Hello once more my ever lovely and ever loyal peeps and peeplips.
Here we go once more, took longer than i expected, as I've been bouncing between updating several chapters for no less than four different stories. Some similar, others completely different, well one was completely different and the other three are similar in nature. One of them is "The Stark Of Legend" and even "Assassin In A Huntress World" but it's a slow process, sadly. One more so then the other, as i've also been slowly updating "Chaldea In Gotham" where's i final found a good starting point for chapter 2 and what Chaldea's background is involving how they original came to the DC world in the first place.
But again it's a slow process but it's coming along at least. So here at last, we will learn the real reason why Avenger Xero went insane and what causes the world to truly end. As always i own nothing but my OC's.
So please read, review and "What the fuc-BOOM"
Chapter 27: Every Action Has A Consequence
"Does it really have to come to this?"
It was a question that seemed to echo in Xero's mind as he silently made his way towards the 'arena' to fight team RWBY. The meeting with his team, both of them, had gone as well as one can expect:
Could have been better.
Flashback
"So, i want to be sure i understand this right..." Levi said slowly, still reeling from the information of what and HOW Avenger Xero's future ended. Despite his ability to keep his face stoic, even at the most shocking and pressing situations, the younger man saw that mask crack with only the man's eyes widening in shock, "Even if we do win the Dead War, drive the Six to their deaths once more and seal the hell portal to the Rotten World for good, Earth still dies anyway? Not just humans but everything with animals dying everywhere, water drying up to the point it becomes barren with the land itself becoming barren as well? Everything's just...died because of the essence of the Rotten World?"
"Long term poisoning and exposure actually." Xero said, trying to ease everyone's worries and why shouldn't they be worried? He was basically telling them that all their efforts would be for nothing, as the poisoning elements from the Rotten World would destroy all life on Earth.
He was thankful he had the forethought to have Eri cover her ears with sound canceling earmuffs, while she listened to his playlists with her Focus. There was no need to trouble her little head with this mess. Everyone else was having a hard time handling it and they were adults, trained soldiers to boot. He didn't want to see how a little girl would handle such truths.
"Xero, please, explain again, just to be sure we know what we're dealing with." Erwin requested and Xero nodded.
"Okay, so here is the deal: When the Convergence weakened the barrier between our world and theirs, the zombie virus seeped into our world, containing it with their sickness. Everything, ranging from humans to animals, to plants, the very Earth itself will die a slow death. Years and years of war, death and blood spilt, both infected or otherwise, soaked the ground, the very Earth itself contaminating it. Due to the fact the dead don't stay dead, Avenger Xero and his allies thought it be best to burn the bodies of their dead, if only to ensure they don't come back as undead fodder. During the war, the places that showed early signs of decay were written off as a result of the war itself taking a toll on the land, not exactly uncommon. We had no idea of the true damage it was causing and when the war finally came to an end, a month after i was betrayed, we made a starling discover: The land itself was dying. Plants were unable to grow, tree's withered away, rivers ran dry, even the weather, nature itself seemed to be completely out of control. Though he wasn't sure how but Avenger Xero believed the Six found a way to mess with the weather patterns to the point, not only would dangerous storms be a daily thing but it would become so bad, it would cause natural disasters on catastrophe. Earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, tsunamis, cyclones, wildfires, ever possible type of natural disaster you can image but with the dial notched up to eleven. Not only rendering Earth inhabitable to humans but all living things."
"Effectively killing all life on Earth." Hange whispered to herself; eyes wide in horror at as the full scope of what would happen if they did not stop the Rotten World finally dawned on her. Finally made her realize just how BAD things could and would get if they allow this to happen.
This revelation left the Avengers and SHEILD members quiet for a moment, as Logan broke the silence, "Got to be honest kid, I've been in a lot of wars. But what your describing, the enemy we will have to face, I've never seen anything like this."
"No one has." Gudako said, frowning a little as she looked at Fury, "That's why we cannot afford to be slow downed or show mercy to any of the Cultist. Fury i know we hid things from you, all of you," She sweep an arm around their friends, family and new recruits, "I want to say it's not because we didn't trust you but sadly that is the reason why. It's not because we think we couldn't trust you, it's because we couldn't AFFORD to trust you. Not yet. With so many unknowns, the timeline changing so much thanks to the Allies winning the war and HYDRA infiltrating SHEILD, we just couldn't take the chance in trusting the wrong person."
"Can't really blame you there." Perta spoke up, earning her a round of nods from her fellow soldiers. Looking at Gudako, she spoke, "I get it, i really do. If i were in your position, I'd act the same way. But after all this, can you honestly say you trust us now? Have we all proven ourselves that we can be trusted or are you telling us, simply because everyone else will learn the truth now?"
"After everything we've done, all the shit we've been through together?" Xero asked with a smile on his face, as he pointed to the Focus on his head, "And after giving you all your own Focus with access to the Moon Cell's database, you think i STILL don't trust you? Come now Petra, you should know better than that by now at least. After everything that has happened, the truth is that yes, i DO trust you all. I just didn't want to overwhelm you all with the information we have now. We've basically been dropping knowledge bomb after bomb landed on you all, knocking the wind out of you all but your still standing, which is good. I will say this, Ozpin was right about one thing, knowledge can break a person and i didn't want to do that to you all. Which leads me to the next order of business of why i asked you all here. I'm asking a lot, from all of you, old friends and new allies." Xero nodded his head towards a pale Roman and Neo with a drinking Qrow and wide-eyed Kiana at the info they just received, "That's why I'm going to say this, here and now: If any of you want to back out, any of you want to walk away from this now is the time. You are free to leave, and I will not stop you, nor will i force you to do anything."
"W-what?" Connie echoed everyone's thoughts as Gudako spoke.
"What Oni-chan means, is that if you don't think you're up to it or don't feel like you can follow through with our mission to take down the Cult and destroy the Rotten World, you are all free to back down and walk away. Right here, right now, if you do not wish to follow us then okay, we will not force you. But know that once you begin this mission, once you actually start helping us take down Cultist, you will forever be marked as an enemy to them, and they will go to any length they can to hurt you. Your family, your friends, your co-workers and fuck even your pets will be marked targets for the Cult and will not stop until they are dead, or you are as Oni-chan has done one massive blow after another to the Cult, making them eager for blood. Namely your blood or the blood of anyone close to you, mostly done out of pure spite then anything, so here's your chance. If anyone wants to back out, now is the time and we won't judge you. This is completely optional, so please, be honest. If you want to leave or if you simply do not think you can handle it, then alright, there's the door. As Oni-chan said, we will not force any of you to stay but if you stay, then be ready to give it your all. Because you will be on this crazy ride till the very, very bloody end of it."
That left everyone speechless, not only did they learn that winning the Dead War would ultimately mean nothing in the end. All their fighting, all their sacrifice, all their suffering, all their struggling would ultimately mean nothing in the end as the dead would leave one final fuck you. One last ditch effort to ensure no one won the war, if they couldn't have Earth, then no one would.
What a bunch of fucking dicks.
Slowly, the groups of the Avengers and squad Levi came together, with Erwin and Hange joining the second group with Fury joining the Avengers. This left Gudako, Logan, Ursula, Ember, his father, Mom Pepper, Roman, Neo, Kiana, Qrow, Adenela, Peter, Father Vincent, Xenovia, Irina, Mikasa, Pieck and Asia out, as they made their way to the Magus duo.
"Well, you already know our answer kiddo, we're with you." Tony said, as Pepper nodded.
