AN- Wow, guys, girls, all of you. This story made it passed 100 follows! Woohoo! I have a feeling this story will become even more popular than my current most popular story, which currently stands at 221 follows. I predict that in the upcoming months, this story will either be close, or surpassing An Unlikely Hero.
Thank you to my reviewers from last chapter! Thank you all for reviewing and reading this story!
HaFschu: Ah, thank god man. I spent a lot of time looking over the chapter for any of those pesky errors. Seeing this as the first review of that chapter made me sigh in relief that I did a good job.
The Azure King: I'm glad you enjoyed that line! I smiled when I thought of it and wrote it down.
SirlolisaLot: Most likely a harem is not going to happen, i'm sorry but I just don't write that kind of stuff. If you are looking for a fanfic with a harem I suggest you look for another story. But if you stick around I thank you in advance.
Astra: I swear with the amount of words you have given me in reviews I could write a few chapters with them. If you want to be directly credited for finding that mistake then I'll go back and write Astra(Guest) if you want. But Shae's name was something I probably should of spelled differently, since it is so close to Rhea's name from Unlikely Hero. But it's too late, unless I want to go through the last three chapters and find her name to change it, which I am not because fuck that. Gotta live with it. I am aware of the theory around Fox's possible blindness, I personally haven't looked into it all that much, but I am thinking about possibly make that theory true, in this story I mean. Nothing is confirmed though so don't get too excited. Ignoring all of the puns real quick. Okay I take that back because the way I described her weapon is nothing like that, do some research for me on the name that weapon could have, I'm just going with a one handed axe/spear that can be used for slashing and sawing. The Flamingo Goddess is going to be getting a special side story because of how popular she is, maybe a valentines special in the future. Keep an eye out for that one. Neo is just Neo, and she does Neo things. Though I can't deny that it would definitely be an interesting story to tell if I decided to flip the tables and have her be the main pairing, and by interesting I mean hard as fuck. I have to admit it, Orchid is the one I have the most fun writing, I am so glad I wrote her into existence. Emerald focused on visual illusions rather then hearing illusions, I guess I should have explained that… welp that's a inconsistency, ignore it and it will go away. Well, if I put that much logic into my stories then you could have just rolled credits at a lot of time points in pretty much all my stories. But yeah, I can see your point, lets just say Kai was blinded by anger. He left no room for Qrow to… Qrow… yeah that's Xiao-Long it takes for me to run out of pun ideas. I'm an unpredictable writer, it's part of my charm, who knows what else I will change? I like using the powers of a fanfic writer to change the main cannon if I want, although I am sure you already know that. To answer your last question, you'll find out soon enough ;).
Dood Whitefang: Lol it's alright man, I've been playing a ton of Spiderman and Destiny 2 myself since Forsaken dropped, add work and writing stories to the mix and I've got a full schedule every week. Thank you for coming back though!
DepressedNinja75: Too both of your reviews, thank you very much. I will add your vote to the poll whenever I can.
Guest: I have been thinking on that for a while now. I like to be creative and original, and there's not a lot of OC x OC's out there, I have a lot of time to think on a decision, so we will see what happens.
Now let's see where the Poll is at- Holy shit that's a lot of people.
Ruby Rose- 16
Yang Xiao-Long- 10
Weiss Schnee- 10
Blake Belladonna- 4
Pyrrha Nikos- 2
Orchid Rosa- 2
Neo- 1
Woah, Ruby really took the lead there. That was sudden, I looked at the Poll the day of the chapters release and saw that and was like holy shit people really like Ruby. Poor Neo hasn't got any votes yet, and I was just imagining how the hell I would make that work too. Yang and Weiss are tied for second, with Blake coming in for third place. Then Pyrrha and poor Flamingo are among the last places. Poor Flamingo… She got my personal vote, I really like her.
I am going to add another vote for you guys, so instead of 2, you can get 3. Since there are so many choices. So if you still have one left go give the poll another shot!
Now let's get straight into the story!
RWBY: The Blind Huntsman
Chapter 10- Volume 0, Episode 8
Deep Bonding
"Pfft hahaha!" Malikai held his stomach as he laughed, finding the very idea of Raven asking for help hilarious.
Raven and Vernal cross their arms and wait for him to finish, resisting the urge to finish the job themselves as he falls backward back onto the bed, a tear of joy falling from his eye.
"Are you done?" Raven asked when he finally had a pause between laughter longer than usual.
"Hah… Ray… geez, I haven't laughed like that in years." Malikai said as he wiped his tear away. "Okay, so back to reality, you wanted me to-" He stifled a laugh, barely concealing it, much to the irritation of Vernal. Raven has become used to it. "Train, this random brainwashed girl i'm guessing you picked up from one of your bandit raids, did you kill her parents too?"
"I came here of my own volition asshole, my parents may as well me dead to me." Vernal snarled, already not liking this newcomer. She is already dreading the training she is going to have to be put under with him as a mentor, but Raven insists that he would be a better teacher, and she can tell that she admires him. Why does she admire him? She is still trying to figure that part out, they have history and that is all she knows about them.
