A/N: Chapter 59 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. I also claim Ingrid, Teo, Reina's parents and aunt as well.

Special thanks to the reviewers and to the readers who Fav/Alert this story, I really appreciate it.


Chapter 59: Dream Terror

Somewhere undefined...

"Hey, Blakey! Just Xiao Long do you plan on sleeping in your bed, huh? The sun's already shining on that Bellabooty! You're lucky it's a weekend otherwise I'd be hauling your ass down the hallway!"

Wha...that voice?! It can't be...! Blake blinked quickly, finding herself flat on her back and staring up on the underside of Yang's bunk bed. The alarm clock on her desk read 11:00am, meaning she did oversleep. Taking a moment to breathe, she turned her head over to see a head of blonde hair dangling from above; she realized her partner was hanging upside down and grinning cheerfully. "Y-Yang?"

"The one and only! Ain't nobody got a name quite like mine!" The blonde winked, tumbling out of bed and landed on her feet. "And she sticks the landing, the crowd goes wild!" She turned around to see Blake staring at her with an expression of shock, "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"

"It can't be...we were...the school was..." The faunus couldn't believe what she was seeing and hearing. Here she was, dressed in her pajamas and Yang standing before her in her familiar orange t-shirt with her two full arms. It was like the attack on Beacon didn't happen. "You weren't supposed to be here...none of us are."

"What are you talking about?" Yang tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"Yang, Beacon was invaded by the Grimm. Everything was destroyed...we never got to finish the tournament. And...and when I was taking out White Fang members and Atlas machinery...I ran into Adam." Blake nervously clasp her hands together and looked at her partner. "You...do know who Adam is, don't you?"

"This is the first time you've mentioned that name to me."

What? I never told Yang about Adam? Blake stared as if she had been slapped in the face. How could she not talk about her past lover to her teammates? Somewhere in the back of her mind, she remembered dropping his name back when the team camped outside Mountain Glenn.

"Blakey? What's the matter?" Yang stared at her with concern. Reaching out with a hand, she seemingly wiped away something on her partner's face. "Tears? You're crying..."

"I-I-I...I just don't know..." Blake buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking. "I-Is this...really real?"

"Hey hey, shhhh shhhh. You probably just had a bad nightmare is all." The blonde stated gently, grasping onto her arm and pulling Blake close to her body. The faunus could feel the warmth radiating off her partner and took shuddering breathes, trying to calm down her nerves. "Rubes had those all the time when she was younger."

"...Yang I don't understand..." Blake murmured as she continued being held by the other huntress, her ears flicking slightly in confusion. "It just...seems so real. The visuals, the sounds...nothing like this will ever happen..."

"What makes you think so?"

"Yang, please don't play dumb with me. I know what happened, and..." Blake glanced at the right arm encircling her shoulders and clung to it, avoiding Yang's puzzled expression. The faunus nuzzled her face against the appendage longingly, reminiscing the feeling of being held in two arms. "You lost your arm...this arm in particular...defending me."

"I did, huh?"

"I'm sorry, Yang. I wasn't strong enough to protect you."

"Why don't we go outside for a bit? You could use some fresh air." Not bothering to listen to Blake's protest, Yang quickly swept the faunus off her feet and slung her over her shoulder.

"Yang! Put me down!" Blake protested as she was carried out of the room, her partner's arms wrapped around her legs and back; she won't let Blake fall, that much can be felt through her grip. "Where are you taking me?!"

"Don't struggle so much, Blakey! I promise you, you'll love it!" Yang laughed, holding her partner tighter as she walked down the steps. The faunus just sighed and obeyed, her curiosity getting the best out of her. She really wanted to see what Yang had in mind. Once the duo exited the building the blonde continued walking forward.

"Yang? How much further?"

"We're almost there~ Sorry for making you feel anxious, but please bear with me." Yang's voice was quite soothing to listen to. Blake took the time to investigate the outer world, thinking that the entirely came from her memory. Everything was just as how she imagined during her three years at Beacon down to the microscopic detail.

"Here we are!" Kneeling down, Yang placed Blake on the ground before straightening back up. She then guided the faunus into the courtyard, settling down on a bench just outside the cafeteria. The brawler leaned back, took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Ahhhh! Can you feel that, Blake? This weather is just...wait for it..."