"As insane as this all sounds, after the past two years, i'm just about ready to believe in anything. I know i won't be much help but-"
"It's alright Mom Pepper. I already have the help i need, i just want you to be safe." Pepper nodded in understanding, as Roman spoke next, in a nervous manner.
"Hey boss, listen i don't think-"
"Roman, if you and Neo feel like you're not up to this, then just say it." Xero said, cutting the master thief off, as he smiled, "I'm not Fall, i won't bite your head off for refusing a job, when I literally just gave you the option to back out. So, if you want out, just say so."
"Oh, thank the gods." Roman sighed in relief as he nodded, "Out kid, i want out. I'm a criminal, a master thief and smooth talker with huntsman skill. I'm good but there is no way in hell i or Neo could take on these undead overlords. No way, un uh."
"Okay then. But I'll still need you, your knowledge about Vale's underworld and at the worst of times, look after Eri. As my daughter, adopted or not, she'll become a target, one way or another. To either get to me or her power, so in the worst-case scenario, I'll need you to protect her until she is strong enough to protect herself."
"That kid, I can do." Roman nodded without hesitation. Looking after one small girl with the ability to wrap time was a million times better then fighting undead monsters, looking like they came out of your worst nightmares. Only with the extra added fuel with the fact that this was one nightmare, you won't wake from.
"Be honest sensei, as we are, do we stand a chance against them?" Xenovia asked bluntly, as she was referring to herself and Irina, not Earth as a whole. To which Xero repealed, in an equally blunt manner.
"Zed would toy with you, possible rape you to death and ultimately tear you apart when he grew board of toying/raping you or just because he feels like it. And that man is easily the WEAKEST of the six."
Irina winced at the bluntness, as Adenela spoke, "S-she asked where y-you stood in terms of p-power. I-it's the truth a-after all."
The unusually optimistic Magus nodded sadly, as Xero patted her shoulder, "Don't worry, in about a year or so of my training, you'll be ripping through undead overlords with ease and make it back in time for breakfast before you know it. That's what i'm here for after all." Okay, it was kind of wired to word it like that but it got the point across, as Irina nodded.
Seeing her cheer up, Xero looked to Mikasa, as the black-haired woman said simply, "Where you go, i go. You're not getting rid of me that easily."
Yeah, that is about what he expected, the Ackerman was stubborn if nothing else, as he turned his attention to Asia, who looked a little nervous but spoke nevertheless, "I want to help people and if helping you, prevents the deaths of millions, then I'll follow you Xero-sama. Besides, i own you everything."
"Same here." Pieck nodded, as did Peter.
"I'm with you Zee but, er, i don't have to, ya know, kill people do i?"
"No Spider Man, you don't and i don't expect you too." Xero's answered relieved Peter, as his shoulders slumped in relive, "I just need you to keep doing what you've been doing since we first met." That and while stronger than most, Peter was no killer and if Xero had his way, he would stay that way. There was no reason for the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man to become a merciless, cold killer like himself.
"That's probably for the best kid." Logan said gruffly, as he asked something he'd been wanting to ask for a while now, "In the future, what happened to us? Me, the X-Men, Magento, the brotherhood and all those other bubs. Where are we in that war."
Both Xero and Gudako fell silent, as they both looked very unsure of what to say, before Gudako decide to bite the bullet, "Honestly Logan, we really don't know. In the future, the Red Skull's twisted plan successes and basically vaporizes more than half of humanity. From what Avenger Xero showed us, i honestly think most of the mutants or parents of said mutants were killed off as a result and seeing the devastation done by the Red Skull, i don't think the whole 'mutant issue' was no longer an issue. Seeing as a good portion of humanity was killed off by another human, people just basically ran out of hate for mutants and pointed their hate towards the Red Skull and seriously, why shouldn't they? That freak of nature for nearly bombing the entire world back to the stone age. So, who can say what happened to you and the rest of the X Men. Sorry."
The short man nodded, a look of...something, on his face, as he thought on his other self's (And their friends/families) fates.
"Yeah, well I'm in too." Qrow said, as Kiana nodded in agreement.
"As am i. Wouldn't do much good if i tried to build a new life on a new world, only for it to fall to an army of undead bastards. Besides, i own you that much." Kiana said, as Xero nodded, as the two dragonesses spoke next with Ember saying.
"Well, whether i like it or not, this Rotten World is as much a threat to my people as they are to yours, little Brother, so i suppose we have no choice but to fight alongside you to ensure our survival." The redhead smiled, "Besides, I'm sure my little sister won't leave her mate just because a few undead bastards won't stay dead."
"Thank you, both of you." Xero said, as they both nodded. Then the groups came back, all apparently having reached a decision.
It was Steve that spoke for the rest of the Avengers, "The Avengers were formed to make the world a better place and fight off any thing that threatens it. I may be out of time but even i can see the threat the Cult poses, and this is something i can't ignore. So, tell us what needs to be done and we'll get it done Xero."
"Same here." Levi spoke, including his head towards his team, "We're soldiers, we are trained to combat all threats, be they human, aliens or even damned zombies, we aren't backing down. We all know what we were signing up for, so what do you need from us?"
"Okay, then it's settled." Xero clapped his hands against his knees, fully standing at full height but was careful not to disturb Eri's little music marathon, "When we get back to Earth, I'll get to work on some personal weapons for you all, endowed with magic. Adding in with the weapons provided by SHEILD, Pieck's ODM gear, the energy shields and now each personalized weapon for each of you, the Levi Squad will be one hell of a force to be reckoned with. But first, i have a team that needs to get a harsh reality check and to be humbled."
Flashback End
"While it's good everyone is ready and willingly to fight, the fight ahead of us will be anything but easy. Even with all the weapons and shields i have gifted them, it may not be enough. For all their skills, weapons and items, they're still human...as am i." Xero stopped in his tracks, glancing at his clenching and unclenching fists as lighting sparked between his hands, "As I am right now, i can stand against the Six and win but out of the Six, Vikka, Psychedelia and Killabilly are the deadliest of the Six. I don't have to worry about old Billy boy till i deal with the first five, but Vikka and Psychedelia are the ones we need to target first if our plan fails."
Out of the Six, between Vikka's power, ship and weapons, combined that with Psychedelia's illusions, it would be a one-sided slaughter on humanities side. He might be able to see through illusions, but no one else has his gift. That wasn't including the fact Psychedelia's own illusion magic made Junko's look like a joke.
Even with his and Gudako's Servants, it would not be an easy victory but on the upside, their chances of victory improved drastically as well.
"And thanks to us stopping Red Fucker's insane plan, many of those that died in the original timeline of WW2 was kept at a minimal." Xero frowned at that thought, "Even though I'm certain several others would disagree with that." But Avenger Xero's world was not a place for sentimental value or hesitation. His world, the future was a survival of the fittest world, one he had no intention of allowing his daughter, friends and family to live in.
If they don't like it, then THEY can come up with some plan that will stop the dark future for good and if not, then they can get the ever living fuck out of the way or be crushed under his bootheel.
That also included a certain cat bitch as well.
"Why can't things be easy." Xero sighed, asking himself out loud, as his hands idly brushed up against the halts of Harvester, strapped to his waist. He had to replace his relaxing clothes with a gray poncho with a hood sown into it (A gift he had received from Quetzalcoatl) with no shirt underneath, gray pants and black steel toed boots. His hood was pulled up, hiding everything, save for his lower mouth and sending a steady stream of Yoki to his eyes, caused them to turn to the hellish gold but had no veins growing across his face.
Not yet.