"Brainwashing it is then." Malikai said with a nod as he sat up.
"I did not save your life so that you could do nothing but be disrespectful to me, and my tribe Malikai." Raven said as she placed a hand on her hilt. "I suggest you hold your tongue, before I come to my senses, and take it."
"Eh, whatever." Malakai shrugged. "Not like I could actually say no to you, can I?" His response was a glare, one that he was all too used to. "Guess not." He said as he rolled his neck, feeling knicks and pressure being released after being unconscious for so long. He hasn't had to use his eyes like that in a long time, it has been many years since he used them to that extent, the last time was when… The memory still haunts him.
"When is this guy supposed to start training me?" Vernal asked after releasing a breath of air to calm herself. This, was the guy that Raven was so impressed by? He has a lot of proving his worth to do if he wants to earn her own respect.
"As soon as he is able, I suggest you prepare yourself. His training methods are… not as nice as mine." Raven put on a small smile when she saw Vernal face pale just a bit, even when she put on a challenging smirk in order to hide her true feelings.
Malikai scoffs when he remembers his training sessions with Raven, they were always intense, all the time they would push each other the the brink. There was one time where she slashed at his face and nearly cut off his blindfold, it was only his quick reflexes that he managed to keep it tied around his face to prevent anyone from seeing his eyes. Then there were… other training sessions. Though he likes to block those parts out nowadays.
"Yeah, yeah, what she said. But I want to make sure of one thing." He looked to Vernal, who arched her eyebrow at the attention. "Prove to me that you're the Maiden, and I won't try to force my way out of here when I am fully healed." Malikai was deadly serious as he said this.
"We can do this outside-" Raven started.
"No, make your eyes flame." Malikai cut her off with a stern, loud voice.
"What?" Vernal questioned.
"Make your eyes flame." The silver eyed man repeats himself. "It's something that comes natural with all Maidens, should be easy for you. Come on, Im waiting." He leans forward with his forearms on his knees, and his silver eyes boring into Vernal icy blue orbs.
Vernal looks to Raven for permission, to which she looks hesitant at first, but then nods in her direction. Giving her permission to unleash but a fraction of her power to show off.
And she does.
Vernal closes her eyes and concentrates, she raises her arms ever so slightly and ice begins to form in a circle around her feet. Malikai recoils in surprise, he certainly was not expecting this. He was certain that Raven killed the Spring Maiden, and thus became the new one. But now he knows that his guess - which is justified given Raven's lust for power - is not true in the slightest. Vernal opens her eyes again, and blue flames that match the color of her eyes form up. Confirming her status.
Vernal, this random girl that is under Raven's control, is actually the Spring Maiden.
Malikai almost couldn't believe his eyes.
"Okay then…"
At the end of the day, Kai left the school with Orchid and Ruby earlier than usual, not as willing to chat with his friends as he usually is. Yang stayed behind with some friends that Kai wasn't familiar with, and wasn't in the mood to make the effort to speak to them like he usually would be. This of course, was caught by his partner and Ruby. Who are eager to help him get through whatever he is going through. They noticed his change in demeanor right away, he is always so nice, and cheerful. So easygoing and accepting, Orchid and Ruby both adore him for that. Especially Orchid since he is the first real friend she has ever gotten.
"Kai, are you going to be okay?" Orchid asked worriedly. "You've been off ever since you came back from the vocal test, and you usually come over to hang out and study. What's wrong, does my mom scare you too?" She whispered that last part out, almost like if she said it too loud then her mother would hear. Even if her mother was on the other side of the island she was not willing to risk it.
"Yeah Matsu, what's wrong?" Ruby asked as she pulled on the side of his shirt to get his attention. Kai would have found it adorable if he wasn't in a bad mood.
"Guys, thank you but I'll be fine." Kai finally said. "It's just something up with family that has me down." He figured he should be honest, he can't bring himself to lie. Much less lie to his partner and one of his best friends. His genes just won't allow it.
"Are you sure? Does it have anything to do with Uncle Qrow going on a mission? I'm going to miss him too you know." Ruby said in a mix of sadness and the cheerfulness she is also known for.
"...I guess you can say it's part of it." Kai said as he tensed up at the mention of the man. By no means does he hate him for keeping information from him, at most they might be on bad terms, but honestly he can't even say that given everything Qrow has gone out of his way to do for him. Training him alongside Ruby, the talks they have together get deep a lot of the time, they have bonded so much in so little time it, even if it feels much longer then barely over a month since Kai moved in with Taiyang and his daughters. So at most, Kai is just having tantrum. But he is handling it remarkably well.
"Well, don't worry! Uncle Qrow told me that you are going to be taking care of my training while he is gone!" Ruby exclaims happily. Kai senses a disturbance in the air just to his left, and smiles in amusement when he guess that Ruby is pumping her fist into the air excitedly.
