A/N: Chapter 30 of REKT. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or teams of RWBY, they belong to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum. What I do own are the characters and teams of my OCs: REKT, GTSY, KACE and DAZE.
Special thanks to the reviewers and to the readers who Fav/Alert this story, I really appreciate it.
Chapter 30: The Story
Outside...
The winds swirled as the students filed out, giving Yang a wide birth as she stood tall in the middle of the training grounds. Kairos stood opposite of her, my body in her arms. She was caught up on what the plan was and offered a little bit of her Semblance to Yang.
"This will hurt for a minute...but it'll be over soon..." Kairos whispered in my ear, holding me tight against her body with my back facing the brawler. She knew I couldn't respond but nevertheless she tried to make a conversation. "Please stay strong..."
"You ready?" Yang asked, a look of concern on her face. She had been put in situations that definitely demanded a lot out of her especially under pressure. She couldn't help but feel anxious and that doubt was evident in the way her fist was trembling.
"Yang...I just want you to know that...that I trust you completely." Kairos spoke, keeping one arm snaked around my waist while the other maneuvered my shirt in a way that exposed my mark. She gazed at the brawler with dead seriousness. "I know you can do it..."
"B-But...what if I..."
"I'm gonna stop you right there...you have to be confident in what you're doing. Saying 'what if' here and now, you're bound to mess something up. Don't do that to yourself." Kairos' gaze softened and she smiled as broadly as she could. "C'mon then, you have nothing to be afraid of."
"...I...I won't fail you...you or Reina..." Yang promised, gritting her teeth and her hair lit up as she activated her own Semblance. Hearing the comforting words was all she needed and she calmed her nerves down.
"Ouch, Ruby you're holding my hand too tight." Weiss whispered, looking down to see the girl's hand griping hers. The leader looked nervous, worried for both her sister as well as for my safety. Releasing a sigh, the heiress merely tapped the back of her hand, getting her leader to look at her. "Listen...Yang won't mess up. Everyone here trusts her."
"Y-Yeah..." Ruby smiled softly in kind. She knew Weiss was trying to make her feel positive and to be honest, it feel good for the heiress to do so. "O-Of course...hahaha..."
"She'll be fine." Weiss assured her.
"Whenever you're ready." Kairos said, making sure my mark wasn't obstructed by any article of a deep breath and releasing it slowly the brawler ran forward, keeping her eyes on the prize. Neptune was biting his nails while the others shouted encouragingly from the sidelines. The Faunus felt a lump of fear rising but she swallowed it down and didn't budge an inch. It's not everyday you are approached by Yang, much less a charging one.
"WAAAAAAARGH!" Yang threw her fist forward, making contact with my mark. "REIIIIINAAAA!"
"NNNNNGHHH!" Kairos gritted her teeth against the powerful force, watching as the Semblances flowed into my body. She had to dig her feet firmly into the ground to keep from flying. Once the howling winds died down Yang stepped back, her fist no longer harboring all of the energies and sweat rolling down her temple.
"Whew~" She wiped her brow before looking expectantly at Kairos. "Anything yet?"
"Uuuugh...that was powerful..." The Faunus gasped out loud, collapsing to the ground when her legs couldn't support her. She checked to make sure I was okay, the mark pulsated a couple of times before falling silent. Waiting for about 30 minutes I took a deep breath but didn't stir much. "She's...She's breathing okay now and I don't sense anymore abnormalities."
"Oh thank goodness." Yang said as the others approached them. She held up a thumbs-up and a smile, getting cheers of approval. "All she needs now is rest."
"She looks peaceful, that's for sure!"
"Awww~ I left my scroll inside. I wanna take a picture because of how cute she looks!"
"No Nora...just no."
"I'm glad our leader isn't hurting anymore."
"Alright, time for bed." Weiss clapped her hands, bringing to an end any and all conversations. "You're welcome to train but I guess I'll be lenient and let you all do whatever you want tomorrow."