"Yang, don't you dare – "

"Puurrrrfect!"

"Jesus, you never cease to amaze me. You're just like how you were back in our first year." Blake laughed, shaking her head. Yang was smiling as well, happy seeing her partner feeling better. The two of them fell into a comfortable silence, letting the ambiance settle in. Sometimes Blake would forget to take the time and slow down, to live in the moment and not worry about anything else.

"Tell me more, Blake."

"Hmm?" The faunus turned to see Yang genuinely look at her with interest. "What do you mean?"

"About what happened this morning. You kept saying that Beacon fell, and that I lost my arm. Yet here we are, enjoying the weather with nothing wrong in sight." Yang explained gently, gazing at her partner with such tenderness that Blake was practically speechless. "You've never been scared this badly, I should know you better like that."

"...I..."

"Please," The brawler placed a hand on Blake's thigh, feeling the slightly flinch underneath her fingers. She knew her partner was absolutely stressed about something since the raven-haired huntress woke up, so she made sure to keep herself calm and allow that soothing aura to blanket over Blake. "I want to know more. Don't leave me in the dark."

"...it was right after the tournament." Blake began, feeding off her partner's presence and holding onto it like a lifeline. "A voice spoke over the broadcast system, and that's when the Grimm attacked. They came in waves of darkness, wreaking havoc on the student grounds. You were probably still in the dormitories after Emerald used her semblance to trick the audience into thinking you lashed out at Mercury during your match. Weiss and I were coming back from a bar, clearing our heads after everything that had happened. We witnessed the events from the television over there."

"Let me guess the beverages y'all ordered. Mmmmm...a cup of coffee for her and a cup of tea for you?"

"You know us so well."

"What can I say? I wouldn't be calling myself your partner if I didn't know some basic things about you." Yang winked in a playful manner, getting a small giggle out of Blake. "And I wouldn't be calling myself a prominent member of Team RWBY if I didn't know a few things here and there about the others. Besides, I already know enough about my sister...so technically it's more of knowing a few things about Weiss."

"Anyway...we ended up coming across a ruined student fair, where Atlas soldiers were shooting, citizens were ducking for cover, and out of control grimm. Not just Beowolves, but we've had a plethora of creatures we had seen in both the Emerald Forest and inside Mountain Glenn. Weiss and I made our way across the student grounds before parting ways, I went straight after the White Fang members; must be because of my own connection back to the old organization I had been a part of during my childhood."

"In my haste of mowing my enemies down, I came across someone I never thought would show up. Adam Taurus is his name, and he's the leader of a small faction of White Fang members. Back when I was a member, I thought I knew what I was doing in terms of bringing equality to all faunus, with Adam by my side. However, Adam was slowly changing before my eyes little by little. His philosophies, hateful teachings, and spewing spite-filled speeches to the masses, led the faunus to rebel and protest through physical violence; it was something the White Fang didn't and shouldn't stand for. They were once a peaceful protesting group...now they are considered a group of uncontrolled animals."

"The moment I laid eyes on him, I knew that talking wouldn't bring any progress. And he killed a human right in front of me, reminding me just how merciless he was capable of exhibiting. That's when I attacked back, my weapon pressed against his. No matter how hard I fought, I was overwhelmed by him. I wonder if whatever lingering affection I had for him lead me to my loss, a part of me says it's certainly a possibility. As I laid on the ground he berated me, and taunted me both physically and mentally with abusive words. He even going so far as to attack me when I was defenseless."

"By now I have lost not only the will to stand, but I also lost the energy to continue the fight against him. If you hadn't showed up, I most certainly would have lost my life. Your voice drew our attention, and I tried to get you to leave, but when he stabbed me you went berserk and attacked him without hesitation. In that moment, all you cared about was my safety and for Adam to pay for what he did."

"That's when I lost my arm...right?" Yang asked quietly when she pieced the puzzle together, watching Blake nod her head in approval. She had stayed quiet as a good listener and absorbed the words from beginning to end without interruption. Standing up to stretch, she asked, "Where did it happen? Your interaction and fight between Adam?"