"You have me too!" Orchid adds, doing the same motion on the other side of him. "Team KnockOut shall be both feared and loved by all!" Bubbly Orchid exclaims. "The Flamingo Goddess, and her trusty sidekick! The Blind Huntsman… has a nice ring to it." Intense-Theatrical Orchid said as she clapped her hands together at the idea.
She blushes when Kai wraps his arm around her shoulder, and then did the same to Ruby on the other side, who has the same flustered reaction. He pulls them both into side hugs, leaning his head on Orchids and sighs exasperatedly, but with a smile on his face.
"You two, are my favorite." Kai said as he tightened the hug as they walk.
"M-Matsu what about Yang?" Ruby stammers. She is so easily embarrassed even Kai can see it. Given her increase in heart rate.
"...Two out of three of my favorites." He corrects himself, earning a giggle from both of the girls he is hugging. Yang would have been upset if she heard that slip up. "Seriously, though, in the short time that I've known you two, you've really been making me happy with every encounter we have… thank you for that."
"Psh, you don't have to give me such praise," Nerdy Orchid said while blushing and fixing the glasses that suddenly appeared on her face. "K-k-kaizy, do you really mean that?" Shy Orchid asks shyly in a very shy manner of shyness.
"Of course I do." Kai said with a nod as he loosened his grip on the girls, and eventually let them go as he sensed the fork in the road where Orchid always had to split up from them. He missed the heat they shared, it was nice.
"I'll see you tomorrow Kaizy!" Orchid yelled back as she jogged down the road adjacent to theirs. "Feel better!"
Kai laughed to himself and waved back in her direction, sensing her footsteps slowly get out of his resting-sensing range. After she was gone Kai finally inquired about what kind of training they are supposed to do exactly.
"So what are we supposed to do when we get to your house? Train first or do you want to do something else?" Since he has never really been a teacher before, and apparently Taiyang is going to be too busy with Signal paperwork to be able to train her himself so he can't ask for his advice either, and then Yang is trusting him to take care of Ruby while she does whatever she is doing back at Signal. Hopefully Ruby can think of something that can take up their time.
"I wanna start on your weapon right away!" Ruby immediately answers, her loud voice catching Kai off guard, and his ears ring a little bit due to his sensitive hearing. But he listens nonetheless, knowing that Ruby by no means meant to hurt him. "I have the PERFECT idea for you!"
"Do you?" Kai said as he picked his ear to try and get rid of the soft ringing. "That was fast, I asked you for help like… I didn't even ask you for help yet." Kai said slowly as he remembers that the last time he was with her was in the cafeteria early that day.
"Uncle Qrow told me before he gave you your test? How'd you do on that by the way? Anyway, I figured since you can't use your semblance without-"
"Ruby," Kai shushed her by placing a finger against her face, completely missing her lips but still managing to get her to be quiet by what he can guess is to be just a natural reflex from getting a finger jabbed in your faces direction. "One thing at a time please, I can barely keep up with you when you get this excited." He said with a chuckle.
"Mmm sorry." Ruby said embarrassedly as she brushed some of her hair out of her face.
"It's fine, you can tell me when we get there, I think something is going on around here anyway." Kai said as he sensed vibrations in the ground, which usually means that there are either a bunch of people congregated in a group, or there is a lot of noise in a concentrated area. Given that he can't sense, the thing is that he can't tell which is which this time, so he gathers that it is both. "Okay, something is going on somewhere ahead of us. Do you see anything?"
"Yeah, the town that we always pass through to get to my house, but there's a crowd." Ruby told him what she saw, this is unusual for this town, the people are usually so peaceful, and while Kai did sense some discomfort from a lot of its people, he was always left alone as long as he walked with someone. When they did try and give him trouble he was always able to dodge it by either ignoring them or just brushing it off and giving them a one word response. But they never went out of their way to actually try and hurt him, maybe it's because of his huntsman in training status, he doesn't really know for sure. But he doesn't need to, racists don't deserve the time he has little of already. He grabs hold of Ruby's hand just in case chaos began to ensue, and he felt her little hand tighten around his own.
Kai begins to hear several different voices shouting different things, a lot of bad things that he wished Ruby didn't have to hear. As he grows nearer to the town, he senses not one but two crowds, though one of them is considerably smaller than the other. In the air he smells something similar to what he smells from Shae whenever she is around, along with several other different kinds of the same intriguing smell of something… faunus?
Is this what they- we all smell like? He thought to himself as the two of them finally made it to town, and of course either had to walk through one of the crowds, or find a way around. But curiosity takes a hold of both him them, and the get a bit closer than they probably should have for.
Kai's POV
"Damn White Fang, you dare call yourself an 'organization' after all you have been doing?!" I hear one of the angry humans shout to what I now know are members of the White Fang, but I thought they have turned completely militant now? I guess some of them are still going for the peaceful route.
"If you just gave us the equality we deserve we wouldn't have to resort to violence!" A girls voice yells back, a young girls voice, if I had to guess then she should be around my age give or take a few months.
"Matsu, lets find a way around. Dad always said not to get involved in these kinds of things." Ruby said as she tugged on my hand, trying to get me to steer away from the crowd.