"Hey Yang." She turned to see Kairos smile her way, my body draped over her shoulder. "You up for a sparring match tomorrow?"
"You know it!" was the quick reply. "Now I'm getting fired up."
"Well you better calm down before you go back to the room." Blake smirked at her partner's eagerness, following the others as everyone adjourned for the evening. "You'll burn the mattress."
The next morning...
True to their words Yang and Kairos were busy sparring early in the next day, while the other Huntsmen and Huntresses lay in their beds. Sweat dripped down both their faces, staining both their clothes and the ground. Every punch, every kick, both Huntresses had fire burning within their eyes, one of them quite literally. The training arena was filled with the sounds of knuckles hitting each other, flurry of kicks or grunts as the fighters pushed their bodies to the limit.
"I'm surprised you're still able to move." The blonde brawler spoke once the two of them parted, creating some distance between them. "You know, after that punch filled with all our Semblances, I assumed you felt it!"
"I'm surprised as well, no lie my legs felt like jell-o." Kairos nodded her head in agreement, wiping her brow with the back of her hand. "I thought I wouldn't be able to move my body after a good night's sleep but here we are sparring with each other."
"Feels great doesn't it? I know I sparred against Sun the other day but your style is a different, since you're a sword-wielder and all. I gotta hand it to Weiss for thinking about having us change partners, I'm learning a lot!"
"And I as well." Kairos got back into an attack stance, gesturing for the brawler to attack. Her little faunus ears twitched when a cool breeze swirled around them, folding back against the top of her head. "Wanna keep going or are you already worn out?"
"Ha!" Yang hit her fists together and grinned. Her ponytail swayed back and forth as she got into position."You bet I wanna go all the way! Once a dragon's been provoked, there's no stopping it!"
They're like animals out there...what monstrous power. Weiss sighed as she watched the two of them from the kitchen window, a cup of coffee in hand. She didn't need to be up on the front lines to know how much damage a punch from either fighters could deal. A flurry of rose petals soon covered her view and she didn't need to say anything as Ruby appeared, a broad grin on her face. "What's got you happy Ruby?"
"Weeelllll~" Giggling, Ruby leaned over and whispered in her ear. The ice heiress' eyes widened and she stared at her leader who laughed at her reaction. "You see? Isn't that great?"
"That's...well that's fantastic!"
"Right?!" Ruby did a fist pump followed by a small cheer. Stating that she wanted to do a quick maintenance on Crescent Rose, the huntress zoomed off, leaving Weiss alone. She shook her head and prepared to give the two fighters a heads up on time, but first, some good news.
"Hey Kairos, there's someone who I bet is waiting for you to check up on!" The heiress hollered out the window, no doubt getting a good view of the fighters' toned stomachs when the tank-tops rode up. Feeling her face heating up she retreated back inside with a loud huff, calling over her shoulder. "Don't leave her waiting!"
"Well, I guess that's the end of our sparring match." Kairos mused, her tail twitched once with excitement. Due to her acute hearing she did pick up on the talk between Weiss and Ruby in bits and pieces but was too focused on her match to say anything. Out of all the Faunus' her long range hearing wasn't on par with either Blake or Velvet but she wasn't too distraught about it. "Too bad we didn't decide a winner."
"Wanna finish it at some point later on?" Yang offered, getting a weary smile from her sparring partner. "I do want to see which one of us is the strongest."
"Sure, I'll hold you to that." with that the Faunus quickly left the training grounds and disappeared inside.
"Hehehe, she's so happy." Yang chuckled to herself, peeling off her workout shirt to wipe off any excess sweat. Something cold touched her shoulder and she glanced up to see Blake holding out a fresh towel that had been dipped in ice water. "Oh, thanks Blake! I didn't even hear your footsteps."
"No problem." The Faunus replied, forcing back a blush when she got a good, up close and personal look at Yang's abs. Holy crap she's ripped...like really ripped.