"Because that would make things easy and you should know by now boss, we don't do things easy." Xero snorted at Robin's words and as right as he was, the master didn't care much for those words, "You sure you want to go through with this boss? Cause once you do, there is no going back."
Xero stopped in front of the door to his chosen arena. A large, seedy bar that was once located in Mexico and was no repurposed in the Curator's repository for the upcoming fight. But before he opened the door, he spoke back to the Archer, "There was no going back the second Loki's attack on New York begin and everyone realized that magic wasn't just fiction Robin. I made my threats, and these people aren't backing down, now it's time to show them that i don't make ideal threats when it comes to protecting my family and our future."
Robin said nothing, as Xero entered the large bar like room, feeling his magic get sealed off. That was okay, he didn't need magic to beat a bunch of green as grass huntress.
"I do not like this husband." As he walked to the bar, grabbing a glass shot and bottle of this particular bar's strongest drink, Xero heard Morgan voice her displeasure, "You shouldn't have to fight alone, let alone with your magic cut off like this."
"Magic or not, it matters little dear. The whole point of this is for me to not only prove to everyone that I'm just as deadly without magic but prove to those four bullheaded idiots that there are people out there WITHOUT an aura that YES, they can be beaten by them. I'm going to break them down, destroy and shatter them, then in two of their cases, rebuild them back up as a result of their breaking. Besides, it's like I'm going to attack them on site, i am going to try to talk them down, steer them from this path and if it ends in a fight, so be it."
"You just want to prove you can stand up on your own two feet." Suddenly Cu cut in, "Right master?"
Xero shrugged his shoulders, taking a shot before mentally answering, "Yep. Not even going to deny it. Is there something wrong with that?"
"Not at all." Emyia cut into the conversation as well, "While you could have picked a better opponent to fight against, team RWBY isn't too overly powered to overwhelm you either. They did get into Beacon academy and no matter what we think of them personally, they are indeed skilled and powerful."
"But not mentally mature." Xero spoke, as he lightly swished his shot glass around, "All of them, even that little cat bitch has the potential to become something great, but they're held back by their own standards, foolish way of thinking and arrogance that they're better than everyone else. Mostly Belladonna, Schnee and Xiao Long, while Rose is simply naive and sheltered by her family. Not a bad thing in particle but in this world of ours, that kind of naivety will get someone or herself killed as a result. I can't in good conscience leave her be, when i know she'll keep going like she is and get herself killed. Might as well pull the trigger of the gun that kills her."
None of the Servants said anything, as they understood where their master was coming from and decide to drop the issue. Well Morgan did but even if she let out one last words, "I still don't like it but i understand husband. However, if i think you get in over your head, i will deal with them, myself." Then she cut their connection off with her peace said.
Xero had nothing left to say after that and as a result, he did the only thing he could do at the moment.
Drink and wait.
Outside The Arena
"Do we really have to do this?"
Blake resisted the urge to repent Ruby, knowing it would both, do her no good and get Yang on her case. Thankfully Weiss did it for her.
"Ruby, you agreed to this plan, there's no use in backing down. Besides," Weiss smirked, as she arrogantly flipped her hair behind her shoulder, "It's four against one, plus he doesn't have aura unlocked. This will be easy."
"But you saw the same video i did Weiss. He's got all kinds of crazy weapons, skills, magic and that Yoki thingy." Ruby spoke worryingly, as Weiss once more rolled her eyes, "And-"
"It's. Not. MAGIC Ruby!" The Schnee heiress yelled the last part, getting Ruby to let out a small yelp and back away at Weiss's anger eyes.
"Hey cool off Ruby, Weiss." Yang, as Blake expected, came to her sister's defense, "You have to admit, half of the stuff we saw on the video, what that Curator guy did, does seem a lot like magic. Not to mention the whole 'two worlds becoming one' thing too, sounds like only something magic could do."
"Regardless, it doesn't matter." Weiss brushed off Yang's words, not having an answer for them, so she deflected, "We have a chance to accomplish something great and we need to do it perfectly." Maybe then, Weiss could prove to Winter that Mazoku wasn't as dangerous as she made him out to be.
The fact Winter though she couldn't beat Mazoku only promoted Weiss to bull on a head. She would win, prove herself to her older sister and prove herself superior to Mazoku, all in one full swoop. The fact Winter believed she couldn't win only drove Weiss's anger and hate towards the Magus more, seeing as in her mind, Winter was the pinnacle of perfection:
Cool headed, collected, controlled, not a hair out of place and with a very high position that made Winter a general in all but name. Sure, she wasn't the general herself but seeing as she was not only a specialist but also the right hand of general Ironwood himself and was his confidant as well. Winter had done all this and achieved so much at a very young age.
Not because she was a Schnee (Though that did mean she had to prove herself worthy of their bloodline, it was only natural, she was a Schnee after all), the money or even their father's connections. Nope, Winter worked hard and proved herself, earning her everything she had coming to her. Winter, despite all her coldness, expected the same from Weiss and the younger sister was determined to prove herself worthy of the bar her sister had set for them. Her father might be a bastard but if he was right about one thing, it's the fact those who hold the name Schnee had to be perfect in everything and could not allow anyone to be better than them. That included some freak that had some type of semblance that was different from the Schnee semblance.
It had to be.
"I really, really don't want to do this." But the rest of her teammates were in complete agreement in facing her cousin, but it was clear to her, they would face him with or without her. The sliver eyed girl was hoping this wasn't a huge mistake on their part but a feeling in her tummy told her that this would only end one way.
Badly.
But Ruby kept her silence, as the odd maid lady told her team to head towards the arena. Blake and Weiss tried to probe her for information, but the maid kept her silence till they finally reached the door to their arena. Going through a door to enter a... bar? Did uncle Qrow request this?
The team easily found Xero at the bar, as he was nursing a drink in his hand and had four others beside him. What was going on?
"I thought you agreed to a fight, not take us out to the bar?" Yang yelled cockily, as Xero simply took a swing of his drink, as they approached the Magus warily. He stayed silent for a second, waiting for them to get closer, as he pushed the four drinks towards them, speaking, "I did but at first, i wanted to talk. Extend a, oh what do they call it? An Olive branch of sorts, giving you all one final chance to back out of this, least you get hurt and if not, then set the terms of this dual."
"Terms?" Ruby asked worriedly, as Xero gave her an evil smile.
"Yes, terms." Xero's smile was anything but kind, "Seeing as you all seem to get away with everything you do, regardless of what happens without suffering the consequences, that changes. If you all want a fight, then you will accept my terms for this little fight. Like most people your age, you all feel invincible and like you can't be touched, which is so wrong on so many levels that I would new a hundred-mile-long list to explain all the things that can kill you all with just their pinky, but we don't have the time for it. So, before we fight, i will tell you my terms and i would listen to yours but i have a feeling i already know what they are."
"Oh yeah, then what-"
"You want my Servants as yours and me to design you all new weapons, yes?"
That shut Weiss up, as she glared at Xero, who smiled mockingly, as he took a swing of his drink, "Wasn't that difficult to figure out. Now, for my terms. If i win Ms. Schnee i shall take an eye from you," Weiss gasped in horror, covering her eye, as did the rest of her team looked at him with horror and shock as he pointed to Yang, "Your precious hair." The blonde grasped her hair, glaring hatefully at Xero at the mere thought of him touching her golden locks, as he pointed to Blake with an exceptionally evil smile on his face, "I'll take your heritage. Namely your FAUNUS heritage." Blake, for the first time he met her, actually looked a bit worried before her arrogance overcame her fear, as she glared at him before he looked to a scared and very worried Ruby, "As for you, little Ruby...well, I'll be keeping that to myself for now. You'll find out when i win and trust me, you won't like it."
