Chapter 7:
It was quiet, too quiet for what is considered to be a perfect world. Team RWBY and William continued walking through the streets in hopes of finding Weiss and the Nightmare Grimm. Apparently, Shion contacted the team to notify them of relics that could help defeat the Grimm but after an hour of walking and searching, there was no luck.
Yang: Well, looks like that castle is the only place left. All this is nothing but a ghost town.
Ruby: It mostly this though I sometimes hear people around then they just disappear. You got any ideas William?
The trio notice William just standing and looking at his reflection from a store window. His face just looked like he had left his body there but what they didn't know was that he was recovering memories, it was all but near that most of his memories had returned clearer. He only kept seeing the old man without saying a word.
Blake: William, what is it? What do you see?
The Doctor: Myself, my reflection, I feel like it's trying to tell me something. Like something is holding back from figuring out who I truly am yet I'm so close to reaching it.
Suddenly, the Doctor feels something in his pocket of the school jacket and pulls out a futuristic black slim device. He activates it causing the door to the store to open by itself.
Yang: Hold up! Where did that come from? And how did it unlock the door?
Blake: There's no way Weiss could imagine that weapon for William when he doesn't even fight.
The Doctor: That's because she didn't. I did. It's called a Sonic Screwdriver where I'm from.
The trio looked at the time lord confused as to how he could create a device of his own, but their thoughts were interrupted as a loud screech was heard across the sky having all four of them run inside the store for shelter.
Ruby: W-What's going?
The Doctor: The Nightmare Grimm, it knows I'm here and because Weiss does not have a representation of me like how she does for you due to the state I'm in with my memory loss. In other words, I'm trespassing her mind and the Nightmare Grimm isn't happy about it.
Blake: It makes sense because you haven't had your appearance change and you created your own weapon.
Yang: Which means you're Weiss and the Grimm's most wanted!
The screech finally came to an end as everything had seemed to return to normal. Once the coast was clear, Team RWBY and the Doctor walked out of the store and made a run for it towards the castle. It took quite a while but before they were able to reach the entrance of the castle, they were surrounded by robot-like guards.
Ruby: Not these guys again!
Blake and Yang: Again?
Ruby: They are supposed to represent the guards of Atlas and Beacon.
The Doctor: For once, Cybermen look better than whatever this is. *Points to the robot* Wait, what is a Cyberman?
Nightmare Weiss: How cruel of you to be showing up again Ruby Rose. I spared you yet you come back, makes me regret not putting you to sleep forever. And if it isn't her loud sister and...the Faunus.
The Doctor: Bravo Weiss! *claps* You let your emotion and ego get the very best of you allowing this creature to absorb you and create a so-called perfect world.
Nightmare Weiss: And you! The man who wonders who he is. You are trespassing in my kingdom.
The Doctor: Your kingdom? *chuckles* Weiss Schnee, I am terribly sorry for whoever hurt you to have you think everything in life must be perfect. As I said once before, there is no such thing as perfect at ALL.
Nightmare Weiss: That is where you are the least smart one here. Look around you William, No Criminals, No Grimms, and No Faunus! *Glares at Blake* I did all this, and it is now peaceful.
The Doctor: No! You just want cruelty to beget cruelty. You're not superior to people who were cruel to you. You're just a whole bunch of new cruel people. A whole bunch of new cruel people, being cruel to some other people, who'll end up being cruel to you. The only way anyone can live in peace is if they're prepared to forgive.
Nightmare Weiss: And why should I?
The Doctor: Let me be very clear on this little world of yours Weiss. Paint me a picture. Are you going to live in houses? Do you want people to go to work? What'll be holidays? Oh! Will there be music? Do you think people will be allowed to play violins? Who will make the violins? Well? Oh, You don't actually know, do you? Because, just like every other tantruming child in history, Weiss, you don't know what you want.
Nightmare Weiss: That's enough! Guards arrest them!
The Doctor: You don't want to admit it that nothing can be stopped in your control. Allow me to break that cycle.
The Doctor pulls out his device causing a ring like noise and a yellow light to flash around them causing the robotic guards to shut down completely to Weiss and Team RWBY shock.
Nightmare Weiss: W-What did you do?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?
The Doctor: Just a simple hack into the system completely shutting them down. *Walks right to Weiss* You are defenseless right now Weiss so let me ask you this now; When you've killed all the bad guys, and it's all perfect and just and fair, when you have finally got it exactly the way you want it, what are you going to do with the people like you? The troublemakers. How are you going to protect your glorious revolution from the next one?
Nightmare Weiss: We'll get better, stronger, smarter, and we'll win.
The Doctor: Oh, will you? Well maybe - maybe you will win. But nobody wins for long. The wheel just keeps turning. So, come on. Give it up and wake up!
For once the nightmare version of Weiss had no idea what to do. Her guards are down, and she was surrounded 4 on 1.
Ruby: Please Weiss...wake up. We need you. I need you.
Nightmare Weiss: R-Ruby...
The moment was ruined when the same screech from earlier was heard as everyone covered their ears. The Doctor knew it was the Nightmare Grimm once again releasing its anger and noticed the robots activating once again. Next thing he noticed was Weiss's sword coming towards him before it was blocked by Ruby's weapon.
Ruby: Go Find Weiss! We'll try to fight them off and meet you inside.
And so, Ruby is left dealing with Nightmare Weiss as Blake and Yang deal with the guards as the Doctor runs inside and closes the door to the castle. He needed to think very fast and find clues, traces, anything to lead to the center core of the Grimm where the real Weiss is trapped.