But I can't just leave these crowds here on their own yelling at each other. I just have this bad feeling that something is going to happen between these two hostile crowds and it's going to lead to violence, and my the anger I sense coming from both crowds I think there is a very good possibility of people getting killed. Then if that happens, even if I stepped in it would be too late.
"Where are the police? Is anyone going to stop this if we just leave them be?" I asked the young girl holding my hand, I can sense her nervousness, and I don't blame her. The nerves are getting to me to, and I am resisting the urge to stuff my tail in my pants. Shae always tells me to wear my faunus heritage with pride, even if I am just a half breed like she sometimes calls me, she counts me as one of her faunus brethren.
"I… don't know." Ruby answered, since we are getting close to the angry mobs now, she is clinging to me for protection. Even though I know she can handle herself if someone attacked her, but that is only if she is willing to defend herself. She always got nervous when getting so much attention too quickly, and this kind of attention is bound to make her shrivel up in her shell. But still, I press on.
"Oh look, that blind monkey is back." I hear one of the villagers say. They are certainly more aggressive then they ever have been before.
"Probably here to join his other animal friends." Another one snarled.
I can sense some of the attention shift to me. Which is good and bad. I push Ruby to the other side of me just in case anything happens when I say what I want to say to these humans.
"What's going on?" I ask first, mostly directing the question to both crowds rather than just the humans.
"All we want is equality, but the humans just won't accept us just because we have extra ears and tails!" One of the male faunus said from to my right, I can understand in a way of their frustration, I myself wondered that for so long after I was told by my mother that the world doesn't view her species as people like they should, rather more like sentient animals. But always assured me that peace between both races is possible, and I am the prime example of a possibility for peace, given my hybrid biology. I've also done my research, and I've begun to understand why humanity has demeaned my people for so long. There were so many wars between both of the races, so many that even in an era of peace, the humans still hold a grudge against my people. No, they are both my people. I am both human and faunus, whatever we may be called. I know peace can be acquired we all try."
"You don't deserve equality you damn animals! Peace between us is such a joke!"
"Okay... so why don't we?" I asked, feeling one of my eyebrows arch up absentmindedly.
"Because you're nothing but animals!" The same person from earlier yelled out.
"Okay... well yeah, we are animals." I agreed with a shrug, confusing the crowd, and the faunus sympathizers. "You are too, almost everything on this planet is animal, even Human and Faunus. We're just smarter than most of them. I don't see how that argument somehow gives you the excuse to call us inferior to you."
"I-it's because you all should just be locked up in cages!" I could sense the heartbeat of this man increasing further, hopefully what I said was able to get to him. On the other hand, the other faunus to my right were gaining newfound respect for me apparently. It felt good. "You faunus are inferior to humans in every way!" And now that feeling was gone.
"Why though? Besides your bizarre animosity towards Faunus, maybe it's the additional traits that offend you which I won't judge since it's a personal preference that you have for some reason, what have I done to offend you? What have the Faunus done to offend you? Violence? You're judging an entire species by the actions of the few? Does that mean I should judge all Humans to be uneducated, ignorant, drunken hooligans from the actions of the criminally insane? No? Of course not."
"W-what? Shut up! there isn't anything you can do that we can't do better!"
"Well that's generalizing to the extreme. We're all each unique regardless of one's status in life. If you commit and train yourself, you can be superior to anyone regardless of whether you're Human or Faunus. Not to mention that if I were to generalize like you have done, I could say the opposite. In terms of senses, generally Faunus have better eyesight, hearing, smell, taste and touch due to their additional traits from whatever animal they are based off of. Thus, depending on the individual, gives them a far greater chance of success in all walks of life than humans if I do say so myself. And that's not taking into account what effects these extra appendages can do to the brain and body, which can enhance everything from metabolism to higher ways of thinking. So your statement is a double negative if I do say so myself. I mean, don't even get me started on what I am capable of."
The protestors stayed silent, though I could sense their anger all on my own. Honestly I don't know how they don't get it just yet, everything I have said so far is a fact. Some of those things I learned in school and others from my mother. I considered stopping there, but there was one last thing I needed to get off my chest.
"And isn't all this hostility towards one another simply ignoring the fact that there are literal creatures of darkness surrounding the five Kingdoms, and threatening all of us with the possibility of extinction? Both races have a high mortality rate, and slow population growth because of it. Shouldn't we simply leave this hatred towards each other to the side, and unite under a single banner to actually ensure a better tomorrow? Who knows, maybe you'll come to respect each other in the end after fighting side-by-side towards a common goal. You might even be able to find that you have more in common than you might realize after all."
I could sense Ruby's heart rate increase even faster than it normally was. Which piqued my concern.
"I didn't say anything wrong right?" I felt the need to ask her.
"N-No... it's not that." Ruby said a little sheepishly, even she knew what was going on. I started sensing the others start to tense up, probably with anger.
"Really? Then why do I sense everyone just getting angrier..."
"I-I'll tell you when you get older."
"But I'm older than-"
"I'll tell you when you're older!"