"IF you win. IF." Yang spat at him, as he simply shrugged, going back to his drink.
"Do we really have to fight?" Ruby asked, worried for her team and not wanting to find out what laid in store for her, if they lost, as Xero simply pointed to the tray of drinks.
"No, we do not Ruby. Here i am, giving you all a peace offer and a chance to talk things out, rather than resorting to violence." He then looked at Blake, "Isn't this what you wanted? For you and your kind to be treated as equals? Well here i am, offering you an olive branch, willingly to talk things out without resorting to violence yet it seems you are intent of bull heading forward like a fool would. You think I'm the violent one, yet here you all are, refusing to talk things out when I'm more than willing to do so, sure as hell makes you all sound very hypocritically."
"Because you're a monster." Weiss spat out, glaring at Xero, "Huntsman and huntress don't negotiate with monsters like you."
"WEISS!" Ruby actually shrieked at Weiss, unable to believe what she just said, as Xero didn't even blink at the accusation.
"Been called a monster, a demon, a freak before ice queen." The Magus said simple, finishing his drink, as he put it back on the bar, leaning against it, "You're going to have to come up with better insults then that but i heard them all in one way or another. Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't called me a brute yet but before you do, allow me to clarify something: I was not raised just by a Magus but by a warrior and my entire family, for all our skills in magic, aren't just Magus but warriors at heart. As such, with our journey/war across time i have become accustomed to solving my problems at the end of a blade, gun or my fists. Even though i would personally prefer to talk things out, but clearly you all have no intention of doing so. But i guess that's a good thing, as your arrogance is starting to get out of control and honestly i hate people like that."
"You-"
"I'm not done." Xero cut off Weiss, as he turned to her entire team, "I get it, your all young and feel invincible but the hard truth is that you're not. Knowing you won't listen to words and that only action will prove my point, i'll just skip over pointing out your flaws and believe me, you all have A LOT of flaws, some that will get you killed. But the biggest one is Belladonna's own arrogance and her irrational hate towards me. But you know Belladonna you're the worst one of them all, the one with the biggest flaws and the largest ego. As much as you hate me, i think i loathe YOU even more." Xero spat out her name, as he threw his shot glass down on the ground, glaring at Blake with his Yoma eyes, "Your actions, your thought process, your hypocrisy, everything you have done has caused you to reek of not only hypocrisy and fear, but it's also stench is strong it's making me sick just being near you. But despite all that, the one thing i hate most about you, is how you treat your own mother."
Blake blinked in shock at that, completely caught off guard at that and the sudden change in topic, "What? I haven't done-"
"Exactly. You have done NOTHING for her at all." Xero felt his blood boil, this had been building for a while now and it was time to unleash it all on this cat bitch, failing to keep his Reaper Persona up, "I am aware of what you did when you were younger, you left them. Ran away from home after calling them cowards, which is Pot calling the Kettle black by the way, but even AFTER realizing what you were doing was wrong, what do you do? Nothing. Nothing at all. You don't call, you don't write, you don't even send one FUCKING letter to your parents, confirming you're alright and NOT dying in a ditch somewhere or in some sort of Faunus brothel. I bet cold, hard cash that Lady Belladonna cried herself to sleep every night, sick with worry, wondering what was happening to her dear baby girl. But then again, i guess it's just too much to send some much as a short, couple of worded letters to your mother, one who loves you to death and only wants you to be happy and even after every awful thing you've done, she still accepts and loves you despite all those flaws. Why? Because that's what mothers do, and you know why THAT pisses me off more than anything? It's because you still HAVE a mother, while many of us, don't. Do you have any idea what i would do to just hug or talk to my own mother one last time? Hmmm? Do you have any idea how much it hurts, to know that i will never be able to see her again, hear her voice and tell her that i love her? Oh, but what do you know, not only do you ignore your loving mother, but you'd also probably took quite a few loving mothers from their children, either by your own actions or inactions in stopping the raging bull and your oh so precious Faunus brothers and sisters in some idiotic sense that they can be saved or are misguided? Well, I've got news for you, they're NOT misguided, they are nothing but scum who hurt others because they want to lash out at everyone they can and i'll tell you this, any who DARE to threaten my dad or mom Pepper or any member of my family will be dealt with, with extreme prejudice." He then smiled cruelly at Blake, "Ah but you don't really care about any of that do you? No, I'm betting money that you want to hear how much of a bastard i am, how i 'enslaved' your fellow Faunus like Tamamo and Atalanta Alter, just so you can feel right in wanting to I'm just like every other human that abused your kind. You want to hear me say how i beat down these 'poor, poor Faunus like wild animals', how i broke their minds and made them my pets, just so you can be right in something. Well, ya know what, i didn't need to force them to do ANYTHING! Fucking hell, Tamamo, despite being a glass cannon can easily snap me in half like a twinge if she wanted too. But she doesn't and never ONCE have i ever forced them to do anything to hurt either of them. As for fucking them into submission, to making them my pets? Well guess what, they did that to of their own free will, not because i forced them too but because they wanted to. It was THEIR choice and that's just how things turned out but you can't accept that, because that would prove the asshats right in Faunus being nothing more than animals in human skin and prove your beliefs wrong. You would rather believe I'm some big, bad human that is what is wrong with the world, the source of all evil if you will, then admit the truth that you are wrong."
"Shut up!" Blake yelled, feeling each word, each truth stab deeper into her heart and did not care for the truth she was being forced to face.
But Xero ignored her, as he kept pressing on, hard as he pulled his hood down, revealing his veined face, as his Yoki responded to his anger, "No. No i don't think so, it's about time someone told you the facts like they are, seeing as you've done nothing but run away from them for so long. Here's the truth: Part of you wants so desperately to believe that old horn boy was right in believing all humans are scum, ones like me who abuse our power for our own gain, so you can believe in the illusion that the White Fang is misguided and not a threat to all life on Remnant. Well, I've got a newsflash for you Blakey, you ARE WRONG! They kill, not for equality or respect or even to protect their own anymore, they kill because they LIKE IT! Bull Boy's section of the White Fang anyway and you lie to yourself, cause it's the only way you can sleep at night, knowing the fact you have wasted half your life in living that illusion. Tsk, finding happiness in an illusion, fuck that shit!"
"That's not true!"
Xero rolled his eyes, as Blake looked ready to outright attack him, like they'll do her any good. Goddess above did he hate people like this, bloody fucking hypocrites, a fucking coward and self-righteous all rolled into one.
An unholy combination of all the things he hates, how fucking lovely!
"Truth is different from belief girl." Xero snarled, "You BEILEVE it's not true but facts are facts, that is the truth and one you simple refuse to accept. I'll admit, leaving the White Fang was the only thing you did right but trying to prove them innocent afterward? Makes me wonder if you actually betrayed them or if you're a spy, feeding the enemy information as you go along."
"How dare you!" Blake had the audacity to yell that, red face from anger, "I LEFT them behind because i couldn't stand by them anymore. But the White Fang is-"
"My responsibility, because I'm a clingily little bitch unable to let things go and unable to live if I'm wrong." Xero mocked Blake, eyes still gold but veins less pronounced but the baby, mocking voice he was using made veins appear on Blake's forehead, as he smirked at her, "But i can't do that cause I'm a useless cat bitch that does nothing but whine, like a little bitch. That's all I'll ever-"
"DIE!"
