RWBY: Team CRML

Chapter 20

Liam sat in his dorm room while his team, team RWBY and Ironwood talked outside. There were also two guards posted up outside to make sure Liam didn't go anywhere.

Running his hands through his hair, the soft sound of flapping wings grabbed his attention. Looking to the open window, a crow flew into the room before changing forms. Liam's dad stood before him.

"Hey, dad." Liam said softly.

Qrow looked at his son. "So, why'd you do it?"

Liam sighed. "He attacked me, so I stopped him."

"Well, that's not what the replay screen showed." Qrow replied. "So either you're lying, or you're crazy."

"I'm not lying." Liam replied.

"Crazy. Got it." Qrow walked over and sat down beside his son. "I don't know what you saw. Maybe it was some hallucination. Maybe you just got pissed and shot the kid. It doesn't change that you injured an unarmed kid. So-" he was cut off by the sound of the door opening as Ironwood walked in.

"Qrow." Ironwood greeted him.

"James."

Looking at Ironwood, Liam sighed again. "What's going to happen?"

"The kid was sent back home." Ironwood said. "They've also come to an agreement that you won't be expelled. However, you and your team are disqualified from the tournament."

"I understand..."

"Good." with that, Ironwood left the room.

Qrow placed a hand on Liam's shoulder, only for Liam to shrug him off. "I want to be alone for a bit."

"Yeah, okay." Qrow walked to the door and opened it. "I'll talk to you in a bit."

"Sure."

Closing the door once he left, Liam stood up and walked over to his bed. Climbing into it, he stared at the ceiling while thinking about what has happened in the past twenty-four hours.

Outside of the room, the others talked. "Has he ever done something like this before?" Weiss asked Yang and Ruby.

"No." Ruby said.

"Never." Yang added.

"Then why did he lash out now?" Blake asked.

"No clue."

"Can any of you talk to him?" Blake asked, looked to Chrome, Marek and Nicci.

"We already tried." Chrome told them.

"He doesn't want to talk right now."

"Maybe you could get him to open up?" Nicci said, turning to Weiss. "You two are a thing, right?"

The others all turned to look at her. "I mean...maybe?"

"It's worth a shot." Blake said.

Weiss nodded. "Yeah...okay..." opening the door, Weiss walked inside.

Glancing around the room, she saw him lying on his bed. Walking over to it, she leaned against the bunk, looking at him. "Hey." Liam glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "You okay?"

"No." Liam continued to stare at the ceiling. "I put some guy in the hospital, got the entire school to hate me, along with the other schools..." he took a breath. "I'm surprised I wasn't expelled."

"Can...can I ask why you did it?"

Liam sat up and got out of his bunk, landing next to Weiss. Looking her in the eye, he spoke. "He attacked me, so I stopped him." he told her. "And before you say anything, I want you to look me in the eye and tell me if I'm lying."

Weiss did what he said, taking a good look into his eyes. "I...I believe you."

Liam couldn't help but smile a little. "Thank you, Weiss."

"Do you...want me to keep you company?" she asked.

"I'd rather be by myself for right now, if that's all right."

"Okay." Weiss took a step towards him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you in a bit."

With that, she left the room.

Turning to the window, Liam looked out of it.

Outside, Weiss told the others what Liam said. "You believe him?" Yang asked.

"He wasn't lying." Weiss told her. "I could see it in the way he looked at me."

"There's not much else we can really do." Nicci said.

"Want to go see the next fight?" Ruby suggested.

"Yeah." Yang nodded. "It'd probably be best to let him cool off."

The seven of them headed back to the arena to see the next fight which was starting in just a bit.

Liam, not really caring, continued to stare out of the dorm room window.

A few minutes later

With the seven of them now in Amity Arena, the next fight had already started. It was between Pyrrha and Penny.

As the fight was going, Liam had an unexpected visitor in the dorms.

Hearing a soft whoosing sound, Liam turned around to see a red portal in the center of the room. And stepping through that portal was his aunt.

"Raven?"

"Hello, nephew." Raven said as she took off her helmet.

There was a short pause before Liam hugged her. Raven smiled as she returned it.

Pulling away, the two sat down on one of the beds. "How are you?" she asked.

"I've been well, considering."

"Yes. I saw what happened during your fight." Raven said. "But I haven't come to talk about that."

"Why are you here?" Liam asked, curious.

"I came to offer you to come with me." Raven said. "Not now, but after you graduate from Beacon."

Liam was silent for a few seconds. "Can I ask you something?" Liam asked. Raven was silent. "Why do you want me to live with you and your tribe?"

Raven was silent for a few seconds. "I think you're old enough to know."

"Know what?"

"Your silver eye, it's going to bring you unwanted attention."

"What do you mean?"

"People with silver eyes can kill Grimm with a single look." Raven replied. "They're usually hunted down and killed because of this."

"And you think I'm going to be targeted?"

"Eventually, you will be." Raven replied. "And I want you to be able to handle yourself when that happens." she stood up and put her helmet back on. "I have to go. Sorry I couldn't stay longer." she opened a portal with her sword. "Please, consider my offer." stepping through it, the portal closed.

Liam stood up and walked over to the window once more. Running a hand through his hair, he let out a sigh.

"This is not a tragedy." Liam looked up as a voice came from the comms. "This was not an accident. This is what happens when you hand over your trust, your safety, your children, to men who claim to be our guardians, but are, in reality, nothing more than men. Our Academies' Headmasters wield more power than most armies, and one was audacious enough to control both. They cling to this power in the name of peace, and yet, what do we have here? One nation's attempt at a synthetic army, mercilessly torn apart by another's star pupil. What need would Atlas have for a soldier disguised as an innocent little girl? I don't think the Grimm can tell the difference."

Liam pulled out his scroll and went to the livestream of the fight to see Pyrrha on her knees and Penny in pieces, spread out across the arena's floor. It looked as though Penny was a robot, not an actual human girl.

"And what, I ask you, is Ozpin teaching his students? First a dismemberment, now this? Huntsmen and Huntresses should carry themselves with honor and mercy, yet I have witnessed neither. Perhaps Ozpin felt as though defeating Atlas in the Tournament would help people forget his colossal failure to protect Vale when the Grimm invaded its streets. Or perhaps this was his message to the tyrannical dictator that has occupied an unsuspecting kingdom with armed forces. Honestly, I haven't the slightest clue as to who is right and who is wrong. But I know the existence of peace is fragile, and the leaders of our kingdoms conduct their business with iron gloves. As someone who hails from Mistral, I can assure you the situation there is... equally undesirable. Our Kingdoms are on the brink of war, yet we, the citizens, are left in the dark."

"So I ask you: When the first shots are fired... who do you think you can trust?"

The livestream turned to static. Turning off his scroll, he put it away as he looked outside, only to see countless Grimm heading towards Beacon. "Alert. Incoming Grimm attack. Threat level: Nine. Please seek shelter in a calm and orderly manner."

Running to the door, Liam grabbed his sword and put it in its sheath on his back before running out the door, both of the guards now nowhere to be seen.

Running outside, Beacon's courtyard was already filled with all sorts of Grimm.

Reloading his weapon, Liam prepared himself to fight.

End of chapter 20