I could sense the faunus to my right fill with positive emotions at the sight of another of their kind standing up for them. I don't know how they would react if they knew that I was just a half breed, not all faunus must be as accepting as Shae is. I guess we'll find out soon enough.
"So the monkey has a way with words huh?" One of the drunken humans spluttered, and then laughed up a storm.
"Dude, don't you recognize him? He's that blind kid trying to become a hunter." His friend told him.
"No shit? Well it looks like he picked his side, he's nothing but another animal to be caged up. No matter how he uses that silver tongue of his."
"You shut your mouth!" The same faunus girl from earlier screams at the two after hearing them with her own enhanced hearing. "Don't demean our brother like that! He is a person too you know, he only spoke the truth. It was you who decided not to listen to him!"
"You are both my people!" I shouted over the crowd again, this time sensing the surprise coming from every person in each group of people. "My father is human, and my mother is a faunus. Peace is possible between us! We just have to try!"
"Tch, it's just a filthy half breed." This surprises me greatly, since that came from one of the older faunus to my right, and older teen by the sounds of it with a surprisingly deep voice. "Our blood shouldn't ever be tainted like that."
"You're wrong!" Another surprise, since this came from the same group of faunus, this time from that determined girl that spoke up in my defense before. "He is a prime example that peace is possible! I'm not saying we all should bed with humans, but if a human and one of our kind can fall in love, then peace is possible. Equality, is possible."
"Yes, she's right!" I exclaim happily, glad that I have at least one person catering to my side now. "Just stop this before violence can start, I do not wish for blood to be spilled for either side."
"You think we're just going to stop just because some kid came out of nowhere and told us to-"
"Shut. Up." The same young man from earlier demanded, and I heard a blade being drawn out of its sheath. I tense up and get ready to stop him myself if I have to. "Im done listening to this, if you do not want to give us the equality we deserve, then we will take it from you, and more."
"Adam no!" It was too late, I sensed the dashing young man already making his way to the crowd of humans, and the screams of fear that they gave off, with no policeman around with the actual ability to take this guy down, and no other huntsman, I am the only one that can stop this.
I stomp on the ground and raise a tall, thick stone wall in just in front of the humans, both pushing them away and protecting them from the attack that I heard actually cut through the hard stone. It took a chunk out of my aura and stamina, but it was worth it to save lives.
"Ruby! Run!" I say as I push her behind me and prepare myself for a fight, thinking that this Adam guy is going to attack me for protecting the humans.
"Why did you protect them?" Instead he asked me a question, one that was easy to answer.
"Violence and violence only lead to more violence! That is not the way to bring peace between our people!" I answer as I stand my ground, entering Focus Mode just in case he did decide to attack me.
"Tch, you're naive, but then again I suppose I should expect that from filthy half breeds. You're no better than humans." I sensed him take a step forward, and I prepare myself for a fight.
"Kai run!" Ruby pleaded from behind me as I kept trying to push her away.
"No Adam!" The girl from earlier steps in front of him, and pushes him back if the sound of a shove was anything to go off by. I relax ever so slightly when she comes to my defence, but I keep my guard up just in case.
"Blake, get out of the-"
"No! He is one of us, even if he shares half of their blood. How does killing our own kind solve anything?" She asked angrily, I can sense the disappointment coming from her, and also from the other faunus that haven't ran away yet after I raised the wall. But for a different reason I can tell. I just don't know what that reason may be. "You have been becoming increasingly violent recently, I don't know what has gotten into you, but you need to stop this before you actually kill someone!" She continued, to which the guy grumbled something out and surrendered to the girl. I then sensed him turn around and walk away with the other faunus, then stopped to wait for the girl that turned to face me.
"I'm sorry about him… he wasn't always like that." Blake said to me.
I relax my stance, but stay focused. "It's okay, he must have been through a lot." I sensed pure hatred coming from him as he spoke to the humans, if I wasn't here to stop him…
"You would be correct," Blake agreed hesitantly. "What is your name?"
"Kai." I answered simply, leaving out my last name for once.
"Well, Kai, I'm Blake Belladonna-
'Daughter of Ghira Belladonna?'
-I wish we met on better terms. I have to go, though, maybe one day I'll see you as a member of the White Fang?" She asked as she walked backwards away from me and Ruby.
"No, I am going to become a huntsman." I answer sternly. "That way, I can help everyone. Even if it means having to stop the White Fang."
"...I understand. Good luck." That was the last thing she said to me before running away, and I don't know when I may ever see her again. But I sensed conflict within her, almost like she is questioning the methods of the faction she is a part of. I wonder if I'll ever run into her again...
Neutral POV
Kai lets out a sigh of relief once he senses the familiar building in the woods. Ruby praised him for what he did, but also hit him multiple times for almost getting into a fight with what she described as 'Angry scary looking bull guy with a big red mean katana'. He apologized multiple times, and told her that he just couldn't sit by and let that happen. If he did ignore it, then people would have died, and that would have only made things worse for him, and maybe even Ruby. He does regret putting her in danger, he let his emotions get in the way of her safety, but luckily he was easily forgiven after agreeing to helping Ruby with making ammo for her weapon that is still in the works by using his semblance after starting on his own weapons. She said that she is going to keep working on it until her first year at Signal, then show it off to everyone. Which means that he would be the only one to see it… sort of.