Finally having enough, enough of being mocked, enough of her flaws, her mistakes being flung in her face for no other reason than to be mocked, Blake in an uncharacteristically fit of pure rage, launched herself towards Xero, blade out and pointed towards his heat. Ready and willingly to kill the Magus in front of her, simply just because she did not like his smart mouth. But just as it was about to pierce, two inches away, Blake's eyes widen as her blade touched air.
Where did he-
"I'm right behind you."
Blake whirled around, finding Xero casually leaning against the bar, a new drink in hand as he took a casually sip of it, as Weiss attempted to do the same thing she did, equally made and ignoring Ruby's cries of "Wait!". Weiss made her move, seeing him distracted with Blake (Or so she thought) using her glyphs to increase her speed, aiming for his chest and-
"Slow."
Weiss growled as Xero moved slightly to the left, just enough for his body to be out of the way of Weiss rapier attack. Seeing this fail, Blake attempted a down word strike, aiming for his head.
"Sloppy."
Only to miss once more, as Xero titled his head to the right, narrowly dodging the blow aimed at his smirking face. Weiss, already angry, felt more anger pulse through her veins as this man, this freak dodge her attacks, not once but TWICE. and was now MOCKING her.
Her!
Weiss Schnee, heiress to the most powerful company and family on Remnant. No one mocked or made a fool out of her!
NOBODY!
With a screech of anger, Weiss, forgoing any proper fighting form and using her rapier like a sword, aimed for the Magus's neck with blinding speed!
"Sad!"
Only to easily dodge that one as well as he bent his upper backward grinning all the while, making let out a frustrated shriek again, swinging her rapier down low, aiming to disembowel the Magus with extreme pain!
CLUNG
Only for the cloud of anger around her eyes to vanish in shock, as Xero blocked her rapier strike, by using his twin scythes to capture the blade's tip between the two blades. It even allowed Weiss to see her shocked eyes in the reflection within the beautifully crafted blades. Weiss tried tp push forward, trying to push her weapon through the arrogant Magus's skull but found herself being push back instead!
What the hell?!
With barely any effort, with Weiss's rapier trapped between Harvester's blades, Xero twisted them with enough force to send Weiss into a charging Blake, much to the cat bitch's surprise and before she could even think about dodging, the two collide in a ball of white and black.
"Bastard!"
"Yang wait!"
Oh, it seems someone was done waiting and out of the corner of his eye, Xero saw a golden, fiery blur charge towards him, fist raised, ready to attack. Too bad for her, he hadn't plan to take it head on. Xero moved just enough for Yang to go sailing past him and smashing the poor, innocent bar in her rage. With wild red eyes, she turned back to him and threw multiple punches. All of which Xero smoothly dodge each and every one of them, much to the blonde's growing anger.
Yang threw another wild punch, her hair less fiery, clearly showing she had used more than a little bit of her aura in that last attack that completely destroyed the bar. Perfect.
"You know, i heard you were a prodigy, but i got to be honest," In an equally smooth moves, Xero slipped past Yang's wild haymaker, grabbing her by the wrist and hoisting her up, by grabbing her by the next with his other hand, much to the blonde's surprise, as her hand instinctually went to pry his hand off her face but proved useless thanks to his iron grip on her. His smirk still in place, he leaned into her ear, as if to whisper a secret to her, "you're not really living up to the hype, Cazadora."
Before Yang could register what, he said or get angry about it, Xero slammed her down on the ground, knocking the wind out of her. Her aura protected her and it was a good thing too, as Xero proceed to drag Yang across the stone floor a couple of inches and then launch her into her slowly getting up teammates, making an even bigger pile of bodies then before, making both of their aura's simmer but not break.
Not yet.
"And then there was one." Xero then turned his attention to a shaking Ruby, sliver eyes wide in horror, shock and, oh was that admiration he saw? Oh, how interesting, "Well, what are you going to do now little Rose? Your teammates are getting their asses handed to them on a silver platter and you're just going to stand there, shaking like a leaf? How will you save others, when you cannot even save your own teammates, let alone your own life for that matter? Well, what are you going to do?" He demanded, twisting his scythes in his hand in a show of dexterity, "Are you going to stand there and do nothing or will you run away, leaving your teammates to their fates." He smirks turned into a challenging one, "Or are you going to stand and fight?"
What will you do Ruby Rose?
Line Break
Run.
That was the only thought going through Ruby's mind, as she stared wide eyed at the sight of all her teammates down in just a couple of moves.
Five minutes.
No, less than five minutes is all that took for the Magus to make not one, not two but THREE of her teammates to go down hard on the floor with barely any effort on his part. It was like fighting her uncle Qrow, only he was much more vicious and, and...
"Dangerous."
Yes.
That was the word, dangerous.
Very dangerous.
"I know Xero was strong, the videos showed it but i didn't think he'd be this strong!" Which Ruby had to admit, sounded real stupid, when you considered the fact Boomstick and Wiz said point blank that her cousin had taken on GODS and SURVIVED! Oh Brothers she shouldn't have let Weiss and Blake talk her into this.
"Well, I'm waiting for an answer, Ruby Rose?" He demanded again, as he twisted his scythes in his hand once more, grinning sharp, pearly whites, "What are you going to do? Stand your ground like a warrior or run like a coward?"
"I..." Ruby hesitantly brought up Crescent Rose, still shaking but willingly hoisting her weapon against the Magus before her, "I-i'm not r-running."
Her answer seemed to please Xero, as he chuckled, reading his own scythes, "Good. This is going to be fun. But first." His images suddenly turned transparent before it vanished much to Ruby surprise, as Weiss came barreling towards her!
Ruby yelped in shock, as Weiss's eyes widen in horror, trying and failing to stop her attack. Ruby used her semblance to move away, as Weiss diverted her attack away from Ruby's spot, sending a wave towards the wooden pillar.
"Weiss, what are you doing?!" Ruby yelled, having barely gotten away from being skewed and set on fire.
"Me?!" The white-haired girl yelled, glaring at Ruby, as she pointed her sword towards her leader, "You're the one that-"
"Bad idea to get districted during a fight." Xero suddenly said, appearing beside Weiss, as he wrapped his arm around her sword arm, much to the girl's shock at his speed, "Now you'll pay the price for that arrogance." He then twisted Weiss around, nearly making her bend her entire upper body backwards as he gripped her right arm and then pulled her arm up in the air, then-.
CRACK
"AGGH!"
Bent her entire arm at an odd angel, most certainly breaking her arm in the process. But he wasn't done, as he twisted Weiss's now broken arm into another direct, resorting in another loud CRACK. This meant if her arm wasn't broken before, it was most certainly broken now, aura or no aura. But he didn't stop there, as with his free hand, he delivered several punches to Weiss's stomach, cracking a few ribs in the process and making her spit out blood. Then delivered a kick to her right leg with enough force to make her leg go in a direction it was never meant to bend. The pain was so intense, Weiss dropped her prize rapier, falling on the floor and as Xero grabbed her by her shoulders and with little effort, slammed Weiss down on the ground, cracking the floor and quite possible her back in the process, as her aura, already shimmering out of existence, dispelled completely, shattering like glass.
A show that her aura had been broken completely, leaving her vulnerable.
"Oh, don't get teary eye on me now Schnee." Xero's foot came crashing into Weiss's stomach, breaking more ribs, as blood flooded out of Weiss mouth from the pain, "I know you're in pain, but i trust you remember our little deal, right?"
Despite the pain, Weiss went wide eyed as her heart sunk in her stomach. The deal! The deal that involved-
"N-no, please don't!" Oh, how her father would have laughed at her begging and her pride as a Schnee told her not to but Weiss didn't care. She didn't want to lose an eye! "Please, don't take my eye, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll do anything you want, please just don't take my eye!" Weiss begged and begged but the stone look on his face, as he knelt down, trapping her between his muscular legs told her everything.