"Ummm...There." The faunus glanced around and located the cafeteria, lifting an arm to point. She felt Yang pull her to her feet and the duo began to walk towards the building. Pulling open the door, the brawler stood as a gentle presence while Blake looked around tentatively, her ears turned forward with alertness. The tables were leaning against the far wall, the sun light filtering in through the window gave the atmosphere a peaceful feeling. Letting go of Yang's hand, Blake walked around until she stood at a particular place, her ears laying flat against her head. "Yeah...right around here. I was laying on the ground with his sword in my stomach...and you were standing out there looking in, the window was broken due to previous fighting."

"Hmm...I see." Yang mused as she walked over at a leisurely pace, her head rotating as she glanced from where Blake was standing to the window. "At least I can breathe a sigh of relief knowing I wouldn't be billed for property destruction, am I right?"

"Oh, ha ha." Blake smirked in response.

"Can you show me how it was done?"

"How what was done?"

"I've never seen Adam in action before, but you've been near him for a long time so you must know the basics about his techniques. If I were to fight against someone like him somewhere down the line in the future, I'd need a little taste of his fighting style." Yang stated, folding her arms behind her head.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" asked Blake, one brow raised with skepticism. This was the most Yang's ever questioned about her ex-partner, and the fact the brawler was itching to get a taste of Adam's fighting techniques spoke volumes for the faunus. "You're absolutely sure about this?"

"Yup! Show me how it's done!" The brawler had a very confident smirk on her face, putting her entire trust in her battle partner. "You can even use Gambol Shroud to demonstrate!"

"Huh?! You want me to use a real weapon?" Also how is it that my weapon just appeared on my back without me noticing? That's very strange...

"Why not? Don't be too tense, I've sparred with you enough times to know when to avoid a direct blow!"

"If you say so, I'll try to be careful when illustrating the movement." Blake slowly drew her weapon out of its sheath, holding it like she normally would. "Now this is how Adam holds his, like so." She changed her grip on the handle, showing Yang who nodded her head.

"So he's holding it as one would hold a katana."

"And he draws his weapon like so," Blake got into position and made a rotating motion with her torso, drawing Gambol Shroud in a horizontal movement. "He can take out a lot of enemies in an instant, doesn't matter if its a vertical or horizontal slash. He charges up the blade from attacks from others before unleashing the strike with one blow. No one that I know have survived it before." Well no one except you, but that's because he wanted you to in hopes of hurting me...

"This is going to be exciting to witness!"

"What...what are you doing, Yang?" Blake questioned as she watch the blonde hold out her right arm.

"Giving you a target to swing at!" Yang told her cheerfully without lowering her said appendage, giving Blake a wink. "Don't worry, Gambol won't be able to reach this length!"

"...if you're so sure..."

"C'mon, Blakey! You know me."

And it's because I know you that I fear for you the most. "Okay then..." Blake took a stance she's watched Adam execute multiple times, her eyes focusing on Yang who continued to sport that radiant smile. "Here we go!"

SWISH~ Splat!

"Oh...? Did you already make your move?" Yang glanced over to her right, noticing the trickling of blood and remnants of her Aura breaking in front of her eyes. Her severed limb lay on the ground in a puddle of blood. She turned her eyes to Blake and asked, "W-What happened Blake?"

No...No...No... Blake covered her mouth to hold back a gasp, her eyes widening with horror. Not again...Please not again...

"Why aren't you answering me, Blake?" The brawler took tentative steps toward her partner, a dazed expression on her face and her arm left behind. "What happened...to my right arm?"

"Y-Y-Yang..."

"Blake..." Yang came to a stop, looking at her in an expression she couldn't exactly pinpoint. The familiar hint of light that she normally became accustomed to was no longer there; if she were to wager a guess, it was a cross between confusion and fear. "Wh-Why is Gambol Shroud red?"

"...Red...?" The faunus murmured, taking a moment to glance down. Instead of her familiar sword, she was holding Adam's weapon coated in her partner's blood. Something heavy landed on her face and she realized that she was also wearing his White Fang mask. "No...no. This can't be...!"

The arm was just the tip of the iceberg. Want to see what would have been if you hadn't carried her to safety?

