's main docks." He answered.
"Wait, that's the location where Kyle, Shouichi and Blake are nearby! I remember them saying that they wanted to take a look at that city blocks. Think we should tell them about this?" Yusuke suggested.
"I think we should keep this to ourselves for the time being. We can't just push them to mission, especially Blake, after what happened. She was still devastated. I'm afraid she won't do well even with Kyle around." Natsumi said.
"Oh, I see..." Yusuke frowned.
"That aside, Natsumi, any news from the VPD?"
"We've confirmed that Roman Torchwick is behind the robbery. His movements had been more organized than the last time we saw him. I also know that his men are already behind the bars, but... I wonder how he managed to pull it off himself. Anyway, there had also been a suspicion that White Fang was behind all of it." Natsumi informed.
"Okay. Now, Ryo, how's our trusty intel doing?" Tsukasa asked.
"You mean him? The last time I checked yesterday, he said that the White Fang's going to move their supplies today in the afternoon. He'll also be there when that happens. That's where we're going to strike them." He explained.
"So they're making a move right now? Looks like it all makes sense that they were also the ones behind the recent robberies, and Torchwick had been orchestrating it all. Yup, that's it! Roman's been working with the White Fang!" Yusuke pointed out.
"And with Dai-Shocker above them, I'm starting to feel that our worst fear has just become true. Alright then, tell them to make the preps for the assault, and let's hope that we're not too late. Oh, and I'll be coming, too." Tsukasa ordered.
"You sure about this, man?" Yusuke asked.
"I am, Yusuke. I'd like to check on our kids too, see how they're doing after yesterday." He said.
Suddenly, Ryo's Scroll rang and he took it out. "It's Shouichi."
"What is it?" Natsumi asked.
"Well, it seems that we're gonna have to prep much earlier."
The girls had been looking from one street to another. An hour had passed with no luck in their ends. After long walks and rests, Penny decided to lighten up the mood as much as she could.
"So... how much else do guys know about her?" she asked.
"Well, she uhh... you can say that she's the quiet one in our group. She didn't talk much about herself, but when she gets on a mission, I can say that she's really reliable!" Ruby chirped.
"Are you guys mad because you know that Blake is a Faunus all along?"
"Well, I was. Only me." Weiss said.
"I see. Even when Faunuses had already been acknowledged, they still have some kind of injustice happening to them. That's just sad." Penny frowned.
"No! I wasn't mad at her just because she's a Faunus! It's all because... she wasn't really a regular Huntress, just like the rest of us. I mean, you were there when Xiphon said that she was a White Fang member, right? I was so agitated by the fact that she had been keeping this thing to herself for a long time." Weiss gulped in order to prevent her from spilling it out.
"I don't quite understand, why look for her when you're still agitated?"
"The point is, Penny, we're trying to look for her so that we can talk things over. You're right about us fighting with each other, but that doesn't mean we're throwing our friends away. We care for each other, Penny. And that's because our bonds are strong." Yang explained.
"Bonds, huh?" she pondered for a while. "You see, I don't have a lot of friends, back home. And if I did, I'd really like to talk with them about things and... stuffs."
"Me too..." Ruby frowned, until a realization hit her. "Hey, at least you already have us! We can be your friends in here, Penny! Just like what I said to you yesterday!"
"R-really?"
"Penny, you don't have to have so many friends. I mean you need to, but what good is an unreliable many compared to a reliable few? I have lots friends, just so you know, Penny. But after what I had been having throughout these days... I gotta admit that I only had a few people that I can feel... truly belong to. Sides my family, that is." Yang said.
"And if there's one thing that I learned now, is that as a good friend, I have to give them a chance to prove themselves that they can be much better than before. Right now, Blake is just as troubled as any people could be, and I really don't want her to lose that second chance." Weiss pondered. This caused Yang to smile on her as she patted the heiress' head, with Ruby giggling in front of them.
"It seems that I still have much to learn, here. Perhaps, this is an experience that I could never have learned in home." Penny muttered.
"Oh, aren't we all, Penny? Now c'mon! Let's start looking again!" Ruby chirped.
The heroes had reached the docks by the time the White Fang was still packing up themselves. Blake, Kyle, and Shouichi were still securing the perimeter and overlooking the shipment on the rooftops nearby, as Sun was off to look for something. By the way, Sun's participation was much to Shouichi's disbelief, and that is what he was going to talk about.