"Okay, so what do you got for me?" Kai asked after he was sat down in Ruby's room, he heard a bunch of papers, and some metal clanging all around him, and waited patiently for the hyperactive girl to finish her preparations for whatever it is she has planned for him.
"Gimme your bracer." She ordered in a very serious tone, so serious and demanding that I can't bring it within myself to deny her "request."
"Okay… just be careful with it, it's important to me." Kai said as he clipped off the bracer and handed it to Ruby. As soon as it left his wrist he felt a cool sensation that went halfway up his arm, which must be because of how long he has been wearing it, he doesn't take it off much, mostly because he forgets all the time when he sleeps and showers. He just feels naked without it on, he always taps on it whenever he is bored in class.
"Oof, this thing is heavy." Ruby groaned as she hefted it onto her work table that she installed herself in her own room. "Whatever it is made out of is very strong too." She added. "It doesn't have any dents or signs of aging, you said your dad gave this to you right?"
"Yeah, that and my sword, he said it was made out of something special and that he got it from somewhere for me. Though I could tell that he was lying about that. So I don't really know where or how he got it." Kai explained honestly.
"Hmm, I really want to see your sword a whole lot more now, how big is it?" Ruby asked, missing the accidental innuendo she had just made.
"Ruby, again, i'm blind." Kai pointed out yet again with a laugh. Also completely missing the innuendo that was made. They are so alike in that regard.
"So…"
"It was about as long as my arm, give or take a few inches maybe. I never really measure it and just felt the vibrations flow through the sword when I used it to train. So that is the best answer I can give you." Kai explained, already missing his sword more then he did before.
"Hmm, well the material this is made out of is something I've never really seen before. It's black, and I mean very black, but it shines something silvery in light. It also feels kind of… weird? But the kind of weird where it's so weird that you don't know what kind of weird it is."
"That is weird…" Kai said as he scratched his chin in thought, understanding every word Ruby had just said. He always did feel something when he wore it, but was never able to put his finger on it, just how Ruby described it.
"Anyway, the idea I have for you as to do with your semblance, so I need you to test this prototype I whipped up over the last couple of days." Ruby said as she augmented something to the bracer, and slid back in Kai's direction.
"Wait, when did you get the time to make this?" Kai asked as he felt the small augmentation on the underside of his bracer. It felt complicated with a bunch of wires and mechanical parts that he can't even begin to understand.
"What? You think all I do is just sit there in the class and listen to lectures?" Ruby asked rhetorically, almost as if Kai should have known exactly what she was really doing. "You should know me better."
"Hehe, guess I should." Kai said as he clipped the bracer back on and locked it in place. Feeling whole once again.
"You should definitely name that by the way." Ruby piped up as she dashed to the door and waited for Kai to walk over to her.
"What would I even name it?"
"You will name her, anything that I can come up with!"
"I love the amount of choices I have."
"Me too!"
"Okay, so just thrust your arm forward like you're punching something, and try using the fiery part of your semblance." Ruby instructed as she hid behind a ballistic riot shield that Taiyang for some reason got for her.
"Uh… I can't just make flames out of nothing Ruby." Kai pointed out.
"JUST DO IT!"
"Gh, fine!" Kai thrusted his arm toward the sky, just in case he suddenly gains the ability to summon fire out of nowhere, but instead he felt something different, the device that was attached to his bracer buzzed, and he felt himself get charged up with flames, as if he is pulling flames from an external source. It is no where near the amount that he can do to a regular open flame, but still, to have as much flame power as he does now, it still is very impressive that a twelve year old girl managed to make something like this in just a couple of days.
Kai's left forearm gained it's black flames sticking to his skin like glue, yet it does not damage him. The explanation for that is long and complicated, and Kai shortened it down to it being just because his aura is within the flames, making it part of his soul, and the soul will not injure the body.
"Wow, this is awesome Ruby!" Kai said as he blasted a small cyclone of flame above him that disperses in the wind. "This is exactly what I need!"
"Awe, stop it you butty butt." Ruby said in a very flustered manner.
"The only thing you need to do is maybe get the little thing here to give me more power, and have more then one use. Because I can't use it again after that burst of flame that I just let out. Other then that, perfect." Kai complimented again with a thumbs up.
"Shhtop." Ruby whined as she hid her face, even though Kai can't see the adorable mess that is her face.
Kai laughed. "You are so easily embarrassed Rubaby." He teased.
"Wait, Matsu, do you smell something?" Ruby asked as she stepped closer to Kai, planning something.
"Smell what?" Kai asked as he began to sniff the air, looking for anything that may be burning.
"Smells like REVENGE!" Ruby used her speed and tackled Kai to the ground and began to tickle him, both scaring the life out of him and making him into a giggling mess.