"Are you okay? Your face is getting red like Ruby's cape." Yang noticed when her partner turned her head the other way. Closing the distance she gently laid her forehead against the Faunus. Blake couldn't help but let out a small squeak, her amber eyes staring deep into a pair of concerned lilacs. "Hmmm? Weird, it doesn't seem like you have a fever..."
"S-S-Stupid, you're too close." Blake pushed her partner back so she could get some breathing room, her cheeks flushed. It wasn't that she minded the blonde's closeness ā hell Yang was her personal heater on cold days ā but when you've been sparring with all you got, the stench was really overwhelming. "And you stink."
"Blake, I'm offended!" Yang let out a fake gasp, giving her partner her version of doe eyes with the added bonus: the trembling lips. Blake lightly punched the blonde's arm before turning her back, nose up in the air with a huff. "Alright alright, I'm sorry. Don't be that way."
"Yang, I'm only teasing you." Blake stated with a hint of laughter in her voice. "C'mon, time to go inside. And don't take too long with your shower, Weiss says breakfast would be momentarily."
"Ugh, she's not giving me any time to tame this." Yang gestured to her hair with a hand. Her stomach growled and the brawler blushed with embarrassment. "I guess I could go without brushing my hair..."
"After eating I could lend you a hand. Will that be acceptable?" Blake offered, watching the brawler's face lit up like a light bulb. "I'll take that as a yes then."
Inside the room...
When I came to the Aura within my head began to illustrate my surroundings, painting a picture of the room which eased my nerves. The silkiness underneath my hands could only be the bed and I sat up slowly. I sensed that no one else was in the room with me and concluded that the others must've left to train. That wasn't the case when the first one to greet me was Ruby and she managed to hold herself back from jumping me.
Apparently she was on her way downstairs to see if she could find Weiss but stopped by to check up on me. She considered it lucky that she was the first to see me awake. We talked for awhile and she caught me up to speed on what had happened the night before. It was then that I realized that the power behind my mark, the ominous curse it carried, had become more active then usual and that there were still things that I have yet to learn.
"Don't worry, no one blames you for what happened." Ruby had said, noticing the change in my facial expression and placed a hand over mine in comfort. "We can only hope that it won't happen again."
But it might...I bit my lip with anger, crumbling the sheets within my hands. Ruby had left to tell Weiss, leaving me to my own thoughts. This wasn't the first time, this was the second time I donned the mask. It was just more severe this time...next time, someone could die...
Knock~ Knock~ Knock~
"Come in." I said, tearing my gaze from the window and focused on my visitor. A burst of energy appeared in my mind and I smiled, recognizing the signature immediately. "Hey you, wondering when you'dā"
"Thank you..." She whispered, holding me close and nuzzling her face against the top of my head. She closed the distance between us, pulling me into a surprise hug "Thank you for waking up."
"Man I was out like a light huh." I replied with a small chuckle, returning her hug. "Sorry for worrying you."
"You worried everyone, I hope you take some responsibility for it." Kairos was trying to scold me but I knew I worried her the most. Then her voice became tender and soft, almost as if she was talking to a lamb. "Are you feeling okay?"
"Well other than being bedridden I'm feeling pretty good. I think my body's still trying to adjust to the excessive amounts of Semblance." I chuckled out loud, running my fingers through my hair. "But all in all that was the jump start I needed to get back, my heart's feeling a lot better too."
"So it seems." Kairos leaned close so her ear was against my chest, listening carefully to the beating of my heart. She pulled back with a sigh of relief. "You're back to normal all right."
"Although..." I pointed to my feet which were covered by the blanket. "I can't feel my toes for some reason so I'm kinda bedridden for now."
"Guess I'll have to go and get you breakfast." Kairos smiled, tapping her forehead lightly against mine. I've never seen her so happy before, her Aura was radiating within my mind like a vibrant flame. Standing up she made her way to the bathroom with a clean set of clothes in her arms. "After I shower of course."