"I still can't believe that you guys asked another Huntsman to come with us for this matter. Are you really sure about this?" he asked.
"Shouichi, he went solo just to obtain a piece of intel from the White Fang. Well, aside from his carefree attitude, that is. I say we make a good use of him and slowly spread our connection to the other Huntsmen in this world." Blake pointed out.
"I don't see any harm in doing it, though. We already even had Penny too, right? Besides, I believe it won't be as dangerous as it was in your time. If we're ever gonna beat Dai-Shocker and the White Fang, then we should go for it. Just like how you guys always do, right?" Kyle added.
"Just like old times, huh?" Shouichi pondered. "I think you should really talk to Tsukasa about this, later. I kinda feel like I'm... uncertain about us going public once again. And please be mindful with your actions, okay?"
"Worry not, man. Worry not." Kyle assured as Blake simply nodded.
Fortunately, it didn't take long for Sun Wukong to get back to their hideout. He was also seen holding two fresh green apples.
"So, did I miss something?"
"Not really. They've offloaded the crates from the boat. Now they're just sitting there."
"Cool. Here, I stole you guys some food!"
"You what!?" Shouichi gasped.
"Well, that's just too good." Kyle commented.
"Do you always break the law without giving a second thought?" Blake questioned.
"What? Weren't you in a cult or something?" Sun countered, with both Blake and Shouichi giving him an angry glare and Kyle giving him a disinterested look. "Okay-okay, I'm just kidding! I paid it with my money! I still have enough for the next two weeks, though!"
Shouichi sighed. "I guess you're right about him, Kyle."
And with that, they went back to their investigation. They witnessed a Bullhead's searchlight for a landing spot as it descended into a black cargo box and extended a ramp for a bunch of individuals with their metallic fanged masks on. There was no mistaking them for someone other than the White Fang.
"Oh no..." Blake muttered sadly.
"Is that them?" Sun asked.
She stared at the bloody wolf symbol that her former allegiance sported, "Yeah... It's them."
"You really didn't think they were behind it, didn't you?" he asked again.
"I knew they had been working on Dai-Shocker outposts for some time ago, but still... I don't feel any better knowing that fact alone." Blake said.
"Is that a... Schnee Company logo?" Shouichi looked at the crates they brought.
"Hey, you're right! but how?" Sun wondered.
"Looks like you're not kidding about the SDC being involved in shady businesses, Blake. No wonder why Weiss wanted to get out of there so bad." Kyle motioned to Blake.
"I think there must be someone inside the company who legitimated their shipments. Maybe that's why they can operate freely and unnoticed by the officials." She replied.
"Damn, those guys. If only they know what Dai-Shocker truly is..." Shouichi cursed under his breath.
"So they're really behind the last robberies. But the thing is, why bother robbing two Dust stores if they already have that much?" Kyle deduced.
"You're right, man. Something doesn't add up, here."
"Wonder how they did, though." Sun motioned to Kyle.
"Dai-Shocker had been mining Dusts throughout this kingdom, said to be the second one with the richest Dust in Remnant. They even put so much effort in hiding their mining sites. Annoying , I say." The latter explained.
"And how's that been going for you guys?" Sun asked again.
"Well, the more we seize their sites, the more intel we can find. Especially, the radar jammers they had been using. So far, our tech guys are doing good in deciphering their location." Shouichi answered.
"Cool! So you guys have really been on this thing for a long time. I'm impressed!" Sun complimented, causing Shouichi and Kyle to chuckle in amusement. Even Blake sighed during their conversation.
Suddenly, a new voice boomed from afar, and it was a familiar one. "Hey! What's the holdup!? We're not exactly the most inconspicuous bunch of thieves at the moment, so why don't you animals try to pick up the pace?"
"That voice... Torchwick!" Kyle gasped.
"Who?" Sun asked.
"The most wanted criminal in Vale, and a notorious one. Never heard of him?"
"I just got here, though. Vacuo's news headline had never been that much reliable than here." Sun nonchalantly answered.
"Duh..." Kyle facepalmed.
"This isn't right. The White Fang would never work with a Human. Especially, not one like that." Blake muttered angrily. It pushed her enough to walk away from her cover.
Sun was alarmed by her sudden move, as well as the others. "Hey, what are you doing!?"
"Great. There goes our recon." Shouichi muttered.
In a relatively short period of time, Blake managed to slip through the containers. Years of experience in the White Fang had made her capable enough to sneak past the guards undetected. She moved from one cover to another without even alerting nearby guards. And just like that, she managed to get herself close enough to her target.