"A-Adam...?!" Blake whispered the vile name, her eyes mirroring Yang's with the sense of horror.

Let me lend you a hand. In a split second, the left arm was lopped off and fell to the ground. Yang staggered back, armless and bleeding everywhere. The faunus didn't stop there, her arm having a mind of its own as it hacked away at her partner. Right leg, left leg, abdomen, and neck.

"B-B-Blake..." Yang shuddered, keeping her eyes on the faunus as the blade of red continued to rain down upon her without mercy. Everything was starting to peel away like paint. "Why did you...do that?"

"It's not me...It's not me!" Blake howled, unable to tear her eyes away from her partner who laid out in front of her in pieces. She wasn't even away of the blood that had splashed out onto her own clothes. "It's not me...it's not me..."

How long would you keep telling yourself that?

"Stop...please..."

The more you keep telling yourself such lies, the more convoluted your thinking becomes. Can you feel that? Your mouth has curled up into a smile.

"My...my mouth?" Blake tentatively reached up and could feel that the corners had lifted up, flashing the white fangs she once proudly shone. No matter how hard she pulled, she couldn't get rid of the sickening expression. "H-How...?"

"Blake..." The disembodied voice of Yang brought her back. "Are you...mocking me, Blake?"

"N-No...I would never..."

"Then why...are you smiling...? I'm in...pain..."

"He's making me do it! I can't control my body!" Blake screamed, but somehow her words weren't reaching Yang. The blonde's body shimmered and faded away, leaving the faunus screaming at empty air. "Yang! Come back! I'm sorry!"

"Thought you could get rid of me that easily, my darling? I told you, didn't I?" The scene shifted suddenly and Blake found herself staring down a replica of herself, scared golden irises looking up at her. The words were tumbling out of her mouth, and she realized she was embodying the very monster she despised. No longer was she standing in a sunlit cafeteria, everything had dimmed down and the walls were splashed with a red tint. It was the very night she was scared to face again, the night Adam maimed his first victim that Blake cared for.

No no no no! I don't want this! Please stop!

"Don't look away, this is why you're so weak. Didn't I tell you? I would destroy everything you love."

"STOP!" Blake shrieked and she felt herself falling, the setting around her shattering into pieces like glass. She continued to fall until her back hit a wet surface. A dark liquid soon covered her head and she kicked her feet, driving herself to breach the surface. Gasping for air, she paddled around and found a solid place to hoist herself out of the murkiness. Falling on all fours, she focused on slowing down her breathing and gathered herself together. "Y-Yang...I'm so sorry..."

"Caaaawww!"

"W-W-What? Was that an animal cry?" Blake swiveled her head to see a dark-feathered avian, its beady red eyes focusing on her as she squeezed out excessive liquid from her hair. Taking a step closer, she looked at the bird and said, "A...raven?" The bird flapped its wings, taking to the gray skies and cried out. Taking it as a cue to follow, Blake walked briskly across the bland-colored landscape to catch up.

There were a few times she lost track of the avian via her eyes, but thanks to her ears she caught the sounds of the calls and followed suit. Bursting through the oddly dense wilderness, Blake found herself standing before the figure of another, a woman with wild raven hair and piercing red eyes.

"You were very easy to track down, Blake Belladonna. However, traversing through your thoughts is akin to sloshing through thick mud. But it looks like I finally found you." The woman spoke, her voice strong and confident.

"W-Who are you?" The faunus asked, both feline ears raised in surprise that the stranger knew her full name. "You...you look like Yang..." Her golden eyes widened in recognition as she took in the visitor as a whole. There was striking similarities that left no room for doubts. "Wait...a-are you her mother?"

"How perceptive, seems like Yang's talked to you about her childhood. She must have trusted you a whole lot to speak of something that personal." The woman shook head in mock disbelief, tucking a strand of hair behind an ear. "My name is Raven Branwen."

"Why are you telling me this? What are you doing here?"

"You know, you and I are a like in perhaps the worst way possible." Raven smirked and took a step forward, the faunus attempting to stay rooted instead of making a run for her life even when the nerves in her body were screaming to take flight. "We both turned tail and ran away from Yang, my biological daughter whose abandonment issue grew from my absence. Some people we are, don't' you think?"