"Ruby, hahaha, stop I can't breathe!" Kai said as he lost strength in his arms trying to push Ruby off of him, but she stays straddled in place and keeps on tickling him with all of her might.
"Face my wrath!" She yelled as she intensified the tickling, making Kai laugh louder.
"Get off!" Kai yelled playfully as he blasted air into her gut, sending her up into the air a couple feet before landing next to him with a soft thud. Even after her hands left his sides he still couldn't stop laughing for a few more seconds. "Ha… Ha… Why would you do that?" He asked as the laughing pains in his abs began to fade away.
"Hehe, it was to make you feel better. Which it did I hope." Ruby said as she turned onto her back, and lay in the grass next to Kai. "It worked right?"
Kai laughed at her question, the answer is obvious yet she just had to ask anyway, that was so like her. "Yes, I guess I needed my stomach to be assaulted by your fingers in order to feel better."
"Can you tell me what happened that made you sad?" Ruby sounded hesitant, but really hopes that Kai trusts her enough to tell her what has managed to make him so down.
"It's… just something going on with my parents." Kai tells a half-truth. Still hesitant to talk about it but willing to at least try with Ruby.
Ruby listens intently, not wanting to interrupt or say anything that may make Kai change his mind.
"They were attacked, or at least my dad was." Ruby gasped silently when she hears this, it sounds all too similar when her own father had to tearfully explain to her that her mother was gone, and wasn't coming back. But judging from the tone of Kai's voice and how he talks about it, it doesn't seem like something terrible like that happened to him. She is thankful for that.
"He is missing, and I am hoping that my mom got away like they said she did." He purposely left out Qrow's name, not wanting the old huntsman to come back home to an angry Ruby and Yang because he made him sad before he left, though he doubts they would actually do that it can't hurt to be safe.
"And I just wasn't really prepared to hear something like that… I am sorry that it changed me the way it did." Kai said as he sat up, tilting his head toward the sky and feeling that same burning sensation behind his eyes like from earlier in the morning.
"Don't be," Ruby sat up with him and placed a hand on his arm. "Everyone has a bad day, I am sure that your mom and dad are okay!" Ruby exclaimed cheerfully.
Kai smiled at her cheerfulness, he can even sense that she believes it herself. He shares her optimism to a certain extent, but he can be realistic just as much. He does have a feeling that his parents are fine, and that they will be reunited one day, but he also just can't drop the whole possibility of one or both of them not making it. If he is fully optimistic, then if the bad news hits him, it is going to hit hard. Unless he is ready for it. For now however, he is going to take this day to remain optimistic.
"C'mon, lets go train, I have to get used to using a sword again instead of relying on my semblance." Kai said as he stood up, if he was going to have to handle Ruby's training, he might as well get a head start on it. He also figured that this would be a good break for Ruby from working on his weapon, even if it is more like a support item he might as well consider it a weapon since it gives him access to the most powerful part of his semblance.
"After we're done can I keep working on your weapon? I figure that I should make it bigger, and provide more energy so that it can be used more than once without having to reload. Maybe even put in an automatic loading system so that it can-"
"Yes, as long as you continue that train of thought after we're done." Kai cut her off before she can go on another rant, if he let her rant on like he usually did then they would have to skip out on the training and work on the weapon the rest of the day, and if they did that then he can't guarantee that the inside of the house will remain in one piece. He would have to hope either Yang or Tai got home early enough before he actually set the house on fire with one of Ruby's tests.
"Awesome!" Kai hears something mechanical unfold himself, and a fairly large blade stab itself into the ground. The way Ruby's heart skipped a beat told him that she didn't mean to do that.
"Ruby…"
"Yeah...?"
"What was that?"
"... My latest prototype"
Kai suddenly dreaded this upcoming training session.
AN- And there we go, another chapter added to the history books. This time actually at the limit I set myself for once. Go me!
Nevermind, I just checked how many words this chapter had... maybe one day.
Okay, would you guys believe me if I said that I wrote this chapter all in a day? I really just love writing this story, so far it is the easiest to come up with stuff for of all of my stories. Man, I really gotta take a break or something one of these days...
Blake has made an appearance! Wow look at that, Kai is just a girl magnet. Did you guys like how I brought her into the story?
Special Fact!: I actually didn't plan on Malikai becoming one of the main characters, I was thinking of going for the whole OP dad that has gone missing cliche, such as stopping his updates after he started fighting Hazel and Tyrian to leave his fate up in the air, and then have Marron get to Patch and find Kai. But obviously things changed, and I actually like that it did. Though I may slow down on his updates soon so he doesn't end up taking like twenty percent of the chapter every time.
Now let's get to the Omake!
Extra #4 School dance, 2nd year at Beacon
"Guys, I am really not liking that idea." Malikai said as he fixed his tie, he figured he should go pick up Summer, since he is apparently her date to the dance now.
"C'mon man, it would mean the world to her! Just take off the damn blindfold for just a few hours? Hell, not even us have seen you without it." Adrian said as he fixed his own tie just to Malikai's right.