"No, you idiot! This is a leash!" Roman angrily berated the White Fang soldiers, only for him to have his throat being held with a blade out of nowhere. He, of course, had a good idea on who it was.
"What the-! Oh for f-"
"Nobody move!" the cat Faunus threatened.
"Whoa! Take it easy there, little lady!" Roman gasped as the soldiers rounded up his only assailant.
As they were closing in on her, Blake quickly took her bow off to reveal her cat ears, causing them to lower their weapons for a bit. They were shaken by the fact that their assailant was none other than the famed White Fang operative, Blake Belladonna.
"H-hey… is that who I think it is?" a soldier asked to the other.
"I know. It's Blake! She used to be one of us!" another soldier pointed out.
"Brothers of the White Fang! Why are you aiding this scum!?" she confronted.
"Oh kid, didn't you get the memo?"
"What are you talking about?"
"The White Fang and I are going in on a joint business venture together!" Roman announced.
"Tell me what it is or I'll put an end to your little operation." She threatened.
"Oh, I wouldn't exactly call it a little operation." He said as he snapped his finger.
As he looked up, two more Bullheads entered the scene, with one of them carrying a person on top of its cockpit. The figure then jumped off it, twirled in mid-air and landed in the most spectacular way possible. The ground beneath him cracked, and he stood up to face his new guest.
Xiphon was in the house, and he was also expecting a spectacular welcome.
"Oh, come on. No cheers and claps at all?" he jested, causing the White Fang soldiers to do so awkwardly for a bit. But at least, the claps were still worth the entrance.
"Yeah! That's more like it!" the general exhilrated himself by giving some of the soldiers a high five. However, some of them returned it awkwardly.
"Xiphon... So you've been with him all along. " Blake growled in venom.
"Where was I? Oh right, ahem!" he cleared his throat before he continued. "Well, well, well... what do we have here? You've certainly brought us a lovely domestic cat, Roman. A nice one, I say."
"Well, with my sheer luck alone, she entered this place all by herself. I told you bringing me out here was a good idea." Roman boasted himself.
"I appreciate that thought, partner." Xiphon winked inside his helmet.
"Partner?" Blake was puzzled.
"Now then... what can I do for you, O honorable guest of ours?"
"What did you make the White Fang do to your bidding!? Answer me!" Blake angrily demanded.
"Oh, no need to be so hasty like that! It's nothing personal, Blake. It's just business." Roman answered nonchalantly.
"I won't let you do anything to bring people harm! Stop this right now!"
"Stop? Oh, Blakey… how little you know about this." Xiphon gestured Roman to shoot her right foot, in which he did enough to make her back away and let go of her grasp.
"The White Fang shared the same mindset that us, Dai-Shocker has. We are tired by this world's government, who did nothing but let people, especially Faunuses suffer. And thus, we decided to join our hands to take over this world… and bring you all, sinners down with it." Xiphon informed.
"First, you're putting your hate on the Kamen Riders, and now the government!? What is wrong with you people!?" Blake growled.
"We're the ones who should be asking you that, traitor!" a soldier berated.
"Wh-what?"
"You're supposed to be the one who helped us out during this time of crisis for the Faunuskind, but you just turned your back from us! Why did you betray us, Blake!? Why!?"
"We're not supposed to hurt humans! We're supposed to find a peaceful way for our problems!" Blake countered.
"After what they did to us!? You should be the one who know it better! They hurt us, so we hurt them back! I can't believe that you just ran away so that you can become their pet! How lowly you are!" another soldier detested.
"No, you're wrong!" the Huntress desperately cried out.
"Kamen Riders, Huntsmen, Government… what's the difference? We don't need them all in Remnant! We only need people capable of understanding what has to be done for the sake of the planet! This is our first step towards that, and there's nothing you can do to stop it."
Roman pointed his armed cane at the Huntress. He fired it right towards her head, only to be blocked by Kyle's Ride Booker gun using its 'book cover' portion. He also delivered both Roman and Xiphon a few shots from his round, causing Roman to narrowly dodge it and Xiphon to shield himself only with his gauntlet. The Rider was soon followed by Sun and Shouichi who took down a few White Fang soldiers that surrounded Blake, keeping their distance away from the heroes. Sun twirled his red and gold nunchucks and kicked them away, while Shouichi elbowed a soldier from behind and knee-dropped the unsuspecting other one after sending a few punches.