"...I'm running away to keep those I care about safe, to draw Adam away since he's so obsessed with me!" Blake couldn't help but spat in defiance, ears lying flat against her head. How dare Yang's mother confront her and act as if her not being there since the beginning of Yang's life was less hurtful than Blake ditching her partner behind. If any thing, they both had mistakes to own up to. "...I won't let anyone else get hurt, I'll gladly die before he has a chance to do the same act again."

"Usually I'd call that a noble and self-less deed, but my daughter still lost a piece of herself. How do you intend on taking responsibility for that?"

"...I never asked her to throw herself at him...I never would..." Blake glanced down at the group, the feeling of guilt settling uncomfortably in the pit of her gut. "She acted on her own accord for my sake..."

"She's quite a stubborn child, isn't she? But that doesn't detour me from asking you again." Raven narrowed her eyes dangerously, forcing Blake to actually take a couple steps back. "How do you plan on taking responsibility for the lost arm?"

"I...I..."

"You may not have been the one to do so, but because of your connection to the red-haired male you are also reliable. Had you been strong enough, I wonder if the chance of winning against him may have avoided the loss of the arm entirely."

If I had been stronger...would I have had a chance? Blake thought about it, her pulse racing from within her chest. If I had been stronger, I could have prevented Yang from jumping. But... Her fingers curled into fists and she glared at Raven. But...it wouldn't have been enough. In the end the result would either remain the same, or we would both end up dead.

"Hmmmm. Now there's the feisty nature my daughter sees in you." Curling her fingers over the hilt of her weapon, Raven heard the revolving chamber of the sheath whirl before it came to a stop. Smiling, she drew out the red blade and pointed it in Blake's direction. "Seems like you've got some fight in you. Good. I didn't want this encounter...to be so generic."

If I can't take ownership of Yang's condition, then how can I go back to face her? Snarling, Blake felt Gambol Shroud's familiar weight fall into her hands. She did take a minute to look at it, and sighed in relief when it wasn't a red blade she was wielding. For Yang, I would sacrifice everything I am, so she won't get hurt on my behalf ever again!

"Come." Raven's order was a faint whisper before the older female struck. Golden eyes widened in shock as blades crossed and grind against one another, sparks flying in multiple direction. Gritting her teeth, Blake threw the older off and rolled to the side. She could barely catch her breath before Raven was upon her again.

She's so...fast! I have to slow her down at least! The faunus quickly made a clone infused with red Dust just as a sword went through the head. With her weapon held tightly, Raven could only watch as it exploded and she skidded backwards from the force. Anticipating an attack from above, she raised her sword in time to block Gambol Shroud from slashing her face.

The two of them continued their dance – Raven doing exceptionally well, and Blake soon learning that she was using her clones to actually keep up with her opponent's fast pace – before the older of the two become serious. Shoving her blade back into its container, the revolving chamber whirled before it came to a halt. Pulling out a blue sword, she began to go for the legs, the ground icing over every time she missed. Blake, being perceptive, noticed it and decided to keep her distance.

"Your hit and run techniques won't save you." Raven mused, already figuring out the strategy and kept her opponent on her toes. "For instance," Holding out a hand, a bluish aura appearing in the palm of her hand. At first, Blake was confused but then she felt something cold encasing her feet. Glancing down she could see ice sprouting around her, keeping her rooted in place.

"Shit!"

"Now you have no where to run..." The older huntress mused, the blue blade switched out for a green colored one. She walked around Blake like a dangerous predator, red eyes gleaming with amusement. "I want to know, just how much you can take."

"How much I can take what?" Blake asked, steeling her nerves for whatever it was Raven had in store for her. The huntress slowly walked away, almost as if to ponder a thought. Then, in one fluid motion, she lunged forward with the familiar red blade drawn. The attack scared Blake so much, she raised Gambol Shroud in front of her face and pushed her Semblance into overdrive. A pull knocked her back and out of her icy prison, a shadow copy of herself taking the hit for her.

"Hmmm. Seems I have underestimated you and your unique semblance." Raven drawled as the shadow eased out of existence, leaving only the ice behind. "But you're using it in such a cowardly way. Look at how you panicked and in a split second of fearing for your life, you used your shadow to cover your sorry self."