"No can do Schnee." His voice was cold, devoid of all emotions, as he stabbed his right blade into the ground, reaching for her unscarred eye, "You made a bet, picked a fight and lost. It's time you paid the consequences for your arrogance in picking a fight you knew; you couldn't have won and now the time has come to pay for it. Let this be a reminder to NOT pick fights for stupid reasons like pride."
Weiss didn't listen, struggling to break free, as Yang and Blake were still trying to get up from their sudden dog pile, while Ruby froze. No, no way, there's no way he would actually go through with it. Was there?
He had to be joking, he had to be trying to scare them, that's all.
Yeah, that's al-
SLECNH
"AGH!"
Ruby felt her entire world come to a stop, as she watched her cousin, rip her partner's eye out of her socket. The reality of what was going on, what they were really doing and what would happen if they were defeated didn't really register to Ruby...Until now.
"Why?" Ruby felt herself say, even if her brain didn't tell her mouth to ask that question, her body did it anyway. She needed to find something, anything to make any sense of what she was seeing and why?
Why was he doing this?!
What was the point of all this?!
"Why?" Xero asked nonchalantly, as if he didn't just rip an eye out as Weiss clutched her face. Without missing a beat, Xero flicked his hand clean of blood, like he was taking a Sunday stroll, as he let out a small 'tsk', placing his scythes on his shoulders, "Ya know i find the idea of a person's entire life being dictated from birth absurd. While it's true that people have to be born with certain blood in order to use magic and become a Magus, that doesn't mean they HAVE to be a Magus. It's a choice and the environment they are raised in do in fact influence who they grow up to be. Blood does too, as certain family traits can be passed onto the child, but it doesn't dictate your role in life. People are not born equal and no matter how you slice it, that is a simple fact of the universe but people like your little friend, the Schnee think they're oh so superior and oh so perfect, simply because they're born a Schnee. Well, as you can see," He pointed one of his scythes as a crying Weiss, "she isn't as invincible as she believed herself to be, like her family name suggest she is something special, to be feared and beloved by all. Like the name Schnee means she is something beyond human and is a gift to humanity as a whole. She knew my power, she knew my skills, she knows what I've done and what i accomplished but despite knowing full well she was completely outclassed, what does she do? She picks a fight, not for some honor, glory or even fighting to protect something, someone or someplace or even an ideal. No, she picked a fight for nothing more than petty pride, a bruised ego and need to prove herself superior because she felt threaten by someone she never met before until today. She and the rest of you saw how i easily defeated the best huntsman in Atlas and by the way, that alone should have been a big hint that you can't beat me. Seriously, just what the fuck did you think was going to happen if you stepped into the ring with me?"
"I..."
"No really tell me?" Xero spat out, causing Ruby to back away as he glared at her, his Yoki making the veins more pronounced on his face, "What made you think that your team, a team of first year huntress that barely out of their first semester, no matter how skilled you are or powerful you are, could defeat someone who took down a team of REAL huntsman. Huntsman, who not only had years of experience, both from training in real death and life situations with advanced tech as well. Not as advanced as I, Da Vinic and my dad can make sure but still much better than yours. So, tell me, if they couldn't defeat me, what in the name of everything that is good and holy, made you think you could defeat me, when they couldn't?"
"W-we...i..." Ruby tried to come up with something, anything but couldn't think of anything. When put like that, it made her feel even worse about leading her team into this situation and was trying to come up with something, anything that could get them out of this. But Xero didn't give her time to think, as he pointed his scythe at her, speaking words that really struck her hard, "But that was the Schnee failure. But this is your failure as well, Ruby Rose."
"I-i failed?"
"As a team leader." Xero said ruthlessly, as Ruby began to shake in both fear and trying to fight the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes, as she slowly put together what he was about to say, "You could have stopped this Ruby, you could have put your foot down, told your team that this is a stupid plan and stopped it but instead you caved. Let them walk all over you and go through with a plan that was doomed to fail. Now, your team will suffer for your own weakness and inability to lead."
No matter how much the words torn at his own heart to say, no matter how much seeing Ruby in tears hurt him personally, Xero knew it needed to be said. It was for the best that Ruby learns this harsh lesson now, where she and her team would be both safe and now have an actual chance at dying for good. Cause once you die, that was it.
Game over.
No responding.
No do overs.
Nothing.
Dead was dead and even in his world, where the dead can be summoned back to life, there was no true way to say if the people you summoned are the ones that died. Sure, the Servants have memories of their past lives but was it really, truly them?
Or were they simply shadows of the original legends?
"I do not know if I am the real Boudica or just a phantom of her but i don't think it really matters. Because this life is a good one and i am glad you summoned me, master."
That's what the red headed Rider once said to him that made him wonder if they were the real deals. It was something Xero never really thought about too much, before or after Boudica brought it up. Cause why would it matter, some might think it would matter but Xero nor Gudako thought it did. Why was he thinking about this now?
Because he didn't want Ruby or her team to become like his Servants:
Well known heroes, who's legends have become a part of the world's history, but all met an unfortunate, painful demise at the end of their journeys. They don't realize it but these four young women were heading down the path of dying a legends death and he would not allow it. While he might have been doing this to prevent the incoming destruction of New York, thanks to Cat Bitch's unwillingness to let things go, but that wasn't the only reason. The main one for sure but not the only one.
He was doing this for their own good, no matter how painful it would be, it was better than the alternative.
"YOU BASTARD!"
Speaking of painful lessons, Xero once again, "Phantom" away as Yang came charging in, semblance lightening up with her rising fury as she threw a wild punch at him. But missed, making her even more anger as she smashed into the ground, destroying and dispelling more energy.
More aura.
Making her even weaker than before.
Xero reappeared several feet away from Yang, sheathing his scythes (Much to Yang's anger), as he crossed his arms, staring at a panting, angry Yang, "You sure you want this fight blondie? You just wasted a good amount of power with your failing attacks and now, after unleashing another big attack, you're even weaker than before. I don't need to hack into your little scroll to see that your aura is nearing the red, so tell me, what are YOU going to do? Keep being insane or actually sane?"
"Insane? INSANE?!" Yang yelled, eyes blood red as she shook her fist at Xero, "You're the ones that's fucking insane Mazoku! You RIPPED Weiss's eye out! Why?!"
"Because i told her i would do it, if i defeated her and broke her aura?" Xero's casual answer only made Yang angrier, as he continued, "But I'm not insane. Insane is doing the same thing over and over and over again, thinking you'll get a different outcome, when clearly you are NOT going to get a different result but you keep doing the same damn thing, believing you'll get a different result. THAT's insane. No, what's insane is knowingly fighting a person, whom you know is stronger than you for the same reason i explained earlier to dear little Ruby: For some ridiculous need to prove yourself and vanity pride. I get wanting to be the strongest but let me ask you, is it worth it? Is all this pain and humiliation really worth it?"
"HOLD STILL AND I SHOW YOU!" Yang all but roared, as she put what strength she had left and launched herself at Xero like a bullet, much to Ruby's horror as she yelled out for her sister to stop but she didn't listen. But what shocked Ruby was the fact Xero actually did in fact stay still and moved his hand to CATCH YANG'S FIST?! WHAT WAS HE-
"BOOM"
The sound of a shockwave erupting and the powerful winds of said aftershock knocked both Ruby and Blake off their feet, shaking the bar as it did so. Ruby scrambled to her feet, horror filling her entire being, praying Yang didn't kill Xero. Sure, he might have ripped Weiss's eye out but some of the things he said made sense and she didn't want her sister to become a murderer just because she lost herself in her rage. Blake on the other hand, after getting back to her feet was kind of hoping that Yang did indeed kill Xero, if not, then cripple the sick fuck, then she could enact her plans to free the Faunus under his control. She didn't free any enslaved Faunus in her time with the White Fang as she should have and now she planned to change that.