"You okay, Blake?" Sun asked.
"I'm fine."
"So, this whole cahoots thing has been your own idea, you two?" Kyle blurted.
"Pinky boy! I thought I'd never see you again!" Roman greeted.
"Wait, pinky boy?" Sun wondered as to why Roman called him that.
"So, those robberies are your own doing? Why?"
"That's right! I've been inactive for a few months and I just need a warm up for my next job! Now, how about you wear that pinky armor of yours and let's get this started?" he said. He also motioned to Xiphon, ordering him to call more reinforcements.
"Just for a warm up, huh? How petty." Shouichi commented.
The latter then gave an order to his troops from his comms. "If you say so, partner. All units… engage."
The heroes heard loud footsteps, which came from inside the buildings. Xiphon had just ordered a large quantity of his troops to the scene, which consist of additional White Fang soldiers and Combatants to further emphasize their cooperation. Along with them came more soldiers from the Bullheads above them. And lastly, Xiphon summoned the last thing that the heroes would expect to encounter; his latest Kaijin creation.
The Kaijin was a mixture of several known Grimms in Remnant. It has a head of a Beowolf with jagged lower fangs, a large body of an Ursa, with its torso sporting a Boarbatusk head and its arms having a pair of oversized claws, and a pair of bulked-up Beowolf legs. It seems that Xiphon had been playing around with his Kaijin generator, resulting in him creating this chimeric abomination.
"Chimera Kaijin is present... and smashing." he growled.
"You brought a kitbash, here?" Roman commented.
"I was just curious if I add several Grimms into my equation." Xiphon replied.
"Whoa! What the heck is that!?" Sun jolted from where he stood.
"That, my friend, is what a Kaijin is. FYI, they're all made of Grimm's dark essence. Only this time, we're seeing them being mashed-up like this." Kyle commented.
"So they're all made of Grimms? That's just really messed up!" Sun commented.
"Welcome to my world, Sun." the Kunoichi commented.
"Looks like we need to step up the game, right now. Kyle?" Shouichi said.
"On it." Kyle acknowledged as they both summoned their Henshin devices.
KAMEN RIDE :
"HENSHIN!"
DECADE!
The Riders' visors glowed brightly upon the activation of their standard forms. Their transformation had surely startled Sun, the newcomer of the bunch. For years, he had never been amazed by someone wearing armors in the fanciest way possible, let alone meeting a Huntsman capable of doing such thing.
"So you guys are the Kamen Riders!? Man! You guys are so rocking on those armors!" Sun commented joyfully as Blake simply sighed on his overjoy.
"Get ready, Sun. things are about to get really messy, here." Blake ordered.
"You got it!"
"All hands, eliminate them."
"Now!"
Both sides had started their brawl against each other. Decade and Agito both fought with their fists, easily thwarting both Combatants and WF Soldiers away. Their strength alone could never be equaled even with Dai-Shocker's combined forces. Agito delivered a roundhouse kick to a soldier, tripping a Combatant and threw him into a pile of grunts in front of him. Decade knee-dropped a Combatant while dashing from one grunt to another, hitting them one by one while avoiding their simultaneous attacks.
"Out of my way, you bozos! I'll deal with them myself!"
However, they still had the Chimera Kaijin to deal with, as he rampaged itself through the line of battle. The grunts quickly took steps away from the monster, not wanting to block his way. With his sheer force, he easily swept the Riders away to the edge of the ground. They quickly got themselves up again the moment they realized where they were lumping on.
"That all you got, huh?"
"That's one helluva fist, there." Decade retorted.
"I'll cover you on your way to the Kaijin. Get ready." Agito said.
"Got it."
Blake didn't take much of her time just to deal with the grunts. Her sights were all set to the generals alone. A WF soldier shot her head from behind, only for it to be just her shadow clone. The real one had leapt high into the air to finish the grunts off by shooting them from above and slashed them by dual-wielding her weapons. Once her path was cleared, she quickly struck him with her blades. As a skilled fighter himself, Roman surely didn't leave any rooms for opening. He quickly blocked most of her hits with his cane by twirling it in rapid succession. This had left Xiphon an opportunity to strike the cat Faunus himself. However, Sun stepped in to face the Dai-Shocker general himself.
"Hey! Leave her alone!" Sun protested.
"Aren't you too, Huntsman?"
"I still have my babies here!"