"Yeah, my wrist still hurts when I tried to take it off you when we were first years." Vanessa said with a low growl. She has held a grudge since then.
"If you are trying to get me to apologize like you have been for the last year and a half, then you really need to get a hobby." Malikai said with a laugh.
"Ha! Nice one Mal." Richie, his partner said from the other side of the door, he had just happened to be walking by with his date at just the perfect moment to say that through the door.
"I'm going to kill him one day, I really am." Vanessa said with a nod.
Knock, knock
Malikai is almost shitting bricks right now, he didn't realize just how nervous he was until just now. All the nerves are hitting him all at once.
The door opened, and Malikai tensed up when he was met with not silver, but red eyes. Luckily from the wrong Branwen twin.
Malikai let out a sigh of relief when he realized that it was Qrow. He is wearing a grey tux, with a dark red trim to them, and for some reason the cape he has gotten used to seeing on him. He knows better than to question Qrow on his antics after the skirt incident.
"Summer?" Qrow asked with an amused smirk on his face.
"Summer." Malikai nodded. "I didn't even get a choice."
"Is it your goal to date my entire team? Should I be getting worried?" Qrow teased as he faked fear.
"Ha ha." Malikai laughed sarcastically. "Shut up and tell me where she is."
"Getting ready in the bathroom like she has been for the past TWO HOURS!" Qrow screamed in the direction of the built in bathroom.
"I'm almost done!"
"That's what you said an hour ago!"
"For real this time!"
"You also said that an hour ago!"
"... For realsies?"
"Summer, I'm here to pick you up-" Malikai was cut off when Summer suddenly appeared in front of him, with a trail of white rose petals behind her and, looking more beautiful than she ever has before, one of the first times she has ever been without her hood on, letting her black and red hair flow freely over her shoulders. He didn't even know that it grew that long.
"Wow." Malikai said while a bit slack jawed, unable to find words on how to describe Summer the way she is right now.
"Do I look good?" Summer asked bashfully as she played with her hair. "Because you look handsome today. Wait I didn't mean-"
"You look as beautiful as ever Summer Rose." Malikai said with a smile, offering one of his arms to her. "That's all I got so I hope it was enough."
Summer giggled and took his arm, letting him lead her out of the room.
"Have fun you two!" Qrow waved to them with two fingers as he went in the opposite direction to do whatever he is going to do. Malikai wouldn't be surprised if that was the last time he saw Qrow that night.
"So this is it…"
"Yeah…"
Malikai and Summer were having fun dancing and talking to the other teams, but when it came to the slow dance, it got awkward real fast.
Neither of them knew how to dance, so the just hugged each other and talked, like they did in the movies.
"So I-" They both cut themselves off in unison to let the other person speak, and laugh when they did the same thing at the same time.
"I have a better place we can do this." Malikai said as he slowly began to break away, and took her gently by the hand to the moonlit balcony.
"Why here?" Summer asked as she gazed up at the broken moon.
"Because, this way you won't be as awkward… and I can do this." Malikai surprised her when he untied his headband, and stuck it in his pocket, his silver eyes almost seemed to glow when he opened them. This is just the second time Summer has ever seen his eyes, and counts herself lucky to have been able to see them again.
"Figured it would mean alot to you if I did this," Malikai said as he blinked a few times to get his eyes used to the light.
"You're the only other person I've seen with silver eyes." Summer said as she reached a hand up to his face just under his left eye, tilting her head like it would give her a better look of his eyes. "They're so pretty!" She suddenly exclaimed with a glimmer in her own eyes.
"Haha, yeah, I guess they are." Malikai said with a laugh, before it ended up downgrading into a sad sigh. "So… wanna finally tell me why I was suddenly invited to the dance? People are telling me that you have a crush on me if you haven't noticed."
"Y-yeah… about that." Summer flushed. "I might have had a crush on you… but I don't know for sure, I was never good with feelings."
"Yeah, me neither."
"Wait, then how'd you get with Raven?"
"Well she kinda of pushed me down on a bed and grabbed my-"
"Too much! I regret asking!" Summer said before she gagged at the imagery. "Back on topic… I just sort of panicked, I had no one in mind, and I didn't really have anyone in mind… so I just went for my best friend."
"So, this whole thing was just so you can friendzone me?" Malikai teased, earning a slap on the arm.
"Not fully… I just knew that you didn't return my little crush, I could tell."
"Oh… Im sorry." Malikai rubbed the back of his head, already feeling the urge to retie his headband back around his head. "You are special to me though, you are my best friend, and I am just fine with it like that."
Summer smiled, and let him tie the black headband back around his head without protest.
"Yeah, Im fine with that too."
Im either really bad at shorts or a bit decent, so I am sorry in advance, I didn't really know what to do with this one. But the next ones, I do. They are going to me emotional, so be ready for the feels.
Please review and tell me what you think of the story thus far, if you have any concerns, ideas, or just anything you wanna say. I am all ears. Thank you for reading!
Disclaimer- I do not own RWBY in any way shape or form.