"Please and thank you." I replied, hearing the door close and the water run. Throughout the day I've been getting visitation from my friends who heard the great news as well as a lot of apologies from Yang. She didn't seem to be a crier but I definitely gave her a hug, thanking her for saving me.
"Blake and I are off on a small walk through the forest." She told me, walking towards the door with the Faunus in tow. The time was around 5 o'clock so I spent my entire day bedridden. "We'll see you guys for dinner."
"Yup! Have fun on your outing!" I smiled in response. Once they left I fell against the pillows and released a long sigh, raising an arm over my face.
"You okay?" Kairos asked as she placed a book on the tabletop, kneeling by my bedside.
"What if I can't control it the next time it happens?" I asked her. "This is the second time...you've seen the first time. Back then I was bent on protecting you but this time...I brought harm to everyone. I shouldn't ignore it but...this is something much greater then I've ever anticipated."
"I'll be here if you need me. The boys will be there if you need them as well." She promised, there wasn't a shred of hesitation in her voice. "No matter what happens I'll do whatever it takes to bring you back...we'll do whatever it takes."
"I need to tell them...the earlier they know the better prepared we shall be..." I scooted till I could dangle my legs over the edge, holding out my hands for her. "Sorry for being a burden at this time."
"You're never a burden." She answered and helped me to my feet. "Never have, never will be."
Living room...
"I'm sorry for causing you all so much trouble." I apologized. We had all gathered together in the large space after a quick dinner at 8, huddled in a circle with a small fire flickering in the fireplace. Everyone had changed into something comfortable to pass for the night. "Seeing me in that form...it wasn't what I was planning at all."
"I was genuinely surprised." Pyrrha said from where she sat next to Jaune, hands placed delicately over her knees. "I've never seen that kind of power before. Even through studies there weren't anything written in the old books."
"Pyrrha we could comb the entire library and not find what we need." Jaune quipped, dressed in his blue pajamas. "If it has to do with Reina's family lineage that's something the archives at Beacon won't have. Privacy you know or just unknown for now."
"Sun over here thought you were some new type of Grimm. You should've seen his tail, it was all fluffed out." Neptune said from where he sat near the base of the couch, getting a pointed glare from his leader. "To be honest I thought you were really cool..."
"Nora wanted to break your legs but I told her no." said Ren as the orange-haired Huntress puffed her cheeks in a pout. "I've was concerned that she'd go overboard and, you know, actually break you. So I held her back."
"You didn't hold me back Ren, not with those chicken arms! Besides Yang was already on the case so I felt as though I wasn't needed." Nora retorted, noticing the eyebrow twitch at the chicken comment. "So I allowed her to have all the fun."
"Ahem." Weiss cleared her throat, saving Yang the trouble of re-apologizing to me. The blonde opted to burying her face against Blake who patted her head with sympathy. "I'm sure there wouldn't be anymore interruptions tonight, save questions for the end. Reina, would you please tell us all that you know?"
"Like who taught you how to use Aura?"
"Is there a reason why you don't use a physical weapon?"
"Where you born in Vale? What was your homeland like?"
"How come you never open your eyes?" Nora asked and my shoulders tensed up immediately at the question. I knew someone would ask that but to hear it come out of another person's mouth...well I always flinched. The room became silent and everyone held their breath.
"Nora!" Ren snapped in a low whisper.
"...I was just curious..." She mumbled in a small voice, scratching the back of her head. "Sorry if that offended you..."
"No it's okay Nora, that's a valid question after all..." Propping up my right knee I rested my chin upon it and collected my thoughts. Once I got an idea of how to proceed I released a long sigh. "Very well, I'll tell you what I know and as much as I can remember from my childhood. My family's history, why I wish to become a Huntress and finally, the condition behind my eyes."