Right here, right now.
However, the sight that greeted the two huntresses of in training in shock.
There. in the middle of the bar was Xero and Yang, with the Magus gripping her fist like she didn't just send him an earth-shattering attack, completely unaffected, save for the fact his feet had dug themselves into the stone floor. But they weren't the only ones, as Yang looked at Xero with clear shock and disbelief clear on her face.
"He blocked it."
That was the only thought going through the golden brawler's mind, her eyes seeing reality but her brain unable to make sense of what was happening in front of her. What was worse, was that she had burned through almost all her aura, and she put whatever she had left into that attack that ultimately failed.
Now she would suffer the consequences.
Without giving any of them a chance to react, Xero tighten his grip on Yang's fist and grabbed the back of her jacket, twisting her around and slamming the blonde face first on the ground, causing her aura to shatter. For good measure, he twisted her arm around tightly, breaking her dominate arm like one could see a police officer cuffing a prep, as he planted his knee on Yang's back, effectively trapping her under him. He then leaned down, putting his face next to her as he spoke, "I defeated you Yang, your aura is shattered and your beaten. You know what happens next."
Yang's eyes widen in horror, as she began to desperately struggle to get out of his iron grip, as he reached for his scythe with one arm and gripped her prized hair with another hand. No, no this couldn't be happening, it wasn't possible, it CAN'T BE POSSIBLE! NO.
NO!
NO!
NO!
A shriek escaped Yang's lips, making her sound like some sort of dying banshee, as she tried to escape the incoming punishment, as Xero sighed, "This is happening one way or another Xiao Long. I tried to talk you all out of this, i tried to help you grow but you were too stubborn to listen and didn't listen to me. Now have to accept what's coming to you, try to scrap some dignity and take your punishment like the huntress your supposed to be."
He raised his scythe, as he got a good grip on Yang's hair, holding it up, ready for the chopping block, as Yang spoke with actual tears coming out of her eyes, her voice hoarse, fearful.
"Please...don't. I swear, i listen from now on, i won't bother you again, i swear! Just please, please don't cut my hair." The way she spoke was like that of a child fearing being spanked for being naughty. Sadly, Xero had enough of her begging, as he turned the blade of his scythe towards her prized hair and spoke in a tone that made winter look warm.
"All actions have consequences, now you will suffer them."
"NO-"
SNIP
With one clean monition, a curtain of golden hair was sliced in half, leaving Yang with only shoulder length hair that didn't even reach her shoulders. Ruby and Blake both froze as a second passed and Yang's broken cries made her sound like she was subjected to the worst torture known to man. Not that it stopped Xero, as he stepped around the crying girl, as he looked at Blake, "And then there is the little kit kat, who mislead her team into an unwinnable fight, but let her arrogance get the better of her." Letting the golden locks go from his hand, the Magus grabbed his other scythe and slipped into a fighting stance, bending his knee's slightly and moved his scythes behind his back, crossing the blades as he did so, "Well kit-kat, what will you do now? Your teammates are broken, your team leader's confidence is shattered and your all alone. What will you do, going to take the cowards way out and run away or are you going to fight?"
As he spoke, Ruby dropped her beloved weapon and went to her sister, trying to pull the crying girl away from the battlefield bar, as she used her semblance to go outside the bar, then came back for Weiss.
Blake looked like she was stunk between yelling at Ruby to attack or attack herself, as she gripped her sword. Okay, so she-
CLING
Blake didn't have time to think, as Xero struck, grinning all the while, cutting her thoughts off. She barely had a chance to defend herself, as Harvester slammed against Gambol Shroud, delivering blow after blow that made Blake's teeth and bones rattle as she desperately tried to fend off his attacks. She didn't have a whole lot of aura to begin with and after getting blown back twice, both times doing a lot more damage then she care to admit, her aura levels were starting to go in the red.
The cat Faunus had to do everything she could to block the insanely sharp scythes from cutting her into pieces, as she finally jumped back, sliding over a round table and turning it over like it was a wooden shield. Not that it did much good, as Xero effortlessly sliced through the table in a single slash, starting his relentless attack once more.
Blake gritted her teeth, parrying right, left, right again and, she suddenly felt her left-handed weapon suddenly get hit with more force than his previous attacks. causing her blade to get thrown to the side. Eyes widening in horror, Blake tried to back away, only for something to happen that would haunt her for years to come.
Time seemed to slow down for Blake, as the right blade of Harvester narrowly cut her skull open, barely getting back far enough the insanely fast blade and her aura. The cat Faunus landed on her back with a groan, okay so he was very strong without his magic, fine. It meant nothing, they had aura and so long as her team had that, then they could-
Blake's eyes widen, as her pupils dilated into pin pricks, as she felt a thin trail of blood run down her forehead, nearly getting into her eye. But she didn't care about that, as she reached up with her hand and found it coated with blood, eyes widen in disbelief, she was...bleeding?
How?
Her aura didn't break, did it? If so, then that meant...
She felt the hair on the back of her neck and fur on her ears stand up, as she felt her heart start to beat.
Loudly.
So loud that it sounded like beating drums in her ears, making it harder to hear as everything sounded like what might hear when under water. Barely able to make it out but it was there, as she felt her throat constrict, her lips dangerously dry and her body was shaking. Suddenly and without warning, everything she had done, every memory, both happy and sad, up to her leaving the White Fang, to meeting her team flashed in her mind, making her shallow thickly. She shook from a horrible realization. She was...
"What's the matter?" Blake's fearful eyes looked up to the approaching Magus, his golden eyes seemed to be glowing as he had an evil, wide smile on his face as he dragged his scythes across the cold, stone ground, slowly coming towards her. Like a predator stalking it's prey, "Life flashing before your eyes?"
"I'm going to die."
"Come on now, please don't make it easy on me, make me work for it. Show me what a huntress can do." Xero spoke, as he kicked Blake's weapon back to her, much to her shock/horror, "Pick it up." Blake kept looking back at her blade and at Xero, as he frowned, "Pick it up." As he slowly made his way towards her, she didn't move a muscle, as Xero let out a more animalistic growl, "Pick. It. Up." The closer Xero got, the more Blake became convinced that she made a huge mistake and did what she always did, when she realized she made a mistake:
She ran.
She didn't even bother picking up her sword, just bolting to the closet door, which just so happened to be the bathroom?!
"Hehehe." Xero chuckled to himself, just what in the seven hells did she think she would be able to do while in there? Flush herself down the toilet? Well. she was a shitty person by nature, so maybe Blake was onto something? Licking his pearly whites, showing off his sharp teeth, he slowly stalked towards the bathroom, at a deliberately slow pace, making sure his footsteps were loud enough to be heard.
"STOP IT!"
Ruby, in a flash of will power, suddenly appeared in front of him, swinging her scythe at him and he blocked in return. He jumped back, away from Ruby as she glared at him through her tears, "Why?! Why are you doing this? What is the point of all this?!"
She asked that question already, but Xero was certain she meant the motive as to WHY he was doing this. Fighting them, playing them like puppet on strings, degrading them, humiliating them, dragging out their punishments. If she wanted the truth, the real reason, then he saw no reason to deny her, if she had seen that he didn't mention the entire reason.