"...huff huff huff..." Blake fell to her knees, hunching over as she tried to catch her breath. Her muscles were now screaming in agony as the times from defending against much stronger blows finally caught up to her; she felt small and inadequate just by being within the vicinity of the older huntress.

"But...is this really all you got?" Raven inquired, one eyebrow raised almost out of boredom. There wasn't an ounce of sweat across her brow, and Blake sensed that the woman was holding back for her sake. In fact, the faunus thought that something inhuman had presented itself to her. "Is this the best students Ozpin could produce at Beacon? I expected too much out of him."

What's...going on...? My fighting techniques...aren't working effectively against her. Blake thought to herself, vaguely hearing the approaching footsteps. Curling her fingers into fists, she squeezed her eyes shut. Why? Why is that? What am I doing wrong?! Hasn't my years in school taught me nothing?

"You disappoint me, Blake Belladonna. You are unworthy of Yang." Coming to a stop beside the kneeling faunus, Raven then brought the hilt of her weapon hard against her opponent's temple. Jolting awake from the blunt force, Blake found herself upside down and tangled in the sheets. Ripping and tossing the material aside, she leaned against the bed hunched over trying to catch her breath and gather her bearings. Her face shining lightly due to the sweat and tears, which she hastily wiped away with her sleeves.

Perhaps some fresh air would do me some good...Dressing into presentable clothing and strapping Gambol Shroud to her back, the faunus silently exited her cabin and made her way outside.


Out on the deck...

The sunshine was not a welcoming sight as the cat faunus staggered to a secluded area from the rest of the passengers, leaning her arms against the railings. Fragments from her dream continued to press hard against the forefront of her mind, giving her a throbbing headache. Peering over, she watched her reflection staring back before the ripples created by the ship's bow disrupted and distorted the image. If she continued to look even closer, she could have sworn that Raven was the one looking right at her; the piercing red eyes was what captivated Blake's attention, because Yang had the exact same look when she was angry.

"Traveling alone, young lady?" A voice spoke behind her and she jumped because she didn't hear anyone approach her. With one hand grasping the hilt of Gambol Shroud, she laid eyes on the coat-wearing male, his arms raised to show her he meant no harm. "Whoa now, let's not be too hasty. There's no threat to be seen here. Why don't I keep you company for a spill, seems like you could use a lending ear or two."

"...And why would you want to do that for someone like me?" She questioned, slowly removing her hand from her weapon once she deduced that the man was true to his word. Based on his clothing, Blake figured out quickly that he was perhaps the captain of the ship, and was just doing his daily duty of immersing himself with his passengers.

"Well, not many people travel by boat on their own, the voyage tends to get lonely. Most of the passengers I have seen come in either pairs or a family. You just happen to be the odd one out." The captain chuckled and added, "Don't take it too hard. I found that those who do venture on their own tend to have...interesting stories."

"Maybe it's just better...for some people to be on their own." Blake sighed, unconsciously curling and uncurling her fingers into fists. She turned back to turn her attention out towards the sea, a sigh escaping her lips; she was so focused on the vast blue liquid that she didn't see the look of sympathy the captain was giving her.

"Perhaps...but in your case, I find that having a couple of familiar faces could go a long way. Forgive me for saying this, but based on your skittish manner and how you have been wary about everyone around, I'm going to wager a guess and say you've had quite a story to tell."

"...you could say it that way..."

"Whatever happened has left a traumatic wedge within you, leaving your psychological sense in disarray. You may even have a hard time distinctively separating the line between reality and the reality were your accident happened. Paranoia seems to be the most obvious symptom I see."

"Who said I had paranoia?" Blake growled, now annoyed by his presence.

"No one dear, it was just merely an observation. I'll leave you be." He tipped his hat to her and walked off. Then a thought crossed his mind and he turned around, his eyes meeting hers for a mere moment. "But uh...fair warning. These trips can and are...awfully boring."

Awfully boring huh? She thought to herself as the captain was out of view, turning around to face the silent waters. She scoffed and almost broke into a wistful smile. With everything that has happened, awfully boring sounds really nice.