The Doctor: Think William Think.
He finally thought where the Nightmare Grimm could be and began to walk carefully making sure there weren't any traps around. After a long, careful walk, and reaching the second floor, he found where the creature is hidden: Weiss's room. Using his sonic screwdriver, he unlocks the door and enters the room to his horror: The Nightmare Grimm was there with vines around half the room and looking like a beast. The Doctor notices quickly it's covering something and sees it which is a mirror.
The Doctor: I'm coming Weiss!
The only difficult task right now is how he would try to get to the mirror with the creature ready to finish him off. He began to look around the room and think of a way to knock it down. He saw a large glass of water on the table and beneath it lays a cord, if the cord is functional, it could cause a massive electric shock to knock the Grimm for enough time to rescue Weiss. Without hesitation, the beast strikes first only for the Doctor to dodge fast and knock the table down with the glass of water splashing the beast. He runs for the cord only to be knocked to the other side of the room.
The Doctor: Clever Girl. *Gets up slowly*
Nightmare Grimm launches one of its vines again towards the Doctor, but quick thinking comes through as he grabs the cord for the vine to strike causing a major shock to the Grimm as it sends a blood curling scream knocking itself out temporarily.
The Doctor: Water and Electricity, Bad Mix.
The Time Lord would then run inside through the vines of the beast as he approaches the mirror and activates the sonic screwdriver to find any possible openings or clues on how to break this. But in a glimpse of his eye, he noticed someone in the mirror, and he couldn't believe it.
The Doctor: Weiss...
He would then knock on the glass for Weiss and look, she couldn't believe what she was seeing and ran as fast as she could to the mirror reflection.
Weiss: William!
The Doctor: We need to set you free before Grimm wakes up or your nightmare version returns.
Weiss: I don't know how!
There was only one way he could set her free: Breaking the Glass. Nodding to Weiss to move back, the Time Lord began to punch the mirror but realized it was not a normal mirror after not a single crack was found.
Weiss: We'll both break it! I'll move back once it breaks through!
The Doctor nods as both began to punch the mirror despite the struggle and pain in their hand from the punching. They kept going and going for what felt like an eternity until the glass began to crack.
The Doctor: *grunts* Keep going! We can't quit!
Weiss: Your hand!
The Doctor: Doesn't matter, it's my duty of care to save people! AHHHHHH!
The Doctor kept punching as the glass kept cracking more and more, each punch getting louder.
The Doctor: Personally, I think that's One. Hell. OF A BIRD! *Punches the glass one more time*
And at long last, the badly wounded hand finally released its last punch to break the glass completely. He did it. He saved Weiss.
The Doctor: Weiss!
Weiss: William! *Hugs him tight*
The Doctor: *hugs back* There's not much time, we need to kill the Nightmare Grimm and end all this!
But at that very moment, the Doctor felt that something was off. He looked at her and noticed she had a blank expression with no response. It hit him and he couldn't believe he fell for it. Using his Sonic Screwdriver to scan her, he realized this is not the real Weiss.
The Doctor: Should have seen this coming.
And with that, she disappeared and so did Nightmare Grimm. It was a trap and he fell for it before he felt a mix of heels, machine noises, and struggling noises only to turn around and see Nightmare Weiss along with Team RWBY captured.
Nightmare Weiss: And here I thought you were the smart one, yet you fell for the trap. You're good with thinking William, I'll give you that, but my precious Grimm wouldn't be somewhere as easy as my room.
The Doctor: You are letting it consume you. Drain your aura completely until YOU DIE! When will you learn Weiss Schnee that all this isn't real and never will be! Did you ever think you would become the thing you swear you would kill!
Blake: *grunts* William, Be Careful!
The Doctor: I know we came off the wrong end when we last talked and believe me, I am very sorry for that. I know you are better than this Weiss, you are indeed strong, smart, and confident but you are also kindhearted and can be more, and you have people who need you! Your sister, your friends and team, me, and the future. You can be so kind and things can change for the better. You just need to do it to see it. So break the cycle Weiss, come home.
Her eyes got soft and clear after the statement made Weiss rethink a lot of things as she looked at her reflection then at Team RWBY who hoped she would listen to her heart and overcome this. She then last looked at William.
Nightmare Weiss: I...I...
But soon, she would hear whispers coming from inside her mind as the soft eyes began to disappear and the Doctor noticed. It was the Nightmare Grimm reaching out to her and making sure she would not quit. But before he could act, he felt something sharp go through him.
Team RWBY: WILLIAM!
Nightmare Weiss: I'm feeling fine being who I am and the world I created. And no one including you will stop me!
She goes for two more strikes leaving William on the ground in his last breath of the dream world as the trio struggle to free themselves from the guards. All that came to a halt when they noticed William glowing all over to the shock of the Time Lord himself. Even in the real world, his body began to glow which caused confusion and panic to everyone in the room.
Pyrrha: That's new...
Ren: And not good.
Jaune: Uhh...What's going on Professor?
Shion: I...I don't know but we must wake him up NOW!
The Doctor looked in confusion as to what is happening to his body as he begins to feel different but is worried of what is about to happen to him. He looks over at Weiss then Team RWBY with a sorrow look.
The Doctor: I'm so sorry everyone...
The Doctor slowly gets up looking at everyone one last time before his body becomes a bright, yellow flash.