"Because I'm tired Ruby." Letting his Persona mask fall completely, Xero sighed deeply as he seems to age right then and there. Ruby blinked her tears away, as Xero lowered his scythe but didn't let go, "I'm tired of wondering if tomorrow will be the day I've been dreading. I'm tired of wondering if i suddenly hear about an attack that seemed to be random but was done, purely just to spite me. I'm tired of worrying about the people I love, dying because they dared to care and be around me. I am tired of burying friends Ruby, the ones who died heroes. But most of all, I'm tired of fighting this war against a cult that is determined to bring all kinds of hell down upon the world and having to deal with self-righteous, obnoxious, snot nosed brats like you interfering in my business, thinking you know better. When in reality, you know absolutely NOTHING at all!" He yelled the last part, making Ruby flinch but he wasn't done yet, "I honestly love a good fight Ruby, but this is a one-sided slaughter you brought upon yourselves after getting big heads and overconfident in yourselves. That and your pride, stubbornness combined with your unwillingness to listen is GOING TO GET YOU ALL KILLED! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?! IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?! TO DIE A POINTLESS DEATH?!" His yelling made Ruby cry out in terror, dropping her weapon as he verbal assault her but he pushed on, not letting the tears stop him from saying what he had to say.
Something they all needed to hear, before they really get in over their heads and get themselves killed.
"Is that what you want Ruby? For you and your team to die a pointless death, simply because you couldn't be bothered to listen. To know that your deaths won't just affect your friends but your family, mother, father and well i would say sister but she'll be dead right alongside your stupid ass. To know that you are responsible of letting the monsters in, that would in turn end all life on not just Earth but Remnant too? By the goddess's grace Ruby, do you even know what you're doing by trying to not only but into my business? It means you're not only helping people who want to end the world by interfering with our operations, but it means your stepping into MY world. The MAGUS world and if you should know anything about Magus, it's that we walk with death. Do you have any idea what that means?"
"N-no."
"It means even the smallest; tiniest screw up could mean your permeant end. Not just for you alone but many others, those you know and those that are completely innocent in the matter." Xero said coldly, as Ruby gasped as it finally dawned on her what was truly going on and why this was happening. But he wasn't done yet, "That is why there can be no mistakes. No excuses and most importantly, no hot head, arrogant, i know better than you, foolish children messing with forces they do not understand, nor could you ever hope to understand, seeing as you do not have magic."
"I-i didn't know. I-"
"That's right, you don't know." Xero, having completely disregard his Reaper Persona, decide to give Ruby the cold, harsh truth, "And let me tell you this right here, right now. If you do anything to jeopardize our operations or put any member of my family in danger because of your reckless, then i will personally kill you." Ruby's head shot up, eyes widen in shock and horror.
"B-but we're fam-"
"By blood and distance, nothing more."
"B-but i thought-"
"I'm going to let you on a little truth about me Ruby." Xero slowly stalked forward, dragging his scythes along the ground, making sparks fly once more, "I'm the type of guy whose loyalty is through bond, not blood." He kept walking, allowing his shadow to fall over a much frailer, smaller looking Ruby, who backed up till her back hit the bathroom door, shaking in her boots, "Loyal to someone, just because you sure the same blood never made much sense to me. Seriously, if that were the case then i would have hesitated in killing Junko and she would have undoubtedly used that to further break me till i fall into despair. So no, i won't allow blood to blind me to who is an enemy and who isn't. I won't allow anyone to destroy everything we have worked so hard for, to allow that is to allow the world we have sacrificed so much for, to allow Sol-no, to allow ROMAN's sacrifice be for nothing is something i'm not going to let happen. So if that means i have to crush you, along with the rest of your little friends to protect my world, then so be it Ruby."
"B-but isn't there another way?"
"There was: Talking this out." Ruby felt ice drop in her stomach at that, "But seeing as you and your team refused to talk this out or any other way, aside from fighting, lead us to this. Now, GET. OUT. OF. MY. WAY." Without waiting for an answer, he forceful shoved Ruby to the side with one scythe and slipping one through the small crack between the door hinges, easily slicing the old fashion lock, opening the door to reveal, nothing?
His eyes zeroed on a small window, above the toilet section.
"Corre gatito gato" Xero silently spoke to himself, as he sheathed his scythes before yelling, "Medea! This fight is over, Belladonna has forfeited the fight by running, so you know what that means." It was time for her to pay the price for her failure.
The scenario shifted, going from a rundown 1800's style bar to a blank, wide-open plain with a gray floor but surrounded by an equally gray dome. The shift had summoned Yang and Weiss, besides a still sacred stiff Ruby and a frighten Blake, who's eyes widen as she realized where she was, what had happened.
What she did and what it meant for her.
She attempted to bolt again, only to be pounced on by none other, than Atalanta Alter. The Berserker had the cat Faunus firmly pinned under her, as she held the bitch down, making the teenager look up to the dual haired Berserker with tears in her eyes, "Please, please let me go! You don't have to do this!"
"Your right, I don't." The Altered Berserker smile turned absolutely feral at she said, "But i WANT too."
"B-but your one of u-"
"I am NOT one of your people, you foolish bitch." The Berserker said harshly, none to gently slamming Blake's head onto the ground, making her aura shatter completely as she forcible held Blake's head up, as she looked towards her mate, "She cannot use her semblance to escape now, my mate."
"Ya know, I'm honestly shocked she didn't use her semblance during our fight but i can't really complain." Xero said, cracking his neck as he approached the dazed Faunus, placing a hand over her forehead, channeling magic into his head as he said, "I really didn't want to do this Belladonna, but you and your friends just wouldn't listen to reason."
"No... please don't."
"I cannot." Xero shook his head, as light being to emit from his hand, slowly glowing brighter as he spoke, "You made a deal with me, and you lost. Now you must pay the price, least you don't learn your lesson. But take heart, this lesson will stop your own, pitiful deaths." Without waiting for a response, the light growing suddenly exploded outward, blinding everyone to see what happened.
After a few seconds, the light died down and Altanata Alter let Blake go as she gasped. The Faunus didn't feel any different, all her limbs were intact, her eyesight was normal and her ea-
Eyes widening, Blake's hands went to her head...only to feel nothing but her hair. No, no he didn't, he couldn't...Suddenly a mirror appeared in front of Blake, allowing her to see that she was perfectly fine. Everything was in place; she had her ears. Her normal, HUMAN ears but her cat ears were gone. Like they were never there to begin with.
"Hey, didn't i just do you a favor?" Xero asked mockingly, as he held up her bow strings, "You hated those ears so much, you hid them with this. Ya knows, maybe you should thank me for getting rid of those things, after all you hated them, didn't you? That's why you hid them after all. I've given you the one thing you always wanted: To be treated as an equal and what better way to do that in a world where Faunus are hated, then by making you a human yourself."
Blake Belladonna's broken screams were deafening.
Done.
And yeah, Xero went there, he went there, and Blake paid the price for it. Where will things go from here, is team RWBY done forever and will Xero have any allies from Remnant left after this? Will he have any allies left period after basically torturing the group.
How will everyone else handle this?
Also yes, i took some heavy inspiration from Puss In Boots, The Last Wish scene where Puss fights Death for the first time. He is my fav character in the movie, not Puss but Death. If you've seen the movie, then you know why i wouldn't have to explain.
Found out next time, when we return for another chapter of this story and having the bio of Gudako, the fire angel. Till next time my ever lovely peeps!
Devil out!