Sun twirled his nunchucks, which he named them as Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang towards Xiphon. As a nod to their shotgun-shaped grips, they could also fire Dust rounds while Sun was twirling them, giving him an extra damage. Sun's high-speed attacks became more and more unpredictable as Xiphon kept blocking it, so much that the general himself prompted to us his sword. Sun quickly retaliated by combining his weapons into a Bo staff and clashed their hits with each other. Xiphon himself was managed to block each of his openings every time the Monkey Faunus saw through them. The latter himself was also surprised at how skillful Xiphon was. The two then locked each of their weapons in a tie.
"Looks like Kyle's right; you're one hell of a guy to take down!" Sun remarked.
"You're not so bad yourself, I admit! However, can you take some of this!?"
After the two backed away, Xiphon raised his hand to conjure his dark energy blast. Sun was prepared for the strike and gripped his weapon tightly. However, Xiphon gripped his palm and cancelled his attack, much to Sun's confusion as a tumble weed rolled in front of them after a few seconds passed.
"Uhh… what are you doing?"
"Actually, I just happened to have a much better idea on how to treat you here." Xiphon nonchalantly replied while still holding his hand high.
"And that is?"
"Think fast!"
The general let both of his point and middle fingers out. Pointing both of them at Sun. the latter was still unsure on what he was doing, until he heard a loud boom came from above. He saw a Bullhead from behind Xiphon firing a single missile per his orders. The monkey Faunus, who had just realized it the moment it was only a few feet in front of him quickly scatter away to find a nearby cover.
"Aaaahhh! Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap, oh crap!"
The missile had reached Sun's position in a matter of seconds. It exploded and covered the grounds in ashes as the Faunus' own condition was unclear. His friends could only watch it in horror as they were still facing their opponents.
"Sun!" Decade called out.
"Did he just shot him with a missile!?" Agito growled.
"Sun! are you okay!? Sun!" Blake cried.
(A/N)
Aaaand… cut! Lo and behold the 18th chapter of RWBY : DCD!
Making this Fanfiction has always been a very fun thing to do, especially when you get to write loads of "What-if" stuffs and make up a series' flaws for better! I know that I might still have things to learn in writing a Fanfiction, but I also feel that this might be the best hobby I can afford as I grow up. But, that doesn't necessarily mean that I have neglected my real life out here. I believe that I still have many things to do in home, college, and even society. So, all I'm saying is that my college gets plenty as ever.
And for several things to point out from this chapter, first, I know that some of you might want Blake to take a different action other than just running away, but after thinking it through, having her do that is the best direction I could think of. She was scared, yes, but she still needed to be encouraged to confront her problem. I had both Kyle and Shouichi to do it. However, in an attempt to do so, they were alerted by Sun, who had been snuffing on the WF ever since yesterday, and that Shouichi requested them for the mission out of necessity. So, it was delayed for a while.
Speaking of Sun, I made him being skillful in the art of stealth and espionage, though he was more of an 'element of surprise' guy as opposed to Blake's stealth-oriented Kunoichi. Also, those skills would be the reason of him sticking with the heroes for sometime in Vale (a reasonable one) other than just a random guy lending them help for free. As for Penny… let's just say I also have more plans for her.
There's also this story about Kivat-La that I had just blurted out of my mind. I intend to give her some depth on how she came to be on Tsukasa's traveler gang. It's also a part of my 'Decade-retcon' since Tsukasa's. I also decided to have Weiss had a heavy-hitting realization that she had came to doubt her own bias, and that she must cast it away as a good friend.
In regards to Tsukasa's speech, I also watched some of Joseph Seed's scenes from Far Cry 5. I kind of imagining his voice in those words by the time I was writing it. So, how do you guys think of having his VA, Greg Bryk, voicing Tsukasa if he's ever being voiced in english? (I know it's crazy guys, but still! XP)
Lately, I've also been watching some analysis videos of RWBY, especially their critics on the latest volume. And in that regard, what do you guys think about the series so far? It has some flaws in the character writings, yes. Like any other stories out there, none are perfect. So, how do we fix this? What should or shouldn't we do with this character or that? Also, how about the plot progression that you guys might think should or shouldn't have been?
And there's Xiphon blasting Sun with a missile in the middle of their street fight. Yeah, I'll leave you guys to that.
The arch nemesis has just made his nasty move! What will be of Sun Wukong? Will the reinforcements make it in time? Just who is the intel the senior Riders have been talking about?
As always, please leave your comments below and remember, BE CONTRUCTIVE.
Until next time.